Quality in Education as a Means to Development: The Case of Sierra Leone
Author
Pedersen, Vibe Qvist
Term
4. term
Publication year
2013
Submitted on
2013-09-30
Pages
70
Abstract
I årtier har udviklingsstrategier verden over sat uddannelse højt på dagsordenen, men fokus har ofte været på tal: adgang, gennemførelse og indskrivning. Forskning viser dog, at flere elever i skolen ikke i sig selv skaber udvikling; kvaliteten af undervisningen er afgørende. Med udgangspunkt i, at kvalitetsuddannelse kan være en drivkraft for national udvikling, undersøger denne afhandling, hvordan Sierra Leone kan forbedre kvaliteten i grundlæggende uddannelse, så den bidrager til udvikling. Studiet er gennemført i Sierra Leone med fokus på Tonkolili-distriktet. Uddannelseskvalitet ses som kontekstafhængig: meningsfuld læring skabes på forskellige måder afhængigt af lokale forhold, og systemet bør derfor tilpasses eleverne – ikke omvendt. Med en fortolkende tilgang, der søger at forstå menneskers erfaringer og betydninger, analyserer afhandlingen observationer af aktiviteter, situationer, adfærd og læringsmiljøer i og omkring skoler og kobler dem til teori. Afhandlingen peger på, at forbedringer er nødvendige i både interne strukturer og politikker. I sin nuværende form er uddannelsessystemet ikke i stand til at bidrage til landets udvikling. Centrale veje frem er at inddrage sierraleonsk kultur og traditionel viden i undervisningen og at styrke decentralisering, dvs. flytte beslutninger tættere på skoler og lokalsamfund. Det kan både afhjælpe interne strukturproblemer og gøre læseplaner og undervisningsmetoder mere relevante.
For decades, development strategies around the world have prioritized education, but the focus has often been on numbers: access, completion, and enrollment. Research now shows that putting more students through school does not by itself lead to development; the quality of teaching and learning is crucial. Assuming that quality education can drive national development, this thesis explores how Sierra Leone can improve the quality of basic education in ways that support development. The study was conducted in Sierra Leone with a focus on Tonkolili District. It treats education quality as context-dependent: meaningful learning looks different in different settings, so the system should be adapted to learners rather than the other way around. Using an interpretive approach—aimed at understanding people’s experiences and meanings—the thesis analyzes observations of activities, situations, behaviors, and learning environments in and around schools and connects these insights to theory. The analysis identifies areas for improvement in both internal structures and policies. In its current form, the education system is not able to contribute to the country’s development. Key directions include integrating Sierra Leonean culture and traditional knowledge into schooling and strengthening decentralization, that is, moving decision-making closer to schools and communities. These steps can address internal structural problems and make curricula and teaching methods more relevant.
[This abstract was generated with the help of AI]
Keywords
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