Globalisation And Education Policy Reform In Botswana

"This book uses the Global-local dialect approach to explicate education policy reform in Botswana and interrogates the practical effects of the various education policies on curriculum, pedagogy and governance of the Botswana General Education system. Considering the effect of three reform policies since Botswana's Independence in 1966, the book evaluates the performance of each of the policies and examines their consequences in terms of the interplay of global forces and domestic pressures. The result of this interplay has been an education landscape that, while reflecting globally circulating education discourses, markedly differs from those same discourses. The book argues that the State in Botswana has appropriated education policy to legitimate itself in times of crisis and that each policy has improved access to general education but, collectively, have failed to improve its quality, making suggestions for how this can be improved in the future. As the first book of its kind to delve into education in Botswana from a single-authored critical lens, the book will be a highly relevant reading for academics, researchers and post-graduate students of African education, comparative education, education policy and curriculum studies"--

This book uses the global–local dialect approach to explicate education policy reform in Botswana and interrogates the practical effects of the various education policies on curriculum, pedagogy and governance of the Botswana General Education system. Considering the effect of three reform policies since Botswana’s Independence in 1966, the book evaluates the performance of each of the policies and examines their consequences in terms of the interplay of global forces and domestic pressures. The result of this interplay has been an education landscape that, while reflecting globally circulating education discourses, markedly differs from those same discourses. The book argues that the State in Botswana has appropriated education policy to legitimate itself in times of crisis and that each policy has improved access to general education but, collectively, have failed to improve its quality, making suggestions for how this can be improved in the future. As the first book of its kind to delve into education in Botswana from a single-authored critical lens, the book will be a highly relevant reading for academics, researchers and post-graduate students of African education, comparative education, education policy and curriculum studies.

Exploring the interplay between globalization, education and international development, this book surveys the impact of global education policies on local policy in developing countries. With chapters written by leading international scholars, drawing on a full range of theoretical perspectives and offering a diverse selection of case studies from Africa, Asia and South America, this book considers such topics as: How are global education agendas and policies formed and implemented? What is the impact of such policy priorities as public-private partnerships, child-centred pedagogies and school-based management? What are the effects of political and economic globalization on educational reform and change? How do mediating institutions affect the translation of global policies to particular educational contexts? What are the limitations of globalised policy solutions and what problems do they encounter at local levels? From students of education, development and globalization to practitioners working in developing contexts, this book is an important resource for those seeking to understand how global forces and local realities meet to shape education policy in the developing world.

This book examines some of the major challenges faced by African education by placing them in two important contexts. First, it explores how new economic dynamics, linked to globalisation, impact upon educational priorities and possibilities. Second, it stresses the need to locate educational policies and practices alongside approaches in other sectors. This leads to an analysis of the intersections between education, training and enterprise development. Through detailed examinations of recent policies and practices in Ghana, Kenya and South Africa, the book shows how different national approaches emerge in spite of apparent convergences in donor agency policy and international policy discourses. Aimed at policy makers and practitioners as well as academics, the book outlines a series of theoretical, policy and practical challenges for the future of African education and its broader role in development.

This book addresses the intersections of globalization, policy borrowing, and educational reform. Drawing upon multiple disciplines, it provides a comprehensive overview of globalization’s history, processes, theories, and trends, both generally and in education specifically. The book includes an in-depth discussion of policy borrowing, emphasizing its political nature, to provide an understanding of globalization’s impact on education. Portnoi interrogates the dominance of the Global North and the influence of the global governance organizations that serve as the core of the aid and development regime. Using a critical perspective, Portnoi emphasizes the manner in which local agents intervene to mediate the forces of globalization. The book provides a comprehensive foundation for students and scholars of comparative education and associated disciplines, including social foundations, educational policy, teacher education, higher education, globalization studies, sociology of education, and policy studies.

The phenomenon of "travelling reforms" has become an object of great professional interest and intensive academic scrutiny. The fact that the same set of educational reforms is transferred from one country to another made scholars wonder whether policy transfer has increased as a result of globalization. But also the fact that policy makers increasingly import "best practices "and international standards and use them as a tool to accelerate reform has captured the imagination of many that deal with policy studies. An international comparative perspective is key for understanding why reforms travel from one corner of the world to another. Not surprisingly, the study of policy borrowing and lending constitutes one of the core research topics of comparative policy studies; a new area of research that links comparative education with policy studies. The World Yearbook of Education 2012 brings together a diverse range of perspectives on education policy through contributions from internationally renowned authors. It reflects on the way policy borrowing and lending is reconfiguring the world of education and offers a new collection of insights into the changes occurring across the world. It particularly focuses on: The political and economic reasons for policy borrowing, The agencies, international networks and regimes that instigate policy change, The process of borrowing and lending The impact of these systems, agendas and institutions on indigenous settings. This book will prove invaluable to researchers of globalization and to policy experts, especially those interested in comparative and international educational studies. It is also essential reading for undergraduate and postgraduate students and anyone involved in the sociology, economy or history of education. Gita Steiner-Khamsi is Professor of Comparative and International Education at Teachers College Columbia University, New York, US. Florian Waldow is Research Director at the University of Münster, Germany.

This book assesses the influence of the international organization UNESCO on the development of national Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) systems in the Southern African Community Region (SADC), focusing particularly on Botswana and Namibia. Designed around UNESCO’s Better Education for Africa’s Rise (BEAR) project, the study is an excellent example of applied policy research. Analysis is from the perspective of key stakeholders including UNESCO headquarters and field offices, Ministries of Education and of Labor, employers and employees, education and training institutions, international partners and more. Both qualitative and quantitative evidence are used to provide a comparative overview, and the author also reveals the current state of data on skills. Readers will discover common goals and challenges across the nations but also a common lack of action to measure the impact and influence that UNESCO’s programs have had at a national level, prior to this study. Were the newly implemented educational policies successful or not? If the public policies failed, why was that? These chapters shed light on such questions and how UNESCO's contribution influenced the national development processes, in the context of globalization processes and trends of global mass education. The book has much to offer for both scholars and those working in UN agencies or national governments who seek to develop education systems and better link them to the world of work.

This book presents a global overview of discourses of globalization, current research in education and education policy reforms. It first examines globalisation, education and policy research and reforms in education, including coverage of main trends in education and policy reforms globally, as well as specific policy issues such as equity, inclusive schooling and quality education for all. Next, it offers a comparative perspective in evaluating the ambivalent and problematic relationship between globalisation, ideology, the state and education reforms globally. One significant impact of globalization on education policy and reforms is the competitive comparison of education systems. These comparisons are usually based on common achievement tests such as TIMSS, PIRLS and PISA. Major policy reforms are frequently justified with reference to these achievement data. The book features coverage of education reforms globally, and academic achievement syndrome. Not only do the chapters offer a timely analysis of current issues shaping education policy research, but the book also contains ideas concerning the future directions that education and policy reforms could take, to offer more democratic and equitable education. Respective chapters critically assess the dominant discourses and debates on education and policy reforms. By doing so, it provides a comprehensive view of the diverse and intersecting discourses on globalisation and policy-driven reforms in education.