Educational Reformation in Algeria - Background and Description

Context

 

JFIT-funded project to support the process of educational reform initiated in Algeria in 2002. The IBE, jointly with EPS and IIEP is providing technical advice and training to help strengthen the capacities of various categories of educational experts (planners, curriculum developers, evaluators, inspectors, teacher trainers…).

 

Goal

 

To support the process of renewal of school curriculum through the building of the professional capacities of curriculum developers and textbook evaluators (components 2-4 of the PARE project).

 

Specific objectives

 

  • To provide technical support for the critical revision of the National Curriculum Framework Guidelines for Textbook Evaluation with a view to ensuring coherence between the latter and the pedagogical specifications for textbook development.
  • To provide training on competency-based approaches to teaching and learning for curriculum developers and textbook evaluators.


RESULTS

 

Expected outcome 1 - Revision of National Curriculum Framework, Guidelines for Textbook Evaluation, and pedagogical specifications for textbook development.

 

Obtained

  • Consultation seminar on textbook development policies organized as part of broader PARE launch seminar (Algiers, 23-25 March). The seminar allowed for a better identification of specific technical support needs, not only in terms of adaptation of instruments for textbook evaluation, but also for the establishment of proper procedures for textbook approval.
  • On-site technical support for the revision of national curriculum framework and national guidelines for textbook development and evaluation (Algiers, 26-30 May) was provided at the Institute National de Recherche en Education (INRE). Full report containing critical review and concrete proposals for improvement shared with all project partners.


Expected outcome 2 - Core group of curriculum developers, subject specialist and textbook evaluators trained in competency-based approaches to curriculum development.

 

Obtained

 

  • A regional Maghreb seminar on competency-based approaches to curriculum development was organized (Algiers, 27-29 July) brought together 50 participants in order to allow for an exchange on the range of conceptual understandings and practical approaches in both national experiences neighboring Morocco and Tunisia, as well as in Switzerland, Belgium and Canada.
  • Training of national team of 90 curriculum developers (Algiers, 29 Nov - 02 Dec).
  • Training of core team of 30 textbook evaluators (Algiers, 29 Nov – 02 Dec).

 

Justification and comments

 

The vast process of educational reform being undertaken in Algeria since 2002 implies enormous challenges in terms of coordination between the various implementing agents. The lack of an overall mechanism for piloting and monitoring explains the challenges of planning capacity-building activities to support the implementation of reform. PARE coordination meetings (Paris, 26-27 Jan and 19 May) have insisted on the need to adopt a supple approach to capacity building, responding as well as possible to demands for technical advice and training as they arise. Within this perspective, the focus of IBE support during 2004 has been on the process of renewal of school curricula, particularly as pertains to the implications of the adoption of a competency-based approach in syllabus and textbook development and evaluation.