The mitigating the impact of this disease

Basic education programs in the AFR Region account for approximately 34% of the Agency’s basic education resources. The AFR Bureau supports basic education programs in 14 countries: Benin, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, Malawi, Mali, Namibia, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Sudan, Uganda, and Zambia. In addition, Missions in Kenya, Tanzania and Eritrea are adding education to their country programs. 

Since 1990, these countries have achieved strong enrollment gains and much greater equity for girls:  there were 12 million more children enrolled in primary schools in 2000 than there were in 1990. Other accomplishments include significantly increased public expenditures on education; improved qualifications and conditions of service for teachers; improved education sector management information systems; and increased local, regional, and community participation and decision-making in education. Several important cross-cutting themes continue to be targeted: (a) HIV/AIDS -- in particular, mitigating the impact of this disease on Africa’s education systems; (b) gender equity -- increasing educational opportunities for girls, and (c) increasing community participation in education, with an emphasis on local level school ownership and management. Focus remains concentrated on promoting innovative programming, developing effective schools and classrooms, building capacity at both national and local levels, and promoting sustainable systemic reform. It is anticipated that additional countries will develop objectives in education during this IQC’s ordering period.

The region has experienced the greatest increase in the number of country program of all regions and now accounts for approximately 46% of the Agency’s basic education resources. The ANE Bureau supports basic education programs in 14 countries: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Jordan, Morocco, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Yemen. Most efforts are focused on support for teacher training, enhanced education quality, opportunities for adults and out-of-school children, secondary school accelerated learning, school construction and renovation.