Education in South Sudan and Malawi

Executive Summary

The aspect of poverty contributes to a big gap between the quality of education in low-income nations and developed countries. In this case, the nations where majority citizens have low income tend to experience lots of challenges as far as the matter of the provision of quality education is concerned. For instance, Malawi and South Sudan are amongst nations encountering lots of hardships that affect the education sector in a greater manner. In the process of countering these problems, both countries are utilizing distinct policies to ensure that their students have obtained the necessary level of education. To be specific, the government in South Sudan seem being focused on various policies including offering technical assistance such as public hearings and expert panels in the learning field. Moreover, the administration in this nation is also using proper governance to enhance learning and teaching operations. Besides, infrastructure development, provision of suitable learning and teaching materials, as well as supportive supervision and school-linked teacher professional advancement training, are essential standards for promoting education in South Sudan. On the other hand, Malawi government is improving the quality of education through utilizing policies such as focusing on teachers’ needs; supporting technical, entrepreneurial, and vocational education and training (TEVET) in both private and public sectors. Also, this nation is using a policy meant to boost quality and equality in the learning sector and using institutional arrangements through involving various agencies and organizations in the education-based activities. Still, this essay provides a comprehensive understanding of the manner into which the informal and formal institution boost learning through influencing the education economic development by playing different roles that aim at offering conducive learning environment. 

Education in South Sudan and Malawi

Over the last decade, the gap between the quality of education between the developed countries and low-income nations. In relation to the above information, it occurs that the level of income has a greater implication on the quality of education. To illustrate, the kids coming from low-income families normally delays joining the learning institutions compared to their peers from wealthy families (Ginsburg et al., 2017). Correspondingly, the depth, incidence, timing, and duration of poverty have a great influence on an aspect of attaining education. Otherwise, the review of economic statuses in countries such as South Sudan and Malawi indicates that national financial stability can determine the level of education in a greater manner (Masino & Niño-Zarazúa, 2016). Despite Malawi and South Sudan being low-income nations, they both use varied policies to impact the demand and supply of education.

Policies Used in South Sudan to Influence Education

There are several policies used in South Sudan to enhance the demand and supply side of education. First, this country has an agency that focuses on offering technical assistance for improving the quality of education in the entire nation. To illustrate, this agency is responsible for drafting and passaging bill for establishing a national educational framework (Kuntzelman, 2013). Still, the above organization provides assistance such as the organization of public hearings and expert panels that enable the specialists and citizens in the education field to put the necessary efforts for promoting learning in the entire nation. On the same note, South Sudan’s government have a tendency of incorporating local citizens in the development of the legislation that affects the education in various ways (Ginsburg et al., 2017). Conversely, the public input plays a vital role in promoting flexibility of the school calendar, hence, making it easy for the individuals residing in areas facing challenges such as poor weather conditions to continue with learning in an appropriate manner. 

The effective and enhanced school governance is also a useful policy applied in South Sudan’s learning system. In this case, the administration ensures there an effectual community as well as parental engagement that help in enhancing teaching and learning activities. As a matter of fact, the above strategy focus on creating and reinforcing functional and effective school governing agencies that contribute to education development. Besides, the administration in this country is boosting efficiency and supportive supervision in the education sector to ensure that teachers are able to work effectively, hence, improvement the education and capacitate the Payam School Supervisors (Ginsburg et al., 2017). Moreover, the government of South Sudan is also applying teacher professional development policy, a thing that is meant to offer teachers with extra training and competent training. Based on the above information, it is clear that the government have recognized the quality of education can be approached through promoting effectual interaction between teachers and students. Currently, the availability of teaching and learning resources in secondary and primary schools is uneven and inadequate, but the government is doing all the way possible to ensure that learning continues in an effective and efficient manner (Kuntzelman, 2013). In the process of addressing the above challenge, the government together with the community members are working tirelessly to ascertain that teachers and students have access to and they are using the approved learning and teaching materials. 

In addition, the government in South Africa is developing the education-based infrastructure in order to improve the learning system. Indeed, the administration has accumulated much money to enhance the accessibility of education in this nation. To illustrate, this nation has managed to construct and rehabilitate 140 primary schools and multiple secondary schools around the nation (Kuntzelman, 2013). Similarly, the national administration has also set aside some cash and building that are used for enhancing tutors’ proficiency. Based on the above information, it is clear that this country has come up with an education program that aid in improving teacher’s qualification via implementation of professional and curriculum teaching standards as well as offering in-service training (Ginsburg et al., 2017). Besides, there are many organizations such as World Bank, UNICEF, and USAID that operate closely with the South Sudan regime to facilitate the development of self-sustaining and stronger education system. 

Policies Used in Malawi to Influence Education

Dissimilar to South Sudan, Malawi is utilizing unique policies to boost supply and demand of education. First, this administration seems to focus largely on the needs of primary and secondary teachers. To be specific, the primary tutors are supposed to obtain a two-year training, whereas the primary school teacher should have a certificate in teaching. Moreover, the secondary teacher training is categorized into a degree taking four years and diploma that is attained after three years (Hénard & Roseveare, 2012).  In relation to the above information, the secondary school tutors are required to have a minimum diploma qualification. The administration lays more emphasis on teachers’ needs since the supply of trained secondary and primary instructors from universities and Teacher Training Colleges (TTCs) is still low (Masino & Niño-Zarazúa, 2016). On the other hand, this government is also focusing on increasing the number of qualified lecturers for monitoring different facilities in training colleges. 

Moreover, Malawi government is also offering (TEVET) in private and public institution as a way of promoting supply and demand for education in the entire nation. To be specific, the process of implementing this policy is first carried out through enrolling generic and parallel students into different public institutions (Masino & Niño-Zarazúa, 2016). Essentially, the above practice help in orienting the training to the labor market needs, thereby, enhancing the course of addressing the required vocational and technical skills (Hénard & Roseveare, 2012). Similarly, the administration is also concerned with widening the whole TEVET’s spectrum through using mechanisms that integrate effective coordination of learning systems. 

Provision of equitable and quality education is also an essential policy used in Malawi to promote education. In this case, higher education is playing a vital role in establishing and advancing new skills and knowledge through promoting research and teaching (Masino & Niño-Zarazúa, 2016). Owing unto the above criteria, the higher education sector is capable of producing individuals with necessary skills that enhance contribute to effectual social-economic development as well as promoting the application of National Development Policies in the entire society (Hénard & Roseveare, 2012). Otherwise, the expansion and provision of higher education depend on the government and the education stakeholders. 

In addition, the application of institutional arrangements is also useful in promoting education in Malawi. To illustrate, this policy ascertains that the public sector is in the front line to promote effectiveness and efficiency within the education sector. Moreover, this policy ensures that the Ministry of Science and Technology, as well as Education, are collaborating in carrying out learning-based activities (Masino & Niño-Zarazúa, 2016). Furthermore, the alliance between colleges, universities and various organizations and institutions contributes to continuous growth and development in the learning sector (Hénard & Roseveare, 2012). Indeed, the above policy is necessary for enhancing the provision of quality education. 

The Way Formal and Informal Institutions Impact Economic Development for Education

The informal and informal institutions have a greater influence on education economic development. To illustrate, the informal institutions such as clan, voluntary groups or informal networks are affecting the learning in a greater manner. For instance, these organizations play a role of enhancing discipline and acting as watchdogs on the education system as well as participating in the process of accumulating funds necessary for supporting education activities (Masino & Niño-Zarazúa, 2016). On the other hand, formal institutions provide the rules used to monitor official activities carried out within the education sector (Hénard & Roseveare, 2012). For example, the bureaucrats, security officers, judges, courts among other entities are concerned with ensuring that all practices within the learning sector are carried out in an effective and efficient manner (Ginsburg et al., 2017). As a matter of fact, the formal and informal institutions help in offering a conducive learning environment. 

To conclude, the aspect of Malawi and South Sudan being among the low-income nations have affected its quality of education in a negative manner. However, each country is using unique policies to enhance its learning sector. For instance, South Sudan is concentrating on strategies governance, supportive supervision, use of quality learning and teaching materials as well as the construction of education-based infrastructure. Dissimilar to South Sudan, Malawi government utilizes plans such as institution arrangements, ensuring that teachers are qualified; TEVET and promoting education quality and equitability. In addition, the informal and formal institutions in these countries have also boosted learning in a greater manner. Conversely, the provision of quality education is suitable for promoting growth and development in low-income nations.

References

Ginsburg, M., Haugen, V., Lokong, F., & Ong’uti, S. (2017). Promoting community participation in improving education in South Sudan, African Educational Research Journal. 5(4), 221-239. 

Hénard, F., & Roseveare, D. (2012). Fostering quality teaching in higher education: Policies and practices. An IMHE Guide for Higher Education Institutions, 7-11.

Kuntzelman, C. C. (2013). South Sudan: Solutions for moving beyond an” ethnic conflict”. International Research and Review, 3(1), 81-118.

Masino, S., & Niño-Zarazúa, M. (2016). What works to improve the quality of student learning in developing countries?. International Journal of Educational Development, 48, 53-65.