1. ADEA 2008 Biennale:
Observations, Issues, Moving Forward
Theme 1:
Towards 9-10 years of “Basic” Education for All: promising practices and strategies

2. UBE Vision and Strategy
High quality and sustainable UBE: What will it look like? Emerging consensus: flexible pathways, reduced inefficiency, restructured and modernized curricula, more inclusive service delivery, capitalizing on S&T tools
Children have a right to UBE and a healthy learning environment
Move from a regional vision to a country-specific implementation policy for UBE expansion (sustainable and affordable)

3. UBE Quality, Relevance, and Equity
UBE can have structural diversity
UBE curriculum: local socio-economic environment
Non-formal / informal learning integrated into UBE
Consensus on more equity in UBE (girls and disadvantaged youth)
Most UBE graduates enter the labor market
Current assessment is exam-driven, focusing mainly on academic skills and HE entry
UBE curriculum and assessment require pedagogic coherence – reform is complex and political
Concern for UBE teacher supply and teaching quality

4. Efficiency and Financing: how to implement is key
UBE expansion requires political will and stakeholder consensus from the start
Africa’s youth represent a challenge and an opportunity in terms of human capital for socio-economic competitiveness (“youth lens”)
Faster and more efficient UBE expansion through ICT and S&T tools (e-learning, ODL, networking)
Institutional capacity development in countries remains key – HE should play its role
Expansion of an inefficient UBE system is not a solution – more of the same will not do