Examines the relationship between level of schooling and literacy attainment in four rural communities in Guatemala. The authors first identify the grade at which most children become literate and then estimate the net contribution of schooling to literacy. They found that most children became literate with between three and four years of…

Describes the Educational Priority Policy (EPP), implemented in the Netherlands in 1985 to reduce the educational disadvantage of socioeconomically challenged students. Describes an EPP evaluation that examined the impact of gender, social class, and ethnic background on test performance. Social class and immigrant status were found to…

The National Qualification Framework (NQF) in South Africa attempts to integrate education and training, and to facilitate access and progression through the educational and training system. This paper describes the background of NQF, explores the extent to which NQF addresses the problems of poverty, hunger, and unemployment, and considers the…

Describes Hong Kong's Target-Oriented Curriculum (TOC), a major curriculum renewal initiative designed to improve the quality of learning in local primary schools. Discusses the context in which it was introduced and factors that proved problematic in managing change. Focuses on five elements in the change process: practicality, ownership, teacher…

Discusses the role of ideology in the World Bank's funding decisions. Describes the issues of literacy and development, especially as related to the World Bank. Concludes that adult literacy programs, which have relatively unpredictable and uncontrollable outcomes, may represent a commitment that, politically and culturally, is too risky for the…

Puts forth a theory of popular education, the elements of which include (1) an emphasis on the relationship of education and learning to collective and emancipatory struggle, and (2) an analytical framework which connects learning and education with analysis of political economy and ideology. Tests the theory through a case study of Australian…

Examines how the contemporary women's movement in India (1975-present) has addressed the issue of women's education. Highlights contributions of the 19th-century social-reformist movement and the nationalist movement. Details the role of the contemporary women's movement in redefining knowledge and the curriculum. Concludes with challenges facing…

Reviews grassroots initiatives in Brazil, arguing that despite differences in composition and aims, movements such as landless rural workers, indigenous groups, and the women's movement that have attempted to shift current socioeconomic order toward a new equilibrium, are best described as historic movements. Describes these movements in relation…

Explores the challenges and possibilities of popular education by examining the educational field after the application of structural adjustment programs in Latin America. Presents a critique of Gramsci's model of the organic intellectual as understood by many within popular education. Offers the specific example of a popular-education workshop in…

This study, carried out in Israel, examines how important autonomy is in influencing school effectiveness, as measured by criteria such as teachers' sense of motivation and commitment to the school. The author argues that further research is needed before formulating any theory concerning the relationship between school autonomy and school…

The author asks to what extent peace and human-rights education programs for Israeli and Palestinian children have fostered peaceful solutions to the differences between the Israeli and Palestinian people. He concludes that the programs are very limited and have made little impact in reversing the long educational legacy of mutual distrust and…

Examines the trends in adult education in Slovakia since it became a separate republic in 1993. The four basic modalities for providing adult education in Slovakia are 1) schools and colleges; 2) cultural centers and similar institutions; 3) vocational training institutions; and 4) voluntary organizations, including trade unions and political…

Summarizes the findings and recommendations of a study about access to colleges of further education and universities by refugees in Sydney, Australia, and the experiences of these students. Identifies examples of institutional good practice. Concludes with a series of recommendations for improving access and support for students from refugee…

Provides a case study on the quality of education in rural Ethiopia. Derives a measure for the quality of a school, which emphasizes responsiveness to household needs and willingness to try to attract students. Also derives a measure for teacher quality, based on teaching attitudes and behavior. (CAK)

Presents an analysis of the change in school-attendance figures in France in the 19th and 20th centuries. Reports a twofold interest: immediate practical interest and theoretical interest. Presents a compilation of the chronological series to prepare the statistical analysis, describes the trends observed, and provides a preliminary analysis of…