Educational Reform in Third World Countries

This paper examines some educational reforms in third world countries in Asia and Africa and concludes that generally they have failed or only gained partial success. The problem is that most of the innovations that are introduced in third world countries such as Botswana follow top-down models or centre-periphery models of change, as they are usually borrowed or imported from outside, including from western countries like the United Kingdom or the USA. The innovations are perceived to be incongruent with the prevailing social and cultural values of the classroom and therefore do not receive the support of both teachers and students and therefore fail to take root. The importation of innovations is usually done through bilateral or multilateral aid agencies, which usually have agendas that go beyond educational ones. Keywords: implementation, learner-centered, innovation, classroom interaction, pedagogy, teacher-centered