Training across Borders in Mozambique - Research Paper Example

TRAINING ACROSS BORDERS (MOZAMBIQUE) Current Training Initiative in the United s The first union exchange programs in Europe were; COMETT (for industry university links and exchanges) in 1987 and the Erasmus University exchange program also in the same year, and after then there have been similar programs being initiated. However, in 2007 all the education and training programs were joined together in the Lifelong Learning Program 2007-2013 that has several sub-programs addressing all the necessary areas. The four sub programs of the Lifelong Learning Program are: The Comenius program that addresses the teaching and learning needs of all those in pre-school and school education up to the level of the end of secondary school education (Move on Net 2013). The Erasmus – concentrates on the teaching and learning requirementss of all those in formal higher education including student placements across nations in projects providing and facilitating such education and training; then there is the Leonardo Da Vinci program. The Leonardo Da Vinci program addresses the teaching and learning needs of all those in vocational educational training; considerably, the program’s core objectives are to support those in training to acquire and implement knowledge, skills and qualifications to facilitate personal growth, employability and participation in the European labor market, improve quality and innovation, and lastly, enhance the attractiveness of vocational education, training and mobility (FMER 2013). The program also pursues operation aims that seek to develop and strengthen; mobility in education and that of a series of training sessions, attention span, innovative practices and their transfer between countries, language learning, innovative ICT based content and cooperation between different factors. Significantly, the program also supports actions like partnerships focusing on themes of mutual interest and multilateral projects aimed at enhancing the training systems through relocation and development of good practice in order to adapt to national needs (Move on Net 2013). Moreover, the Leonardo Da Vinci is also up to per with thematic networks of experts and organizations working on particular aspects that are in relational to the vocational education and training, and the dissimilar accompanying measures related to the same. The fourth program of the Lifelong Learning program is the Grundtvig program that is geared to all players in adult education where all its topics are addressed in learning partnerships as the multilateral projects develop innovations for adult education (FMER 2013). It is also involved in the training of other adult education instructors located in other European countries and generally addresses educational challenges resulting from the ageing of the population. Collectively, the four sub-programs are joined by the transversal program which promotes language learning, policy cooperation and innovation of lifelong learning, dissemination and exploitation of results of actions supported under the program, and finally, the development of innovative ICT-based content, services, pedagogies and practice lifelong learning (Move on Net 2013). Recently, though it has not yet implemented, the new Jean Monnet program was introduced in support of institutions, programs and activities in the area of European incorporation. Education Culture of Mozambique Currently, the children in Mozambique have a better chance in learning with more than 75 percent of the children being enrolled in primary school unlike ten years ago where only slightly above 60 percent were getting the chance. Since the 1990s when a long civil conflict caused grave impact on the education infrastructure, the country has been experiencing multiple challenges; however, the system has rapidly expanded to accommodate the large number of children requiring admission i.e. abolishment of school fees for primary education in 2005 (UNICEF 2013). Radically, despite the big number of multiple advancements in the education system there is still a lot that require to be done so as to stabilize the Mozambique education in the classroom. A huge number of primary school teachers, lack adequate training plus a multiple-shifts system were recently introduced so as to cover for the few classrooms and teacher’s shortage (UNICEF 2013). The completion rate, a core gauge used for establishing the quality of education remains low with nearly half of the primary school aged children leaving school before they reach the high grades; moreover, most of the schools lack adequate water and sanitation facilities with most classrooms lacking desks and school materials. AIDS and poverty has added responsibilities on schools where are forced to take on many of the functions that families traditionally performed in relation to children’s education and care like providing health services and psycho-social assistance to orphaned and vulnerable children like orphans and girls who are mostly at risk of dropping out (UNICEF 2013). Generally, despite the few challenges there are both formal and informal education sectors in Mozambique, with the formal education being divided into; pre-school education, secondary education, technical and professional education, higher education and adult education. Basically, the country’s Ministry of Education and Culture governs the higher education sub-system with the other sub system having separate administrators. Recommendations for the Cultural Adaptation and Rationale The current education system and culture in Mozambique poses a great challenge especially when it comes to the training program to assist in both rationalization and justification (UN Mozambique 2013). However, there are few recommendations that can be put into place to try and counter the same broadly facilitating the need for achieving good and quality education in general. Extensiveness would be advisable for starters, where all children especially the poverty struck, girls and orphans are motivated and encouraged to attend school where they acquire quality education addressing the various challenges that they face. Then there is child centeredness where the all the needs and rights of all children are respected and specifically those of the underprivileged and needy children. At the same time, campaigning for democratic participation with every child being involved in educational discussions and activities both at school and community levels would also impact gravely to the condition in Mozambique. The school together with the trainers could also promote secure school environments and buildings, offering clean water and sanitation, safe and sustainable energy; particularly protection for the girls, vulnerable children and their communities though in ways that will not go against their culture. Challenges in Implementing the Recommendations In the efforts to implement the recommendations, the impact of the common natural and man made disasters that the poor, and particularly the children face in Mozambique will pose a new set of challenges that cannot be overlooked hence making the process more complex (UN Mozambique 2013). In such situations children face a complex array of vulnerabilities in times of disasters; and it is hard for them to balance between these vulnerabilities and education. Adaptation to the new and improved system of education will also be hectic since on top of the ‘classroom’ education more input will be required from both the school and the trainers. With the cyclical disasters taking place much attention will be shifted to countering them with the policy and decision makers like the schools taking into consideration how the children and their communities are affected hence affecting the overall process. Additionally, the cost of taking action and implementing the recommendations will be far much greater than expected. Another challenge to the implementation of the recommendations will be the vital role of the collective Mozambique education whose responsibility is prepare future generations in plummeting the risk of natural and man made disasters so that the process of sustaining natural resources, assuage poverty and attend to equity. This will change the meaning of the whole training program since much of the stakeholders’ attention will be on mainstreaming knowledge and skills development on disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation. In conclusion, except from the risk of disasters and the climate of Mozambique as the major problems, implementation of the recommendations would be much easier with most of the minor problems being countered effortlessly. References Move on Net, (2013) Lifelong Learning; A New Education and Training Programme to Build the Knowledge Society: Higher Education Worldwide. Retrieved on 10th November 2012, from http://www.moveonnet.eu/events/news/2018lifelong-learning2019-a-new-education-and-training-programme-to-build-the-knowledge-society UNICEF, (2013) Basic Quality Education in Mozambique: Education. Retrieved 10th November 2013, from http://www.unicef.org/mozambique/education.html Federal Ministry of Education and Research (FMER), (July 9, 2013). Lifelong Learning Program; European Education Program for All: International Affairs. Retrieved on 10th November 2013, from http://www.bmbf.de/en/919.php#top UN Mozambique, (2013), Base-line Study on How Basic Education in Mozambique is Developing Children’s Awareness: UNICEF. Retrieved on 10th November 2013, from http://mz.one.un.org/eng/Vacancies/UNICEF-Base-line-study-on-how-basic-education-in-Mozambique-is-developing-children-s-awareness-on-environmental-changes-and-developing-children-s-life-skills-on-disaster-risk-reduction-BID-Reference-2013-HR-04 Read More