The skills balancing act: a review of the 2019 World Bank report on skills development in Sub-Saharan Africa

Author(s):  
Paul Bennell
1969 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew Kerandi

Poor governance is increasingly being cited as one of the most important factors contributing to poor economic performance in most developing countries. The World Bank has repeatedly argued that poor economic performance in most developing countries, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), is attributed to poor governance. The issue of governance was first raised in 1988 in the World Bank report evaluating ten years of structural adjustment lending experience. The report noted that “severe institutional and managerial weaknesses in the public and private sector have proved unexpectedly serious as constraints to better performance” (World Bank, 1988: 3). The issue of “good governance” was further amplified by the 1989 World Bank report on SSA when the crisis in the region was termed as a “crisis of governance” (World Bank, 1989). International financial institutions (IFIs) have since then focused on improving the effectiveness of public sector institutions and the performance of public policies. As observed by Naim (1999), the rediscovery of institution has become the key focus of IFIs in as far as reforms are concerned. Naim explains that “no speech or policy paper could be written about market reform without including a fashionable reference to the need to strengthen institutions” (Naim, 1999:12).


2017 ◽  
pp. 107-125 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vinayagum Chinapah ◽  
Jared O. Odero

Information and communication technology (ICT) has emerged as a tool that can enhance flexible learning pathways. ICT has the potential to increase equitable access to quality learning, which is essential for skills development. Skills are required in technology-related nonfarm activities so as to improve livelihoods and achieve sustainable rural transformation. However, slow pace of the developing countries to utilize the benefits of the ongoing technological revolution in the North has resulted in the ‘digital divide’. Besides, it is still problematic to implement ICT programmes for educational development. The current and future challenges of providing ICT-based learning desperately call for the reengineering of education to move out of the formal structure of teaching and learning, towards building a more practical and realistic approach. By means of a literature review, this paper examines and discusses why it is important to provide inclusive, quality ICT-based learning, particularly in the rural areas of Asia and sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). It recommends that diverse ICT-based solutions be adopted to promote skills development and training within non-formal and informal settings. More comparative studies are also required to understand the impact of ICT-based learning in rural areas. 


2011 ◽  
Vol 47 (2) ◽  
pp. 179-184 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. J. M. COOPER ◽  
R. COE

Rainfed agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is the mainstay of the continent's food and feed production. Nearly 90% of staple food and feed production comes from, and will continue to come from, rainfed agriculture (Rosegrant et al., 2002). In spite of this, investment in this vital production system, and hence its productivity, has stagnated. There are many complex and interrelated issues that contribute to this state of affairs. The outcomes of lack of investment and low production of rainfed agriculture reinforce each other leading to poverty traps and increased vulnerability of livelihoods to climatic and other shocks (World Bank, 2000). This has become well recognized and an emerging political will, both within and outside SSA, to support increased investment in rainfed agriculture appears to be gaining momentum (Sanchez et al, 2009).


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