Extracted PDF page text

Microsoft Word - rena.doc

Machine-extracted derivative; not a transcript or translation. Reading order, spacing and characters have not been editorially verified. PDF page numbers are file positions, not printed page labels. No OCR has been added.

Open unchanged original PDF · Download unchanged PDF

Extraction status: extracted-unverified.

 
Value-based Education for Human Development – Eritrean Perspective 
  
Ravinder Rena 
Eritrea Institute of Technology – Mai Nefhi 
Asmara, Eritrea. 
 
 
 
Abstract 
Education is important in any country since it promotes the knowledge, skills, habits, and 
values. The learning does not solely come from the teacher. Hence the educator for the 
child is both the teacher and his peer group. The societal values have been diminishing 
over the past few decades. Therefore, it is necessary develop the holistic citizenship 
education. The problem of value education of the young African nation Eritrea is gaining 
prominence in educational discussions during the recent times. Hence, Eritrea emphasises 
on values in education and attempted to incorporate its National Curriculum Framework 
for School Education-2003. An attempt is made in this paper to discuss the Eritrean 
societal values in fighting for their freedom and it provides some conclusions and 
implications to develop the value education in Eritrea.  
 
Introduction 
Education has long been recognized as a central element in development 
(Bacchus,1992).  It is considered as a vital input in modernization where the developing 
countries like Eritrea began its drive for social and economic development since its 
independence (Rena, 2003). Education is perceived as a means not only of raising 
political and social consciousness, but also of increasing the number of skilled workers 
and raising the level of trained man power (Rena, 2002).  These benefits, together with 
the visible gains for individuals from education, stimulated an unprecedented growth of 
enrolment registered over the last fifteen years of its independence. It is to be noted that 
the enrolment rose up to 600,000 in 2005 from 189, 000 in 1992. Even in the case of 
teachers the number rose from 2,500 to 14,000. Furthermore, the government is making 
great efforts in constructing kindergarten schools in cities and rural areas. In addition, 
elementary, intermediate and secondary schools are on the increase every year. 
Substantial investment has been made in Eritrean education sector for the last one and 
half decades (Rena, 2005).  
 
The question arises here is: what type of education is needed to empower citizens 
to become agents of change for better world societies? This was an issue before delegates 
at the eighth UNESCO-Asia Pacific Programme of Education Innovation for 
Development (APEID) held at Bangkok, Thailand in 2004. In a world struggling with the 
challenges posted by intolerance and fundamentalism, the perceptions about social-
cohesion forever, the meaning of the term “citizenship education” assumes particular 
importance in the countries like Eritrea where still high degree of patriotism is found.  

 
Eritrea is located in the Horn of Africa, bordered in the north and west by Sudan, in the 
south by Ethiopia and Djibouti, and in the east by the Red Sea. It has an estimated 
population of about 4 million and a total land area of some 12.2 million hectares.  Its 
annual population growth is estimated at 2.9 percent (Rena, 2005). Eritrea has nine ethnic 
groups and six administrative zobas (provinces/regions).1  
 
Importance of Education 
Education is important in a small country – Eritrea, because it promotes the 
knowledge, skills, habits, values, or attitudes and understanding of the people in the 
country (Bequist, 1992). And it is also considered as the backbone of the development of 
Eritrea (Rena, 2002). Therefore, greater concern and emphasis must be put into the means 
and ways by which education (learning and teaching process) transfer the needed 
knowledge and information to students/children. It helps people to become a useful 
member of the society and to develop an appreciation of their culture heritage and live 
more satisfying lives(Bequist, 1992; Bloom, et al., 1981). The most common way to get 
an education is to attend schools/colleges/university. Besides, the people acquire the 
needed skills through every day activities as reading news papers, magazines to 
understand more about the outside-world or managing their money.  It also gives them a 
specialized training they may need to prepare for a job or career. 
 
In Eritrea, the current emphasis on values in education National Curriculum 
Framework for School Education-2003 is a product of many years of contemplation into 
the sad degeneration of society into hedonism, corruption, poverty, inequity, injustice and 
the environment continue to send warning signals (Rena, 2004). Therefore, the problem 
of value education of the young is assuming increasing prominence in educational 
discussions during recent times. Parents, teachers and society at large have been 
concerned about values and value education of children in the country (Erwin, 1991). The 
present situation in Eritrea however demands a system of education, which, apart from 
strengthening national unity, must strengthen social solidarity through meaningful and 
constructive value education (MoE, 2001). Whatever be the cause of the present value 
crisis, there is no contradicting the fact that the weakening of moral values in social life is 
creating serious social and ethical conflicts. It is this changing context —  the declining 
moral standards in personal and public life on the one hand, and the national ideological 
commitment to the values of democracy, socialism, secularism and modernization on the 
other, that constituted the driving force behind the recommendations, stressing the 
importance of value education in educational institutions in the country(MoE,1999).  
 
How Can We Prepare Good Citizens? 
How can we prepare our future generations to cope with the challenges and fast 
changing realities of today and tomorrow? How can we develop citizens who can bring 
about the transformation of the culture of violence, intolerance and greed to one of peace, 
non-violence and respect for one another? These are not going to be achieved with the 
click of a finger (Bequist, 1992; Bloom, et al., 1981). There is no ready-made solution 

waiting to be adopted. In fact there must be a debate in Eritrea over value education 
involving the best of the professional and academic intentions.  
 
It is to be noted that Eritrea, is home for nine ethnic groups. Hence people have 
different faiths, should look to its own, rich spiritual tradition to find the ways to struggle 
with contemporary problems —  look back into the future as it were.  
 
There is no doubt that Eritrea is aware that the ideal type of citizen will be shaped 
by an educational paradigm. In line with this, it is been providing 12th Grade education in 
Warsay Yikeallo Secondary School in Sawa for the last 4 years, to integrate the students 
and promote the unity (Rena, 2005). The national goal of striking unity in diversity must 
be realised through the approaches that followed in Eritrean educational policies, 
programmes and practices and their implementation in the schools.  
 
At the same time it needs the teacher's sensitivity to opportunities for teaching 
which result from the meaningful interaction between the educator and the learner and 
also among the learners themselves (Bequist, 1992; Bloom, et al., 1981). There is a 
popular misconception —  which perhaps led to the postponement of value education 
instruction in Eritrea for years —  that values are “better caught than taught”. In reality 
however, values are both caught and taught.  
 
The learning does not solely come from the teacher but the educator for the child 
is both the teacher and his peer group. In this light, the teacher is more of a guide and 
facilitator, and indeed, the true partner in learning (Erwin, 1991). The success of the 
valuing process, according to contemporary educationists, lies in encouraging the learner 
to ask the “Why” and “What for” at the right times. This tendency checks the 
proliferation of blind faith.  
 
So, value education is not simply the heart of education, but also the education of 
the heart. It is a necessary component of holistic citizenship education. The Ministry of 
Education (MoE) does not recommend mere teaching about values but rather learning 
how to value, how to bring knowledge into the deeper level of understanding and 
insights. The holistic learning experience aims at the internalisation of values by the 
learner and translating them into their behaviour.  
 
Spiritual Education 
A total learning process is therefore envisaged. It is a time for decision makers 
and professionals in the field of education to lead in the total effort of designing and 
implementing new and more effective ways of preparing the future citizens and future 
leaders of Eritrea into the creation of better societies. The priority should be to translate 
the valuable lessons from spiritual texts —  the Bible, Koran, and to transform the 
growing culture of violence, greed and intolerance into one of peaceful co-existence 
(MoE, 1999).  
 

Now, that is hardly achieved without designing a concrete yet flexible programme or of 
course complete with activities so that each school can fulfil its mission of creating “civic 
capacities”.  
 
While there is general dissatisfaction with the fall in moral standards, there has 
been no concerted attempt on the part of society to address itself directly to the problem 
of value education. Unfortunately, education is becoming more or less materialistic and 
the value traditions are being slowly given up (Erwin, 1991). The degeneration in the 
present day life, the demoralization of public and private life and the utter disregard for 
values, are all traceable to the fact that moral, religious and spiritual education has not 
been given due place in the educational system. Indeed, it is observed that in the life of 
the majority of Eritreans, religion is a great motivating force and is intimately bound up 
with the formation of character and the inculcation of ethical values (Bequist, 1992). A 
national system of education that is related to life needs and inspiration of the people 
cannot afford to ignore this purposeful force. Value crisis of the present day life in Eritrea 
is mysterious the minds of educators and education as well.  
 
The effect of the value crisis on present day life is witnessed in many ways. The 
democratic ideology that has been accepted by the country is yet to be actualised in the 
form of social and economic democracy as to realize democratic values guaranteed by the 
Constitution of Eritrea. Also the present Eritrean educational system is reflecting more or 
less borrowed ideologies and philosophies and the national values are demoted to the 
back. Apart from this, the teacher-educators and teachers are not being clearly oriented to 
the national values, ideas, ideals and ideologies that they have to inculcate in the students. 
However, they are not in a position to play their role as value educators.  
 
The student community is drowned neck-deep in poverty, ignorance and 
unhealthy surroundings. Hence, they are not in a position to understand the real values of 
contemporary Eritrea. The present curriculum some extent reflect human values and the 
value system. Besides, the Eritrean schools and colleges have to promote the value-based 
education.  
 
In educational reconstruction of Eritrea, the problem of an integrated perspective 
on values is pivotal, for its solution alone can provide organic unity for all the diverse 
activities of a school or college curriculum programme. An integrated education can 
provide for integrated growth of personality and integrated education is not possible 
without integration of values.  
 
In value education, as in any other area of education, what is asked of the teacher 
is a total commitment to the development of rational autonomy in both thought and 
action. It should be noted that the most important aspect of value education consists not 
in unwilling adherence to a set of rules and regulations but in the building and 
strengthening of positive sentiments for people and ideals (Bequist, 1992). Value 
education should however, prepare individuals for participation in social life and 

acceptance of social rules(Erwin, 1991). What is more important in value education is 
that schools should provide a healthy climate for sharing responsibilities, community life 
and relationships that prevailed in Eritrea for generations.  
 
In this context, the new National Curriculum Framework for School Education in 
Eritrea gives uppermost importance to value education in schools. The MoE also 
organizes in-service education courses for key level persons and prepares instructional 
materials. The MoE also tried to develop different types of fables, stories, legends, 
biographies and folk tales related to values in different ethnic groups which will be of 
great use at primary stage in Eritrea. The Office of the National Curriculum has set up a 
plan to implement programmes on value-oriented education in Eritrea.  
 
 
Conclusion 
Education is the deliberate and systematic influence exerted by the mature person 
upon the immature, through instruction, discipline, and harmonious development of 
physical, intellectual, aesthetic, social and spiritual powers of the human beings (Erwin, 
1991). Therefore, to fortify the values in education, it can be suggested that the MoE has 
to start a nation-wide consultation process and has to involve eminent scholars from 
varied religious and institutional backgrounds. Their valued inputs led to the decision to 
develop a Handbook for Schools on Strategies of Value Implementation which hopefully 
would keep those responsible for the selection and development of instructional material 
for inclusion in the schoolbooks they may think of developing. Simultaneously, National 
Curriculum Centre can start some projects for independent research and innovations in 
Value Education in collaboration with relevant institutions and organisations within and 
outside the country.  
 
However, the other concerned parties, stakeholders and beneficiaries must work 
hard to strengthen value education. And the focus of this programme must be on 
generating awareness, material development, teacher training, development of school 
programmes, promotion of research and innovations in the area of education of human 
values and development of a framework of value education for the school system in 
Eritrea. In this context, the MoE has to set up a special department, which can be 
responsible for linkages, networking, monitoring and follow up, at the country level, 
zoba, sub-zoba and grass-root level for implementation of value education programmes in 
Eritrea. Besides, this department can also take up the responsibility of organising national 
consultation and regional workshops on value education with focus on strategies of 
awareness generation, material development and teacher training in the country.  
 
Values cannot be forced, even if conveyed with good intentions. No real 
integration or internalisation of a value can be achieved unless the learner agrees with it. 
Communication is the key in this. This is one that we lack in Eritrea, but it can be 
developed with the cooperation of all. In value education, more than in the academics, 
educators will never be able to impose their values. Rather, they must circulate in the 

community of the learner and pass on, through discipline, the fine humanism of 
respecting others in the same manner that one expects to be respected in return. As this 
climate of respect surrounds the learners, they automatically imbibe an attitude of 
tolerance towards their fellow men and this would certainly activate the human 
development that eventually leads national development.  
 
 
 
References 
 
 
Bacchus, M.K.  (1992). “Meeting the Higher Educational Needs of small States:  
Financial and Management Implications,” Journal of Educational Planning and 
Administration, 6(4) (October), 373-400. 
 
Bequist, W.H. (1992). The Four Cultures of Academy: Insights and Strategies for 
Improving Leadership in Collegiate Organisation, San Francisco: Jossey Bass.  
 
Bloom, B.S. Madaus, G.F. and Hastings, J.T.(1981). Evaluation to Improve Learning, 
New York: McGraw Hill. 
 
Erwin, T.D. (1991). Assessing Student Learning and Development: A Guide to the 
Principles. Goals, and Methods of Determining College Outcomes, San Francisco: 
Jossey Bass. 
 
Ministry of Education (2001). “Action Plan for the Development of National 
Framework.” Asmara, Eritrea, Ministry of Education (unpublished). 
 
Ministry of Education (June 1999). “Our People, Our Future: A Framework for the 
Development of Human Resources in the Education Sector.” Asmara, Eritrea, 
Ministry of Education (unpublished). 
 
Rena, Ravinder (2002) “Education: Basis for Development in Eritrea”, Asmara: Eritrea 
Profile (A Weekly Bulletin of News and Views) Ministry of Information and Culture, 
Vol. 9, No. 40, (7th December,)p.3. 
 
Rena, Ravinder (2003). “Marks Vs. Knowledge – A Shift in Students’ Objective in 
Eritrea”, Asmara: Eritrea Profile, Vol. 10, No. 21, (5th July,), p.5 
 
Rena, Ravinder (2004). Educational Development in Eritrea. Asmara: Eritrea Profile, 11 
(12), (May 1), p.6.  
 

Rena, Ravinder (2005) “Gender Disparity in Education – An Eritrean Perspective”, USA:  
Global Child Journal ( A Biannual Journal of the To Love Children International) 
Vol.2. No.1,pp. 43-49. 
 
Notes: 
 1 Eritrea has nine ethnic groups. They are: Tigrigna, Tigre, Saho, Afar, Bilein, Hidareb, Kunama, Nara and 
Rashaida. All these ethnic groups have their own languages and cultures. There are six administrative 
regions: Anseba, Debub, Maekel, Gash Barka, Southern Red Sea, Northern Red Sea.