ERNWACA Communiqué N° 2002/004
May 2002
Colloquium on Teacher Training in the era of globalization, Yaoundé
Over one hundred Educationalists gathered at the University of Yaoundé I to share their research and reflections on the teaching profession and teacher training in Cameroon. The Colloquium was organized by the Ecole Normale Supérieure (ENS) in collaboration with the Education Research Network for West and Central Africa (ERNWACA) and the UNESCO Doctoral Chair of the Sciences of Education for Central Africa. It was held from May 28-29, 2002, under the sponsorship of the Minister of Higher Education.
In a world of rapidly evolving mentalities, ways of communicating, and fields of expertise, how do we ensure that teachers are equipped to teach youth? Colloquium participants struggled with this question. It was agreed that "bench education" administered by the "know-it-all teacher" via books and blackboards is ill adapted to society’s complex needs. Today’s teacher is confronted with increasing individual diversity and differences in demand and needs a new type of training to be able to reach learners and help prepare them for tomorrow’s challenges. Major themes discussed included school as an instrument of change, innovations in classroom pedagogy, the importance of Education as a discipline in preparing teachers for their work, the need to balance theory in teacher training programs with more practical knowledge as well as field experience, and the urgent need for more ongoing support and training for teachers "close the classroom."
Resolutions drawn up at the end of the marathon two days of presentations and discussions will be shared with appropriate planners and decision-makers in Cameroon, with a view to improving the quality of teacher training and education for all. The report of Colloque now available
Pictured (left to right): Pierre FONKOUA, ERNWACA-Cameroun National Coordinator; Saley MAMAN, ENS Director and ERNWACA contact in Niger; Kathryn TOURE, ERNWACA Regional Coordinator.