UNESCO Earth Science UNESCO Earth Science Education Initiative in AfricaEducation Initiative in Africa

Initial Initial ActivitiesActivities

S. Felix ToteuS. Felix Toteu1 1 and Sarah Gainesand Sarah Gaines22

11UNESCO Nairobi Office, KenyaUNESCO Nairobi Office, Kenya22UNESCO Headquarters, ParisUNESCO Headquarters, Paris

In Arusha, Tanzania on 8 May 2008at the regional launch of theInternational Year of Planet Earth

UNESCO proposed launching an Earth science education programme

for all of Africa.

Confident that Earth Sciences play an essential role in Confident that Earth Sciences play an essential role in fostering a safer, healthier and more sustainable planetfostering a safer, healthier and more sustainable planet,,

Five regional workshops took place in 2009-2010 to scope the initiative by identifying capacities, needs

and strategies:

Assiut, Egypt (October 26-27)

Luanda, Angola (November 12-13)

Cape Town, South Africa (November 26-27)

Dakar, Senegal (December 9-10)

Kinshasa, DRC (February 4-5)

Organizational partnersGeological Society of Africa

International Center for Training and Exchanges in the Geosciences (CIFEG)

African Association of Women GeoscientistsRoyal Museum of Central Africa

IYPEIUGS

Regional differences exist, but there are continental similarities:

Multidisciplinary approach in geosciences

Continental network of earth scientists

Reinforcement of lecturer/researcher/technician exchange

Strong outreach activities in Africa

Identification and promotion of Geological Heritage

Regional centres of excellence

African Geoscience Analytical Fund

Compulsory Geoscience Education at schools

Now 5 yrs 10 yrs Future

New IGCP funding from Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency for Africa and Latin America IGCP leadershipEstablish teaching and research exchange between institutions internationally. All African research projects should include at least an African researcher.

The way forward:The way forward:few priority actions to startfew priority actions to start

1.Strengthening Earth Science Infrastructures through Geological Field Mapping Training;

2.Strengthening/ Introducing earth science courses in primary and secondary education;

3.Strengthening Earth Science Education through Institutional Networking

These activities will constitute the core of the UNESCO’s Earth Science Education Initiative in Africa for the next biennium

Geological Field Mapping Training in Africa:Geological Field Mapping Training in Africa:Political foundationPolitical foundation

Those two statements show high-level political awareness on the deficiency of geological infrastructure in African countries.

“…“…much of Africamuch of Africa’’s mineral resources remain unders mineral resources remain under--explored and underexplored and under--exploited and exploited and geosciencegeoscience knowledge is at a relatively too low level to knowledge is at a relatively too low level to attract exploration and investmentattract exploration and investment””((First African Union Conference of Ministers Responsible for MineFirst African Union Conference of Ministers Responsible for Mineral Resources in October 2008)ral Resources in October 2008)

““Africa is the worldAfrica is the world’’s top producer of numerous mineral commodities and s top producer of numerous mineral commodities and has the worldhas the world’’s greatest resources of many more, but most of Africa s greatest resources of many more, but most of Africa still lacks systematic geological mapping which could bring to lstill lacks systematic geological mapping which could bring to light a ight a much greater resource basemuch greater resource base”” ((Africa Mining Vision prepared by the African Union in 2009)Africa Mining Vision prepared by the African Union in 2009)

Few Geological World Bank, EU and National Government funded mapping projects in Africa

Projects Period m$Geochemical mapping to diversify Nigeria’s minerals industry

2008-2010 3.4

Geological & mineral occurrence mapping in Madagascar covering an area of 130 000 km2 production of over 150 geological & geochemical maps

2007-2010 6.5

Geological mapping & mineral potential assessment of the Air region, Niger

2006-2008 2.3

Geological mapping in northern Mozambique 2004-2007 0.8

Geological mapping & implementation of GIS in Mauritania

2001-2004 3.2

Geological mapping & geochemistry in the Anti-Atlas, Morocco

1998-2001 2.1

Source: BGS International

1. These programs are often completed by European and North American earth science institutions through competitive tendering;

2. Although programs have capacity building aspects, none address the fundamental development of geological mapping skills for the future;

3. Combination of above with national capacity shortages & inability to teach mapping skills at university has resulted in too few mapping geologists for the continent;

4. The project aims at securing sustainable “supply” of trained mapping geologists for African geological surveys

Lessons learnt

1. Extend to other African regions an experience being carried out by the CGS in South Africa;

2. Plan is to set up mobile geological field mapping school3. Trainees would be young professionals from geological

surveys, private sectors or early career lecturers from universities;

4. The initial set up costs and support in kind would be sought from global donors;

5. We hope the school will become progressively self-funded and evolve towards an African Centre of Excellence for Geological Mapping training;

6. Potential partners include CGS, EuroGeosurveys and OAGS, Geological Survey of China, ITC Netherlands.

Geological Field Mapping Training in AfricaGeological Field Mapping Training in AfricaThe projectThe project

Earth Science in Primary and Secondary EducationEarth Science in Primary and Secondary Education

1.1. It is a wellIt is a well--established fact that established fact that in primary and secondary schools in primary and secondary schools geology has not the same status as geology has not the same status as geography, biology, or physics;geography, biology, or physics;

2.2. In many African countries, earth In many African countries, earth sciences appear for the first time sciences appear for the first time at the end of secondary school, if at the end of secondary school, if not only at university;not only at university;

3.3. Awareness on earthAwareness on earth--related related environmental challenges starts at environmental challenges starts at an early age through education;an early age through education;

UNESCO/Tole

UNICEF/Elias

“if all women had secondary education, there could be 1.8 million fewer under-5 deaths”

(UNESCO Global Monitoring Report on EFA, 2011)

UNESCO/Tole

This gives the rational behind the project

1. “Earth Sciences Education for All”(especially children) can prevent Africa from past mistakes of environmental management in the future.

2. Introducing earth sciences at primary and secondary education is an opportunity to forge future generation of African “Earth stewards”.

1. Changing and adapting curricula is a long and complex process;

2. Convincing governments to adapt natural sciences curricula to give earth sciences a status that reflects their importance in the everyday life;

3. starting with a test country, and

4. convincing others to join;

UNICEF/Elias

UNESCO/Tole

Earth Science courses in Primary and Secondary SchoolEarth Science courses in Primary and Secondary SchoolThe projectThe project

Republic of DjiboutiRepublic of Djiboutia test countrya test country

AreaArea: 23,200 km2: 23,200 km2

PopulationPopulation: 906,000 (in 2011): 906,000 (in 2011)

Geologically active processes Geologically active processes (formation of the Rift Valley and (formation of the Rift Valley and opening of the Red Sea);opening of the Red Sea);

SemiSemi--desert nature;desert nature;

In the process of reforming its In the process of reforming its curricula; this is a golden curricula; this is a golden opportunity to review the place of opportunity to review the place of earth sciences.earth sciences.

UNESCO/Nairobi

Life and Earth science courses in Djibouti

BSc in Biology-Geology at the University of Djibouti

Total credits 180(Source, University of Djibouti)

Geology, 22%

Biology, 78%

Weekly weight of different subjects for the five-year primary

school in Djibouti (CRIPEN, 2008)

Natural sciences: many references to environment with focus on life (animals and plants), health, toxic wastes, and geography

(CRIPEN, 2008)

Need for a better balance of Earth Sciences in primary and secondary education

Republic of Djibouti Republic of Djibouti a test countrya test country

The reform will aim at adapting the course The reform will aim at adapting the course content to local environment and to content to local environment and to equilibrate the discipline throughout all equilibrate the discipline throughout all education;education;

A workshop will be organized in 2012/2013 in A workshop will be organized in 2012/2013 in Djibouti; Djibouti;

Participants will come from the Ministry of Participants will come from the Ministry of Education, teachers, representatives bodies Education, teachers, representatives bodies involved in education;involved in education;

Delegates from other countries and Delegates from other countries and professional Earth science professional Earth science organisationsorganisations will will also be invited;also be invited;

Partners include: Partners include: GSAfGSAf, AAWG, IUGS. We , AAWG, IUGS. We invite others to join.invite others to join.

UNESCO/Nairobi

African Network of Earth Science Institutions (ANESI)

Why a network?

In 2009, Africa had 128 departments of earth sciences, although unevenly distributed throughout the continent

We are currently updating the map of institutions for their inclusion in an online database

Schlueter and Davies, 2009

W=39

S=37

E=z14

C=8

N=30

GSAf, 2009

128 Departments in 2009

UNESCO Nairobi

Despites this number of departments, cooperative research between Africans and African institutions is

still weak

•Bi-continental collaboration (Africa-Europe or Africa-North America)

• 99% of multi-authored papers involved collaboration among African institutions from the same country, notably in South Africa, Egypt, Morocco and Cameroon

• Need of fostering Africa-Africa collaboration

1. More that 85% of Africa’s contribution to JAES is from only 10 countries;

2. The top four countries contributing to about 62%;3. Research in geosciences to be promoted in the majority of countries

Unequal distribution of research outputs

UNESCO Nairobi

Contribution to JAES by country from 2000 to 2010

Less than expected for a journal fully devoted to African geology

UNESCO Nairobi

In general, the overall research output still needs to be improved

Contribution to JAES by continent of origin of authors from 2000 to 2010

Africa averaging 48%

Marginal involvement of Africans in international projectsCase of IGCP

project focus

1974-2010

Project leaders

1974-2010

Need to improve the involvement of Africa to IGCP through promotion of cooperative research at regional and continental levels

Resolution adopted by the General Assembly of the Geological Society of Africa (GSAf)On the Earth Sciences Institutional Networking in Africa

Welcoming the continued partnership with the Geological Society of Africa in the New UNESCO Earth Sciences Education Initiative in Africa;

Considering the crucial role of African educational and research Earth Sciences institutions in promoting the Earth Sciences Education in Africa,

Taking advantage of the UNESCO backed African Network of Scientific and Technological Institutions (ANSTI);

Call for the establishment of an African Network of Earth Science Institutions (ANESI);

Invite UNESCO to facilitate this establishment using the model existing ANSTI;

Invite African Earth Sciences educational and research institutions to join the network;

Encourage African Earth scientists to register into the expert’s database that will be created within the network.Johannesburg, 14 January 2011

African Network of Earth Science Institutions (ANSI):Endorsement by the African earth science community

• Promote excellence in earth science education and research;

• Promote earth system science education;

• Promotion collaboration in training, research and capacity building;

• Maintain database of African earth science institutions and experts;

• Promote of gender equality access to earth science education;

• Improve participation in international research projects, particularly IGCP;

• Improve of connections between universities/research institutions and industry;

African Network of Earth Science Institutions (ANESI)Selected objectives

Membership: - Departments of Earth Sciences, - Earth Science Research Institutions, - Geological Surveys, - Earth Science-related industries

African Network of Earth Science Institutions (ANESI)

ANESI is expected to be officially launched during the 24th Colloquium of African Geology in

Addis Ababa in early 2013

African Network of Earth Science Institutions (ANESI)

Activities in 2012 will comprise:- Mapping institutions (infrastructure, programme)- Mapping experts, - Preparation of the strategic plan of ANESI;- Identification of partners- Fundraising activities;- Call for membership;

UNESCO Nairobi is now constructing the website linked to a database of

- earth science institutions and

- experts

www.anesi.org

ANESI has been endorsed by the African Conference of Vice-Chancellors and Deans of

Science, Engineering and Technology (COVIDSET-2011 in Johannesburg)

African Network of Earth Science Institutions (ANESI)

Thank you for your kind attention!