ERIC Number: EJ1361941
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2022
Pages: 5
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0009-4056
EISSN: EISSN-2162-0725
Available Date: N/A
Data-Driven Decision-Making: School Infrastructure Planning in Sierra Leone
Atherton, Paul
Childhood Education, v98 n5 p64-68 2022
For any government, difficult choices must be made about how and where to prioritize any school construction. In the absence of data-driven decision-making, these choices typically will be made based on opinions; when that is the case, the most powerful people's opinions tend to dominate. On the other hand, data help us ensure all the children's stories are heard and that new construction meets the needs of the most children. In Sierra Leone, Fab Inc has been working in collaboration with the Department of Planning and Policy (DPP) in the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education (MBSSE) as part of the support from the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. One key area of this work has been supporting the government with their school infrastructure and catchment area planning. Implementation of data-driven decision-making requires improvement of two complementary strands--the data culture and the data systems. Fab Inc and the MBSSE have been working together on both strands. First, the School Infrastructure and Catchment Area Planning Policy, published in July 2021, which requires extensive consultation with stakeholders and Cabinet approval, sets out the commitment for needs-based prioritization analyses to inform all infrastructure improvement activities. Second, a web-based tool makes that prioritization process quick, interactive, and accessible so that in seconds the user can see recommended locations in order of priority.
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Decision Making, Data Use, Data Analysis, School Buildings, Educational Facilities Planning, Educational Policy, Internet, Geographic Location
Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Sierra Leone
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A