Educational Research and Policy Reform

A Case Study of Côte d'Ivoire's Post-2015 Education System

Abstract

This case study investigates the critical nexus between educational research and policy reform in Côte d'Ivoire’s post-2015 education system. The research problem stems from the persistent gap between empirical evidence generated by African researchers and the subsequent formulation and implementation of national education policies. Utilizing a qualitative case study methodology, this research analyzes policy documents, national education sector plans, and conducts semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders, including Ivorian policymakers, ministry officials, and local education researchers. The findings reveal that while research has demonstrably influenced broad policy directions, such as the focus on improving primary school enrollment and gender parity, significant challenges impede its systematic uptake. These include a fragmented research-policy dialogue, limited institutional mechanisms for knowledge translation, and the predominance of donor-driven agendas that can sideline locally-contextualized findings. The study argues that for Côte d'Ivoire, and by extension other African nations, to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal 4, a deliberate restructuring of the research-policy ecosystem is imperative. The significance of this study lies in its contribution to a crucial Pan-African discourse, advocating for strengthened endogenous research capacities and the establishment of formalized, sustainable channels to ensure that African-generated evidence fundamentally shapes African educational development.