ABSTRACT : The paper traces historically reflections about mathematics, education and culture in Africa, that culminated in the emergence of ethnomathematics as a research field. A brief overview of ethnomathematical research in Mozambique and of historical research related to mathematics in Africa is presented, followed by examples of the integration of ethnomathematics into teacher education to stimulate the development of social—and cultural—mathematical awareness. The paper concludes with some trends in using ideas from ethnomathematics in education in Africa.______________________________________________________________________ RESUME : Cet article fait un recensement historique des réflexions qui ont été menées dans le domaine des mathématiques, de l’éducation et de la culture en Afrique, et qui ont favorisé l’émergence de l’ethnomathématique, comme champ de recherche. Ce texte présente un bref aperçu de la recherche en ethnomathématique au Mozambique, mais également de la recherche historique en mathématiques en Afrique. Puis, il présente quelques exemples d’intégration de l’ethnomathématique dans l’éducation scolaire, censée favoriser la sensibilisation sociale et culturelle aux mathématiques. Cet article se termine sur quelques tendances montrant comment appliquer quelques principes d’ethnomathématique dans le domaine de l’éducation en Afrique.

The overall picture of TA pooling in Mozambique gained from this study is clearly varied. Many sectors are experimenting with different approaches to rationalising external assistance in order to make it more efficient and effective. The results have been mixed. Some schemes appear to have been more successful than others, but none stands out as an example of good practice on all counts. To understand better what works and what does not, the situation should be revisited in the future, perhaps in two or three years, to check on developments that are now only incipient. In particular, the impacts of the various schemes on the evident capacity deficit, caused by the flood of reforms and the subsequent demand for different, higher-level skills, should be fully assessed. A sustained investment in strengthening and expanding the national human resource base is certainly the long-term answer to many of the problems identified in this study. ------------------------------------------------ The pooling arrangements reviewed here have been set up in a variety of sectors – agriculture, education, finance, health and the police – and show strong variations in terms of their purpose, comprehensiveness, whether the aid is tied or untied, ownership, integration and success. The Mozambican authorities and IDAs are experimenting with different approaches, some imported, some genuinely indigenous. More often than not, pooling schemes have been introduced at the initiative of the IDAs.

With so many donors active in Mozambique – at least 46 bilateral and multilateral agencies in 1999, plus an estimated 150 or more NGOs (Francisco 2002) – and so much assistance available, strong donor coordination is essential to ensure the efficiency of resource use and to limit the burdens placed by donors on a Mozambican government that often lacks sufficient capacity to adequately manage diverse donor programs and reporting demands. As a result of the large donor presence in Mozambique, achievement of USAID’s strategic objectives (SOs) is, for good or ill, greatly dependent upon the results of activities supported by other donors. Indeed, every proposed SO in the Mission’s concept paper relies on at least one critical assumption that takes account of the expected contributions of other donors. It is therefore important to USAID that the activities supported by other donors which are seen as critical to the achievement of USAID’s SOs be consistent with USAID’s strategic approach and actually be implemented in a timely and effective manner. Donor coordination can be a useful way for USAID to leverage additional political support and resources from the donor community in furtherance of its SOs. And due to the multiplicity of donors active in Mozambique, opportunities for leveraging are widespread.

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