AJOTE: VOICES IN AFRICAN EDUCATION (FALL 2013) ______________________________________________________________________________ AJOTE: Vol. 3 No. 3 (Fall 2013) AJOTE Editor’s Note Dear AJOTE Readers and Contributors: Welcome to the African Journal of Teacher Education (AJOTE) “Voices in African Education” Fall 2013 issue. This issue focuses on related issues of teacher education, teachers’ classroom effectiveness applied to a range of content areas, and academic stress on university campuses. AJOTE: Voices in African Education, Fall 2013 issue includes educational experts from Ethiopia, Ghana, Nigeria, and Uganda. Their voices reflect the growing continental commitment to furthering education studies across Africa. This issue opens with a discussion about non-Science primary teachers’ roles and needs in teaching Ghana’s Basic Science curriculum. Abigail M. Osuafor and Josephine N. Okoli provide perspectives from Science primary teachers and non-Science primary teachers as they skillfully develop a balanced description of pros and cons regarding this issue. Solomon O. Makinde , Omawumi O. Makinde, and Oludare A. Shorunke’s article continues this discussion on teacher preparation and effectiveness in the classroom as they analyse the level of Information Communication Technology (ICT) literacy of secondary teachers in Lagos State, Nigeria’s schools. Their findings reflect the growing role of ICT that necessitates teachers’ preparation in the use of various ICT modalities in and outside the classroom. The next two articles address recent policy and programs changes in Ethiopian education related to teacher education. These authors articulate the political in the educational and the diverse voices found in education’s political context. In Shoeb Amhad’s study he provides a brief overview of Ethiopian education’s history, but focuses primarily on changes from 2003 to the present. He discusses the strengths and weaknesses of the various new teacher education programs, both preparation and in-service and describes with expertise the ideological and practical links amongst the various new policies, structures, and resulting programs. Dereje T. Birbirso’s article also exams the new policies and resulting programs by using the in-service training programs of English Foreign Language teachers as a case in point. This article highlights the need to consider teacher work conditions and environments and their roles in supporting effective teacher preparation especially as it impacts English Foreign Language teachers’ proficiency and effectiveness in the classroom. The AJOTE Fall 2013 issue’s final article by Gladys Nakalema and Joseph Ssenyonga investigates the causes and results of university students’ academic stress on a Ugandan university campus. Their analysis and insights on the varying course loads and social and economic contexts that impact student stress levels and their strategies to cope with stress are applicable to many campuses in Africa’s university systems. This issue presents expert voices from several countries and shares many common areas of interest in teacher education today. The AJOTE Winter/Spring 2014 issue is in process and we thank our many valuable contributors and readers for their support. It is our mission to provide an international forum for African Education experts from across the continent. As AJOTE is an open access, free journal the Editorial Board and Editor-in-Chief give their time and expertise without monetary compensation to the journal. The Editorial Board members’ dedication to education excellence is demonstrated through the high academic standards reflected in every article published. Please remember to share this issue and others with your colleagues. ______________________________________________________________________________ AJOTE: Vol. 3 No. 2 (Summer 2013) The Summer 2014 issue is scheduled as a “Special Issue on Indigenous Education”. Articles in this issue will address Indigenous Education structures and practices and its continued role within African societies including the ways it contributes to national formal and informal education curricula. Please share this Special Issue call for papers. Your support of AJOTE has expanded our content coverage as we reach more readers from around the world in our effort to promote African education. We encourage and welcome paper and book review submissions on African education in all fields and from all regions of the continent. As always a sincere thank you to AJOTE’s outstanding Editorial Board, who consistently provide thorough peer review of paper and book review submissions. If you are interested in becoming an Editorial Board member, please e-mail your request, along with your CV, to AJOTE at AJOTE2011@gmail.com. Sincerely, Professor Jamaine Abidogun Editor-in-Chief Missouri State University Springfield, MO mailto:AJOTE2011@gmail.com