ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION Providing basic education for all citizens is a priority for most world leaders. Open basic education programs have oft en been geared towards this end, through a variety of learning methods and technologies, taking education to the doorsteps of those who missed formal schooling. Th is chapter takes a critical look at the development of various forms of open basic education (OBE) programs in many parts of the globe. First, it proposes a systematic way of categorizing OBE programs, to help the policy maker identify organizational structures suitable for local needs. It then examines the costs and economics of OBE programs. Th ird, the chapter assesses the outcomes that can be achieved through OBE programs. Finally, it draws implications for the policy maker. Th e chapter draws widely on both the literature and empirical evidence collected by the author from a series of case studies on OBE programs in South Africa, India, Botswana, Th ailand, and Canary Islands.
