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Abstract

Botswana and Nigeria are important pivots in the new movement for democracy in Africa. In both countries, there are vigorous moves to project democracy into every aspect of life. Democratic participation in education has implied the widening of access. For it is assumed that only enlightened and educated participation in the affairs of the community and state can guarantee the future of democracy in Botswana and Nigeria. It is realised that if this guarantee must come, then basic education for all and then continuous learning opportunities should ultimately dominate educational planning and implementation in both countries. The achievement of the goal of widening access is a laudable one, which unfortunately is frequently fraught with far too many obstacles. These obstacles are not insurmountable, and the perspectives emerging from Botswana and Nigeria may further enrich our knowledge of how African and other nations may collaborate to widen access based on comparative advantage.

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Access Initiatives in Botswana and Nigeria

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