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International EFA Strategy

Education for All: An international strategy to operationalize
the Dakar Framework for Action on Education for All (EFA)

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PREFACE


The world has set clear targets to reach Education for All by 2015. Two years ago at Dakar, there was unprecedented worldwide solidarity in making a commitment to those targets - by governments, civil society and international organizations. Since then, new plans have been made and old ones revitalized, particularly at the national level. In the course of planning, the complexities of building partnerships for EFA and the difficult challenges of diverse contexts have emerged all the more strikingly. Therefore, it has clearly been important to maintain and to strengthen the international consensus and to keep the entire international community engaged in supporting EFA at the national level. Building convergence around the vision, processes and mechanisms necessary to achieve all six Dakar goals is central to these efforts. This is no easy task given the need for in-depth communication between very different partners who represent a wide variety of constituencies and interests.

The Dakar Framework for Action called for the establishment of a High Level Group that would serve two main functions: as a lever for political commitment and technical and financial resource mobilization, and as an opportunity to hold the global community to account for commitments made in Dakar. At its first meeting, this group asked for an over-arching international strategy to operationalize the Dakar Framework for Action; I now have great pleasure in presenting this strategy. The Task Force requested by the High Level Group met to give shape and focus to the current document . This strategy has grown out of extensive collaboration and participation, with inputs from a wide range of EFA partners. It draws on other initiatives which have been proposed for enhancing the level of international engagement and its coherence. It responds to the concern for more effective co-ordination within the international community. It is a living document, amenable to adaptation as dialogue is further pursued, for example, in the EFA Working Group, in regional forums and at the next meeting of the High Level Group.

The strategy builds on the Dakar values of partnership, collective ownership and respect for diversity. It maintains a focus on the national level, the heart of EFA action, by emphasizing the supporting measures that require international commitment and co-ordination. By focusing on five major actions - planning, advocacy and communication, financing, monitoring and evaluation, international and regional mechanisms - it provides a clear framework for current and future actions.

Two years after Dakar, we have all become more aware of the complexity and size of the EFA challenge. The need for effective partnerships and co-ordinated efforts between all the partners has become abundantly clear. In this context, ensuring the commitment of international support to countries and maximizing the benefits of that support through effective co-ordination are vital and urgent if substantive progress is to be made. This International Strategy aims to contribute to these key tasks.

Koïchiro Matsuura
Director-General, UNESCO


List of Acronyms


ADEA : The Association for the Development of Education in Africa
AIDS : Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome
ALADI : The Association for Latin America Integration
AMU : Arab Maghreb Union
ANCEFA : African Network Campaign on Education for All
ARC : Arab Resource Collective
ASEAN : The Association of Southeast Asian Nations
ASPBAE : Asia South Pacific Bureau of Adult Education
AU : African Union
C-4 : UNESCO medium-term planning document
C-5 : UNESCO biennial programme
CARICOM : The Caribbean community and common market
CCA : Country Common Assessment
CCNGO : Collective Consultation of Non-Governmental Organizations on EFA
CDF : Comprehensive Development framework
CEART : Committee of Expert on the Application of the Recommendation concerning the Status
of Teachers
CNN : Cable News Network
CONFINTEA : 5th International Conference on Adult Education
CSO : Civil Society Organization
CSN : Country Strategy Note
DAC : Development Assistance Committee
E-9 : Nine high population countries: Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Egypt, India, Indonesia,
Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan
ECOSOC : Economic and Social Council of the United Nations
ECOWAS : The Economic Community of West African States
EFA : Education for All
EU : European Union
FAO : Food and Agriculture Organization
FRESH : Focusing resources on effective school health
G-8 : Group of 8 countries with the largest economies: Canada, France, Germany, Italy,
Japan, Russian Federation, United Kingdom, United States of America
GCE : Global Campaign for Education
HLG : High-Level group
HIV : Human Immunodeficiency Virus
HIPC : Highly Indebted Poor Countries
IAEA : International Association for Learning Assessment
ICT : Information and Communication Technology
IDA : International Development Association
ILO : International Labour Organization
INEE : Inter-agency Network for Education in Emergencies
IPEC : The International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour
ISESCO : The Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
LDC : Least Developed Country
MD : Millennium Declaration
MINEDAF : Ministers of Education of African member states
NEPAD : The New Partnership for Africa's Development
NGO : Non-Governmental Organization
OAS : The Organization of American States
OAU : Organization of African unity
OCHA : Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs
ODL : Open and distance learning
OECD : Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
PANA : Pan African News Agency
PRSP : Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper
SAARC : South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation
SADC : Southern Africa Development Community
SPF : South Pacific Forum
SWAps : Sector-Wide Approaches
UN : United Nations
UNAIDS : Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS
UNDAF : United Nations Development Assistance Framework
UNDG : United Nations Development Group
UNESCO : United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
UNFPA : United Nations Fund and Population Activities
UNGEI : United Nations Girls Education Initiative
UNHCR : United Nations High Commission for Refugees
UNICEF : United Nations Children Fund
UIE : UNESCO Institute for Education
UIS : UNESCO Institute for Statistics
UPE : Universal Primary Education
WB : World Bank
WFP : World food Programme
WGEFA : Working Group on Education for All



An international strategy to operationalize the Dakar Framework for Action on Education for All (EFA)

Introduction: From the Jomtien Declaration to the six Dakar EFA Goals


At the heart of the Education for All (EFA) is the vision of every person - female and male, of every age, in every community - engaged in learning, the key to unfolding their full potential as human beings.

In the World Declaration on Education for All, adopted in 1990 in Jomtien, Thailand, the world community adopted an expanded vision of what basic education means, calling for a learning environment in which everyone would have the chance to acquire the basic elements which serve as a foundation for further learning and enable full participation in society. This vision implied both access to education for everybody, and meeting the diverse learning needs of children, youth and adults. It focused on learning societies, and saw broader and deeper partnerships at every level as the way forward.

In Dakar in 2000, the World Education Forum re-affirmed this vision, and adopted a Framework for Action that emphasized the need for quality in basic education as well as access to it (see Figure 1). Focus was placed squarely at the national level and on the responsibility of national governments towards education. The Dakar Framework clearly states the commitment to create the right conditions for EFA in each country, recognizing that some countries will need help in doing so, and recognizing, too, the responsibility of those with the means to make such help available. Education for All is a joint endeavour involving all humanity, and we all stand to benefit from our own learning and the learning of our neighbours . In a globalized world, it is not only unacceptable, it is dangerous to allow a situation of educational 'haves' and 'have-nots' to persist.

This strategy document does not review the challenges or problems of EFA; it does not describe the scope of the problem; and it does not tell governments what they should do. Rather, it outlines the dimensions of both international support at national level, and co-ordination between international agencies, taking into account the comparative advantage of each agency and the need for cohesion and effective co-operation in support of EFA. Its purpose is to make the Dakar Framework for Action operational. It is complementary to existing EFA documentation, which the reader may consult elsewhere. The Dakar Framework for Action spelled out the commitments which the governments of the world, together with civil society and the international agencies made to address the EFA challenge - in terms of six goals (see box below) and twelve strategies. The Expanded Commentary put flesh on the bones of these commitments, as did the Regional Frameworks for Action in the context of specific geographical areas.



The six Dakar goals

(i) expanding and improving comprehensive early childhood care and education, especially for the most vulnerable and disadvantaged children;

(ii) ensuring that by 2015 all children, particularly girls, children in difficult circumstances and those belonging to ethnic minorities, have access to and complete free and compulsory primary education of good quality;

(iii) ensuring that the learning needs of all young people and adults are met through equitable access to appropriate learning and life skills programmes;

(iv) achieving a 50 per cent improvement in levels of adult literacy by 2015, especially for women, and equitable access to basic and continuing education for all adults;

(v) eliminating gender disparities in primary and secondary education by 2005, and achieving gender equality in education by 2015, with a focus on ensuring girls' full and equal access to and achievement in basic education of good quality;

(vi) improving all aspects of the quality of education and ensuring excellence of all so that recognized and measurable learning outcomes are achieved by all, especially in literacy, numeracy and essential life skills.



In March 2002 the Monterrey Consensus emerged from the Conference on Financing for Development - with clear implications for investment in Education for All. It recognised education as part of the basic economic and social infrastructure for sustainable development. It also offers the prospect of increased aid for development in general. Since increased external aid is the only way for some of the poorest countries to build capacity in basic education and other social domains, it is now urgent to ensure that these new commitments translate into significant new resources for EFA. Financing agencies and bilateral donors must not shy away from the long-term investment in education in favour of short-term results, but rather commit to the six Dakar goals all the way to 2015.

This International Strategy is related to a number of development planning initiatives. It draws on them and must be understood as a specific EFA component in relation to these wider processes, bringing a focus on basic education. EFA processes are neither in competition with other processes and initiatives, nor separate from them; they include planning and negotiation around the Millennium Development Goals, the Poverty Reduction Strategy processes, the United Nations Development Assistance Framework, Sector-wide Approaches (SWAps) and a number of regional processes (e.g. the New Partnership for Africa's Development - NEPAD). The Millennium Goals have become a means of focusing global attention on a limited number of fundamental development targets and a framework for structuring development cooperation - with a concern to ensure accountability on the part of all partners for their part in achieving them. These processes are described more fully in Appendix 1, where their relationship to EFA planning is spelled out in greater detail. This strategy paper presents what the international community must carry out in order to realize the Dakar goals, which must be understood as an essential aspect of sustainable and equitable development. This strategy complements the EFA strategies of specific multilateral and bilateral agencies. It accompanies individual EFA strategies to which agencies have committed themselves, serving as a stimulus for full co-operation in implementing the twelve strategies of the Dakar Framework for Action and as a reminder and checklist of essential contributions which the international community must make in supporting national-level actions. It can further serve national governments, each with their own EFA plans, as an indication of the areas in which they can expect support and collaboration from the international community.

The International Strategy is structured in four parts:

  • Part I spells out what the Strategy is and what it is not and proposes a way of making it a living - and therefore relevant and useful - document.
  • Part II presents five major actions which are essential to achieving the Dakar goals and which will be the content of partnerships at national, regional and international levels.
  • Part III addresses the implementation of the twelve Dakar strategies, enumerating the links between the national and international levels.
  • Part IV discusses the time-line associated with achieving the Dakar goals.


    The appendices trace the broader context and background of EFA and add some detail to complement the main text; they also present a summary mapping of donor interventions by theme and by location.


    Figure 1: From Jomtien to Dakar and beyond: vision, values and principles



    Part I: What an international strategy is
    - and what it is not



    The principal actors in EFA are governments and civil society at the national level - the Dakar Framework for Action stated clearly that 'the heart of EFA lies at the country level'. The Dakar Framework is a collective commitment. This international strategy focuses on the ways in which actors within countries can be supported by co-operation with regional and international agencies and institutions (see Figure 2). In addition to governments, a host of stakeholders were part of Dakar - United Nations agencies, regional bodies, civil society organizations and networks. These have been represented in both the Working Group on EFA and the High Level Group.
    In October 2001, the High Level Group expressed concern at its first meeting that the roles and relationships between all partners, particularly with regard to the support they are to give at nation    al level, had not been clearly specified. This strategy paper will address the issues that were spelled out at that meeting:

  • the major actions to be taken within specified time-lines;
  • the roles and responsibilities of partners;
  • the linkages among activities, including a clear description of how flagships are to be integrated into country-level activities; and
  • a consensus on the global initiative.


    The following box sums up what this strategy is and is not:

    An international strategy:

    •complements the Dakar Framework for Action
    •focuses on support to the national level
    •maps key EFA processes and mechanisms
    •specifies roles and responsibilities
    •is a living document
    •reflects and fosters collective ownership

    It is not:

    •a repetition of the Dakar Framework for Action
    •a blueprint for what countries should do
    •merely a list of ‘should’s’ ‘ought’s’ or ‘must’s’
    •a particular agency’s view of EFA
    •a once-and-for-all statement

     


    Figure 2: Links between national, regional and international processes in EFA



    The strategy is a living document which will be modified as circumstances and priorities evolve. It serves as a tool for setting EFA priorities and as a guide in assigning responsibilities, as part of other EFA processes, such as national forums and, at international level, the Working Group and the High Level Group. The following chart proposes a process for ongoing strategy development.

    Date
    Occasion
    		 Action
    April 2002 Second anniversary of Dakar Launch of the first version of strategy Launch of the first version of strategy
    May 2002
    Preparation for EFA Working Group
    		UNESCO to network with partners to develop a matrix showing who will do what in relation to the commitments of the international community proposed in the strategy, with time-lines
    July 2002 EFA Working Group Present, discuss, modify and have matrix approved for assigning roles and responsibilities identified in the strategy
    November 2002 EFA High Level Group

    Make commitments to roles/responsibilities as per output of Working Group, followed by financing meeting to put resources together

    Set strategic priorities for coming year (2002-2003), on basis of Monitoring Report (analysis of results and interpretation of trends) and agreed roles/responsibilities
    December 2002 following the High Level Group UNESCO to process input from HLG and adjust strategy - new version and updated time-line


    Part II: Partnerships and actions


    The key principle in the international co-ordination of EFA is partnership. It is thus imperative to view all of the provisions, recommendations and approaches of an international strategy through this lens. Partnerships will be linked together by means of a number of crucial processes or elements. Outlined in skeletal form in the Framework for Action, they are here the subject of specific initiatives. The following are the major actions around which the International Strategy is articulated:

    Major action
    Intended
    results Initiatives
    Partnership mechanisms communication, awareness, political will and co-operation at national, (sub-)regional and international levels fostering national partnerships; (sub-)regional and international co-ordination mechanisms; inter-agency initiatives; flagship programmes
    Advocacy + communication full backing at national and international levels statements of (sub-) regional and international co-ordination mechanisms; advocacy and public awareness-raising, etc.
    Planning + capacity support viable national EFA action plans support to planning process and capacity building (in some cases through PRSPs, UNDAF or other framework)
    Financing finding and channelling new resources to EFA talks on setting up a financing mechanism (Global Initiative, other…)
    Monitoring and evaluation progress assessment, identification of gaps, priority-setting; clear and common understanding of effectiveness of EFA efforts national monitoring and capacity-building; EFA Observatory; annual EFA Monitoring Report; formal periodic assessment of progress in EFA at all levels


    1. Planning for EFA


    National EFA Forums: Full participation in EFA and the harnessing of all possible energies depend in part on full ownership of the EFA process. It is therefore crucial at national level that EFA Forums be established which include government, civil society and NGOs, parents' groups and teachers' syndicates, and so on. A national EFA Forum is a consultative and co-ordinating body that brings together around one table the representatives of all those with a vital stake in basic education. It is both a vehicle of partnership and dialogue and a co-ordinating mechanism focused on the planning, analysis and monitoring of progress towards the goals. They must be seen, not as occasions for the sharing of information or government plans, but as forums for policy input and formulation. The tendency of governments to use them merely for the sharing of their own administrative policy decisions must come to a stop. These forums also provide an opportunity to keep policy-makers accountable for achieving EFA goals.

    Support for EFA forums should include advocacy on the benefits of full participation, with specific encouragement to include civil society where that is not currently the case. Regional workshops will enable joint government and civil society delegations to develop optimal structures and processes for the workings of the forums.

    Planning for national EFA goals: As of March 2002, around 70 countries had developed plans for Education for All. These plans have taken a variety of forms. Some form part of an existing education sector plan, others are part of a Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper, while some have been developed separately. What is important is that EFA plans, wherever they are presented, address the six goals of Dakar, with timelines, current and projected educational needs, budgets and sources of financing. The chart below (Figure 3) shows the relationships between the various planning processes used in development co-operation and which must complement each other rather than confuse at the national level. They are of different kinds - strategy development, coordination, macro-economic planning - but are linked to each other, and the EFA goals should be part both of the negotiation procedures and of the resulting plans.

    EFA sets the priority on basic education, and this priority will make demands on other parts of the educational system. Thus plans must be set in the context of planning for the whole educational sector, because of the multiple and supportive linkages between basic, secondary and tertiary education. Plans for reinforcing teacher education and educational research in tertiary institutions will be particularly important in the effort to ensure the high quality of basic education.

    Support for EFA planning at national level will take the form of direct national capacity-building and policy development (e.g. using mobile technical teams). In addition, regional EFA forums are a place where national plans can be shared, shaped and refined. The SWAp process is a further arena where donors and national EFA partners (for example the EFA Forum) can push the planning process forward.


    Figure 3: EFA National Plan: coherence and links with other development frameworks and approaches


    2. Advocacy and communication

    Communication, formal and informal, is the lifeblood of partnership and co-operation in EFA, between all partners - national, regional and international. In a highly media-driven world it is essential that the challenges, progress, needs and gaps in implementing EFA be kept before political leaders, opinion-makers, professionals and the general public. A favourable climate of international public opinion will make the task of decision-makers that much easier. Messages about social justice and equitable opportunity must be combined with stories of the impact of education in the lives of individuals and communities.

    Measures to strengthen communication and advocacy should be varied, and be adapted to their audience. All EFA stakeholders should examine their role in promoting it to as varied an audience as possible including high-level politicians, members of parliament and governments, and seek innovative ways to do so. All EFA partners must look for every opportunity to connect EFA with life and news throughout the world so that the role of education will be increasingly understood as part of equitable and sustainable development, respectful of human rights and of collective and individual identities.

    To public media coverage will be added direct, focused advocacy with governments, donors, civil society and regional bodies to bring EFA into focus in their planning of policies and programmes, and to mobilize support and resources for EFA. Where countries are emerging from crisis or conflict, advocacy efforts must be targeted to the vigorous promotion of education in the reconstruction process. A climate of dynamic two-way communication will serve as a basis for the ongoing development of cooperation, where international partners are attentive to national voices.

    In addition to the actions proposed in Part III (Strategy 1, below), an international communication and advocacy strategy should include at least the following initiatives:

  • EFA website: redesigned to emphasize the international and inter-agency nature of EFA, with links to UIS for current data on EFA progress and to the sites of all partner agencies. It will be a fund of knowledge on EFA and a place where progress, challenges, setbacks and new initiatives may be accessed. Regular posting and updating of EFA data will include EFA national plans, meeting reports, extracts from the annual Monitoring Report, reports on visits and exchanges, new links, features on flagship programmes, and so on. Responsibility for maintaining the website will rest with the Monitoring Report team.
  • Monitoring Report: this report is intended to serve as a major advocacy tool, bringing the progress and needs of EFA to the attention of the world community, including the public, year after year until 2015. The joint Editorial Board will serve to build collective ownership of the Report by EFA partners. Co-ordinated by the Dakar Follow-up Unit at UNESCO, it will be launched during the meeting of the High Level Group with press releases, media kits and public announcements.

  • media relations: EFA press stories and data will be fed to the media by all partner agencies on an ongoing basis, with emphasis, on the one hand, on substantive data, and on the other hand on human interest stories illustrating the impact of new educational opportunities in the lives of communities and individuals.
  • dissemination of EFA materials: significant EFA documents such as the Dakar Framework for Action and the Regional Frameworks for Action should be translated into official, national and local languages to build awareness and wide public ownership, along with the development of context-specific documents to promote EFA goals and rally support.

  • global EFA week: a week-long series of awareness-raising activities will provide an opportunity to take stock of advances towards the goal of EFA and to provoke public debate on education issues. Individuals and organizations will be encouraged to observe the occasion through various activities. UNESCO, UNICEF, UNFPA and the World Bank, together with civil society networks such as the Global Campaign for Education, will join forces to organize TV debates and roundtables in several countries, among other activities.

  • awareness-raising at international events: EFA partners will develop specific plans and targeted messages for a range of international conferences and other events, both educational and in other domains. The aim will be to present EFA as an essential component of human development in order to mobilize policy-makers to put education high on their agenda. See the chart in Appendix 5 for forthcoming events at which EFA awareness-raising should take place.



    3. Financing

    Establishing mechanisms to channel new money to EFA is the first step towards meeting the Dakar pledge that 'no country seriously committed to EFA … will be thwarted by lack of resources'. Two years after Dakar, the need to make good on this pledge is all the more urgent. As countries reach the end of the planning phase and find themselves allocating increased budgetary resources to basic education, the ready availability of additional external financing is becoming crucial. In the Dakar Framework for Action, the 'Global Initiative' was the label given to the mechanism by which new resources would be channelled to EFA, Three specific funding proposals have been made (see Appendix 3). One principle that is fundamental to all three proposals is that global funds will not be set up; rather, agreements will be reached between governments and donors on the direction and nature of the aid to be provided.

    At a meeting of EFA partners in Amsterdam in April 2002 the World Bank presented an action plan which included a proposal for a financing framework; the plan was endorsed by the WB Development Committee. It is the most significant initiative to date and promises to result in major new funds for the Dakar goal of primary education, including the gender and quality issues within that, in line with the Millennium Development Goals in education. Other Dakar goals will also be costed and funded - adolescent adult literacy and life-skills, early childhood care and development, further aspects of quality. The WB has started with the goal of universal primary school completion by 2015, recognising that it is only part of the EFA agenda. Other funders endorsed the plan, whose main lines of action are presented here.

    The Action Plan is based on a new development compact, following the Monterrey Consensus, in which governments demonstrate their commitment to education through efforts to significantly reform their education systems, in line with the proposed technical indicative benchmarks. On their part, external partners will provide financial and technical support in a transparent, predictable and flexible manner. This financing will in future include support for recurrent expenditures, such as teacher salaries, where appropriate policy frameworks are in place; this will require longer-term commitments from funders. Ensuring the abolition of user fees or charges will be priority as part of funding negotiations.

    Based on an analysis of four gaps in the provision of primary education - gaps in data, policies, capacity and financing

    - the Action Plan proposes measures to close each of them, as shown in the following table:

    data gap
    - make primary completion rate the indicator for monitoring of EFA· improve the quality, timeliness and management of education statistics· develop national capacity in measuring learning outcomes· track five key indicators annually: primary completion rate disaggregated by gender, first year intake, gross enrollment ratio, gender disparities throughout the education system, adult literacy· monitor the gender gap, in the light of the 2005 target· adopt a stronger outcome orientation under the international EFA monitoring framework

    policy gap
    - establish technical indicative benchmarks against which to evaluate national EFA plans
    - define the process of reform required to bring the system into line with these benchmarks

    capacity gap
    - attain an adequate level of salary/non-salary mix of resources
    - focus on three strategic elements of policy for primary schooling: focus on disadvantaged children, balance in addressing quality and access, adequate financing

    financing gap
    - increase lending and grant funding to primary schooling from multilateral and bilateral funders
    -     better targeting of EFA priority countries· improve national resource mobilization
    -     provide some resources to recurrent educational expenditure
    - improve the efficiency of aid - SWAps, PRSPs, pooled funding, …

    In order to operationalise the financing mechanism of the Action Plan, partners propose to:

    - hold a multi-donor consortium meeting, preferably after the High Level Group to co-ordinate funding commitments in the light of the gaps that have been identified.
    - develop a code of conduct for lenders and donors to EFA which will shape relationships with recipient countries, focusing on transparency, mutual respect and accountability, integrity, full participation and open negotiation.
    - initiate a "fast-tracking" process for a number of countries to accelerate progress towards the primary completion goal, where there is evidence of a favourable and committed policy environment.



    4. Monitoring and evaluation

    The monitoring and evaluation of progress in EFA are central to the maintenance and reinforcement of political will, identification of needs, setting of priorities, mobilization of resources and effectiveness of actions. Monitoring of the EFA process needs to be undertaken in a number of different dimensions and administered by different groups of partners:

  • Progress on the ground towards each of the Dakar goals, above all through the number of beneficiaries from education. Global indicators will be derived from data collected by the UNESCO Institute of Statistics from countries, and supplemented by data from other agencies including NGOs. Countries will also assess their own progress against their own national targets.

  • The development of countries' strategic planning and implementation processes. This will be assessed by UNESCO and its international partners, based on reports from countries
  • The commitment and activities of lenders, donors and NGOs to support countries in their progress towards the Dakar goals. This will be assessed by UNESCO and its partners
  • Measurement of the gap in the resources (financial and other) required by countries to ensure they meet the EFA goals. This will be based on analysis by the international community, especially the World Bank.

    Evaluation will be required to decide whether actions by countries, international agencies, and NGOs had the desired effect, most notably in creating further progress towards the Dakar goals. It may also be appropriate for evaluative studies to examine the effectiveness of mobilization of resources in these projects.

    Every EFA policy whether country-specific or related to the global goals of Dakar should be accompanied by a monitoring mechanism, with the result that
  • countries will be able to measure their own progress towards their own goals
  • the international community will be able to assess countries progress towards the Dakar goals
  • the commitment of countries to removing barriers to progress will be clear

    The international community seeks to assess countries' progress towards EFA, in order to have a clear perspective of the commitment and the barriers that countries face, so that it can mobilise resources to help demolish those barriers. Regular, normally annual, monitoring of progress thus enables both countries and the international community to take an early view on where further work is needed - an 'early warning mechanism' to allow mobilisation of resources.

    At national level, EFA reports will serve to inform the setting of priorities and the allocation of resources and provide a mechanism for mutual accountability between EFA partners - government, civil society, communities, schools, parents and learners. Data and analyses from joint government-donor missions will be an important source of input, in addition to national sources. At international level the chief instrument will the annual EFA Monitoring Report. It will be collectively owned and draw on data from a wide range of sources. It will be an independent, analytical and authoritative appraisal of EFA progress. Its production will be co-ordinated by UNESCO, with the UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS) playing the major role in gathering and processing quantitative data. Other UNESCO Institutes, international organizations and civil society networks will be requested to provide data and analysis in their domains of competence.

    In order to improve EFA monitoring, UIS, UIE, IIEP, IBE, UNESCO Paris, the World Bank, together with other partners at international, regional and national levels will work to:

  • improve the quality of data collected in each country and build national capacity of data collection and analysis in the educational arena through regional seminars and other means;
  • improve the analysis of EFA progress by working with the UNESCO Institute for Statistics to develop better indicators in areas such as literacy, quality of education, life-skills, early childhood care and development and political commitment;
  • develop measures for the performance of international agencies, bilateral agencies and NGOs and their partnerships with countries.

    facilitate the exchange of information and data collection methods between countries.

    The work of the EFA Observatory located within the UNESCO Institute for Statistics will be to enlarge the networks and scope of data collection, and to work for balanced data gathering across the six Dakar goals. The international community will support the Observatory by providing it with copies of any statistics relating to EFA progress.

    Periodic evaluations of EFA will enable partners at every level to assess progress in the longer term, with the support of EFA international and bilateral partners. The 2005 and 2015 targets will provide the occasions for in-depth country-by-country and worldwide assessment, with the need for another milestone in 2010. Thus evaluations may take the following pattern (see also Part IV):

    à 2005 - elimination of gender disparities
    à 2010 - an interim assessment leading to the necessary steps and adjustments for the last five years
    à 2015 - an overall assessment of EFA targets

    A timetable for national, (sub-)regional, and international evaluations with respect to each of the Dakar goals must be drawn up and plans laid well in advance, in consultation with partners at every level.


    5. International and regional mechanisms

    The purpose of international and regional mechanisms is to give support and build capacity at the national level. In addition, such mechanisms provide a forum for the expression of national and regional concerns - where national voices are heard and dynamic interaction provides a basis for partnership.

    In terms of collective international mechanisms, two structures have been created: the Working Group on Education for All (WGEFA) and the High Level Group (HLG). The High Level Group was established on the basis of the Dakar recommendation for a group that was 'high-level, small and flexible' to 'serve as a lever for political commitment and technical and financial resource mobilization'. Informed by the annual EFA Monitoring Report and the International Strategy, it is intended to be the body with primary responsibility for driving EFA forward - it must accelerate momentum, strengthen partnerships, clearly identify priorities, gaps and needs, and highlight the resources to be mobilized. The Working Group (WGEFA) serves as an informal and advisory mechanism which brings together partners to discuss task-oriented EFA issues and strengthen collaboration at the international level, providing a forum for exchange of experiences among the different players in EFA. The WGEFA supports the work of the High Level Group, and will delineate clearly the roles and responsibilities of partners in implementing the International EFA Strategy. It will also consider and comment on the outline of the annual EFA Monitoring Report. It will continue to give advice and input to the UNESCO Director-General.

    These formal mechanisms must be complemented by regular contact and face-to-face interaction between international EFA partners, so that day-to-day co-operation is facilitated through communication.

    The full participation of civil society, NGOs and their networks in all aspects of EFA was a key commitment at Dakar. Three networks active in the Dakar process have become an integral part of Dakar follow-up and have been strengthened in their roles. This range of civil society partners represents and facilitates communication with large numbers of national and sub-national civil society groupings and NGOs. The existing networks must bring in increasing numbers of civil society groups into EFA fora, in order to enhance both the diversity of perspective and give voice to marginalised communities. It is crucial that these grassroots perspectives continue to inform the interaction between civil society and the multilateral and bilateral partners so that EFA initiatives are planned with an eye to their impact on thousands of small communities. These initiatives complement civil society's role in lobbying and advocacy at the international level.

  • The Collective Consultation of NGOs on EFA (CCNGO/EFA) is a key partnership mechanism in facilitating civil society participation in the Dakar follow-up. Created by UNESCO, it is linked to 600 international, regional and national NGOs and networks working in EFA around the world. Through ongoing policy dialogue, research, knowledge exchange and NGO capacity building, it strengthens civil society participation in planning, implementing and monitoring EFA. There is some overlap between this network and the Global Campaign for Education (below), which in fact strengthens communication and engagement in EFA processes and meetings, both internationally and regionally. The CCNGO/EFA will organize regional civil society forums for the first time in 2002 and continue to develop its capacity-building initiatives, some of which are carried out in co-operation with the World Bank.
  • the Global Campaign for Education (GCE), which is a campaign coalition initiated by Education International, Oxfam and the Action Aid Alliance with strong membership from teachers' unions and increasingly other NGOs puts its main thrust in advocacy and lobbying for the right to education. It participates in the international co-ordination mechanisms of the High Level Group and the EFA Working Group as well as in other consultations. It lobbies effectively for increased aid to EFA and for fully developed partnerships with civil society in all aspects of EFA.
  • the NGO Liaison Committee, the network of NGOs in official relations with UNESCO, has taken a particular interest in engaging with the EFA process. It has supported and raised the profile of the CCNGO/EFA and serves as a communication and consultation channel on EFA matters to the NGOs in official relations.

    Flagship programmes - an international resource for countries:
    Flagship Programmes are an open partnership with an institutional leader. As part of an overall strategy to facilitate this purpose, Flagship programmes were identified as one of a number of mechanisms that could contribute to implementing the Dakar Framework for Action. An EFA flagship programme is a structured set of activities, carried out by voluntary partners to provide a better understanding of EFA and to contribute to elimination of specific obstacles to the Dakar goals through targeted and co-ordinated action. Flagship programmes perform two major roles:

  • They assist countries to achieve their EFA goals; they are not independent entities but provide support for programmes and strategies implemented by countries under national education plans.
  • They provide a special focus for one aspect of EFA in terms of advocacy, information exchange, advice and monitoring of progress.

    The following chart lists flagship programmes as of April 2002; they are of different kinds - ten-year initiatives, exchange networks, co-operative programmes, … This reflects flexible approaches to generating effort and co-operation a particular part of the EFA agenda.

    Current Flagship programmes are:
    Flagship programme
    Status
    		 Lead agency(ies) Observations
    UN Girls' Education Initiative (UNGEI) International partnership in place; growing participation at national level UNICEF Initiative of UN Secretary-General at Dakar
    Focusing resources on effective school health (FRESH) Inter-agency partnership active in supporting specific national action
    UNESCO, UNICEF, WHO, World Bank    		 Launched at Dakar
    UNAIDS Inter Agency Task Team on Education Co-ordinates agency initiatives UNESCO
    UN Literacy Decade To start 2003; UNESCO to co-ordinate; draft plan in place UNESCO Initiative of UN General Assembly

    Education in Emergencies and Reconstruction
    International information exchange; growing participation at national level    		 Inter-agency Network for Education in Emergencies (INEE)
    Consultative Group on Early Childhood Care and Development Provides international framework for co-operation at national and regional levels
    Consortium of agencies    		 Pre-dates Dakar
    Teachers and quality of education Five inter-agency initiatives determined UNESCO, ILO, Education International Agreed by EFA Working Group 2001
    Education, inclusion and disability In planning stages Agreed by EFA Working Group 2001
    Education and ICTs Proposed
    Educational governance Proposed


    Part III: Implementing the twelve Dakar strategies


    This section presents the twelve Dakar strategies with the action needed or envisaged at international level, in support of the national level and to facilitate the global development of EFA. These proposals reflect input from EFA partners and represent an ongoing process of implementation. Regular review of these strategies and of the distribution of responsibilities relating to them forms part of the work of the EFA mechanisms (the Working Group and the High Level Group).

    Special considerations pertain for the implementation of EFA in particular groups of countries, according to physical, social, demographic and economic circumstances. Groupings change as circumstances evolve and conditions change. The following groups of countries, some of which overlap, present special circumstances which will require careful consideration in the implementation of these strategies; areas of special consideration are given in an indicative manner only:

    E-9 countries
    The nine high-population countries: Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan. Special considerations: huge numbers of children to enrol, some high adult illiteracy, gender issues, going to scale, maintaining quality, managing large systems, …

    Countries in crisis or emergency situations
    Several countries in all regions of the world, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. Special considerations: emergency schooling, gender issues, refugee education, reconstruction of educational systems, governance, demobilizing     soldiers, …

    Least Developed Countries (LDCs)
    49 countries in Africa, Asia, Arab States, the Pacific and the Caribbean. Special considerations: low resource base, low literacy rates and literate environment, gender issues, rural marginalization, low institutional capacity, …

    Sub-Saharan Africa
    Special considerations: large classes and inadequate capacity, ravages of HIV/AIDS, low literacy rates, curriculum relevance and language of instruction issues, gender issues, low economic resource base, governance, conflict, …

    South Asia
    Special considerations: high population, large systems, linguistic and ethnic diversity, areas of difficult access, gender issues, low literacy rates, maintaining quality, …

    Countries in economic transition
    About 28 countries, mostly in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Special considerations: transformation of social and economic systems, restructuring of educational purposes and delivery, changing external linkages, …


    Strategy 1 - Mobilize strong national and international political commitment for Education for All, develop national action plans and enhance significantly investment in basic education


    In mobilizing political commitment at national level, EFA international and bilateral partners will:

  • promote the negotiation of an understanding of how political commitment is manifested and monitored in the national context.
  • work with governments to revisit international statements concerning the right to education with a view to strengthening national legislation.
  • support the design of advocacy strategies which involve interest groups such as civil society organizations, parents' associations, teachers' unions and learners' groups, with the aim of broadening the national debate on EFA through newspapers, radio, television, drama and local media.
  • mobilize all stakeholders at national level to ensure the implementation of EFA.

    At the international level:
  • the High Level Group will monitor and stimulate political momentum in the international community, including donor behaviour and the level of resource mobilization, advocating on EFA gaps and challenges with opinion-makers, political leaders and the educational community.
  • the annual EFA Monitoring Report will serve as an advocacy tool, based on sound analysis, authoritative assessment and uncompromising reflection of EFA realities.
  • EFA partners should advocate for EFA at major international and regional meetings such as meetings of Heads of State, the G-8, meetings of finance ministers, MINEDAF, etc.
  • UNESCO and other EFA partners should use regional and international media, journalists' and newspaper associations to support EFA advocacy (e.g. CNN, PANA, World Association of Newspapers, International Federation of Journalists).

    In planning, EFA international and bilateral partners will advocate for and assist governments in setting up and actively utilizing EFA forums, or other multi-stakeholder groupings at national level, which include representation of government, civil society and locally engaged international partners, as a platform for planning EFA policies and implementation. EFA partners should develop clear generic criteria at international level to support EFA plan validation processes at national level (cf. Appendix 4), prior to any application of donor-specific criteria.

    The process will include:

    - offering technical assistance to countries requesting it for the preparation of plans for EFA, and for their regular update, with emphasis on realistic plans with time-lines and budget estimates, rather than statements of aspirations.
    - identifying and working with governmental or non-governmental groups in countries in conflict, post-conflict, crisis or emergency situations to generate viable ways forward in EFA, whether or not plans exist at that point.
    - giving planning support at national level so that all six Dakar goals will be addressed within the country and so that all sections of the population, all communities and all age-groups have access to appropriate learning opportunities in basic education (integration of flagship programmes, attention to hard-to-reach groups, planning for out-of-school learning opportunities).

    Enhancing investment: financing EFA
  • International financing agencies will enable countries to design policies and systems to (re-) allocate national budgetary resources in the most effective manner, so as to be locally sustainable. This should include consideration of in-country extra-budgetary resources (e.g. private sector) which do not imply user charges.
  • Donors should enhance co-ordination of their efforts within sector-wide approaches (SWAps) or in other ways and work to reduce the transaction costs of external assistance. Funders should also work to build the capacity of countries to use their resources more effectively.
  • International financing agencies will work to operationalize the global initiative/financing framework (described above in Part II section 3) in such a way that it supports national priorities, strengthens national capacity and takes a consistent approach in the long term.


    Strategy 2 - Promote EFA policies within a sustainable and well-integrated sector framework clearly linked to poverty elimination and development strategies

    At national level, EFA international and bilateral partners will:

  • work with national partners in EFA forums to:
    - institutionalize the intra- and inter-sectoral consultation processes in the formulation of EFA policies, mapping out a cross-sectoral and long-term EFA development vision and operational plan;

    - institutionalize consultation and partnership with all EFA stakeholders and ensure that the ultimate political reforms and policies reflect, in a balanced way, the interests represented by key EFA actors, including teachers, in relation to the pre-eminent interests of learners and their families;

    - assist in the reform of educational systems with a view to increasing their effectiveness and efficiency;

    - address the multidimensional nature of the links between education and poverty reduction to maximize the benefits of EFA, in keeping with the framework of the Monterrey Consensus;

    - set EFA plans and planning in the context of an overall sectoral plan where the links and interdependencies with other educational levels are clearly articulated; EFA planning must include the strengthening of educational research and training at tertiary level, and of teaching at the secondary level, as a necessary support for quality basic education.

    - promote inter-ministerial dialogue, consultation and co-ordination and develop procedures and mechanisms to facilitate this interaction.
  • monitor the implementation of broader development frameworks, such as UNDAF and PRSP. Special attention must be given to monitoring the effect of development planning on the poorest and most marginalized populations, and on countries in crisis, LDCs and countries where such planning processes are absent, delayed or in difficulty. Educational opportunity for each adult and child should not be compromised or endangered because of the volatility or vicissitudes of official planning processes.

    At the international level, EFA international and bilateral partners will:
  • promote co-ordinated action between United Nations agencies (e.g. in the UNDAF process), and between external donors and lenders (through the SWAp process). This will ensure that connections between EFA and other sectors are taken into account in planning (see Part II, Section 1, above).


    Strategy 3 - Ensure the engagement and participation of civil society in the formulation, implementation and monitoring of strategies for educational development


    At national level, EFA international and bilateral partners will strengthen civil society networks and partnerships by:
  • advocating for the involvement of civil society organizations, including local and community groups and organizations, in processes of planning, monitoring and assessing education policies and programmes at national and local levels, and support capacity-building for such involvement.
  • providing support to consultations with civil society organizations and associations at country level.
  • providing support to the civil society coalitions/networks in order to reinforce broad-based ownership of the EFA process.

    At regional and international level EFA international and bilateral partners will:
  • involve civil society organizations in all regional and international mechanisms relevant to the joint EFA efforts.
  • organize special sessions on civil society involvement in EFA with the participation of governmental and non-governmental partners to stimulate broad-based discussion on the roles and contributions of civil society in EFA.
  • provide support to the regionalization of the Collective Consultation of NGOs on EFA.
  • provide support to the advocacy efforts of the Global Campaign for Education to promote a stronger involvement of NGOs from all regions.

    EFA partners, to create knowledge and communication from the contributions of civil society, will:
  • reinforce ongoing efforts to establish databases on civil society participation in EFA in the different regions.
  • provide support in tracking the participation of civil society participation in EFA and in the elaboration of country case studies and their comparison, so as to better understand ongoing processes and develop support strategies .
  • facilitate cross-country and cross-regional exchange of viable civil society practice and partnership experiences in EFA through study tours and ICT-based discussions.

    To build capacity in civil society organizations for participation in EFA, at regional and international level EFA international and bilateral partners will:
  • reinforce support to regional initiatives of capacity building for local NGOs and other civil society associations in EFA areas related to (i) participation in policy formulation, advocacy and educational governance; (ii) information sharing and networking; (iii) curriculum development in all areas related to the Dakar roles; (iii) competencies in appropriate pedagogy; and (iv) planning, implementing and evaluating education programmes and initiatives.
  • support the preparation, translation, editing and distribution of training manuals on selected areas for NGO/CSO capacity building in EFA.
    Strategy 4 - Develop responsive, participatory and accountable systems of educational governance and management


    To encourage the development of responsive, participatory and accountable systems of educational governance, EFA international and bilateral partners will provide technical assistance to countries, depending on the context and their request . At national level, partners will help countries to:

  • set up policy and define better regulatory frameworks and administrative mechanisms for managing formal and non-formal basic education, including early childhood, primary, literacy, youth and adult education programmes.
  • clearly define responsibilities among different levels of government, and between government and communities.
  • assist in the training and capacity building of all administrators and managers working at central, regional and local level.
  • advocate new systems of funds allocation so that decentralization leads neither to inequitable distribution of resources between districts and schools, nor to inefficient utilization of resources.
  • define management structures and other mechanisms to foster the participation of the community and diverse stakeholders in the planning and management of education at district and school level.
  • train school leaders, administrators and managers, as well as NGO managers and administrators of non-formal education programmes, and define appropriate support mechanisms for them.
  • elaborate appropriate systems of accountability to the communities at local and district level.
  • promote the development of intersectoral programmes at local, regional and central levels, and integrate this dimension both in the regulatory framework and in the training programmes.

    At international level, the partners will:

  • promote and establish networks of agencies, national policy makers, senior administrators and managers, and researchers in order to exchange experiences and information on best practices, discuss how to introduce more participatory management practices and ensure capacity building.
  • promote networks of training institutions, centres and faculties of education with the responsibility of training district education officers, supervisors and head teachers.
  • continue to conduct joint reviews and sector analysis of national education systems.


    Strategy 5 - Meet the needs of educational systems affected by conflict, natural calamities and instability, and conduct educational programmes in ways that promote mutual understanding, peace and tolerance, and that help to prevent violence and conflict

    Today, crisis situations are a major and often prolonged concern in many countries. To deal with new challenges to education (emergency, crisis, armed conflict, chronic instability, natural disasters and so on), the international community must develop strategies and capacities to respond efficiently and rapidly. In support of countries in crisis, EFA international and bilateral partners will:
  • work with governmental and non-governmental partners to restore and to provide education in any crisis or post-conflict situation as a human right for children, young people and adults.
  • promote and fund education as a fourth pillar of humanitarian assistance, on a par with food, shelter and medical assistance, to enable planning for rapid response assistance that will help protect children and adolescents and provide meaningful knowledge and activities.
  • support the development of a set of broadly accepted minimum ethical and quality standards for education in emergencies.
  • facilitate broad-based co-operation between all concerned partners so that educational strategies build peace, hope, stability, tolerance and mutual understanding as a platform for sustainable development, being mindful of the development and production of

    - non-biased and gender-sensitive education material
    - curricula, text-books and other educational materials based on mutual respect and that inspire a spirit of peace-building
    - democratic processes and education systems that promote them.

  • emphasize the importance of training of teachers and the role they play in the promotion and creation of a child-friendly and non-violent learning atmosphere, and for this reason give strong support to the strengthening of teacher-training institutions.
  • work for inter-agency co-operation and co-ordination at all levels through strengthened interaction between United Nations organizations (OCHA, UNDP, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP...), and with NGOs and donors. including information exchange through the Inter-agency Network for Education in Emergencies (INEE).
  • work with concerned governments to identify ways of accepting and validating diplomas and certificates obtained by refugee and internally displaced teachers and students in home countries or in temporary exile
  • develop a set of planning and operational guidelines, workshops and training programmes to assist all partners in the preparation and inclusion of the Emergency and Post-conflict Education components within the EFA National Action Plan for the countries concerned.


    Strategy 6 - Implement integrated strategies for gender equality in education that recognize the need for change in attitudes, values and practices

    In support of the national level, EFA international and bilateral partners will:
  • support the development of advocacy strategies, involving the media, which lead to greater gender sensitivity and responsiveness among educators and the public at large.
  • support capacity-building to enable full diagnosis of the gender issue in education using available statistics/indicators of girls' and boys' educational outcomes (enrolment, promotion, completion, achievement rates) to identify the type and extent of girls' and boys' education in particular contexts.
  • urge for a revision of national policies and legislation to bring them more in line with international conventions and agreements relating to gender equality in education.
  • promote the mainstreaming of the gender perspective in the EFA planning process, for instance by using tools such as the Asia-Pacific Guidelines for Preparing Gender Responsive EFA Plans for national-level stakeholders.
  • press for the formulation by governments of a clear policy statement on formal and non-formal basic education for widening educational opportunities for girls and women, in countries where women and girls are disadvantaged.
  • encourage and support empowerment initiatives so as to train, recruit and deploy more women teachers, and especially women principals and administrators.
  • collaborate in enhancing evidence-based policy development, including

    - addressing supply-side factors impeding girls' education at micro- and macro-levels.
    - addressing demand-side factors affecting girls' education, recognizing social, cultural, political and economic barriers.
    - consulting the various stakeholders in girls' education at the different levels of the school system (national, district, and community levels) and within the community, such as non-governmental organizations, religious groups, the media, business, etc.
    - support the development of equitable formal and non-formal learning opportunities for women and girls by involving a wide range of local partners, from both formal and non-formal education, in the identification of needs, and the planning and implementation of learning activities.
  • encourage and support the compilation of gender-disaggregated data and gender-sensitive statistics and analysis, including development of indicators and operational guidelines for measuring discrimination, learning achievements, cost-effectiveness, and for directing planning, monitoring and evaluation activities.
  • promote a common understanding of gender and gender-training strategies among development agencies at a national level, by identifying and sharing practice.

    At the international level, EFA international and bilateral partners will:
  • promote effective partnership in the United Nations Girls Education Initiative (UNGEI), launched in 2000 as a ten-year drive and spearheaded by UNICEF. Its thrust is to mainstream gender in all educational forums and in all organizations involved, forging a consensus leading to concerted action, particularly in the most difficult contexts.
  • mobilize the mass media as a political and communicative tool, both for creating awareness of non-formal basic education to provide learning, and for raising awareness of the need for gender equality.


    Strategy 7 - Implement education programmes and actions to combat the HIV/AIDS pandemic as a matter of urgency

    While education is not a panacea, it will play a critical role in combating the HIV/AIDS pandemic. At the same time, the impact of the pandemic places enormous burdens on education systems. With both the opportunities and challenges in mind, and through the existing EFA flagship programme, EFA international and bilateral partners at the national level will:
  • support the development and implementation of policies that address HIV/AIDS and education.
  • advocate for acknowledgement of the breadth, depth, and impact of the pandemic as a means to 'break the silence' and make policy implementation possible.
  • support the development of capacity in relation to addressing HIV/AIDS through education; this will include attention to links with secondary and tertiary institutions.
  • support the diversification of education opportunities to ensure that access to learning opportunities is sufficiently flexible to respond to the demands that HIV/AIDS places on children and their families and to meet the special needs of AIDS orphans.
  • contribute to the development of comprehensive strategies and their implementation, including the mobilization of young people, to provide opportunities for all out-of-school citizens to learn about HIV/AIDS and how both to prevent it and live with it.
  • promote and facilitate inclusion of attention to the HIV/AIDS pandemic in poverty reduction strategies, SWAps, and EFA plans.

    At the international level:
  • maintain and expand the existing partnership of agencies, national policy makers, administrators, NGOs, researchers, etc., to exchange experience and information, build knowledge, and develop the capacity to begin reversing the pandemic.
  • share, support the adaptation of, and distribute materials to those who most need them.
  • keep up continued advocacy about HIV/AIDS, for financial and other support to the most severely affected education systems.
  • develop and support tools to assist countries determine the effects of the pandemic on education systems (defined broadly).
  • build partnerships with media and other non-conventional partners for reaching those who are not in school.


    Strategy 8 - Create safe, healthy, inclusive and equitably resourced educational environments conducive to excellence in learning, with clearly defined levels of achievement for all

    A new definition of what constitutes 'quality' needs to developed (in practical as well as intellectual terms), along with how to provide quality and how to measure it. At the national level EFA international and bilateral partners will:
  • support countries to better define quality education, to understand the linkages among the various elements, and to identify the best entry points for improving educational quality.
  • encourage careful identification of specific learning outcomes based on well understood indicators.
  • develop the capacity of education systems to train for improved quality, to measure learning achievement, and to set up mechanisms for measuring learning achievement that will feed back into the system to improve it.
  • ensure that excluded groups of all kinds and all ages are paid special attention within the main education system and through alternative non-formal education programmes.
  • assist in developing strategies to increase the relevance of schooling and other learning opportunities, for example through

    - the production and distribution of textbooks and learning materials based on national and local context,
    - the introduction of mother tongue as the first school language,
    - efforts to achieve quality schooling at a low/lower cost,
    - the promotion of child-centred teaching methods,
    - a broad reflection on the aim and contents of the school,
    - the establishment of partnerships locally with representatives of the community to bring local history and culture, crafts and traditions into the school.

    At the international level, EFA partners will:
  • build on existing partnerships that address different aspects of quality education (academic achievement, relevance of content, safety and security, health dimensions, life skills, etc.), ensuring that they are adequately understood so that normative standards can be developed, and so that these can be expressed in a range of educational and local contexts.
  • advocate for this new vision of quality education.
  • through existing networks, provide lessons learned and make the growing knowledge base on quality education accessible to others.
  • support the identification of practical indicators of quality and the means to measure them.
  • work within the existing and developing frameworks for financing education to ensure that quality holds as important a place as quantity.

    Strategy 9 - Enhance the status, morale and professionalism of teachers

    The role of teachers is at the heart of the concern for quality basic education. The EFA international and bilateral partners will assist national ministries in:
  • strengthening the professionalization of teachers:

    - analyse the present status and conditions of service of teachers and head teachers (job description, appointment mechanisms and incentives) and suggest possible improvement.
    - establish equitable steps (recognition, equivalents, etc.) to bring up to a high level and harmonize national standards of the training, remuneration, and certification of large numbers of under-trained, often 'volunteer' teachers who have