F
o r e w o rd
I am pleased to present this report of the first
meeting of the EFA High Level Group. The meeting was a particularly
important event. The governments,agencies and civil society
organisations assembled in Dakar in April 2000 at the World
Education Forum were conscious of the pressing need to maintain
the momentum we had developed. To this end,the Forum gave me
the responsibility of calling together a High Level Group which
would be small,flexible and representative - a group which would
generate strong political will to carry forward the urgent agenda
of the Dakar Framework for Action.
I am therefore especially satisfied that the first meeting brought
together representatives of all the EFA constituencies - developing
and industrialised countries,civil society groupings,bilateral
and multilateral gencies.The strong commitment to EFA was demonstrated
by the high calibre of the participants and quality of their
contributions.The meeting had three major themes:political commitment,resource
mobilisation and civil society and partnerships.How far did
the meeting facilitate progress in these areas?
With regard to political commitment I observed a healthy impatience
to move beyond words to action - to see national EFA plans prepared
and financed,,to budget new resources,to develop high quality
monitoring instruments to keep track of progress. Bilateral
and multilateral aid agencies were ready to mobilise new resources,
requesting that specific gaps and precise needs should be identified.Civil
society engagement in the meeting marked a new phase of upstream
partnership based on mutual respect and a common concern to
work concretely towards the Dakar goals.
The meeting also identified some gaps:the need for a high quality
monitoring report to facilitate the work of the group;the urgency
of articulating a comprehensive EFA strategy;clarification of
the role and structure of the group itself.In collaboration
with its EFA partners,UNESCO will seriously address these issues
in the coming months.
I was grateful for the confidence which participants expressed
in UNESCO in its coordinating role,while recognising the high
expectations in this regard.For my part, I will continue to
keep EFA at the centre of UNESCO's agenda and programmes,and
look forward to increasingly active and productive partnerships
with all the constituencies represented at the High Level Group.Only
through our common will and joint effort will we succeed in
tackling the huge challenge of Education for All.
Koïchiro Matsuura
Director-General,UNESCO
I
n t r o d u c t i on
The Dakar Framework for Action
stipulated that the Director-General of UNESCO would convene
a high-level group annually,as part of UNESCO 's 'mandated role
in coordinating EFA partners and maintaining their collaborative
momentum '.This first meeting of the group followed two meetings
of the EFA Working Group (November 2000 and September 2001).The
aim of the meeting was to 'serve as a lever for political commitment
and technical and financial resource mobilization ',as well
as being 'an opportunity to hold the global community to account
for commitments made in Dakar '.In line with this latter goal,the
Director- General prepared the first Monitoring Report on Education
For All 2001 as input to the meeting.
In accordance with the Dakar commitment that it should be composed
of 'highest level leaders from governments and civil society
of developing and developed countries, and from development
agencies ',the Director-General of UNESCO invited the Ministers
of Education from eighteen countries representative of all regions
of the world,the leaders of four international non-governmental
organizations (NGOs)and the heads of five multilateral or bilateral
agencies.As the participants list shows (see Appendix 3),most
responded in their personal capacity,while others were represented
by close associates.In addition,the Director-General invited
a number of observers.
The meeting was chaired by the Director-General of UNESCO,Mr
Koïchiro Matsuura.UNESCO Division Directors,Directors of
UNESCO Institutes,UNESCO Regional Directors and other staff
also attended.The Chair gave the floor to observers during the
meeting, at his discretion.
The two-day programme was divided into five sessions:
_ Achieving the EFA goals at the national level
_ Building political commitment and partnerships
_ Mobilizing resources in support of EFA:the role of international
agencies and the function of debt relief schemes
_ Civil society participation
_ Monitoring EFA progress
In all,eleven prepared presentations were given as input to
the group 's deliberations.Lively discussion sessions gave opportunity
for free expression of a wide range of points of view and experiences.
Setting the context - Koïchiro
Matsuura, Director-General of UNESCO
In welcoming participants to this first meeting
of the High-Level Group on EFA,Mr Koïchiro Matsuura underlined
the central importance of education in a world living in the
shadow of the 11 September events - 'learning to live together
',as the Delors report put it,has acquired particular urgency.He
recalled the mandate given in Dakar at the World Education Forum
in 2000:to convene 'a high-level,small and flexible group '
in order to maintain and increase political commitment for EFA
and mobilize the necessary financial and technical resources.In
terms of representation of the EFA constituency,he noted that
about half the participants are drawn from developing countries.
As context for the meeting,Mr
Matsuura identified four specific challenges faced by EFA partners,requiring
a speedy response,innovation and initiative:
_ Building effective and imaginative strategies for educating
the poor,the excluded and the marginalized.
_ Eliminating gender disparities and achieving gender equality
- the 2005 deadline looms large..
_ Recognizing the special conditions of countries facing emergencies,crisis
or post-conflict situations.
_ Recognizing the potential of the HIV/AIDS pandemic to undo
progress in EFA,particularly in Africa.
The Director-General identified three major themes for the meeting:political
commitment,resource mobilization,and civil society and artnerships.Political
commitment at the national level is crucial:how can governments
actively engage their partners,both national and international?How
can the participation of all actors in preparing national EFA
plans be ensured? Some national plans are ready and awaiting
financial commitments,so there is a need to put in place sensitive
review mechanisms.Incorporation of the aims of the international
flagship programmes at national level needs attention. Resource
mobilization revolves around the Global Initiative,which is
premised on synergy between national and international resources.Mr
Matsuura emphasized partnerships with civil society, noting
that 'the size and complexity of the EFA challenge are too great
for governments alone to address '. In this respect civil society
must be part of the policy debate,founded on mutual trust between
government and civil society.
The Director-General concluded with a number of suggestions,
highlighting the start made in monitoring EFA through the first
Monitoring Report ;this is a forerunner of a more comprehensive
report which will be presented to the High-Level Group each
year.He expressed cautious optimism about the 2015 EFA targets,while
recognizing the difficulties and expressing the concern that
security issues should not edge out social priorities.The full
text of the address is found in Appendix 1.
|
We
must find ways to educate the poor despite their poverty,amidst
their poverty,out of their poverty.
Koïchiro Matsuura
|
Structure of the current report
This report follows the sequence of the programme
(see Appendix 4),in sections representing the five sessions.It
summarizes each of the eleven papers presented by countries
and organizations.Discussion periods were part of each session
and this report renders the essence of the remarks made and
points debated. In order to capture the tone and ethos of the
meeting, an observer 's viewpoint is presented,before concluding
with an overview of the process of adopting the final communiqué.
Achieving EFA goals at national level
EFA
planning goes ahead in Pakistan despite difficulties
Ms Zobaida Jalal,Minister of Education,began
by alluding to the current international context in which Pakistan
finds itself and noting that ignorance,poverty and illiteracy
breed extremism - education is a crucial tool to fight terrorism.Pakistan
's response to Dakar and the EFA challenge was first to identify
educational gaps, a major achievement in itself.The development
of educational strategy has been fully embedded in the Poverty
Reduction Strategy Papers (PRSP)process,with decentralized planning
being a particular focus,all the way down to district level.Pakistan
has demonstrated political commitment to EFA by holding a national
conference,and national and provincial forums,and by drafting
both provincial and national EFA plans.These focus on primary
education,adult literacy and early childhood education.Planned
targets are as follows:
_ primary education:from the existing 66%enrolment to 100%in
2015,with gender parity;girls ' education is a special priority;
_ adult literacy:from the existing literacy rate of 49% to 86%in
2015,adding 81 million to the literate population;and
_ early childhood education:from the existing 25% participation
rate in early childhood education centres to 50%in 2015.
Planning includes a focus on disadvantaged groups, quality improvement,curriculum
reform,building stronger civil society alliances,enabling district-level
planning and management,and the use of ICTs.These plans are
costed at around US$7bn above current budgets,of which national
resources will cover only 40%- Pakistan seeks to mobilize the
rest through the international commitments made at Dakar.Public-private
partnerships must be explored,but must not become an excuse
for less public responsibility; user charges will further exclude
the poor.Pakistan appreciates recent efforts to relieve its
debt, but regrets that it has taken a war situation to implement
this.
Ms Jalal laid particular stress on regional cooperation in South
Asia,noting the large numbers of non-literates and out-of-school
children in the egion.Pakistan is committed to regional collaboration
and has shared its EFA National Plan of Action with other countries.The
Afghan crisis is increasing pressure on Pakistan 's resources,with
an urgent need to address the situation of homeless women and
children.While appreciating international efforts to provide
new resources for EFA, Ms Jalal called for greater support for
a holistic approach to education,emphasizing the values of peace
and diversity. She concluded by challenging the High-Level Group
to make a difference in education,to 'stand up and act together
'.
…we cannot and should
not remain oblivious of the fact that ignorance,poverty
and illiteracy breed extremism.It is more critical than
ever that UNESCO and all Member States re-double their efforts
to promote education for all in every region and in every
continent in the fight against international terrorism.
Zobaida Jalal |
Progress through partnership and consultation in Senegal
The Minister of Education, Mr Moustapha Sourang,
began by presenting the regrets of the President of Senegal
who was unfortunately prevented from responding in person to
UNESCO 's invitation. Mr Sourang recalled the President 's words
at the World Education Forum in Dakar,characterizing the education
problem in Africa as 'falling between two extremes:having no
job and no education,or having an education and no job '.Senegal
is determined to address this situation through EFA.Stressing
the responsibility of the state for education,the Minister noted
that in sub-Saharan Africa states do not have the funds to face
this challenge - a challenge that is increasing with population
growth.Thus the state must experiment with new partnerships
and mobilize external resources.The growing willingness of aid
partners to fund social areas and to take a holistic view of
development gives grounds for optimism.
Senegal has taken a systematic approach to the development of
an EFA national plan.Taking into account a ten-year education
and training plan initiated in 1996,the EFA national plan was
launched on the anniversary of the Dakar Forum. Its elaboration
involved a five-stage process,with broad consultation and technical
input,and it includes planning at departmental and regional
levels.Around sixty NGOs are active,mostly in non-formal education.
A ’partnership charter ’ has been developed to provide a framework
for cooperation between all the actors.Building greater consensus
with civil society will be a particular priority. Mr Sourang
introduced the question of the relationship between basic and
higher education,with two concerns:firstly, an emphasis on basic
education runs the risk of reducing resources for higher education
and,secondly,the donor community is divided in its approach
to higher education funding.He called on UNESCO to play the
honest broker in this situation.In addition,more flexible financing
conditions are required for the funding of education.
Together,we
the men and women of good will in the North and the South
… say that we want education and work, not one without
the other.
Abdoulaye Wade, President of Senegal, at the Dakar Forum
2000 |
Discussion
and reactions
In discussion lessons were drawn from the events
of 11 September ,including the observation that extremism is
bred by illiteracy and poverty.This underlines the importance
of education in promoting tolerance and as a guardian of peace.It
was hoped that once again the worst of times might bring out
the best in the human spirit.Comments and remarks were made
on a wide range of EFA-related issues,with frequent references
to progress and constraints in particular national contexts.
Broadening the debate,the question was posed:what kind of education
for what kind of development? In response it was noted that
levels of literacy do not necessarily coincide with levels of
national scientific progress.Further general comments on educational
approaches included the following:
- There must be a right to employment,as well as a right to
education.
- Education must not be seen a service,but as an institution
that transmits values.
- Education must promote social equity.
- Marginalization from education is a cultural as well as an
economic phenomenon.
A number of issues central to ensuring EFA were raised,based
on lessons from a variety of national situations:
- Access to education:the Philippines identified and abolished
hidden user costs,such as Boy Scout dues and exam fees,with
the result that enrolment increased by 7%.As part of their national
plan for EFA, India is giving special priority to groups who
have been hard to reach,such as girls and slum children.Kenya
’s affirmative action for disadvantaged groups includes the
re-admission into school of those who dropped out due to pregnancy.
- Quality of education:as an example of how to improve quality,the
Philippines said that they now concentrate on five key subject
areas in basic education:Pilipino, English,science,maths and
good citizenship.Teacher training and curriculum reform are
essential elements of quality improvement.
- Gender:concern was expressed about the image of women often
portrayed in textbooks.
- Adult learning/non-formal education (NFE):this should be strengthened
as an alternative learning opportunity,with attention to developing
a policy for post-literacy activities in order to avoid relapse
and loss of newly acquired skills.Cuba noted progress in adult
learning by using radio for literacy,including sharing their
experience in the Caribbean region. In the same region,seven
countries are cooperating in adopting common measures of literacy.UNESCO
’s Director-General emphasized the need to reach out to adults
and to promote lifelong learning.
- EFA plans:as these are developed they should indicate precise
financial needs,as well as other kinds of gaps.
There was concern to identify the role and purpose of the High-Level
Group,which was a significant opportunity to carry forward the
EFA agenda — this discussion was planned for the final session.
Some remarks concerned the role of NGOs and civil society .On
their part,they expressed a willingness to work with governments.One
participant asked if they really are equal partners and to whom
they are accountable.As an example of civil society engagement
in EFA,it was noted that in Senegal NGOs have contributed to
a 5%increase in the literacy rate,but that national assessment
of literacy does not take civil society and community-based
organization (CBO) activities adequately into account.
Several comments related to the role of UNESCO :it is the only
international forum for educational discussion and it needs
to give intellectual input and provide a lead in the educational
debate.
Building politival sommitment and partnerships
Effective consultation and effective
management:keys to EFA for Canada
Ms Maria Minna,Minister for International Co-operation,
started by re-affirming the central importance of education
- for human rights,health and nutrition, HIV/AIDS prevention,active
citizenship,equality,justice, dignity and tolerance.Basic education
is the foundation of a lifelong learning process essential for
each person in today 's world. Evidence shows that investment
in social development is crucial to eradicating poverty.
Canada is entirely committed to ensuring that the Dakar goals
are pursued and realized.Taking the Monitoring Report as input,the
Minister focused on three inter-connected principles:national
ownership,partnership and the role of civil society.All are
based on consultation with stakeholders and communities.Canada
undertook such a consultation in designing their own 'donor
's action plan ' to support EFA..The outcome will be a quadrupling
of Canada 's investments in basic education. Using existing
resources more effectively and relieving the burden of debt
are further strategies for increasing support.Canada and its
G-8 counterparts have strong commitments for the Highly Indebted
Poor Countries (HIPC)initiative.Canada has proclaimed a unilateral
moratorium on debt payments for well-performing HIPC countries.
In addition to financial resources,human,technical and logistical
resources must be mobilized,for example using UNESCO 's network
of educators and sharing best practice.
Ms Minna drew attention to four management issues:
_ Greater donor coordination:this will be a key concern for
the G-8 Task Force on Education,in which Canada will play an
active role.
_ Flagship programmes:we need to ensure these do not deflect
effort or resources from national EFA processes.
_ UNESCO 's coordination role:UNESCO has strengthened its role,but
is the mandate clear enough?Are the right tools available to
carry EFA forward?
_ Monitoring EFA:all partners must work to put in place common
indicators that allow for regional variation; the Millennium
development targets are a good starting point.
She concluded by issuing a challenge to make full use of the
'vast human resources at our disposal ' in pursuit of EFA objectives.
UNICEF 's priority:fulfilling our
obligation to children
'A quality primary education is the right of
all children, and the obligation of all governments ' - Ms Carol
Bellamy,Executive Director of UNICEF,saw this as the basis of
a common understanding of EFA,founded on international declarations
and conventions.She developed this principle by calling for
attention to the basics:'children who are mentally and physically
able to learn,and teachers who are ready and able to teach,in
educational environments that are available,affordable and welcoming
to children and their parents.' Stressing the value of the strong
partnerships among the United Nations agencies and with civil
society,she underlined the value of the United Nations Girls
' Education Initiative (UNGEI),whose immediate objective is
to close the gender gap by 2005.
Charged to represent UNDP at the High-Level Group, Ms Bellamy
reported that UNDP 's Administrator sees education as critical
to development and that he has asked resident coordinators around
the world to give particular attention to supporting UNGEI and
other EFA initiatives. Ms Bellamy rehearsed the benefits of
educating girls - a key element in economic development;educated
girls become educated women who are more likely to educate their
own children,and have smaller and healthier families.Listing
new initiatives in a number of African and Asian countries,she
called for mechanisms to reach the most excluded and disadvantaged
children, developing targeted approaches for those most at risk.
Efforts must address child labour,the impact of HIV/AIDS and
preventable diseases so that these children can have an education.Second-chance
education of good quality must also receive attention. She concluded
on an optimistic note,observing that this is the most opportune
time imaginable to move forward with these challenges:hope rather
than despair must motivate organizations and citizens to fulfil
our obligations to children.
I am struck by how these
three principles - national ownership,partnership and the
role of civil society - interact with each other.When they
're in synch,they reinforce each other.But if one element
is not harnessed to its full potential, the others suffer
and our goals are put further out of reach.
Maria Minna |
Discussion
and reactions
In response to these presentations,UNESCO 's
Director- General gave a framework to the debate by asking the
group to consider four questions:
_ How to build on the momentum for EFA
_ How to show political commitment and put it into practice
_ How to mobilize resources
_ How to make flagship programmes compatible with national plans
These questions were addressed in part during this discussion
session and were taken up again subsequently. Once again the
discussion ranged widely - the over-- arching theme was that
of partnerships and how crucial they are if there is to be any
progress in EFA.Participants also repeatedly stressed that the
time has come for action,moving beyond conceptual development
and strategy formulation to practical implementation - this
should be one of the major outcomes of the High-Level Group
meeting.
National ownership:there was complete agreement that
countries must be in the driving seat with regard to EFA planning
and implementation.This will be the basis of partnership at
the international level:national commitment will generate international
commitment. National ownership is expressed in central and eastern
Europe by new legislative frameworks to promote education for
all:the training,status and remuneration of teachers is a crucial
part of this,as is the development of the use of ICTs for educational
purposes.As national EFA plans are now translated into action,operational
guidelines need to be developed.
Nature of relationships:a key question is how best to
structure coordination between the country level and international
forums,the link between the global and the local - civil society
has an important role to play here.What kind of interaction
should there be between the global EFA movement and national
strategies for poverty reduction?Global approaches must always
be linked to concrete realities.Partnerships also need to be
developed close to the grassroots,within communities and among
institutions represented at that level.At national level,since
education cuts across sectors, partnerships must include many
ministries,thus building on existing structures.In the international
arena,how are the relationships between multilateral and bilateral
agencies to be defined?At the other end of the spectrum,the
engagement of the poorest families and communities must not
be neglected - they often know what is needed to break the cycle
of poverty.In all these partnerships,there is a need for tools
to exchange information about objectives, interventions, programmes
and good practice - this will require adequate coordination
and permanent dialogue between international partners and countries.
Alternative approaches:participants expressed a concern
that non-formal alternatives to schooling should be made available
to out-of-school youth,in cooperation with civil society,and
that these initiatives should develop links to the formal system.
Quality:the quality of basic education was stressed repeatedly
and requires as much attention as the quantitative goals of
increasing access to education.
External aid :according to the World Bank representative, a
total of US$300bn is spent by developing countries on education,while
international aid to education is only US$4bn - a little over
1%%.Can the international community double this aid?While little
has happened practically on this front since Dakar,there are
grounds for optimism because of initiatives of groupings such
as the G-8 and the Global Campaign for Education. There is a
need to define the mechanisms for financial support from donors,with
the emphasis on mechanisms that work.
Flagship programmes:there was a warm welcome for the
adoption of the new programme on disability,which UNESCO is
committed to promoting among its Member States.
Only quality education
can equip girls with the confidence to make the most of
their abilities … and can put young women on a path
to economic and social empowerment.
Carol Bellamy |
Mobilizing
resources in support of EFA
Commitment:the
basis for action - United Kingdom
Acknowledging the size of the challenge of universal
primary education,Ms Clare Short, Secretary of State for International
Development,noted significant progress in some countries - citing
nine countries of sub-Saharan Africa where enrolment rates have
reached 90%.
The Dakar commitment to ensure that 'no country seriously committed
to EFA will be thwarted in their achievement of that goal by
lack of resources ' raises two questions:
_ When is it clear that a government is seriously committed
to EFA?
_ How will the international community fulfil its pledge?
Strong political will,national resolve and clear educational
policies,within a PRSP framework,will be indicators of commitment.Ms
Short suggested three further indicators:
_ rapid abolition of user fees and other direct costs
_ allocation by governments of significant resources to basic
education
_ concrete efforts to promote gender equality
It is important that EFA plans should form an integral part
of plans to reduce poverty.Once such plans are in place,UNESCO
must use its leverage with the international community to ensure
that adequate funding is forthcoming.In addition,donor coordination
is particularly critical in the education sector in order to
reduce transaction and administrative costs for developing countries.
Ms Short addressed the role and structure of the High- Level
Group,pleading for a smaller,but representative group meeting
annually to receive the Monitoring Report .This report will
be an invaluable tool to identify specific needs,rally further
effort and make connections with other forums,such as the G-8
summits and the annual meetings of the Bretton Woods organizations.
The United Kingdom committed itself to providing funding for
such a report.Ms Short concluded with a ringing and optimistic
affirmation:'We are the first generation who have in our hands
the possibility of abolishing illiteracy from the human condition.Let
us ensure that we rise to the challenge.'
No single
development intervention has more impact on the prospects
of a country than the education of its children,particularly
of girls.
Clare Short |
Japan:investing in capacity
Mr Takao Kawakami,President of the Japan International
Cooperation Agency (JICA),cited his own experience in Indonesia
and Pakistan to emphasize the strong demand for education at
the grassroots - in Pakistan,for instance,women were determined
to attend literacy classes in spite of their heavy workloads.
JICA sees education as the foundation for development and is
committed to a capacity-building approach;this has two prongs:
_ support for local personnel,to ensure local ownership and
ongoing sustainability.
_ sharing Japanese experience as input and stimulus for local
goal-setting.
Sector-wide approaches will facilitate common understandings
among donors as a flexible framework for maximizing each agency
's comparative advantage. As far as Japan 's contribution to
education is concerned, Mr Kawakami recalled his country 's
commitment to a five-year social development funding package
in Africa and noted that provision of school infrastructure
has enabled school enrolments to increase.HIV/AIDS prevention
and bridging the digital divide will be central elements of
current Japanese aid.A review of education programmes has led
JICA to put greater emphasis on non-formal education and cooperation
at community level with NGOs in HIV/AIDS prevention. Japan will
work closely with the G-8 Task Force on Education in mobilizing
international efforts for basic education.
| It important to bear
in mind that donors ' assistance is utilized within a flexible
framework in the way that each donor 's different comparative
advantages are respected.… Another important issue:
development cooperation should be implemented through developing
countries ' ownership,not by donors. Takao Kawakami |
France:cooperating
to promote access,equity
and quality in education
The Ministre-Délégué pour
la cooperation et la francophonie,Mr Charles Josselin,recognized
the Dakar Forum as an important step forward in strengthening
international commitment to education,one which must now be
implemented.The overall aims are access,equity and quality in
education, around which all stakeholders must structure their
dialogue.Recalling that the national level is paramount,Mr Josselin
introduced two principles:
ownership and participation. Ownership implies policy definition
by governments themselves,while participation engages all stakeholders
in this process.
He cautioned against investing extra resources in education
systems that are less and less effective and called rather for
national action plans based on sound analysis and elaborated
within a sector-wide approach.The larger framework consists
of poverty reduction strategies,in which debt relief,such as
France has recently committed itself to,has a key role to play.
Support for UNESCO 's role in Africa,collaboration in the G-8
Task Force on Education, possible investment in HIV/AIDS work
with UNESCO,partnership with Conference des ministres de l 'éducation
des pays ayant le français en partage (CONFEMEN)and the
World Bank, and re-orientation of French aid in education -
these are all measures to which France is committed.Mr Josselin
finished by calling for a balance between meeting urgent and
large needs,and sustaining efforts in the long term in pursuit
of EFA goals.
France will make an exceptional
effort in debt relief,calculated at 10 billion euros.We would
wish this debt relief,as a matter of priority,to be of benefit
to social sectors, particularly education. Charles Josselin
G-8:education now on the agenda
Speaking in his capacity both as Director-General
for Italian Development Cooperation and Chair of the G-8 Task
Force on Education,Mr Giandomenico Magliano noted that the creation
of the Task Force was driven by a political will to combat poverty
in all its aspects - social, cultural and ethical,as well as
economic and financial. He noted that this was a significant
shift in policy direction.In contrast to previous G-8 summits,the
Genoa Summit was characterized as 'extroverted ' - the group
would now be more outward-looking and take concrete decisions
with respect to its active participation as a group in international
development.
Mr Magliano emphasized the current context of globalization
and noted the need for 'more global governance '.He defined
the policy framework to this end in a threefold way:
_ valorization of human capital
_ safeguarding of natural capital
_ equitable distribution of financial capital
With regard to education, the G-8 group is aware of the need
to give priority to education within poverty reduction strategies
and, to strengthen educational strategies through ICTs,as well
as supporting the role of UNESCO in working towards EFA goals.The
specific aims of the Task Force are:
_ to facilitate coordination between governments and donors
_ to mobilize the necessary additional resources
_ to respond to clearly identified needs
_ to monitor commitments made at Dakar,in cooperation with other
stakeholders
In conclusion,Mr Magliano announced an additional voluntary
contribution from Italy to UNESCO and called upon the latter
to 'help developing countries to mainstream education in their
development policies and in stimulating developed countries
to mobilize additional resources and to improve both effectiveness
and coherence in supporting country-owned education strategies.'
…the Heads of State and
of Government of the G-8 countries,on the occasion of the Genoa
Summit, recognized the fundamental role played by education
as a central factor for growth and mployment.
Giandomenico Magliano
Gaps of financing and policy identified
by the World Bank
In EFA there is a financing gap and a policy
gap. This was argued by Mr Jozef Ritzen,Vice-President for Human
Development at the World Bank.In an introduction he mentioned
the enormous challenge faced by some countries in meeting the
goals of gender equity and
universal schooling,a challenge complicated by the HIV/AIDS
pandemic.Debt relief will go some way to filling the financing
gap - he estimated that around 40%of debt relief is being used
for education.What is the remaining need?Mr Ritzen was not satisfied
that we know the answer,since estimates,including those of the
World Bank,are based on doing more of what is already being
done;this is unlikely to reach the poorest and most marginalized
populations without access to education.Nor are the costs of
ensuring that each child completes primary education factored
in.The policy gap exists because learning outcomes are not adequate
and not commensurate with inputs.Reforming the education system
is politically charged,but must be tackled.Levels of school
equipment and numbers of hours in school must be addressed by
policy shifts.
Cooperation in EFA will be based on national ownership of education
reform,a broad exchange of knowledge and experience,good budget
support for education and space for policy development. Local
capacity is crucial and must be built up - in ministries,think
tanks,civil society and statistical services.The World Bank,Mr
Ritzen affirmed,is ready to work to mobilize additional resources
for EFA and to support policies that address the needs of the
most marginalized:street children ,the disabled,child workers
and those affected by the impact of HIV/AIDS.
Remarking on the events of 11 September, Mr Ritzen observed
that a 'textbook war ' often precedes a conflict, when good
neighbours are portrayed as adversaries.The impact of recent
events may positively affect international solidarity,but have
a negative effect on the availability of resources.
The effort to fill the
financing gap must necessarily be matched by a firm commitment
at the country level to fill the policy gap … The financing
gap and the policy gap must be closed.We owe it to the children
of the world.
Jozef Ritzen |
Discussion and reactions
This important topic - the mobilization of resources
- stimulated a lively and extensive debate,with the emphasis
on developing concrete responses and finding practical ways
forward in the pursuit of EFA goals. Despite the above reported
figures and commitments, the participants in the High-Level
Group recognized that much more will be needed to reverse the
decline of development flows which occurred in the 1990s.Unless
there is major progress in mobilizing stronger international
political will and mobilizing greater financial resources, the
EFA goals will not be reached on time or at all.
How can the pledge of Dakar to meet the financing
gap be fulfilled?The commitment to Dakar supposes that a country
will develop strategies to reach the six goals of the Dakar
Framework for Action. In order to facilitate international support
for the implementation of these strategies,it was recommended
that a mechanism be established to set clear criteria for assessing
whether a given country is politically seriously committed to
EFA goals.Through these mechanisms,the credibility of national
EFA plans could be assessed and the countries could then more
easily become candidates for increased international support,as
pledged in the Dakar Framework for Action.
In the context of setting these criteria,special attention should
be given to efforts made to achieve universal primary education
(UPE)as soon as possible and at the latest by 2015,and to efforts
made to eliminate gender disparities by 2005.Free compulsory
primary education, including provision of books, uniforms,transport
and so on for the poorest,and a safe school and learning environment,
were also considered as areas of special concern in the context
of assessing the seriousness of countries ' commitment to EFA
goals..Some countries will require a dramatic shift in policy
if they are to be considered seriously committed to reaching
out to the more marginalized populations.The effort to meet
the financing gap must necessarily be matched by a firm
political commitment at the country level. It was also noted
on several occasions that resources should not only be understood
exclusively as financial resources. Achievements will not be
made without human resources and technical cooperation.
NGO representatives cautioned international partners that increased
access to resources should not be tantamount to an increase
of the debt burden of the recipient country. Access to funds
should as far as possible be in the form of grants. Special
attention should be given to heavily indebted countries.It was
also urged that resources should not be invested in education
systems showing
little efficiency,but only in systems that perform well in terms
of access,equity and quality.
A number of areas demand special attention in terms of investment.Preventive
education relating to the spread of the HIV/AIDS pandemic,provision
of education in emergency and crisis situations,gender equity
and girls ' education,,teacher training and improved working
conditions for teachers,and the establishment of safe school
and learning environments - these issues were touched upon again
and again as areas which demand special attention in terms of
investment.Despite the fact that HIV/AIDS and unstable situations
such as conflict and civil war are undermining educational delivery,these
challenges must not be seen as problems which make progress
impossible.They should,on the contrary,be addressed with adequate
attention and resources.
The poor level of learning outcomes was also mentioned as an
area of special concern.The establishment of sustainable book
provision and an efficient use of ICTs in educational delivery
would be relative simple ways of making a big difference in
improving the quality of education. Basic education and in particular
UPE remain the priority of priorities.UNESCO was urged to come
up with a firm view of the strategies needed to achieve UPE.This
being said, several participants remarked that the commitment
to Dakar should not hamper the development of the other levels
of education,such as secondary and higher education.
Greater coordination between development agencies at the international
and national levels was highlighted as a prerequisite for reducing
the administrative burden faced by many developing countries
that deal with many different partners at the same time for
the achievement of national development objectives.
The importance of integrating national EFA plans into broader
development frameworks and sector-wide approaches,in particular
PRSPs,was reiterated as a prerequisite for sustainable development
and appropriate coordination among development partners at the
national level.The inter-connections between national EFA plans
and poverty reduction strategies were also considered a determining
factor for the continuity of long-term support of international
partners to the implementation of these plans.If EFA plans were
established separately, as 'UNESCO-EFA Plans ' there would be
a risk of fragmentation and parallel systems,as well as duplication
of efforts.To build on existing structures and experience was
therefore considered crucial for efficient
resource utilization.EFA partners should,in return, ensure that
the national PRSPs and other frameworks pay sufficient attention
to the six EFA goals.
Participants highlighted once again the importance of national
ownership of processes within EFA to ensure sustainability beyond
the intervention of any
international partner.Broad consultation and community participation
were cited as prerequisites for ensuring the effectiveness of
educational programmes.Countries should set their own development
goals and targets,and the international community should be
partners (financial as well as technical)in this endeavour.
Investment of time,financial and human resources in national
and institutional capacity-building must go hand in hand in
order to develop critical and analytical operational think-tanks
at national level.
Several speakers expressed concerns about how to maintain the
momentum of EFA over the years.There is an urgent need to meet
the high expectations of countries who are ready with well-elaborated
EFA plans and now seek funding to go ahead with implementation.
The United Republic of Tanzania was mentioned as an example
which needs approximately US$93 million per year for EFA.The
international community must respond concretely to countries
in order to maintain the EFA momentum - this action cannot be
delayed for one or two years.Action is needed now to reflect
the international commitment made in Dakar and to facilitate
the delivery of results at the outcome and classroom level.
To implement EFA goals and sustain the process,it will be necessary
to go beyond traditional ways of financing education.Most speakers
mentioned the crucial role that civil society participation,and
local governance and management would have to play in meeting
educational needs.Momentum will only be maintained in the long-term
if society at the grassroots gains in the process.Participants
stressed the necessity to break with conventional ways of financing
education;local governance of the aid itself was suggested as
an innovative strategy.
Civil
society participation
Civil
society has a unique and essential contribution - Oxfam GB
Ms Barbara Stocking,Director
of Oxfam GB,began by listing what civil society and NGOs bring
to the EFA table:deep connections with what is happening on
the ground and a sense of what will and will not work. Internationally,civil
society works to keep education high on the global agenda,to
monitor progress, to advocate for change and to promote public
support. Nationally,civil society must be involved in the formulation
of EFA plans and in monitoring their implementation. At the
local level - a particular focus of civil society - experimentation,,innovation
and the promotion of accountability within the community are
areas of action of NGOs.Referring to the global initiative,Ms
Stocking emphasized the aim to achieve free and universal basic
education, without any hidden costs. The global initiative must
have a strong national monitoring component,with publicly available
reports,and a viable mechanism for closing financing gaps. Turning
to the outcomes of the High Level-Group, the Oxfam GB Director
called for urgent action to identify gaps in financing country
by country - to be completed by March 2002 in time for the rescheduled
United Nations Special Session and the Canada G-8 meeting.Support
for developing national plans must be organized,especially where
there are gaps of policy and practice.The High-Level Group might
benefit from being smaller,with rotating representation. This
could expedite the progress that is urgently needed.UNESCO faces
the challenge of channelling the strong commitment of the High-Level
Group - and must do so if the meeting is to make a difference.
What civil society brings
is often a great sense of reality of what will work,what
the situation really is,and how people want their education
system to work.
Barbara Stocking |
Education as a human right - Global March against Child Labour
Drawing on his experience in
working with children who are victims of slavery and prostitution,
Mr Kailash Satyarthi, Chairperson of the Global March against
Child Labour,saw education as the key to their liberation. He
quoted examples from India,the Philippines and Brazil to demonstrate
how education can be a means of empowering children and their
parents in ways that enable them to escape the indignity of
slavery,bonded labour and unrepayable debt.Education is a non-
negotiable human right and yet it is often not respected or
implemented as such.Mr Satyarthi presented seven areas of action
as key elements towards this end:
_ local ownership pro-actively using local media and institutions
to lobby for greater political will;
_ participation of all stakeholders,including civil society
- this will need support where governments perceive civil society
organizations as critics;
_ timely and adequate funding,both internal and external;
_ commitment to the elimination of child labour,with the conviction
that education is the most powerful preventative measure;
_ effective monitoring mechanisms locally,nationally and internationally,with
broad participation and transparency;
_ systems for recourse and redress:where parents want to exercise
the right to education for their children, there must be institutions
equipped to provide speedy recourse;and _ coordination across
ministries and departments,and with civil society organizations
working in a variety of areas involving education links with
gender, employment,disability,HIV/AIDS,minorities and many other
areas.
Mr Satyarthi pleaded strongly for mechanisms at national and
sub-national levels to monitor the implementation of education
as a human right, in ways parallel to the monitoring of other
human rights. This frequently involves human rights commissions
at national level and, he proposed, should involve vigilance
committees at district level. Quoting an Indian boy's reply
to former United States President Clinton, Mr Satyarthi concluded
that we all face the challenge of working for education for
all, in whatever capacity we can.
Yesterday 's truth was
that you cannot sleep in peace if your neighbour is hungry,but
today 's truth is you cannot even live or work in peace
if your neighbour is kept uneducated.
Kailash Satyarthi |
Discussion
and reactions
Participants responded to the presentations with a number of
further ways in which civil society must be engaged in EFA.
It was emphasized that cooperation with civil society has a
growing place in EFA processes in many contexts, but not everywhere
as yet. Efforts must continue at all levels to bring civil society
into the process. Governments cannot achieve EFA on their own,
and need to cooperate with civil society; they must also reach
out to the private sector. At a local level, EFA requires harmonious
cooperation between local authorities and local communities.
Early childhood development also needs the mobilization of local
communities. The role of civil society is crucial in increasing
enrolment, particularly of girls; schools in themselves are
not enough, communities must be mobilized to send their children
to school, for instance in slum areas, and civil society can
be a mobilizing force. They also have a role to play in taking
the EFA message out to the grassroots - a challenge where there
are barriers of distance, diversity and language. In some contexts,
civil society can ensure greater continuity than governments.
Civil society engagement must include teachers and their organizations,
with due attention to teacher training as well as to teachers'
role and status. Civil society representatives called for greater
sharing across regions of ways in which civil society is engaged
in the EFA process and they commented on the waste of resources
on arms that could be used to fund EFA initiatives. As civil
society strengthens links with the United Nations system there
needs to be transparent communication of plans and strategies
to ensure full cooperation.
Participants took the opportunity to draw attention to countries
at risk needing special consideration; otherwise they will have
no chance to reach the Dakar goals. Within countries, the most
disadvantaged groups must be specifically targeted - 'the least
privileged amongst the under-privileged'. Basic education is
a human right and a factor in social change; how can we ensure
that we channel resources to human resource development in those
countries where illiteracy is high?
Several participants mentioned a holistic approach to education
- ensuring that relevant links and connections are maximized.
This means looking at the different levels of education in a
coherent manner, focusing on the values that underpin the quality
of education, recognizing that education is a matter of human
relations, and establishing links between formal and non-formal
approaches at local level.
