DONOR
AGENCIES STRESS
THE RESPONSIBLITY OF GOVERNMENTS
TO FINANCE EDUCATION FOR ALL |
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 DAKAR,
April 27, 2000 - UNICEF, UNFPA, the World Bank, and certain
OECD countries stressed today, during the second day of the
World Education Forum, the responsibility of governments in
developing countries towards financing education. |
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| This
sentiment was expressed at the first plenary session of the
2nd day of the World Education Forum, whose theme was "Making
effective use of resources for education," during which 10 leaders
of international organizations and ministers spoke. |
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| According
to World Bank President, James D. Wolfensohn, education is "at
the heart of all politics and development". This conviction
moved the World Bank to increase its financial envelope for
this sector from $900 million in 1990, the year of the World
Education for All Conference (Jomtien, Thailand), to the current
$1.9 billion. |
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| All
the same, said the head of the financial institution, the most
important role in education financing must be played by the
governments themselves. Some 75 per cent of education financing
comes from governments, while only 10 per cent from donors agencies.
The remaining 15 per cent comes from the private sector. Out
of the 10 per cent provided by the donors, only 2-3 per cent
is used for basic education, said Jean-Claude Faure, President
of the Development Assistance Committee of the OECD. |
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| The
World Bank President forcefully reaffirmed his institution's
endeavor to further support education, especially for girls,
and insist on the necessity to fight poverty, the largest cause
of exclusion, to realize the objective of universal education
between now and 2015. According to him, the international community,
in its promotion of children's education, has produced some
"good results" since Jomtien, even though some 110 million children
are still uneducated. |
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| Wolfensohn
said he was prepared to "strongly support" the global campaign
for education put forth by non-governmental organizations which
demands a financial envelope of $4 billion. |
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| Nafis
Sadik, Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund
(UNFPA), insisted on the necessity of putting an end to the
disparity that exists between boys and girls, which, she said,
calls for a political engagement from governments. She confirmed
UNFPA''s will to help developing countries better their basic
education, without losing sight of relative aspects regarding
the prevention of AIDS and primary health care. For Sadik, education
must be considered in its globality. |
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| We
must make education a right for everyone and an obligation for
governments, said UNICEF Executive Director Carol Bellamy. She
called on a strong political commitment and generous financing
from governments and donors to realize the objective of education
for all by the year 2015. Bellamy invited the 1,500 participants
of the Forum to prioritize the five following essential actions:
enrich early child care and learning; reach excluded children;
enhance girls' education; improve education quality; and restore
education in emergencies. |
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| Eveline
Herfkens, Minister of Development Cooperation, the Netherlands,
and Clare Short, Secretary of State for International Development,
United Kingdom, forcefully stressed that no country seriously
committed to basic education will be thwarted in the achievement
of this goal by lack of resources. |
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| Herfkens
asked donors agencies to take another look at the actions taken
up until now to respond to the poorest countries' needs. Short
pleaded for practical measures to be taken, insisting particularly
on the importance of access to reliable statistics in all countries
for effective evaluations. Jean-Claude Faure affirmed the support
of the OECD to all countries that will initiate a feasible program
with valuable objectives. |
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| Drawing
on conclusions made at the plenary session, the Minister of
Education for Bangladesh, A.S.H.K. Sadique, called for a new
effort, though he frowned at the fact that the Dakar Framework
for Action accords too much priority to central governments,
to the detriment of local communities, whose education efforts
are undeniable. |
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For
more information:
Contact
the World Education Forum media co-ordination office
at tel (221) 826 80 52 or (221) 641 8281
or email a.muller@unesco.org
WEBSITE: www.education.unesco.org/efa |
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