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A POLICY FOR AUSTRALIAN DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE IN EDUCATION MAY 2007 www .ausaid.gov .au www.ausaid.gov.au Better education A POLICY FOR AUSTRALIAN DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE IN EDUCATION MAY 2007 © Commonwealth of Australia 2007 cover: On the morning of Sunday 26 December 2004 a This work is copyright. Apart from any use as permitted under the severe earthquake in the ocean off the coast of northern Sumatra caused tsunamis (tidal waves) that devastated Copyright Act 1968, no part may be reproduced by any process without communities in countries in the Indian Ocean. Australia prior written permission from the Commonwealth. Requests and acted immediately to provide assistance, including inquiries concerning reproduction and rights should be addressed deploying 15 Australian school teachers to the Maldives to to the Commonwealth Copyright Administration, Attorney-General’s assist the Ministry of Education to re-open schools in time Department, Robert Garran Offices, National Circuit, Barton ACT 2600 for the start of the new school year. This grade 1 school or posted at http://www.ag.gov.au/cca girl was able to resume her education at Thaajuddeen primary school in the Maldives because of the help provided ISBN 978 1 920861 94 7 0 by Australian volunteers and the Australian Agency for International Development. photo: AusAID Published by the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID), Canberra, May 2007 This document is online at www.ausaid.gov.au/publications For more information about the Australian overseas aid program, contact: Public Affairs Group AusAID GPO Box 887 Canberra ACT 2601 Phone +61 (0)2 6206 4000 Facsimile +61 (0)2 6206 4695 Internet www.ausaid.gov.au Editorial by WHH Publishing Designed by GRi.D, Canberra Printed by Pirion Pty Ltd BETTER EDUCATION A POLICY FOR AUSTRALIAN DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE IN EDUCATION iii above: In Aceh, Indonesia, the Australian Government’s aid program is assisting local communities to construct schools following the destruction of the 2004 tsunami. The re-opening of a school in Lampisang is celebrated with traditional dancing. photo: AusAID Contents LIST OF FIGURES AND MAPS vi ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS vii EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1 STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK 3 1. INTRODUCTION 5 Why support education? 5 Australia’s objective 7 2. PROGRESS AND CHALLENGES IN THE ASIA–PACIFIC REGION 9 Governance of the education sector 13 Enrolment and retention in school 15 Quality and relevance of education 19 Building on experience 21 3. WHAT AUSTRALIA WILL SUPPORT 23 Helping education systems deliver 23 Meeting specific regional needs 28 4. INCREASING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF AID 31 Strengthening performance orientation 31 Combating corruption 34 Enhancing regional engagement and strengthening partnerships 34 GLOSSARY 37 NOTES 39 BETTER EDUCATION A POLICY FOR AUSTRALIAN DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE IN EDUCATION v List of figures and maps FIGURE 1: Regional primary net enrolment rates 9 FIGURE 2: Change in primary enrolment rates 1999–2004 9 FIGURE 3: Percentage of children completing primary school 10 FIGURE 4: Gender disparity in primary schools 1999–2004 10 FIGURE 5: Difference in literacy rates 1990–2004 11 FIGURE 6: Public expenditure per student 13 FIGURE 7: Public expenditure on teachers’ salaries 14 FIGURE 8: Out-of-school children by region 15 FIGURE 9: Share of rural and urban children out of school 16 FIGURE 10: Education system components 23 MAP 1: Literacy rates in 1990 12 MAP 2: Literacy rates in 2004 12 vi BETTER EDUCATION A POLICY FOR AUSTRALIAN DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE IN EDUCATION Abbreviations and acronyms AusAID Australian Agency for International Development DAC Development Assistance Committee of the OECD OECD Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development UNDP United Nations Development Programme UNESCO United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization UNICEF United Nations Children’s Fund UNSD United Nations Statistics Division BETTER EDUCATION A POLICY FOR AUSTRALIAN DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE IN EDUCATION vii viii BETTER EDUCATION A POLICY FOR AUSTRALIAN DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE IN EDUCATION Executive summary Investing in people through improving education and health is one of the four themes of the Australian Government’s 2006 White Paper Australian Aid: Promoting Growth and Stability. Better education provides the detailed policy guidance for tripling Australian support for education systems through the aid program. Australia’s objective for education is to assist Getting girls and boys to attend school is only part developing countries to reduce poverty and achieve of the challenge. There is concern across the region sustainable development by giving more girls and that education systems are not providing students boys in the Asia–Pacific region a better education. with the skills needed for productive employment. In some countries under-educated and unemployed Our aim by 2010 is to assist developing countries youth may contribute to instability and violence, increase by 10 million the number of children eroding development gains. attending school and to improve the quality of education for an additional 50 million children. International experience highlights key lessons for future donor support for education: While the focus of our support will depend on the diverse needs of partner countries, the priorities of > The full benefits of education are only realised if the Australian aid program are to: schooling is extended to all children within the population. > improve the functioning of national education systems to enable more girls and boys to complete > Weak education performance is generally due to primary school and progress to higher levels of underlying problems with resources, structures education and incentives rather than simply a lack of technical capacity. > improve the relevance and quality of education, including in vocational and technical education, > The focus should be on improving learning so that students acquire the knowledge and skills achievements, as completing school will not necessary for life and productive employment. necessarily provide children with the basic skills for poverty reduction. Universal primary education and gender parity at all levels of education are Millennium Development > Aid will be more effective when it is coordinated Goals. While there has been some progress towards with all other investments in the sector. meeting these goals, more than 77 million children Better education takes into account these lessons remain out of school worldwide, of whom one-third and provides a strategic framework for improving are in the Asia–Pacific region. Most countries in the the effectiveness of Australia’s education assistance region are some way from providing all children (see page 3). The central focus is on helping with primary schooling and enrolments at secondary partners build effective education systems. There level are generally very low. Globally there has been is a dual emphasis on improving the governance of an improvement in gender parity yet inequality for the systems and on strengthening the quality and girls remains an issue – of the region’s 26 million efficiency of service delivery. children out of school, 16 million are girls. BETTER EDUCATION A POLICY FOR AUSTRALIAN DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE IN EDUCATION 1 Governance is critical. Australia will work with key Australia will also collaborate with partners to meet public and private organisations to improve policy specific regional education needs such as labour capacity and strengthen administrative systems, such market skills shortages, English language skills as government financial management systems. At development and improvements in education quality the community level we will support measures that in Islamic schools in Indonesia, South Asia and increase family involvement in school management the Philippines. and raise demand for greater transparency and Increased effectiveness of our aid will be achieved accountability in service provision. through improving the performance orientation Lack of resources for service delivery is a major of our initiatives, including through greater constraint to improving education outcomes for sectoral analysis, increased alignment with partner children. Our support will contribute to filling governments’ plans and systems, and improved the estimated US$7 billion financial gap required performance reporting. We will also increase globally each year to meet international education engagement and dialogue with governments in goals. Assistance will focus on increasing the the region and with other donors, and will improve availability and quality of teachers, classrooms and the coherence of aid policies by integrating anti- learning materials. corruption and gender equality measures into our education initiatives. above: A student at a government primary school in Rangpur, North-West Bangladesh. In recent years Bangladesh, with support from donors including Australia, has increased the number of girls in primary school to achieve gender parity. This is an important milestone on the path to equity in access to education. photo: AusAID, Peter Duncan-Jones 2 BETTER EDUCATION A POLICY FOR AUSTRALIAN DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE IN EDUCATION Strategic framework OBJECTIVE TO ASSIST DEVELOPING COUNTRIES TO REDUCE POVERTY AND ACHIEVE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT BY GIVING MORE GIRLS AND BOYS IN THE ASIA–PACIFIC REGION A BETTER EDUCATION. AIM BY 2010 TO ASSIST DEVELOPING COUNTRIES INCREASE BY 10 MILLION THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN ATTENDING SCHOOL AND TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF EDUCATION FOR AN ADDITIONAL 50 MILLION CHILDREN. WHAT AUSTRALIA WILL SUPPORT HELPING EDUCATION SYSTEMS DELIVER IMPROVE THE GOVERNANCE OF EDUCATION SYSTEMS Improve policy capacity Strengthen government systems Help partners to develop sustainable information systems Support social accountability measures Support anti-corruption measures in education programs and introduce codes of conduct STRENGTHEN SERVICE DELIVERY Enhance the availability and quality of resources such as teachers, classrooms and learning materials Trial innovative ways to encourage children to complete their education Support health initiatives within schools Support the re-establishment of schooling following emergencies and build domestic response capacity MEETING SPECIFIC REGIONAL NEEDS IMPROVE VOCATIONAL AND TECHNICAL TRAINING Assist partners to reform their vocational and technical education systems Establish the new Australia–Pacific Technical College SUPPORT ISLAMIC EDUCATION Assist in improving the quality of education in Islamic schools IMPROVE ENGLISH LANGUAGE SKILLS Improve the teaching of English in schools Support English language initiatives through informal education tools, such as the media INCREASING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF AID STRENGTHEN PERFORMANCE ORIENTATION Incorporate more detailed sector analysis in country program education strategies Accelerate a shift to more sector programs with greater alignment to national education plans and strategies Improve performance reporting Seek policy coherence, particularly with the AusAID gender policy COMBAT CORRUPTION Integrate anti-corruption measures in education programs ENHANCE REGIONAL ENGAGEMENT AND Increase policy dialogue with partner governments STRENGTHEN PARTNERSHIPS Enhance harmonisation with other bilateral donors, UN agencies and international development banks Strengthen whole-of-government approaches BETTER EDUCATION A POLICY FOR AUSTRALIAN DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE IN EDUCATION 3 4 BETTER EDUCATION A POLICY FOR AUSTRALIAN DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE IN EDUCATION 1 Introduction The Australian Government’s 2006 White Paper WHY SUPPORT EDUCATION? Australian Aid: Promoting Growth and Stability 1 sets Supporting education is one of the most effective out a strategic framework to guide the direction uses of aid. Education provides the foundation for and delivery of Australia’s overseas aid program economic growth and self-reliance. It has additional for the next ten years. The framework is centred on benefits in health, governance, gender equality, the objective of the aid program, to assist developing stability and security, and in fostering effective states. countries to reduce poverty and achieve sustainable development, in line with Australia’s national interest. Education is one of the most Investing in people through improving education powerful instruments known and health2 is one of the four themes of the White Paper. Better education and health provide the for reducing poverty and opportunity for all citizens, especially the poor, to inequality and for laying the participate in the economy. Development, however, is a holistic process. The success of investments in basis for sustained economic education and health is interlinked with progress growth, sound governance, on economic growth, improvements in the functioning of states and increased regional stability and effective institutions.3 and cooperation – the other three themes of the White Paper. Schooling alone does not lead to sound economies, This policy statement on education takes forward but countries that have achieved high rates of the directions of the White Paper. It provides the growth have built their success on strong, broad- details on how Australia will assist its partner based education systems. Countries with educated countries to improve their education systems to populations are more productive, more responsive to build the human capital necessary for achieving development, and more attractive for private sector sustainable development. investment. Children who receive a quality education grow up with the skills needed to lift themselves out of poverty and break the intergenerational cycle of disadvantage. BETTER EDUCATION A POLICY FOR AUSTRALIAN DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE IN EDUCATION 5 Democratic processes and social stability are also survive are healthier and are more likely to go on to strengthened by education. People with at least a be better educated. basic education are more likely to vote in elections Education is a critical element in equipping and participate in community development. people to respond to changing circumstances and Conversely, dissatisfaction with public schooling can emergencies. For example, in the fight against lead to social unrest and instability. HIV/AIDS, education has been shown to build Ensuring that girls attend school is crucial to people’s ability to make informed choices about advancing equality in rights and opportunities and risks and behaviour – one of the most important achieving health benefits. Better education for girls factors in protecting teenagers from infection. leads to more women participating in economic In the wake of natural disasters and conflict, development and decision-making. Educated emergency education measures minimise disruption women tend to have smaller families, fewer of to children’s development and reduce the risk of their children die in infancy, and the children who child exploitation. above: Primary school children in Tuvalu enjoy sports, which also develops their motor skills, improves their health and teaches them about participation and teamwork. photo: Panos Pictures, Jocelyn Carlin 6 BETTER EDUCATION A POLICY FOR AUSTRALIAN DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE IN EDUCATION AUSTRALIA’S OBJECTIVE harmonisation with other bilateral donors, UN agencies and international development banks. Australia has always provided strong support for education and training through its aid program, Through its support, Australia will assist partner which traditionally has included a large tertiary countries in the Asia–Pacific region to fulfil their scholarship program. Since 1996 Australia has commitments to international education goals. provided increasing levels of support to develop education systems in partner countries, with an INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GOALS emphasis on primary and secondary schooling and vocational and technical education. With its MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS high-quality education sector, Australia is well > Ensure that, by 2015, children everywhere, boys positioned to assist partner countries with further and girls alike, will be able to complete a full improvements to their education systems, especially course of primary schooling in the areas of policy and management. > Eliminate gender disparity in primary and Australia’s objective for education is to assist secondary education, preferably by 2005, and in developing countries to reduce poverty and all levels of education no later than 2015 achieve sustainable development by giving more girls and boys in the Asia–Pacific region a better EDUCATION FOR ALL GOALS education. This education policy aims by 2010 to > Expand and improve comprehensive early assist developing countries increase by 10 million childhood care and education, especially for the the number of children attending school and to most vulnerable and disadvantaged children improve the quality of education for an additional > Ensure that by 2015 all children, particularly girls, 50 million children. children in difficult circumstances and those Better education provides the detailed policy basis belonging to ethnic minorities, have access to and to meet the 2006 White Paper expectation that complete, free and compulsory primary education Australia will triple its support for education systems of good quality by 2010 from around $100 million per year. This aid > Ensure that the learning needs of all young people will be in addition to the Australian Government’s and adults are met through equitable access to ongoing support for scholarships (see page 8) and appropriate learning and life-skills programs also for the new Australia–Pacific Technical College (see page 28). > Achieve a 50 per cent improvement in levels of adult literacy by 2015, especially for women, and While the focus of Australia’s support will depend on equitable access to basic and continuing education the diverse needs in partner countries, the priorities for all adults for the Australian aid program are to: > Eliminate gender disparities in primary and > improve the functioning of national education secondary education by 2005, and achieve gender systems to enable more girls and boys to complete equality in education by 2015, with a focus on primary school and progress to higher levels ensuring girls’ full and equal access to and of education achievement in basic education of good quality > improve the relevance and quality of education, including in vocational and technical education, > Improve all aspects of the quality of education and so that students acquire the knowledge and skills ensure excellence of all so that recognized and necessary for life and productive employment. measurable learning outcomes are achieved by all, especially in literacy, numeracy and essential The policy also provides guidance on improving life skills. the effectiveness of our education assistance, by accelerating the shift away from stand-alone projects As a region, the Asia–Pacific is on its way to achieving to broader sector programs that are closely aligned the international education goals. However, progress with partner governments’ education plans, systems is uneven and many countries still face significant and processes. This change will also involve greater education challenges.4 BETTER EDUCATION A POLICY FOR AUSTRALIAN DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE IN EDUCATION 7 Better education complements Australia’s ongoing AUSTRALIAN SCHOLARSHIPS5 support for tertiary scholarships, including through the new Australian Government initiative Australian AUSTRALIAN SCHOLARSHIPS IS AN AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT Scholarships. As well as meeting national needs, INITIATIVE ANNOUNCED AS PART OF THE 2006 WHITE PAPER strengthening partner countries’ education systems ON OVERSEAS AID. OVER FIVE YEARS, FROM 1 JULY 2006, THE helps to expand the pool of students leaving school INITIATIVE WILL DOUBLE THE NUMBER OF EDUCATION AWARDS with the level of achievement necessary to compete OFFERED FOR THE ASIA–PACIFIC REGION TO 19,000. for an Australian scholarship. The goal of Australian Scholarships is to promote sustainable development and excellence in Scholarships foster enduring people-to-people links education in the Asia–Pacific region. It will provide and build human capital in developing countries. educational, research and professional development As students study in many fields, scholarships opportunities to support the growth of the region and have benefits across many sectors, well beyond the build enduring links at the individual, institutional education sector. and country levels. At a total value of $1.4 billion, the Australian Scholarships initiative brings under one umbrella three Australian Government scholarship programs managed by AusAID and the Department of Education, Science and Training: > Australian Development Scholarships, enabling awardees from developing countries to study in Australia towards undergraduate, postgraduate or technical qualifications. These scholarships aim to generate economic growth, reduce poverty and strengthen human resource capacity by addressing skills shortages and achieving a critical mass of Australian trained scholars in priority sectors of partner countries. > Australian Leadership Awards aim to develop leadership and build partnerships and links within the Asia–Pacific region with the flexibility to address priority regional issues. The scholarships are for postgraduate studies in Australia at master or doctoral level and fellowships for short-term opportunities in specialised research, study or professional attachment to Australian organisations. > The Endeavour Programme, which enables high-achieving awardees to undertake short- above: Australian Scholarships continues the spirit of or long-term study, research and professional the Colombo Plan, bringing many benefits of common development in Australia in a broad range of purpose and understanding to the Asia–Pacific region. disciplines. It also enables Australians to do the photo: AusAID same at institutions abroad. 8 BETTER EDUCATION A POLICY FOR AUSTRALIAN DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE IN EDUCATION 2 Progress and challenges in the Asia–Pacific region Enrolments in primary school in developing countries increased from 79 per cent in 1991 to 85 per cent in 2004.6 FIGURE 1: REGIONAL PRIMARY NET ENROLMENT RATES 100 East Asia 95 Pacific 90 Central Asia 85 Percentage Developing countries 80 75 South and West Asia 70 1991 1999 2004 Source: EFA Global Monitoring Report 2007, UNESCO, Paris, 2006, Annex Table 5 FIGURE 2: CHANGE IN PRIMARY ENROLMENT RATES 1999–2004 TABLE 1: PRIMARY ENROLMENT RATE 2004 Cambodia Cambodia 98 South Asia region South Asia region 89.3 Pakistan Pakistan 66.2 Bangladesh Bangladesh 93.8 Laos Australia Laos 84 East Asia region Australia 96 Vanuatu East Asia region 94.1 Tonga Vanuatu 93.9 Indonesia Tonga 93 Pacific region Indonesia 94.3 Samoa Pacific region 79.6 Fiji Samoa 90 Philippines Fiji 96 -6 -4 -2 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 Philippines 94 Percentage points Source: EFA Global Monitoring Report 2006 & 2007, UNESCO, Paris, 2006, Annex Table 5; UNSD Millennium Indicators Online Data BETTER EDUCATION A POLICY FOR AUSTRALIAN DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE IN EDUCATION 9 FIGURE 3: PERCENTAGE OF CHILDREN COMPLETING PRIMARY SCHOOL Papua New Guinea 1999 Bangladesh 2002 Cambodia Laos Philippines Vanuatu Tonga Vietnam Fiji Indonesia Samoa 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 95 100 Percentage Source: EFA Global Monitoring Report 2006, UNESCO, Paris, 2005, Annex Table 7 FIGURE 4: GENDER DISPARITY IN PRIMARY SCHOOLS 1999–2004 1.3 1999 2004 1.2 1.1 Gender parity line: equal girls and boys 1 Girl to boy ratio 0.9 0.8 0.7 Tuvalu Bangladesh Kiribati Samoa Solomon Niue Cambodia Laos Nepal Philippines Tonga PNG Islands Source: EFA Global Monitoring Report 2007, UNESCO, Paris, 2006, Annex Table 5 A number of countries in the region now have The analysis of progress in education across primary enrolment rates above 90 per cent (See the Asia–Pacific region is hampered by an acute Figure 1). However, for some countries in the region shortage of reliable data for many countries. progress has been more limited (See Figure 2). In The statistics presented here are drawn from the Philippines and Papua New Guinea, for example, the most recent and authoritative sources governments have not been able to create sufficient available including the Education for All Global school places to match rising populations and the Monitoring Report 2007 and the 2006 report growing demand for education. on the Millennium Development Goals. The information in these reports is derived from There has also been mixed progress on increasing data provided by national governments, and the number of children who complete school. While can sometimes be inaccurate, incomplete or there have been gains in countries such as Cambodia out of date. and Vietnam, primary school completion rates are 10 BETTER EDUCATION A POLICY FOR AUSTRALIAN DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE IN EDUCATION FIGURE 5: DIFFERENCE IN LITERACY RATES 1990–2004 100 Female Male 80 60 Percentage 40 20 1990 2004 1990 2004 1990 2004 1990 2004 1990 2004 1990 2004 1990 2004 1990 2004 0 Bangladesh Pakistan PNG Laos Cambodia Indonesia Philippines Samoa Source: EFA Global Monitoring Report 2007, UNESCO, Paris, 2006, Annex Table 2 declining in Indonesia and across the Pacific, most Although by many measures education outcomes significantly in Papua New Guinea (Figure 3). have improved across the region, challenges remain, particularly as demand for education increases as Partly as a result of strong international support for populations continue to grow. While the specific girls’ education, gender parity in primary schools needs for each country vary, three common in developing countries has been rising, with the challenges exist: ratio of girls to boys increasing from 86 per cent in 1991 to 95 per cent in 2004.7 Despite this progress, > improving the governance of national education girls’ inequality remains an issue – of the region’s systems to improve policy decisions, increase 26 million children out of school, 16 million are efficiency and raise standards girls.8 In some countries, such as Papua New Guinea > expanding services to enable all girls and boys and Tonga, the situation for girls has worsened since to complete a full course of primary school and 1999 (Figure 4). provide opportunities to progress to higher levels of education, particularly into secondary school or Increased access to schooling vocational and technical courses over recent decades has played > improving the quality and relevance of education, a key role in raising literacy including in vocational and technical education, to realise the full economic and social benefits rates across the Asia–Pacific of education. region, as illustrated in Figure 5.9 BETTER EDUCATION A POLICY FOR AUSTRALIAN DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE IN EDUCATION 11 Despite increasing literacy rates it is estimated that 525 million adults in the Asia–Pacific region still cannot read or write. South and West Asia have not only some of the lowest literacy rates in the world but also the widest inequalities between women and men. MAP 1: LITERACY RATES IN 1990 K A Z A K H S T A N M O N G O L I A KYRGYZSTAN UZBEKISTAN N O R T H STAN K O R E A TAJIKISTAN N S O U T H A K O R E A P AFGHANISTAN C H I N A A J PAKISTAN N E P A L BHUTAN I N D I A BANGLADESH TA I WA N M YA N M A R L A O S V N O R T H E R N H AWA I I I THAILAND E M A R I A N A S ( U S A ) T NA CAMBODIA M P H I L I P P I N E S P A L A U SRI LANKA M A R S H A L L I S L A N D S BRUNEI M I C R O N E S I A M A L A Y S I A MALDIVES SINGAPORE N A U R U K I R I B A T I I N D O N E S I A P A P U A N E W G U I N E A T U V A L U S O L O M O N I S L A N D S EAST TIMOR T O K E L A U C O O K S A M O A A M E R I C A N I S L A N D S S A M O A VA N U AT U F I J I N I U E US T O N G A N E W C A L E D O N I A ( F R A N C E ) <50% 50%–65% 65%–80% 80%–90% 90%–100% MAP 2: LITERACY RATES IN 2004 K A Z A K H S T A N M O N G O L I A KYRGYZSTAN UZBEKISTAN N O R T H STAN K O R E A TAJIKISTAN N S O U T H A K O R E A P AFGHANISTAN C H I N A A J PAKISTAN N E P A L BHUTAN I N D I A BANGLADESH TA I WA N M YA N M A R L A O S V N O R T H E R N H AWA I I I THAILAND E M A R I A N A S ( U S A ) T NA CAMBODIA M P H I L I P P I N E S P A L A U SRI LANKA M A R S H A L L I S L A N D S BRUNEI M I C R O N E S I A M A L A Y S I A MALDIVES SINGAPORE N A U R U K I R I B A T I I N D O N E S I A P A P U A N E W G U I N E A T U V A L U S O L O M O N I S L A N D S EAST TIMOR T O K E L A U C O O K S A M O A A M E R I C A N I S L A N D S S A M O A VA N U AT U F I J I N I U E US T O N G A N E W C A L E D O N I A ( F R A N C E ) <50% 50%–65% 65%–80% 80%–90% 90%–100% Source: Education for All Global Monitoring Report 2007, UNDP Human Development Report 2006, Millennium Development Goals Online Indicators Note: This map uses international data for adult literacy rates for comparative purposes (alternative data sources may report varying statistics). Regional averages have been used in the absence of reliable country statistics. 12 BETTER EDUCATION A POLICY FOR AUSTRALIAN DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE IN EDUCATION It has been estimated that an additional US$7 billion GOVERNANCE OF THE EDUCATION SECTOR per year until 2015 is needed globally to boost Weaknesses in education service delivery largely education expenditure to meet international result from a combination of resource constraints, education goals.10 While most of these funds poor policy decisions and ineffective government must come from developing countries’ domestic administration. While there has been growth in resources, donors can help fill the gap. However, public expenditure on education, in some countries money alone will not solve the problem. Donors in the region the amount spent per student is still must support developing countries to identify and extremely low (Figure 6). National budget allocations manage essential reforms. to the education sector are often too small to meet national education goals and cover little more than As part of Australian Scholarships, the teacher salaries (Figure 7). Few developing countries inaugural Asia–Pacific Education Ministers’ have managed to increase spending on education Meeting, hosted by Australia in Brisbane in April even to keep pace with population growth. 2006, acknowledged the diversity of economies, resources, political structures and socio-cultural While all of Australia’s partner countries in the contexts across the region as well as significant Asia–Pacific region have made commitments to the differences in education systems. international education goals, poor policy decisions work against achieving these targets. The distribution In the Brisbane Communiqué, Ministers of funding within the education sector is often recognised that for many countries the skewed against primary schooling, with the majority highest priority still rests with the provision of public funding often channelled to secondary and of basic education.11 They also recognised tertiary education. the importance of vocational and technical education. Ministers agreed on the common Fragmentation in policy making and implementation goals of encouraging greater student can also be problematic. In an effort to improve and academic mobility, transferability of responsiveness, central governments have often qualifications and greater integration or devolved responsibility for delivering education to compatibility of education frameworks. the regional or local level. In many cases, however, these lower levels of government lack the capacity to deliver effective services. FIGURE 6: PUBLIC EXPENDITURE PER STUDENT 4000 3500 3000 2500 2000 1500 Constant 2003 US$ 1000 500 0 Fiji Korea nga Iran To India Nepal Laos Australia Malaysia anuatu *Samoa *Thailand *V Indonesia New Zealand Philippines Bangladesh *Cambodia Source: EFA Global Monitoring Report 2006 & 2007, UNESCO, Paris, 2006, Annex Table 11, 14. *Note: 2002 data BETTER EDUCATION A POLICY FOR AUSTRALIAN DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE IN EDUCATION 13 above: Building demand for better governance can occur through increasing community participation in planning and monitoring local schools. Here a Papua New Guinean community celebrates the opening of a new classroom built with funds provided by the Australian aid program. photo: PNG–Australia Basic Education Development Project, Keith Stebbins FIGURE 7: PUBLIC EXPENDITURE ON TEACHERS' SALARIES Vanuatu India Philippines Indonesia Malaysia Australia 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 Percentage of public education expenditure Source: EFA Global Monitoring Report 2007, UNESCO, Paris, 2006, Annex Table 11 Even at the national level, public oversight of Ineffective public administration hinders the education is often split between different government efficient distribution of resources for education departments and agencies that do not work closely service delivery. Already scarce resources are further together. For example, in multilingual countries eroded by wastage and corruption. Faced with the policy to offer the early years of schooling unpredictable or low levels of public funding, many in children’s first language requires significant schools charge fees to cover operational expenses. resources and is typically not supported by adequate School fees are a major obstacle to increasing public funding. In many countries, schooling, higher enrolments and keeping children in school. They education and vocational and technical education are also disadvantage poor children, as the cost is beyond all managed by different ministries. the means of impoverished households. 14 BETTER EDUCATION A POLICY FOR AUSTRALIAN DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE IN EDUCATION THE IMPACT OF CORRUPTION ON EDUCATION ENROLMENT AND RETENTION IN SCHOOL Corruption in the education sector reduces the Of the 77 million school-age children out of school resources available for schooling, limiting access globally in 2004, almost 26 million lived in the and driving down quality, as well as reducing public Asia–Pacific region (Figure 8). Many of these confidence and demand. Key areas susceptible to children dropped out before completing their corruption are: education, but most never had the opportunity to go to school. While enrolment rates have been rising, > planning and school management – including most countries in the Asia–Pacific region are still manipulation of finances some way from providing all children with a primary > procurement and distribution – particularly education and enrolments at secondary level are nepotism in awarding contracts for supply of often very low. In 2004, the secondary enrolment school materials and fraud in contract execution rate was 68 per cent in the Pacific, and only > student selection and exam results – including 45 per cent in South and West Asia.12 bribery for admission to a particular school or Providing access to schooling for all children academic institution, and exchange of money or is a significant challenge, particularly for rural other favours for good grades communities and minority ethnic groups (Figure 9). > teacher management, personnel systems and For instance in the Indonesian province of Papua, professional misconduct – particularly in the the junior secondary enrolment rate is reportedly filling of vacancies, transfers and promotions 20 per cent below the national average.13 If schools are located beyond easy reach of their catchment > accreditation of schools and other academic communities, there is a major disincentive for institutions – including the payment of fees attendance. In many countries, students with special and other bribes to achieve accreditation or needs are unlikely to receive any schooling at all. formal recognition. Children who speak FIGURE 8: OUT-OF-SCHOOL CHILDREN BY REGION a minority language Other 8.5% and those from marginalised groups South & routinely receive West Asia 20% the least effective Sub-Saharan Africa 49% education. Pacific 0.5% East Asia 12% Central Asia 0.5% Arab states 8.5% Source: EFA Global Monitoring Report 2007, UNESCO, Paris, 2006, Annex Table 5 BETTER EDUCATION A POLICY FOR AUSTRALIAN DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE IN EDUCATION 15 High rates of poverty in As a major community resource, schools provide an opportunity to improve health outcomes for the rural areas limit educational broader population. Low-cost preventive health opportunities because of programs such as school nutrition programs can encourage attendance and improve learning. In Laos, demands for children’s labour, Australia has successfully worked with UNICEF low levels of parent education and the World Food Programme to integrate school feeding and hygiene education into education and lack of access to good programs so that children are both healthier and learn more. quality schooling.14 While the state typically provides the majority of basic education services, significant contributions Strong links between schools and their communities are also made by the private sector and by faith- are essential. Not only does students’ learning based and other non-government organisations. achievement improve when school management is In Indonesia, up to 15 per cent of students (around accountable to local families, but community support 6 million children) attend private Islamic schools. can also help address economic, cultural, gender and In Papua New Guinea, 40 per cent of government institutional barriers to enrolment. In countries such schools are operated by Christian church agencies. as the Philippines, establishing a system for local The involvement of non-government organisations school management is central to reform efforts. is particularly important in places affected by conflict and in countries where the functions of the state are weak. FIGURE 9: SHARE OF RURAL AND URBAN CHILDREN OUT OF SCHOOL Indonesia Rural Vietnam Urban East Asia & Pacific Bangladesh Philippines South Asia Cambodia Laos Pakistan 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 Percentage Source: UNESCO Institute of Statistics, Children Out of School Report, 2005 16 BETTER EDUCATION A POLICY FOR AUSTRALIAN DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE IN EDUCATION right: A boy walking home from school. Across the region many mothers and children walk as far as five kilometres each way over difficult terrain and at considerable personal risk to attend school. photo: Panos Pictures, Qilai Shen below: Getting the remaining junior secondary-aged population into school is one of Indonesia’s major sector challenges. photo: AusAID BETTER EDUCATION A POLICY FOR AUSTRALIAN DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE IN EDUCATION 17 top: A young Hmong boy is learning to read at school in Laos. Australia co-chairs an education working group with the Ministry of Education in Laos. The group is working to strengthen the school system for the benefit of students and teachers. photo: Panos Pictures, Liba Taylor bottom: In the Philippines, Australia has assisted with the introduction of school-based management involving communities being accountable for developing, implementing and monitoring school improvement plans. photo: AusAID, Basic Education Assistance to Mindanao Project 18 BETTER EDUCATION A POLICY FOR AUSTRALIAN DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE IN EDUCATION QUALITY AND RELEVANCE OF EDUCATION MEASURING THE QUALITY OF EDUCATION Good quality and relevance underpin the value of Tracking the quality of education is complicated education. How well students are taught and how by a lack of objective and consistent measures of much they learn have a crucial impact on attendance how much children learn at school. Data from and whether children complete their schooling. The national examinations are often undermined by quality of education is a major factor in parents’ the practice of adjusting scores to meet pass rates decisions to send their children to school. and by concerns over cheating. International In much of the Asia–Pacific region there is comparative tests are more reliable but cost limits concern that many of the 334 million children them to small sample studies. Literacy rates in school are leaving without essential literacy, provide an essentially historical picture of how numeracy and problem-solving abilities.16 much adults learned when they were children. Secondary school leavers often lack the skills they The assessment of quality is therefore usually need for further study or work. A lack of skilled based on proxy indicators. The proportion of workers limits economic development, constrains qualified teachers has an influence on quality investment and contributes to inefficiency in and is one of the most common proxy indicators. government and business. Completion rates have also been found to be closely correlated with quality since children are In many parts of the world, more willing to stay at school if they are given a good education. an enormous gap persists With relatively low numbers of students between the numbers of progressing to higher levels of education, partner students graduating from countries need to ensure that each level of schooling is valuable in its own right, in addition school and those among them to providing a stepping stone to further studies who master a minimum or the workforce. This is particularly important in vocational and technical education where many set of cognitive skills. Any countries are struggling to transform ineffective training systems. policy aimed at pushing net English language skills are crucial to participation enrolments towards 100% in the international economy. In the Asia–Pacific must also assure decent region, English is the main language of trade and commerce, information communication learning conditions.15 technologies, higher education and tourism. Many of Australia’s partner countries need help in enhancing English language proficiency as part of broader development efforts. BETTER EDUCATION A POLICY FOR AUSTRALIAN DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE IN EDUCATION 19 GENDER EQUALITY IN EDUCATION Gender equality is an overarching principle for the Australian aid program.17 Girls are more likely than boys to miss out on education. Poverty, gender roles, cultural traditions, HIV/ AIDS and armed conflict are all constraints on the education of girls. In some societies, parents do not see value in investing in a daughter’s education, and many poor families keep girls at home to contribute to domestic income. Improving gender equality in education often requires a reduction in the costs to families of educating girls. Ensuring that school infrastructure meets basic standards, such as separate sanitation facilities, is essential. Gender equality must also address the needs of boys. In parts of the Asia–Pacific region, substantially more boys than girls drop out of school in later years, either to work or, conversely, because they perceive their education to be of no value in securing employment. Boys are also at risk of leaving school to become involved in gangs or more serious military conflict. It is vital that a country’s education system contributes to broader gender equality. Teachers require the knowledge and skills to tackle gender issues; the curriculum and textbooks need to reflect gender equality; and both women and men must be involved as teachers and in the management of schools. above: Nearly one out of every five girls who enrol in primary school in developing countries do not complete a primary education. photo: AusAID 20 BETTER EDUCATION A POLICY FOR AUSTRALIAN DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE IN EDUCATION BUILDING ON EXPERIENCE Important lessons for improving the effectiveness of assistance in education can be drawn from the experience of Australia and other donors over the past decade. The full benefits of education are only realised In the northern tribal areas of Pakistan, the if schooling extends to all children within the education of girls is restricted on religious population. In many countries benefits are reduced grounds and in some areas fewer than because girls, children from rural areas, ethnic and 10 per cent of women are literate. Australian linguistic minorities, and special needs children support for girls’ education in Balochistan are marginalised. province, in partnership with UNICEF, has increased the number of girls aged between five and seven attending schools in remote districts. Support for education should focus on improving In the Philippines, despite high enrolment learning achievements. Ensuring all boys and rates, national learning achievement tests girls complete primary school will not necessarily indicate that up to 40 per cent of children ensure achievement of the basic literacy and retain little of what they were taught in numeracy required for poverty reduction. Similarly, primary school. Australia is working completion of higher levels of education, including with disadvantaged communities in the vocational education, does not ensure usable skills Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao in the workforce. to improve the quality of education and help ensure that children gain useful and durable skills. Support for education must reflect the strong Indonesia has an enrolment rate of more interdependencies within the sector. Good quality than 90 per cent in primary education, but in the early years of schooling improves the only 57 per cent at secondary level. Australia amount children learn in later years; opportunities is working with the Indonesian Government to progress to secondary and tertiary education to expand access to junior secondary school, increase enrolment and completion rates at improve the quality of education, and enable lower levels. children to progress to higher levels of education or into the workforce. Weak education performance is generally due to Although the education system in Papua underlying problems with resources, structures and New Guinea has expanded rapidly in the incentives rather than simply a lack of technical last decade, less than half of all children capacity. Technical assistance and training have a attend school. Australia is supporting the greater impact when complemented by initiatives national Department of Education to modify to strengthen national systems and improve systems and practices, to allocate resources policy making. efficiently, and to work more effectively with partners, including central agencies, provincial governments, churches and communities. BETTER EDUCATION A POLICY FOR AUSTRALIAN DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE IN EDUCATION 21 The effectiveness of aid depends on coordination International evidence demonstrates that a with all other investments in the sector and whole- proliferation of separate donor-supported of-government approaches for both donors and projects undermines development partners. Duplications, gaps and inconsistencies effectiveness and that initiatives are only create inefficiencies that hamper education sustainable when closely coordinated. In service delivery and reduce the impact of aid. all education aid programs, Australia is Improvements in performance require continuing increasingly focused on harmonisation with efforts to harmonise the activities of government, other donors and ensuring that activities are donors, non-government organisations and the aligned with partner government policies private sector. and priorities. There is practically no problem in education that does not have a solution already tried and tested elsewhere.18 above: These young school girls in the Philippines attend Sta. Paz Norte high school where an Oxfam project supported by Australia is helping teachers to educate students about the importance of health and sanitation. The project is working in Southern Leyte, where a landslide caused tremendous damage to local communities in 2006. photo: AusAID 22 BETTER EDUCATION A POLICY FOR AUSTRALIAN DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE IN EDUCATION 3 What Australia will support Education is key to creating, applying, and spreading new ideas and technologies which in turn are critical for sustained growth; it augments cognitive and other skills, which in turn increase labor productivity. The expansion of educational opportunity is a ‘win-win’ strategy.19 Australia will assist partner governments in the FIGURE 10: EDUCATION SYSTEM COMPONENTS Asia–Pacific region to improve the performance of their national education systems so that more GOVERNANCE SERVICE DELIVERY girls and boys receive a better education. We will also assist with meeting specific regional needs in Government departments Schools vocational and technical education, Islamic education Central agencies Vocational and and English language skills development, where technical institutions Australian experience can make a difference. Ministries of education Higher education Other relevant ministries INSTITUTIONS Non-formal HELPING EDUCATION SYSTEMS DELIVER Provincial agencies Education systems involve different levels of School management government and both public and private service boards providers. Governments play a key role by establishing the regulatory and policy framework Funds Teachers and managing public investment in the sector. In all countries, the enabling inputs for education service Policies Curriculum delivery include human resources – particularly ELEMENTS Legislation Materials teachers – physical infrastructure, and teaching and Management systems Buildings learning materials (Figure 10). To improve the delivery of education services in partner countries, Australia will assist with improving the governance of education systems as well as strengthening the delivery of education services. BETTER EDUCATION A POLICY FOR AUSTRALIAN DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE IN EDUCATION 23 above: A policy of using local materials in school construction and teaching has reduced the cost of elementary education in Papua New Guinea. photo: AusAID IMPROVING THE GOVERNANCE OF To support improved governance of education EDUCATION SYSTEMS systems Australia will: For governments, in their multiple roles as > strengthen partners’ policy capacity including in regulators, funders, managers and providers of securing and efficiently applying public funding education services, the issues are complex. In for education, and mobilising funds from the early stages of decentralisation, provincial other sources governments not only need to fully understand > help partners strengthen the full range of their role, but must also have the capacity, resources government systems (including provincial and management systems in place to perform their systems and those covering the private sector) functions effectively. In most countries bureaucratic from planning and budgeting to financial structures require coordination across levels of management and procurement, to school and government, between government departments teacher regulation and accreditation, to teacher responsible for different types of education and deployment and materials distribution between public and private service providers. At the school level, it is essential that resources are > help partners develop sustainable education managed transparently and accountably. management information systems and the capacity to collect and report data, to ensure that The nature of primary accurate data are available for policy making and evaluation education, with the high > support social accountability measures that potential returns to society, strengthen school-based management, facilitate informed participation in education reform, and argues for a central role for promote greater demand for equitable public government … experience resource allocation and better government administration shows that only government > support partners to implement sanctions can ensure universal, (including legal penalties) for corruption in education programs as well as introduce codes equitable and sustainable of conduct. provision.20 24 BETTER EDUCATION A POLICY FOR AUSTRALIAN DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE IN EDUCATION EDUCATION IN FRAGILE STATES STRENGTHENING SERVICE DELIVERY International literature defines ‘fragile states’ As well as improving sector governance, achieving as countries where governments are unable or better education for children will require more unwilling to provide basic services to the broader effective service delivery. Improving the performance population. This may be because of economic crisis, of teachers is fundamental, as is improving the political instability, conflict or natural disaster. It has supply of relevant and affordable materials for use been estimated that as many as one-third to one-half inside and outside schools. Ensuring curriculum is of children out of school live in fragile states, and relevant to local needs will help to increase children’s that gender inequalities in these states are greater participation in school and improve the quality than elsewhere.21 of teaching. Australia’s support to education in fragile states Infrastructure – buildings, facilities and equipment balances assistance for immediate basic service – is another key input that is often lacking, but delivery with long-term capacity building of key that needs to be in place and maintained to enable government organisations. In strengthening learning to occur. School food programs and other education service delivery, Australia works with incentive schemes can also be effective ways of partner governments, non-government agencies promoting attendance and supporting learning (for example, church groups) and communities. At at school. School scholarship schemes have been the same time, Australia works to build the capacity found to be particularly effective in improving girls’ of partner governments to develop education policy, attendance records. and to plan and budget for sustainable education service delivery. above: The Australia Indonesia Partnership for Reconstruction and Development’s primary objective is to support Indonesia’s reconstruction and development efforts, both in and beyond tsunami-affected areas. This junior secondary school in Lombok, an island in West Nusa Tenggara province near Bali, is being reconstructed with funds provided by the Australian Government. photo: AusAID, Karen Ingram BETTER EDUCATION A POLICY FOR AUSTRALIAN DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE IN EDUCATION 25 above: A teacher giving a lesson at a school in Dili. After the referendum where the East Timorese people voted for independence, a wave of violence erupted and 95 per cent of schools were damaged. Significant progress has been made since then. Many schools have been rehabilitated and enrolments are increasing, but much remains to be done to rebuild the education system. photo: AusAID To strengthen service delivery Australia will: BETTER EDUCATION IN INDONESIA > support pre-service and in-service training for Between 2006 and 2012 Australia will provide teachers in partner countries and help reform $252 million in loans and grants for community deployment and employment policies in order to construction of around 2000 junior secondary enhance the incentives for teachers to be in the schools. A key feature of the assistance is that a classroom and teaching effectively significant proportion of funding will be delivered directly by Indonesian Government institutions, > support curriculum review and reform and help as well as private foundations and communities. develop appropriate learning materials, including Measures to promote accountability and using technology, that underpin quality education transparency and reduce the risk of corruption have > help partner countries to formulate policies for been explicitly built into the program. Australia providing textbooks and develop cost-effective will strengthen financial safeguards by helping methods for distributing learning materials to improve Indonesian financial management, > support targeted programs of school construction procurement, audit and community monitoring and sustainable systems for maintenance systems. In addition, Australia’s program will support the Indonesian Government’s own anti- > trial innovative ways to encourage children to corruption efforts, as set out in its five-year reform complete their education strategy for education. > support health initiatives within schools to improve learning and also to promote healthy behaviours, particularly in relation to HIV/AIDS prevention, nutrition and personal hygiene > support the re-establishment of schooling as quickly as possible following natural disasters or other emergencies and build domestic capacity to respond. 26 BETTER EDUCATION A POLICY FOR AUSTRALIAN DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE IN EDUCATION above: Following the earthquake in Pakistan in 2005, Australia supported a UNICEF program to provide school tent structures to minimise the impact of the disaster on children’s education. photo: AusAID, Fabia Shah BETTER EDUCATION A POLICY FOR AUSTRALIAN DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE IN EDUCATION 27 MEETING SPECIFIC REGIONAL NEEDS AUSTRALIA–PACIFIC TECHNICAL COLLEGE Australia will meet specific regional needs, The new Australia–Pacific Technical College is a particularly in addressing labour market skill $149.5 million initiative that will deliver training and shortages and improving Islamic education and Australian-standard qualifications to Pacific Islanders English language teaching. to increasingly integrate countries in the Pacific region with the international economy. The intention IMPROVING VOCATIONAL AND to establish the college was announced by Australia’s TECHNICAL EDUCATION Prime Minister at the Pacific Islands Forum in 2005. Pacific leaders at the 2006 Forum welcomed There are large numbers of unemployed youth across progress on establishment of the college. the region, for example in East Timor and in the Pacific region. While vocational training on its own The college aims to support the growth of Pacific will not create jobs, raising skills can help stimulate Island economies by providing training for larger economic growth and improve employability for and better-skilled workforces. Graduates will benefit those trained. from improved employment opportunities at home and abroad in an increasingly international Australia is acknowledged as a world leader in labour market. vocational and technical education. The effectiveness of Australian interventions in partner countries Consistent with modern trends in vocational and will depend on broader reforms. In many cases technical education, Australia will adopt innovative this will involve a move away from supply models and flexible approaches and ensure that close links in which students are offered standardised time- and partnerships are developed with industry. The bound courses, to more flexible and effective systems college will be responsive to industry needs, focusing driven by demand from industry. This is a long-term on training ‘work-ready graduates’ for in-demand process requiring partner countries to commit to an occupations. Opportunities will be provided for both extended change process. Australia will: women and men, in a range of locations and modes across the region. > assist partner countries to reform their vocational and technical education systems to improve their relevance for today’s domestic and international job markets The level of competence of > improve employability in the Pacific region a country’s skilled workers and raise vocational and technical skills to international standards through the establishment and technicians is a key of the new Australia–Pacific Technical College. determinant of labour force flexibility and productivity.22 28 BETTER EDUCATION A POLICY FOR AUSTRALIAN DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE IN EDUCATION SUPPORTING ISLAMIC EDUCATION ISLAMIC EDUCATION IN INDONESIA In parts of the region (for example, Indonesia, In Indonesia the Islamic sub-sector contributes basic Mindanao in the Philippines, Pakistan and education services through private Islamic schools Bangladesh) Islamic schooling is a significant – madrasah (day schools) and pesantren (boarding element of the education system. The quality of institutions). In 2006 there were some 40,000 education provided by Islamic schools is important Islamic schools registered under the Ministry of for achieving overall national education objectives. Religious Affairs, of which 4,000 were state-owned. Together these accommodated about six million Australia has had recent success in working in the school-age children. There is a high level of female Islamic sector in both Indonesia and the Philippines participation in Islamic schools (50 per cent or where we are assisting with improving school above). Many Islamic schools are supported by management and the teaching of secular subjects poorer communities and the great majority of such as mathematics, English and science. Australia parents who send their children to these schools are has substantial domestic experience in the funding from the 40 million Indonesians who live below the and accreditation of private schools. Building on this poverty line. experience, Australia will: Australian support aims to narrow the quality > continue to provide support to improve the divide between public schools and private Islamic quality of education in Islamic schools to assist schools in selected poor districts. Our strategies school leavers enhance their job opportunities include building the capacity of the Ministry of and increase their ability to contribute to social Religious Affairs to fulfil its quality development cohesion and development. functions and providing support for the professional development of teachers. above: Private Islamic schools in Indonesia educate millions of school-age children and are prominent community organisations. The late Allison Sudradjat, who was head of AusAID in Indonesia, met young students from one such school in Banda Aceh. MIN Merduati school was damaged in the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami and rebuilt with Australian funding. photo: AusAID BETTER EDUCATION A POLICY FOR AUSTRALIAN DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE IN EDUCATION 29 IMPROVING ENGLISH LANGUAGE SKILLS system development, sector programs will include English language components where it Australia has a long history of, and well-developed is a priority for partner governments. This will strengths in, English language training. With be the case where English is the language of the rising demand for English language skills instruction, such as in the Pacific region, or where across the region, Australia has an opportunity to it is a priority as a second language, such as in assist partners to improve their English language Indonesia and the Philippines proficiency. This will enable greater development of local economies, for example through the tourism > supporting English language initiatives that and hospitality sector and through increased expose a broad group of people to English participation in the global economy. Australia language training. will assist by: > improving the teaching of English in schools. Consistent with our overall approach to education above: A sign painter copies the word ‘English’ from a textbook since he does not speak English himself. Across the region, Australia will support the teaching of English by using Australia’s proven expertise in the areas of curriculum and material development, and teaching methods. photo: Panos Pictures, Mark Henley 30 BETTER EDUCATION A POLICY FOR AUSTRALIAN DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE IN EDUCATION 4 Increasing the effectiveness of aid In recent years, donors have given a renewed emphasis to the importance of their relationships with partner governments and, in particular, to placing nationally designed country strategies at the heart of the development process.23 Australia’s education assistance will contribute to policy objective. The sector report will feed into the 2006 White Paper commitment to improve the Annual Review of Development Effectiveness the effectiveness of Australia’s aid program provided to the Australian Parliament. through strengthening its performance orientation, As a first principle, Australia’s reporting will be addressing corruption in the sector, enhancing drawn from partner countries’ own monitoring and engagement with governments in the region, and reporting systems and based on key internationally working more closely with partners, particularly recognised indicators. However, the state of the other donors and whole-of-government partners. sector report also provides the opportunity to more fully explore performance, especially where there STRENGTHENING PERFORMANCE ORIENTATION are conflicting data sources. It will be essential to ensure all data on national education systems are Australia’s assistance for education will continue to disaggregated by gender and, in some countries, be delivered primarily through country programs. by other demographic factors such as ethnicity. To improve the performance orientation of education support, country strategies will incorporate more Performance assessment will be based on the detailed sectoral analysis to underpin their education monitoring framework outlined on page 32, which strategies. This will include an assessment of incorporates quantitative and qualitative data and any underlying systemic weaknesses that are includes both direct and proxy indicators. Country- contributing to poor education indicators. Country- level monitoring and reporting will vary and level investigation will be supported by an increase will be drawn from individual country program in research into key educational issues in the region performance assessment frameworks. Australian funded by the aid program. support will focus on assisting countries to meet key international benchmarks, for example: a national The effectiveness of our assistance will be budget allocation of 20 per cent to education; improved through a major change in approach student–teacher ratios of no more than 40:1; and a to implementation with an accelerated shift to score of at least 4 on the annual World Bank Country more sector programs in which there is greater Policy and Institutional Assessment. alignment between Australian assistance and partner government education plans and strategies. All Australian support for education will need to demonstrate how it contributes to improving system Performance reporting will also be improved. performance and how it will lead to sustainable AusAID will prepare an annual state of the education improvements in the number of children in school sector report that will include sectoral and country and the quality of education students receive. information and describe progress in line with our BETTER EDUCATION A POLICY FOR AUSTRALIAN DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE IN EDUCATION 31 MONITORING FRAMEWORK PLANNED OUTCOMES MONITORING INDICATORS MORE GIRLS AND BOYS IN THE Enrolment rates at primary and secondary school levels ASIA–PACIFIC REGION ARE ACCESSING Gender parity at all levels of education BETTER EDUCATION SERVICES Completion rates at primary and secondary school levels Literacy rates in all age groups THE GOVERNANCE OF NATIONAL Education financing including public expenditure, private financing and EDUCATION SYSTEMS IS IMPROVING, aid flows within the sector SERVICES ARE DELIVERED MORE Public sector management in terms of the quality of regulatory policy, EFFECTIVELY AND SPECIFIC REGIONAL public administration and financial management, and the implementation NEEDS ARE MET of anti-corruption measures School management especially in terms of the proportion of schools with functioning local management committees Efficiency measures such as the student–teacher ratio, the proportion of qualified teachers in the teaching force and the results of national and international testing Program outputs such as the number of teachers whose English language skills have been upgraded, the number of Islamic schools with demonstrable quality enhancements, or the number of students completing a vocational and technical education qualification AUSTRALIAN AID IS BEING DELIVERED Funding levels encompassing all Australian aid flows to education MORE EFFECTIVELY Policy coherence between aid program policies (especially education, gender and anti-corruption), AusAID country strategies and whole-of- government policy Impact of individual initiatives in line with the Australian aid effectiveness reporting tool Approach in terms of the alignment of Australian support with partner government priorities and plans, donor harmonisation and whole-of- government involvement 32 BETTER EDUCATION A POLICY FOR AUSTRALIAN DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE IN EDUCATION SECTOR PROGRAMS IN EDUCATION Australia will continue recent moves towards integrating broader sector programs with partner governments’ systems and policies. While timelines will vary, the long-term aim is to ensure that ‘all significant funding in the sector supports a single sector policy and expenditure program, under government leadership, adopting common approaches across the sector, and progressing towards relying on government procedures to disburse and account for all funds’.24 The development of sector programs generally requires progress on three fronts. i. Partner governments take the lead in partnerships with donor agencies and other contributors to the education sector such as non-government and faith-based organisations. ii. Partner governments produce prioritised and costed annual plans that identify how the total envelope of resources available to the education sector – from government, donors and other sources – will be deployed. iii. Donor agencies commit to greater reliance on partner governments’ own systems for monitoring and reporting and for disbursing and accounting for funds. While the focus of sector programs is usually at the national government level, in countries with decentralised responsibilities for service delivery, it is essential to engage with lower levels of the administration and it may be necessary to develop separate sector programs with selected provincial or regional administrations. above: Children at an indigenous learning centre in the Philippines. Australia and the World Bank are working with the Government of the Philippines on a national reform program to improve the quality of basic education for all Filipino children. photo: AusAID BETTER EDUCATION A POLICY FOR AUSTRALIAN DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE IN EDUCATION 33 COMBATING CORRUPTION These partnerships will optimise the use of Australia’s technical expertise in aid activities and Reducing corruption is essential to enable partner also improve long-term links between Australian governments to achieve their commitments to and developing country education institutions at education. Efforts to improve governance and combat all levels. corruption play an important role in supporting broader education sector reforms. Education Within the Asia–Pacific region Australia will develop also offers a vehicle for enhancing transparency strong relationships with national governments, and accountability. Australia will integrate anti- lower levels of government, non-government corruption measures in its education support. providers of education and, in some countries, With the shift towards broader sector programs in directly at the school level through ‘twinning’ education, Australia will also help strengthen partner and other arrangements. While ministries of government systems, including public financial education generally take the lead in sector program management and procurement systems. partnerships, the engagement of central agencies, such as ministries of finance and planning, will be essential for ensuring that aid contributions do ENHANCING REGIONAL ENGAGEMENT AND not substitute for public sector allocations and that STRENGTHENING PARTNERSHIPS broad government systems are improved. The policy focus on improving national education The nature of partnerships will vary from country systems combined with the accelerated shift to to country. For example, in fragile states with sector programs will require much closer policy weak governance and low capacity, Australia will relationships with governments in the region as well balance our support between building government as enhanced partnerships with other donors and capacity and supporting other agencies such as non- whole-of-government partners. government and faith-based organisations that are Australia’s approach to aid delivery will see stronger providing education services directly to the people. partnerships between AusAID and the Department In countries where Australia is a leading donor, we of Education, Science and Training as well as state have a special responsibility to facilitate the creation and territory government education departments. of sector program partnerships among donors to enhance harmonisation. The effectiveness of a donor’s An essential element of improving the effectiveness assistance in a partner of aid outcomes will be strategic partnerships with other bilateral and multilateral agencies country is affected by the and participation in international initiatives. Contributions to the Education for All Fast Track nature of the institutional Initiative will help to ensure that resources are framework for its relations available to partner countries that meet clear governance and service delivery standards. with the partner government and with other donors, and by its own internal rules and culture.25 34 BETTER EDUCATION A POLICY FOR AUSTRALIAN DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE IN EDUCATION above: Australian volunteers are valuable contributors to development in the Asia–Pacific region. Here, Australian volunteer and teacher Mark Betheras, from Bright in Victoria, talks to grade 1 students at the Thaajuddeen primary school in the Maldives. An Australian team of international volunteers was deployed to assist schools affected by the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami. photo: AusAID BETTER EDUCATION A POLICY FOR AUSTRALIAN DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE IN EDUCATION 35 36 BETTER EDUCATION A POLICY FOR AUSTRALIAN DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE IN EDUCATION Glossary basic education Educational activities that aim to meet essential learning needs. Basic education usually comprises primary and junior secondary schooling. capacity building The process of developing competencies and capabilities in individuals, groups, organisations, sectors or countries that will lead to sustained and self-generating improvements in performance. country strategies Country strategies articulate the outcomes the Australian Government aims to achieve in specific developing countries. curriculum The organised body of knowledge to be transmitted through schooling. donor harmonisation The coordination by donors of their processes, procedures and activities to reduce the burden of aid on developing countries. Education for All An international initiative that aims to meet all basic learning needs by 2015. Education for All has six goals including universal primary education and gender parity in schools. More information is available at <www.unesco.org/education/efa/ed_for_all/index. shtml>. Education for All Fast Track Initiative A compact launched in 2002 to accelerate progress towards Education for All that links increased donor support with recipient countries’ performance. Its secretariat is managed by the World Bank. fragile states States that face particularly difficult development prospects because of weak governance, policies and institutions. Fragility can be exacerbated by political, economic and/or social instability, including conflict. There is no definitive list of fragile states – many are fragile in only some aspects and may move in and out of fragility. fragmentation A lack of coordination between donors that results in disjointed activities using different procedures and that increases the burden on developing country administrations. gender parity index The ratio of female to male students used as a measure of progress towards gender equity. BETTER EDUCATION A POLICY FOR AUSTRALIAN DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE IN EDUCATION 37 language of instruction The language or languages used in the classroom. Some countries use a single official language. Others provide transitional bilingual education instruction so that children use their first language in the early years of schooling and are then taught in the national language. literacy rate The estimated number of literate adults expressed as a percentage of the total adult population (15 years of age and above). Millennium Development Goals Eight measurable goals and targets for combating global poverty and hunger, as well as the world’s most critical education, health, environmental and gender challenges. In 2000, the world’s countries and development institutions committed to the target date of 2015. More information is available at <www.un.org/ millenniumgoals>. net enrolment rate Enrolment of the official age group for a given level of education, expressed as a percentage of the population in that age group. The net enrolment rate is generally lower than the gross enrolment rate, which is a simple headcount of the total number of students at a particular level, expressed as a percentage of the population in that age group. non-government organisation Typically a non-profit organisation that carries out activities of social and economic development and that relies on donations for its operation. Non-government organisations are officially registered legal entities but can be local, national or international in scope. numeracy The ability to interpret numerical information and perform basic mathematical functions. policy coherence A term used to describe how complementary policies such as policies on trade, investment, aid and migration, work together in support of development. proxy indicator An indirect measure used when direct measures are unreliable or unavailable. For example, the quality of education is difficult to measure directly, and completion rates are often used as a proxy indicator since there is a strong statistical correlation between the two. universal primary education The international target that all children should complete a full course of primary schooling of good quality. Universal primary education will be achieved when both enrolment and completion rates approach 100 per cent. 38 BETTER EDUCATION A POLICY FOR AUSTRALIAN DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE IN EDUCATION Notes 1 Australian Aid: Promoting Growth and Stability, 14 United Nations, Millennium Development Goals 2006. Australia’s White Paper on the Australian Report 2006, United Nations, New York, 2006, Government’s overseas aid program available at p. 7. <www.ausaid.gov.au>. 15 UNESCO Education for All Global Monitoring 2 Helping Health Systems Deliver: A Policy for Report 2005, UNESCO, Paris, 2004, p. 17. Australian Development Assistance in Health, 16 World Bank, From Schooling Access to Learning 2006. Australia’s policy on health available at Outcomes: An Unfinished Agenda, An Evaluation <www.ausaid.gov.au>. of World Bank Support to Primary Education, 3 World Bank, Achieving Universal Primary World Bank, Washington DC, 2006. Education by 2015: A Chance for Every Child, 17 Gender Equality in Australia’s Aid Program: World Bank, Washington DC, 2003, p. 1. Why and How?, 2007, available at 4 UNDP, Asian Development Bank, United <www.ausaid.gov.au>. Nations Economic and Social Commission for 18 UNICEF, Progress for Children: A Report Card on Asia and the Pacific, Millennium Development Gender Parity and Primary Education, UNICEF, Goals: Progress in Asia and the Pacific, 2006. This New York, 2005, p. 27. report is available at <www.mdgasiapacific.org>. 19 World Bank, Achieving Universal Primary 5 Further information on Australian Scholarships is Education by 2015: A Chance for Every Child, at <www.australianscholarships.gov.au>. World Bank, Washington DC, 2003, p. 1. 6 UNESCO Education for All Global Monitoring 20 Department for International Development, Report 2007, UNESCO, Paris, 2006, Annex The Challenge of Universal Primary Education: Table 5. Strategies for Achieving the International 7 Ibid., Annex Table 12. Development Targets, Strategy Paper, Department for International Development, London, 2001, 8 Ibid., Table 2.9, p. 29. p. 18. 9 Ibid., Annex Table 2. 21 Colenso, P., Achieving the Education Millennium 10 UNESCO Education for All Global Monitoring Development Goals in Fragile States – What Is the Report 2006, UNESCO, Paris, 2005, p. 21. Role of Aid?, unpublished paper for Professional 11 Brisbane Communiqué, 2006, available at Doctorate in Education, Brighton, University of <www.aei.dest.gov.au>. Sussex, 2005. 12 UNESCO Education for All Global Monitoring 22 World Bank, Skills for Productivity: Vocational Report 2007, UNESCO, Paris, 2006, Annex Education and Training in Developing Countries, Table 8. Volume 1, World Bank, Washington DC, 1993. 13 UNDP, Indonesia Progress Report on the 23 OECD, Harmonising Donor Practices for Effective Millennium Development Goals, UNDP Indonesia Aid Delivery, DAC Guidelines and Reference Country Office, 2004, available at Series, OECD, Paris, 2003, p. 18. <www.undp.or.id>. BETTER EDUCATION A POLICY FOR AUSTRALIAN DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE IN EDUCATION 39 24 Foster, M., New Approaches to Development Co-operation: What Can We Learn from Experience with Implementing Sector Wide Approaches?, Working Paper No. 140, Overseas Development Institute, London, 2000, p. 9. 25 OECD, Harmonising Donor Practices for Effective Aid Delivery, DAC Guidelines and Reference Series, OECD, Paris, 2003, p. 16. 40 BETTER EDUCATION A POLICY FOR AUSTRALIAN DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE IN EDUCATION Better education A POLICY FOR AUSTRALIAN DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE IN EDUCATION MAY 2007 www .ausaid.gov .au www.ausaid.gov.au Document Outline
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