Education for All Mid-Decade Assessment: reaching the un-reached Badra Withanage Sri Lanka

Objectives of MDA to measure progress towards Education for All as stipulated in Action Plan 2004 – 2008 to identify priorities, strategies for overcoming obstacles and accelerating progress to revise national plan of action based on findings an opportunity to refocus attention on the goals and targets of EFA and reinvigorate efforts to provide life-long learning opportunities of good quality for all

Participants of MDA Ministry of Education (Lead agency in Sri Lanka) Ministry of Women’s Empowerment and Child Development Ministry of Health and Nutrition Ministry of Skills Development Department of Census and Statistics

Participants of MDA National Institute of Education National Child Protection Authority Faculties of Education of Universities Provincial Departments of Education Zonal Education Office Schools

Financial and Technical Assistance UNESCO Bangkok UNESCO New Delhi UNICEF GTZ Plan International

MDA Process Workshop held on April 2006 EFA MDA Steering Committee and Thematic Working Groups established Series of discussions were held with Working Groups, and work plans and time-frames developed Working Groups identified studies, surveys and capacity building activities that need to be implemented as part of the EFA MDA. They also identified areas requiring financial and technical assistance

MDA Process Based on the work plans the involvement of donors and international NGOs were discussed at the workshop on October They responded positively to support this exercise. EFA unit established under the Planning Division of Ministry of Education.

Methodology of MDA Goal based working groups Awareness programmes Sample surveys In-depth studies of specific samples Group discussions Extracting data from assessment reports Analysis of data from secondary sources Analysis of School Census data

How the assessment was carried out Use existing information policy documents school census data Department of Census data relevant studies and report DHS data Initiate studies to fill gaps in essential data

Who carried out the MDA EFA unit (main coordinator) Experts from relevant government agencies in thematic working groups to work with officers of relevant units of the MoE Researchers Statisticians

Why local experts? Advantages Knowledge about current situation Capacity of the officers enhanced Sustainability of the process ensured System improves Feeling of ownership Easy to implement recommendations through their plans Disadvantages Lack of knowledge of some key officers about systematic assessment : policy analysis disparity analysis data analysis

Problems faced Difficult to convene all the members of EFA steering committee Lack of guidance for technical work Lack of assessment capacity of the technical working group members No systematic monitoring mechanism for programme monitoring and quality monitoring Lack of capacity for data collection, analysis, reporting

Specific Problems faced Lack of Data : Data for core EFA indicators : ECCE, Life skills, expenditure Non-school data for 6 EFA goals: population data No data for actual literacy Lack of disaggregated data for disparity analysis

Good practises Established EFA Unit under the Planning Division of MoE Encouragement from officers for the MDA process Non-interference from political leaders EFA Thematic Working Groups formed Support from relevant Institutions and officers Support from UNICEF and other international INGOs

EFA MDA Report Structure Consists of eight parts: 0.Introduction 1.ECCD 2.UPE 3.Life Skills 4.Literacy 5.Gender 6.Quality 7.Conclusion

Challenges & Issues emanating in most areas Issue of Disadvantaged and need for Affirmative Action - communities, locations, schools and families, children with special needs, IDPs Inadequacy and inequitable distribution of resources – finance, infrastructure & human Lack quality of inputs, processes and outcomes Quality & commitment of teachers/care givers, facilitators mainly linked to training & remuneration Attitudes – towards disadvantaged groups & illiterates, non-school going children, drop-outs, and girls & women

Main policy recommendations National ECCE policy encompasses children aged between 0-8 years Establishment of policy framework for Out of School Children in Compulsory Education Cycle ( age) Mainstreaming Inclusive approach based on the recognition of the rights of all children to receive quality education Ensure increased and rational allocation of financial resources for the un-reached groups and under- served on vertical equity basis Restructuring teacher development programs addressing inclusive education concept

Impact of MDA Process More attention drawn for systematic EFA monitoring Process of data collection, preparation of indicators and data analysis is being improved Continuous dialogues take place with relevant partners New studies are being introduced : Inclusive education study, Mapping study for out-of-school children Literacy assessment procedures improved

Impact of MDA Process New policy and strategies are being introduced e.g. Inclusive education policy framework and medium term action plan Statistical capacity building programme for provincial level, Zonal level officers

Improvement of the system Accept the importance of incorporation of ECCE programme into the primary education system Coordination has improved - within education system - with other sectors eg. Health, Social Welfare, Child Development - with UNICEF and other UN agencies - with development partners and NGOs

Improvement of the system New concepts and techniques are being introduced Eg. Screening of disabled children Identify children with learning difficulties Early Learning Development Standards Awareness about importance of measuring actual literacy accepted Provisions of alternative education programmes accepted

Needs of the system Strengthen capacity at country level, particularly in analysis of data and providing useful information for policy makers and planners Improve skills and capacity at the national level needed in relation to: Analysis and interpretation of education statistics for policy and programme planning (ECCE, UBE, Literacy) use of education and literacy data from surveys

Needs of the system Improve linkage and interaction between planners and statisticians Develop monitoring systems to address issues on quality of education Capacity building at the grassroots level (Zonal, etc.)

Challenges Data availability / Quality Human resources: Staff availability and capacity Financial resources: Adequate funding for continuous monitoring Inter-agency collaboration (population data) Transforming data into information and to use it in policy and decision making

Type of support need Proper Technical Support for filling data gaps EFA /MDG and WEI data collection mechanisms need to be coordinated to collect : non-school data, actual literacy, non-formal programmes data, gender equality, life skills and ECCE data, etc. Proper technical experts for : ECCE, life skills, Literacy; for preparation of standards and tools

Way forward Recommendations to be considered by relevant stakeholders (Ministries, Provincial authorities, ECCD centres & schools, Development partners & Civil society organisations) Develop an Action Plan with goals, objectives, strategies, activities, required funding & time frames Identify roles & responsibilities of each (for policymaking, funding, implementation of policies & procedures, coordination, and supervision & monitoring) Identify a reporting mechanism for continuous monitoring, and Evaluation of achievement of expected targets to achieve EFA by 2015

Thank you!