1. Session 2: Local businesses supporting education reform through philanthropy
Comments by Halsey Rogers, Development Research Group, World Bank
March 31, 2010

2. Strong examples of philanthropic engagement in education reform
Philippine Business for Education (PBEd)
Goal: bring together leading corporations to create pressure to address the “weakening quality of the education sector’s products” (initially, tertiary graduates)
Focus: systemic change, in basic education as well as higher levels, as well as supportive
Strategy: (1) increase public awareness and “keep the bad state of Philippine education in the limelight” through Education Nation; and (2) focus business’ philanthropic projects through program
Political engagement: try to organize “broad-based, multi- sectoral constituencies for reform” in the political arena

3. Sampoerna Foundation
Goal: ensure that “best of the best” students have access to quality education, and helping improve managerial efficiency in schooling
Focus: supportive as well as systemic reform
Strategy: (1) provide scholarships for high-ability, low-income students; (2) train teachers through PSF Teacher Institute; (3) improve management in demonstration schools (USP)
Political engagement : not a foreground issue for Sampoerna?

4. Mexicanos Primero
Goal: to achieve quality public education in order to improve “justice and prosperity for all Mexicans”
Focus: systemic reform, in “decálogo” issue areas, through advocacy
Strategy: activities that address “decálogo” challenges, including by “model-testing” and “public demand-oriented”
Political engagement : aimed at “promoting a change in civic culture”, so engaged in political arena

5. Applying aid effectiveness criteria
How can such private-donor activities contribute most effectively to systemic improvements in education?
Public cross-border donors (bilateral and multilateral aid agencies) constantly face the same question
Key ideas from aid effectiveness debate could apply here too
International aid aims to improve conditions for development
Increased focus in recent years on measuring & improving effectiveness, after years of shortcomings in these areas
Parallel shift in private philanthropic activities? (Relevant to cross-border especially, but also domestic)
Various criteria for aid/donor quality have become widely accepted

6. Aid effectiveness criteria
Selectivity = Does donor target aid to high-need recipients who can use aid effectively?
Harmonization = Does donor work effectively with other donors to achieve common goals?
Alignment = Does donor use country systems (e.g., rather than running enclave projects) to build capacity, and are its efforts sustainable & scalable?
Specialization = Does donor focus its efforts, rather than spreading itself thin and creating burdens for recipients?
Evaluation and knowledge provision = Does donor submit its activities to credible evaluation, and more generally does its strategy encompass ideas as well as finance?

7. Applying aid effectiveness criteria to these private donors
PBEd
Sampoerna MP
Selectivity
How are divisions & schools selected for program?
Scholarships to needy, high-ability students
Targeted school support (USP)
n/a?
Harmonization
Brings together corporations around common interests
What about smaller firms that hire secondary grads?
Corporate partners through USP
Other major donors to coordinate with?
Aligns donors around common interests

8. Applying aid effectiveness criteria to these private donors
PBEd
Sampoerna MP
Alignment
57-75 program to improve accountability
Focus on division level to scale up
USP coordination with MinEduc
USP model school effort scalable?
Activities focused on improving government programs
Specialization
Geographic targeting of USP
Risk of being too fragmented?
Evaluation & knowledge
Education Nation campaign
Evaluation of program?
Good control group for USP schools?
Basis for claim of “incredible impact” (in paper)?
PEC-FIDE as example of injecting new ideas
Evaluated through matching design