1. THE QUALITY IMPERATIVE
Education for All
THE QUALITY IMPERATIVE

2. Education for All THE QUALITY IMPERATIVE
The world is not on track to achieve the six EFA goals
Without better quality, EFA is unattainable
This report defines education quality, shows why it matters and indicates how it can be improved, particularly in poorer countries
Achieving this and the other goals will require both policy change and more resources from the international community
The EFA Goals include the two Millennium Development Goals of achieving universal primary education and eliminating gender disparity in education

3. 103.5 million out-of-school children in 2001
Progress towards UPE
NET ENROLMENT RATIOS IN PRIMARY EDUCATION
81.7% in 1990,
84% in 2001
Pace of change too slow to reach UPE by 2015
103.5 million out-of-school children in 2001
Net enrolment ratio:
85% in 2005, 87% in 2015
Out-of-school children by region (in millions), 2001
Out of school children: About 75% live in Sub-Saharan Africa and South and West Asia
Projections 2005 and 2015 are based on current trends
SSA: average NER rose from 54% in 1990 to 58% in 1998 and 63% in 2001
South and West Asia: includes three of world’s nine high population countries (Bangladesh, India and Pakistan). Average NER rose from 73% to 79% between 1990 and Slow rise because of continued population growth.
Latin America Caribbean: rose from 86% to 94% between 1990 and 1998 and reached almost 96% in 2001
Arab States: slow progress toward UPE from 1990 to NER rose from 75% to 78% between 1990 and 1998, and reached 81% in 2001.
East Asia Pacific: moved away from UPE over : from 96% in 1990 to 94% in 2001

4. Progress towards Gender Parity
57% of out of school children are girls
Gender parity
Girls’ enrolment lags behind boys’ in 40% of countries at primary level
Disparities more extreme at secondary and tertiary levels

5. Literacy and adult learning
800 million adults without literacy, 70% live in nine countries
64% of adult illiterates are women
Gender parity
GPI (F/M) in adult literacy,
India has 33.8% of the world’s illiterates. Figures for the other eight countries are China 11.2%, Bangladesh 6.5%, Pakistan 6.4%, Nigeria 2.8%, Ethiopia 2.7%, Egypt 2.6%, Indonesia 2.3%, Brazil 1.9%,)

6. Progress towards ECCE A strong influence on future school performance
Slow global progress: in the majority of countries, GER in pre-primary education is still below 50%
Children from disadvantaged backgrounds more likely to be excluded
Attendance rates considerably higher for urban children than those living in rural areas
See page 87 and 88 of full report. Viet Nam is one example of strong urban-rural disparity.

7. Overall progress
The EFA Development Index measures progress towards UPE, gender parity, literacy and quality
41 countries have achieved or nearly achieved the four goals
51 countries have EDI values between 0.80 and Almost half the countries in this category, most of them in Latin America, lag on the education quality goal
35 countries are very far from achieving the goals, with EDI values below are in Sub-Saharan Africa, plus Bangladesh, India and Pakistan
The 41 countries are almost all in North America and Western Europe and Central and Eastern Europe

8. Education Quality Goal 6
“Improving all aspects of the quality of education and ensuring excellence of all so that recognized and measurable learning outcomes are achieved by all, especially in literacy, numeracy and essential life skills”
Dakar Framework for Action, 2000

9. The Quality Challenge A good quality education encompasses:
Cognitive development: reading, writing, numeracy
Creative and emotional development and the promotion of attitudes and values necessary for effective life in the community
A good quality education carries personal and social benefits:
Examples of these include respect for human rights, for the environment, for cultural diversity, equity and non discrimination
better health, lower fertility, lower exposure to HIV/AIDS
higher personal income
stronger national growth

10. Education and HIV/AIDS: Knowledge causes behaviour to change
¨Pupil teacher ratios: in most countries of Sub-Saharan Africa and South and West Asia, the number of pupils per teacher exceeds 40 in primary education and climbs over 60 in several cases, including Malawi, Mozambique,Central African Republic
HIV prevalence in rural Uganda (%) by education category, (individuals aged 18-29)

11. The Paradox: Test scores and changes in per pupil expenditures in OECD

12. Expenditure Impact Production function studies, developing countries

13. Learning from the evidence
A wide range of evidence indicates that additional resources improve education quality, particularly where they are scare
Studies show that more resources for:
Low pupil-teacher ratios
more and better textbooks
time spent learning in school or at home
teacher qualifications and experience
matter for quality

14. How resources are used is important for quality
Research on the characteristics of effective schools highlights the importance of the following factors:
strong leadership
emphasis on learning basic skills
orderly and secure school environment
high expectations of pupil attainment
frequent assessment of progress

15. Rising to the challenge
The report draws lessons from 11 “ambitious” and
“high-performing” countries on the quality front
The ambitious countries
Bangladesh, Brazil, Chile, Egypt, Senegal, South Africa and Sri Lanka
have introduced policies to expand access and address quality. Reforms focus on teachers, training, curriculum, management and achieving greater equity
The high-performing countries
International assessments (SACMEQ, PASEC AND PISA) implemented in these countries on a comparable basis and completed over the last decade.
See Page of the full report for details on these tests plus data on national achievement tests.
Canada, Cuba, Finland and Republic of Korea
have achieved universal access, give teachers high status, have explicit vision of education’s objectives and policy continuity over time

16. Quality diagnosis highlights
In many low-income countries more than one third
of children have limited reading skills even after
four to six years in school
Stark regional inequalities: a child in Africa spends five to six fewer years in school than one in Western Europe
Drop-out: in 30 out of 91 countries with data, less than 75% of children reach grade 5
Large classrooms: pupil-teacher ratios on the rise in countries where education has expanded rapidly.
Lack of teacher training and poor conditions of service hinder learning in many low-income countries.
¨Pupil teacher ratios: in most countries of Sub-Saharan Africa and South and West Asia, the number of pupils per teacher exceeds 40 in primary education and climbs over 60 in several cases, including Malawi, Mozambique,Central African Republic and Chad. See table 13A annex of report.
In Arab States, Asia, LAC and SSA, disadvantaged areas tend to receive less trained teachers
Teacher training: In some Sub-Saharan Africa countries, fewer than 60% of primary school teachers have received some pedagogical training. In Latin America, percentage of trained primary school teachers is under 78% in half the countries with data for 2001.
Disadvantaged areas generally receive fewer trained teachers.

17. Quality diagnosis: achievement tests
International assessments point to weak performance
Southern Africa: in 4 countries less than 10% and in 3 others around one-third or less of tested grade 6 students reach a ‘desirable level’ in reading
Francophone Africa: in 6 countries, between 14% and 43% of grade 5 pupils have low achievement in French or mathematics
OECD countries: between 2% and 10% of 15-year-olds have serious deficiencies in literacy skills, whereas in middle and low-income countries, between 20% and 50% do so
International assessments (SACMEQ, PASEC AND PISA) implemented in these countries on a comparable basis and completed over the last decade.
See Page of the full report for details on these tests plus data on national achievement tests.

18. Literacy scores Changes between Sacmeq 1 and 2
¨Pupil teacher ratios: in most countries of Sub-Saharan Africa and South and West Asia, the number of pupils per teacher exceeds 40 in primary education and climbs over 60 in several cases, including Malawi, Mozambique,Central African Republic and Chad. See table 13A annex of report.
In Arab States, Asia, LAC and SSA, disadvantaged areas tend to receive less trained teachers
Teacher training: In some Sub-Saharan Africa countries, fewer than 60% of primary school teachers have received some pedagogical training. In Latin America, percentage of trained primary school teachers is under 78% in half the countries with data for 2001.
Disadvantaged areas generally receive fewer trained teachers.

19. Quantity versus quality in primary schooling
Study
Country
Cohort
% that has ever
enrolled
(ages 6-14)
% that
survived to
grade 5
% that achieved
minimum
mastery
NER in primary
for the period
before the test
SACMEQ
Malawi
100 91 31 7 69
(1995)
Mauritius 99 98 52
Grade 6 Reading test
Namibia 97 74 19 84
U. R.Tanzania 87 70 18 54
PIRLS (2001)
Colombia 60 27
Grade 4 Reading test
Morocco 77 59 81
PASEC
Burkina Faso 35 25 21 28
(mid 1990s)
Cameroon 88 45 33 73
Grade 5 French test
Côte d’Ivoire 65 38 49
Guinea 48 32 36
Madagascar 78 20 63
Senegal 42 51
Togo 82 40 66
Quantitative versus qualitative indicators of participation in primary schooling

20. Towards better quality: a holistic approach
Start with learners and take all actors into account
On page 143 of main report
●Start with learners: inclusive policies that respond to very diverse circumstances (gender, HIV/AIDS, conflict, disabilities)
●Improve teaching and learning
●Gain and use knowledge to improve practice
●Equitable and accountable use of resources
●Management and governance
Report considers each dimension, this presentation focuses on select policies

21. In the classroom: investing in teachers
Only one-third of students reach last grade of primary education where pupil/teacher ratios are high
Primary education: pupil/teacher ratios and survival to the last grade, 2001
Note: Countries with a survival rate of less than 75% are labelled. See figure 3.26 in full report.

22. Can conditions of service attract teachers?
Real wages of teachers have declined relative to average incomes in low-income countries
In Africa, teacher earnings were lower in real terms in than they were in 1970
Earnings often too low to provide an acceptable standard of living: less than $2 a day in Sierra Leone government schools, but even less in community schools
Significant reductions from in Argentina, Indonesia, Philippines, Tunisia and Uruguay
See page of full report

23. In the classroom: pedagogical renewal
Rigid chalk and talk pedagogy is widespread
Discovery-based pedagogies pioneered in many programmes are difficult to implement on national scale in resource-constrained contexts
Structured teaching is a pragmatic option in low-income settings. Teacher presents material in small steps, checks student understanding and encourages interaction
Regular assessment and feedback improves learning
See page of full report

24. Other essentials that make the difference
Curriculum: relevant, balanced with carefully defined aims
Instructional time: few countries reach recommended 850-1,000 hours/year
Learning materials: strong impact on learning but small percentage of education spending goes to textbooks
Language: Successful models start in mother tongue and make gradual transition to second or foreign language
School environment: safety, health, sanitation for girls and boys, access for disabled
Curriculum: Literacy is a critical tool for the mastery of other subjects and is one of the best predictors of longer-term achievement. It must be considered a priority area in efforts to improve the quality of basic education (pp )
Instructional time has decreased in Sub-Saharan Africa in grades 1-4 between 1980 in 2000 reflecting pressure to meet higher demand under tight resource constraints. Regional average in Arab States = 805 hours, 830 in Latin America, 817 in East Asia Pacific, 789 hours in South and West Asia, 866 in Sub-Saharan Africa. (pp )
Language policy: 20% of world population speaks ‘local language’ as mother tongue. Zambia, Papua New Guinea, China, Cambodia among examples cited in the report (pages )
Until recently, school construction projects in Sub-Saharan Africa rarely included latrines or water supply

25. Beyond the classroom: policies conducive to better quality
Governance: school leadership, room for consultation between teachers, governments and other stakeholders on curriculum, employment and working conditions
Participatory learning networks and professional advisory bodies to encourage sharing of best practice
Combating corrupt practices: fraud in public tendering for school buildings and textbooks, nepotism and bribes in teacher appointment and examinations
Equity: reducing regional and social inequalities advances education for all
Governance: pp. 174,
Corruption: in Zambia, a study in 2000 found that less than 10% of books produced had actually reached the classroom. Page main report. P. 185 on main forms of corruption in the education sector
Brazil: national programmes to equalize funding, help poor families and give late entrants a chance to catch up

26. National resources: finance and quality
In low income countries, increasing spending has a positive impact on learners’ cognitive achievement
6% of GNP recommended on education spending not reached in majority of countries
Education spending higher in rich countries (5.1% of GNP) than in systems where access and quality remain a top challenge (under 4% in Africa and East Asia/Pacific)
Spending increases in East Asia and Pacific and Latin American and Caribbean in late 1990s, but -24% in Philippines; -8% in Indonesia
Total public expenditure on education as % of GNP: 3.4% SSA, 3.3% South and West Asia; 4.6% LAC, 3.6% East Asia and the Pacific, figure not available for Arab States

27. National resources: finance and quality
Students in countries that invest more in education tend to have better literacy skills. In high-income states, the impact of additional resources is less clear
variation in literacy scores limited even as expenditure doubles from PPP US$40,000 to US$80,000

28. International commitments: the need for sustained investment
The Dakar Pledge: No country seriously committed to education will be thwarted by lack of resources
Bilateral and multilateral aid to basic education = $1.54 billion
New pledges could increase aid to $3.2 billion
This falls short of $5.6 billion additional resources to achieve UPE and gender parity goals
Fast Track Initiative: total resources so far raised are tiny compared with requirements. Even in the first ten countries endorsed, a financing gap of $200 million remains
Additional information on external assistance:
●Eight donors account for 85% of bilateral aid
● All donors except Finland that give relatively high priority to education aid make post-secondary education the most important level
● Fragmented programmes: donors disburse aid to an average 63 countries; recipient countries dealt on average with seven to twelve bilateral donors in

29. Improving aid effectiveness
Eight donors account for 85% of bilateral aid to education
All donors -except Finland - that give relatively high priority to education aid make post-secondary the most important level
Fragmented programmes: donors disburse aid to an average 63 countries; recipient countries dealt on average with seven to twelve bilateral donors in
Few studies link aid and better learning outcomes
Additional information on external assistance:
●Eight donors account for 85% of bilateral aid
● All donors except Finland that give relatively high priority to education aid make post-secondary education the most important level
● Fragmented programmes: donors disburse aid to an average 63 countries; recipient countries dealt on average with seven to twelve bilateral donors in

30. Education quantity and quality are complements, not substitutes
Wrapping up
Education quantity and quality are complements, not substitutes
Successful qualitative reforms require:
Prime attention to quality of teaching profession
Strong leading role by government
A societal project for improving education
Policy continuity over time
EFA Global Monitoring Report /