Erika Boak

CfBT Education Trust World Congress of Comparative Education Societies17 June 2010

Governance Challenges for Education in Fragile States

Scope and Methodology of the Research

• EC commissioned in 2009

• Governance challenges in fragile states, impact on broader fragility, resilience and stability

• Implications for support to sector and governance reform

• Literature review, desk studies and field case studies of 8 countries

EC Governance Analysis Framework

Political system/governmentRule making and executive actors

at different levels

Non-state actorsCitizens, voters, consumers, user groups economic agents, elites,

media…

Checks and balances organisations

Supervise sector organisations or handle complaints (auditors,

judiciary, ombudsmen,…)

Frontline service providersPublic and private providers

delivering services

Core public agenciesSector ministries, agencies with regulatory or supporting roles,

incl. local government…

Context

Donors, international organisations

Influence on sector governance and accountability relations

Governance

Accountability

Governance and Fragility Challenges in DRC

• Quasi private education system: Mobutu’s legacy

• Governance of teacher payroll

• Undemocratic governance of the SMCs

Governance and Fragility Challenges in Haiti

• Uncoordinated proliferation of NSPs

• Political and environmental instability, poverty and insecurity

• Weak capacity and legitimacy deficit of MENFP

Positive Features of Governance

DRC • Political and national commitment to education • National Strategy for the Reduction of School Fees

and sub-sector plan • Decentralisation reform

Haiti • Presidential Commission and National Office for

Partnership in Education • EFA Implementation Plan • Increased budget allocations

Findings and Recommendations: DRC

• SMCs and academic assessment promoted resilience• Absence of incentives by MEPSP for governance reform • Inequitable education provision• Lack of engagement by donors at provincial levels

• Capacity development of SMCs, School and Network Directors

• Phased substitution of community financing – regulatory and legislative frameworks

• Whole-of-government approach - reform of civil service remuneration

• Broad-based policy formulation involving civil society

Findings and Recommendations: Haiti

• Adaptability of non-state sector promoted resilience

• NSPs lack incentive to become accredited

• Politicisation of education and political instability influence donor approaches

• High aid dependency, fragmented approaches, inability to align

• USD22m FTI funding to be disbursed to a MDTF – precursor to increased alignment?

• Harmonised approaches to regulating the sector

Questions?

Erika Boak

eboak@cfbt.com