THE OPEN SOCIETY INSTITUTE’S ENGAGEMENT IN THE EDUCATION POOLED FUND IN LIBERIA

Cross-border private donations and investments in education, Session 3, March 31 2010

Caroline Schmidt, Education Consultant

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POINTS OF DEPARTURE

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Post-conflict country

Public-Private Partnership

Strengthening national capacity

Delivering education aid innovatively

ENABLING FACTORS FOR EPF DEVELOPMENT2007

1. Political will and improvements in governance

2. Endorsement of national education program

3. Availability of UNICEF and OSI funds

4. UNICEF’s leadership to assist the MoE

5. Engagement of OSI, Ministry of Finance, World Bank, USAID, European Commission, UNESCO

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GOALS OF THE POOLED FUND

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Enable implementation of national education program

Develop fast and flexible disbursement mechanism

Strengthen Sector Coordination

EPF REFLECTING THE PPPPOOLING DONORS …

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… and GoL agreed on EPF governance structures,

objectives and goals

… together with other donors involved in full decision making cycle

… have decided on

funding criteria and

reporting mechanism

EPF PROFILE

Launch: May 2008Pooling Donors: UNICEF and OSIFund Custodian: UNICEFProgram funded: LPERP

Total Contributions: US$ 20.2 million UNICEF: US$ 15.2 million OSI: US$ 5 million

Total Disbursements: US$ 12.25 million

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CORE GOVERNANCE ENTITIES

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Executive Managemen

t Team

Development of plans and EPF requests

Advisory Board

Funding Approval & Supervision

ESDC Executive

Board

Programmatic

endorsement&

supervision

EPF MECHANISM STEP I-II

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STEP I

MoE Executive Management Team develops costed plan for implementation of LPERP activities for which EPF funding is requested

STEP II

ESDC Executive Board reviews plan including analysis, discussion and programmatic endorsement

EPF MECHANISM STEP III-IV

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STEP IIIAdvisory Board provides No Objection to expenditures and withdrawal request

STEP IVDisbursement of approved funds from off-shore trust account in New York into EPF account in Monrovia

EPF FUNDED ACTIVITIES

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EPF ACCOMPLISHMENTS

1. Flexible funding of 3 large-scale activities

2. Strengthened sector coordination

3. Increased inter-ministerial coordination

4. Provided arrangements to develop capacity

5. Contributed to improving national systems

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EPF CHALLENGES

1. Short-comings in terms of government capacity

2. Not fully used to its potential

3. Ad-hoc decisions

4. Lack of attention given to EPF governance

5. No solution to transition from LPERP to ESP

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OPEN SOCIETY INSTITUTE (OSI)

Private operating and grant-making

organization

Founded (1993) and financed by George

Soros

Annual budget upwards of US$500 million

Education Support Program

Promoting education justice

Rebuilding education systems

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OSI’S APPROACH IN LIBERIA

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Support national education program

Collaborative engagement

Encourage donor contributions

Focus on government capacity

Flexibility and responsiveness to capacity gaps

OSI AS NEW EDUCATION PARTNER

Broader institutional partnership with government

Full recognition from government and donor partners

Engagement in policy development and coordination

Collaborative engagement with civil society

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