Regional Workshop on Mid-Term Evaluation of LIFE Programme (Bangkok, 13-15 December 2010) Progress & challenges with implementation of the Literacy Initiative for Empowerment (LIFE) Hassana Alidou LIFE Coordinator h.alidou@unesco.org www.unesco.org/uil

Regional Workshop on Mid-Term Evaluation of LIFE Programme (Bangkok, 13-15 December 2010) What is LIFE all about? A ten-year framework of collaborative action (2006-2015) for enhancing and improving national literacy efforts in the areas of policy, advocacy, capacity-building and innovations Contribution to the achievement of EFA, UNLD, BfA and MDGs Focus on 35 countries with literacy rates < 50% and/or a population > 10 million who cannot read or write 85% of the world‘s non-literate population resides in these 35 countries (9 are from Asia-Pacific region)

Education for All (EFA) UNLD LIFE Education for All (EFA) Dakar Goals 3, 4, 5 MDGs LITERACY

Regional Workshop on Mid-Term Evaluation of LIFE Programme (Bangkok, 13-15 December 2010) LIFE aims to reinforce national and international commitments to literacy, to support the articulation of sustainable literacy policies, to strengthen national capacities, to enhance countries’ innovative initiatives in providing literacy learning opportunities, and to foster cooperation and solidarity among countries.

Regional Workshop on Mid-Term Evaluation of LIFE Programme (Bangkok, 13-15 December 2010) Assessment of LIFE LIFE reported as one of the highlights in the UNLD Mid-decade review (2008) LIFE assessed as an effective and efficient mechanism for planning, capacity development & partnership building by external evaluators of UNESCO Education Sector's work (2009)

Progress assessed by UIL Regional Workshop on Mid-Term Evaluation of LIFE Programme (Bangkok, 13-15 December 2010) Progress assessed by UIL Evidence of renewed commitment and political will (new ministries, budget increases, first ladies‘ involvement, etc.) Contribution to the development of capacities for the design of policies (most visible in the case of six LIFE countries receiving extra-budgetary grants)

Progress assessed by UIL Regional Workshop on Mid-Term Evaluation of LIFE Programme (Bangkok, 13-15 December 2010) Progress assessed by UIL Improved capacities in delivery of literacy programmes of good quality (gender mainstreaming, curriculum, training of trainers, use of ICTs, multilingual literate environments, etc.) Experience-sharing, peer review, online discussion forum are examples of how knowledge has been generated and disseminated to promote innovation

Mid-Term Review of LIFE in Africa Regional Workshop on Mid-Term Evaluation of LIFE Programme (Bangkok, 13-15 December 2010) Regional Workshop on Mid-Term Evaluation of LIFE Programme (Bangkok, 13-15 December 2010) Mid-Term Review of LIFE in Africa Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso 3-5 March 2010 80 participants National LIFE representatives from 16 countries (Gov’t) NGOs with good practices, UNESCO (BREDA, IICBA, HQ, UIL and UNESCO focal points) Report of Workshop (available in French) Education for All in Africa (UNESCO Regional Office in Dakar, 2005) 8

Review of LIFE in Africa Regional Workshop on Mid-Term Evaluation of LIFE Programme (Bangkok, 13-15 December 2010) Regional Workshop on Mid-Term Evaluation of LIFE Programme (Bangkok, 13-15 December 2010) Review of LIFE in Africa PART I Areas of Good Practices: Advocacy and communication for L/NFE Strengthening capacity for policy development Strengthening capacity for the implementation of effective programmes Knowledge sharing Mobilization of resources for L/NFE Innovations 9

Good Practices: Advocacy and communcation for L/NFE Regional Workshop on Mid-Term Evaluation of LIFE Programme (Bangkok, 13-15 December 2010) Regional Workshop on Mid-Term Evaluation of LIFE Programme (Bangkok, 13-15 December 2010) Good Practices: Advocacy and communcation for L/NFE Participation of First Ladies in advocating for literacy and NFE (Burkina Faso, Nigeria, Niger, Mozambique) ‘Programme Vigoureux pour l’alphabétisation’ with the participation of the President (Mali) Media (Radio/ Television) broadly involved in dissemination and raising awareness for literacy (Nigeria, Niger, The Gambia) How to use advocacy to improve resource allocation for literacy and NFE? 10

Good Practices: Strengthening Capacity for policy development Regional Workshop on Mid-Term Evaluation of LIFE Programme (Bangkok, 13-15 December 2010) Regional Workshop on Mid-Term Evaluation of LIFE Programme (Bangkok, 13-15 December 2010) Good Practices: Strengthening Capacity for policy development Strategic partnership with technical and financial partners to develop policies: challenges and envisaged solutions (The Gambia) National consultation on policy development (Guinea) L/NFE systematically integrated in sectoral programmes: state-of-the art and perspectives (CAR) Process of developing sub sectorial strategies on L/NFE to be integrated into SWAPs (RDC) Gender mainstreaming +Adoption of national plan for bilingual education approach (Burkina Faso) What type of natl. strategy countries have designed in order to carry out down- streaming activities at the regional and provincial levels? 11

Regional Workshop on Mid-Term Evaluation of LIFE Programme (Bangkok, 13-15 December 2010) Good Practices: Strengthening capacity for the implementation of effective programmes International Literacy Prize 2009 (Burkina Faso) Experience of ALFA TV in Guinea-Bissau Programme EQJA (Senegal) Radio éducative pour l’alpha- Training of Trainers (Cap Verde) How to systematically up-scale literacy activities and (to reach EFA goals 3, 4, 5 by 2015)? 12

Good Practices: Knowledge Sharing Regional Workshop on Mid-Term Evaluation of LIFE Programme (Bangkok, 13-15 December 2010) Regional Workshop on Mid-Term Evaluation of LIFE Programme (Bangkok, 13-15 December 2010) Good Practices: Knowledge Sharing LIFE Website (Senegal) NFE MIS (Niger, Senegal) LIFEline (UIL/UNESCO) How to improve/increase the use of ICT for sharing knowledge, experience and good practice (also for South-South cooperation)? 13

Good Practices: Mobilization of resources for L/NFE Regional Workshop on Mid-Term Evaluation of LIFE Programme (Bangkok, 13-15 December 2010) Regional Workshop on Mid-Term Evaluation of LIFE Programme (Bangkok, 13-15 December 2010) FTI et L/NFE (Benin) Basket funding (Burkina Faso) Financial allocation by the gouvernement (Nigeria) How to develop effective strategies in order to mobilize resources at the national level? 14

Regional Workshop on Mid-Term Evaluation of LIFE Programme (Bangkok, 13-15 December 2010) What have we learned? Involvement of highest level decision-makers to mobilise resources Use of media (radio, TV) for advocacy, training and up-scaling Strategic partnerships NFE integrated in (sub-)sector strategies (SWAPs, FTI) Gender-mainstreaming and adoption of bilingual approach Knowledge & exchange platforms 15

Challenges and Recommendations Regional Workshop on Mid-Term Evaluation of LIFE Programme (Bangkok, 13-15 December 2010) Regional Workshop on Mid-Term Evaluation of LIFE Programme (Bangkok, 13-15 December 2010) PART II: Challenges and Recommendations 16

LIFE conceptual framework Regional Workshop on Mid-Term Evaluation of LIFE Programme (Bangkok, 13-15 December 2010) LIFE conceptual framework Regional Workshop on Mid-Term Evaluation of LIFE Programme (Bangkok, 13-15 December 2010) Challenge The countries do not have a clear understanding of LIFE as a framework of collaborative actions set by UNESCO 17 17

Country level coordination of LIFE activities Regional Workshop on Mid-Term Evaluation of LIFE Programme (Bangkok, 13-15 December 2010) Country level coordination of LIFE activities Regional Workshop on Mid-Term Evaluation of LIFE Programme (Bangkok, 13-15 December 2010) Challenges The role of LIFE focal point is not fully understood The appointment of LIFE focal point should be revisited Only LIFE focal points participate in LIFE capacity building activities Very little evidence of multiplier effect 18 18

Recommendations Up-scaling good practices Promoting South-South cooperation Using various funding mechanisms such as EFA FTI to mobilise more resources for literacy Data – conduct effective diagnosis through the collection of accurate data on literacy Use ICT to expand access and improve quality Promoting multilingual and multicultural approaches Linking literacy to TVET

UNESCO’s support: Advocacy Regional Workshop on Mid-Term Evaluation of LIFE Programme (Bangkok, 13-15 December 2010) UNESCO’s support: Advocacy Regional Workshop on Mid-Term Evaluation of LIFE Programme (Bangkok, 13-15 December 2010) Challenges Literacy and NFE are not prioritized by the gov’ts even though the majority have expressed political support for this sub-sector of education. Very few countries have increased the budget of literacy and NFE since 2006 A more effective advocacy strategy is needed in most of LIFE countries. 20 20

Regional Workshop on Mid-Term Evaluation of LIFE Programme (Bangkok, 13-15 December 2010) UNESCO’s support: Sustainable and cost-effective approach to strengthen national capacity Regional Workshop on Mid-Term Evaluation of LIFE Programme (Bangkok, 13-15 December 2010) Challenges Institutional and organizational capacities needs to be strengthened Capacity of literacy experts needs to be strengthened: Advocacy and resource mobilization Gender-based policy formulation, implementation and evaluation Curriculum design, implementation and evaluation Integration of ICT into literacy training and acquisition. 21 21

Recommendations Up-scaling good practices Promoting South-South cooperation Using various funding mechanisms such as EFA FTI to mobilise more resources for literacy Data – conduct effective diagnosis through the collection of accurate data on literacy Use ICT to expand access and improve quality Promoting multilingual and multicultural approaches Linking literacy to TVET

Regional Workshop on Mid-Term Evaluation of LIFE Programme (Bangkok, 13-15 December 2010) PART III WAY FORWARD 23

The way forward Mid-term evaluation of LIFE is planned for 2011 Regional Workshop on Mid-Term Evaluation of LIFE Programme (Bangkok, 13-15 December 2010) The way forward Mid-term evaluation of LIFE is planned for 2011 Ongoing CONFINTEA VI follow-up process: One of the Conference‘s five key thematic strands focuses on literacy & key competencies E-9 countries process (from Beijing to Belém to Abuja)  Abuja Framework for Action and Cooperation LIFE will benefit from UNESCO‘s next biennial plan (2012-2013) that emphasizes literacy