Implementing Education Decentralization Donald Winkler RTI International EGAT/ED Global Sector Training Workshop August 8, 2005

Why Focus on Decentralization?  Decentralization is a dominant policy direction in many countries.  Questions about design and implementation.  Questions about impact: Quality, equity, efficiency, and democratization.  Our EQUIP2 focus: Implementation, accountability, finance.

EQUIP2 Activities  Knowledge sharing, development of analytic framework, tools to facilitate implementation.  Policy and Country Briefs: Synthesis of good international practices—information, report cards, accountability, finance.  Decentralization Workshop: Develop toolkit to facilitate implementation.

International Experience  Decentralization is global. Long ago: Federal Countries Yesterday: Latin America Today: Asia and Africa.

What is Education Decentralization?  Two basic types of education decentralization: School Autonomy: Delegate responsibilities to schools Devolution: Devolve responsibilities to governments Hybrid Model: Devolution with Autonomy

Education Decentralization  Devolution—Argentina, Brazil, Indonesia, Pakistan, Spain  School Autonomy—El Salvador, Kenya, Nicaragua, Armenia, New Zealand  Hybrid—Egypt, Peru

Devolution: Argentina  Rapid devolution to provincial governments.  Continued centralized control at provincial level.  Slow transformation of central MOE.  No impact at school level despite major reform.

Autonomy: El Salvador  Schools managed by community associations [ACEs]—full autonomy.  Rapidly increase access in remote areas.  Capacity not a constraint.  MOE capitation grants.

Hybrid: South Africa  Devolution to provincial governments.  School Governing Boards manage budgets.  Block grants to provinces and capitation grants to schools.  Increased access and fiscal equity.  Important role of analysis.

Some Lessons Learned  Devolution—little impact on quality.  School autonomy—more promising.  MOE--essential implementation role.  Critical role of information and standards in accountability.  Active participation of parents and teachers—necessary condition for quality.

Implementing Decentralization  “Big Bang” Decentralization policy designed and implemented very quickly E.g. Indonesia (2 years), Argentina (6 months)  “Go Slow” Decentralization policy designed and implemented over many years E.g. South Africa and Peru (4-5 years) Spain (20 years)

“Big Bang” vs. “Go Slow”  “Big Bang” approach may result in poor policy design that makes implementation difficult but quickly creates a fait accompli.  “Go Slow” gives policy makers time to pay attention to details and gives reform opponents time to block significant change.  Either approach has significant risks for successful implementation.

Education Decentralization Toolkit  Three day workshop for key stakeholders.  Highly interactive exercises.  Tools to: Create a common vision Link decentralization to quality Identify obstacles to implementation Re-engineer processes Meet conditions for accountability Set priorities for moving ahead

Toolkit Objectives  Identify obstacles to implementation  Foster communication and build consensus  Develop agreement about priority objectives  Put the focus on teaching and learning in the classroom  Understand international lessons learned  Create understanding of the complexity and size of the implementation task.  Realize the need to restructure the MOE to support decentralized education

Education Decentralization Matrix FunctionNationalRegionalLocalSchool Governance Finance Personnel Students Curriculum Facilities

Examples of Tools  Reverse Process Engineering

Egypt Experience  Participants: Ministries of Education, Higher Education, Finance, and Local Administration; Governorates  Content: Emphasis on design, focus on quality, communication, international experience, identify Egyptian successes.

Resources on Decentralization  Additional Resources USAID web site: EQUIP2  World Bank website  www1.worldbank.org/publicsector www1.worldbank.org/publicsector RTI Education Finance & Decentralization Conference Website 

Implementing Education Decentralization  Three countries: Peru [Fernando Bolaños] Uganda [David Bruns] Zambia [Cornelius Chipoma]  Three questions: Country setting and status of decentralization? Key difficulties in implementation? USAID assistance strategies?