1 Five years after Dakar: Overview of progress and challenges in EFA Nicholas Burnett EFA Global Monitoring Report Ministerial Round Table on Education for All UNESCO, 7 October

2 Charts progress towards the six Dakar goals agreed to by 164 countries in 2000 Monitors international commitments to education Highlights effective policies and strategies, allows for comparisons between countries Draws attention to emerging challenges Analyses administrative data collected by UNESCO Institute for Statistics Reports on: Overall challenges (2002) Gender (2003/4) Quality (2005) Literacy (2006, launch on 9 November 2005) (Prepared by an independent team housed at UNESCO) The Education for All Global Monitoring Report

3 Education and literacy: an imperative for development Rights that permit access to other rights Human capabilities: widening choices Gender equality: empowering the disadvantaged Economic growth and poverty reduction: higher productivity, higher incomes Improved health, lower fertility and HIV/AIDS prevention Social cohesion and participation Sustainable development EFA is necessary but not sufficient for achieving equitable human development

4 Education and HIV/AIDS: Knowledge causes behaviour to change HIV prevalence in rural Uganda (%) by education category, (individuals aged 18-29)

5 Education for All Dakar Goals and Millennium Development Goals Goal 2: Achieve Universal primary education (Target 3: Completion of full primary schooling by all children by 2015) Goal 3. Promote gender equality and empower women (Target 4: eliminate gender disparity preferably by 2005 and no later than 2015) 1.Expanding early childhood care and education 2.Universal primary education by Equitable access to learning and life skills programmes for young people and adults 4.50% improvement in adult literacy rates by Gender parity by 2005 and gender equality by Improving quality of education MDGsEFA Goals LITERACY IS AT THE CORE

6 Globalisation and knowledge economies Sustained economic growth in the South Promises of increased aid Inequality worsening The shifting EFA context Big trends: Over 30 civil conflicts, all in low-income countries Natural disasters – Indian Ocean tsunami HIV/AIDS: child orphans, teacher shortage and absenteeism Fertility still high in regions with greatest EFA challenge Rapid expansion of secondary education Education under stress:

7 Expanding secondary education The number of secondary school students has risen four times faster than that of primary school students since 1998

8 Overall progress Countries far from meeting the goals, including 16 in sub-Saharan Africa The EFA Development Index covers 123 countries and incorporates the four most “quantifiable” EFA goals EDI less than 0.80 Countries have achieved the goals or are close to doing so Countries in intermediate position. In these countries, quality of education is an issue, especially in Latin America, and adult literacy in the Arab States.

9 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 Theme of 2007 EFA Global Monitoring Report A strong influence on future school performance, a positive impact on girls’ enrolment in primary Early childhood care and education

10 Universal primary education Sharp enrolment increases in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia About 100 million children still not enrolled in primary school -- 70% in Sub-Saharan Africa and South and West Asia 67 countries at risk of not achieving UPE by in 23 net enrolment ratios are declining Over 80 countries still charge fees Out-of-primary school children by region (in millions), 2002

11 Considerable progress in countries with lowest gender parity index 94 countries will miss 2005 gender parity target Disparities at primary level in over 60 countries are nearly always at the expense of girls At secondary level, boys under represented in 56 countries Gender Parity Gender parity index (F/M), Sub-Saharan Africa Arab States South/West Asia Central / EasternEurope Latin America/ Caribbean Central Asia East Asia/ Pacific N. America/ W. Europe primary secondary Gender parity

12 Gender parity Gender parity index (F/M), million adults without literacy, 75% live in 12 countries, 64% are women Literacy and adult learning

13 Literacy: what direct testing shows CONVENTIONAL statistics:  based on indirect assessments (official census figures rely on self-assessments or years of schooling) DIRECT assessments give policy-makers a more accurate picture of needs  Several countries (eg. Brazil, Botswana, China, Lao PDR, Morocco, U.R. Tanzania) have conducted direct assessments. All show that individuals overestimate their literacy skills Direct assessments suggest that the global literacy challenge is much greater

14 Drop-out: in 41 out of 133 countries with data, less than two-thirds of primary school pupils reach the last grade Large classrooms: pupil-teacher ratios on the rise in countries where education has expanded rapidly. Lack of teacher training and poor teacher conditions of service hinder learning in many low-income countries. Instructional time: few countries reach recommended 850-1,000 hours/year In many low-income countries more than one third of children have limited reading skills even after four to six years in school Education quality

15 Reading scores Changes between Sacmeq 1 and 2 Mauritius Kenya Average Zanzibar (U.R. Tanzania) Zambia Namibia Malawi SACMEQ I SACMEQ II Mean scores in reading

16 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 National resources: finance and quality

17 6% of GNP recommended on education spending not reached in majority of countries Public spending on education as share of national income increased between 1998 and 2002 in two-thirds of countries with data Education spending insufficient in countries where access and quality remain a top challenge (under 4% in in the majority of countries in Central Asia, South and West Asia and sub-Saharan Africa). Literacy typically receives less than 1% of national education budgets Efficiency of spending is an issue Public spending: making education a national priority

18 60% bilateral aid still going to post-secondary education. Total estimated annual external aid to education required to reach UPE of reasonable quality by 2015: $7 billion Bilateral and multilateral aid to basic education = $2.1 billion. New pledges could increase aid to $3.3 billion. A large funding gap remains. Aid is not going to regions where EFA challenge is greatest and countries with lowest EDI index. Fast Track Initiative : a key coordinating mechanism endorsed by G8 but resources so far raised are very small compared with requirements. International commitments The Dakar Pledge: No country seriously committed to education will be thwarted by lack of resources

19 Strong leading role by government – political commitment at highest levels to all EFA dimensions, including literacy and ECCE Act on obstacles to education – especially fees Recognize critical role of teachers: numbers, women teachers, training, conditions of service Build literate societies to encourage literacy for all Education as a societal project – engage civil society Assure policy continuity over time EFA: Policy pillars A holistic strategy is essential: all the goals, for children, youth and adults

20 Clear frameworks: Coordinate public, private and civil society programs Literacy educators: Adequate pay, professional status and training Budget for youth and adult literacy programs: integrate literacy into education sector planning Curricula that build on learners’ motivations and demands Language policy: start in mother tongue, smooth transition to learning in regional and official languages Literacy: A three-pronged approach 1. Universal quality basic education for girls and boys 2. Scale up youth and adult literacy programs 3. Develop rich literate environments

21 Setting Priorities for Action 1. All 6 EFA goals, plus lower secondary and literate environments 2. UPE: eliminate fees, inclusion policies 3. Gender parity: renew commitment 4. Quality at all levels: teachers, school health and nutrition 5. Literacy: move up on agenda, individual skills and literate societies; a lead government responsibility 6. Public finance: continue to increase, address inefficiency 7. Aid: double to basic education, focus on need, analytical and knowledge support

22 Accelerating the pace of change 100 million children out of school Girls: highly unequal chances Education quality too low 771+ million adults without literacy skills Rights denied Human potential lost Economic growth slowed Poverty persists Societies less participatory

23 EFA Global Monitoring Report EFA Global Monitoring Report Team c/o UNESCO 7, place de Fontenoy Paris 07 France