1. 13th Regional Meeting of National EFA Coordinators: The Big Push
Introduction to thematic group discussions
Gwang-Chol Chang, UNESCO Bangkok
26-27 February 2013 Imperial Queen’s Park Hotel Bangkok, Thailand

2. Outline Framing the context for EFA acceleration
Thematic areas for discussion
Directions for group exercise

3. EFA Policy Intervention Logic
Provision of quality education for all
Objective:
Building blocks
Means:
Goal:
Formation of human resources for national development
Access
Quality
With Equity
Efficiency and effectiveness of determining factors

4. School / Classroom Factors Monitoring and Evaluation
Means:
Building blocks
Efficiency and effectiveness of determining factors
Policy and Planning
Education Policy
Planning
Financing
Human Resource Management
ICT
Governance
Alternative Learning Opportunities
School / Classroom Factors
Environment
Curriculum
Pedagogy
Classroom Assessment
Instructional Materials
School Leadership
Monitoring and Evaluation
Examination System
Review Processes
Accountability
Partnerships
Domestic
International
Private Sector
And many others …

5. School / Classroom Factors
Six Thematic Areas for Discussion
Provision of quality education for all
Objective:
Building blocks
Means:
Goal:
Formation of human resources for national development
Access
Quality
With Equity
Efficiency and effectiveness of determining factors
Policy and Planning
Financing
Governance
Alternative Learning Opportunities
School / Classroom Factors
Pedagogy
Partnerships
Domestic
International
Private Sector

6. Challenges to EFA
Achieving equitable access and quality is undermined by lack of:
Innovative, targeted funding
Capable, transparent and accountable governance
Appropriate, diverse alternative learning opportunities
Child-centred, pro-learning pedagogy
Sound, coordinated partnerships

7. Group exercise Six groups Equity Financing of education
Improving learning
Alternative learning opportunities
Governance
Partnerships
Common discussion points
What are the specific examples of promising initiatives?
Are there any lessons learned from the experience?
What are the factors that enabled this experience to be a successful story?
What additional support (esp. technical and analytical) needed to upscale this experience?
Any advice to those interested in your experience?

8. Thematic area 1: Inclusion
General considerations:
Equity and quality are the two sides of the same coin: e.g. inequitable education systems also lag behind in international learning tests
Inequity in education leads to inequity in future life and work
Analysis of equity involves disaggregating data by: e.g. gender, geographical location, sociocultural groupings, income quintiles
To discuss
Broadly:
What are the main obstacles to accomplish the right to education?
Do education policies and plans explicitly allocate more resources to support education of the disadvantaged?
Are education statistics and indicators disaggregated for different groups of students?
Specifically (promising practices, lessons and advice):
Measures for free education for the disadvantaged children
Measures to improve learning for low performing and/or the disadvantaged children

9. Thematic area 2: Financing of education
General considerations:
The needs always exceed available resources, therefore prioritization
Priorities often conflict (e.g. short vs. long-term results, equity vs. efficiency, etc.)
Trend in financing: declining development aid, domestic budgetary constraints.
To discuss
Broadly:
Are there sufficient resources, to achieve policy objective?
Are resources allocated equitably, to address marginalization?
Are resources used efficiently, to optimize use of allocated budget?
Specifically (promising practices, lessons and advice):
Targeting resource allocation to reduce disparities
Measures to mitigate the misuse and leakage of funds (at various levels: state, local and schools)
Creating enabling policy environment for effective actions through linking policy intent, planning and budgeting

10. Thematic area 3: Improving learning
General considerations:
Increased emphasis on the centrality of quality learning for all, amidst decline of learning outcomes in several countries
Many building blocks are contributing factors for improving learning: key classroom factors include curriculum, pedagogy and assessment
Curriculum to be relevant to the needs of society/economy, inclusive of the needs of all learners, and adjustable to global and local needs
To discuss
Broadly:
What is the gap between intended and actual curriculum?
Are teaching methods and assessment aligned to curricular aims and promoting learning?
Specifically (promising practices, lessons and advice):
Use of learning assessment tests to improve policy and student learning
Support to teachers and for teaching to improve learning outcomes, especially in disadvantaged areas an/or low performing schools

11. Thematic area 4: School governance
General considerations:
Public governance is concerned with the process, i.e. the way stakeholders interact, agreements are reached and decisions are implemented
School governance is the level of interaction between local communities, school leadership and teachers (and also, to a lesser degree, students)
To discuss
Broadly:
What is the capacity of administrators/managers, esp. at local level?
How is information on education system and sector performance disseminated and used (e.g. transparency and accountability)?
Specifically (promising practices, lessons and advice):
The level of community involvement in school management
Policies and measures to improve transparency and accountability: e.g. mechanisms in place to hold public officials and service providers accountable for use of resources and delivery of outcomes

12. Thematic area 5: Alternative schooling
General considerations:
Formal schooling for all at primary level is ensuring the minimum level of the right to education
Children who missed out normal schooling should be provided alternative schooling opportunities – primarily state’s responsibility
To discuss
Broadly:
Is there a clear government policy to provide second-chance education and/or alternative schooling for those with low or no foundation skills?
Is there a mechanism to facilitate recognition of alternative, non-formal and informal learning to facilitate integration into formal schooling and continuous learning?
Specifically (promising practices, lessons and advice):
Government role and budget to support alternative schooling
Harnessing the potential of technology to enhance learning opportunities for young people

13. Thematic area 6: Partnerships
General considerations:
Domestic: relationship between state and non-state institutions
International: coordination of development partners to support government priorities
The role of government is key: regulating, facilitating and advancing partnerships
To discuss
Broadly:
What is the role of the government in relation to leading, regulating, supporting and coordinating partnerships?
To what extent are non-state actors involved in the provision and finance of education services?
Specifically (promising practices, lessons and advice):
Level of government leadership and donor coordination in aid-recipient countries
Non-state stakeholders’ initiatives to provide education for disadvantaged groups and areas

14. Directions for group exercise (six groups)
Pre-discussion (10 min.):
Selection of Chair and Rapporteur (among country representatives)
Introduction of participants
Presentation of the scope of discussion (by theme facilitators)
Discussion (50 min.)
What are the specific examples of promising initiatives?
Are there any lessons learned from the experience?
What are the factors that enabled this experience to be a successful story?
What additional support (esp. technical and analytical) needed to upscale this experience?
Any advice to those interested in your experience?
Post-discussion (15 min.):
Summary of the discussion by Chair/Rapporteur
1 or 2 promising experiences to “take away” by country
Preparation of the group report to the plenary by Chair/Rapporteur, , with support from facilitators/note takers