1. Brief on EFA MDA Guideline
National Training Workshop on Mid-Decade Assessment for EFA
25 – 26 January 2007
Islamabad, PAKISTAN

2. Introduction
Endorsed in principle during the Regional Thematic Working Group on EFA meeting in Bangkok on 27 July 2006.
Provide a framework for the analysis of relevant indicators for the six EFA Goals through the use of disaggregated data to identify disparities
In addition to the traditional statistics at national level;
Marginalized and excluded groups at the sub-national level.
Should help countries to take charge of their national EFA assessment.
For those involved in preparing the National EFA MDA Assessment, such as: Policy Analysts, Statistical Analysts; Report Writers.

3. Analysis Framework
Considers the full cycle of education planning and implementation.
From the perspective of each goal:

4. General Principle on Gender
Disaggregated by Sex where as possible
Report must be Gender Sensitive

5. Indicators for the Six EFA Goals
The guidelines proposes three subsets of indicators that address the complete policy cycle:
Policy and System Indicators
Core Indicators
Additional Indicators

6. Indicators for the Six EFA Goals
Policy and System Indicators
Nationally Specific
A review of the institutional settings in place, to support the achievement of a particular EFA goal
Designed to allow countries to provide substantive, qualitative responses on topics such partnerships, capacities and policies.

7. Indicators for the Six EFA Goals
Core EFA MDA Indicators
Approximately 50, requiring quantitative data sets at as many levels of disaggregation as possible
All countries are expected to report on these Core Indicators.

8. Indicators for the Six EFA Goals
Additional Indicators
For countries with refined EMIS data sets available, or have conducted MICS, DHS or other surveys recently
Not mandatory for all countries
To provide a more comprehensive analysis for each goal.

9. Organization of the Guideline
A statement of the EFA Goal and extended narrative description of the goal and its elements
A set of Guiding Questions to help clarify the goal and its explicit and implicit significance and implications for assessment at national and sub-national levels.
An indication of the core data sets required, identifying the minimum data needs that has to be available and how these data can be disaggregated. It includes possible sources of these data.
A set of Policy and System Indicators to assess the policy context, process and conditions in which each particular goal and implemented programme exists

10. Organization of the Guideline
A set of core EFA MDA indicators for the purpose of sub-regional and regional comparison
A set of additional EFA MDA indicators for consideration in undertaking the national assessment, covering areas of input, process, outcomes and impact which are all critical for a complete analysis of each particular goal
Reference Information
Other relevant tools and mathematical calculation of some of the core EFA indicators

11. Examples from EFA Goal 5: 1. Statement of the EFA Goal
Measuring Progress towards EFA Goal 5:
Eliminating gender disparities in primary and secondary education by 2005, and achieving gender equality in education by 2015, with a focus on ensuring girls’ full and equal access to and achievement in basic education of good quality
What is meant by “gender” and “gender equality”?
Is it an issue which runs across all the EFA goals?
The need to ensure a ‘gender lens’ in all aspects of EFA MDA
From gender parity to gender equality
Each EFA goal has an individual chapter: Early Childhood Care and Education, Achieving Universal Primary/ Basic Education, Life Skills and Life-Long Learning, Literacy, Gender Parity and Equality, Quality Education
Examples for this presentation will be taken from the Gender Parity and Equality Chapter
A statement of the EFA Goal and extended narrative description of the goal and its
elements.
Gender example:
Gender
refers to “the roles and responsibilities of men and women that are created in our families, our
societies and our cultures. The concept of gender also includes the expectations held about the
characteristics, aptitudes and likely behaviours of both women and men” (source: UNESCO Gender
Toolkit). It is clearly distinguished from sex, which describes the biological differences between men
and women. “Gender equality” means that “women and men have equal conditions for realizing their
full human rights and for contributing to, and benefiting from, economic, social, cultural and political
development”. It is therefore the equal valuing by society of the similarities and the differences and
their roles they play (source: UNESCO Gender Toolkit).

12. 2. Set of Guiding Questions
Goal Statement
Guiding Questions (a selection)
– Is sex disaggregated data also complemented by other disparity indicators (e.g. urban/rural, ethnicities, disabilities, language, etc.)?
– Are there any specifically targeted policies or strategies to eliminate gender disparities in education?
– Where do you find gender disparities in basic education? Are they in terms of enrollment, drop-out, repetition, survival, transition from primary to secondary education?, In all or in some?
Eliminating gender disparities in primary education secondary education by 2005, and
– Is sex disaggregated data also complemented by other disparity indicators (e.g. urban/rural, ethnicities, disabilities, language, etc.)?
– Are there any specifically targeted policies or strategies to eliminate gender disparities in education?
– Where do you find gender disparities in basic education? Are they in terms
of enrollment, drop-out, repetition, survival, transition from primary to
secondary education?, In all or in some?
– How is gender equality understood in the ministry of education/government?
– Are there a specific unit/departments or person responsible for enforcing and/or monitoring the progress towards gender equality in education in the ministry of education or in the government?
-Is gender training provided to all teaching professionals? to ministry of education staff? Does the principal treat male and female teachers the same?
– Has there been any gender scan carried out on the curriculum, textbooks,and supplementary teaching/learning materials?
achieving gender equality in education by 2015, focus on ensuring girls‘ full and equal access to ensuring girls’ achievement in basic education of good quality
– How is gender equality understood in the ministry of education/government?
– Are there a specific unit/departments or person responsible for enforcing and/or monitoring the progress towards gender equality in education in the ministry of education or in the government?
-Is gender training provided to all teaching professionals? to ministry of education staff? Does the principal treat male and female teachers the same?
– Has there been any gender scan carried out on the curriculum, textbooks,
and supplementary teaching/learning materials?
A series of guiding questions that will help clarify the goal and its explicit and implicit
significance and implications for assessment at national and sub-national levels. In each
chapter of these guidelines, the elements contained in each of the six goals have been
broken down for individual analysis and interpretation. Individual consideration of the
elements of each goal should assist in providing a clearer picture of what needs to be
achieved in order to “attain” the goal. If each element of the goal is achieved, does this
mean that the goal has been attained? And what does it mean if not all elements of the goal
are attained? These are issues that should be considered when assessing how to achieve
the EFA goals. The purpose of these questions is to provide a basis for deeper reflection on
the issues surrounding the Goal and to revive the broader discussion from Dakar around
which these Goals were reported. It is not intended for the EFA MDA Report to answer
these questions. Rather, they are seen as a guide in influencing national debate in building
up to the preparation of the national report.
These should provide a clearer picture of what needs to be achieved in order to ‘attain’ the goal
If each element of the goal is achieved, does this mean that the goal has been attained?
What does it mean if not all elements of the goal are attained?

13. 3. The core data sets required
Identify the minimum data needs that has to be available
How this data can be disaggregated
Possible Sources of these data
Both qualitative and quantitative indicators
Beyond the EFA 18 core indicators
Disaggregated by sex and other relevant categories
Core Data Sets Required
Disaggregation
Data Sources
Teachers/
Administrators
Sex
Geographical Region
Urban/ Rural
Public/ Private
Level of Training (certificate, degree, etc.)
Annual School Census
EMIS
Education Staffing Database
Identify the minimum data needs that has to be available
How this data can be disaggregated
Possible Sources of these data
Both qualitative and quantitative indicators beyond the EFA 18 core indicators should be included and disaggregated by sex and other relevant categories, in order to provide a complete picture of the gender situation
An indication of the core data sets required, which identifies the minimum data needs
that has to be available and how these data can be disaggregated. It also includes the
possible sources of these data.

14. 4. A set of Policy and System Indicators
1. Definition and Purpose:
Review existing education legislation, policy and reforms in light of the provisions within CEDAW
Identify exemplary aspects of legislation or policy, or aspects that need to be revised or addressed
5.1
Policy / System Indicators
5.1.1
What legislative, policy and institutional reform exist that are in conformance with the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW)?
A set of system/process indicators to assess, on more qualitative terms, the policy
context, process and conditions in which each particular goal and implemented programme
exists
CEDAW has clearly spelled out how gender discrimination is manifested in society and how these
can be overcome and eliminated. This indicator allows countries to review their existing education
legislation, policies and reforms in light of provisions within CEDAW. Responses to this question allows
the report to identify those specific aspects of legislation or policy that are either exemplary in terms of
their promotion of gender equality, or that need to be revised or addressed because they are either
gender discriminatory or allow for exploitation based on gender.
Interpretation
Education policy or legislation may inadvertently result in gender stereotypes being reinforced or
discriminatory practices being maintained. Without addressing underlying policies and frameworks,
little can be done in the long term to address gender discrimination. It is important that concrete
examples are included and that general comments or sweeping statements be supported with specific
references, for both positive and negative examples of conformity with provisions within CEDAW.
Means of Verification
Referring to actual policies and legislation is essential. It is also important that opportunities for
stakeholder inputs and comments and review (possibly through a presentation of the draft response
to a stakeholder team).
3. Means of Verification
Refer to actual policies and legislation
Opportunities for stakeholder inputs, comments and reviews, possibly through a presentation of the draft response to a stakeholder team
Interpretation
Need to address underlying policies and frameworks to address gender discrimination in the long term
Concrete examples must be included, general comments must be supported with specific references for both negative and positive examples of conformity with CEDAW

15. 5. Core EFA MDA indicators
Definition and Purpose
The GPI for Primary NIR is used to assess gender differences by appropriate age of intake.
Method of Calculation and Data Required
Gender Parity Index for NIR in Primary Education=
5.2
Indicators
Disaggregation
Data Source
5.2.5
Gender Parity Index for:
NER in Primary Education
Sex
Geographical Region
Urban/Rural
Other social and economic disaggregation such as
Ethnicity, Caste
Language
Disabilities
Annual School Census
Population Censuses
Household and specialised surveys
Each country is strongly encouraged to consider ALL these indicators whenever possible and applicable to national context
Possible Data Source
National EMIS
Nationally representative surveys such as MICS or DHS
Sub-national surveys
Interpretation
<1 indicates a difference in favor of males
>1 indicates a difference in favor of females
0.97 to 1.03 indicates gender parity
Limitations and Constraints
Disaggregated data by gender must be available

16. Proposed Core Indicators
Gender Parity Index for:
    Literacy
    GER in ECCE
    GIR in Primary Education
    NIR in Primary Education
    GER in Primary Education
    GER in Secondary Education
    NER in Primary Education
    NER in Secondary Education
    Survival rate to Grade 5
    Transition rate to Secondary Education

17. Proposed Core Indicators
Percent of Female Enrolment in
    Primary education
    Secondary education
    Vocational and technical education
Percent of Female Teachers in
Percent of repetition of girls and boys in primary and secondary levels

18. 6. Additional EFA MDA indicators
Follow the same format as the core indicators, but:
Data for these indicators may not be readily available in some countries, but may be critical to assess national goals and targets
Why include them?
To provide countries with the tools necessary to assess EFA in their own national context
To address, to the extent possible, the major obstacles and issues to achievement of EFA

19. 7. Reference Information: What is a gender lens?
An operational gender lens is:
A list of questions, a checklist, or list of criteria routinely used when elaborating training, research, work plans etc.
It is created in a participatory manner by those who will use it
It is recorded in pictures where literacy is low
It usually contains less than 10 points, focusing on the distinct realities of girls/women and boys/men
Many include: planning, implementing, monitoring and evaluating
Participation, needs and realities of women
Participation, needs and realities of men
Gender Equality
Gender
Lens to
Measure
the Child-
Friendliness
of Schools
Gender Lens to Create Curriculum
and Textbooks free of Gender Bias
Measuring the Gender-Responsiveness
of MoE Departments

20. How this can be used in the national EFA MDA report
As a technical reference
Guideline to identify and describe key issues in EFA Goals which to be describe in the report
To provide standard indicators to have information which are common to describe sub/regional situation with regards to the implementation and achievements

21. Further improvement
Collaborative efforts
Drawing the experience from fields
Continuous improvement
Not only to use for MDA but also for developing a systematic monitoring system

22. Further improvement 1. Overall structure and content
2. National Assessment Report Outline
On indicators:
3. General comments on existing core indicators, particularly with reference to disaggregation and interpretation
4. Specific recommendations for additional core indicators with justification and information on:
Definition and purpose
Disaggregation
Interpretation
Limitations and constraints
Source of the supporting information

23. Further improvement
5. General comments on existing additional indicators and specific references for additional indicators with justification and information on:
Definition and Purpose
Method of calculation
Interpretation
Source of the supporting information
6. General comments on existing Policy and Systems Indicators and specific references for additional indicators with justification and information on:
Definitions and Purpose
7. Considerations for terms to be included in a glossary