06.01.2015 Views

Child Poverty in Mozambique. A Situation and Trend ... - Unicef

Child Poverty in Mozambique. A Situation and Trend ... - Unicef

Child Poverty in Mozambique. A Situation and Trend ... - Unicef

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

Create successful ePaper yourself

Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.

The M<strong>in</strong>istry of Education <strong>and</strong> Culture, the M<strong>in</strong>istry of F<strong>in</strong>ance <strong>and</strong> the M<strong>in</strong>istry<br />

of State Adm<strong>in</strong>istration (MAE) each have different teacher numbers figures. A<br />

reconciliation exercise is currently underway to address this situation.<br />

Address<strong>in</strong>g these issues has necessitated a change <strong>in</strong> the structure <strong>and</strong> emphasis<br />

of external assistance. Aid to education has historically been channelled <strong>in</strong>to discrete<br />

capital <strong>in</strong>vestment projects, as opposed to recurrent budget activities, <strong>and</strong> <strong>in</strong> particular<br />

teachers’ salaries. This is now chang<strong>in</strong>g. As has happened <strong>in</strong> the health sector, sector<br />

budget support through the sector common fund (FASE) has <strong>in</strong>creas<strong>in</strong>gly come to<br />

f<strong>in</strong>ance programmes of a nature usually f<strong>in</strong>anced by the current budget. The FASE is<br />

an ever more important channel for donor activities <strong>in</strong> the sector, f<strong>in</strong>anc<strong>in</strong>g the Direct<br />

Support to Schools programme (ADE), low-cost school construction, book distribution<br />

<strong>and</strong> <strong>in</strong>-service teacher tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g (CRESCER) (GoM <strong>and</strong> PAP, 2005). Figure 4.22 shows<br />

total FASE donor commitments from 2003 to 2009. Fund<strong>in</strong>g is set to <strong>in</strong>crease by an<br />

average of US$10.6 million per annum over the period if commitments are delivered.<br />

This will help to ensure that the ratio of current spend<strong>in</strong>g on goods <strong>and</strong> services to<br />

spend<strong>in</strong>g on salaries is ma<strong>in</strong>ta<strong>in</strong>ed at a reasonable level. The second Education <strong>and</strong><br />

Culture Strategic Plan targets 33 per cent <strong>in</strong> 2009. Us<strong>in</strong>g FASE funds to pay teacher’s<br />

salaries is not an option, as salaries must be met through the current budget.<br />

Figure 4.22: Common fund (FASE) donor commitments, 2003 – 2009<br />

80<br />

70.8<br />

.Million US$<br />

60<br />

55.7<br />

61.2<br />

40<br />

40.1<br />

20<br />

24.2<br />

28.1<br />

0<br />

7.3<br />

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009<br />

Source: MEC<br />

On the f<strong>in</strong>ancial resources side, recruitment needs therefore dem<strong>and</strong> an <strong>in</strong>crease<br />

<strong>in</strong> the level of government-wide General Budget Support (GBS) coupled with<br />

an agreement between the M<strong>in</strong>istry of Plann<strong>in</strong>g <strong>and</strong> Development, the M<strong>in</strong>istry<br />

of F<strong>in</strong>ance <strong>and</strong> the M<strong>in</strong>istry of Education <strong>and</strong> Culture on accompany<strong>in</strong>g teacher<br />

recruitment <strong>and</strong> tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g targets with<strong>in</strong> the sector. Moreover, efforts to br<strong>in</strong>g more<br />

sector fund<strong>in</strong>g on-budget will <strong>in</strong>crease the <strong>in</strong>formation available to the M<strong>in</strong>istry<br />

of Plann<strong>in</strong>g <strong>and</strong> Development <strong>and</strong> the M<strong>in</strong>istry of F<strong>in</strong>ance regard<strong>in</strong>g total public<br />

resources <strong>in</strong> the sector, <strong>and</strong> should therefore be accompanied by clear targets <strong>and</strong><br />

dialogue between these central agencies <strong>and</strong> the sector about recurrent resource<br />

requirements to avoid stagnation or reductions <strong>in</strong> the “<strong>in</strong>ternal” component.<br />

168 CHILDHOOD POVERTY IN MOZAMBIQUE: A SITUATION AND TRENDS ANALYSIS

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!