The Power of Persistence: Education System ... - EQUIP123.net
The Power of Persistence: Education System ... - EQUIP123.net
The Power of Persistence: Education System ... - EQUIP123.net
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Impact<br />
This brief identifies five major sector changes during the reform era:<br />
• Development <strong>of</strong> and consistent programming against the National<br />
<strong>Education</strong> Policy<br />
• Primary Sector Expansion and Diversification <strong>of</strong> primary school operators<br />
• Strengthened Institutional Capacity and <strong>System</strong> Integrity <strong>of</strong> the Ministry<br />
• Increased sector leadership from MOE and coordination / integration <strong>of</strong><br />
cooperating partner contributions<br />
• Decentralization<br />
<strong>The</strong> National <strong>Education</strong> Policy: Educating Our Future (1996) was developed<br />
almost 15 years ago to provide guidelines for programming both Zambian and<br />
external funds against defined national priorities. Since that time, the plan has<br />
been the basis for three successive sector investment programs.<br />
Primary Sector Expansion and Diversification <strong>of</strong> primary school operators:<br />
Following enrollment stagnation in the 1990s, Zambian primary enrollment<br />
and supporting infrastructure realized significant expansion from 2002-2008.<br />
Between 2002-2006 primary school enrollment expanded by over one million<br />
students. Community schools accounted for almost half <strong>of</strong> the enrollment<br />
expansion and by 2006, community schools accounted for 30 percent <strong>of</strong> schools<br />
in Zambia and 16 percent <strong>of</strong> primary enrollees (up from less than 1 percent in the<br />
early 1990s). From the perspective <strong>of</strong> geographic coverage, community schools<br />
had become increasingly a part <strong>of</strong> the system, with community schools making<br />
up between 16 percent and 43 percent <strong>of</strong> all schools in urban and rural areas in<br />
all provinces.<br />
Strengthened Institutional Capacity and <strong>System</strong> Integrity <strong>of</strong> the Ministry:<br />
Starting from Educating Our Future, the Ministry has a 12-year legacy <strong>of</strong><br />
consistent and grounded sector planning, program implementation, management<br />
and systems administration and donor coordination experience. <strong>The</strong> succession<br />
<strong>of</strong> planning, implementation, and reviewing processes has realized a Ministry<br />
with increased capacity at the central and non-central level, strengthened<br />
the integrity <strong>of</strong> MOE systems, and helped the Ministry develop the tools and<br />
fora to lead inclusive planning and coordinated, regular evaluation <strong>of</strong> system<br />
performance. Of note: the Ministry EMIS system has become recognized as a<br />
common source <strong>of</strong> data for the Ministry and donor policy dialogue and joint<br />
assessment reviews.<br />
SECTION 2: lESSONS fROM COUNTRY CASE STUdIES<br />
117