The Power of Persistence: Education System ... - EQUIP123.net

and building deep ownership. Even within this relatively stable environment,
personnel changes in key MOE departments, regional offices, and donor
agencies expose the system to different agendas and philosophies. In Namibia,
the potential negative impact of such changes was contained through governance
structures, such as the Steering Committee established for the USAID BES
1, 2 and 3 projects, which combined MOE, regional leadership, and USAID
representatives. In this type of structure, even dramatic leadership changes in
one or more offices are balanced by continuity in the rest of the committee.
Egypt has experienced considerable continuity in leadership, with one minister
of education holding office for 13 years and one president throughout the study
period. This continuity allowed for longer-term commitments and engagement
in, if nothing else, rhetorical reform—although it has also limited the flow of
new ideas and interventions found in a less static political environment. Egypt’s
political continuity and a degree of continuity in USAID/Egypt’s personnel
facilitated the development of good working relationships, and seem to have
contributed to facilitating the improved educational progress that one observed
after the turn of the century.
In Zambia, Educating Our Future and the SWAp process have provided
continuity by means of their joint planning and implementation structure,
intended to balance the government and donor forces. However, one of the
most significant reforms of the period—community schools—drew on the
National Education Policy and achieved both continuity and expansion
through strong grassroots support and more than a decade of involvement by
a constellation of donors, offsetting the relative neglect of this issue from the
MOE. These reforms gained broad support and became more important as a
way to achieve EFA-specified access goals.
Nicaragua has had four governments, six ministers of education, and countless
vice-ministers and director generals at all levels. In 2006, the Sandinista party
regained national leadership for the first time since 1990, bringing a new
team and agenda. Through consistent donor support and recognition of the
initiatives, and ultimately through strong school, district, and parent support,
there was continuity in one major reform, the Active School approach. The
other reform model, the Autonomous Schools, did not survive the political
change despite donor support in part because little effort was made to develop
consensus across political lines.
SECTION 3: SUMMARY fINdINGS ANd CONClUSIONS
145