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Strategic Review of the EDUCO ProgramJuly 2010MINED will need to approach these partners to obtain financing and technical assistance. MINED has avaluable opportunity to invite donors and private enterprise to join in this effort.Steps for ImplementationThe most important thing about the steps for implementation is to be realistic about: a) the speed ofchange; b) properly sequencing the changes, knowing that some are immediate, and others gradual; c)deciding who should be involved and lead each aspect of the change; d) the internal management orcoordination of all aspects of such a relatively complex change; and e) achieving a unified message thatthis change is being made to improve the quality of learning. Precisely because of these considerations,the research team has developed a matrix for implementation. It explains and justifies, first, the conceptof each step in the implementation. Second, it proposes who should be responsible and a timeframe forimplementation. Third, it explains budgeting issues to keep in mind regarding the costs of each step andoutlines how to calculate them, emphasizing that here we are only referring to the costs of the changeitself.The matrix has three main phases: a) the macro design; b) preparation for implementation; and c)implementation of the proposal in schools. These phases are accompanied by a general cost analysis.It should be noted that many of the proposals are actions that can be taken (and in many cases will bedone) in a general manner. Likewise, this exercise has limits on the level of detail to which the researchteam can go and that only those who make the decisions in MINED will address this level of detail inthe design phase.Macro design phaseThis is the most important and most sensitive phase of the entire process. In this design phase, it is fundamentalto ensure that implementation of the proposal takes into account all steps efficiently and doesnot leave out important aspects of implementation. This macro design phase is when the changes shouldbe properly sequenced.The macro design phase includes the formation of the task force inside MINED that will develop thework plan for the preparatory phase of implementation in the schools. Responsibility falls on this groupfor defining the actions related to the budget, and the strategies for external consultation, communication,the legal framework, and monitoring and evaluation.During this design phase, MINED and the stakeholders will made decisions about the nature of thechanges that will be implemented in the system. The design phase for each of the main decisions willinvolve a substantial process of consultations with teachers, parents, educators, and other stakeholdersthroughout society. MINED will form a working team to lead each process—human resources,school management, and governance in the new unified structure. This is where the composition, choice52
Strategic Review of the EDUCO ProgramJuly 2010mechanism, term of the school governance entity and its functions and responsibilities, etc. will be determined.Here is where it will be decided what the relationship will be between the school governanceboard and the rest of the parents, whether or not they belong to an assembly. The relationship betweenthe board and the school principal will also be decided. Supervision and accountability processes willbe determined. Here also, a review will be done of the specific responsibilities of the principal and themechanisms for accountability, choice, length of the principal’s term, choice mechanisms, and the rolesof the Boards and the Court. The regulatory and legal framework will be clarified.On the topic of human resources management, the creation of the teacher performance standards andtheir application, the teachers’ contractual relationship, and the coverage of principal positions for all theschools will be determined in this phase. The Social Education Plan puts forward the development of aculture of teacher performance evaluation (with emphasis on classroom practice and students’ academicoutcomes), within the strategic line of teacher advancement. This is a huge step toward ensuring thatteachers have high expectations about what is expected of them and of their enormous contribution tothe future of the country. It is a task of transparency to ensure that the teachers’ role is clear to society,to parents, and to students, and that it motivates recognition of the work of teachers, which producesmore incentives and enables the system to attract the best teachers. However, on the other hand, teacherperformance standards will push MINED and the universities to offer the best system for developingteacher skills and making them effective instructors. By establishing standards, it will be possible to developa teacher performance monitoring system that is linked to student achievement monitoring, and tothe establishment of incentives (not only monetary ones) for attaining quality and equity in learning. Onthis point, it will also be decided what employment options teachers will have, in a way that enables asubstantial degree of accountability to the community. Finally, it will be decided what support structureswill be necessary to support schools and teachers.Once the MINED authorities and the internal task force in charge of the design make decisions aboutthe technical issues, the consultation and communications strategy, and monitoring and evaluation, thisphase will conclude with a general work plan and an estimated budget as a final output.Preparatory phaseDuring this preparatory phase, the elements of the proposal that were already decided upon during thedesign phase, which will be implemented in the third phase, will be developed. In this preparation, thefollowing will be defined:• The legal framework necessary for establishing the new school organizational structure, and thedefinition, updating, or amendment of procedures and roles in the schools.• The instruments and documents that are needed for implementing the unification of theeducation system in the schools.• The training manuals and plans for principals, parents, advisors, and departmental teams.53
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