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Ways of Working


Educational: A Collective Endeavour
Influencing and Sustaining International
Generating and Applying Knowledge
Evaluation and Performance Measurement
Creative Use of Expertise
Conclusion

To give reality to the educational objectives of DFID's White Paper Eliminating World Poverty, Education for All, the IDG targets, and the more specific benchmarks set out in country strategy papers, requires a strong commitment to improved ways of working and greater equality in the relationships which define resource transfer, sector reform and programme design.

At best, external assistance has the potential to bring additional resources and the benefits of international experience to bear on the challenge of education for development. At worst it can place conflicting demands on fragile government systems and sustain unequal power relationships.

Educational: A Collective Endeavour

DFID will continue to contribute to national and international efforts to define more effective ways of working to achieve common goals. We will sustain long-term, country programmes where these have the potential to contribute substantively to the goals of UPE, gender equality, literacy, skills development and knowledge creation.

We will support governments prepared to give leadership to collective ways of working, both internally, and with external agencies. The Code of Conduct for Education Sector Funding Agencies developed by the EU and reviewed by a group of Ministers and officials from developing countries offers one way forward. The success of this type of approach will be monitored carefully.

DFID will seek to develop stronger partnerships with bilateral agencies in defining supportive ways of working and in the sharing of collective experience.

Influencing and Sustaining International

Influencing and Sustaining International Commitments and Programmes

DFID will work to sustain the international commitment and consensus on education for all which has developed during the 1990s. It is imperative that this support is maintained at the highest political levels. DFID will play its part in key international fora. We will argue for a coherent international approach to resource transfers for basic education, for social sector priorities to be central to debt reduction negotiations and for the protection of education budgets.

DFID will work with the Education for All Forum; the UN system, EU member states in the context of Horizon 2000; the World Bank at a country level and through joint international initiatives; the Commonwealth; regional banks and with other bilateral agencies.

DFID will continue its support for specialised agencies which have the potential to work productively through cooperation. The Association for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA) is one such mechanism. DFID will continue to lead ADEA's specialised group on books and learning materials. The Commonwealth of Learning (COL) offers a valuable network and source of expertise for learning through distance education. We will continue to support innovative practice through project finance and through a seat on the COL Board of Governors.

Generating and Applying Knowledge

DFID will encourage in-country applied research and innovation where this has the potential to address major constraints in achieving key policy objectives. This may be through project activity, the work of NGOs and CSOs, research institutes and the private sector. Channels for providing this support will include projects, institutional link programmes and tailor-made training packages. This work may be part of a sector wide programme or consist of separate initiatives which are consistent with the objectives of sector policy development, for example in the areas of girls' education, literacy, and basic skills development.

We intend to develop our own capacity to generate, disseminate and use knowledge about education in order to enhance our corporate contribution to development. We shall expand our research outreach, and include knowledge gained from best practice in the programmes with which we work in cooperation with governments, agencies and institutions.

Evaluation and Performance Measurement

DFID needs to ensure that its contribution to the goals agreed nationally and internationally is carefully monitored and evaluated. We will support initiatives to strengthen the capacity to collect, interpret and use data within countries, and internationally through agencies such as UNESCO's Institute of Statistics, and within DFID itself.

Creative Use of Expertise

Within the United Kingdom there is a rich education and development resource. This resides in other government departments, in tertiary academic and training institutions, international NGOs with strong education programmes, specialised project and research management groups, examinations and qualifications bodies and parts of the private sector. DFID is committed to strengthening its links with this varied and experienced constituency where this will contribute to the achievement of our education goals. DFID will strengthen its own institutional base for education. We shall increase the number of in-country advisers to ensure that we are able to contribute fully to the development of a collective partnership. We will reshape our knowledge and research strategy to ensure it is more closely aligned to major policy objectives and has a stronger base in developing countries. We will share cross-national information and evaluation more effectively, including through the Internet and our Website.

DFID will not, and should not, limit its use of educational expertise to Britain. We will draw on institutional and individual capacity from Europe, the Commonwealth and the many developing countries with whom we work.

Conclusion

There is no one single magic route to bring about more effective ways of working together to meet a common set of objectives. In-country leadership which derives its authority from a popular and shared vision of better education for development is the most important constituent of effective cooperation and international partnership. DFID can bring a range of experience and resources to build on national partnerships. For many developing countries, achieving UPE, gender equality, and improved levels of literacy, providing new skills and generating knowledge for development will require long-term, sustained international support. DFID brings this commitment to its work in education.


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