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The Global Economic Recession: Rethinking “Education for All” (EFA) Sustainability

Mary Goretti NakabugoIrish-African Partnership for Research Capacity Building (IAPRCB)

Mary Immaculate College, University of Limerick, Ireland

goretti.nakabugo@mic.ul.ie / gnakabugo@yahoo.co.uk

DSA Conference 2009Contemporary Crises and New OpportunitiesUniversity of Ulster, Coleraine Campus 2nd – 4th September 2009University of UlsterCOLERAINE

The global economic

crisis threatens efforts

to reduce poverty

and achieve other

development targets,

such as EFA

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Economic Threat to EFA

EFA in poor nations has depended mainly on donor funding.

Developed nations are rethinking their expenditures – including international development.

They might honour commitments to EFA till 2015,

But what will happen after that?

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Is the global financial crisis a wake-up call to reconsider approaches to EFA provision?

What strategies have low-income nations put in place to consolidate UPE gains and ensure EFA sustainability?

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External Funding for EFA

“Aid to basic education in low-income countries more than doubled between 2000 and 2004, but decreased significantly in 2005” UNESCO 2007, p.1).

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External Funding for EFA

“Commitments to basic education increased from US$2.7 billion to US$5.1 billion in 2004 before declining to US$3.7 billion in 2005” (UNESCO 2007: P.3).

It is projected that if pledges are met, bilateral aid to basic education will likely reach US$5 billion a year in 2010, far below the US$11 billion a year required to reach the EFA goals

Implication?

“…the years ahead will require unwavering political will to consistently ensure that education from early childhood onwards is a national priority, to engage governments, civil society and the private sector in creative partnerships, and to generate dynamic coordination and support from the

international community” (Matsuura in UNESCO, 2007: i).

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Paper Focus

This paper is a synthesis of EFA data and National Development Plans of the four African countries participating in the Irish-African Partnership for Research Capacity Building (IAPRCB) with a view to examining their approach and progress towards EFA attainment and sustainability.

Malawi Mozambique Tanzania Uganda

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Progress towards EFA Globally – Some Highlights

According to the 2008 EFA Global Monitoring Report (UNESCO 2007, p.1):

primary school enrolments rose from 647 million to 688 million worldwide between 1999-2005, with an increment of 36% in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Out of the 129 countries, 51 have achieved or are close to achieving EFA.

53 countries are in an intermediate position 25 are far from achieving EFA as a whole.

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EFA Progress in the 4 Countries

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Malawi Mozambique Tanzania Uganda

Net Enrolment at primary level

95% 95.5% 94.8% 84%

Projected Status by 2015

High chance of achieving EFA by 2015

High chance of achieving EFA by 2015

High chance of achieving EFA by 2015

Likely to achieve EFA by 2015

Highlights on the Devt Status of the 4 countries

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Malawi Mozambique Tanzania Uganda

Popn Est 13,931,831 22,894,000 40,000,000 30,900,000

GDP per capita

US$312 US$465 US$512 US$453

% of popn living in poverty

52.4% 54.1% 33.3% 31%

Major econ activity

Agriculture Agriculture Agriculture Agriculture

HDI and position out of 177

Low

164

Low

172

Low

159

Medium

154

Sustainability Strategies in the 4 countries

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Malawi Mozambique Tanzania Uganda

Agric & food security

Education Focus on rural-oriented sectors

Facilitate growth in incomes of poor

Irrigation and water devt

Health Infrastructure and social services

Increase productivity

Transport and infrastructure devt

Agric & rural devt Improve agriculture Security and conflict resolution

Energy generation and supply

Basic infrastructure Governance

Integrated rural devt Good governance Human resource development

Prevention & mgt of nutrition disorders, HIV/AIDs

Macro-econ & financial mgt

What does the future hold?

The economic recession raises the need to think beyond 2015 – it is not business as usual

Need to think of realistic and sustainable approaches to education provision

Possible to embark on what Takyi-Amoako (2009: p.1) has termed “an exit strategy out of development aid dependency”?

Rethinking beyond EFA to education that is for the qualitative growth of individuals who are able to impact meaningfully on their communities and contexts

Back to the future? A personal Story

Would it help to strive for free Quality Higher Education?

So that parents have

something to look forward to?