REGIONAL MEETING ON UNESSREGIONAL MEETING ON UNESS

UNESS Guidance Note:

Building a UNESCO National Education Support Strategy (UNESS) Document:

2008-2013

ED/PFSDivision of Country Planning and Field Support

WHAT?WHAT?

The UNESS Guidance Note:

• Concise vs. comprehensive• Provide basic information for beginners or details for more

experienced Field Staff

Three (3) Chapters of the UNESS Guidance Note:

I. An introductory overview of the conceptII. The UNESS design processIII. The content of the UNESS document

I. OVERVIEW I. OVERVIEW 1. UNESS GUIDANCE NOTE - HISTORY1. UNESS GUIDANCE NOTE - HISTORY

A product of a collective endeavour, this guide has been designed along the following process:

In 2005

Early 2005, the UNESS (formerly CESS) concept emerged amid the ED reform process;

Nov 2005, a checklist of key UNESS aspects presented and discussed at the

ED Staff Seminar (incl. FOs);

In 2006

Early 2006:the checklist reviewed in light of the feedback

Apr 2006:draft guidelines “Building UNESCO National Education Support Strategies” presented to the ED Open Debate, and to the ED Reform Teams

Jun 2006:the ED Reform announced UNESS as an official tool for ED to plan 34 C/4 and C/5 and to define in-country strategies

Sep 2006:a pilot UNESS workshop held to draw lessons for improving UNESS

Oct/Nov 2006: This UNESS guide issued; reflecting the feedback of UNESCO Staff; also indicative, evolving and inclusive.

I. OVERVIEW I. OVERVIEW 2. PURPOSE OF THIS GUIDE2. PURPOSE OF THIS GUIDEWHAT DOES THE GUIDE DO?

1. Indicative answers to the questions arising when:

Launching the UNESS process for a given country; Analyzing national development policies, plans and priorities; Mapping donors’ interventions in-country; Reflecting and defining a UNESCO’s cooperation strategy; Engaging in consultation with national institutions and development

partners.

2. Indications on the features of each part of the UNESS document.

WHAT DOES THE GUIDE NOT DO?

Any ready-made prescriptions for complex, evolving situations “One-size-fits-all” solutions across diverse and different country contexts Specifying straitjackets (on e.g. number of pages, validation,

consultancy, etc.)

I. OVERVIEW I. OVERVIEW 3. WHAY UNESS?3. WHAY UNESS?

a. Countries asking UNESCO to improve its effectiveness (legitimacy):

• in response to national needs and priorities, • in partnership with UN and other agencies, • in congruence with international development goals

b. UNDG’s guiding principles on the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness:

• National plans at the centre of UN country programming• Strengthen national capacities• Use and strengthen national systems

c. UNESCO’s ED Sector Reform Directions on UNESS

• Developed for all MSs wishing to cooperate with UNESCO in education• The UNESS documents => building blocks for C/4 and C/5• Each UNESS document => the framework for RP workplans and

extrabudgetary fundraising in-country

I. OVERVIEW I. OVERVIEW 5. WHAT IS UNESS?5. WHAT IS UNESS?WHAT IT IS NOT?WHAT IT IS NOT?

UNESS is:• responding to national plans, in light of our mandate;• an analysis and interpretation of existing information;• complemented with discussion with relevant ministries and IDPs in-country; • building a cooperation strategy with the Government (and other IDPs).

UNESS is NOT: • an academic, research study• a typical education sector analysis or diagnosis• a primary data collection exercise.

II. PROCESS II. PROCESS 1. LINKAGES BETWEEN UNESS 1. LINKAGES BETWEEN UNESS AND OTHER FRAMEWORKSAND OTHER FRAMEWORKS• UNESS analyzes national ED plans in light of its normative role:

o EFA goalso MDGso Education for Sustainable Dev., Literacy Decade, etc.

• UNESS can strengthen in-country cooperation, including:

o SWAPso FTI, etc.

• In relation to UNESCO’s three EFA core initiatives

o situate our role within the national education sector development planning; o ensure that our sector-wide support re TTISSA, LIFE & EDUCAIDS is coherent with

national priorities and strategies.

• UNESS is UNESCO’s ‘homework’ for improving the synergy and partnership with UN and other IDPs (e.g. CCA/UNDAF, GAP-EFA, etc.)

II. PROCESS II. PROCESS 1bis. LINKAGES…1bis. LINKAGES…

Sector Planning ----------------------------------

Education Sector Development Plan

Multi-Sector Planning ------------------------------------------

Economic and Social Development Plan

Incl. PRSP

Incl. EFA

UNLD

MDGs

UNDESD

EFA Goals

Etc.

HIPCs

UNGEI

SWApEFA-FTI

(Bilaterals, financial inst.,

I-NGOs, UN)

GAP-EFA

CCA/UNDAF

UNESS (incl. LIFE, TTISSA

EDUCAIDS)

II. PROCESS II. PROCESS 2. WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR 2. WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DESIGN OF UNESS?THE DESIGN OF UNESS?

• UNESS=> FOs’ regular work from design through to implementation• In cooperation with (or with support from) RBs, institutes and HQ Divisions• RBs coordinate UNESS processes in region

• FOs responsible for each of “cluster” countries they are servicing:

In collaboration with NATCOMs, MOEs and other key bodies; FOs take the lead in organizing the UNESS process, e.g.:

ensuring participation in identification of needs/priorities; consulting relevant authorities & development partners; seeking the endorsement of the findings by NATCOMs and MOEs.

FOs organize appropriate consultations with national and external partners.

II. PROCESS II. PROCESS 3. CONSULTATION AND VALIDATION3. CONSULTATION AND VALIDATIONUNESS is country-specific, with following indicative steps:• First

FO informs Gov. representatives (usually NATCOM) of the UNESS process, inviting them in joint analyses of needs, policies, and priorities;

• Secondat each important stage of UNESS development, government authorities are informed of the major findings;

• Thirdonce the draft UNESS designed, FO organizes an appropriate form of official consultation with relevant government institutions;

• Fourthwhen the draft is final, FO seeks the approval of the gov. representatives (usually the President of the NATCOM), through an exchange of letters (or other forms of agreement);

• Fifthother consultations include: (i) with IDPs; (ii) within UNESCO, starting with RB, then HQ & institutes, for sharing and technical validation.

III. CONTENT III. CONTENT 1. INDICATIVE STRUCTURE1. INDICATIVE STRUCTURE

Proposed, indicative structure for a UNESS document:

Chapter 1. Development Challenges and Priorities (10-15%)1.1. Economic, Social and Human Development Context1.2. National Development Priorities

Chapter 2. Educational Challenges, Priorities and Strategies (25-30%)2.1. Educational Context and Challenges2.2. National Priorities and Strategies in Education

Chapter 3. Priorities and Interventions of Development Partners (10-15%)

Chapter 4. UNESCO’s Programmatic Thrust (10-20%)4.1. UNESCO’s Past Support for National Education4.2. UNESCO’s Programmatic Priorities in Education

Chapter 5. Strategy of Cooperation for National Education (20-30%)5.1. Gaps and Emerging Needs in National Education5.2. Proposed Interventions: Areas and Strategies

III. CONTENT III. CONTENT 2. CHAPTER 1. NATIONAL 2. CHAPTER 1. NATIONAL CHALLENGES AND PRIORITIESCHALLENGES AND PRIORITIES

This Chapter, utilized at a later stage for the other UNESCO Sectors in the context of the CPD (Country Programming Documents), shall:

• Describe the background against which the national development priorities have been chosen;

• Help shed light on the status of overall socio-economic development, and its trends;

• Analyze the major achievements, issues and challenges that the country faces.

III. CONTENT III. CONTENT 3. CHAPTER 2: EDUCATIONAL 3. CHAPTER 2: EDUCATIONAL PLANS AND PRIORITIESPLANS AND PRIORITIESThis Chapter, focusing on education, is to lead to identification of any outstanding policy, financial or human resource needs and gaps in nat. education plans, in light of UNESCO’s normative role & intl. dev. goals.

To this end, it:• ‘Places’ education within national priorities identified and analyzed in Chap. I;

• Analyzes the major issues and challenges in the education sector as a whole;

• Analyzes the focus of the gov.’s education plans;

• Includes analysis of the policy and budgetary priorities of these plans;

• Assesses if this budget prioritization matches stated policy priorities.

III. CONTENT III. CONTENT 4. CHAPTER 3: IDP’S PRIORITIES & 4. CHAPTER 3: IDP’S PRIORITIES & AREAS OF INTERVENTIONSAREAS OF INTERVENTIONSThis Chapter maps the local and international development community’s areas of intervention and priorities in support of the country’s education system, through:

• Analyzing the contributions being made by cooperating partners in support of education plans and priorities.

• The purpose of this donor mapping is two-fold:

to engage in the design of UNESCO’s support strategy in response to national needs, priorities and timeframes;

to improve the synergy of our future support activities with those of other development partners.

* In line with the Paris Declaration and the GAP-EFA, UNESS will analyze whether donor support is provided in a coordinated, harmonized and effective way while avoiding duplication and overlap

III. CONTENT III. CONTENT 5. CHAPTER 4: UNESCO’S 5. CHAPTER 4: UNESCO’S PROGRAMMATIC PRIORITIES (1)PROGRAMMATIC PRIORITIES (1)This Chapter • analyzes UNESCO’s past and ongoing support to national educational

development, within the framework of our RP and extra-budgetary;• explains how the areas of UNESCO support were selected, in light of our

mandate and comparative advantage, as well as the government’s expectations;

• critically reviews and draws the lessons learnt from past (2004-2005) and ongoing (2006-2007) cooperation with the country, incl. how human & financial resources have been allocated.

ActivityRegular Programme Extra-budgetary

2004-2005 2006-2007 Amount Project Duration Funding Source

Policy support for EFA 227,346 300,000 30,580 2005-2006 Gov. & NGO

Capacity building in planning and management

127,385 150,000 245,000 2006-2007 Gov. & IDP

For ease of reference, a table can be drawn for this purpose:

III. CONTENT III. CONTENT 6. CHAPTER 4: UNESCO’S 6. CHAPTER 4: UNESCO’S PROGRAMMATIC PRIORITIES (2)PROGRAMMATIC PRIORITIES (2)Some examples of questions that may be asked:

• What are the priorities of the current biennium that are most relevant to the country? Supported by other IDPs? Additional needs and gaps?

• What roles and areas of the GAP-EFA (and/or international priorities) can the FO best take up in supporting the country?

• What is, and should be the FO’s capacity for identifying and supporting the educational needs of the country (nb of cluster countries, nb and profile of education staff, estimation of time allocations, etc.)?

• If FO capacity were not met, what would be the alternatives for discharging UNESCO’s support?

• Which UNESCO entities (HQ, RB and Institutes) would need to be associated with UNESS investigations and implementation?

III. CONTENT III. CONTENT 7. CHAPTER 5: COOPERATION 7. CHAPTER 5: COOPERATION STRATEGIES IN EDUCATIONSTRATEGIES IN EDUCATIONThis final chapter on proposed support for national educational development, designed:

• to position and delineate UNESCO’s education policies and strategies at country level and to feed national perspectives into the design of the C/4 and C/5 in education.

• Once the latter are approved, to facilitate the preparation by FOs of the actual workplans in the country, aiming to support national plans and needs previously identified.

A FEW ASPECTS TO BE CONSIDERED:• Gaps and Emerging Needs in National Education• UNESS Outcome Matrix• Streamlining of UNESCO Support• Funding the UNESS Implementation• Monitoring and Evaluation of UNESS Implementation

III. CONTENT III. CONTENT 8. GAPS AND EMERGING NEEDS 8. GAPS AND EMERGING NEEDS IN NATIONAL EDUCATIONIN NATIONAL EDUCATION

UNESS identifies any critical gaps that may exist and emerging needs in national education development, such as:

• those which the FO considers insufficiently addressed in national plans; • additional actions that the government, civil society and/or IDPs may need

to carry out to support, in light of UNESCO’s normative role and international development frameworks;

• needs or gaps of FO resources necessary to respond to national educational development needs/priorities

III. CONTENT III. CONTENT 9. UNESS OUTCOME MATRIX9. UNESS OUTCOME MATRIX

Objective:

Medium-Term Outcome (by 2013)

Major Issues and Challenges

UNESCO’s Proposed Action (2008-2009)

Output or Outcome Indicators (by 2009)

Partnership

Outcome 1: National

Indicative costs (USD):RP; Extra-budgetary; Counterpart

International

Outcome 2:

Outcome 3:

A culmination of analytical investigations of needs, priorities, donor mapping, & lessons learnt; The Outcome is national plan, as reviewed in light of our normative mandate; Challenges are the national ones, as reviewed in light of international goals; Limiting to max. 5 outcomes as a way of streamlining (in line with ED Reform); Inclusive of not only RP, but also exploring extra-budgetary; Not yet a workplan, but will provide evidence-based framework for it; 6-year perspective (C/4) and 2-year action plan (C/5).

III. CONTENT III. CONTENT 10. STREAMLINING OF UNESCO 10. STREAMLINING OF UNESCO SUPPORTSUPPORT

• 34 C/5=> a significant reduction in the number of MLAs (4-5) in such a ways as to accommodate more flexibly specific, in-country priority actions;

• FOs need to streamline their interventions, limiting their in-country support

to 3 - 5 areas in education, for ensuring effectiveness and impact;

• To the extent possible, FOs will consider supporting the same areas for next biennia (e.g. 35 C/5 as well).

How UNESCO’s support areas will be formulated/structured is left at the discretion of FOs:

• taking into account national policies and plans• in synergy with IDPs• in light of UNESCO’s normative mandate, resources, capacities and priorities.

III. CONTENT III. CONTENT 11. FUNDING FOR 11. FUNDING FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF UNESSIMPLEMENTATION OF UNESS

• Financial estimates for 34 C/5 (2008-09), e.g. UNESS, based on the resources received by the FOs during the current biennium (2006-07)

• Three funding sources for “UNESS” implementation:

UNESCO’s ED RP funds;

Extra-budgetary funds: (i) the funds already committed by donors for (and beyond) the next biennium; and (ii) the resources that UNESCO (incl. FOs) will likely mobilize on the basis of their past experience.

Counterpart funding: If a Gov (a national institution) earmarks own budget and/or in-kind resources for implementing some of the UNESS-proposed interventions.

III. CONTENTIII. CONTENT13. MONITORING AND EVALUATION13. MONITORING AND EVALUATION

The UNESS process requires regular feedback and biennial review and update:

• Routine monitoring to identify shortfalls and possible options for adjustment/improvement;

• The evaluation of the outcomes and impact of UNESCO’s cooperation in education to become a part of national M&E mechanisms/processes;

• Indicators to assess the outcomes as a result of our supportive actions for the government and jointly with other partners, specifying:

o The medium-term outcomes of national priorities that UNESCO proposes to contribute to achieve through UNESS;

o The actions that UNESCO proposes to carry out during the 34 C/5 2008-09);

o The results/indicators for the actions 2008-09.

IN SUM, UNESS IS A TOOL FOR ...

ANALYSIS OF NEEDS

GUIDING

IMPACT ON

BIENNIAL REVIEWC/4 & C/5 PRIORITIES

COUNTRY PLANS / ED CONTEXTS

IN-COUNTRYACTIONS

WORKPLAN

NEGOTIATION

PLANNING

MONITORING& EVALUATION

Co

heren

ceAccountability

Informed Dialogue

Eff

ecti

ven

ess

IN SUM,UNESS CAN CONTRIBUTE TO: