Innlegg 6.11 ved World Bank Trust Fund Seminar om utdanning, Høyskolen i Oslo

World Bank Trust Fund Seminar

Oslo University College, 6 November 2002

Ms. Hilde F. Johnson, Minister of International Development

Norwegian Development Assistance to Education and its Relationship to EFA

(Som framført)

It is a great pleasure for me to welcome you all to this two-day seminar on the role of education in development. This is the fifth seminar to be organized by the Centre for International Education in cooperation with the World Bank. I am pleased to see such a diverse group of participants here today, ranging from development practitioners, NGOs and academia to representatives from bilateral and multilateral agencies.

I am particularly happy to welcome our guest from Nigeria, Minister Professor A. B. Borishade, from the Federal Ministry of Education. The Minister is also Chair of the Education For All Working Group made up of African Ministers of Education. This is a very important function, and we are happy that he is taking the time to join us here in Oslo.

This seminar illustrates that we have achieved one of the objectives of the Norwegian Trust Fund for Education in Africa, namely establishing a forum for discussion and dialogue on matters related to education in development.

Education is basic infrastructure in any country. It is the basis on which individuals build their lives, and their families. It is the main tool for building up a country. Education is also the only kind of infrastructure that cannot be destroyed by war, because it is in people’s minds. Education therefore cannot be halted by difficult circumstances. It can and should be carried out under all circumstances, during crises, in refugee camps, in emergencies, and also of course under stable conditions. In order to build up a country, you need educated people, human capital, and human resources.

But having said this, what has happened over the last 20 years? Education, the basic infrastructure in many poor countries, has crumbled. Literacy rates have dropped, in some countries significantly. School fees have been introduced, excluding many poor people and girls from education. The average level of education and the quality have declined in many countries. Just look at teacher training and teaching materials. And the number of dropouts has increased. Getting young people to complete their education is a major challenge.

This negative trend must be reversed. Failure in the area of education will almost by definition lead to failure in achieving our overall development goals. Unless we can boost our efforts in the area of education, our fight against poverty will be in vain. Education is the only sustainable exit from the prison of poverty. The poor themselves increasingly understand this. Just listen to the "Voices of the poor" as they express themselves in the World Bank report. I would like to quote one voice – from Swaziland – which illustrates the importance of education in the fight against poverty.

" I used to never worry about my illiteracy and the fact that I was not able to send my children to school, as long as we had something to eat. But now - I realize that my children are in trouble for life if they don’t know how to read and write".

Education is more than a possible exit from poverty. The right to education is a fundamental human rights in itself. This right is enshrined in several human rights conventions, and it does not stop merely with access to education. According to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which was adopted 54 years ago, "Elementary education shall be compulsory". Yet today, more than a hundred million children are without primary education. More than 880 million adults are illiterate. These are gross violations of human rights. We must all do our part to help correct this injustice.

However, not enough has been done since Dakar. Too little progress has been made towards our common goals. We are falling behind schedule. Now we need action.

The time is ripe for action. We must build on the many positive breakthroughs that have been made over the past few years. The process that resulted in the adoption of the Millennium Development Goals is a notable example. Development issues, which were once considered largely irrelevant by most G-8 world leaders, are now the focus of attention. The new determination behind the Millennium Goals has been followed up by increased ODA commitments from a host of major donors. Moreover, we also have a new deal on debt relief and a new framework for trade through the Doha development round.

Now we need a new breakthrough in the area of education as well. It’s up to us to get things moving. Let’s do it. It is positive that the G-8 countries have made a strong commitment to education in development. This was reflected in the report of the Working Group on education this summer. Although the report was not as explicit on pledges for financing as we could have hoped, it shows a will to act. We must capitalize on this.

A promising approach in the field of education is the Education for All Fast Track Initiative that the World Bank is now working on in cooperation with UNESCO, UNICEF and bilateral donors. It involves concerted action to support low-income countries that have demonstrated a commitment to the goal of universal primary education. It will begin with a pilot phase that will provide a basis for a subsequent scaling-up. It will be based on universal primary education – accessible to all, and free of charge. The World Bank has calculated that it will take about USD 2.5 - 5 billion per year up to 2015 in external financing to help the 47 lowest-income countries achieve universal completion of five years of schooling. The G-8 countries will have to come up with the bulk of the funding needed for the fast track initiative. Together we must complement and thus maximize the impact of this new funding.

But funding is not enough. Not only do we need to ensure access to education, we also need to improve the quality of education, ensure teacher training, and expand vocational training, as well as secondary and higher education, for a large number of pupils. This calls for a coherent sector approach as well as new resources.

We have seen that things are moving in the area of health, with the current focus on HIV/AIDS and communicable diseases. The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria is a big step in the right direction, although more effort and resources are needed here as well.

In the field of education, however, things are not moving. Despite a strong commitment shown at Dakar, despite the Millennium Development Goals, despite the PRSPs, despite all our fine words – the situation on the ground continues to be highly unsatisfactory. This is the true backdrop for our seminar here today. We have to acknowledge the current situation and gear this seminar towards action and results. The Norwegian Trust Fund for Education in Africa in the World Bank is a good basis for a seminar where action and results are the common denominator.

Investing in education is investing in development. Investing in education for girls yields the highest return. Nothing can beat it. When you educate a girl you educate the whole family. Educating women also yields desired results in the areas of birth control, health, HIV/AIDS, income generation and many other areas. Investing in girls puts money to work for several development goals simultaneously.

We realize that Norwegian efforts will have little impact unless they are an integral part of the international campaign to fulfil the Education For All goals. I am happy to observe that our national initiative to increase support to education fits well into a broader international campaign. Coordination and harmonization will be the guiding principles in our efforts.

Some important challenges remain. Firstly, the role of education as compared with other elements in the development strategies should be discussed. Education must be an integral part of any development strategy. Moreover, financial support for education must be seen in relation to efforts in other fields. Education alone cannot solve the development equation. The most important instrument for doing this is the comprehensive national poverty reduction strategies. What we need to see in each country is a coherent strategy with the country itself in the driver’s seat, a strategy for pro-poor policies, for increased investment in education, health and the social sectors.

Secondly, it is necessary to discuss the role of international financial support in these national strategies. An educational system that is dependent on international financial assistance is not sustainable in the long run. We must take great care to avoid a situation where substantial external financing unsettles complex national political processes. This is why it is important that external funding is channelled through the national education budget.

Poverty eradication must guide our development efforts. Economic development cannot be seen in isolation from debt, trade, investment, macroeconomic factors, good governance, social development, human rights, and a host of other factors. Development assistance can only supplement the efforts made by the countries themselves. It will have limited effect unless it is part of coherent pro-development policies in poor countries and rich countries alike. Trade and market access are an example of an area where coherent policies are needed. Development cooperation must be a partnership in the broadest sense.

So what is Norway going to do? Our goal is to increase the education share of our development budget to 15 per cent from our present level of about 9 per cent by 2005. In the same timeframe we also aim to increase our total development budget to 1 per cent of our GNI. This means that we will come close to doubling our education assistance by 2005 as compared with the level in 2001. This calls for innovation and creativity with regard to both channels and instruments. To guide us in this endeavour, we are working on a new strategy for our development assistance in the field of education. This strategy will be finalized in the near future.

The guiding principles of the new strategy are:

Education is a human right. Every individual has the right to education. This means that education must be accessible to all groups of society. In particular, the poor and underprivileged must be targeted. Nobody must be denied access to education because they are poor. Education helps to strengthen human rights, advances gender equality and contributes to a decent standard of living.

The state must be responsible for providing basic education, but the educational system must be rooted in all parts of society. An educational system adapted to local conditions and needs can only be built through a national democratic process. Consequently, all relevant actors, such as NGOs, local communities, and business associations can and should contribute to achieving the EFA goals.

Our partner countries are responsible for shaping education policy and coordinating the use of external funding. This means that the dialogue with our partner countries will guide our assistance. External financial support is crucial, but planning and implementation are the responsibility of the national governments. They bear the responsibility for establishing and developing a well-functioning and efficient educational sector. Ownership is a prerequisite for sustainable development. Many of our partner countries lack sufficient institutional capacity to take charge of this process. Hence, support to capacity and institution building is important.

We will concentrate our efforts in poor countries in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. This is where the needs are greatest and where we expect improved education to yield the highest returns.

Basic education will be given special priority. However, we will take a holistic and comprehensive approach to the entire educational system. A robust educational structure must function well at all levels. This means that secondary and higher education, and in particular teacher training, will also receive support.

We have been supporting capacity-building institutions through our education trust fund in Africa for several years. We are pleased to see that activities financed by means of this trust fund have been instrumental in preparing for initiatives like the Fast Track Initiative. Considering all the attention paid to the quantitative aspects of education, there is a danger that the qualitative dimension will be forgotten. Quantity is not sufficient. We are in danger of diminishing the impact of our support if we do not focus on quality as well.

What is quality, you might ask? The ultimate test of any educational system is whether it contributes to the empowerment of the people. An educational system that is irrelevant to the daily needs of poor people will not contribute to poverty eradication and social development. A poor family must be able to see the reasons for sending their children to school. They must see education as a way out of poverty and insecurity. Allow me to "rewind" and bring back the Voices of the Poor: ".. ..now - I realize that my children are in trouble for life if they don’t know how to read and write".

Schooling must be adapted to local culture and conditions. In this respect, the language of instruction is central. We must not repeat the previous mistake of copying western systems of education. The only kind of educational system that is responsive to national and local needs is one in which all stakeholders have a say. Poor people themselves have a crucial role to play through NGOs and local community groups.

Basic education can fundamentally alter the social fabric and power structures of a society. The importance of education for economic development is equally fundamental. The content of education must be relevant to the needs of rural and urban economic activity. Our efforts in education assistance must be seen in relation to job creation and private sector development. This is emphasized in the Norwegian action plan for combating poverty. It is also reflected in activities supported by the Norwegian Trust Fund for Education in Africa.

Today and tomorrow you will discuss these complicated issues. I am confident that the outcome of your discussions will guide us in our future efforts.

Remember – this is about giving poor people the chance for a future.

Thank you for your attention.