SPINE The Power of Persistence | Education System Reform and Aid Effectiveness Reform System Education The Power of Persistence Education System Reform and Aid Effectiveness 1875 Connecticut Ave., NW Case Studies in Long-Term Education Reform Washington, DC 20009
[email protected] www.equip123.net EQUIP 2 Publication_Cover F2.indd 1 1/4/11 10:48 AM The Power of Persistence Education System Reform and Aid Effectiveness Case Studies in Long-Term Education Reform November 2010 John Gillies EQUIP2 Project Director Case sTudy Teams: El SAlvADoR I Jessica Jester Quijada, John Gillies, Antonieta Harwood EGyPt I Mark Ginsburg, Nagwa Megahed, Mohammed Elmeski, Nobuyuki tanaka NAMIbIA I Donna Kay leCzel, Muhamed liman, Sifiso Nyathi, Michael tjivikua, Godfrey tubaundule NICARAGUA I John Gillies, Kirsten Galisson, Anita Sanyal, bridget Drury ZAMbIA I David balwanz, Arnold Chengo table of Contents Acknowledgments v Foreword viii Executive Summary 1 Section 1: Introduction 11 Challenges in Education System Reform 14 Evaluating Aid Effectiveness in Education Reform: Exploring Concepts 17 A Systems Approach to Education Reform: What constitutes meaningful change in education systems? 27 Section 2: Lessons from Country Case Studies 43 Summary of Country Case Studies 45 Egypt 49 El Salvador 67 Namibia 85 Nicaragua 99 Zambia 111 Section 3: Summary Findings and Conclusions 131 Findings 133 Conclusions 148 Implications for USAID Policy and Programming. 156 Bibliography 158 Acknowledgments This study is the result of a two-year inquiry into the dynamics of improving the performance of education systems on a sustainable basis, and the role that donor assistance can play in achieving such improvement. The study was focused on the forces that influence how complex policy and institutional changes are introduced, adopted, and sustained in a society over a 20 year period, rather than on the impact of specific policy prescriptions or programs.