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DOCUMENT RESUME ED 368 610 SO 023 632 TITLE Our Challenge: Making Education for BasicLearning a Priority in U.S. Foreign Aid Policy. INSTITUTION Creative Associates International, Inc., Washington, DC. PUB DATE May 93 NOTE 50p. AVAILABLE FROMCreative Associates International, Inc., 5301 Wisconsin Ave., N.W., Suite 700, Washington, DC 20015. PUB TYPE Reports Descriptive (141) Reference Materials Directories/Catalogs (132) EDRS PRICE MF01/PCO2 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS Adult Basic Education; *Basic Skills; DailyLiving Skills; *Developing Nations; *Economic Development; Elementary Secondary Education; Females;*Foreign Policy; *Literacy Education; Minimum Competencies; Role of Education; Social Change; Vocational Education IDENTIFIERS *Foreign Aid ABSTRACT This document discusses the need to increase the amount of U.S. international funding that goes tobasic education. Because U.S. foreign aid programs are reviewedprior to a new fiscal year, this paper suggests that people canmake a difference by working to raise the profile of basic education and byencouraging U.S. policymakers to increase funding and use moreappropriate methods for implementing basic education programs.Basic education is defined as that which meets basic learning needs andincludes: (1) early childhood care and initial education on whichsubsequent learning can be based;(2) primary and secondary education; (3) education in literacy; and (4) education for general knowledge,life skills, and workforce skills for youths and adults. The document uses the broader term "education for basic learning" asopposed to "basic education" because the latter is often understood as primary education for children. Education for basic learning isdescribed as fundamental for economic growth, social and environmental development, and political development. Figures illustrate:(1) returns to investments in education versus physicalinfrastructure in Latin America;(2) relationship between increased education investment and economic growth and increased education and reduced fertility;(3) definition of levels of educational advancement; and (4) matching supporters with key members of Congress. In a section on outreach ideas, the document outlines steps for takingaction. A sample letter and lists of relevant committee members inCongress are listed by committee. Examples of A.I.D.'s lobbying successesin policy environment, girls' education, total resource coordination, and quality in the classroom are included.(DK) *********************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. *********************************************************************** mmeitimik 10( <VP die OUR CHALLENGE: MAKING EDUCATION FOR BASIC LEARNING A PRIORITY IN U.S. FOREIGN AID POLICY U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Educational Research and impro,sreknt EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) This document has been teprodixed as ftjçcaived from the person or organization rigmating it 0 Minor changes have been made to impreve I reproduction Quality Points of view or opinions stated in this docu- ment do not necessarily represent official OERI Petition or policy PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE THIS MAT RIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY -ft_Pk-k-btr ç. TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC).' CREATIVE ASSOCIATES INTERNATIONAL 141 -4 2 OUR CHALLENGE: MAKING EDUCATION FOR BASIC LEARNING A PRIORITY IN U.S. FOREIGN AID POLICY Prepared by: CREATWE ASSOCIATES INTERNATIONAL, INC. 5301 Wisconsin Ave., N.W. Suite 700 Washington, D.C. 20015 Tel: (202) 966-5804 Fax: (202) 363-4771 May 1993 Creative Associates International, Inc. (CAII), a private development firm specializingin international education and training programs, developed this documentto assist with the promotion of international education e.fforts.If you choose to join us in this effort and wish to become a member of the International Education Action Alert Network, pleasecontact Steve Horblitt at CATI. As our goal is to reach as many peopleas possible, please let us know if you need additional copies of this document. CONTENTS OUR TASK 1 OUR FOCUS AND MESSAGE 9 OUTREACH IDEAS: PROMO-iiNG INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 13 When and Where to Contact Legislators This Year 17 How to Find Out Who Represents You 18 How to Find Adresses and Telephone and Fax Numbers 19 Sample Letter 20 How to Join the Action Alert Network 2 APPENDICES Appendix A: Members of Key Committees 22 Appendix B: Phone Numbers and Addresses for Members of the Senate and the House of Representatives 36 Appendix C: Examples of A.I.D. Education Successes 43 Appendix D: Sample Talking Points 45 FIGURES Figure 1: Returns on Investments in Education v. Physical Infrastructure in Latin America 3 Figure 2: Relationship Between Lncreased Educational Investment and Economic Growth and Increased Education and Reduced Fertility 5 Figure 3: Definition of Levels of Educational Advancement 8 Figure 4: How to Match Supporters with Key Members 12 4 Two out of three adults in developing countries lack basic literacy and numeracy skills. Ac:ording to The World Conference on alucation for All, a total of 960 'ruffian adults throughout the world are illiterate -- two-thirds are women. Approximately one-quader of children in developing countries have ga access to formal education. Half of the world's children must share a single textbook with the entire class and learn from under-paid, under-educated and under- trained teachers. Our Task This is a crisis we cannot ignore. U.S. international funding for basic education amounts to less than two percent of funds spent on non-military programs. Our task is to drastically change that ratio over the next five years. Now is the time to act as foreign aid programs of the United States undergo a comprehensive review. The foreign aid authorization and appropriation process for fiscal year 1994 (October 1993-September 1994) has just begun. We can make a difference by working to raise the profile of basic education and by encouraging U.S. policy- makers to increase funding and use more appropriate methods for implementing basic education programs. Why Basic Education Deserves Support 7he World Conference on Education for All held in March of 1990, in Jomtien, Thailand, defines basic education as that which meets basic learning needs and includes: Early childhood care and initial educz don on which subsequent learning can be based; Primary and secondary education; Education in literacy; and Educadon for general knowledge, life skills and worlcforce skills for youths and adults. Creative Associates International, Inc. Conference documents state, "every personchild, youth and adultshall be able to benefit from educational opportunities designed to meet his or her basic learning needs. These needs comprise both essential learning tools (such as literacy, oral expression, numeracy and problem solving) and the basic learning context (such as knowledge, sldlls, values and attitudes) required by human beings to survive, develop their capacities, live and work in dignity, participate fidly in development, improve the quality of their lives, make informed decisions and continue learning." Throughout the remainder of this document we have purposely used the broader term "education for basic learning" as opposed to "basic education" because those unfamiliar with the terminology in the education field (e.g., Congresspersons, businesspersons and sometimes Administration officials) may view "basic education" in the narrow terms of primary education for children.Clearly, the term "basic education" has broader implications as defined by The World Conference on Education for All and does not simply refer to primary education. Thus, in order to more clearly encompass the other components of basic education for those unfamiliar with the terminology, "education for basic learning" will be used. EDUCATION FOR BASIC LEARNING IS FUNDAMENTAL FOR: Economic Growth Social and Environmental Development Political Development ECONOMIC GROWTH. Education for basic learning has a positive impact on both the individual and society as a whole.Research has shown that adults who receive the equivalent of six years of schooling are more likely to be employed and more productive in their jobs than their uneducated counterparts. In addition, each year of schooling beyond grade three or four is estimated to increase wages by up to 20 percent and has proven to provide greater rates of return than investments in infrastructure.(See Figure 1 for an example from I atin America.) In addition, when education addresses equity issues such as educating girls through strategies to increase access, retention and achievement, the returns are even higher. Creative Associates International, Inc. FIGURE 1 Returns to Investments in EducationV. Physical Infrastructure in Latin America Percent (%) Primary Educ. Secondary Educ. Infrastructure Psscharopoulos and Woodhall, 1985 Prepared by Luis Crouch/RTI,July 1992 3 7 Functional literacy is fundamental to the advancement of developing countries.No country has been able to achieve sustainable rates of growth without a largely literate population.' Countries poor in natural resources such as South Korea, Singapore and Mauritius have achieved high levels of growth by developing their human capital through education. The South Korean government's emphasis on primary education has fueled its economic growth, providing growth rates of 7 percent per year since the early 1960s. Basic learning provides