EL SALVADOR EDUCATION SECTOR ASSESSMENT USAID/EL SALVADOR November 2017 This document was produced for review by the United States Agency for International Development El Salvador Mission (USAID/El Salvador). EL SALVADOR EDUCATION SECTOR ASSESSMENT Submission Date: 11/15/2017 Contract Number: AID-OAA-I-15-00024/AID-519-TO-16-00002 Prepared for: USAID/El Salvador Prepared by: Dr. Megan Gavin Jane Kellum Carlos Ochoa Mario Pozas Submitted by: ME&A (Mendez England and Associates) 4300 Montgomery Ave. Suite 103 Bethesda, MD 20814 Tel: 301-652-4334 DISCLAIMER The authors’ views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government. CONTENTS ACRONYMS ............................................................................................................................................. vii EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ..................................................................................................................... vii 1.0 BACKGROUND AND METHODOLOGY ......................................................................... 1 1.1 BACKGROUND AND ASSESSMENT OBJECTIVES ....................................................... 1 1.2 ASSESSMENT METHODOLOGY ...................................................................................... 1 2.0 FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ...................................... 2 2.1 QUESTION 1: WHAT IS THE CURRENT STATE OF EDUCATION IN EL SALVADOR? AND WHY? .................................................................................................. 2 2.1.1 Preschool ................................................................................................................. 2 2.1.2 Basic Education ........................................................................................................ 3 2.1.3 Secondary ................................................................................................................ 8 2.1.4 Non-formal .............................................................................................................. 8 2.1.5 Performance ............................................................................................................ 9 2.1.6 Teachers ................................................................................................................ 10 2.1.7 Children & Youth with Disabilities ...................................................................... 10 2.1.8 Gender and Social Inclusion Analysis .................................................................. 10 2.1.9 Citizen Security and DG Analysis ........................................................................ 11 2.2 QUESTION 2: WHAT IS THE AVAILABILITY AND QUALITY OF EDUCATION DATA? ................................................................................................................................. 15 2.2.1 Availability .............................................................................................................. 16 2.2.2 Quality ................................................................................................................... 16 2.2.3 Gender and Social Inclusion Analysis .................................................................. 19 2.2.4 Citizen Security Analysis ...................................................................................... 20 2.3 QUESTION 3: WHAT SECTOR INITIATIVES ARE UNDERWAY BY MINED, DONORS, AND STAKEHOLDERS? ................................................................................ 21 2.3.1 MINED ................................................................................................................... 21 2.3.2 Donors ................................................................................................................... 21 2.3.3 Other Stakeholders .............................................................................................. 24 2.3.4 Gender Analysis and Social Inclusion .................................................................. 24 2.3.5 Citizen Security Analysis ...................................................................................... 25 2.4 QUESTION 4: WHAT ARE THE KEY PRIORITIES OF MINED RELATED TO BASIC EDUCATION? ........................................................................................................ 27 2.4.1 Reflections on Priorities From MINED ............................................................... 27 2.4.2 The Education Plan (PESE) ................................................................................... 27 3 2.4.3 Annual Reporting .................................................................................................. 28 2.4.4 Gender Analysis and Social Inclusion .................................................................. 30 2.4.5 Citizen Security Analysis ...................................................................................... 30 2.5 QUESTION 5: WHAT CHALLENGES DOES MINED FACE TO PROVIDE EQUITABLE ACCESS TO QUALITY EDUCATION FOR ALL CHILDREN AND YOUTH? .............................................................................................................................. 31 2.5.1 Internal Challenges to Equitable Access to Quality Education ......................... 31 2.5.2 Gender and Social Inclusion Analysis .................................................................. 35 2.5.3 Citizen Security & DG Analysis ........................................................................... 35 2.6 QUESTION 6: WHAT IS USAID’S COMPARATIVE ADVANTAGE? RECOMMENDATIONS..................................................................................................... 43 2.6.1 Ownership and Sustainability ............................................................................... 44 2.6.2 Use an Integrated Approach ................................................................................ 45 2.6.3 Conduct a Gender Analysis ................................................................................. 45 2.6.4 Build on Investment .............................................................................................. 45 2.6.5 Home and Community ......................................................................................... 46 2.6.6 Invest in Primary ................................................................................................... 46 ANNEXES ANNEX A: Scope of Work ANNEX B: Key Informant Interview Protocol ANNEX C: Key Informant Interview List ANNEX D: Literature Review Tool ANNEX E: Annotated Bibliography ANNEX F: Illustrative Newspaper Articles ANNEX G: List of References ANNEX H: Supplement ANNEX I: Maps ANNEX J: Policy Guidance ANNEX K: What is SI-EITP? ANNEX L: Gender and SI Analysis Supplement 4 ACRONYMS AECID Spanish Agency for International Cooperation for Development ADS Automated Directives System AT Assessment Team ATP Technical-Pedagogical Assistant CARSI Central American Regional Security Initiative CDCS Country Development Cooperation Strategy CEN Strategy U.S. Strategy for Engagement in Central America CESAL Center for Studies and Solidarity with Latin America CNSCC National Commission for Citizen Security and Coexistence CNE National Board of Education (in English) CONED National Education Council (in English) CRS Catholic Relief Services DAI Development Associates International DDL Development Data Library DEC Development Experience Clearinghouse DG Democracy and Governance DIGESTYC General Directorate of Statistics and Censuses DRG Democracy, Human Rights, and Governance ECY Education for Children and Youth EGRA Early Grade Reading Assessments EITP Escuelas Inclusivas de Tiempo Pleno (in Spanish) ELDS Early Learning Development Standards EMIS Education Management Information System EU European Union FAES Armed Forces of El Salvador FEDISAL Foundation for Integral El Salvador Education FEPADE Business Foundation for Development FGD Focus Group Discussion FTIS Full-Time Inclusive Schools FOMILENIO Millennium Fund in El Salvador (in English) FUNPRES Pro-Education Foundation of El Salvador FUSADES El Salvadoran Foundation for Development FUSALMO El Salvador Foundation of the World GBV Gender-Based Violence GDP Gross Domestic Product GIZ The German Society for International Cooperation (in English) GOES Government of El Salvador IP Implementing Partner IT Information Technology JICA Japan International Cooperation Agency KII Key Informant Interview LAC Latin America and the Caribbean LGBTI Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transsexual and/or Intersex MCC Millennium Challenge Corporation M&E Monitoring and Evaluation ME&A Mendez, England and Associates MINEC Ministry of Economy MINED Ministry of Education NGO Non-Governmental Organization OOSY Out-of-School Youth PAES Learning and Aptitude Test to Graduate from Secondary (in English) PESE El Salvador Education Plan (in English) v PESS El Salvador Security Plan (in English) PISA Programme for International Student Assessment PNC Civil National Police RERA Rapid Education and Risk Analysis RFP Request for Proposals SIMEDUCO Teachers Syndicate (in English) SERCE Second Regional Comparative and Explanatory Study (in English) SOW Scope of Work SRGBV School-Related Gender-Based Violence TERCE Third Regional Comparative and Explanatory Study (in English) TIMSS International Tendencies in Math and Science Study UN United Nations UNDP United Nations Development Programme UNESCO United Nations Education Science and Cultural