TIME T GET IT RIGHT LESS NS FR M EFA AND THE MDGS F R EDUCATI N 2016–2030 Time to get it right: Lessons from EFA and the MDGs for education 2016–2030 i Acknowledgements This report was written and researched by Anjela Taneja, Caroline Pearce and Kjersti J. Mowé, with extensive contributions from Zeina Zayour. Input and support was gratefully received from Abdulrahman Ahmed Khurd (Yemeni Coalition for Education For All), Aissatou Lo Ndiaye (ANCEFA), Cecilia Victorino-Soriano (ASPBAE), Cheikh Mbow (COSYDEP Senegal), Chin Chanveasna (NEP Cambodia), Colin Anderson (NEP Cambodia), Laura Giannecchini (CLADE), Mohammad Alsheikh (Yemeni Coalition for Education For All), Rene Raya (ASPBAE), Shaharazad Abuel-Ealeh (GCE), Solange Akpo (ANCEFA), Sylvi Bratten (GCE Network Norway), Tahirou Traore (CNEPT Burkina Faso), William Thelusmond (REPT Haiti), Mannis Antoninis (EFA Global Monitoring Report) and Kate Redman (EFA Global Monitoring Report). Finally, special thanks are owed to the GCE membership, whose work, experiences and lessons helped shape this report. This report has been developed and produced with the financial support of IBIS. © Global Campaign for Education 2015 All rights reserved. www.campaignforeducation.org ii Global Campaign for Education Contents Acknowledgements – page ii Contents – page 1 Foreword– page 2 Introduction – page 3 1 Setting the scene: the education agenda and the growth of civil society 2000–2015 – page 5 2 Key lessons emerging from the GCE movement’s assessment of EFA progress – page 9 3 Conclusions and recommendations – page 24 Endnotes – page 27 About the Global Campaign for Education – page 28 VOTE FOR EDUCATION Time to get it right: Lessons from EFA and the MDGs for education 2016–2030 1 Foreword millions of people in every corner of the planet – and through our various campaigns in our different contexts around the world. Today, as the world is poised to agree the next set of commitments to follow on from the Dakar agenda and which will guide us through the next 15 years, we are faced with both new and old challenges. Learning the lessons of trying to achieve the EFA goals and MDGs, we continue to demand more and better financing, democratic governance and strengthening of public education systems. Public resources must be for public education, which must be available completely free. The active and democratic participation of civil society in all In 2000, many education activists decision-making processes should be a priority for all, and we must resist the criminalisation of civil society attended the World Education Forum and of dissent. If we are to realise the universal human in Dakar as part of the newly-launched right to education, we must also emphasise inclusive education and non-discrimination. And achieving the Global Campaign for Education, fighting right to education will require decision-makers to strive for a broad agenda for education, the for true quality in education, and take into account the full meaning of education: in line with numerous prioritisation of funding to education, human rights treaties and conventions, GCE understands and the recognition of civil society a quality education as embracing the acquisition of knowledge, skills and values, as well as creative and participation in the development and emotional development. Achieving this must involve a monitoring of public policy. Many of focus on teachers and teaching processes, the educational environment and the curriculum. our priorities as civil society actors were As the Global Campaign for Education, we call on included in the Dakar Framework for States and all actors to recognise and act on these important steps as a necessity if we are to achieve the Action, which has been fundamental to ambitious post-2015 agenda which we will collectively driving progress over the last 15 years. set. As the civil society movement for education, we commit ourselves to monitoring the education goal and targets, and being active participants in helping to The six major goals around which we initially united have achieve these crucial goals. Education is not merely one grown into a broader agenda for the full realisation of part of a sustainable development agenda: achieving the human right to education for all. The GCE movement the right to education for all is integral to the realisation has been very active over this time and we have seen our of other goals and rights. As such, our struggle is too movement grow, with the emergence of new education important to be left to chance, and we call on all States coalitions around the world and the consolidation of to take account of the lessons included in this report. many others. Together, we have struggled against all forms of discrimination that limit the right to education; focused on inclusive education; fought for the dignity and value of teachers and the teaching profession; called for the recognition of early childhood education; and demanded increased priority for youth and adult literacy and education. We have campaigned on these issues Camilla Croso through Global Action Week – which every year mobilises President, Global Campaign for Education 2 Global Campaign for Education Introduction In 1990, 42 years after education was explicitly In 1999, a girl of primary-school age recognised as a human right in the Universal Declaration, in Burundi had just over a one in three governments and non-governmental organisations from all over the world made a collective commitment chance of attending school; once in to ensure universal, quality, basic education for all school, she had just a 50 percent chance children, youth and adults. At the World Conference on Education for All2 in Jomtien, Thailand, participants of completing her primary education. pledged to universalise primary education and massively Meanwhile, her mother had a one in two reduce illiteracy by the end of the decade. A decade later, however, this critical mission remained unfulfilled. chance of being able to read and write. By In 2000, the international community met again 2012, a girl of the same age in Burundi in Dakar,3 Senegal, and affirmed their commitment to achieving Education for All by the year 2015. At the was almost certain to be in primary school. World Education Forum in that year, representatives While this progress is partial – an older of 164 governments, along with civil society activists and other education stakeholders, identified six key girl, for example, has only a one in four education goals which aimed to meet the educational chance of attending secondary school – rights of all children, youth and adults by 2015: the 1 Education For All (EFA) goals. These goals constituted a this represents undeniable progress. And comprehensive agenda for education, covering all stages it did not happen by accident: it is only from early childhood to adult literacy and learning, and including both quality and gender equity. Also in 2000, through deliberate policy and financing two of these education goals were included in the eight choices – through making commitments Millennium Development Goals, agreed by 189 countries and the world’s leading development institutions. and providing the structures, plans and In 2015, the global community is again gathering at funds to deliver on those commitments the World Education Forum 2015, in Incheon, Korea, and at the Sustainable Development Summit in New – that governments have been able to York, USA. These events, learning from the experiences make any progress at all on meeting the of the past 15 years, will set the direction for education globally in the coming 15 years by agreeing the post- challenge of securing the universal right 2015 Sustainable Development Goals, and the Education to education. This report presents the key Framework for Action. Going into these summits, whilst serious progress has been made, none of the six lessons identified by the Global Campaign EFA goals, or the two education MDGs will have been for Education, a global civil society achieved in full. In this context, the Global Campaign for Education (GCE) – a movement that was formed and movement, for understanding what has has developed largely to coordinate and strengthen civil and has not worked in the drive to achieve society engagement with the EFA framework – has been consulting with its members about key lessons from Education For All over the last 15 years, the implementation of EFA that could help to inform and how we can ensure that this ambitious successful strategies for achieving the post-2015 goals. Collectively, the GCE movement has identified the goal is realised in the near future. following elements as crucial to turn ambitious goals into living realities: Time to get it right: Lessons from EFA and the MDGs for education 2016–2030 3 • Adequate, well-allocated financing This report begins with a short overview of the last • Strong public systems and governance 15 years, including the role of civil society and the GCE • A focus on quality movement, and then unpacks these five elements; it • A focus on equity includes country examples which draw on consultations • Meaningful civil society participation. with GCE member coalitions from around the world. THE EDUCATION FOR ALL Goal 6: Improving all aspects of the quality of GOALS, AGREED IN DAKAR education and ensuring excellence of all so that IN 2000 recognized and measurable learning outcomes are achieved by all, especially in literacy, numeracy and essential life skills. Goal 1: Expanding and improving comprehensive early childhood care and education, especially for the most vulnerable and disadvantaged children; EDUCATION GOALS IN THE MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT Goal 2: Ensuring that by 2015 all children, GOALS (MDGS), AGREED IN 2000 particularly girls, children in difficult circumstances and those belonging to ethnic By 2015: minorities, have access to and complete, free and compulsory primary education of good quality; MDG 2 • Achieve universal primary education Goal 3: Ensuring that the learning needs of • Ensure that all boys and girls complete all young people and adults are met through a full course of primary schooling.