FTI AS A CATALYST FOR REFORM: Madagascar’s Experience
October 13, 2005 8th Annual NETF Seminar
Qualifying for FTI - Timeline
• October 2003: Madagascar presented first Education
for All plan to donors as part of larger development strategy. Donors encouraged Madagascar to apply for Fast Track Initiative (FTI) and advocated on its behalf. – – – – Completed PRSP Sectoral program including Education for All plan Commitment of sufficient national resources Consultation with all stake holders, including civil society, during formulation of reform strategy – Financial partners brought together to oversee spending
• Conditions Met:
FTI’s Catalytic Fund
• December 2004: Madagascar determined eligible for
FTI’s catalytic fund, having an approved EFA plan and identified funding gap development and appraisal of EFA plan with 12 local donors to meet FTI requirements
develop EFA implementation plan and met with FTI Secretariat in Washington
• February 2005: Ministry of Education launched joint • March 2005 : Ministry of Education hosted workshop to
FTI’s Catalytic Fund (2)
• • • • •
April 2005 : EFA implementation plan approved by 24 donor partners committed to increasing their local support to EFA plan by over $US10 million May 2005 : Final request for funding submitted to FTI Secretariat in Washington July 2005 : FTI committee approves US$10 million for Madagascar for 2005 under the catalytic fund and US$25 million for 2006 July-August 2005: preparations for disbursement of funds October 2005: US$6 million of funding received
FTI as Catalyst for Reform
• •
Possibility of increased donor support encouraged government of Madagascar to embark on bold reforms FTI planning process put Ministry of Education in leadership role FTI mechanism requires donor coordination on the ground
•
FTI provides flexible funding
FTI Encouraged Bold Reforms
• 2003 GOM cancelled school fees -- 1 million additional
children enrolled
• 2003 GOM provided school kits to all primary school
students (3.5 million); 2004, 1.2 million school kits to new entrants; 2005, 1 million school kits to new entrants
• 2005 recruitment of 7,600 new local level teachers (nonState employees)
Ministry of Education as Leader
• Joint development and appraisal process led by Ministry
of Education
• Shift from donor-driven projects to support of national
EFA plan
• Participative process required
• Focus on capacity building at Ministerial level
Promotes Donor Coordination
• Process required local donor commitment -- UNICEF and
World Bank as prime coordinators
• Established permanent system for consultation on EFA
plan implementation and review
• Donor financing combined at local level
Flexible Funding
• Shift to budget support makes building new classrooms
and paying teacher salaries possible
activities
• Donors supporting areas of intervention not specific • Donor financing of EFA plan, rather than donor projects,
makes Ministry of Education responsible for use of funds
EFA Priorities:
• Improve overall quality of education system • Step up efforts to reduce repetition (30% 2004) and
reduce drop-out rates
• Recruit and train new teachers • Build new classrooms and provide new materials • Introduce competency-based pedagogy and update
curriculum
• • • •
Reduce disparity between rural and urban area Implement school-based strategy to fight HIV/AIDS Develop national school nutrition policy Strengthen capacity of the Ministry of Education
How will Catalytic Fund financing be used in 2005?
• Support teachers who are not state employees (hired by Parent Teacher Organizations) • Reduce inequities and aid the most at-risk schools • Develop new teaching materials • Improve the management of the reform effort
Conclusion
• FTI planning process as catalyst for reform • EFA implementation as catalyst for further reform