Book Description

The Department for International Development (DFID) is the British government department responsible for promoting development and the reduction of poverty in sites in developing and transition countries around the world. This paper focuses on the education dimension of poverty reduction, and specifically the attainment of the International Development Targets for education, which are to: achieve Universal Primary Education (UPE) by 2015; and demonstrate progress toward gender equality and the empowerment of women by eliminating gender disparity in primary and secondary education by 2005. Section 1 underlines the importance of education as a basic human right, a right which promotes other rights and responsibility that contribute to economic and social development. Section 2 defines the scale and geography of the challenge, noting that it is in sub-Saharan Africa that the size and complexity of the challenge is greatest. Section 3 posits the argument that the experiences of the past decade--positive and negative--point to a set of important lessons which should inform the work of governments and the wider international community, lessons that include the central role of government and the need for policies inclusive of all children. Section 4 identifies priorities and strategies for action, arguing that for targets to be achieved there must be sustained commitment by national governments to sound, long-term policies that recognize the strategic contribution of primary education to development. Section 5 outlines a broad, threefold strategy for DFID: (1) contributing to the development and coordination of international commitment, policies, and programs designed to achieve UPE and Education for All; (2) strong, well-targeted country programs that will provide strategic assistance to governments and societies committed to achieving UPE and gender equality; and (3) knowledge and research strategies and outcomes that will contribute to the ability of the international community to learn lessons, share experience, and monitor progress. Section 6 underscores the importance of developing capacity to monitor progress toward the targets, and for DFID to assess the effectiveness and efficiency of its contribution to achieving UPE and gender equality. (HTH)