70634 EDUCATION 2010 Year in Review Focusing on What Works in Education Education a Glance atEducation at a Glance T he Global Imperative: As one of the largest external funders of education in the developing world, the World Bank is a key player in global efforts to reach the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) for education – universal primary completion and gender parity – and helps countries strengthen their education systems to achieve quality learning for all. Education for All means getting marginalized and vulnerable populations— especially girls— Photo by Bill Lyons/World Bank into school. especially girls and disadvantaged groups— into school. Moving forward, it also must mean Since 2000, the World Bank has committed closing the global learning gap so that all almost $24 billion to support education; children and youth receive a quality education including more than $12 billion from the that equips them with skills for work and life. International Development Association (IDA) to support the poorest countries. The global share The Promise of Education can be fulfilled of children completing primary school has risen by providing individuals with the skills and to 88 percent in 2008 from 82 percent in 2000. knowledge necessary for them to transform In the last decade, the developing world has their lives and contribute fully to the seen one of the largest schooling expansions in development of their countries. history. However, progress has been uneven, with many areas of the world not on track to Supporting Education Around the Globe achieve the MDGs by 2015. In 2008, more (Active Education Operations on June 30, 2010) than a quarter of the world’s out-of-school children lived in South Asia and almost half of them lived in Sub-Saharan Africa, where 43% of the population is under the age of 14. In the majority of countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, primary completion rates still linger at about 60% and although the region is making good progress on gender equality, it remains far behind the global target. Sub-Saharan Africa East Asia and the Pacific Achieving Education for All requires targeted Europe and Central Asia efforts to get marginalized populations— Latin America and the Caribbean Middle East and North Africa South Asia Getting Children Focus InIn Focus: Investing in Skills for Economic Recovery and Growth Getting the Right Start Off toChildren Off to the RightStart R A message from the Education Sector Board esearch increasingly points to evidence learning opportunities to poor children in Latin that early childhood development is America and the Caribbean. Another report, S kill formation is critical to a country’s recovery from the global economic crisis and to its essential to success in school and Rethinking School Feeding: Social Safety Nets, long-term development. Skills are at the core of improving an individual’s job prospects life. A new report, The Promise of Early Child Development and the Education Sector and increasing a country’s productivity and growth. An education system in which Childhood Development in Latin America and underlines the importance of child health and students attend school but do not learn is a lost opportunity, especially when one additional year the Caribbean, makes the case that early and nutrition to learning, educational achievement of schooling raises earnings by 10 to 20 percent. Today, developing countries and emerging targeted measures to ensure that the youngest and child development. The book is the children receive the proper care and early product of a partnership between the World economies seek higher growth rates but face serious demographic challenges—from rapidly learning opportunities are one of the smartest, Bank and the UN World Food Programme. growing numbers of youth in Africa most cost-effective investments to ensure Early childhood education should be protected “Improved learning leads who have not yet mastered the basic future educational achievement. In partnership during economic crises. In Latvia, a new to better jobs, greater competencies of writing and arithmetic and World Bank safety net project is boosting a “youth bulge� of new jobseekers in the support to vital social programs such as early productivity, and higher Middle East, to a demographic transition childhood education. incomes in every society.� of shrinking labor forces in Eastern Europe – Robert B. Zoellick, and East Asia. Making the most effective Supporting the MDGs and Beyond Average Education Lending by Sub-Sector President of the World Bank Group 2010 use of the workforce is vital for developing (FY00-10) countries. It depends in large part on the ability of the education system to produce knowledge and skills. The education system must 18% Tertiary ensure clear learning standards, good teachers, adequate resources, and a proper regulatory Education environment for learning to take place. It must promote job-relevant skills that employers demand by developing the right incentive framework for both pre-employment and on-the-job training Photo by Luc-Charles Gacougnolle/World Bank 66% Basic Education programs and institutions (including higher education). It must encourage entrepreneurship and innovation by creating an environment that encourages problem solving skills and creativity. These with Shakira’s ALAS Foundation and the Earth 16 Upper % (Grades 1-9) challenges are at the forefront as the World Bank embarks on the development of a new education Institute, the World Bank launched a new Secondary & $300 million initiative, The Early Childhood Vocational Lower strategy which will chart the course of our work in education over the next 10 years. Education Initiative: An Investment for Life, which will Secondary Education help provide needed health, nutrition and early By the Numbers 5 66 billion $ % of Bank this year Education 17.5 contributions of the Norwegian Post-Primary million total lending $ 27 % IBRD/IDA Education Fund since 2006 to help countries supports basic education, support in Sub-Saharan Africa meet the rising demand 750 million to education in 2010 $ including support to early childhood education and grades 1-9 for post-basic education of education projects leverage 18 public tertiary-level institutions 70 multi-sectoral World Bank’s pledged increase in IDA support % of operations this year focus in Afghanistan reopened investments for better for basic education over the next five years for on improving education quality, after years of conflict with education outcomes countries off-track to reach the MDGs by 2015, through learning assessments, the help of block grants especially in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia curriculum reform, and classroom materials supported through IDA funds Ensuring All Developing Skills, Students Learn Ensuring All Students Learn Encouraging Innovation Developing Skills, Encouraging Innovation W A hile progress has been made to round the world, hundreds of millions continents. Knowledge exchanges between build the capacity of education of youth of secondary school age are countries are a central part of World Bank systems, much remains to be done not in school, but gains in universal work. Cross-country comparative analyses, to ensure children and youth receive a high Photo by Bill Lyons/World Bank primary education have expanded the such as for Chile’s Education Quality Assurance quality education and that learning occurs demand for secondary and tertiary education. System, help to analyze institutional reforms in the classroom. Literacy and numeracy develop education sector plans and deliver In countries such as Cambodia, where a and benchmark system performance against are basic competencies that unlock life primary education. In Malawi, efforts to scholarship for girls raised transition rates higher-performing countries to help ensure opportunities and allow for further educational increase access and improve quality of basic from primary to secondary school by 30 effective education system innovations. advancement. The World Bank works closely education focus on providing demand-side percentage points, stipends are making Through global events, such as the recent with countries to improve quality at all interventions, increasing the national teacher secondary education available to poor students. Science, Technology and Innovation Global levels of education by focusing on learning corps, and building management capacity The World Bank’s Norwegian Post-Primary Forum, and the Korea Education & Research outcomes. Through a $32 million trust fund by decentralizing school planning to the Education Trust Fund supports post-basic Information Service (KERIS) Information executed by the World Bank, the Russia local level. Additional financing to Haiti, in opportunities, with a strong emphasis on Education Aid for Development (READ) conjunction with FTI support, has provided science and technology education. In Tanzania program is helping low-income countries in critical school feeding and reconstruction and Uganda, the trust fund has leveraged Eastern Europe, Central Asia, and Sub-Saharan following the recent earthquake. $300 million to help establish national Africa strengthen their capacity to measure strategies for secondary education. Targeted efforts can help bring out-of-school and assess student learning and use this children and youth into the classroom – Limited opportunities for technical and vocational information to improve teaching and learning. especially girls, rural and indigenous children, education can mean a shortage of skilled In the West Bank and Gaza, a World Bank and those affected by poverty, conflict, and workers and a mismatch between jobs and project is aligning the competencies and skills disability. Programs such as Indonesia’s available skills. In addition, tertiary education of current and future primary school teachers BOS-KITA project give block grants directly systems are oftentimes too small to meet the to meet new certification standards developed Photo by Simone D. McCourtie/World Bank to schools for operating expenses, on a demands of growing economies. A new report, in partnership with the EU and UNESCO. per student funding basis – increasing Skills not just Diplomas, which examines the and Communication Technology (ICTs) and Engaging parents and communities in school enrollment and reducing the cost of schooling, skilled labor crisis faced by countries in Europe Education conference, the Bank is helping quality and management is also critical. In especially for poor families. The report, and Central Asia, highlights policies to better unleash the powers of innovation. Investments Peru, results of analytic work shared with Transforming Indonesia’s Teaching Force, prepare students for the market economy. in education from private organizations, the public through a video entitled Do You highlights the benefits of aligning funding The Arab World Initiative recently convened a such as foundations, faith-based groups, or Know How Much Your Children Are Learning? and teacher deployment on a per-student high-level round table with Egyptian government for-profit businesses represent additional was the centerpiece of outreach efforts to basis. In rural areas with few children, well ministers to discuss the Quality of Education: resources that the public sector can help parents in rural and low-income areas designed multi-grade teaching efforts can the Gateway to Employability. A review of leverage. The role of the private sector in understand national assessments that gauge work. In Bangladesh, the Reaching Out-of- India’s tertiary education system emphasizes education was explored in a recent high-level whether children are performing at grade level. School Children Project, has helped enroll the importance of technical and engineering conference hosted by the World Bank Group’s Over the past 10 years, more than 80% over 500,000 out-of-school children since education to its competitiveness in the global International Finance Corporation (IFC), the of all IDA support to education has gone 2004 through more than 15,000 schools in knowledge economy. In East Asia, where world’s largest multilateral investor in the to Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, the districts with high poverty and low enrollment. universities must meet surging demand for private education sector in the developing regions with the largest number of out-of- In Nigeria, innovative school development higher education, one project in Vietnam is world. As of January 2010, the IFC has school children. The World Bank also hosts grants and performance-based school awards building a new model university that will offer committed $469 million in financing to 62 the Secretariat of the global partnership, the are helping to improve the quality of lower specializations in science and technology. education projects in 30 countries, at a total Education for All – Fast Track Initiative (FTI) secondary education. value of $1.54 billion, helping to educate In today’s global knowledge economy, ideas which helps 36 low-income countries to about 1.2 million students annually. move more freely across boundaries and across Year a a Glance atYear atGlance T oday, the World Bank manages a portfolio country-level analyses, and rigorous impact of $11.7 billion, with operations in 81 evaluations that generate stronger evidence about countries around the world. Partially in what works in education. An evaluation of school response to the economic crisis, which threatened management reform in the Punjab province gains in education and put the poorest of Pakistan, found that school and student households at risk, global support to education “report cards� increased learning achievement reached a historic high of over $5 billion in in public schools, by empowering parents with 2010. International Development Association knowledge about education quality. Over 100 (IDA) interest-free credits and grants to the publications and other knowledge products world’s poorest countries rose to a record high published in the past year tackle pressing of more than $2.1 billion in new commitments issues, such as the Financing Higher Education for education this year. Across the institution, in Africa report, which discusses options for overall support to protect and invest in human financing the next generation of teachers, development rose – with education totaling doctors, engineers and other professionals. almost 9% of total Bank financing in 2010. Sustaining Progress in Education Also, this year the World Bank’s board with Record Levels of Support approved financing for two large education New Financing to Education (US$million) FY 00-10 operations for India totaling $1.05 billion to by International Development Association and support India’s recent mandate to make basic International Bank for Reconstruction and Development education compulsory for all children from 6-14 5000 IBRD Total years of age. Additionally, loans approved to 4000 IDA Total Mexico in 2010 topped $1 billion for improving 3000 upper secondary education, school-based management, and early childhood education. 2000 1000 A Knowledge Bank: The World Bank complements its global operations with leading 0 FY FY FY FY FY FY FY FY FY FY FY work on international education policy, 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 How We Work The World Bank works in partnership with low and middle-income countries to invest in improving the equity, performance and relevance of education systems through financing and global expertise. The World Bank contributes to advancing global education in three main ways: Knowledge The World Bank serves as a knowledge bank for data, research findings and best practices in policy design and implementation. Generating and sharing this knowledge through technical advice, reports and publications, training activities and communications is a Bank priority. Financing and Operations The World Bank is one of the world’s largest sources of external education aid to developing countries. Through loans, credits and grants, it provides financial support to the governments of developing countries to assist in the design and implementation of education sector plans. The Bank works closely with countries at the ground level through decentralized field offices to ensure collaboration and ownership. Capacity building for private education is undertaken through the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the private sector arm of the World Bank Group. Partnership The World Bank works in close partnership with multilateral international organizations, bilateral donors, and civil society to align donor aid with developing country objectives. Such collaboration, through partnerships and co-financing, helps ensure the greatest impact. Graphic Design: www.katetallentdesign.com Cover Photo by Hongyu Yang/World Bank 1818 H Street, NW | Washington DC, 20433 USA eservice@worldbank.org 1818 H Street, NW | Washington DC, 20433 USA www.worldbank.org/education eservice@worldbank.org Photo by Scott Wallace, World Bank www.worldbank.org/education Photo by Scott Wallace, World Bank Education Sector Board Members: Elizabeth King, Education Director, Robin Horn, Education Sector Manager, Christopher Thomas, Africa Education Sector Manager, Eduardo Velez Bustillo, East Asia and the Pacific Education Sector Manager, Mamta Murthi, Europe and Central Asia Education Sector Manager, Chingboon Lee, Latin America and the Caribbean Education Sector Manager, Mourad Ezzine, Middle East and North Africa Education Sector Manager, Amit Dar, South Asia Education Sector Manager, Kurt Larsen, World Bank Institute Representative, Adam Wagstaff, Research Manager, Martha Ainsworth, Independent Evaluation Group Representative, Svava Lee Bjarnason, International Finance Corporation Representative