At the core of UNESCO's mandate is Education for All (EFA) with six goals to be achieved by 2015. The right .... and soc
Quality Education for an Inclusive, Innovative and Sustainable Knowledge Society
The Regional Bureau’s Education Support Strategy 2010-2013
Published by UNESCO Bangkok Asia and Pacific Regional Bureau for Education Mom Luang Pin Malakul Centenary Building 920 Sukhumvit Road, Prakanong, Klongtoey Bangkok 10110, Thailand
© UNESCO 2010 All rights reserved ISBN 978-92-9223-311-2 (Print Version) ISBN 978-92-9223-312-9 (Electronic version)
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The designations employed and the presentation of material throughout this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of UNESCO concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. The authors are responsible for the choice and the presentation of the facts contained in this book and for the opinions expressed therein, which are not necessarily those of UNESCO and do not commit the Organization.
Design/Layout: Sirisak Chaiyasook Cover photos: © UNESCO/T. Siribodhi, © UNESCO/L. Lugo Helin, © UNESCO/S. Baker and © UNESCO/NN. Thaung © and UNESCO/O. Sandkull. Printed by: UNESCO Bangkok Printed in Thailand DO/10/OS/017-1500
Foreword Since joining UNESCO Bangkok in January 2009 and whenever my work brings me to countries of the Asia-Pacific region, I am constantly reminded of the many and complex challenges they face. At the same time, I am fascinated by the enormous potential and opportunities of this region which is not only diverse and rich in cultural heritage, but also home to nearly two-thirds of the world’s population. Unlocking this potential and the opportunities it entails depends on how the countries of the region succeed in providing quality education for all to enable the achievement of an inclusive, innovative and sustainable knowledge society. At the core of UNESCO’s mandate is Education for All (EFA) with six goals to be achieved by 2015. The right to education continues to be at the very heart of UNESCO’s mission. While EFA provides the moral and political foundation for ensuring learning opportunities for all individuals without discrimination, Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) offers a vision of reaching our potential and benefiting our societies by balancing human and economic well-being with cultural traditions and respect for natural resources. As lead agency for the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (2005-2014), UNESCO promotes ESD as being central to quality education and advocates the integration of the principles, values and practices of sustainable development into all aspects of education and learning. In supporting countries of this region, I propose that the next four year’s work of UNESCO’s Asia-Pacific Regional Bureau for Education, coalesce around the vision “Quality Education for an Inclusive, Innovative and Sustainable Knowledge Society”. This vision implies continuing our priority to support Member States’ efforts to achieve EFA by 2015. It also implies looking beyond the notion of basic education associated with EFA by tackling emerging educational needs of the region, such as skills development, higher education and effective use of information and communication technologies. UNESCO Bangkok is facing enormous challenges. As the Asia-Pacific Regional Bureau for Education, it provides policy advice and technical assistance to its 46 Member States as well as to the 13 UNESCO Field Offices in the region. As a Cluster office for six Member States, it is the co-ordinator of UNESCO’s programme activities across all five Programme Sectors (education, natural sciences, social and human sciences, culture, and communication and information) in Lao PDR, Myanmar, Singapore and Thailand, while supporting the National Offices to develop and implement programme activities in Cambodia and Viet Nam. Furthermore, the changing contexts of the United Nations reform (“Delivering as One”) and the development aid environment require UNESCO Bangkok to play a proactive as well as a creative role as a specialized technical agency in co-operation with its partners. In order to achieve the EFA goals and other Internationally Agreed Development Goals (IADGs), including the Millennium Development Goals, the whole UN family must be united in support of our Member States. With this in mind, it is my great pleasure to present UNESCO Asia-Pacific Regional Bureau’s Education Support Strategy 2010-2013. It was developed as the Regional Bureau’s contribution to UNESCO’s Medium-Term Strategy 2008-2013 (34 C/4), contextualized in the reality of the Asia-Pacific region. Furthermore, this strategy builds upon the results of the Education for All: Mid-Decade Assessment (2008-2009) and the regional synthesis of UNESCO’s National Education Support Strategies (UNESS). The Regional Bureau’s Education Support Strategy is a reference document for UNESCO Bangkok’s strategic planning and programming. While the 34 C/4 was adopted by 193 Member States of UNESCO, this regional support strategy is an initiative of the Asia-Pacific Regional Bureau for Education to clarify its strategic programme approach and focus in the field of education. From this perspective, throughout the document emphasis is placed upon what UNESCO Bangkok will do for Member States in the region with other Field Offices as partners as well as beneficiaries. The purpose of this education support strategy is thus to provide an internal guideline to strategize and streamline the Bureau’s co-operation in the field of education. It can also be adapted as an external communication tool, to inform external partners and potential donors of UNESCO’s education programmes. I hope that readers find this strategy informative and that it delivers its intended purpose.
Gwang-Jo KIM Director UNESCO Asia-Pacific Regional Bureau for Education
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Contents
1. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 1.1 Changing Context of the Region . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 1.2 Role of the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Regional Bureau for Education . . . . . . . . . . . 3 1.3 SWOT Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
2. Vision and Mission Statements . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 2.1 Vision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 2.2 Mission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 2.3 Programming Principles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
3. Strategic Directions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
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3.1 Regional Strategic Programme Objectives . . 3.2 Monitoring and Evaluation . . . . . . . . 3.3 Partnership and Co-ordination Arrangements . 3.4 Resource Mobilization . . . . . . . . . . 3.5 Knowledge Management and Communication
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Annex 1: SWOT Analysis by UNESCO Bangkok Education Sector . . . . . . . . .
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Annex 2: Key Results and Performance Indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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1. Introduction
1.1 Changing Context of the Region
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he Asia-Pacific is a region of great diversity and disparity. There are countries that are at the forefront of development in terms of economic and social conditions, technological capacity and innovation, as well as quality of education and lifelong learning. But there are also countries and areas with extreme poverty, sizeable groups of unenrolled schoolage children and widespread illiteracy especially among those affected by armed conflicts. This diversity is reflected in the active South-South and North-South co-operation in this region, as donor countries as well as emerging donors of medium-income countries of the region provide financial and technical support to others. Amid rapid globalization and the spread of information and communication systems, the millennia-old cultural traditions, religious beliefs and social structures that shaped societies continue to influence education and the way people learn and behave. UNESCO’s education strategy and actions in this region thus need to be conceived and implemented in culturally sensitive and socially relevant ways, drawing on the strength of each culture whilst helping to enrich it through the promotion of exchanges with other parts of the world. Historically speaking, it is only in the past few decades following the horrors of World War II, that the region has seen consistent economic growth and development, with Japan, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, as well as Hong Kong SAR and Taiwan of China being prime examples. This growth is partially yet significantly attributed to the availability of a welleducated labour force that provided the skills and capacities needed by increasingly higher value and complex industries1. Such economic development and
1.
See, for example, Dowling, M. 1997. Asia’s Economic Miracle: An Historical Perspective. The Australian Economic Review, Vol. 30, No. 1, pp. 113-123.
poverty reduction, however, has been uneven within and among countries of the region. With more than 4 billion people, the average life expectancy of the region rose above 70 years in 20072. Coupled with a general fall in birth rates3 which will reduce the demand for places in primary and subsequently higher levels of schooling, there is a pressing need to redefine priorities, policies and strategies for education in the 21 st Century. On the other hand, rising living standards and consumption among this huge population, including those of the rapidly growing economies of China and India, will further strain the environmental sustainability of the region. Growth is linked with deforestation, carbon dioxide emissions and water and air pollution which in turn affect the health and well-being of the population. Moreover, the Asia-Pacific region is particularly exposed to natural disasters. Recent research indicates that the risk of disasters is unevenly distributed but increasing in low- and lower-middle income countries with rapidly growing economies. The risk of floods, for example, is most concentrated in Asian countries such as China and India4. These problems are expected to intensify in the coming years unless all members of society, through access to information, communication and education, have an understanding of their cause and effect. For these reasons, a number of countries in the region have begun adopting policies towards sustainable development and the building of knowledge societies
2.
UNESCAP. 2008. Statistical Yearbook for Asia and the Pacific 2008. Bangkok: UNESCAP. http://www.unescap.org/stat/data/ syb2008/ (Accessed on 7 April 2010)
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The population of the region is projected to rise to more than 5 billion in 2050. (Population Division of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the United Nations Secretariat. World Population Prospects: The 2008 Revision. http://esa.un.org/unpp/ p2k0data.asp. (Accessed on 7 April 2010)
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United Nations. 2009. Risk and poverty in a changing climate: Invest today for a safer tomorrow. Summary and recommendations: 2009 Global Assessment Report on Disaster Risk Reduction. p. 8.
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supported through lifelong learning. While many countries in the region have succeeded in reducing the proportion of their population living below the revised international poverty line ($PPP1.25 at 2005 prices), about 950 million (or approximately one out of four persons in the region) were still living below this absolute poverty line in 20055. Although the Asian economies seem to be recovering faster than other regions from the 2008 global financial crisis, rising prices for energy, food and raw materials together with shrinking export markets, have considerably slowed economic growth and increased unemployment. According to ILO, insufficient rates of labour absorption and a skills mismatch have been the main factors for youth unemployment in some countries6. Better adapted and dynamic education and training is needed for vocational and entrepreneurial skills development for self-employment and small and medium-size enterprises.
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Successive EFA Global Monitoring Reports and the EFA Mid-Decade Assessment sub-regional synthesis reports highlight many key issues facing education in Asia and the Pacific. Education for All is far from being achieved, given that in 2007 there was an estimated 27 million out-of-school primary school-age children, 72 million illiterate youths (age 15-24) and 500 million adult illiterates (age 15 and over) in the region7. South and West Asia account for more than half the world’s 759 million illiterate adults. An estimated 36 percent of their adult populations, or 391 million adults, lack the basic literacy and numeracy skills needed in everyday life. On the other hand, countries which have achieved universal primary education, or which are close to achieving it, are facing new challenges. These include having to expand comprehensive early childhood care and education and reform secondary education and technical and vocational education and training, which in turn are influencing the growth and internationalization of tertiary education. The quality of education is becoming a major priority among countries of the region. This is reflected in the Regional Synthesis of the UNESCO National Education
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World Bank. World Bank Updates Poverty Estimates for the Developing World. http://siteresources.worldbank.org/DEC/Resources/PovertyBrief-in-English.pdf (Accessed on 7 April 2010).
6.
ILO. 2008. Global Employment Trends for Youth. Geneva: ILO.
7.
UNESCO. 2010. EFA Global Monitoring Report 2009. Reaching the Marginalized. Paris: UNESCO.
Support Strategies (UNESS) for Asia and the Pacific8. It shows that education quality issues account for more than a quarter of perceived challenges among the 25 countries for which UNESS documents have been prepared. The governments of these countries assign high priority to curriculum reform, teacher training, teaching methods and textbooks, and the improvement of management capacity from the central level of their education systems to the school level. There are notable concerns about the outcome of learning and the relevance of education to the labour market. To meet such diverse demands, timely and effective delivery of education becomes crucial. In several countries this challenge has been addressed effectively thanks to the the pervasive use of information technologies in the classroom. While supporting countries to meet these educational needs, UNESCO must take into account the overall international aid environment. The 2008 monitoring of the implementation of the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness9 reported that despite the progress noted in aid co-ordination and technical co-operation, there is a need to accelerate changes in order to achieve the aid effectiveness targets set for 2010. The 2008 Accra Agenda for Action (AAA) further emphasized the country ownership of its development process by strengthening their capacity to lead and manage development and involving local authorities and civil society organizations in country-level policy dialogue on development. The AAA also called for a re-focus on delivering results. In relation to the UN Reform and Delivering as One, the 2007 Stocktaking Exercise10 involving eight pilot countries, of which Pakistan and Viet Nam are in this region, found that through joint programming and increased policy support, the UN system is aligning its programming more closely with national priorities, reform processes and national development plans. The One UN Programme also allows governments and donors to better understand UN priorities and funding gaps, which in turn helps joint UN resource mobilization at the country level. This new environment presents an opportunity for UNESCO to demonstrate its technical 8.. UNESCO. 2009. UNESS Regional Synthesis for Asia and the Pacific (3rd draft). Bangkok: UNESCO. (Unpublished) 9.
OECD. 2008 Survey on Monitoring the Paris Declaration: Effective Aid by 2010? What will it take (Key findings and recommendations). Paris: OECD.
10 United Nations Development Group. 2008. Delivering as One – 2007 Stocktaking Exercise. New York: UNDG.
expertise to contribute to the national development agenda and to increase its credibility and visibility. UNESCO Asia-Pacific Regional Bureau’s Education Support Strategy will therefore bank on such favourable conditions to mobilize partnerships and support at the country level. At the same time, UNESCO Bangkok must adapt its regional support function to respond to the needs of the National and Cluster Offices within this new development co-operation framework of the UN system for delivery at the country level.
2013 (34 C/4), UNESCO Asia-Pacific Regional Bureau for Education will be fulfilling the following five established functions of the UNESCO Education Sector to assist Member States of the region12: 1) Laboratory of ideas: UNESCO must anticipate challenges and emerging developments in the field of education, identify appropriate strategies and policies to deal with challenges to peace, security and sustainable development, and become the source of new and innovative ideas;
1.2 Role of the UNESCO AsiaPacific Regional Bureau for Education
2) Standard-setter: UNESCO serves as a central forum for articulating ethical, normative and intellectual issues by promoting dialogues and monitoring the implementation of relevant legal and normative instruments (e.g., Convention against Discrimination in Education, UNESCO/OECD Guidelines on Quality Provision In Cross-Border Higher Education);
As a specialized agency of the United Nations, UNESCO contributes to the building of peace, the eradication of poverty, sustainable development and intercultural dialogue through education, the sciences, culture, communication and information.11 In the context of the current United Nations reform and upon the request of its Member States, UNESCO has increased and strengthened its presence in the field by implementing a decentralization policy. The role of UNESCO Regional Bureaux for Education has also evolved from that of implementing country-level operational activities to providing technical support and advice to Cluster and National Offices and supporting the capacity development of Member States. The Regional Bureaux are also mandated to develop regional agendas and strategies and articulate them in the global context in collaboration with other Cluster and National Offices. Moreover, the Regional Bureaux for Education have the new function to coordinate the Education Sector’s programme cycle and activities of all Field Offices in their region, including the biennial C/5 programming and budgeting, sixmonthly reporting, and monitoring and evaluation, for quality assurance. In this “accountable decentralization” framework, the Cluster and National Offices are beneficiaries of the technical support of their Regional Education Bureau and at the same time, partners to jointly provide technical support to their Member States.
3) Clearinghouse: UNESCO functions as a knowledge base in the field of education by identifying, gathering, disseminating and sharing information, knowledge and good practices, and by identifying innovative solutions; 4) Capacity-builder in Member States: UNESCO’s technical co-operation aims to develop Member States’ capacities to achieve their national education goals, including capacities in developing and implementing education policies, strategies and programmes, and monitoring and evaluation; 5) Catalyst for international co-operation: In addition to its global EFA leadership role, UNESCO gathers and mobilizes diverse partners and stakeholders in education through its leadership of a number of UN decades (e.g., the United Nations Literacy Decade 2003-2012, the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development 20052014, and the United Nations Decade for a Culture of Peace and Non-Violence for the Children of the World 2001-2010) and initiatives (e.g., UNESCO-led joint UN EDUCAIDS Framework for Action).
1.3 SWOT Analysis In light of the role and functions expected of UNESCO’s Regional Bureaux for Education, the staff of UNESCO Bangkok’s Education Sector analyzed collectively its strengths and weaknesses as well as existing opportunities and threats external to the Organization (see Annex 1, SWOT analysis).
By contributing to the realization of the above global mission statement in the Medium-Term Strategy 2008-
11. UNESCO. 2008. Medium-Term Strategy 2008-2013 (34 C/4). Paris: UNESCO. p. 7.
12. Adapted from: UNESCO. 2008. UNESCO Education Sector’s Communication Papers. Unpublished document for the Education Sector’s internal use.
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The strengths identified clearly constitute a comparative advantage of the Organization in the region. Indeed, no other international agency can provide a sectorwide framework for education supported as it is by a wide range of specialized expertise residing in the Regional Bureaux, other units of the UNESCO Secretariat and UNESCO Institutes. The intergovernmental character of UNESCO, where Member States are part of its governing bodies, also gives the Bangkok Regional Bureau significant influence in the region.
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The diversity of the region presents a major challenge but also an enormous opportunity: Member States can share experience and innovations and learn from one another, while donor countries as well as the emerging donors of medium-income countries, can provide financial and technical support to others. The recent shift in the area of international development cooperation with the Paris Declaration and the UN reform, is creating a new opportunity for the Regional Bureau to position itself as a strong regional partner and education advisory body. It has a superior capacity to provide specialized policy advice and to manage and share information and knowledge in liaison with a very large number of academic institutions. These expanding support functions for Members States, NGOs, teacher education institutions, other UNESCO Field Offices and UN Country Teams in the region will, however, require a strengthened resource mobilization strategy in order to increase the human and financial resources of the Regional Bureau. This is one of the main challenges of the Office for the coming years.
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2. Vision and Mission Statements
2.1 Vision
Quality Education for an Inclusive, Innovative and Sustainable Knowledge Society
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ducation for All (EFA) continues to be UNESCO’s global priority in education. The right to education is at the heart of UNESCO’s mission and it is a moral and political obligation of governments, civil society and the international community to guarantee the right to quality education “geared to tapping each individual’s talents and potential, and developing learners’ personalities, so that they can improve their lives and transform their societies”13. The EFA agenda underlines that education – from birth and throughout life – is the critical foundation for sustainable development. Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) on the other hand, offers a vision and a route towards achieving the ultimate goals of Education for All. Based on the values, principles and practices necessary to respond effectively to current and future challenges in the economic, environmental and sociocultural spheres, ESD brings “new relevance, quality, meaning and purpose to education and training systems”14.
EFA and ESD have in common the promotion of human rights (including the right to education) and lifelong learning, a focus on the quality of education, and the realization that education holds the key to development. ESD is, however, broader than education and necessarily interdisciplinary. It is also based on local needs, perceptions and conditions. Quality Education for an Inclusive, Innovative and Sustainable Knowledge Society envisions the continuing priority on Member States’ efforts to achieve EFA by 2015. It also implies looking
13. UNESCO. (2000). The Dakar Framework for Education. Education for All: Meeting our Collective Commitments. Paris: UNESCO. 14. UNESCO. (2009). Bonn Declaration. http://www.esd-worldconference-2009.org/fileadmin/download/ESD2009_ BonnDeclaration080409.pdf (Accessed on 10 April 2010).
beyond the notion of basic education associated with EFA to tackle emerging educational issues and needs of the region, such as secondary education, skills development, TVET, higher education and effective use of information and communication technologies, so that every Member State respects cultural diversity and individual differences, contributes to sustainable human development and takes active part in the knowledge society.
2.2 Mission ü To promote education as a fundamental human right and an enabling force for sustainable development. ü To support Member States in developing and strengthening their education systems to deliver quality education for all throughout life. Education is a fundamental human right and as such it must be within reach of all persons regardless of their individual characteristics or social, economic and cultural backgrounds. UNESCO promotes a holistic and rights-based approach to education that encompasses all education levels and the attainment of a wide range of values, knowledge and skills. Education takes place throughout life in many forms, and UNESCO advocates lifelong learning through formal, non-formal and informal delivery systems. The Asia-Pacific Regional Bureau for Education will support Member States to strengthen their capacity to fulfill their duty to guarantee this human right to education. In order to do so, the Regional Bureau for Education will promote relevant and the latest advances in knowledge and innovations, provide policy options and practical tools, and support education reforms with a view to reducing disparities and inequalities that exist among and within the Member States of the region.
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2.3 Programming Principles 2.3.1 Human rights-based approach (HRBA) The whole UN system is working to mainstream a human rights-based approach into programmes and activities in accordance with the UN Stamford Common Understanding declaration. Thus, UNESCO has developed its own human rights mainstreaming programme. All UNESCO Bangkok programmes, activities and projects are planned, implemented, monitored and evaluated in accordance with human rights-based approach principles. In particular, focus is given to the root causes of discrimination, inequality and exclusion of vulnerable and marginalized groups.
2.3.2 Gender mainstreaming
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Gender equality is one of the two global priorities of UNESCO under the 34 C/4. The Regional Bureau is guided by this global priority and will ensure that all its actions in the field are supportive of girls and women’s empowerment and of gender equality in education. Gender equality will be mainstreamed throughout the education programming cycle at all levels by: identifying gaps in gender equality in education systems and policies through the use of gender analysis and sex-disaggregated data; encouraging the application of multiple correlations of sexdisaggregated data with socio-economic indicators to better analyze disparities and address gender inequalities in education; building support for change through advocacy and partnerships; putting adequate resources and expertise in place; and by gender sensitive monitoring and evaluation.
2.3.3 Results-based management (RBM) Results-based management is a strategic management approach to be applied to the whole programme cycle, including programming, budgeting, management, monitoring, reporting and evaluation, in order to ensure that activities achieve results. RBM has become a central principle within the UN system and a global trend among international organizations as the results and effectiveness of programme interventions become increasingly critical, especially in the light of Aid Effectiveness and Delivering as One. RBM shifts the focus of every stage of the programme cycle from what and how things are done to what is accomplished. A result, in this sense, is a describable and measurable change resulting from a cause-and-effect relationship
induced by an intervention. UNESCO has three main institutional planning documents: the six-year MediumTerm Strategy (C/4), biennial Programme and Budget (C/5) and work plans. The Organization’s overarching strategy (C/4) is translated into three consecutive biennial programme and budget documents (C/5), and the latter is translated into work plans outlining activities and projects. Expected results are established at each level of programming. The relation between the expected results at different programming levels must be direct and causal. Therefore, all programme activities, regular programme and extrabudgetary projects alike, are directly linked to the expected results of the Main Lines of Action established in C/5 documents so that the collective results of the latter contribute to the achievement of the expected outcomes of the C/4.
2.3.4 Evidence-based approach Essential to RBM is that all proposed programme activities are developed and monitored based on concrete and verifiable evidence. Emphasis is thus placed on solid analyses of baseline data, underlying causes and diverse stakeholders. The most appropriate intervention modalities will be based on evidence such as research results, lessons learnt and good practices. In particular, in order to achieve Education for All, analyses of reliable statistical data of school-age groups and their school participation and learning achievements, are essential to identify the unreached and excluded groups. The analysis of barriers and underlying causes for exclusion allows identification of stakeholders and promising solutions to reach the unreached. Involvement of these stakeholders in identifying problems and needs as well as possible solutions is crucial for the ownership and sustainability of programme activities. In order for UNESCO to fulfill its role as a specialized agency with technical and intellectual credibility, UNESCO Bangkok will incorporate the evidence-based approach into every step in the programme cycle.
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3. Strategic Directions
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NESCO’s mandate and comparative advantage in the field of education lie in its holistic approach and sector-wide coverage. Nonetheless, UNESCO has been increasingly focussing its education programmes on upstream policy advice and related capacity development. While continuing to support Member States’ education policy development and reforms holistically, UNESCO’s Asia-Pacific Regional Bureau for Education will strive for delivery of a more focussed programme. It has five components: regional strategic programme objectives, monitoring and evaluation, partnership and co-ordination arrangements, resource mobilization, and knowledge management and communication. The Bureau’s main (i.e., non-exhaustive) deliverables at the regional level are indicated under each of these components.
3.1 Regional Strategic Programme Objectives UNESCO’s Medium-Term Strategy 2008-2013 (34 C/4) establishes as its Overarching Objective 1, “Attaining quality education for all and lifelong learning”, and two Strategic Programme Objectives (SPO). The Asia-Pacific Regional Bureau for Education proposes to translate these two global SPOs into three Regional Strategic Programme Objectives that respond to the specific needs of the region as revealed by the results of the Education for All: Mid-Decade Assessment (2008-2009) and the regional synthesis of UNESCO’s National Education Support Strategies (UNESS) developed by the Field Offices in the region.
SPO 1: Strengthening UNESCO’s global lead and coordination role for EFA and providing support to national leadership in favour of EFA.
‹ Regional Strategic Progamme Objective 1: Support evidence-based advocacy to increase political commitment and financial resources for EFA SPO 2: Developing policies, capacities and tools for quality education for all and lifelong learning as well as promoting education for sustainable development.
‹ Regional Strategic Progamme Objective 2: Strengthen national capacity in evidence-based policy development, planning and management to achieve quality education for all ‹ Regional Strategic Progamme Objective 3: Foster knowledge sharing and North-South-South co-operation in pursuit of quality education for all and for sustainable development Under each Regional Strategic Programme Objective the Bureau has identified the programmatic focus and key results which it aims to achieve in collaboration with other Field Offices of the region as well as external and internal partners (see the Section 3.4 “Partnership and Co-ordination Arrangements”). The achievement of these key results will be reviewed at the end of 2013 using the performance indicators listed in the Annex 2.
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Links between the Global and Regional Medium-Term Strategic Objectives 34 C/4 Overall Objective
Regional Strategic Programme Objectives
34 C/4 Strategic Programme Objective
Support evidence-based advocacy to increase political commitment and financial resource for EFA
Strengthening UNESCO’s global lead and coordination role for EFA and providing support to national leadership in favour of EFA Attaining quality education for all and lifelong learning
Strengthen national capacity in policy development, planning and management to achieve quality education for all
Developing policies, capacities and tools for quality education for all and lifelong learning as well as promoting education for sustainable development
Foster knowledge sharing and North-South-South co-operation in pursuit of education for all and for sustainable development
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3.1.1 Regional Strategic Programme Objective 1: Support evidencebased advocacy to increase political commitment and financial resources for EFA Strong and active regional EFA co-ordination helps maintain the political momentum within Member States and the international community and promotes co-operation among governments, development partners and civil society to achieve the EFA goals. In particular, the region’s focus for EFA co-ordination and advocacy should be placed upon the individuals and groups marginalized and unreached by the education systems. To this end, it is necessary to analyze exisiting disparities and inequities in educational opportunities, identifying the underlying causes for the exclusion and removing the barriers to accessing education and learning.
Focus: Education for All – Reaching the unreached
Key Results: ü Member States institutionalized systematic and regular monitoring of their progress toward the EFA goals for evidence-based education policy-making. ü Advocacy for EFA and reaching the unreached strengthened. ü Financial resources mobilized at the country level in support of EFA.
UNESCO Bangkok’s main (non-exhaustive) deliverable by 2013: ü A regional EFA overview report with country profiles.
3.1.2 Regional Strategic Programme Objective 2: Strengthen national capacity in evidence-based policy development, planning and management to achieve quality education for all In order to achieve quality education for all, fundamental reforms in policy formulation, planning and management of education systems and sub-systems are needed, incorporating both rights-based and results-oriented approaches. This objective aims to strengthen capacities at national and sub-national levels to introduce, implement, manage and assess such reforms in the education sector. As the sole UN agency covering the whole education sector, UNESCO will increase its technical assistance and support to develop the capacity of the sub-sectors beyond basic education, such as secondary education, higher education, technical and vocational education and training. This includes the provision of strategic policy options and benchmarking in these areas to inform policy decision-making.
Focus: Beyond basic education – Strengthening sector-wide national capacity and providing strategic policy options
Key Results: ü Capacity of Member States strengthened in education sector analysis, planning and financing at the national and decentralized levels. ü Comprehensive, rights-based and gender-responsive ECCE policies developed and implemented in Member States. ü Adoption by Member States of national implementation strategies, plans and monitoring systems according to the international benchmarks, standards and norms of universal basic education. ü National capacity strengthened to evaluate the secondary education sub-sector and implement secondary education reform. ü TVET policies in Member States reviewed and improved in light of the latest research evidence. ü Improvements in quality of literacy and NFE programmes and increased synergy with formal education. ü Principles and practices of sustainable development integrated into national education plans, policies and curricula.
ü Comprehensive education sector responses towards improved HIV and sexuality education in Member States ü Policies to improve teachers’ status and working conditions as well as professional development, reformed by Member States ü Capacity of Member States strengthened to make innovative use of ICT in improving the quality of education.
UNESCO Bangkok’s main (non-exhaustive) deliverable by 2013: ü A regional knowledge portal on education policy and planning.
3.1.3 Regional Strategic Programme Objective 3: Foster knowledge sharing and North-South-South co-operation in pursuit of quality education for all and for sustainable development Education systems in Asia and the Pacific need to further update their objectives, content, methods, delivery mechanisms and organization in responding to the needs of a fast-changing world. Through the creation and (re-)activation of regional networks and knowledge platforms, this objective aims at promoting development, dissemination and application of innovations to improve the quality of education. The Regional Bureau will strengthen its function as a laboratory of ideas by analysing critical issues and challenges in sustainable development and bring together experts across the region to discuss education responses and propose future actions. Focus: Sustainable development – Forecasting emerging issues and providing a knowledge platform to analyze and discuss education responses
Key Results: ü Regional and inter-country partnerships and co-operation strengthened to monitor the quality of education. ü Improved knowledge exchange, quality assurance and governance of higher education institutions. ü Creation of a regional Post-Conflict Post-Disaster platform in the field of education to strengthen and assist Member States’ response to human-induced and natural disasters.
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UNESCO Bangkok’s main (non-exhaustive) deliverables by 2013: ü Regional comparative studies on current policy issues in higher education. ü Guidelines to support the development of contingency plans for education in emergencies.
3.2 Monitoring and Evaluation
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To date, UNESCO’s monitoring and evaluation (M&E) of programme activities has been limited. While financial monitoring consists of observing spending for each activity, qualitative monitoring of programme implementation is limited to six-monthly reports prepared for the Director-General’s report to the Executive Board (EX/4). Although the quality of these reports has improved over the years, it is still noted that programme specialists are reporting on activities rather than results achieved. Evaluations are also limited to selected extra-budgetary projects for reporting to their donors, or a small number of evaluations planned in the C/5 and conducted by the Internal Oversight Service. Therefore, there is a need to integrate evaluations into the programme management cycle, to assess the achievement of the expected results and to draw lessons to inform the next cycle of programming and work planning. Within this context, the Asia-Pacific Regional Bureau for Education has been gradually improving programme cycle management in the region. During the biennial work planning and the six-monthly EX/4 reporting, the Regional Education Bureau reviews and comments on the work plans and activity reports submitted by all Field Offices in the region. It also follows up with the Field Offices if the need for technical backstopping or reprogramming of activities is identified. Building on this experience, the Regional Bureau has developed with the support of the International Oversight Service and the Bureau of Strategic Planning, a draft concept note, “Asia-Pacific Region’s Results-Based Monitoring and Evaluation of Education Programmes”, to strengthen the Regional Bureau’s quality support and assurance role as well as monitoring of its own and other Field Offices’ education programmes. In addition to the continuous effort to improve the quality of workplans and monitoring and reporting, the draft concept note proposes a small number of evaluations and peer reviews which can be conducted either thematically across different offices or through a review of an office’s education portfolio. Building on this experience, the
Regional Bureau will seek to strengthen its role in monitoring and evaluation, which feeds into management and decision-making processes.
UNESCO Bangkok’s main deliverable by 2013: ü Framework for the regional results-based monitoring and evaluation of education programmes.
3.3 Partnership and Co-ordination Arrangements The Organization has the advantage of having at its disposal extensive networks and partnerships throughout the world. In order to make a postive impact on the education development of Member States, UNESCO Bangkok will strengthen the existing collaboration and co-ordination arrangements within the Secretariat of the Organization, enhance partnership arrangements with existing external partners, as well as identify and foster new partnerships with potential ones.
3.3.1 Co-ordination with external partners Diversity and disparity among and within countries of Asia and the Pacific are an opportunity to draw on salient experiences gathered by countries “which have been there” to assist others facing similar challenges. For example, the so-called “middle-income” countries in Asia and the Pacific have accumulated over the past decades rich experience in establishing and managing their education systems. They can, on the one hand, gain from the innovations and insights from the more advanced countries, and on the other hand, more appropriately, help other countries to update and upgrade their delivery of education services. UNESCO Asia-Pacific Regional Bureau’s Education Support Strategy will therefore seek to bank on this diversity by promoting South-South and NorthSouth-South cooperation in: (a) mobilizing and transfering more advanced know-how from experienced countries to less developed countries; (b) facilitating their collaboration in adapting and applying the new know-how; and (c) further disseminating the results and lessons learnt to benefit other countries. UNESCO has a long-standing commitment —along with external partners— to play an active role in support of the Member States’ overall work in achieving
the Internationally Agreed Development Goals (IADGs), including the Millennium Development Goals. This ensures that UNESCO’s expertise is reflected in a country’s development plan, in particular those actions and goals relating to education. In this endeavour, co-operation and partnership with other UN agencies as well as development banks such as the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank, is essential and will be sought. UNESCO Bangkok plays an active role in the work of the United Nations Country Teams for the countries within the Bangkok Cluster, as well as in regional UN co-ordination mechanisms, such as the United Nations Development Group Asia-Pacific and the Peer Support Group (PSG). Moreover, the Bangkok Regional Bureau is active in regional thematic working groups (TWG), such as the TWGs on EFA and HIV/AIDS, and inter-agency initiatives such as the UN Evaluation Development Group for Asia and the Pacific (UNEDAP) and the UNAIDS Regional Director’s Forum. UNESCO is also a co-founder and co-sponsor of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS). The Bureau also provides technical support and backstopping to other Cluster and National Offices in the region, so that education is reflected properly in UN common planning and programming frameworks (e.g., CCA/UNDAF) and UN Joint Programmes covering education are of the highest technical quality and reflect international norms and standards. Co-operation with regional and sub-regional entities, such as the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO) and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), is being strengthened to expand UNESCO’s network of partners in delivering assistance to Member States in the region. Joint activities, in particular with SEAMEO, have been initiated to assist its Member States achieve the EFA goals. UNESCO Bangkok will also co-operate more closely with other key national partners such as Korean Educational Development Institute (KEDI), National Institute for Educational Policy Research of Japan (NIER) and Asia-Pacific Cultual Centre for UNESCO (ACCU), by involving them in the provision of expert advice or carrying out joint activities that benefit the countries in the region.
UNESCO Bangkok’s main deliverable by 2013: ü Regional conference on ICT in education with an emphasis on South-South and North-South-South co-operation.
3.3.2 Co-ordination within the Organization Within the Secretariat of the Organization, close collaboration with the other 13 Field Offices in the region is indispensable to the successful implementation of the Regional Bureau’s Education Support Strategy. As noted earlier, this strategy is built upon the results of the EFA Mid-Decade Assessment and, more importantly, of the regional synthesis of UNESCO’s National Education Support Strategy (UNESS) documents prepared by Field Offices in the region. The latter provide in-depth analysis of the education situation of countries in the region. They present not only the most urgent needs of the Member States but also the areas where UNESCO has a comparative advantage and where it could, and should, take a leading role in improving national education systems. In order to optimize the limited financial and human resources of each office, UNESCO Bangkok and other Field Offices in the region will identify either joint regional activities which are led and funded by UNESCO Bangkok or common regional activities that can be led and funded by any of the Field Offices. UNESCO Bangkok will provide opportunities for periodic consultations among Field Offices in the region as well as capacity development of education programme staff, with a view to identifying common issues and designing joint or common regional activities. In order to enhance intersectoral co-operation, UNESCO Bangkok units/sectors will work closely to address the needs and priorities of Member States identified in the C/5, in particular through intersectoral platforms and the pooling of resources to implement inter-unit activities. The Regional Bureau’s education support strategy will provide guidance to achieve these common goals. National Commissions play a very important role in the advancement of UNESCO’s objectives and in the implementation of its programmes. Their vast network of stakeholders, partners and experts from both public and private sectors provides UNESCO with a comparative advantage within the UN system and ensures the Organization’s visibility at the country level. They are an excellent source of information particularly with regard to the latest challenges and opportunities in national economic, social and political development. By working closely with the National Commissions,
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ü Thematic groups among UNESCO education specialists in the region to share intellectual resources, conduct peer reviews and carry out joint regional activities.
As a catalyst of international co-operation, resource mobilization will include not only financial resources but also human resources and expertise to support UNESCO’s programme activities or to directly support Member States through South-South and NorthSouth-South co-operation. Moreover, UNESCO Bangkok will promote co-operation and resource pooling among the Field Offices in the region and maximize the use of the network of internal expertise residing in Field Offices, Headquarters and Institutes.
3.4 Resource Mobilization
UNESCO Bangkok’s main deliverables by 2013:
As defined in UNESCO’s Extrabudgetary Resource Mobilization Strategic Plan (180 EX/INF.5), the central objective of resource mobilization is “to reinforce and complement UNESCO’s regular programme and budget in both qualitative and quantitative terms” (p. 2). The message is clear: projects and activities funded by extrabudgetary sources (or Complementary Additional Programme, CAP) must be complementary and in full coherence with Regular Programme activities. Activities implemented with Regular Programme and extrabudgetary funding will be assessed through the tracking and reporting of results achieved and lessons learnt; programme innovations and good practices will be documented for future enhancement and deployment.
ü Database of donors, partner agencies and experts/ resource persons.
3.5 Knowledge Management and Communication
The current ratio of Regular Programme to extrabudgetary funding for UNESCO Bangkok’s education programme activities is roughly at 1 to 4. As the RP allocation for the Bureau remains more or less constant, extrabudgetary funding should be increased to respond to the needs of Member States and to address emerging issues in education. Bilateral government donors are likely to remain the most important contributors to UNESCO’s education programmes, and they will be encouraged to support the programmes and projects that are part of the CAP in full coherence with the Regular Programme. In order to mobilize financial contributions, particularly at a time of financial and economic crisis, UNESCO must raise its effectiveness, credibility and visibility as a reliable partner. It can do so by demonstrating the results and added value of its technical expertise and co-operation at the country and regional levels. UNESCO Bangkok will also engage in UN joint programming and donor co-ordination mechanisms from an early stage. New opportunities will be sought through co-operation with corporate donors by seeking topics of common interest and advocating for corporate social responsibility.
UNESCO provides technical expertise, knowledge, good practice and lessons learnt in the region through high-quality publications. To maintain and further enhance the excellence of publications in the region, UNESCO Bangkok’s IKM team will support other Field Offices with advice on common publication procedures in line with UNESCO’s new publications guidelines. Moreover, the awareness of and support for achieving UNESCO’s strategic goals in the region will be raised through public information activities such as the production of newsletters, press releases and articles in national and international newspapers, media and TV coverage, as well as public events and exhibitions.
UNESCO Bangkok can avail of expert local advice be it in research work, programme implementation or mobilizing resources.
UNESCO Bangkok’s main deliverable by 2013:
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ü Capacity development of Field Offices in extrabudgetary funds mobilization (e.g., training in fund raising, key players’ meetings).
Knowledge management and communication is a key element for the successful implementation of the Regional Bureau’s Education Support Strategy 20102013. UNESCO Bangkok’s Information and Knowledge Management team (IKM) will support the Strategy and fulfil the Regional Bureau’s role by (a) developing a communication strategy for UNESCO in the Asia-Pacific region, (b) establishing and managing services, tools and systems for communications and (c) by sharing information and knowledge on UNESCO’s fields of expertise, internally and externally.
In supporting knowledge sharing among Member States of the region, UNESCO will utilize its web platforms and portals to provide information on the latest developments in education. It will also provide opportunities for networking by key education
stakeholders including policy-makers, researchers and practitioners. To this end, UNESCO Bangkok will revise and enrich its education websites and clearinghouses with a view to developing an Education Knowledge Sharing Platform to better serve Member States and key education stakeholders in the region.
UNESCO Bangkok’s main deliverable by 2013: ü A regional communication strategy for UNESCO in Asia and the Pacific, aimed at increasing the Organization’s visibility, outreach and partnerships.
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Annex 1: SWOT Analysis by UNESCO Bangkok Education Sector
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EXTERNAL ORIGIN (attributes of the environment)
INTERNAL ORIGIN (attributes of the organization)
HELPFUL to achieve the mission
OBSTRUCTIVE to achieve the mission
Strengths:
Weaknesses:
t Privileged access to Member States, in particular to ministries of education t Comparative advantage in education policies and in normative work t Strong networking with government education officials, with public and private education institutions and experts t Wide scope of qualified specialized education staff t Part of the large global UNESCO network in education with Headquarters and Institutes t Close collaboration with other UNESCO Field Offices in the region t Large mandate of UNESCO as a comparative advantage to promote inter-sectoral and interdisciplinary approaches
t In constant need of additional human and financial resources t Large number of objectives in education compared with the core resources available t Perceived as slower than other agencies in responding to urgent needs
Opportunities:
Threats:
t Active South-South and North-South cooperation in the region: donor countries and emerging donors (medium-income countries) can provide financial and technical support. t UN reform at country level as an opportunity for a more focused positioning of the Regional Bureau: - In providing support and expertise - In information and knowledge sharing - in developing its monitoring and evaluation function for the benefit of Governments, of UNESCO Field Offices in the region and of UN Country Teams t Paris Declaration as a framework and an opportunity to foster alignment to the needs of Member States
t Competition with other global and regional organizations covering education t Declining level of donor funding, aggravated by the financial crisis
Annex 2: Key Results and Performance Indicators Regional Strategic Programme Objective 1: Support evidence-based advocacy to increase political commitment and financial resources for EFA Key results
Performance Indicators
Member States institutionalized systematic and regular monitoring of their progress towards attaining EFA goals for evidence-based education policy-making.
t Availability of accurate, reliable and timely education statistics and indicators for regular EFA monitoring. t Improved content and quality of statistical analysis included in policy and planning documents.
Advocacy for EFA and reaching the unreached strengthened.
t Number of Member States, key national and international dvelopment agencies, civil society organizations and donors participating in the national and regional EFA co-ordination mechanism. t National media and opinion-makers focusing on unreached populations and disseminating good practices and lessons learnt related to EFA.
Financial resources mobilized at the country level in support of EFA.
t Number and amount of joint funding initiatives approved in support of EFA (e.g., FTI, joint programmes) to which UNESCO substantively contributed.
Regional Strategic Programme Objective 2: Strengthen national capacity in evidence-based policy development, planning and management to achieve quality education for all Key results Capacity of Member States strengthened in education sector analysis, planning and financing at the national and decentralized levels.
Performance Indicators t Number of countries that formulated sound education sector analyses, policy frameworks and education plans following UNESCO’s capacity development and technical assistance activities. t Increased access of Member States to policy options, country experience and lessons learnt on education reforms and decentralization in education finance, management and governance, made available by UNESCO.
Comprehensive, rights-based and genderresponsive ECCE policies developed and implemented in Member States.
t Number of countries that have reviewed and developed ECCE policies from a rights-based and gender-responsive approach.
Adoption by Member States of national implementation strategies, plans and monitoring systems according to the international benchmarks, standards and norms of universal basic education.
t Number of countries that have integrated international benchmarks, standards and norms on universal basic education into national implementation strategies, plans and monitoring systems.
National capacity strengthened to evaluate the secondary education sub-sector and implement secondary education reform.
t Number of countries that have evaluated the secondary education subsector. t Number of countries that have carried out or are in the process of secondary education policy reform.
TVET policies in Member States reviewed and improved in light of the latest research evidence.
t Number of countries that have conducted or are in the process of a TVET policy review.
Improvements in quality of literacy and NFE programmes and increased synergy with formal education.
t Number of countries that have reviewed and revised national literacy and NFE curricula and teaching methods. t Number of countries that have developed policy frameworks and strategic plans for equivalency programmes for general basic education and vocational education.
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Principles and practices of sustainable development integrated into national education plans, policies and curricula.
t Number of countries that have integrated ESD into national education-sector plans. t Number of countries that have incorporated ESD values in an official policy and curriculum.
Comprehensive education sector responses towards improved HIV and sexuality education in Member States.
t Number of countries in which the Ministry of Education and key national partners have adopted policies, curricula, teacher guides and teaching-learning materials on HIV and sexuality education, in the broader context of school health.
Policies to improve teachers’ status and working conditions as well as professional development, reformed by Member States.
t Number of countries that have reformed their policies in recruitment, training, remuneration, deployment and career development of teachers. t Number of teacher training institutions that designed and provide teacher education, using ICTs and distance learning approaches.
Capacity of Member States strengthened to make innovative use of ICT in improving the quality of education.
t Number of national ICT in education master plans. t Number of published innovative practices in using ICT to faciliate student-centred learning activities. t Number of literacy programmes that make use of ICT and mobile technologies. t Number of countries that make effective use of ICT in teacher training.
Regional Strategic Programme Objective 3: Foster knowledge sharing and North-SouthSouth co-operation in pursuit of quality education for all and for sustainable development
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Key results
Performance Indicators
Improved knowledge exchange, quality assurance and governance of higher education institutions.
t Number of higher education institutions that take part in the regional networks of higher education institutions. t Number of comparative studies on higher education reforms. t Number of countries that have quality assurance agencies which carried out accreditation of higher education programmes and/or institutional audits of higher education institutions. t Number of countries that have ratified the revised AsiaPacific Regional Convention on Recognition of Higher Education Qualifications.
Regional and inter-country partnerships and co-operation strengthened in monitoring the quality of education.
t Number of national experts, specialized institutions and partner agencies mobilized to jointly analyze emerging issues that affect the access to and quality of education. t Number of countries participating in a regional forum to disuss monitoring of learning outcomes.
Creation of a regional post-conflict post-disaster platform in the field of education to assist Member States’ response to human-induced and natural disasters.
Number of countries in which contingency plans are in place and/or disaster risk reduction is institutionalized in the education system.
Mongolia
Kazakhstan Uzbekistan Kyrgyzstan Turkmenistan Tajikistan Iran
Afghanistan Pakistan
Democratic People’s Republic of Korea Republic of Japan Korea People’s Republic of China
Nepal Bhutan Bangladesh India
Myanmar Lao People’s Democratic Republic Thailand Viet Nam Cambodia Philippines Sri Lanka
Maldives
Macao, China
Brunei Darussalam Malaysia
Federated States of Micronesia
Marshall Islands
Palau
Indonesia Timor-Leste
Nauru Papua New Guinea Solomon Islands
Kiribati
Tuvalu
Fiji
New Zealand
UNESCO Bangkok Asia and Pacific Regional Bureau for Education
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
Mom Luang Pin Malakul Centenary Building 920 Sukhumvit Road, Prakanong, Klongtoey Bangkok 10110, Thailand E-mail:
[email protected] Website: www.unesco.org/bangkok Tel: +66-2-3910577 Fax: +66-2-3910866
Cook Islands
Samoa
Vanuatu
Australia
Tokelau
Tonga
Niue
