"DFID support to primary education in developing
countries has helped increase provision, with enrolment levels
rising greatly, especially for girls. More emphasis now needs to be
placed on quality, attainment and cost-effectiveness and DFID has
begun to move in this direction. In my view it needs to do more and
to take a tougher, clearer stance on the importance of cost and
service performance information, and in particular indicators of
education delivery and attainment if it is to make sure that its
contributions achieve the maximum good effect."
Amyas Morse, head of the National Audit Office, 18 June
2010
The Department for International Development has successfully
supported developing countries in progress against goals of
universal enrolment in primary education and improved educational
prospects for girls, according to a report published today by the
National Audit Office. However, quality of education and levels of
attainment remain low and pupil and teacher absenteeism is still
too high. The report concludes that, given tight resources for
education in developing countries, a greater emphasis on quality
and cost-effectiveness to achieve good value for money is
especially important.
DFID's 22 priority countries have made significant progress
towards universal enrolment: from typically 50 per cent of children
or lower in the mid-1990s to 70 per cent to 90 per cent now. But
pupil drop-out is high; typical drop-out rates are 10 per cent to
15 per cent in year one and completion of primary education is low,
ranging from 57 per cent of children in Nepal to 17 per cent in
Malawi. Because pupil and teacher attendance is poor, there are
insufficient teaching hours. And, although pupil attainment has
been poorly measured, the information that is available shows low
levels of literacy and numeracy.
Since 2001 DFID, along with other donors and recipient
governments, has focused on enrolment more than the quality of
education. It has started to redress this imbalance but needs to
focus more on key factors like teacher and pupil attendance,
quality and attainment in its interventions.
Typically, salaries - mostly those of teachers - consume 90 per
cent of education budgets in developing countries, yet pay is not
routinely monitored. Wage-bills have reached levels which limit the
affordability of educational expansion in DFID priority countries.
There are other opportunities to work with governments to help
raise cost-effectiveness: non-formal education initiatives designed
to reach remote or migrant communities have features which could be
applied successfully in formal schools.
Publication details:
HC: 69, 2010-2011
ISBN: 9780102965278