Course Outline 09

Advanced Training Programmein educational planning and management

Diploma and Master at IIEP

2009/2010Course outline

International Institutefor Educational Planning

Published by:

International Institute for Educational Planning/UNESCO

7-9 rue Eugène Delacroix, 75116 Paris, France

For information on the ATP:

e-mail: [email protected]

Website: www.iiep.unesco.org

Cover design: IIEP

Layout: IIEP Publications

Photos: UNESCO, IIEP, UNICEF, Olivier Culmann

This volume has been printed in IIEP’s digital printshop

© UNESCO September 2009

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Foreword 1

Introduction 3

ATP contents and credits 7

ATP structure 9

In-country Phase 11EIC 100 – In-country self-teaching 11

Common Core 15EPC 201 – Educational planning: contexts and approaches 17

EPC 202 – Statistical tools for educational planning 25

EPC 203 – Research methods 31

EPC 204 – Educational sector diagnosis 37

EPC 205 – Educational strategies and policy options 43

EPC 206 – Formulation, preparation and implementation of educational policies and plans 49

EPC 200 – Computer course (optional) 55

Specialization Stream 1 Educational Planning and Analysis 57EPA 301 – Educational Management Information System (EMIS) 59

EPA 302 – Projections and simulations: tools for policy dialogue and educational strategies 65

EPA 303 – School mapping and micro-planning 71

EPA 304 – Quantitative methods for monitoring and evaluating the quality of education 77

Specialization Stream 2Educational Planning and Management 85EPM 311 – Organization and governance of the education sector: systems and institutions 87

EPM 312 – Planning and management of human resources 95

EPM 313 – Education budgets 101

EPM 314 – Education sector programmes and projects 107

Composition of teaching teams 115

I

1© UNESCO-I IEP

The Education for All (EFA) objectives and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) represent important challenges for educational planning and management. As part of UNESCO, IIEP is strongly committed to these goals and is actively engaged in capacity development for their achievement.

The Advanced Training Programme (ATP) constitutes the corner stone of the Institute’s mission for capacity development. Through the years, the ATP has helped strengthen the capacities of both individuals and institutions, particularly in developing countries. Its content has been constantly adapted and shaped to ensure its relevance to frameworks for poverty reduction and development.

The programme adopts a sector-wide approach which embraces all levels of education. It strengthens competences in fi elds related to the theory and practice of educational planning and management. The programme also addresses the contexts of educational policy and planning, including the environment of international aid resulting from the Paris Declaration and the Fast Track Initiative (FTI).

FOREWORD

The evolution of the ATP has also taken into account the changing organisation of learning for high-level qualifications. Hence, in 2002, the ATP opened the possibility of obtaining a master‘s degree. This innovation responded to requests from participants and Member States to facilitate the recognition of advanced training at IIEP in the national civil services, and to promote career development and further studies within the framework of lifelong learning. In the light of the success of this experience, IIEP has now established the master’s degree as a standard exit qualifi cation of the ATP. The new format for the programme takes into account the principles defi ned in the Bologna Process, in order to facilitate the comparability of the qualifi cation obtained with other high-level professional studies.

At the same time, IIEP desires to contribute to the reinforcement of national institutions for achieving sustainable development in education with the support of UNESCO’s offi ces and partner institutions. In this spirit and for further enhancing the impact of the programme in developing countries, the ATP will be increasingly combined with other capacity development initiatives delivered by IIEP or other bodies at country level.

Mark BrayDirector

3© UNESCO-I IEP

Education plays a key role in reducing poverty and promoting sustainable development. Over the last few decades, education has expanded signifi cantly. In many countries, basic education has been secured and up-graded. At the same time, globalization and knowledge economies reinforce the importance of higher education and professional training.

What is achieved is commendable; but what remains to be done is a daunting challenge. At the World Education Forum held in Dakar in 2000, the international community and national governments made a commitment to achieve Education for All (EFA) goals by 2015. The priorities of Dakar are at the heart of UNESCO’s work and serve as a reference for the fi eld of educational planning and management.

UNESCO’s approach to educational planning aims at the integration of EFA goals within education sector plans, national development strategies and Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers (PRSPs). Its efforts are targeted at the reinforcement of national capacities, but also, through institutes such as IIEP, it improves and optimizes capacities of ministries of education to design, deliver and monitor educational programmes.

The mission of UNESCO’s International Institute for Educational Planning (IIEP) is to strengthen capacities of Member States to draw up coherent plans for their education systems and make them work. A key task is to train staff responsible for the management of the education system to devise effective strategies for change, contributing to obtaining EFA objectives and the Millennium Development Goals (MDG). IIEP’s Advanced Training Programme (ATP) is at the core of this mandate.

IIEP’s Advanced Training Programme (ATP)

INTRODUCTION

The ATP is a ten-month programme (including a one-month in-country phase), and is conducted in French and English. It is addressed to education specialists actively involved with the preparation, adaptation and implementation of educational policies, plans and programmes. To be eligible, candidates must have a bachelor-level university degree and a minimum of three years’ experience in the field of educational planning and

management. The Institute has already trained more than 1,400 people in these fi elds.

The ATP started in 1965 as a certifi cate programme, and from 1999 an International Diploma in Educational Planning and Management was awarded. Since 2002, the Institute has offered training at the master’s level within the ATP. From 2008, this professional master takes into account the principles defi ned in the Bologna process for master’s programmes.

Introduction4 © UNESCO-I IEP

The ATP aims to:1. review theories and approaches in educational

planning and management;

2. strengthen competencies in sector diagnosis and plan and policy formulation;

3. develop skills for strategic management and leadership in education;

4. provide tools for building and using information systems for decision-making and educational policy analysis, and

5. foster personal development through the acquisition or reinforcement of generic competencies and abilities.

Studies

The ATP begins with an in-country, preparatory phase of one month in September. The training in Paris begins in October and ends in June.

Programme contents and structure

The ATP is made up of a common core phase which consists of six courses and is followed by a specialization phase which consists of eight courses. The courses are structured and numbered as follows:

• In-country phase modules: EIC 100.

• The computer course: EPC 200.

• The common core courses: EPC 201 to EPC 206.

• The specialization courses on Educational Planning and Analysis: EPA 301 to EPA 304.

• The specialization courses on Educational Planning and Management: EPM 311 to EPM 314.

In addition to the above courses, the programme proposes seminars on current educational planning issues, and two study visits – the fi rst in France and the second in another UNESCO Member State.

The common core courses are an important step in developing basic competencies in planning

and management of education. The training programme begins with an introduction to the context for educational planning, together with its foundations and practices. The stages of the planning cycle are then studied: diagnosis, strategy elaboration and plan development. Participants also receive instruction in research methods in preparation of their memoir.

After the common core, participants choose one of the two specialization streams.

The Specialization Stream 1, Educational Planning and Analysis (EPA), consists of courses on information systems, school mapping, simulation models and methods for monitoring quality.

The Specialization Stream 2, Educational Planning and Management (EPM), fi rst deals with the management of education at different levels. Questions concerning the management of human and fi nancial resources as well as the preparation of projects and programmes for the education sector are then studied.

Participants are required to complete and submit a memoir of approximately 40 to 45 pages/ 12,000 to 15,000 words in consultation with their ministry or institution. The memoir must demonstrate the candidate’s capacity to identify a problem, analyze information and data systematically, present arguments in a coherent way and draw meaningful conclusions for educational planning and management. The memoir has to be defended in the presence of a jury that includes an external examiner before the end of June.

Credits, evaluation and certifi cation

A total of 60 credits are required to qualify for the master’s representing approximately 1,800 hours of workload. The in-country phase accounts for 4 credits. The common core courses account for 25 credits; courses in specialization streams for 12 credits; the memoir for 15 credits and the study visits for 4 credits.

Introduction 5© UNESCO-I IEP

Participants are assessed regularly through tests, group work, and individual assignments for all courses in the core and specialization phases.

Upon completion of the ATP, participants can obtain a diploma or a master depending on their scores.

Methods and working environment

The working conditions at the Institute fully meet the standards of a high-level international professional training programme. The working languages are French and English, and interpreters ensure simultaneous interpretation of lectures, seminars and other training activities.

Teaching-learning activities span a variety of modes ranging from lectures, seminars, and discussions to practical exercises, simulations, individual and group work. The work methods also

call for active involvement of and contribution from each participant.

As the interactive teaching-learning methods adopted rely a lot on use of computers, each participant is expected to be fully profi cient in the use of computers. Participants also use frontline technological tools and have individual access to IIEP’s large database.

The Institute has a particularly rich Documentation Resource Centre with over 30,000 publications and more than 500 periodicals and journals devoted to educational planning, management and various areas of socio-economic development. Arrangements have also been made to ensure free access of participants to other libraries and documentation centres in Paris, notably those of UNESCO.

7© UNESCO-I IEP

ATP Contents and credits

REFERENCE COURSE CREDITS

EIC IN-COUNTRY PHASE 4EIC 100 In-country self-teaching 4

EPC COMMON CORE 25EPC 201 Educational planning: contexts and approaches 3EPC 202 Statistical tools for educational planning 3EPC 203 Research methods 3EPC 204 Educational sector diagnosis 5EPC 205 Educational strategies and policy options 5EPC 206 Formulation, preparation and implementation of educational policies and

plans6

EPC 200 Computer course (optional)

EPA/EPM SPECIALIZATION PHASE 12EPA Specialization Stream 1: Educational planning and analysis

EPA 301 Educational Management Information System (EMIS) 3EPA 302 Projections and simulations: tools for policy dialogue and educational

strategies3

EPA 303 School mapping and micro-planning 3EPA 304 Quantitative methods for monitoring and evaluating

the quality of education3

EPM Specialization Stream 2: Educational planning and managementEPM 311 Organization and governance of the education sector:

systems and institutions3

EPM 312 Planning and management of human resources 3EPM 313 Education budgets 3EPM 314 Education sector programmes and projects 3

STUDY VISITS 4

MEMOIR 15TOTAL 60

9© UNESCO-I IEP

ATP structure

In-Country Phase

Specialization

Stream 1

Orientation seminar

Study visit in France

Study visit to another Member State

ATP Memoir

Specialization

Stream 2

Educational Planning and

Analysis

Educational Planning and Management

Common Core

OVERVIEW

COURSE No.

11© UNESCO-I IEP

IN-COUNTRY SELF-TEACHING

EIC 100

Participants in the Advanced Training Programme (ATP) are drawn from similar professional but diverse academic backgrounds. Although they are all practitioners in educational planning and management, many have not received any formal professional training in the area. One of the features of the ATP programme is its emphasis on both the theory and the practice of educational planning and management.

The in-country phase is the initial phase of the ATP. This phase of the programme is preparatory and attempts to help participants acquire or review the basic knowledge necessary for participation in the common core and the specialization phase courses as well as for the writing of the memoir.

Preparatory work during this phase is based on the self-teaching materials sent by the Institute. During this phase, participants are expected to: (i) review key contexts and challenges in educational planning and management (ii) review and strengthen their knowledge of the basic statistical skills and quantitative techniques that will be required for undertaking the various courses of the training programme (iii) collect necessary data and information, and prepare a paper on the education system of their country and (iv) identify a topic or at least an area for the ATP memoir that the participants will write while in Paris and ensure that they bring with them the necessary supporting data and documentation.

The ATP participants are expected to devote one month’s full-time work to this phase. Beginning from this year, we also provide participants with e-learning facilities which they could access from the fi rst week of August 2009.

In-Country Phase

EIC 100 In-country phase 12 © UNESCO-I IEP

The IIEP Advanced Training Programmein Educational Planning and Management2009/2010 Session

(1 September 2009 - 30 June 2010)Deadline for receipt of applications: 2 March 2009

2. Review of basic statistical skills and quantitative techniques

1. Review of key contexts and challenges in educational planning and management

• Improve knowledge of quantitative techniques for educational planning.

• Review key current contexts and challenges in educational planning and management.

1. Educational planning involves assessments and analyses based on data and statistics. The majority of the courses offered in the ATP have a quantitative orientation and one of its main aims is to strengthen participants’ basic skills in using quantitative data for educational decisions. It is therefore required that during the In-country phase participants review their knowledge of basic tools for quantitative

1. During the in-country phase participants are required to review the basic contexts and challenges in educational planning and management.

2. Participants are provided with a document that contains three parts: the fi rst part deals with an overview of the contexts in which educational planning and management takes place; the second part offers a preliminary view of some key concepts and theories on which educational planning is founded and the

analysis with the help of the self-learning materials prepared by the Institute.

2. Volume 1 is the in-country part of the two-volume training material that will be used essentially for the course on “Statistical Tools for Educational Planning” (EPC 202) in the common core.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

third part reviews some of the key challenges for educational planning and management.

3. The contents of this document constitute key elements of the fi rst course of the ATP common core, EPC 201: “Educational planning: contexts and approaches”.

In-country phase EIC 10013

In-Country Phase

© UNESCO-I IEP

4. Identifying an area for research work and collecting documents, information and data

• Select a topic for the memoir to be written during the Paris phase.

• Collect the necessary information and national data needed to write the memoir.

1. As part of the requirements for the ATP, participants will have to submit a memoir. Participants should begin this work during the in-country phase, by selecting a research topic that takes into account the ministry of education’s interests and priority questions.

2. The collection of data should not be limited to the ministry of education, but should also use other sources on the education sector and its context (other ministries, international organizations, NGOs).

3. Preparation of a diagnosis paper on the education system of country of origin

• Establish an overall analysis of the education sector of the country of origin.

• Use the available statistics and indicators on education and the socio-economic context.

• Refl ect on the stakes of the education system and the education policies in effect.

1. For successful participation in the ATP, it is necessary that participants be sufficiently familiiar with the education system in their own countries. The preparatory phase is also designed to help participants acquire or review their knowledge in this area.

2. Participants are expected to first collect information and data on the education system in their country of origin, in particular, on the evolution of the sector’s policies. They are then

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

asked to analyze the information and data and prepare a paper presenting a short diagnosis of their education system.

3. Instructions on the preparation of a document on the education system of a country are provided to guide participants in writing their report.

4. The paper will serve as a reference in many sessions of the common core.

3. Volume 1 covers four main areas:

• descriptive statistics and correlation;

• measuring access to education;

• internal effi ciency of an education system, and

• educational costs, expenditure and fi nancing.

15© UNESCO-I IEP

Educational planners and managers need insight into the effects of demographic shifts, globalization, and social and political change on education. They also need a good command of special planning and management tools and techniques, such as: statistical analysis, sector-wide approach, identifi cation of policy options, preparation of EFA and other plans, programme design, priority setting and fi nancial and institutional feasibility assessment. Educational planners and managers must also be able to conduct and use research for analyzing issues and policy options. Last, but not least, there is an increasing need for participatory policy formulation, and for interacting across different administrative levels and sectors and with various outside stakeholders.

The common core courses of the Advanced Training Programme (ATP) address these challenges; the topics span from current issues and approaches in educational planning and management, statistical tools for planning, to the main stages and instruments of the educational sector diagnosis, the choice of policy options and strategies and the formulation and implementation of educational policies and plans. Hence they address:

• Educational Planning: Contexts and Approaches

• Statistical Tools for Educational Planning

• Research Methods

• Educational Sector Diagnosis

• Educational Strategies and Policy Options

• Formulation, Preparation and Implementation of Educational Policies and Plans

The core courses will help participants to acquire:

• A comparative perspective on the organization, policies, fi nancing and institutional development of education across different countries and contexts.

• Tools for analyzing problems, trends and evolving intervention strategies in education.

• Methods and techniques of planning, monitoring and managing education systems.

• Basic knowledge of research methods and skills in the use of data and research results for planning, management and decision making.

COMMON CORE

Comm

on Core

OVERVIEW

COURSE No.

17© UNESCO-I IEP

This course presents some of the contextual factors and fundamentals of educational planning, as well as some of the challenges it is currently facing. Planning is neither a science nor an art. It is a practice aimed at preparing the education system to address the challenges of the future and to achieve the medium-term and long-term goals set by policy-makers. The tools and approaches of educational planning are rooted within theoretical materials mainly borrowed from the fi elds of economics and sociology. Understanding the capacity of planning to guide policy formulation and implementation and its limitations requires being aware of the conceptual framework in which it takes place. Planning is also closely related to the dynamics and shape of educational developments. Finally, it is increasingly infl uenced by international commitments and the changing aid environment.

Hence, this introductory course has been designed to provide participants an overview of the current context, the concepts of educational planning, and its action framework. The fi rst part of the course discusses the main contextual factors affecting policies and planning: demographic changes, migration, globalization and technological changes. It also takes into account the main current challenges related to the quantitative, qualitative and equity aspects of educational provision and the related need for planning.

The second part of the course reviews the links between education, economic growth and development; it discusses the concepts of human and social capital and helps identify their implications for education.

The third part of the course focuses on comparative educational development. It provides an overview of the broad educational trends in developing and developed countries, within the framework of a sector-wide perspective.

The fourth part of the course presents the main development frameworks, including the ‘new’ international commitments as part of Education for All/ Fast Track Initiative, Poverty Reduction, Millennium Development Goals, and discusses their impact on the role and methods/instruments of educational planning. Particular attention is paid to trends toward sector-wide approaches to education (SWAPs) and budget support and related changes in the methodological framework, instruments, organisation and practices of educational planning.

EPC 201

EDUCATIONAL PLANNING: CONTEXTS AND APPROACHES

Comm

on Core

© UNESCO-I IEP

EPC 201 Educational planning: contexts and approaches18

1. Main contextual trends and challenges in educational policy and planning

• Identify the main contextual factors affecting educational policies and planning with specifi c reference to demographic changes and migration, globalization and technological change.

• Identify the main challenges facing educational planning in relation to social demand, equity, and governance.

1. Three major contextual trends – demography and migration; globalization; and technological change and the knowledge society; and are reviewed. These trends have major implications and challenges for education policy and planning. Their impact comes through the channels of both the demand and the supply for education and skills.

2. Demographic profi les and migration patterns need to be taken into account in planning the scale and content of the supply of educational services. Demographic transformation and migration are shaping the age structure and the population distribution across the globe. Migration patterns within nations are changing the distribution between rural and urban areas. Educational planners should be aware of the changes in the areas of demography and migration and their likely impact on the education sector.

3. Globalization has generated considerable adjustment in all countries, some of which has given rise to negative sentiments, especially in those developing countries which feel that they are being swamped by the trend without benefiting from the process. In developed countries, too, there have been negative reactions linked to the costs of globalisation such as the dismissal of workers, the relocation of production to low income countries and a perceived loss of identity.

4. One feature of globalization of particular relevance to education policies of developing nations are the growing movements of skilled personnel and students. Another signifi cant aspect relates to the increasing provision of educational services across borders, especially for higher education.

5. At the same time, Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) have diffused most deeply into the economic and

STUDY OUTLINE

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

© UNESCO-I IEP

Educational planning: contexts and approaches EPC 20119

Comm

on Core

2. Education, economic growth and development

• Understand the interrelations between education, economic growth and development.

• Know the concepts of human and social capital. • Identify the implications of these concepts for education.

1. This part reviews the evolution of the concepts of economic growth and development and their implications for education policy. Particular

attention is given to the role of the concept human and social capital to education.

2. Education provision remains closely related to economic growth and development. At

STUDY OUTLINE

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

social systems, leading to conclude that a “Knowledge Society” is born. The emergence of lifelong learning as a key concept in education also relates to this vision of a knowledge society.

6. Contextual developments pose many challenges for education policies and planning. These challenges highlight the inadequacy of conventional methods of education policy formulation and planning.

7. With the recognition of its wider social benefi ts, the role of education and the challenges facing educational planning have become even greater. In spite of remarkable progress, the level of educational attainment in developing countries is starkly insuffi cient when compared to that of high-income countries. A massive effort is needed to fi ll this gap, which is partly refl ected in the establishment of the Education for All (EFA) goals.

8. Research has shown that educational inequity is an important contributor to income

inequity. More equitable access to educational opportunities therefore can play a role in reducing income inequities and combating poverty.

9. Besides government delivery and fi nancing, the private sector has played an increasing role in contributing to the expansion of educational provision. Many of the contextual developments have changed the understanding of the respective roles of the government and the private sector in the education fi eld. On the one hand, the large economic and social benefi ts of education argue that the state should play a more important role in funding the education and training system. At the same time, empirical evidence also shows that there are large benefi ts of education captured directly by the individual and the employer hence the need for a partnership between the state, employers and individuals in funding education and training.

© UNESCO-I IEP


3. Comparative educational development

• Understand the need for a sector-wide perspective as a response to the contextual developments

• Examine the concept of lifelong learning.

• Identify the broad educational trends in the developing and developed countries.

• Know the main policy challenges at the sector level.

• Know the main features of the fi ve sub-sections of education systems and the emerging policy challenges for each of them.

1. Policy responses to challenges in the education and skill formation fi eld need to be developed within a conceptual framework. Learning

from early childhood to late in adult life defi nes the concept of lifelong learning. This concept provides the basis for a sector-wide perspective. It includes adult learning but much more in terms of learning in other phases of life, and of all forms of learning achieved in both the formal setting of the schools and universities and the informal settings of home,

STUDY OUTLINE

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

the international level, the current state of per capita income reveals wide disparities across world income groups. The present level of incomes is the result of a long history of growth patterns.

3. Since the 1960s, the development of the concept of human capital has indicated the importance of investment in education and skills as a profitable form of investment, meaning, for economists, an investment that has positive rates of return.

4. One of the limitations of the human capital approach, at least as it is applied in practice,

is the inadequate attention it pays to social benefi ts of education and learning.

5. Since the late 1990s, new work has pointed out the importance of another form of capital – social capital – that can also contribute to economic growth. Social capital consists of such things as trust, networks and organisational and other tacit forms of knowledge that promote co-operative work.

6. The implications of social capital for education policy have not as yet been worked out in any detail, although it is clear that education can have a large role in shaping social capital.

© UNESCO-I IEP


Comm

on Core

employment and life situations, in general.

2. The LLL approach has the advantage of bringing together a number of policy emphases under one umbrella. Other approaches to education policy have focused on different sectors of education, that is, they are sector specifi c. For this reason, they are unable to address issues that relate to the whole sector. The main advantage of the LLL approach is its sector-wide or system-wide view, since it perceives all education and training as forming part of a system. As a result, it is in a better position to address issues that have a sector-wide dimension.

3. A sector-wide view of learning highlights the close interrelationship between education and other sectors of the economy and society. Hence, education policies cannot be understood or developed in an isolated manner

and must be considered together with other socio-economic policies of the government.

4. Because lifelong learning covers all formal and informal learning, and has so many linkages with other policy areas, governing a system of lifelong learning can be a real challenge. In many countries, several ministries govern different sub-sectors of education.

5. The review of international data provides a picture of the state of education in the world. Some of the salient disparities across regions can then be outlined.

6. The patterns of provision and the main policy challenges of each of the fi ve sub-sectors of education systems, including: early childhood and care education, schooling, technical and vocational education, tertiary education and adult learning are discussed specifi cally.

© UNESCO-I IEP


4. Development frameworks, aid modalities and educational planning

• Identify the implications of development frameworks and aid modalities for educational planning.

• Describe the frameworks that have shaped development assistance policies.

• Defi ne the major aid modalities and their implications for education sector planning.

• Identify the strengths and weaknesses of the aid modalities in contributing to aid effectiveness, particularly as they relate to the education sector.

1. Theoretical analysis of the role of education in economic development was discussed in the fi rst part of the course. Here the focus is not on theory but on the practice of development policy.

2. Following a discussion of the poverty reduction approach, the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and Education for All (EFA) are reviewed. Also included is a presentation on the Lisbon Objectives to give an illustration of the importance attached to education and training in developed countries.

3. Each of the development paradigms outlined above has specific implications for aid modalities, that is, for the choice of aid instruments and their management and delivery systems. The aid modalities prevalent before the Poverty Reduction Strategy (PRS) era were

dominated by supply- side considerations. They had two key characteristics: aid was generally conditional – granted if the recipient countries met certain conditions. Secondly, most aid was project or programme-related.

4. This supply-side approach gave way to a demand-oriented approach under the PRS and other development frameworks that have been proposed since the mid-1990s. The new aid modalities tried to achieve two important shifts: (i) from projects towards programmatic forms of aid; and (ii) from policy conditionality towards a more partnership-based approach to development assistance.

5. Three new aid modalities have had a signifi cant impact on education development policies, namely, budget support, sector wide approaches and the Fast Track Initiative. Their implementation is related to the broader agenda on aid effectiveness defi ned in the Paris Declaration (2005). The Paris Declaration

STUDY OUTLINE

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

© UNESCO-I IEP


Comm

on Core

on Aid Effectiveness provides a road map for reforming the way aid is to be managed and delivered in the context of the Millennium Development Goals. The objectives of the Declaration were to have greater impact on reducing poverty, increasing growth, developing capacity and accelerating the achievement of MDGs.

6. These changes within the international community have far reaching implications for educational planning. They infl uence goal setting, but they also shape the processes and tools used by ministries of education, in particular in countries highly dependent on external aid..

Required reading*

Bertrand, O. 2004. Planning human resources: methods, experiences and practices. Fundamentals of educational planning No. 41, Paris: IIEP-UNESCO (Chapters 1, 2, 4 and 7)

Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness. Ownership, Harmonization, Alignment, Results and Mutual Accountability. 2005. High Level Forum on Aid effectiveness: Paris.

UNESCO. 2008. Education for All by 2015: Will we make it? EFA Global Monitoring Report. Paris: UNESCO (Executive Summary and Chapter 4).

Woodhall, M. 2004. Cost-benefi t analysis in educational planning, Fundamentals of educational planning No. 80, Paris: IIEP-UNESCO (Chapters 1, 6, 9, 11 and 12)

Recommended further reading

Inglis, C. 2008. Planning for cultural diversity, Fundamentals of educational planning No. 87, Paris: IIEP-UNESCO.

McIntosh, S. 2008. Education and employment in OECD countries, Fundamentals of Educational Planning No. 88, Paris: IIEP-UNESCO.

Ta Ngoc, C. 2003. Demographic aspects of educational planning, Fundamentals of educational planning No. 72, Paris: IIEP-UNESCO.

* The required readings also include course materials and handouts that are distributed during the sessions.

OVERVIEW

COURSE No.

25© UNESCO-I IEP

STATISTICAL TOOLS FOR EDUCATIONAL PLANNING

EPC202

Educational planning requires objective assessment of past trends, present status, and of the achievements and weaknesses in the education system on a regular basis. Such assessments are generally based on data generated at the different levels of planning and administration, but also from research. Ministries of education in all countries make considerable investments in order to gain knowledge about the functioning of their education systems.

Hence, solid statistics and sound analyses are necessary for good educational planning. They help map the situation, specify targets and monitor progress. Statistical tools allow us to analyze trends, measure disparities and estimate inequalities in educational development. They also allow relationships to be established that can be translated into premises for decision-making. Statistical tools are necessary to chart changes in key indicators to compare progress over time and across geographical units.

By observing and analyzing trends and patterns, it is possible to identify and anticipate future challenges and to advise policy-makers on new educational issues and agendas. Many ministries of education have professional statisticians and even educational statistical departments to collect, analyze and publish data. Statistical analysis is essential to diagnose the system and to fi x realistic targets. The collection and use of high-quality, timely data is essential for evidence-based planning, management and policy-making.

The course is designed to strengthen the participants’ basic statistical skills for such tasks.

The course comprises three components:

• Descriptive statistics and correlation;

• Basic indicators, and

• Economics and cost analysis.

Core courses

© UNESCO-I IEP

EPC 202 Statistical tools for educational plannings26

1. Descriptive statistics and correlation

Assess levels and central tendency

• Construct and interpret frequency tables, histograms, polygons, distribution curves (cumulative) frequency tables, and (cumulative) frequency distribution graphs.

• Choose the appropriate type of frequency distribution (frequencies of percentage, cumulative or non-cumulative) for a given purpose.

• Calculate and know the merits of mode, median, and mean and select the most appropriate measure of central tendency for a given set of data.

Assess spread

• Differentiate between different measures of spread and calculate standard deviation, variance, and range.

• Select the most appropriate measure of variability for a given purpose.

Assess relations

• Plot and interpret scatter diagrams for paired measurements.

• Calculate measures of correlation for a given set of paired measurements.

• Interpret different values of correlation coeffi cients.

• Examine the factors infl uencing the correlation coeffi cient.

Level and central tendency

1. Once data are organized, a number of interesting summary observations can be made.

2. Combining individual scores to form a smaller number of characteristics makes it easier to display the data and to grasp their meaning. However when scores are grouped, some information is lost. There is no single way of grouping individual scores.

3. Relative frequency distributions are usually best for comparing two or more groups containing different numbers of cases.

Cumulative percentage frequency distributions are useful for stating the location of a score by describing the percentage of cases that fall below it.

4. The role of measures of central tendency is to present a number that summarizes what is characteristic of the observations.

5. The mode identifi es the score that occurs most frequently.

6. The median gives the score that divides the lower half of the distribution from the upper half.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

STUDY OUTLINE

© UNESCO-I IEP

Statistical tools for educational planning EPC 20227

Comm

on Core

7. The mean gives a summary figure for the average of the observations. The mean is generally the most useful measure for further statistical work. But it is more sensitive than the median or the mode to a few relatively extreme scores (“outliers”) on one side of a distribution. In highly skewed distributions, the median is generally a better measure than the mean of what is “typical”. The mode answers the question “what is most likely to occur?” The mode is the only measure appropriate for qualitative data.

Spread

1. A measure of central tendency is often insuffi cient to characterize the information in a set of data; we also need information about how observations are distributed or grouped around it. The role of measures of variation is to express quantitatively the extent to which scores in a group are scattered or cluster together.

2. The range gives the distance between the high score and the low score, and the semi-interquartile range gives half the distance between the fi rst and third quartile points.

3. The average distance of all the observations from the mean is expressed in one number, called the “standard” deviation. It is found by fi rst measuring all the deviations from the mean, positive and negative, squaring and adding them, then fi nding the average of these squared deviations by dividing them by their total number. This is called the variance. The standard deviation is the square root of the variance.

4. The range is not widely used, but it is easy to communicate and can be helpful for preliminary work. The standard deviation is most often used because it makes good sense

intuitively (the average deviation from the average) and has many other uses as well. The standard deviation is sensitive to the exact position of each score in the distribution. The semi-interquartile range is the measure least affected by a few extreme scores.

Relations

1. Many things seem to “go together”. For example, weight tends to increase with height – but there are some very thin tall people and there may be some fat dwarfs. Hence the relationship is not perfect. Correlation or association expresses the degree of perfection or how closely two characteristics go together.

2. Measures of association or correlation are generally constructed in such a way that they vary between -1 and +1. For the Pearson correlation coeffi cient, the number 0 expresses the fact that there is no relation between the variables – i.e. that they vary independently of each other. The number +1 expresses a perfect positive correlation, so that increasing values on one variable allows us to state the value of the other variable without any uncertainty. The number -1 expresses perfect negative correlation between the variables. Actual correlations usually fall in between -1 and +1, telling us what tends to be the case – for example that big countries more often than not tend to have large populations. There are other measures of association that have somewhat different characteristics.

3. A high correlation may indicate that there is an underlying causal relation (“There is no smoke without fi re”). However, a strong correlation does not necessarily imply a causal relation (“The more fi re-fi ghters there are, the greater the damage”).

© UNESCO-I IEP


2. Basic indicators

• Identify the data requirement to measure school access/participation to schools and internal effi ciency.

• Calculate basic indicators, such as the gross/net admission rate (in-take rate), age-specifi c admission rate (in-take rate), transition rate, gross/net enrolment rate, age-specifi c enrolment rate, repetition rate, promotion rate, drop-out rate, wastage ratio, survival rate, grade retention rate, teacher utilization, etc.

• Interpret the information contained in such basic indicators.

• Recognize the limitations of each of the indicators and the importance of the quality of the data they build on.

• Calculate the growth rate and indices for a given set of data to assess changes between different points in time.

• Use growth rates and indices to interpret the trends over time.

1. All countries seek, to varying degrees, to assess to what extent their education systems meet perceived needs. Such knowledge helps educational planners to measure progress towards specifi c objectives (such as providing basic education for all), assessing disparities between different groups within a country (such as rural/urban, gender or ethnic differences), and making cross-national comparisons or expressing goals in quantitative terms (such as the proportion of women graduating from universities).

2. To be able to do so in a consistent way, indices must be developed that capture different aspects and trends, not least the extent of and disparities in the coverage of an education system.

3. The fi rst part of this course will look at ways of measuring access to education which help identify the proportion of children at a given

school age that can enter a particular level or cycle of education.

4. Gaining access, however, is only the beginning of a process. It is equally important to assess coverage, that is, recognize and estimate how many are enrolled, how many continue and complete a cycle, and how many leave school and drop out.

5. Global fi gures and portraying a country as a whole inevitably hide variations between different groups. Hence, ways of measuring differences between groups must also be addressed.

6. Though indicators of access and coverage are necessary, they clearly have limitations. For example, they do not show how effi cient a system is or the rate of students going through a cycle, while indicators on internal effi ciency treat repetition and drop-out as

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

STUDY OUTLINE

© UNESCO-I IEP

Statistical tools for educational planning EPC 20229

Comm

on Core

3. Economics and cost analysis

• Understand basic economic concepts and their application in educational planning and management.

• Know the key concepts for classifying educational expenditures, such as real and fi nancial resources, external and internal allocation, effi ciency, etc.

• Analyze education expenditure and compare this to macroeconomic aggregates

• Analyze trends in education expenditures using price indices to calculate expenditures at constant prices.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

1. Economics studies the production and exchange of goods and services and alternative use of scarce resources. Relating economic theory to education raises the issue of how to apply economic concepts to the production of and use of resources in education systems. This component of the course will review the most important economic concepts and discuss how they are used in the sphere of education, e.g. to analyze the resources allocated to education as a whole as well as to different parts of the education system.

2. Another important issue is how the resources are used, and whether it is possible to achieve better results with the resources available. One then needs to distinguish between real

resources, such as personnel, textbooks, equipment and buildings and financial resources, which pays for them. Allocation of resources is studied primarily in fi nancial terms (how much), while resource use must examine both real and fi nancial resources (what one gets).

3. A government has to decide how much to spend on education relative to other sectors, and compare these costs to macroeconomic aggregates, GDP, GNP or total public expenditures.

4. Individuals must also weigh up education against other alternatives for consumption or investment. This is known as the external allocation of resources to education.

STUDY OUTLINE

“wastes” and may conceal actual educational achievement.

7. Indicators are no better than the data they build on. Hence the availability, types and quality of data must be evaluated when indicators are to be interpreted.

9. A growth rate is measured by calculating the relative change of a quantity from the beginning to the end of a period.

10. An index is a number representing the relative value of something in terms of a reference standard or base (for example the average price of schoolbooks in one year compared to the average price of the year before).

© UNESCO-I IEP


5. However, the way resources are allocated to different uses should also be examined from an internal point of view, for example between levels and types of education, between regions in constant prices or between inputs, such as teachers relative to textbooks.

6. Funds for education must come from somewhere – state or local governments (general or specifi c taxes), fi rms, individuals

or families, and bilateral or multilateral foreign agencies. Identifying the sources and relative importance of funding is an integral part of any economic analysis of education.

7. As with any financial data, educational expenditures over time are affected by infl ation. It is therefore necessary to compare expenditures over time in real terms, to sort out this effect. This is done by using price indices, so that expenditures can be compared.

Required reading*

Hite, S.J. 2001. Reviewing quantitative research to inform educational policy processes. Fundamentals of educational planning, No. 69. Paris: UNESCO-IIEP (selections).

Johnstone, J.N. 1981. Indicators of education systems. Paris: UNESCO-IIEP (selections).

Sauvageot, C. 1997. Indicators for educational planning: a practical guide. Paris: UNESCO-IIEP (selections).


Murphy, T.; Klee, M. 1997. Manual for better training statistics: conceptual, measurement and survey issues. Paris: OECD.

OECD. 2000. International indicators of educational systems (General Assembly of the INES Project, 4, Tokyo, 11-13 September 2000). Paris: OECD.

OECD. 2001. Education at a glance: the OECD indicators. Paris: OECD.

OECD-UNESCO. 2000. Investing in education: analysis of the 1999 World Education Indicators. Paris: OECD.

UNESCO. 1997. Education indicators. NESIS technical module 3. Paris: UNESCO, Division of Statistics.

A series of self-instructional materials developed by IIEP

IIEP. 2008. Statistical tools for educational planning Volume I. Paris: UNESCO-IIEP.

IIEP. 2008. Statistical tools for educational planning Volume II. Paris: UNESCO-IIEP.


OVERVIEW

COURSE No.

31© UNESCO-I IEP

EPC 203

Educational development cannot be planned and managed on the basis of subjective understanding and knowledge. Scientifi c investigation and systematic approaches to analysis, forecasting and problem-solving are required. Exploring relationships between phenomena, identifying causes and effects, analyzing a specifi c problem or situation, and choosing the right method for such an analysis are skills which educational planners and managers need.

This course helps participants to think through a challenge or a technical problem that they are confronted with in their national educational contexts, convert it into specifi c questions, and then identify appropriate means to gather, organize and analyze the information and data that will help answer those questions. The skills developed in this course are important for their ongoing professional work. Planners and managers have to be able to translate policy issues or problems relating to their work tools and practices into questions that can be answered on the basis of systematic investigation and analysis. This requires a good sense of what research is about and how it can help them.

In the framework of the ATP, the participants are required to prepare a memoir which will allow them to approach a specifi c problem related to educational policy or the planning/management tools and practices in a well-organized and critical manner. This course attempts to reinforce participants’ attitudes and skills to search and use objective facts and empirical information for their decision-making and problem-solving.

Therefore, the key objectives of this course are for participants:

• To acquire key analytical skills which will allow them to undertake a research or technical study on a theme relevant to educational planning and management;

• To gain insights into the strengths and weaknesses of various methods of collecting and analyzing data;

• To learn how to organize and draft their memoir;

• To advance in the preparation of their memoir.

RESEARCH METHODS

Core courses

© UNESCO-I IEP

EPC 203 Research methods32

1. Introduction to the memoir

• Understand the different types of memoir that can be prepared within the framework of the ATP.

• Identify the different steps in preparing a memoir.

1. The memoir to be prepared by participants within the framework of the ATP will analyze a phenomenon or propose a solution to a specifi c problem relevant to the trainees’ experiences and contexts, focusing on educational planning and management.

2. Participants can prepare different types of memoirs. A memoir can be a research paper with some original data collection (e.g. on leadership problems in selected schools/institutes) or based on an analysis of already collected data or existing literature (for instance on student achievement). Alternatively, it can be a technical study (e.g. how to improve an existing EMIS). In the choice of memoir, participants are asked to refl ect on: the relevance and usefulness of the theme for their own country or work practice; the possibility to make an original contribution; and, the linkage between the chosen theme, the methodology and the type of memoir.

3. There are several stages in a memoir’s preparation. These will depend partly on the type of memoir that will be prepared. In most

cases, the participant will have to go through most, if not all, of the following stages:

• Identifi cation of the topic or the problem which needs investigation;

• Formulation of precise questions to which the investigation can respond;

• Examination of studies carried out by others in the same area, so as to place the problem in its conceptual and comparative context and, if needed, redefi ne it;

• Identification of the data/information needed to respond to the questions, and choice of an appropriate method;

• Preparation of the outline;

• Collection of data/information;

• Interpretation and analysis of data/information;

• Synthesis of results;

• Writing of the memoir.

These stages have been presented sequentially, though in practice the process may be iterative.

STUDY OUTLINE

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

© UNESCO-I IEP

Research methods EPC 20333

Comm

on Core

2. Translating a problem/issue into precise research questions

• Develop competencies to formulate precise research questions related to a specifi c educational problem or issue.

1. The first step in preparing a memoir is to identify and define an issue or a problem which can be the subject of this work. This can be done on the basis of the relevance of the topic to the participant’s work practice on the one hand, and of the feasibility of the envisaged work (in terms of data availability, time constraints, etc.), on the other.

2. This problem/issue must be translated into specifi c questions, so as to allow investigation,

analysis and/or systematic adaptation or design of a planning or management instrument. The set of information collected through this work will give insights to answer the question.

3. Not all questions are equally useful: they need to be suffi ciently precise, and they must be formulated in such a manner that data and information or design/adaptation of planning or management instruments can provide an answer.

STUDY OUTLINE

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

3. Responding to questions, collecting and analyzing information and data

• Selecting appropriate approaches and methods to address the research/technical question.

• Distinguish between different types of data and different methods of investigation.

• Identify the sources of data.

• Develop capacities to select and collect the type of data which will contribute in answering the problem studied.

• Develop competencies to analyze different types of data.

1. Different types of data can be useful in answering a specific question: there is a distinction in this regard between numerical

STUDY OUTLINE

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

(fi gures, statistics) and narrative data (data for instance collected through interviews and observation), as well as between primary and

© UNESCO-I IEP


4. Preparing an outline

• Understand the need for and the usefulness of an outline in preparing and writing a memoir.

• Identify the different stages in preparing an outline.

• Develop capacities to prepare the outline of the ATP memoir.

1. The outline is a key tool to prepare and write a memoir. It allows the researcher to undertake the analysis according to a clear logic, following different steps.

2. It is important to prepare the outline of a paper before starting work on it. The outline will describe the rationale behind choosing a

particular topic, the problems and/or questions to be addressed, the objectives of the study, the methodology to be followed and the chapters/sections expected to be included in the study.

STUDY OUTLINE

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

secondary data: primary data are collected by the author of the analysis, to examine the education problem/issue she or he identifi ed and answer the research questions; secondary data are data that have already been collected by others for other purposes, and which can be of use for this analysis.

2. There are different sources of information: literature, interviews, observation, quantitative surveys, questionnaires.

3. Any original data collection should preferably be preceded by a literature review. A literature review refers to the identifi cation of key books, articles and documents that will contribute to answering the research question, and to their analysis. This can be made through

the use of the Documentation Centre and Internet. The literature review and the data collection work need to be guided by a clear understanding of the problem or issue that is being investigated. This may demand the preparation of an analytical framework.

4. When collecting and analyzing data, generally a distinction is made between quantitative and qualitative research methods. Quantitative research employs methods that quantify data. Statistical analysis constitutes an essential part of quantitative research.

5. Frequently used qualitative methods in educational research include interviews, case studies, content analysis, mapping exercises, participant observation, and focus group discussions.

© UNESCO-I IEP

Research methods EPC 20335

Comm

on Core

5. Writing a memoir

• Describe how to design the ATP memoir.

• Understand the different stages in preparing and writing a memoir.

• Explore ways of generating a fi rst draft, identify techniques of revision and rewriting and understand the purpose of editing.

• Know how to include quotations and references.

1. After having identifi ed and formulated the topic, research questions and methodology, prepared the outline, collected and analyzed the data, the next stage is the writing of the memoir.

2. Three factors tend to be common and essential to all forms of academic writing: formulating a research question, statement or a hypothesis; supporting it with evidence; and providing explanations and analyses.

3. To a large extent, explanations and analyses of evidence constitute the substance of an academic text.

4. Research writing also entails developing an effi cient and effective composing process. Competence in the process is more important than linguistic competencies.

5. Common obstacles to writing are: inability to express oneself in writing, setting unrealistic goals, incomplete research work, and the fear of the blank page.

6. Minimizing such diffi culties involves carefully preparing an outline, concentrating on the content of the paper and ignoring the question of language. Additional help can come from knowing how to limit research and reading to defined needs, and establishing a time schedule and deadlines.

7. Two operations that constitute the bulk of the writing activity are revisions and rewriting. They involve careful, critical reading of the fi rst draft. The fi rst draft helps develop hindsight; revision and rewriting implies gaining from this hindsight.

8. The fi nal activity in writing consists of editing the paper to improve the readability of the written text. The fi rst task here is to ensure overall coherence and unity. The second essential task in editing is to work on the language, making language concrete and clear.

STUDY OUTLINE

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

3. Outlines commonly change during the process of preparing the memoir because the author has gained clearer ideas of what is desirable

and feasible. The outline at the end may look rather different from the outline at the beginning. Nevertheless, it is essential to have an outline at the beginning!

© UNESCO-I IEP


Required reading*

Crossley, M.; Vulliamy, G. 1997. Qualitative educational research in developing countries: current perspectives. New York: Garland (selections).

deMarais, K.B.; Lapan, S.D. 2004. Foundations for research: Methods of enquiring in education and the social sciences. New Jersey: Lawrence Erlboum.

Hite, S.J. 2001. Reviewing quantitative research to inform educational policy processes. Paris: IIEP.


Bell, J. 1993. Doing your research project: a guide for fi rst-time researchers in education and social science. Buckingham: Open University Press.

Borg, W.R.; Gall, M.D. 1989. Educational research: an introduction. New York: Longman.

Burgess, R.G. 1985. Issues in educational research: qualitative methods. Philadelphia: Falmer Press.

Patton, M.Q. 2002. Qualitative research and evaluation methods. Thousand Oaks: Sage.

Punch, K. 2005. Introduction to social research: quantitative and qualitative approaches. Sage: London.

Rokicka, W. (Ed.). 1999. Educational documentation, research and decision-making. National case studies. UNESCO: Bureau of Education.


OVERVIEW

COURSE No.

37© UNESCO-I IEP

Educational Planning ranks high again on the agenda of many governments, especially those engaged in new and accelerated strategies for Education for All (EFA), for Poverty Reduction (PRSPs), and for Human Resource Development; such strategies require indeed a forward-looking and, at the same time, a realistic approach to target setting and the mobilization and allocation of resources.

In a large number of countries, long-term visions and plans (with a 10-year or longer time horizon) henceforth coexist with strategic medium-term (3-5 year horizon) and annual plans for the development of education.

The educational planning cycle starts with a diagnosis of the whole education sector to assess its functioning and performance. Education Sector Diagnosis (ESD) forms the basis for formulation of plans and policies. In the present context, a large number of countries are adopting plans for Education for All (EFA), for Poverty Reduction (PRSPs), and for Human Resource Development. Education Sector Diagnoses are aimed at identifying the major problems and challenges to be addressed in a country’s education system. They help in defi ning the objectives and priorities for educational plans and strategies and can also provide some useful information and knowledge for assessing relevant institutional and fi nancial aspects of their implementation.

In recent years, a sector-wide perspective has been promoted by many governments, international agencies, and other partners not only for analyzing the performance of education systems but also with regard to the making of coherent policies and programmes for educational development. Sector-wide approaches (SWAps) have also been adopted in many instances with the objective of formulating a consistent medium-term strategy for the education sector and plan its financing accordingly (e.g. through a medium-term expenditure framework); such SWAps aim to co-ordinate and combine the efforts and resources of all partners under the leadership of the national governments. While the declared intention of more and more external aid agencies is no longer to fund specifi c projects but rather to support coherent policies, programmes and budgets decided on by the aid recipient countries, the development partners promote the use of certain control and monitoring tools

EPC 204

EDUCATIONAL SECTOR DIAGNOSIS

Core courses

© UNESCO-I IEP

EPC 204 Educational sector diagnosis38

such as Public Expenditure Tracking Surveys (PETS) and Quantitative Service Delivery Surveys (QSDS) to determine to what extent the resources – including the external funds – allocated to educational development have effectively reached the targeted groups and results and to determine how the management and quality of education services are actually appreciated by their “clients” (parents of students, employers, etc).

Despite these recent developments many plans only partially reach their objectives. This is due more to weak institutional capacity to implement them than to fl aws in policy design and lack of funds. Indeed, many key management functions in the education sector are not supported by an adequate organizational structure, and their implementation tends to be hampered by shortcomings in institutional leadership, the regulatory framework and inadequate work practices. Therefore, organizational analyses and other forms of management assessments (e.g. the above-mentioned PETS and QSDS) increasingly constitute an integral part of planning from the sector diagnosis stage.

After a general introduction to the education policy and planning cycle, this course will deal with the objectives and contents of an Education Sector Diagnosis (ESD), its analytical framework and the main research and analytical tools used in an ESD. In the last part of the course, emphasis will be placed on a few key issues and instruments relating to education sector management which are of particular interest in an ESD.

© UNESCO-I IEP

Educational sector diagnosis EPC 20439

Comm

on Core

1. Use and purposes of Education Sector Diagnosis (ESD)

• Assess the purposes and usefulness of ESD in an educational planning process.

1. A shift from Structural Adjustment Programmes to more comprehensive sector development and Sector Investment Programmes (SIP), goes in favour of a move towards a Sector-Wide Approach (SWAp) to plan the education system of a country and coordinate the action and funding of both external partners and aid recipient countries.

2 SWAps in education should involve an analysis of the comprehensive sector policy, and an overall expenditure framework for coherent intra-sectoral allocation of resources. The ESD sets the foundations for the fomulation of such sector-wide strategies and implementation frameworks by providing a holistic insight into the problems and progress, functioning and results of the analyzed education sector.

3 Education Sector Diagnosis is the fi rst stage and an essential part of any educational planning and policy process, even in countries

in which no SWAp for the education sector development has been adopted.

4. ESD should not confi ne itself to being a purely analytical and technical exercise. The process needs to be participatory, involving various stakeholders. A participatory framework will make ESD more meaningful for policy decisions and for designing programmes for implementation.

5. The outcomes of education sector diagnoses form the basis for policy and plan formulation. Therefore, it is necessary to synthesize the results and to prioritize the recommendations stemming from the analysis carried out.

STUDY OUTLINE

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

© UNESCO-I IEP


2. Analytical framework and Instruments for education sector diagnosis (ESD)

• Discuss and use the commonly applied analytical framework and tools for ESD.

• Understand the commonly used indicators and instruments for sector diagnosis and the results they can generate.

• Be able to synthesize the main results of an ESD and conclude on possible avenues for future improvements to decision-making.

1. Education Sector Diagnosis involves a comprehensive analysis of a country’s education system and includes all levels and sub-sectors of education and training.

2. It assesses the functioning and output of a country’s education system from both quantitative and qualitative viewpoints. ESD should set the ground for more effective future education policies, hence analyses of past and recent trends and identifi cation of the major changes in a country’s education system over time constitute an important dimension of such diagnoses.

3. ESD starts with an analysis of the historical, social, cultural, political, economic, fi nancial and administrative context in which a country’s education sector is placed. It uses a set of indicators to assess the functioning and outcome of an education sector from a range of major angles of analysis, namely: access, internal effi ciency, quality, external effectiveness cost and financing, and management.

4 It is not always easy to establish a strict relation between inputs and outputs in the education sector. Although it is diffi cult to isolate and measure the impact of different individual factors at the sectoral level, ESD aims to investigate and identify the possible explanatory factors of certain crucial problems as well as those of signifi cant achievements characterizing the recent development and current situation of education in a country.

5. Naturally, the reliability, relevance, validity and accessibility of the related basic data needs to be carefully assessed in an ESD and the choice of presented indicators has be made accordingly.

6. ESD relies heavily on the information available through statistics and documents within the ministries and other agencies. Any further information required has to be supplemented through additional data collection and processing, surveys and other research which are to be specifi cally tailored to this purpose and therefore often costly and time-consuming.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

STUDY OUTLINE

© UNESCO-I IEP

Educational sector diagnosis EPC 20441

Comm

on Core

3. Management capacity assessment and ESD

• To become familiar with various tools for management and organizational analysis that can be useful to ESD.

1. A major concern for decision-makers and managers, which needs to be taken into account in ESD, is to what extent and through which organizational and management arrangements the resources and the efforts invested in the education sector translate into the expected educational processes and results.

2. A number of concepts, indicators and tools useful to management analysis, education-sector management analysis included, do exist. Some of them are at the same time instruments of organizational reform; among the foremost instruments are “management audits”, which can be geared to various purposes, from the organizational analysis and reform of the entire ministry of education to more limited “audits” of specifi c institutions (e.g. a university) or management areas such as school inspection or management of human and financial resources. Such management audits critically

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

STUDY OUTLINE

assess the rules and regulations, structures and procedures, instruments, actors and real processes and outcomes of the institution or area to be reviewed.

3. There are also more specifi c tools to evaluate potential weaknesses and distorted practices in educational resource management, such as Public Expenditure Tracking Surveys (PETS) which track the fl ow of resources through various administrative levels to determine how much of the originally allocated public resources reach each level, and the Quantitative Service Delivery Surveys (QSDS), which are used to examine the effi ciency of public spending in education; they are not only useful for the diagnosis of certain aspects of education sector management but can also help better prepare for the implementation of future education policies.

© UNESCO-I IEP


Required reading*

Göttelmann-Duret, G. 2005. Education sector diagnosis. IIEP Training Material. Paris: UNESCO-IIEP.

Lusthaus, Ch.; Adrien, M.-H.; Anderson, G.; Carden, F.; George P.M. 2002. Organiza-tional assessment: a framework for improving performance. Montreal: IDRC/IDB.


Kemmerer, F. 1994. Utilizing education and human resource sector analysis. Fundamentals of Educational Planning No. 47. Paris: UNESCO-IIEP.

Mingat, A. et al. 2003. Tools for education policy analysis. World Bank.

Sack, R.; Saidi, M. 1997. Functional analysis (management audits) of the organization of ministries of education. Fundamentals of Educational Planning No. 54. Paris: UNESCO-IIEP (selections).


OVERVIEW

COURSE No.

43© UNESCO-I IEP

EPC 205

EDUCATIONAL STRATEGIES AND POLICY OPTIONS

This course addresses the major challenges confronting planners and decision-makers concerned with providing quality education for all. It focuses on policies and strategies aimed at overcoming three challenges: increasing equitable access; improving quality and ensuring sustainable and equitable fi nancing. Participants will examine the strategies that governments in different countries have adopted to initiate and sustain reforms and will analyse their relevance to their own national contexts.

Education is since many decades recognized as a basic human right. In addition, national leaders widely appreciate the critical importance of education for economic and social development in an age of increased international competitiveness as well as its essential contribution to alleviate poverty, promote democracy and foster peoples’ capacity to live peacefully together.

All countries made a commitment to achieve Education for All (EFA) at the World Forum on Education, held in Dakar in March 2000. Much progress has been made since 2000 but in some countries and in particular for some disadvantaged groups access to high quality education remains a distant dream. In some countries, access has increased but at the expense of quality. Especially in the least-developed countries the need for alternative fi nancing strategies has become increasingly evident. Where EFA has been achieved, new challenges have arisen, linked to an increased demand for secondary and higher education.

This course consists of four sections. After an introduction to the international agenda, participants will discuss and analyse strategies related to the three challenges which decision-makers generally struggle with: how to offer equitable access; how to improve quality and how to fi nance such high-quality education for all. The course takes an extended view of basic education, including secondary, literacy and life skill programmes, and lifelong education. It is designed to develop participants’ capacity to think critically and to review systematically policy alternatives aimed at increasing educational opportunity, quality and relevance.

© UNESCO-I IEP

EPC 205 Educational strategies and policy options44

1. Main challenges facing educational planners and policy-makers

• Analyze the commitments made by the international community in favour of Education for All.

• Interpret these commitments in function of diverse national contexts.

1. The choice of educational policies and strategies is strongly infl uenced by the national context but also by policies adopted abroad. The international agenda, expressed in world conferences, and the policy options developed by different agencies also infl uence the policy debate.

2. The objectives and strategies which are generally summarized under the term “Education for All” are analyzed, as well as the progress made since the Dakar Conference on EFA.

3. In several countries, some of the key policy objectives related to EFA have been achieved and new challenges are arising. At the same time, issues such as increased international and national disparities, the continued marginalization of certain groups of people, and confl icts and emergencies have changed the international context.

STUDY OUTLINE

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

© UNESCO-I IEP

Educational strategies and policy options EPC 20545

Comm

on Core

2. Strategies to increase access and foster equity

• Understand the factors which explain disparities in the education system.

• Know the constraints which specifi c groups face.

• Understand the strategies which can help increase access and foster equity.

• Understand the strengths and limits of these strategies.

1. Because of economic, social and cultural factors, certain groups have been unable to benefi t from quality education. They either do not have access to school, drop out, or are expelled before having mastered the necessary skills.

2. It is important for educational planners to know the different forms of inequalities in education and what their sources are. These inequalities are strongly related to poverty. Governments are attempting to integrate educational strategies within wider poverty reduction strategies.

3. Different strategies have been developed to overcome inequalities. We will examine three sets of strategies in detail. Firstly, compensatory education programmes, which are based on the principle that equity implies giving more to those most in need.

4. A second set of strategies consists of offering specific incentive measures to the disadvantaged groups, but this raises a challenge of transparency.

5. Issues of equity and inequality are also addressed through non-formal education and through adult literacy programmes. The more successful of these programmes focus on empowerment of the poor through education.

6. In many countries, the single group suffering most from social and educational disadvantage is girls. Questions of gender equity are strongly related to the issue of empowerment of women.

7. Questions of equity crop up increasingly in higher education, access to which has become in several countries necessary for social mobility.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

STUDY OUTLINE

© UNESCO-I IEP


• Understand the concept of quality of education and its various dimensions.

• Be aware of the strategies to improve different dimensions of educational quality.

• Know the strengths and limits of these strategies.

1. In nearly every country there is a growing interest in the quality of education. It is a subject of national debate as well as of comparative international studies.

2. Quality of education has several dimensions, ranging from academic performance to social environment. Sometimes improvement in one dimension can entail giving up something in another.

3. There is also an extensive debate on different ways to promote, measure and monitor the different dimensions of educational quality.

4. A key set of strategies addresses how to improve the functioning of schools. Recent research shows the crucial role of the school in improving quality. It is thus important to identify specifi c factors which impact on the functioning of schools and how they can be improved.

STUDY OUTLINE

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

3. Strategies to improve quality

5. Equally important are strategies focusing on teachers. The factors that impact on attracting, developing, recruiting and retaining effective teachers that ensure that all classrooms are staffed with competent teachers must be examined and the policy options considered.

6. Evaluation and assessment strategies also play an important role in quality improvement. The pros and cons of different forms of evaluation – achievement tests, teacher evaluation and supervision – must be examined.

7. Finally, monitoring the quality of higher education poses specifi c problems because of the autonomy of institutions at this level and because of the internationalization of higher education. The strategies used in this regard can be enriching for other educational levels.

© UNESCO-I IEP

Educational strategies and policy options EPC 20547

Comm

on Core

4. Strategies to finance education systems

• Understand varying patterns of fi nancing education systems.

• Be able to describe, analyze and discuss various strategies for mobilizing resources.

• Be aware of various policy options regarding education fi nancing.

1. Education systems are funded through often complex mechanisms resulting from partnerships between national public institutions, parents and communities, NGOs and private entities, and external development partners. Knowing the exact funding mechanisms and being able to assess and analyze education expenditures is crucial for governments in charge of setting policies and rules.

2. When there are fi nancial constraints, public authorities have to design strategies to improve effi ciency and reduce costs. They may also wish to diversify the sources of funding and weigh the advantages and inconveniences of the various possible options.

3. Strategies for resources mobilization may vary according to the level of education. Compulsory level basic education may still depend more on public sources while post-compulsory levels have more opportunities to seek alternative sources of fi nancing.

4. Households’ costs for education are seen as a barrier to accessing basic education, and fee free policies aim at reducing this barrier. Governments then have to carefully design mechanisms for replacing parents’ contributions and plan for it when fees are abolished.

5. Chronic fi nancial constraints in developing countries, together with positive experiences made with Public Private Partnerships, have led to new private and community management, financing, and investment in education. An important element of success for such partnerships is the alignment of private sector efforts with broader policy frameworks and strategies. Over the last decade, new approaches and mechanisms of external aid have emerged. Sector-wide approaches (SWAp), sector support and budget support are part of these new approaches and mechanisms to which the benefi ciary countries have to adapt.

STUDY OUTLINE

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

© UNESCO-I IEP


Required reading*

Bray, M. 2002. The costs and fi nancing of education: trends and policy implications. Manila, Philippines: Asian Development Bank; Hong Kong: University of Hong Kong.

Carron, G.; Ta Ngoc, C. 1996. The quality of primary schools in different development contexts. Paris: UNESCO-IIEP (selections).

OECD/DAC. 2005. Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness: Ownership, Harmonisation, Alignment, Results and Mutual Accountability, High Level Forum Paris, February-March 2005.

UNESCO. 2000. World Education Forum (Final report, Dakar, Senegal, 26-28 April 2000). Paris: UNESCO (selections).

UNESCO. 2007. EFA global monitoring report 2008: Education for All by 2015: will we make it? Paris: UNESCO.

UNESCO (forthcoming). EFA Global monitoring report 2009: Governance with equity. Paris: UNESCO.


Belfi eld, C.R.; Levin, H. M. 2002. Education privatization: causes, consequences and planning implications. Fundamentals of educational planning No. 74, Paris: UNESCO IIEP.

Caillods, F; Hallak, J. 2004. Education and PRSPs: a review of experiences, Paris: UNESCO-IIEP.

Carnoy, M. 1999. Globalization and educational reforms: what planners need to know. Fundamentals of Educational Planning, No. 63. Paris: UNESCO/IIEP (selections).

Hallak, J.; Poisson, M. 2007. Corrupt schools, corrupt universities: what can be done? Paris: UNESCO-IIEP.

Kellaghan, T.; Greaney, V. 2002. Using assessment to improve the quality of education. Fundamentals of Educational Planning, No. 71. Paris : UNESCO-IIEP.

Lewin, K. 2001. Financing secondary education in developing countries: strategies for sustainable growth. Paris: UNESCO, International Institute for Educational Planning.

Schwille, J.; Dembelé, M. 2007. Global perspectives on teacher learning: improving policy and practice. Fundamentals of educational planning No. 84. Paris: UNESCO-IIEP.

World Bank. 2006. World Development Report 2006: equity and development. New York: Oxford University Press.


OVERVIEW

COURSE No.

49© UNESCO-I IEP

EPC 206

FORMULATION, PREPARATION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF EDUCATIONAL POLICIES AND PLANS

Educational planning involves the prioritizing of activities and optimal allocation of resources. Policy making, plan preparation and plan implementation are closely linked activities. Policy sets the goals for nationwide activities and in this sense, is a macro-level activity. Policy making is a professional and political process. While the professional inputs are important to prepare the ground for informed decision-making, the decisions, in effect, are made by the policy makers who very often are elected representatives. The policy makers adopt a solution to the identifi ed problem and formulate the policy to overcome or solve the problem. These policy measures become goals for the plans and priority areas for public intervention.

Planning transforms these policy goals into specifi c objectives for a given timeframe. Educational plan formulation involves setting targets, identifying strategies to achieve the plan targets, estimating resource requirements, etc. The educational plan targets are set according to the policies formulated. Planning may take place at the national, sub-national or decentralized levels. There may be specialized agencies such as councils or planning bodies entrusted with planning responsibilities at various levels.

Educational planning relies on a set of methods and techniques to quantify targets and project the future scenario. It also involves the development of alternative scenarios for a given target. Although it involves a technical process, it is not confi ned to the quantitative aspects. Plan preparation involves a process of discussions and consultations with the different stakeholders. These discussions help fi nalize any one of the projected scenarios for further action.

Implementation is a process of operationalizing the plans or moving towards making things happen. The plan implementation ensures that the targets are achieved and that the benefi ts reach the target group. The preparation of action plans specifi es the responsibilities of various agencies at various levels. Planning for implementation involves the preparation of implementation schedules, the specifi cation of the roles of agencies and individuals involved in the processes, and the close monitoring and reporting of progress in order to take corrective measures. The success of plan implementation depends on the institutional capacity to undertake various responsibilities assigned to the lower-level units.

© UNESCO-I IEP

EPC 206 Formulation, preparation and implementation of educational policies and plans50

While the resource projection may be for the entire plan period, it is important to annualize the budgetary implications in accordance with the activities to be implemented each year.

This course is a follow-up to the courses on sector analysis and educational strategies. The participants in this course will be introduced to three distinct but related aspects of planning, namely: the policy formulation, plan preparation and plan implementation. The course, while explaining the process of plan preparation and implementation, will also include group work exercises to reinforce the techniques discussed in the plenary sessions.

1. Policy formulation

• Identify the different factors which impact upon the identification of policy priorities.

• Analyze the roles of different actors, and in particular of policy-makers and of planners, in the process of priority identification and policy-formulation.

• Participate usefully in a debate on priority-setting by presenting relevant arguments and understanding the arguments presented by others.

1. The process of policy-formulation is a technical as well as political process. While the technical aspects may be similar, the contextual factors and the resultant policy priorities vary among countries. This becomes particularly evident when examining how different countries identify their policy priorities.

2. Indeed, the best policy or plan is not necessarily the most “correct” one, but one which can gather suffi cient support, if not full consensus.

Developing a sense of ownership becomes important not only among national authorities, but also among the different stakeholders.

3. A participatory approach has become an integral part of the policy formulation planning process. Nowadays, regularly, plans are drawn up through consultations involving various interested parties at national, regional and local levels, as well as at the international level (aid agencies and development partners).

STUDY OUTLINE

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

© UNESCO-I IEP

Formulation, preparation and implementation of educational policies and plans EPC 20651

Comm

on Core

2. Plan formulation: projections and scenario building

• Defi ne the role of projections and simulations in target setting and educational plan formulation.

• Identify the essential steps and know the techniques used to project enrolment, as well as human, physical and fi nancial resources.

• Analyze the inter-relationships between education variables and use them for projection purposes.

• Identify the usefulness of a simulation model and be able to use it to develop coherent scenarios in relation to a specifi c strategy and for informing the policy dialogue.

1. Projection techniques and simulation models are about anticipating enrolment at the various levels of education, as well as human, physical and fi nancial requirements. They help convert the objectives that are sought into a quantitative vision of the future and to assess the feasibility of the objectives set.

2. This part of the course is based mainly on a practical exercise addressing the various steps and techniques that are necessary when undertaking a projection exercise.

3. The most common technique for projecting enrolment is the “fl ow model” technique. Based on population data and the past behaviour of students within the education system

(promotion to the next grade, repetition at the same grade, drop-out), enrolment projections are made for the future taking into account suitable targets.

4. Projecting expected enrolment is not suffi cient. It is also important to assess human (teachers, other staff) and physical requirements (classrooms, equipment, textbooks) that would be necessary to accommodate future enrolment. Projections are made by linking education variables and using objectives regarding the organization of classes and conditions of learning. At the end, human and physical requirements are converted into fi nancial requirements.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

STUDY OUTLINE

4. Different countries have followed different paths in defining and formulating an education policy and plan. An analysis of the experiences of these countries is useful to better understand this complex process. This

analysis will pay attention, among other issues, to the actors involved, the role of planners, and the arguments used by policy-makers to justify the identifi cation of priorities.

© UNESCO-I IEP

EPC 206 Formulation, preparation and implementation of educational policies and plans52

3. Plan implementation

• Learn different essential steps in the implementation of educational plans.

• Develop skills to identify programmes and activities for plan implementation.

• Be familiarized with monitoring and reporting arrangements.

• Assess the institutional capacity to implement plans.

1. Planning for implementation helps the operationalizing of the plan. A plan can be seen in terms of a number of programmes for the purposes of operationalizing it. Each programme will have a set of activities. Developing these programmes and activities associated with them forms a necessary step to implement the plans.

2. Ministries and their extended departments are responsible for implementing educational plans. In some cases, a separate management structure is created, especially when the programme is externally-funded. The implementation responsibility lies with the agency entrusted with this responsibility.

3. Plan implementation involves the sequencing of activities and identifying agencies/individuals responsible for undertaking and completing these activities. An implementation schedule, in general, indicates the nature of the activity, the person responsible for implementing the

activity, and the time when the activity is to be completed.

4. Monitoring the plan implementation is necessary to make an assessment regarding the progress and in order to take corrective measures, if necessary. The periodicity of reporting and the arrangements for reporting help identify problems areas, if any, at the appropriate time.

5. Implementation depends on the timely availability of funds. The frequency of the flow of funds and the institutions/persons responsible for the necessary sanctions need to be located close to the place where activities are implemented.

6. Plan implementation also much depends on management capacities at the national and local levels. There is a need to assess the institutional capacities for implementing educational plans.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

STUDY OUTLINE

5. The financial requirements have to be confronted to the economic perspective for the future in order to assess the fi nancial feasibility of the objectives set.

6. Simulation models make it possible to build more easily a quantitative scenario. A model fi tting the situation of the group work is given and explained to the participants.

© UNESCO-I IEP

Formulation, preparation and implementation of educational policies and plans EPC 20653

Comm

on Core

Required reading*

Bertrand, O. 2004. Planning human resources: methods, experiences and practices. Fundamentals of educational planning No. 75. Paris: IIEP-UNESCO.

International Institute for Educational Planning (IIEP). 2004. Projection techniques and simulation models. Modules 1-5. Paris: IIEP.

Riddell, A. 2007. Education sector-wide Approaches (SWAps): background, guide and lessons. Education policies and strategies No. 12. Paris: UNESCO.

UNESCO. 2000 (April). EFA planning guide: Southeast and East Asia, follow-up to the World Education Forum. Dakar: Senegal.


Chang, G.C.; Radi, M. 2001. Educational planning through computer simulation. Education policies and strategies No. 3. Paris: UNESCO.

Jallade, L.; Radi, M.; Cuenin, S. 2001. National education policies and programmes and international cooperation: what role for UNESCO? Chapter 3. Education policies and strategies No. 1. Paris: UNESCO.

Radi, M.; Chang, G.C. 2005. Implementation capacity for education sector development plans: the case of Niger. Education policies and strategies No. 9. Paris: UNESCO.

UNESCO. 2005. Education Policy and Strategy Simulation Model, EPSSim, version 2.1: user’s guide. Education policies and strategies No. 3a. Paris: UNESCO.


OVERVIEW

COURSE No.

55© UNESCO-I IEP

COMPUTER COURSE

EPC 200

The complexity of the objectives of education systems, and the need to suffi ciently master educational information makes the use of computers essential, be it for management, in the limited sense of the term, for monitoring, for decision-making or for defi ning educational policies.

The Computer Course was established in order to tackle the often signifi cant disparities that have been noted between participants in their levels of computer literacy.

There is also the concern to better prepare participants to follow the ATP courses with greater ease when using computers. The aim is to provide the basic elements of computer use, so that participants can concentrate on the specifi c course.

The course is optional.

© UNESCO-I IEP

EPC 200 Computer course56

• Familiarize participants with computer operations.

• Upgrade practical skills in computer use and management.

• Learn to use programs, such as Word, Excel, Access, Powerpoint, SPSS.

• Master effi cient use of Internet and electronic messages.

• Become familiar with providers (Symantec antivirus, Winzip, etc.).

1. A tentative programme, established on the basis of the experiences of past years, is proposed to participants. The programme is, however, susceptible to changes depending on the participants’ needs.

2. The course will be organized in such a way as to follow the development of the ATP, in order to give the best possible support to participants.

3. A minimum objective to be reached shall be fi xed for each session/component. Exercises, along with corrections, will be proposed, with a special section for the more advanced participants, thereby taking into account the needs of the maximum number of participants.

STUDY OUTLINE

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

57© UNESCO-I IEP

Specialization Stream 1 which focuses on Educational Planning and Analysis (EPA), is designed for course participants who wish to strengthen their skills in the use of selected tools and techniques of educational planning and analysis.

Professionals who prepare plans – be it the drafting of development, action or annual plans – need to know how to apply the key analytical and planning tools which are presently available. Command of the key planning tools and approaches is indispensable for planners at system or regional levels. Stream 1 of this phase offers the following courses:

• Educational Management Information Systems: The use of data and information is essential for planning and decision-making. Planners therefore must be able to identify information needs, to design adequate instruments for data collection, and to process, present and use the generated information properly.

• Projections and simulations: tools for policy dialogue and educational strategies: To plan, it is necessary to assess different possible futures – the impact of current trends for different types and levels of education, the possible effect of different policies, the impact of changing preferences, etc. Simulation models are therefore central tools for educational planning, policy design and educational strategies.

• School mapping and micro-planning: School mapping and micro-planning are required to plan education provision at the local level. This territorial vision of planning becomes increasingly important in the context of decentralization. It also constitutes a powerful tool to shape locally-relevant, inter-sectoral responses to development challenges. An understanding of the use and relevance of geographical information systems (GIS) for school mapping is also important as GIS provide both spatial and textual information that allows analyses of needs at the central as well as local levels.

• Quantitative methods for monitoring and evaluating the quality of education: A wide range of measures can be used for assessing the “quality” of education. But educational policy decisions and plans are increasingly based on the use of survey techniques and data for analyzing student performance, educational conditions and the factors infl uencing them. Hence such methods have to be known and mastered by educational planners.

SPECIALIZATION STREAM 1EDUCATIONAL PLANNING AND ANALYSIS

Educational planningand analysis

OVERVIEW

COURSE No.

59© UNESCO-I IEP

EPA 301

EDUCATIONAL MANAGMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM (EMIS)

All steps of planning need information - quantitative and qualitative. Hence, information systems have to be user-friendly and have to properly collect, organize, store, disseminate, and transmit data.

The expansion of education systems has been accompanied by an emergence of multiple levels of decision-making. While the former trend increases the amount of data to be handled, the latter implies the multiple levels where data are demanded. Efforts towards decentralization increase the demand for larger sets of data and encompass a larger number of variables. Educational data are available from various sources and they are used at various levels.

The implementation of educational projects in developing countries has added to the demand for developing the Educational Management Information System (EMIS) and has increased demand for data use to monitor progress and evaluate outcomes.

EMIS integrates all information related to educational planning and management activities which are available from various sources. The organization of EMIS involves collection, processing, storage, retrieval, analysis and dissemination of data. To improve the quality of information, the needs of the users have to be analyzed, indicators constructed and data collected and presented so that they can contribute to the decisions to be taken.

This course is designed to enable participants to acquire the necessary knowledge and skills associated with the building and use of information systems in educational planning and management. While several elements within the EMIS will be presented in other courses, this course will essentially deal with developing information systems for all levels of education which could be utilized at all levels of administration.


© UNESCO-I IEP

EPA 301 Educational Management Information System60

1. Characteristics of the Educational Management Information System (EMIS)

• Understand the meaning and scope of EMIS and its use for educational decision-making.

• Identify information needs.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

STUDY OUTLINE

1. An Education Information Management System (EMIS) provides information on the education system as well as factors related to its operation. The information can be quantitative or qualitative. The information thus collected and stored may be used for purposes of preparation, implementation and monitoring of educational plans and programmes.

2. Educational data are collected by various agencies. A good EMIS integrates information collected and collated by several agencies and from various sources. Thus, the organization of EMIS involves collection, processing, storage, retrieval, analysis and dissemination of data.

3. School censuses form the core of information systems, providing information available at the school/institution level on students, teaching and non-teaching staff, buildings and equipment. The design of questionnaires, the ways of collecting and controlling data, the structure of the database and the design of statistical publications are all important to produce and disseminate useful data on the system.

4. Specific information, such as data on population, expenditures, qualitative norms and access to the labour market, requires specifi c tools to collect and analyze.

5. In addition to the production of raw statistical data, there has been an increased interest in indicators and sets of indicators for monitoring and evaluating the education system. Indicators may help in providing a clear vision of the situation of the system and of the changes over time. Selection of indicators, and their presentation and analysis in specifi c documents contribute to decision-making, planning and administration for the running of the education system.

6. An information system has to be built on a clear vision of the information needs of the different users. EMIS managers must always be aware of the changes in the needs of the users and adapt the collection instruments and data processing tools.

© UNESCO-I IEP

Educational Management Information System EPA 30161


2. Methodology and tools for school census

• Develop instruments for collection of information from educational institutions.

• Defi ne the different steps involved in the collection of data, and the building and use of a database.

• Know the basic procedures for database management.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

STUDY OUTLINE

1. Development of an EMIS involves designing questionnaires, setting up the data collection procedures, providing an effi cient database and data entry and control, and selecting modes of information presentation and communication.

2. School censuses form the core activities of educational information systems. They provide essential data on the number of educational institutions and their characteristics, students, teachers and their qualifi cations, classrooms and equipment etc. at the different levels of the education system.

3. The process of implementing school censuses involves various steps. The design of the questionnaire is an essential step, as the frame has to be clear and pertinent to avoid misunderstanding and reporting mistakes.

4. The data collection process has to be managed to ensure that all educational institutions are receiving statistical questionnaires and sending them back to the central ministry. The process mobilizes a large number of education staff, including school heads, supervisors, local and regional offi cers, and the people involved

have to be aware of the importance of the operation and of their responsibilities.

5. Data entry and control is often a lengthy but necessary activity. Control of data has to ensure the reliability of information and its internal coherence, as well as the exhaustiveness of the census.

6. A suitable storage of data has to facilitate data entry, respecting the order and the presentation of the questionnaire, as well as the data processing.

7. How to process data has to be mastered by those in charge of preparing statistical yearbooks or reports analyzing information. They have to be able to produce the information requested to address the needs of the clients.

8. Publications and communication are the real output of the censuses. The entire process is accomplished only when information is produced and disseminated. Designing statistical publications to address the needs of the different users is a crucial step towards ensuring that necessary and useful information will be disseminated.

© UNESCO-I IEP

EPA 301 Educational Management Information System62

3. Education-related data

• Understand the needs for specifi c tools to build an information system on expenditures for education, and be able to design it.

• Know the techniques used to quantify school leavers at the different levels of the education system.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

STUDY OUTLINE

1. To know the full cost of education, including public, private and external sources for the different levels of education, entails making use of specifi c techniques. To calculate costs, it is necessary to deal with many different accounting and statistical sources, such as government budget, school accounts or household surveys. Each source of information may provide one part of the necessary data to be gathered and made coherent to provide

full knowledge of educational expenditure and costs.

2. The number of students leaving every year the school system by level of qualifi cation acquired can be used to measure the real output of the education system. Techniques to assess the fl ow of school leavers are based on the principles of fl ow analysis and variations in enrolment between levels of education and school years.

4. Construction of an indicators system for follow-up, evaluation and monitoring

• Defi ne and calculate indicators and design a system of educational indicators for follow-up, evaluation and monitoring.

• Design and prepare a document presenting indicators using graph techniques and analysis.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

STUDY OUTLINE

1. Indicators enable us to closely monitor the progress made by the education system. They should provide a simple tool if they are to be used widely by the administrators. Indicators help compare changes in the system over a

period of time or between systems at a given point in time.

2. An indicator should be reliable and comprehensive. The selection of an indicator

© UNESCO-I IEP

Educational Management Information System EPA 30163


depends on the purpose for which the analysis is being carried out. However, the same database can be used to develop different sets of indicators.

3. Graphic techniques make it easier to visualize information and communicate more effi ciently on trends and disparities.

Required reading*

Kemmerer, F.N. 1994. Utilizing education and human resource sector analyses. Fundamentals of educational planning, No. 47. Paris: UNESCO-IIEP (Chap. 4).

Sauvageot, C. 1997. Indicators for educational planning: a practical guide. Paris: UNESCO/IIEP (selections).


Chapman, D.W.; Mählck, L. 1993. From data to action: information systems in educational planning. Oxford: Pergamon. Paris: UNESCO-IIEP (selections).

McMahon, W.W. 1993. An efficiency-based management information system. Fundamentals of Educational Planning, No. 49. Paris: UNESCO-IIEP.

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. 2000. Education at a glance. Paris: OECD.

Ross, K.N.; Mählck, L. (Eds.). 1990. Planning the quality of education: The collection and use of data for informed decision-making. Paris: UNESCO-IIEP.

Sauvageot, C.; Dias Da Graça, P. 2006. Using indicators in planning education for rural people: a practical guide. Paris: UNESCO/IIEP.

Windham, D.M. 1994.“Management information systems”. In: Husén, T.; Postlethwaite T.N. (Eds.), The international encyclopaedia of education. Vol. 6. (pp. 3593-3596). Oxford: Elsevier Science (selections).

* The required readings also include course materials which might be distributed in addition to the references below.

OVERVIEW

COURSE No.

65© UNESCO-I IEP

EPA302

PROJECTIONS AND SIMULATIONS: TOOLS FOR POLICY DIALOGUE AND EDUCATIONAL STRATEGIES

Projection techniques and simulation models are at the core of educational planning since they help convert the objectives that are sought after into scenarios that can be quantifi ed. They are necessary tools for policy dialogue and the formulation of educational strategies. They allow prior knowledge of number of students to be enrolled, of what is required for the implementation of envisaged policies and help spell out these requirements in numerical terms. Projections and simulation models make it possible to translate the tasks that are to be done into calculations of the required fi nancial, physical and human resources.

Projections and simulations are based on a view of and assumptions about the future. Their validity and usefulness depend on the assumptions made and how closely these assumptions correspond to real conditions. There are always elements of uncertainly in projections.

It is important for a ministry of education to have projection tools that can inform decision-makers about what is the feasibility and the potential consequences of their decisions: - what are the different alternatives as regards the fi nancial, physical or human resource needs, and which options are viable and affordable.

Simulation models allow for the automation of calculations as well as for an easier testing of different hypotheses in order to build scenarios by varying the given parameters.

The course offers an advanced level of specialisation in simulation models techniques. Its aim is to allow participants to master the essential concepts and key steps in constructing simulation models and to understand their role in educational planning, management, and the formulation of educational strategies.

This course is composed of three parts:

• Introduction to projections and their usefulness in informing policy dialogue. This will be followed by a presentation of the different simulation models;


© UNESCO-I IEP

EPA 302 Projections and simulations: tools for policy dialogue and educational strategies66

• Building a simulation model. Participants will individually build a simulation model so as to master the links between variables and calculations;

• Changing and updating a simulation model. Using an existing model, participants will have to update the base-year of reference, adapt it to modifi cations in the organisation of the educational system or to the different ways of foreseeing the future.

Participants will also have to do an individual projection exercise, besides their participation in the course.

1. Key concepts of projections, forecasting, simulation models and prospective analysis

• Understand the usefulness of projections and simulations for educational planning and management.

• Know the difference between projections, forecasts, simulation models and prospective analysis.

• Understand the usefulness of simulation models in informing policy dialogue.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

STUDY OUTLINE

1. In order to ensure quantitative and qualitative development of the educational system, ministries of education have to possess prior knowledge of future events so as to be prepared and take necessary steps.

2. Planners must inform decision-makers on the medium and long term consequences of the objectives defi ned and the decisions taken.

3. Enrolment projections are essential in this process. There are different types of projections

and this course defi nes several of these in the context of education.

4. Some current education simulation models are briefl y presented and their usefulness in policy analysis is discussed.

5. Prospective analysis goes beyond a mere quantifi cation of various scenarios. It implies taking into consideration societal tendencies and their possible infl uence on education. It also involves certain qualitative perspectives that need to be introduced.

© UNESCO-I IEP

Projections and simulations: tools for policy dialogue and educational strategies EPA 30267


2. Building a simulation model: projecting enrolment and human, physical and financial requirements

• Know the essential steps of projection of future enrolments and of the human, physical and fi nancial needs at all the levels of education.

• Build and organize an Excel fi le containing the basic data and the projection framework.

• Create and apply calculation formulas and use the functions needed to calculate enrolment projection and human, physical and fi nancial needs.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

STUDY OUTLINE

1. The technique for school enrolment projections taught, generally referred to as ‘the flow model’ is the most common. It is based on fl ow tendencies over two years (promotion, repetition or drop-out).

2. Using Excel, participants will review the techniques for creating tables that show school enrolment projections based on the concepts of cohort analysis.

3. Participants will learn how to project enrolments for two or more successive cycles of education.

4. Once the enrolment projections have been done, projections of human, physical and financial resources will be progressively integrated into the calculation sheets, and a part of the macro-economic framework will be developed.

5. A special attention will be paid to the overall architecture of the model and to the writing of the calculation formulas to facilitate the construction of the model and respect the automation objective.

© UNESCO-I IEP

EPA 302 Projections and simulations: tools for policy dialogue and educational strategies68

3. Modifying and updating a simulation model

• Be able to introduce modifi cations in the base-year of reference so as to integrate the most recent available statistics.

• Be able to modify and adapt a model to structural changes or to changes in the management of education systems and also to take into consideration new education development objectives.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

STUDY OUTLINE

1. Participants will work on a full model using Excel. This model is developed by IIEP and concerns all the levels of education. It allows for the immediate calculation of enrolment projections, human, physical and fi nancial needs and the use of a model in a macro-economic perspective.

2. By using this simulation model, participants will have to update it in order to take into account the most recent statistical data and

thus make the changes in the base-year of reference.

3. Participants will also undertake a set of exercises to adapt the model to reforms introduced in an education system or changes in the organisation of the management of the system, or other changes that are envisaged. They have to integrate new variables and modify links between variables while maintaining the links with non-modifi ed parts of the model.

© UNESCO-I IEP

Projections and simulations: tools for policy dialogue and educational strategies EPA 30269


Required reading*

IIEP. 2008. Projection techniques and simulation models. Modules 1-5. Paris: IIEP.

Radi, M.; Chang, G.C. 2001. Educational planning through computer simulation. Paris: UNESCO.


Eisemon, T.O. 1997. Reducing repetition: issues and strategies. Fundamentals of educational planning, No. 55. Paris: UNESCO-IIEP.

UNESCO. 2005. Education policy and strategy simulation model, EPSSim version 2.1: user’s guide. Paris: UNESCO.

United Nations. 2005.World population prospects, 2004 Revision. New York: United Nations.

United Nations. 1999. Population growth, structure and distribution: the concise report. New York: United Nations.

OVERVIEW

COURSE No.

71© UNESCO-I IEP

EPA 303

SCHOOL MAPPING AND MICRO-PLANNING

Micro-planning can be defi ned as the process of planning at the local level. It focuses on the particular characteristics and needs of the population in one locality and the education to be provided.

An increasing number of countries follow a policy of decentralization, and hence decisions on new schools and their location, teacher recruitment and deployment, which were previously taken at the central level, are now in the hands of actors at the district and local level. Actors at a local level have a more profound knowledge of the characteristics and needs of the population they serve, and of the education institutions in their area, and are in a better position to defi ne appropriate strategies to attract and retain disadvantaged groups in the education system. Local actors have to acquire the skills and the tools to plan the organization of the education system within their area in such a way that it serves three objectives: equity, cost-effi ciency and quality. The course on school mapping and micro-planning aims at providing participants with those skills and tools.

As it contributes to planning the distribution of education supply all over the country, school mapping is a strategic tool to level off inequalities in the distribution of educational services between different regions. It can channel educational investment to poorly served areas. School mapping, in this sense, is a potent planning instrument for equalizing educational opportunities. It can ensure allocative effi ciency in the planning process.


© UNESCO-I IEP

EPA 303 School mapping and micro-planning72

1. Concepts of school mapping and micro-planning

• Understand the concepts and objectives of school mapping and micro-planning.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

STUDY OUTLINE

1. School mapping is a set of techniques and procedures used to identify the future needs for education at the local level, and the means necessary to satisfy them. It is essentially concerned with the location of schools.

2. Schools are located on the basis of norms which stipulate the expected distance children should travel from home to reach school. The notion of a catchment area and the school’s intake capacity are important methodological tools to carry out school mapping exercises.

3. Micro-planning is the planning of education at the local level. The type of issues discussed,

and the process of preparing a plan at the local level, are different from those at the national level.

4. Micro-level plans are more sensitive to local needs and requirements. The process of preparing a plan can be more participatory at the local level than at the national level.

2. Methodology and tools of diagnosis of school mapping and micro-planning

• Prepare a diagnosis of the educational services at the local level.

• Understand the use and relevance of GIS for school mapping diagnosis

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

STUDY OUTLINE

1. Diagnosis of the educational situation in the selected area is a fi rst step in preparing the school map and in equalizing educational provision.

2. Educational diagnosis of the local area is carried out, based on EMIS data. The same source of data is relied on to develop indicators.

3. Some of the indicators are more useful to analyze an educational situation at the local level than at the central level. This analysis

© UNESCO-I IEP

School mapping and micro-planning EPA 30373


forms the basis for proposals to reorganize the future provision of educational facilities at the local level.

4. Diagnosis of the educational situation will give a clear picture about access and coverage, and the quality of educational services provided.

5. The diagnosis will include an assessment of the status and functioning of educational provision in the selected locality. Issues related to operational effi ciency of the institutions

become part of the understanding of the local education situation.

6. Micro-planning efforts will be dealing with issues related to participation of children in schools, mobilization of communities in school management, etc.

7. The geographical information systems (GIS) will provide both spatial and textual information, allowing analyses responding to the needs of central as well as local management.

3. Options in organizing the school network

• Understand the importance of norms, standards and the concept of catchment areas and their application in school mapping exercises.

• Understand alternative strategies of educational provisions – double-shift schools. multi-grade teaching, etc. – and their applicability in country-specifi c contexts.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

STUDY OUTLINE

1. Every country has established norms regarding the distance to be travelled by children from home to school. The notion of a catchment area refl ects this concern of the decisionmakers.

2. The norms concerning the provision of schools is based on the resources available and on the idea of the minimum expected size of a primary school. Remote rural areas in many countries are sparsely populated and hence standardized national norms may not be helpful to provide educational facilities for all. The norms may be relaxed under such circumstances.

3. Provision of teachers to schools is, very often, based on norms related to teacher/

pupil ratio. When such norms are applied to sparsely populated areas, many schools have to be content with a single teacher or two teachers and multi-grade classes. The advantages and disadvantages of this option will be discussed.

4. Educational provisions at the primary level need to take into account alternatives to formal primary schools.

5. Provision of schools at the post-primary level depends on norms regarding minimum size of schools. These in turn depend on the extent of teacher specialization and their maximum teaching load.

© UNESCO-I IEP


4. Preparation of a prospective school map

• Know the techniques used to decide on the location of new schools to rationalize the use of resources.

• Prepare a prospective school map.

• Understand the process to be used in preparing a school map for a locality/region.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

STUDY OUTLINE

1. The characteristics of education supply will depend on the expected number of children to be enrolled. Estimation of future demand for education in each locality is a necessary step.

2. Norms on maximum walking distance combined with norms concerning the size of schools will determine the number of schools needed. School mapping techniques help locate educational facilities in a more rational fashion so as to optimize the use of resources.

3. An essential step in school mapping is the preparation of a prospective educational map for primary and post-primary levels of education in a given region/zone. Such proposals may involve opening new schools or their alternatives and proposals

for reorganizing/relocating the existing educational resources.

4. Although school mapping techniques could be relied on to identify villages to locate schools, the siting of a school and the nature of the school to be provided are not purely technical issues. The provision should match the expectations of the local people and should be acceptable to them. In this sense, school location and decision-making on their specifi c features should be a participatory exercise.

5. The participatory approach facilitates convergence of concerns for educational provision with those of demand. It also puts pressure on the decision-makers to follow norms in provision of educational facilities and to implement the decisions already taken.

© UNESCO-I IEP

School mapping and micro-planning EPA 30375


5. Generalization and institutionalization of school mapping and micro-planning

• Know the different steps in the introduction and generalization of the school map.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

STUDY OUTLINE

1. School mapping and micro-planning are not to be confi ned to any particular region of a country.

2. An extension of the exercise to the whole country implies the creation of an administrative structure at national, regional

and local levels, and the preparation of a methodology and a set of criteria.

3. Extension of this exercise to the national level necessitates capacity development activities to carry out the activities successfully.

© UNESCO-I IEP


Required reading*

Attfi eld, I.; De Grauwe, A.; Parolin, B.; Tamiru, M. 2002. Improving micro-planning in education through a geographical information system: studies on Ethiopia and Palestine. Paris: UNESCO-IIEP.

Caillods, F. 1983. School mapping and micro-planning in education. Paris: UNESCO-Educational Policy and Planning Division-IIEP (selections).

Hallak, J. 1977. Planning the location of schools: an instrument of educational policy. Paris: UNESCO-IIEP (selections).

Mendelsohn, M. 1996. Educational planning and management, and the use of geographical information systems (GIS). Paris: UNESCO-IIEP (selections).

Varghese N.V. 1997. “School Mapping Module”. In: Varghese, N.V. (Ed.) Modules on district planning in education. No.8. New Delhi: NIEPA (selections).


Bray, M. 2001. Double-shift schooling. London: Commonwealth Secretariat-IIEP.

Brunswick, E.; Valérien, J. 2004. Multigrade schools: improving access in rural Africa? Fundamentals of Educational Planning, No. 76. Paris: UNESCO-IIEP.

Carr-Hill, R. 2005. The Education of nomadic peoples in East Africa: review of relevant literature. Paris: UNESCO-IIEP.

Govinda, R. 1999. Reaching the unreached through participatory planning: school mapping in Lok Jumbish, India. Paris: UNESCO-IIEP.

Ta Ngoc, C. 2002. Demographic aspects of educational planning. Fundamentals of Educational Planning, No. 72. Paris: UNESCO-IIEP.


OVERVIEW

COURSE No.

77© UNESCO-I IEP

EPA 304

QUANTITATIVE METHODS FOR MONITORING AND EVALUATING THE QUALITY OF EDUCATION

Schools will always be important institutions for the socialization and personal development of children. However, it must also be recognized that the education delivered by schools commands a premium in a global market, and it is acknowledged that it provides a competitive edge for nations. As a result, many governments have become increasingly inclined to view the performance of their education systems as a key element in strategies for improving national economic development. This trend, coupled with the enormous expenditures that are devoted to education, has amplifi ed demands for enhanced scrutiny and accountability concerning the quality of education.

There are several important questions that face all educational planners as they work towards improving the quality of their education systems through the process of informed decision-making:

• What do we mean by the concept of the “quality of education”, and does this concept concern only academic achievement, or should it also encompass broader goals related, for example, to the affective domain, social and life skills, and the capacity to adapt to a changing and uncertain world?

• What factors affect the quality of education, and what is the relative importance and cost-effectiveness of these?

• Which important factors are amenable to policy intervention (such as textbook design, production, and distribution) and which important factors fall outside the reach of educational planners (such as the home circumstances of children)?

• Who is responsible for the quality of education, and who should be held accountable and how?

• Are different aspects of the quality of education linked to different levels of decision-making within ministries of education?

• How can educational planners encourage the application of informed policy decisions?


© UNESCO-I IEP

EPA 304 Quantitative methods for monitoring and evaluating the quality of education78

• What is the place of “equity” in interpreting the quality of an education system, and how can equity be assessed for students, schools, and regions?

• What mechanisms (examinations, testing programmes, regular inspections, etc.) can be used to inform authorities about educational quality, and what are their advantages and disadvantages?

Modern educational research approaches that are aimed at addressing these questions have tended to fall into two broad categories. First, there are “qualitative/anthropological” approaches aimed at providing in-depth case studies of the processes of education and the dynamics of stakeholder interactions experienced by individual students and teachers within particular schools. Second, there are “quantitative/empirical” approaches concentrated on the measurement of important educational outcomes and the search for generalizable relationships between educational outcomes and factors related to the composition, organization, and functioning of schools.

This course is concerned with the second of these research approaches, and it explores related research methodologies in four major domains: (a) the technical design of studies that offer clear guidance for policy concerning the quality of education; (b) the development of data collection instruments (tests and questionnaires) that provide valid measures of the conditions of schooling and educational outcomes; (c) the use of scientifi c sampling procedures for making measurable sample estimates of important population characteristics; and (d) the management, analysis, and reporting of data for policy purposes.

The course includes opportunities for participants to gain experience in undertaking computer-based analyses of information selected from the IIEP’s extensive data archives, and also to apply the IIEP’s specialized software systems for generating scientifi c probability samples and for managing data entry and data cleaning tasks.

© UNESCO-I IEP

Quantitative methods for monitoring and evaluating the quality of education EPA 30479


1. Moving from policy concerns to policy research

• Explore the meaning of the concept of the “quality of education”.

• Analyze the meaning and structure of general policy concerns about the quality of education.

• Use the results of these to plan data collections and data analyses that result in useful and feasible policy recommendations.

• Understand the key steps involved in the educational policy research cycle for studies of the quality of education.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

STUDY OUTLINE

1. The quality of education can be conceived and conceptualized in different ways and results from studies of educational quality often generate political controversy.

2. General policy concerns about the quality of education need to be reformulated in a manner that suggests frameworks for research implementation and research reporting.

3. The reformulation process begins with breaking down general policy concerns into

more “researchable” elements that provide guidance with respect to: target populations, units of analysis, data requirements, indicators, and decision points.

4. This analysis provides a sound foundation for the design of data tabulations and graphical displays that can be summarized and synthesized to construct clearly worded policy suggestions aimed at appropriate decision-making levels.

© UNESCO-I IEP


2. Measures of the quality of education

• Recognize various defi nitions and interpretations of the concept of “the quality of education”, and the indicators that might be used for its measurement.

• Construct and improve data collection instruments for measuring the quality of education.

• Understand the main technical characteristics of “a good test”.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

STUDY OUTLINE

1. In recent years, most large-scale studies of the quality of education have been centred on the collection and analysis of information concerned with the conditions of schooling (through the use of questionnaires) and the levels of student cognitive and affective educational outcomes (through the use of tests and attitude scales).

2. Questionnaire construction commences with a sound analysis of exactly what conditions of schooling need to be measured and with which agreed indicators. This is followed by the framing of context-sensitive questions that elicit valid responses.

3. Test construction begins with the construction of “content by process” grids (or test blueprints) based on structured curriculum and textbook analyses. This is followed by test question drafting (which often needs to take note of “diagnostic” item-writing methods), trial testing, and test refinement. Some newer

techniques for test construction are based on Item Response Theory and they permit student educational achievements to be described in terms of “levels of competence”, which tend to be more useful for (a) describing the skills that students have acquired, and (b) providing guidance for remediation.

4. Attitude scale development is a deceptively complex task and demands knowledge and experience related to the design of attitude questions, and the various technical assumptions associated with attitude scaling.

5. The most important feature of “a good test” is that it should have high validity (in that it measures what it was intended to measure). There are three main types of test validity. Each of these is assessed in different ways, but all of them depend on high measurement reliability (consistency).

© UNESCO-I IEP



3. Data management and data analysis for improving measures of the quality of education

• Employ computer-based “data entry” and “data cleaning” methods to improve the accuracy of test data in preparation for further analysis.

• Understand how computer-based item analyses can be used (a) to improve the overall performance of tests, and (b) to generate total test scores and sub-scores.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

STUDY OUTLINE

1. All high-quality large-scale studies of the quality of education need to strive to improve the accuracy of collected data by employing modern data management approaches for entering data into computers and cleaning these data by removing inconsistencies and errors.

2. These approaches involve creating “structure fi les” to be used with specialized software systems (for example, the WinDEM software). These fi les: (a) provide detailed specifi cations of the nature of the data to be entered (for example, variable type/name/label, valid values and ranges, and missing data codes) and (b) permit a variety of checks to be made during and after the process of data entry (for example, interception of invalid identifi cation

numbers, duplicate records, and “wild (out of range) codes”.

3. When data concerning responses to individual test items are entered into a computer, these can be analyzed using specialized software systems (for example, the ITEMAN software) with the aim of improving the performance of test items and the reliability and validity of a test.

4. This software can also be used to generate (a) total test scores, or (b) various sub-scores based on particular sets of items within a test in order to track student performance along “content” domains (test topics) or “behavioural” domains (lower, medium, and higher order cognitive skills).

© UNESCO-I IEP


4. Survey sampling for large-scale studies of the quality of education

• Construct a sampling frame that can be used to select scientifi c probability samples of schools and students for a national study of the quality of education.

• Use “Sample Design Tables” (SDTs) to decide how many schools and how many students are required for a national survey of the quality of education.

• Apply “Probability Proportional to Size” (PPS) sampling in order to select a sample of schools from an existing sampling frame.

• Understand the mechanical procedures required to select a “Simple Random Sample” (SRS) of students with a selected sample school.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

STUDY OUTLINE

1. Large-scale national surveys of the quality of education are expensive and time-consuming initiatives that can be completely ruined through poor sampling procedures. Educational planners therefore need to understand the basic elements that constitute scientific sample design, and to be able to recognize the most common “danger zones” that require specialized guidance from a professional statistician.

2. High quality sample designs for large-scale studies of the quality of education are required to deliver unbiased sample estimates of population characteristics within pre-specifi ed confi dence limits and at the lowest possible cost.

3. Such sample designs depend upon the construction of accurate sampling frames and the application of multi-stage sampling procedures that select students from a well-defi ned target population with a known probability of selection.

4. These sample designs begin with the use of Sample Design Tables to ensure that the resulting sample estimates will meet acceptable limits in terms of sampling error.

5. When the required sample sizes for schools and students are known then mechanical procedures for PPS sampling of schools and SRS sampling of students within selected schools must be applied in strict accordance with rules that ensure that the fi nal sample is a probability sample.

6. One of the most common problems in designing large-scale national samples for studies of the quality of education is that educational planners sometimes make simple errors in the mechanical procedures of sample selection that result in the production of non-probability samples or probability samples in which the probability of student selection is not (or cannot) be calculated. These kinds of samples are not acceptable because they contain unknown levels of bias and they cannot be used to calculate the reliability of sample estimates

© UNESCO-I IEP



5. Processing and interpreting data concerning the quality of education for policy purposes

• Use a standard statistical software package, such as SPSS, to generate data tabulations and graphical displays that summarize data selected from a data archive focused on the quality of education.

• Write policy suggestions concerning the quality of education based on tabular and graphical summaries of data.

• Apply basic computer-based variable manipulation functions in order to construct “new” composite variables (such as indices and test scores).

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

STUDY OUTLINE

1. The process of data summarization can only be useful in educational policy research if graphical and tabular data summaries can be transformed into meaningful and feasible “agendas for action”. Educational planners need to develop their capacities in this area because it forms the main interface between the possession of technical planning skills and translating these into a practical and effective force for achieving reforms that will improve the quality of education.

2. Unfortunately, the spectacular growth in the use of computers to analyze educational policy research data has not always been accompanied by better interpretations of the policy-related patterns in large-scale data fi les that contain measures of the quality of education. Success in this task requires educational planners to

work in a fl exible fashion with data in order to employ techniques for extracting the “messages behind the data”.

3. This outcome requires the creative application of data summarization procedures (tabular and graphic) combined with the insight and local knowledge required to transform these summarizations into clearly worded policy suggestions that decision-makers can understand and apply.

4. An integral part of this task is the combination of science and art that is involved in using directly-measured indicators to develop and use “constructs” (unobserved and indirectly measured concepts that assess key aspects of the educational environment – such as “socio-economic background”, “isolation”, and “mathematics ability”).

© UNESCO-I IEP


Required reading*

Nzomo, J.; Kariuki, M.; Guantai, L. 2001. The quality of education: Some policy suggestions based on a survey of schools: Kenya (fi nal chapter). (SACMEQ Educational Policy Research Series: Report No. 6). Paris: UNESCO-IIEP (selections).

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). 2002. Knowledge and skills for life: First results from PISA 2000. Paris: OECD (selections).

Ross, K.N. 1992. “Sample design for international studies of educational achievement”. In: Prospects, XXII(3), pp. 305-316.


Hite, S.J. 2001. Reviewing quantitative research to inform the educational policy process. Fundamentals of educational planning, No. 69. Paris: UNESCO-IIEP.

Keeves, J.P. (Ed.). 1997. Educational research, methodology, and measurement. An international handbook. Oxford: Elsevier.

Ross, K.N. 1990. “The potential contribution of research to educational policies for the poor in Asia”. In: Prospects, XX(4), pp. 489-501.

SPSS. 2001. SPSS Version 11.0: User’s guide. Chicago: SPSS (selections).

Wolf, R.M. 1993. Judging educational research based on experiments and surveys. Fundamentals of educational planning, No. 45. Paris: UNESCO-IIEP.


85© UNESCO-I IEP

Specialization Stream 2 focuses on Educational Planning and Management and is aimed at course participants who wish to acquire better knowledge and reinforce their skills in the area of educational management and the implementation of plans, programmes and projects.

In many countries, the critical defi ciency is not lack of funds but lack of capacity to implement reforms and to manage education in an effi cient and effective way at different levels.

Critical policy implementation and management issues can be addressed from different angles: one such angle is to view the specifi c issues faced at the major levels of management/administration (system, project, regional/local and institutional levels); dealing with the main resources of educational development to be managed (human, fi nancial etc.) is another. The Specialization Stream 2 Planning and Management actually brings together these two equally important perspectives. It offers the following courses:

• Organization and governance of the education sector: systems and institutions: Organizational structures and tools infl uence the effi ciency and effectiveness of educational management. Hence planners and managers must understand the implications of different organizational forms and options (e.g. in terms of degree of decentralization, organization of the central Ministry, etc.) and be familiar with the main tools for managing and monitoring at the level of the whole system from higher education down to the school level.

• Planning and management of human resources: Human ‘resources’, especially teachers, play a pivotal role in the organization and provision of education. Educational planners and managers operating at the system level cannot ensure proper implementation of educational policies and reforms without a sound understanding of the main options, critical organizational aspects and crucial tools for human resource management in the education sector.

• Education budgets: In the context of austerity, knowing how to prepare, programme, analyze and manage education budgets has become another key competency for educational planners and managers operating at the system level.

• Education sector programmes and projects: The elaboration and management of programmes and projects is an important dimension of educational policy implementation. Offi cials therefore need to know how to identify and prepare projects within a coherent analytical framework, how to mobilize funds from different (especially external) sources and how to monitor and evaluate the project implementation.

SPECIALIZATION STREAM 2EDUCATIONAL PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT

Educational planningand m

anagement

OVERVIEW

COURSE No.

87© UNESCO-I IEP

EPM 311

ORGANIZATION AND GOVERNANCE OF THE EDUCATION SECTOR: SYSTEMS AND INSTITUTIONS

Education systems in all countries have expanded and become more complex. The management of such proliferating education systems poses new challenges and has often entailed the multiplication and change of administrative structures, levels and institutions.

Countries across the world have adopted different “models” to structure and organize their education systems. The organizational structures of the central ministry of education, the degree of administrative decentralization and school autonomy, etc., vary from country to country.

How these features of educational administration eventually infl uence the quality of instruction and cost-effi ciency of the system in operation has become a subject of public debate and research over recent years.

There has been growing awareness among national decision-makers and international agencies that shortcomings in educational administration have actually hampered the implementation and success of many ambitious reform projects.

It has been found that many reforms, when descending to the institutional level, fail to make the expected impact. Inadequate management of many institutions, coupled with lack of consistent and supportive monitoring across the different levels of administration, are core reasons. Shortcomings of the databases and indicators used, information and consultation mechanisms also help to explain this.

This course broadly focuses on two main concerns: on the one hand, how to manage and organize the system as a whole, and on the other, how to manage and monitor individual institutions, be they schools or higher education institutions.

Its main components are:

• Introduction to the concept of educational administration and management;

• System-level regulation: issues, actors and tools;

• Organizational models, options and system monitoring, and

• Institutional and local-level management: approaches and tools.


anagement

© UNESCO-I IEP

EPM 311 Organization and governance of the education sector: systems and institutions88

1. Major concepts and the role of educational management and administration

• Understand the rationale of ongoing reforms in educational management.

• Explain the main current trends and concepts of educational “management” and administration.

• Defi ne and discuss the main functions of educational management.

• Understand the linkage between the management system and the effi ciency of education delivery.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

STUDY OUTLINE

1. Increasing concerns with quality and student achievement, and the demand for rationalization, greater accountability and responsiveness to the “grassroots” (teachers, students, parents etc.) are often at the origin of recent reforms of the management of the education system.

2. The meanings and objectives of educational “administration” and “management” have changed over time; they also cover different realities, according to the specifi c country context and/or the theoretical framework applied.

3. Irrespective of the specific context, one commonly distinguishes between three major general functions of educational management: the “pedagogical” management function

(curriculum, teacher training, textbooks, pedagogical supervision), the “strategic” management function (planning, budgeting, programming) and the “operational” management function (administration of resources and institutions).

4. Effective and effi cient delivery of education depends to a large extent on the ways in which the management of the necessary resources (human, fi nancial etc.) and schools/institutions is organized and monitored. The application of certain principles of organization (such as subsidiarity, accountability, etc.) can play a major role in this respect.

© UNESCO-I IEP

Organization and governance of the education sector: systems and institutions EPM 31189


anagement

2. Regulation of the education system and its institutions

• Understand the concept of regulation, its different interpretations and its linkage with autonomy and accountability.

• Distinguish the different “forces” (mainly market, the State and profession) which can play a regulatory role.

• Distinguish the different “tools” (legal framework; quality assurance; resource allocation) through which institutions can be regulated.

• Identify the strengths and weaknesses of these tools, especially concerning their impact on quality and equity.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

STUDY OUTLINE

1. Schools and higher education institutions are placed in a system where three co-ordinating forces exert a differential impact : the state, the market and the professional/academic oligarchy.

2. In most education systems, the state is a predominant actor, using legal and regulatory instruments and incentives for the steering of the education system.

3. Two ideal-types of steering approaches can be distinguished, each of which is based on a different assumption with regard to the control the state has over the planning object. They are: central planning and management (complete control) and steering from a distance (incomplete control).

4. The current trend in systems management is one of granting more autonomy to institutions while strengthening accountability mechanisms, in particular external quality assurance systems and more stringent resource allocation mechanisms.

5. Quality assurance is a traditional function of education authorities. Traditionally, governments used the input steering approach whereby institutions received similar resources across the system and a regulatory framework on entry level for pupils/students and staff allowed to ensure minimum levels of quality within the system.

6. More recently, governments have turned their focus of attention to mechanisms for quality assurance which intend to measure outputs, which are periodical in nature and which tend to focus on teaching (given the fact that more traditional mechanisms were already in place in the research domain for the higher education level).

7. The way institutions receive their funding from the state, is an extremely strong instrument for the regulation of education systems. Higher education institutions for instance, receive their state funding through four different types of mechanisms: negotiated funding, input-based funding, output-based funding and student-based funding (vouchers).

© UNESCO-I IEP


3. Organizational models, options and system monitoring

• Compare educational management systems with different degrees and forms of decentralization and assess their main implications.

• Understand the precise meaning of the various concepts related to decentralization.

• Identify the main issues to be considered when implementing a decentralization policy.

• Identify the core roles of a central ministry of education.

• Examine how a ministry can monitor the quality of its education system.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

STUDY OUTLINE

1. Reorganization of the ministry of education and “decentralization” of management are often considered to be possible responses to the concerns about the effi ciency, effectiveness and responsiveness of the education system. The extent to which this is the case in practice needs to be assessed carefully.

2. There are various concepts and different “types” of decentralization: deconcentration, devolution and delegation. The actual relationship between decentralization trends on the one hand and “school-based management” and “community participation” on the other hand, should also be clarifi ed.

3. Once a country has decided to decentralize, the successful implementation of this policy will depend in particular on: the distribution of responsibilities, organizational structures, staff training and support, information and monitoring mechanisms.

4. However, countries have for many reasons developed different, even contrasting, management systems, covering the whole spectrum from “very centralized” to “decentralized to the school level”. The organizational structures and tools for effective monitoring have to be adapted accordingly.

5. Central ministries of education have to fulfi l at least fi ve major functions: a policy formulation and planning role; regulation; monitoring; equitable resource allocation and information. The ways in which these functions are organized in a decentralized context partly differ from those to be found in a centralized context.

6 Quality monitoring is a key mandate of a ministry of education, in which the ministry’s local offices play an important role. The effectiveness of existing monitoring tools, in particular school supervision, is doubtful. Several reforms are being undertaken in this area, which lead to different monitoring models.

© UNESCO-I IEP



anagement

4. Institution and local level management: approaches and tools

• Understand the importance of institutional analysis for educational management.

• Discuss a model used for analyzing school management.

• Discuss the possible roles of two main actors in school management: principal, community.

• Understand reforms aimed at improving the effectiveness of higher education institutions.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

STUDY OUTLINE

1. For several reasons, in particular the trend towards more institutional autonomy, reforms in educational management need to pay attention to the functioning and effectiveness of these institutions (schools and universities).

2. The actual functioning of schools and its improvement depend on a set of key factors. Two such factors which deserve particular attention are: (i) the interactions within the school, in particular the role of principals; and (ii) the relations between the school and community.

3. Research identifi es the principal as a core actor to improve the functioning of a school. Policy-makers have therefore given principals more responsibilities, in particular in resource management. However, this has seldom been accompanied by strategies to transform that post into one that is motivating.

4. The success of a school also depends on the positive relationship between the school staff, the parents and the surrounding community. Especially when there is little support from the government, the community can play a useful role, not simply by making material or fi nancial contributions, but by monitoring and supporting school staff. This demands the setting up of representative community structures and a change in the school’s own culture, towards more openness.

5. As part of government reform initiatives or to adapt to major changes in the environment, higher education institutions have undergone manifold reforms with respect to their governance and organizational structures and management processes. The introduction of change in higher education institutions is complex. There is now a common understanding that such change requires institutional autonomy, committed leadership at the centre and strong planning and management capacities.

© UNESCO-I IEP


Required reading*

Bray, M. 2007. « Control of education: issues and tensions in centralization and decentralization ». In: Arnove, R.F.; Torres, C.A. (Eds), Comparative education. The dialectic of the global and the local. Third edition. (pp.175-196). Lanham: Rowman & Littlefi eld.

De Grauwe, A.; Lugaz, C. 2007. “The challenges to district education offi ces in francophone West Africa: an analysis of their autonomy, professionalism and accountability”. In: Prospects, XXXVII(1).

De Grauwe, A.; Carron, G. 2006. Reforming school supervision for quality improvement: a series of training modules. UNESCO-IIEP: Paris (modules 2 and 7).

Fielden, John. 2008. Global trends in university governance. Education Working Paper Series no. 9. The World Bank.

Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). 2003. “Changing patterns of governance in higher education”. In: Education policy analysis. Paris: OECD.

Sanyal, B.C.; Martin, M. 2006. “Financing higher education: international perspectives”. In: Higher education in the world. 2006. The fi nancing of universities. GUNI Series, New York: Palgrave (pp. 3-19).


Altbach, P. 1998. Comparative higher education: knowledge, the university and development. Hong Kong: University of Hong Kong (pp. 3-27).

Chapman, J. 2005. Recruitment, retention and development of school principals. Paris: IAE, IIEP.

Clark, B. 1998. Creating entrepreneurial universities: organizational pathways of transformation. Oxford (UK): Pergamon.

De Grauwe, A. 2005. “Improving quality through school-based management: learning from international experiences”. In: International Review of Education, 51(4), pp. 269-287.

De Grauwe, A.; Lugaz, C.; Baldé, D.; Diakhaté, C.; Dougnon, D.; Moustapha, M.; Odushina, D. 2005. “Does decentralization lead to school improvement? Findings and lessons from research in West-Africa”. In: Journal of Education for International Development [Online], 1(1). Available at:

www.equip123.net/JEID/Vol1-Is1.htm.Greaney, V.; Kellaghan, T. 1996. Monitoring the learning outcomes of education systems.

Washington DC: World Bank.


© UNESCO-I IEP



anagement

Hayward, F.M.; Ncayiyana, D.J. 2003. Strategic planning: a guide for higher education institutions. Sannyside: Centre for Higher Education and Transformation.

IIEP. (Forthcoming). Institutional management in higher education (10 modules). Paris: IIEP.

Jackson, N.; Lund, H. (Eds) 2000. Bench-marking for Higher Education. Buckingham: SRHEZ OUP

Maasen, Peter. 2003. “Shifts in governance arrangements: an interpretation of the introduction of new management structures in higher education”. In: A. Amasal; V.L. Meek; I.M. Larsen (Ed.) The higher education management revolution. The Netherlands: Kluber Academic Publishers.

MacBeath, J. 1999. Schools must speak for themselves: the case for school self-evaluation. London: Routledge.

Martin, M. 2000. Managing university-industry relations: a study of institutional practices from 12 different countries. Paris: UNESCO-IIEP.

McGinn, N.; Welsh, T. 1999. Decentralization of education: why, when, what and how? Fundamentals of Education Planning, No. 64.( pp. 17-50). Paris: UNESCO-IIEP.

Sack, R.; Saidi, M. 1997. Functional analyses (management audits) of the organization of ministries of education. Fundamentals of Education Planning, No. 54. Paris: UNESCO/IIEP.

Sanyal, B.C. 1995. Innovations in university management. Paris: UNESCO-IIEP. (selections).

Scheerens, J. 2000. Improving school effectiveness. Fundamentals of Education Planning, No. 68. Paris: UNESCO/IIEP.

Skilbeck, Malcolm. 1999. Redefi ning tertiary education. Paris: OECD.Varghese, N.V. 2005. Institutional restructuring in higher education in Asia. Paris:

IIEP-UNESCO.

OVERVIEW

COURSE No.

95© UNESCO-I IEP

EPM 312

PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES

The adequate supply and quality of teachers and administrative support staff in the education sector will play a crucial role for the effective and effi cient implementation of policies relating to the EFA and Millenium Development Goals. Teachers are at the heart of the classroom teaching-learning process. Provision of teachers is basic to all educational processes; this is even more true at the compulsory levels of education. Naturally, the qualifi cation levels and teachers’ attitudes to teaching small children greatly infl uence school outcomes – the teachers “make” or “break” the system. However, many countries do not succeed in providing a suffi cient number of qualifi ed and trained teachers at the primary level of education either due to non-availability of trained teachers or the fi nancial constraints of the state.

Teachers salaries constitute a predominantly high share of current expenditure on education. Therefore, measures to reduce expenditure on education have implied reducing the number of teachers. This has led to two types of situations: better management of the available stock of teachers on the one hand and recruitment of para-teachers – part-time and under-qualifi ed teachers – at the lower levels of education on the other. At the same time, shortcomings in human resource management are often at the origin of the widely observed problems of low levels of teacher attendance, competence and motivation, which eventually affect the intensity of curricular transaction and quality of education.

Part of this problem can be resolved by moving from the “ad hoc” and ineffi cient personnel management, which is common practice in most countries of the world, to a systematic and professional approach to managing human resources in education. Countries have to devise mechanisms to develop and implement a more comprehensive and forward-looking, genuine Human Resource Management (HRM) approach in the education sector. At the same time, attention needs to be given to the everyday routine management activities which continue to be characterized by delays, lack of transparency, favouritism etc. and thus constitute a major source of teacher dissatisfaction and disengagement.


anagement

© UNESCO-I IEP

EPM 312 Planning and management of human resources96

Attempts to improve teacher management obviously need to start from a careful diagnosis of the main current problems that a country is facing in this area and to explore their probable causes. One then has to assess the pros and cons of different possible responses to the existing problems. Some of the latter may require new management policy choices, e.g. concerning the training, career structure or utilization of teachers and other staff, etc. In addition, there is generally a need to improve the technical tools (information system, forward planning, etc.), social relations (structures and procedures of participation of staff unions) and organization (creation of a Human Resource Management Department with major responsibilities, delegation of tasks to regional and local levels, more mechanisms of consultation/participation, etc.) which underpin the management of teachers.

This course covers these different dimensions of human resource management (strategic, technical and organizational), applied to the management of teachers. It is divided into three major components: the fi rst will deal with issues and policy options in teacher management; the second will discuss tools for teacher management and the last component of the course will deal with organizational aspects of teacher management.

1. Major current issues and policy options

• Gain an overview of the main current problems of teacher management –and their causes – in developing and industrialized countries.

• Discuss and assess the implications of different major policy options for selected critical teacher management issues.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

STUDY OUTLINE

1. In all parts of the world the management of teachers continues to face serious challenges.

2. Teacher management involves issues related to balancing supply and demand of teachers, in both the quantitative and qualitative sense.

3. Provision of teachers in places where they are in short supply is a primary concern. Teachers

can be provided to new localities where schools are opened either by transfer or by new recruitment.

4. In certain instances schools face teacher shortages. In others, although provision is adequate, teachers are underutilized.

5. Balancing supply and demand in the quality of teachers is an even more diffi cult question. Often there exist numerous mismatches between a teacher’s actual knowledge and

© UNESCO-I IEP

Planning and management of human resources EPM 31297


anagement

competencies on the one hand and job requirements (e.g. in rural and disadvantaged areas, in multi-grade or large-size classes) on the other.

6. In many countries teachers are not the best paid category and hence varying policy options regarding the nature of new

recruitment, teacher remuneration and career, utilization, training etc. have been adopted and implemented in recent years.

7. The conditions, implications and apparent effects of some particularly signifi cant policies and experiences deserve careful consideration and evaluation.

2. Tools for better Human Resource Management

• Understand the main concepts of Human Resource Management and their application to the management of teachers.

• Select major indicators for the monitoring and forward planning of teaching staff.

• Assess and apply adequate tools for planning the supply of teachers.

• Assess present shortcomings in and suggest improvements for databases for teaching staff management.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

STUDY OUTLINE

1. Widely observed problems of availability and utilization of teachers in schools is often due to ineffi cient teacher management with teacher shortages in certain areas and schools on the one hand and overstaffi ng of schools and administrations on the other. There is a need to professionalize human resource management in the education sector.

2. Human Resource Management includes a coherent concept and policy, forward planning and systematic monitoring of staff, their supply, utilization, professional development and career.

3. Efforts to manage teachers in a comprehensive and forward-looking perspective are generally limited to the annual planning and budgeting of teacher requirements.

4. Very rarely are the demand for and supply of teachers projected to assess the total require-ments and the capacity of the teacher training institutions to supply the number of graduates as per the projections. Similarly, career and professional development of teachers are rarely planned on a long-term perspective.

5. The hiring of contractual and other non-tenured teachers has made this task much more complicated. Traditional tools of planning teacher supply and demand need to be reviewed and adjusted accordingly and current new approaches and initiatives need to be incorporated.

6. Another major prerequisite for staff monitoring and forward-looking management is the

© UNESCO-I IEP

EPM 312 Planning and management of human resources98

availability of relevant information. Sets of reliable indicators for the monitoring of the teaching staff, its utilization, staff satisfaction, etc. have to be selected and the related data need to be made available where and when needed for planning, policy advice and decision-making.

7. In practice, a lot of data and information on teachers is collected by multiple agencies, which leads to duplication. But rarely are this data and information organized in a systematic and meaningful way. There is obviously a need to harmonize databases existing at the various levels and in different departments/sectors of the educational administration.

3. Social relations and organizational aspects of teacher management

• Discuss the possible contribution and implications of different patterns of teacher union involvement in teacher management decisions.

• Assess the usefulness of selected organizational reform measures for the improvement of teacher management practices.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

STUDY OUTLINE

1. Issues related to teacher management are not confi ned to making teachers available at the institutional levels. Human Resource Management in the education sector also has to ad-dress issues related to everyday management of teachers.

2. Many countries experience long delays in the payment of salaries and allowances, lack of transparency and objectivity and professionalism in recruitment, and transfer and promotion of teachers.

3. The patterns of involvement and consultation of staff unions can play a crucial role in improving efficiency and transparency of decision-making in teacher management.

4. Weaknesses in organizational rules, structures and procedures combined with lack of competencies of the staff responsible for Human Resource Management are widely found to remain a major source of resource wastage, ineffi ciency and frustration.

5. In many cases the system is excessively centralized with a very limited consultation process and legal protection for teachers.

6. The experiments carried out in some of the countries provide good insight into the kinds of measures e.g. organizational restructuring and Codes of Conduct, that can help address these problems

© UNESCO-I IEP

Planning and management of human resources EPM 31299


anagement

Required reading*

Amelewonou, K.; Brossard, M.; Gacougnolle, L. 2004. Education and sub-regional integration in Africa: the issue of teaching staff and universal primary enrolment in 2015 in the ECOWAS, CEMAC, and PALOPs countries. Dakar: Pôle Dakar (selections).

Göttelmann-Duret, G. 2001. “Teacher management: addressing the challenges”. In: IIEP Newsletter 19(2).

Halliday, I.G. 1995. Turning the tables on teacher management. London: Commonwealth Secretariat (selections).

OECD. 2005. Teachers matter. Paris: OECD (selections)

UNESCO Institute for Statistics. 2006. Teachers and educational quality: monitoring global needs for 2015. Montreal: UIS (selections).

Villegas-Reimers. 2003. Teacher professional development: an international review of the literature. Paris: UNESCO-IIEP.


Carnoy, M. 1995. The impact of structural adjustment policies on the employment and training of teachers. Stanford (Ca.): University.

ILO. International Training Centre. 1994. Human resources management in the public service: training package. Turin (Italy): ILO (selections).

Schwille, J.; Dembélé, M. 2007. Global perspectives on teacher learning: improving policy and practice. Fundamentals of Educational Planning, No. 84. Paris: UNESCO-IIEP.


OVERVIEW

COURSE No.

101© UNESCO-I IEP

EPM313

EDUCATION BUDGETS

In many countries budgetary resources have become scarce. The need to reestablish balance at macro-economic level has led governments to greatly reduce their public expenditures.

In such conditions of dwindling resources, managers must perpetually seek to make better use of the available funds. One way to achieving sound fi nancial management is by anticipating needs and using resources effi ciently.

A State budget is in the confl uence of the planning, policy decision-making, economic constraints and financial management activities. Ministries of education that must respond to the development needs of their educational systems must also cope with ever greater competition in order to obtain their share of national budgets from the ministries of fi nance.

This specialized course aims to familiarize education planners and managers with the budgetary framework and processes – from preparation to implementation and budgetary control – to allow them to situate the budget fi rmly within the larger planning and management framework of education, and to help them understand the importance of analyzing budgetary expenditures as well as current trends in budgetary reforms.

The course is divided into four major sections:

• Introduction and tendencies – to identify the place and role of the budget in educational planning and administration as well as showing the importance of building a medium term expenditure framework for integrating policies, plans and budgets, and analyse the importance of performance indicators at a time when new budgetary reforms are being set up in the education sector.

• Budget preparation and approval to explain the budgetary nomenclatures and what is the budget cycle stake at each stage, to review a variety of technical solutions to different budget estimate situations.

• Execution, control and audit of the Budget: deals with the need for fi nancial rules and the problematic of budget implementation.

• Analysis of budgetary expenditures: concerns the linkage between budgetary expenditures and educational policies.

© UNESCO-I IEP

EPM 313 Education budgets102

1. Budgetary framework and processes

• Understand the place of budgetary process within the planning and management of education.

• Recognize the importance of constructing a medium-term expenditures framework in order to be able to integrate educational policies, plans and budgets.

• Understand the importance given to performance indicators for budgetary reforms.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

STUDY OUTLINE

1. The purpose of this part is to identify the place and role of the budget in educational planning and administration as well as showing the importance of building a medium-term expenditure framework for integrating policies, plans and budgets.

2. In addition, it develops a reflexion on the modalities of external aid to education and their integration in the budgetary practices at the national level.

3. The importance of performance indicators is addressed, at a time when new budgetary reforms are being set up in the education sector.

© UNESCO-I IEP

Education budgets EPM 313103


anagement

2. Budget preparation and approval

• Understand the criteria for constructing a budgetary nomenclature and its consequences for the preparation and implementation of the budget and analysis of expenditures.

• Understand the advantages and drawbacks of different methods of preparing a budget, and to refl ect on current trends in budgetary reforms.

• Become familiar with techniques for preparing budget estimates.

• Appreciate the importance of preparing and negotiating an education budget.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

STUDY OUTLINE

1. Based on examples of the budget preparation in several countries with differing administrative procedures, the purpose of this part is to explain the budgetary nomenclatures and what is the budget cycle stake at each stage.

2. Different ways of preparing the budget and different techniques of making budget

estimates are reviewed, as well as the trends in budgetary reforms.

3. Through exercises, participants will be confronted with a variety of technical solutions for evaluating different budgetary situations. A role-play exercise will simulate budget negotiations between a ministry of education and a ministry of fi nance.

3. Execution, control and audit of the budget

• Gain understanding of certain essential rules for budget implementation and control.

• Understand the linkages between the budget and preparation of a new school year.

• Identify problems of expenditure control and fi nancial management during periods of austerity.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

STUDY OUTLINE

1. The ministry of fi nance regulates expenditure of public funds throughout the fi scal year in order to spread expenditures over a given

period of time, and to take account of tax collection according to precise rules and timetables.

© UNESCO-I IEP

EPM 313 Education budgets104

4. Analysis of budgetary expenditures

• Understand the methodology specifi c to the analysis of budgetary expenditures.

• Analyze educational expenditures using a coherent analytical framework, in order to establish the linkages between budget implementation and priorities of educational policy.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

STUDY OUTLINE

1. This last section focuses on methods used to analyze educational expenditures. It will establish the link between the budget and implementation of educational policy by classifying expenditures according to the educational system and structure of each country.

2. A practical exercise will allow participants to analyze how to transform the ministry of education’s budget into a matrix table that offers a clear vision and synthesis of all the expenditures being made at each level of education, and simultaneously according to the different kinds of expenditure.

2. Viewed in this way, budget implementation is part of a whole process of public spending, involving various actors (procurement offi cers, accountants, comptrollers) and also a country-wide distribution of resources that links the budget to preparations for the new school year, but which is subsumed within the government’s overall economic and fi nancial management system.

3. Questions about the use of resources will be answered on the basis of case studies retracing the fl ow of funds from the central government to the school level. A case study exercise and review will encourage refl ection on the criteria used to allocate resources to schools and those used to distribute resources among regions.

© UNESCO-I IEP

Education budgets EPM 313105


anagement

Required reading*

Gray, C.W. 1998. Public expenditure management handbook. Washington, DC: World Bank. Retrieved 03.08.2005 from www.worldbank.org

URL: www1.worldbank.org/publicsector/pe/handbook/pem98.pdf

Hyman, D.N. 2002. Public fi nance: a contemporary application of theory to policy. Fort Worth (USA): Harcourt College Publishers (selections).

Musgrave, R.A.; Musgrave, Peggy B. 1989. Public fi nance in theory and practice. New York: McGraw-Hill Book Co. (selections).

Wall, T. 1995. Budgeting for results: perspectives on public expenditure management. Paris: OECD.


Ferguson, J.M.; Buchanan, J.M. 1982. Public debt and future generations. Westport (Conn.): Greenwood Press.

Harlow, R.L. 1973. “On the decline and possible fall of PPBS”. In: Public Finance Quarterly. Vol. 1, No. 1.

IIEP Series on Financial management of education systems. Country case studies from Cambodia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Lao PDR, Lesotho, Mongolia, Slovenia, Swaziland, Tajikistan, Thailand, Uzbekistan, Viet Nam, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Lassibille, G. 1994. Towards a standardized defi nition of educational expenditure. Paris: UNESCO.

Wildavsky, A. 1997. Budgeting: a comparative theory of budgetary processes. New Brunswick (USA): Transaction Publishers.


OVERVIEW

COURSE No.

107© UNESCO-I IEP

EPM 314

EDUCATION SECTOR PROGRAMMES AND PROJECTS

The concept of educational planning has evolved over time, and places more emphasis on policymaking and policy implementation, which are now presented as the cornerstone of fundamental educational planning. Moreover, it is giving increased attention to poverty reduction, institutional capacity development, and national resource allocation, and to cross-cutting themes such as HIV/AIDS, gender and environment.

The gradual shift from projects to programmes or sector-wide development work implies that education programmes and projects are prepared and carried out by Ministries and donors under more integrated forms and approaches: Sector Plans and Programmes now generally include many projects and activities, aiming at improving the utilization of scarce resources available to education - particularly with a view to providing “Education for All” (EFA) - and at increasing the development impact of education systems.

Many developing countries do not have the necessary fi nancial resources to cover their education system. Often those who have less resources are the most vulnerable. They do not have the necessary institutional capacities for effective policy implementation and coordination of educational programmes, and have great diffi culties in responding to the multitude of different donors who might be providing sector programme and project support. Therefore, a good knowledge of education programme support and of the project approach is essential, not only to the administrators of education but also to the decision makers and managers.

Thus, the course introduces participants to the various approaches to and dimensions of effective programme and project design and management - central steps to obtain successfully the funding support. The course will help increase understanding of the different processes and techniques covered in the area, by focusing on a project within an education program for time limitation, from: initiating a project, creating a project document, measuring and controlling project performance, to the closing of the project. It seeks to lay the grounds for proper decisions and principles that would in turn lead to good practice.

The larger share of the time during the course is devoted to a practical project document formulation exercise. Participants work in language-specifi c groups each under the supervision of an instructor and use the results-oriented logical framework method to design a project which is to be presented to the class at the end of the course.


anagement

© UNESCO-I IEP

EPM 314 Education sector programmes and projects108

1. Role of sector programmes and projects in educational planning

• Understand the different types of sector support.

• Assess the possible links between education projects and national plans.

• Defi ne adequate approaches for the follow-up of sector support.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

STUDY OUTLINE

1. Educational plans were traditionally associated with plans at the national level. The targets were fi xed, plans were drawn and resources were estimated based on the diagnosis of the situation at the macro-level.

2. Funding agencies have long provided support to educational development by providing funds to individual projects within or outside national education plans. This mode was used because of the lack of coordination between projects which negatively impacted the implementation of national plans and contributed to their failure in many developing countries.

3. Realizing the need for better coordination so as to ensure a coherent and effi cient development of education within the framework of the national development programmes, donors and national authorities have developed new instruments to shift from project to programme support. This new approach addresses the education sector as a whole in order to assess both the local/sub-sector and sector wide programme requirements. The reorientation is being shaped at a time when

decentralization processes are taking place in many countries.

4. The move toward programme support was also aimed at mitigating the effects of the co-existence of several un-coordinated externally financed projects. The negative impact of differing procurement, disbursement or reporting mechanisms on the coordination between ministries of education and Ministries of Finance is widely recognized. The programme support approach aims at harmonizing and simplifying financial mechanisms and coordination procedures to enable a better use of available resources for educational development. This approach is also designed to facilitate project monitoring within educational development plans and programmes.

5. Educational plans/programmes are based on the development policy followed by the government. Plans/programmes give operational specifi city to national policies and are based on the estimated requirement of resources.

© UNESCO-I IEP

Education sector programmes and projects EPM 314109


anagement

2. Project cycle

• Understand steps involved in the preparation, negotiation, implementation and follow-up of a project.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

STUDY OUTLINE

1. A project is very specifi c in its focus. It is conceived for a specifi ed period of time. A period is divided into several stages; when combined, these stages are called a “project cycle”.

2. The first stage in a project is that of identifi cation. Identifi cation involves analyzing the educational situation to understand the major factors constraining faster development of education in a country.

3. A project is identifi ed in an area of a country’s high priority for development. In principle, projects are identified by the national authorities. Today, however, identification missions by prospective funding agencies are common.

4. Project preparation involves elaborating on the rationale of the project, specifying the targets to be achieved by the project, and identifying inputs, fi nancial resources and the modalities of project management.

5. Projects are appraised by experts and the agencies funding them. An appraisal stage

ensures that the project has a sound rationale, that it responds to priority needs of major target groups involved in the project design, and that the proposal is feasible.

6. A project is approved and funded as a result of a series of negotiations which take place between the funding agencies and the national governments on the one hand, and between different categories of stakeholders on the other.

7. Implementation of the project begins as soon as the funding is forthcoming. Obviously, implementation requires good planning and scheduling of activities. Funding agencies undertake monitoring activities to collect information in order to assess the level of success in the implementation of the project.

8. Another important stage of a project is evaluation. Evaluation can be formative or summative. Normally formative evaluation is relied upon to effect changes in the implementation of the project.

6. Educational projects are rarely elaborated at the time of drawing up of national plans/ programmes. They are conceived and specifi ed at the stage of elaboration of educational plans for purposes of operationalizing them.

7. An educational plan may consist of several programmes and each programme may include many projects. It is expected that all projects undertaken during a plan period follow a coherent framework in an effort to attain the overall plan targets.

© UNESCO-I IEP


3. Logical framework analysis

• Understand methods of testing internal consistency of project strategies and proposals.

• Understand the logical framework approach.

• Apply the logical framework approach to design a specifi c project.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

STUDY OUTLINE

1. Although it is not the only tool, the logical framework is widely applied for the rational analysis of objectives and expected results of projects of educational development.

2. The logical framework constitutes and specifi es the inputs required, the expected outcomes and the strategies of implementing a project. This method can be relied on at all stages in the preparation of the project.

3. Developing a problem tree is one common technique relied upon at the stage of identifi cation of a project. The problem tree

indicates cause and effect relationships of project interventions.

4. The logical framework matrix also provides an overview of the project contents and components. It also helps to assess the stage of implementation of the project.

5. The logical framework approach is used by many donors and is often a requirement for the design and subsequent funding of projects. However, despite the advantages of this method, it is necessary to be aware of its drawbacks in order to opt for the best project design approach for a particular case.

4. Identification and elaboration of an education project

• Understand the methods of project identifi cation.

• Put into practice the process of project preparation.

• Understand the linkage between education sector policy setting and development of education programmes and projects.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

STUDY OUTLINE

1. Identification of major constraints of the education system and specifi cation of a project addressing those concerns is an important stage in the cycle of activities.

2. The specifi cation of objectives of the project follows from the assessment of constraints. A project has development objectives and immediate objectives. The focus of project activities is to achieve the immediate objectives.

© UNESCO-I IEP



anagement

The assumption is that the development objectives are best achieved when immediate project objectives are attained.

3. Broad development issues such as gender, HIV/AIDS and environment are widely recognized as major challenges to be taken into account when aiming at attaining EFA or other priorities. These cross-cutting issues are to be mainstreamed and taken into account at all stages of project identifi cation and design so as to ensure relevant responses.

4. The elaboration of project strategies follows the specifi cation of a project’s objectives. The same objective could be achieved by following different strategies. Each project chooses a strategy which is most appropriate to the local conditions and cost-effective from the funding point of view.

5. Each of the strategies could be translated into a set of activities to be carried out by the project managers.

6. Each project activity needs to be costed and an aggregation of the costs of each component forms the total budget for the project.

7. Project elaboration also involves planning for implementation of the project.

8. Project preparation provides a document incorporating all the details of the project. This document forms the basis for discussing and negotiating the project with government bodies, in particular the ministries of fi nance, and funding agencies.

9. The global context of education development and the international trends and agendas such as the Millennium Development Goals, the Education for All initiative, poverty reduction strategies, etc. influence the design of education programmes and projects.

5. Project negotiations

• Introduce the techniques of project negotiations.

• Understand preparatory work involved in effective negotiations.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

STUDY OUTLINE

1. Project negotiation is a process of arriving at a general agreement, if not a consensus, on the objectives, design and strategies of the implementation of a project.

2. The project negotiations take place at different points of time and with different stakeholders.

3. The project components and strategies of implementation are negotiated with functionaries and people at different levels who are directly involved with the project

implementation. This is even more true in projects which envisage a participatory process.

4. Strategies for implementation of the project and funding arrangements are negotiated between the national governments and funding agencies.

5. Negotiation of a project requires not only a thorough knowledge of the project but also skills to argue and valorize one’s arguments. Negotiation strategies followed by countries depend on their relative strength in terms of reliance on external funding.

© UNESCO-I IEP


6. Project implementation and monitoring

• Distinguish different types of project management, in particular objective- and results-based management.

• Understand commonly applied tools of project monitoring and follow-up.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

STUDY OUTLINE

1. Planning for implementation is an essential part of the project preparation stage. An implementation plan containing a schedule of implementation of various activities uses Gantt charts, PERT (Personal Evaluation and Review Techniques) and CPM (Critical Path Method).

2. Specifi cation of a project management structure is an essential part of the implementation plan and all funding agencies are interested in knowing the management structure. A results-based type of management, as opposed to input-oriented management, constitutes the modern trend in this area.

3. Objectives setting, results-based management, monitoring and evaluation all rely heavily on different types of indicators. The design and selection of indicators is a key activity in the overall project management exercise.

4. Often, externally-funded projects are managed by a separate implementation unit located either within the ministry of education or elsewhere.

5. The negotiation process specifi es the arrangements for monitoring the implementation of the projects. In many cases funding agencies undertake periodical missions to assess progress. The periodicity of such missions is decided in consultation with the national governments.

6. Monitoring and follow-up require that the procedures be clearly specifi ed and tools – in particular indicators – for this purpose be adequately identifi ed and selected.

7. Many projects are of an evolving nature which gives enough scope for introducing changes in implementation based on the monitoring reports carried out by the agencies or the functionaries.

© UNESCO-I IEP



anagement

7. Project evaluation

• Understand common procedures of project evaluation.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

STUDY OUTLINE

1. Project evaluation is an integral part of the project cycle.

2. Project evaluation may take place at different stages. The evaluation can be at fi xed points of time and the results can be used to improve the implementation of the project. Formative evaluations belong to this category.

3. Summative evaluation takes place at the end of the project. It evaluates the achievements of the project against the set objectives. This type of evaluation gives good feedback to design similar projects in the same country or in another country. The educational managers are interested in knowing about the achievements of the project.

4. “Continued evaluation” has recently become a widely applied approach. It involves evaluation of the project at various stages – pre-start, starting, mid-term, end of the project.

5. The practical modalities of evaluation are a negotiable point. At times evaluation is done by independent bodies/agencies external to the project implementation; at others evaluation is carried out jointly.

6. There is a recent trend towards introducing impact evaluation of educational projects. Impact evaluation looks into the achievements of the project from the development objectives of the project and the long-term contribution of the project towards national development.

© UNESCO-I IEP


Required reading*

Oulai, D. 2005. External aid, projects and budgeting in the benefi ciary countries.

Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida). 2004. The logical framework approach. a summary of the theory behind the LFA method. Stockholm: Sida.


EuropeAid Cooperation Offi ce. 2004. Project cycle management guidelines. Aid delivery methods. Vol. 1. Brussels: EuropeAid Cooperation Offi ce.

Magnen, A. 1991. Education projects: elaboration, fi nancing and management. Fundamentals of Educational Planning, N° 38, Paris: UNESCO-IIEP (selections).

Additional reference documents can be distributed to the participants in the form of a CD-Rom.


115© UNESCO-I IEP

Composition of teaching teams

IN-COUNTRY PHASE

Course N°: EIC 100Team members:

In-country self-teachingY. Haq, J. Pereira

COMMON CORE

Course N°: EPC 201Team members:

Educational planning and management: contexts and approachesD. Oulai, I. Genevois, Y. Haq, N. V. Varghese


Statistical tools for educational planningM. Saïto, P. Dias Da Graça, S.Dolata, I. Kitaev


Research methodsA. De Grauwe, M. Bray, Y. Haq, C. Lugaz, B. Tournier


Educational sector diagnosisG. Göttelmann, I. Kitaev, M. Martin, M. Poisson, D. Oulai


Educational strategies and policy optionsA. De Grauwe, I. Kitaev, C. Lugaz, M. Martin, D. Oulai, S. Péano, M. Poisson


Formulation, preparation and implementation of educational policies and plansN.V. Varghese, P. Dias Da Graca, A. De Grauwe, C. Lugaz, D. Oulai, S. Péano, B. Tournier


Computer Course (optional)S. Dolata, L. Paviot, K. Sylla

SPECIALIZATION STREAM 1: EDUCATIONAL PLANNING AND ANALYSIS

Course N°: EPA 301Team members:

Educational management information systems (EMIS)S. Péano, P. Dias Da Graça, K. Sylla, B. Tournier


Projections and simulations: tools for policy dialogue and educational strategiesP. Dias Da Graca, S. Péano


School mapping and micro-planningK. Sylla, S. Péano, M. Poisson


Quantitative methods for monitoring and evaluating the quality of educationM. Saïto, S. Dolata, L. Paviot

SPECIALIZATION STREAM 2: EDUCATIONAL PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT

Course N°: EPM 311Team members:

Organization and governance of the education sector: systems and institutionsM. Martin, A. de Grauwe, C. Lugaz, N.V. Varghese


Planning and management of human resourcesG. Göttelmann, Y. Haq, K. Sylla, B. Tournier


Education budgetsI. Kitaev, I. Genevois, D. Oulai, S. Péano


Education sector programmes and projectsK. Mahshi, D. Gay, I. Kitaev, M. Martin, K. Sylla

Course Outline 09

Documents

dias da graca

dias da graa

required readingbertrand

fast track

required readingbray

millennium

widely observed

logical framework