Ministry of Education Framework for a CSR National …siteresources.worldbank.org/.../CSRNationalActionPlan.pdfconceptual CSR framework is not thematic. What matters most is the nature

Ministry of Education Framework for a CSR National Action Plan

World Bank

Technical Assistance Note

September 2003

Mito Tsukamoto, World Bank

Nigel Twose, World Bank

with

Beryl Levinger, consultant

Jean Mulroy, consultant

Summary of Recommendations Most activities related to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in education in El Salvador takes the form of support for teachers and students in school, most notably in the area of infrastructure. Many of those interviewed, key CSR actors (businesses, associations and foundations) as well as representatives from the Ministry of Education agree that donations that support educational coverage play an important role for both the business sector as well as for the Ministry. Business CSR respondents showed a preference for activities that were most directly related to workforce development such as provision of technology and a focus on secondary education. All the present objectives set out by the Ministry of Education, if achieved, would confer significant advantages to business. There are also ample opportunities for the business community to contribute to these objectives. The most important factor in determining if a business action agrees with the conceptual CSR framework is not thematic. What matters most is the nature of the process wherein the activity occurs. Does it reflect such key CSR characteristics as planned support for change that is ongoing, sustainable, participatory, consultative, and oriented toward the building of enduring relationships? These characteristics could be applied to projects at virtually any educational level from early childhood and pre-school through elementary, secondary and higher. The most important element is a congruence of interests between business and the Ministry.

Recommendations: Identifying and Communicating Priorities • Build productive and sustainable partnerships between the Ministry and the CSR community..

The beginning of a strategic plan that articulates its own vision and objectives for education and CSR will help the Ministry become a strong ally with the business sector.

• Provide clear guidance necessary for an effective partnership The CSR community needs clear and straightforward guidance from the Ministry of Education on how business can engage with education. The new cycle of educational planning (to begin soon) is an outstanding opportunity to accomplish this articulation in ways that are readily understood by business.

• Distinguish activity between "value added" and "deficiency" model. It is important for both the Ministry and the CSR community to recognize that what determines whether a given activity represents the "value added" approach of CSR or the "deficiency" model of charitable giving is not so much the nature of the topic addressed, but the manner in which that topic is pursued.

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• Alight CSR activities to ministerial priorities. Through dialogue, both the CSR community and the Ministry should come to recognize that CSR behaviors must be closely linked to ministerial priorities.

• Encourage opportunities for dialogue between the Ministry and business sector with the purpose of deepening the analysis of the cost benefits of its collaboration. By engaging the Ministry with its already limited resources, in issues outside of its priorities, presents, as much an invisible costs and direct costs that the Ministry is not able to assume.

• Analyze cost benefits of the collaboration on indicators of equality. Both the business community and the Ministry should consider how CSR activities either exacerbate or reduce equity concerns.

Recommendations: Structure and Coordination Process • Establish new unit in charge of CSR agenda. In order to achieve effective coordination between the

Ministry and the CSR community, the Ministry should consider the establishment of a unit charged with setting and tracking the Ministry’s own CSR agenda.

• Introduce systemic, sector-wide approaches. The Ministry of Education supports moving away from ad hoc project interventions and toward systemic, sector-wide approaches that are most likely to yield significant education sector performance gains. The upcoming conference in September 2003 represents one important communication opportunity for disseminating this message.

• Develop long-term view of business interest. The Ministry should consider how it can best help the CSR community develop a broad, long-term view of business’s interests in education.

• Develop an information dissemination program. To promote constructive dialogue, the Ministry of Education should consider developing an information dissemination program that motivates companies to adopt education-related CSR behaviors.

• Apply diverse strategies to promote CSR. Of the four possible roles identified by the World Bank that governments can play in promoting the CSR agenda (mandating, facilitating, partnering and endorsing), facilitating, partnering and endorsing appear to offer promising avenues for future activity.

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Table of Content Summary of Recommendations.................................................................................................................. 2 Table of Content ......................................................................................................................................... 4 Introduction................................................................................................................................................. 5 CSR, Education and Competitiveness ........................................................................................................ 7 CSR Behaviors for Education..................................................................................................................... 8 CSR Behaviors: Current Status and Perceptions ...................................................................................... 10 Education Priorities and Alignment.......................................................................................................... 12 Ministry of Education Actions to Foster CSR .......................................................................................... 15 Costs and Benefits for Education Stakeholders ........................................................................................ 18 Planning and Priorities for Education CSR .............................................................................................. 19 Technology Planning Process: An Example for Participation and “Win-Win-Win” Thinking ............... 19 Summary of Major Findings and Recommendations ............................................................................... 23 Appendix 1: Acronyms ............................................................................................................................. 27 Appendix 2: Ministry of Education Objectives, Strategies and Programs in Four Priority Areas ........... 28 Appendix 3: Contacts................................................................................................................................ 31 Appendix 4: References and Documents Review..................................................................................... 32

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Introduction This report is the product of a process that included a document review, conversations conducted with World Bank staff from the Corporate Social Responsibility Practice, and field interviews with 21 individuals. All fieldwork was carried out in San Salvador between August 17 and August 22, 2003. The consultant team was charged with identifying a process that would culminate in a national action plan for integrating Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) into the Ministry of Education’s framework for planning and executing programs at all educational levels. Implicit in this task was the need to identify the overlap that exists between the Ministry’s goals, assets, and resource needs, and the CSR community’s interests and priorities. The Bank had previously sponsored two other teams to look at various aspects of education-focused CSR activities in El Salvador. What distinguishes this report from the work done by other consultants is the emphasis given to the Ministry of Education’s role as a partner in and consumer of CSR activity. Currently, there is no unit responsible for setting and tracking the CSR agenda in the Ministry, no strategy to scale up CSR, and no agreed upon institutional mechanisms through which the Ministry and the business community can engage on CSR strategy. However, earlier conversations between World Bank team members and Ministry officials (including the Minister of Education), indicated strong support for the notion of CSR and a willingness to explore new public sector roles. The CSR approach to education-sector strengthening reflects the following assumptions:

• A business perspective can contribute toward the enhancement of curriculum design • A business perspective can help the education sector better focus on the skills and attitudes needed for

El Salvador to compete in the global marketplace Earlier consultants had noted that the corporate sector’s contribution to the education enterprise is optimized when the following conditions prevail: • The corporate sector has a set of business competencies that can help improve the delivery of

educational services • The business sector designs its support to build on its unique and complementary competencies • Businesses have access to clear and straightforward guidance from the Ministry of Education on the

ways in which they can engage with education. • The Ministry of Education supports moving away from ad hoc project interventions and toward

systemic, sector-wide approaches that are most likely to yield significant education sector performance gains.

• Mechanisms are in place to support partnership-based approaches to educational quality improvement. During the course of the interviews, almost all these perspectives and assumptions were echoed by interviewees from the education and corporate sectors. The two sectors occasionally differed, however, in how they applied these broad statements to the details of projects, programs and activities. In general terms, three broad categories of potential collaboration were identified by earlier consultant teams: strengthening the education system; strengthening local schools (through, for example, school plant improvement efforts); and, supporting teachers and students through special opportunities offered

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at the workplace. We sought to develop a stronger understanding of these categories and how the key actors understood and valued them. Finally, we attempted to gather more feedback from the Ministry of Education on what might constitute an appropriate thematic focus for CSR activities. An earlier World Bank team had suggested that CSR in education should focus on the twin themes of enterprise and employability. Based on this recommendation, several areas of possible involvement were identified including the following: 1) Scholarships to promote the completion of secondary education and to connect secondary level

graduates with choices in the world of work. 2) Support to strengthen monitoring and to disseminate information on how the system is performing in

relation to specific performance indicators. 3) Support for strengthening English as a Second Language Programs through policy dialogue and the

testing of incentives. 4) Support for technological skill development (based on a detailed understanding of the nature of

technological skills that will be required by the private sector). 5) Support for strengthening school leadership by creating or deepening connections between school

administrators and private sector managers. 6) Support for creating curriculum and performance standards in areas closely associated with private

sector requirements. 7) Support for the inclusion of content related to the private sector within ongoing teacher training

efforts. 8) Support for efforts to achieve equity with respect to whatever performance standards are adopted. 9) Support of experiences that connect higher education programs with the business community. We attempted to probe the appropriateness of these suggestions in light of Ministry priorities and our evolving understanding of CSR. At the end of the day, we concluded that what determines whether a given activity represents the “value added” approach of CSR or the “deficiency” model of charitable giving is not so much the nature of the topic addressed, but the manner in which that topic is pursued. Technology, for example, can be about supplying computers to classrooms or training local, community-based entrepreneurs to maintain computers placed in schools. In the latter case, it is clear that there is a “value added” component to corporate participation. In the former case, the intervention is largely focused on addressing a resource gap. The CSR approach blends complementary competencies; partnership-based action; focused systemic activity; a sector-wide frame of reference; and long-term commitments (as opposed to charitable gifts that are one-time donations). The fruits of this approach include mutual benefit and greater competitiveness for individual companies as well as the country in terms of its position in the global marketplace. An exceptionally broad range of education investments meet the tests of “mutual benefit” and “greater competitiveness.” Indeed, investments in early childhood education, while long-term in nature, may well confer higher returns on investment in the long term than, for example, school-to-work transition programs. Therefore, in the final analysis, the key to effective collaboration between the Ministry of Education and the CSR community is a process of effective coordination that generates corporate engagement in areas of high priority to the Ministry.

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CSR, Education and Competitiveness The World Bank’s Corporate Social Responsibility Practice, located in the Private Sector Development Vice Presidency, assists developing country governments apply CSR as a strategy to promote competitiveness and economic growth. As the World Bank Technical Assistance Study states, “Corporate Social Responsibility, or CSR, is the commitment of business to contribute to sustainable economic development, working with employees, their families, the local community and society at large to improve their quality of life, in ways that are both good for business and good for development.”1 Over the past decade, El Salvador’s educational system has made impressive gains in expanding educational access. Nevertheless, absolute performance on key performance indicators is still low; much remains to be done to achieve ambitious goals related to quality, coverage and equity. Before 1991 only 21 percent of children 4 to 6 were enrolled in pre-primary education.2 By 1999, that figure was 35 percent for rural children and 59 percent for urban children.3 In this period, primary education showed similar, although less dramatic, improvements. In 1991, 65 percent of rural children ages 7 to 15 attended school, whereas by 1999 the figure was 78 percent and 91 percent for rural and urban children respectively. 4 Despite this notable progress, much remains to be done. For example, the number of teachers has not kept pace with increased enrollment, and the best trained teachers usually end up in private schools in urban areas.5 Furthermore, there is still a significant gap between children who enroll and those who actually attend school. High repetition rates indicate that many students are not meeting curricular expectations. Secondary education coverage is weak and unbalanced. In urban areas, the secondary net enrollment ratio is at 55 percent compared to less than 5 percent for rural areas.6 In recent years, the Ministry has sought to focus attention and resources on the twin goals of improved quality and improved coverage. Unfortunately, the earthquake of 2001 had devastating effects on El Salvador’s school infrastructure and has shifted attention and resources to urgent and widespread rebuilding. The current Administration has announced a plan to return a higher percentage of tax revenue to municipalities this year. One result of this decentralization is that the Ministry’s budget is likely to be reduced by approximately two percent. These cuts, when placed beside needed infrastructure investments, pose a substantial threat to current educational quality initiatives. Low levels of attainment and quality in the educational system have important implications for El Salvador’s business community. Recent research articulates the link between enhanced productivity through technology and the educational level of employees.

"It is those countries that have human capital in addition to primary education, those that have been favored with the adoption of new technologies and where there is evidence of an increase in demand of skilled workers. The abilities acquired through secondary and tertiary education are

1 Reyes, et. al., Education-Focused Corporate Social Responsibility in El Salvador: World Bank Technical Assistance Study (October 2002). 2 Statistics from (Ministerio de Educación del Gobierno de El Salvador (2000c). Caracteristicas Basicas de la Educación Parvularia en El Salvador.) cited in Rosekranz, 2003. 3 Statistics from (DIGESTYC, 2000) cited in Rosekranz, 2003. 4 Ibid. 5 Statistics from (Fernandez and Carrasco, 2000) cited in Rosekranz, 2003 6 Ibid.

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those that enable businesses to adopt and to adapt to existing technologies. The abilities developed at the postgraduate level - especially, but not exclusively in the fields of science and engineering - allow buisnesses to create and to develop new technologies7."

There is a perception among Salvadoran businesses that it is difficult to find qualified workers with appropriate levels of education and relevant skills.8 Businesses express concern about the low level of secondary enrollment in the international context. El Salvador’s secondary enrollment is 66 percent, compared to 83 percent for other Latin American and Caribbean countries, and 107 percent for developed countries.9 Accordingly, many key members of the business community are interested in findings ways to support education for the benefit of the country’s competitiveness and their own productivity.

CSR Behaviors for Education Education presents a logical entry point for promoting CSR in El Salvador. The field of education provides a broad range of opportunities for individual businesses, business associations and business foundations to engage in the types of mutually beneficial programs and activities that epitomize CSR. Education also provides the essential foundation for workforce development, strong civil society, and political stability, all of which create a positive business environment. On the other hand, education is also an area with a long tradition of business “charity” which has traditionally taken the form of material and cash donations. The CSR framework encourages businesses to move beyond charity and one-time donations. A CSR approach to education, at its core, involves engagement in long-term, sustainable relationships characterized by mutual benefit and enhanced competitiveness at both the firm and country levels. The emphasis on relationships suggests that corporate contributions directed toward the education sector are likely to be a mix of financial and human resources. The World Bank CSR Diagnostic identifies twenty-two categories of business CSR behavior, grouped in four themes: economic, environmental, social, and good-governance actions. Drawing from the categories most closely related to education and youth development10 as well as a review of the sub-categories, we created a list of CSR themes linked to education as noted in Box 1.

Box 1: CSR Diagnostic Categories Linked to Education 1. Monetary flows to the public sector 2. Employment and human resource development 3. Procurement and supply chain management 4. Fair labor standards 5. Communities and stakeholder engagement (where the business

community is viewed as a stakeholder in the education process) 6. Charitable giving 7. Social investment (implementation of community development

projects including construction of clinics and schools; support for community-based enterprises; cause-related marketing; development of employment policies that secure local labor supply)

Using this list, we then generated a set of fairly specific behaviors that we deemed to be linked to Ministry of Education objectives. It is important that CSR behaviors are closely linked to Ministry objectives, or they risk creating even more obligations for programs that are already under-resourced. 7 FUSADES (2003) Informe de Desarrollo Económico y Social: Competitividad para el Desarrollo, p. 161. 8 FUSADES (2003) Informe de Desarrollo Económico y Social: Competitividad para el Desarrollo, p. 161. 9 Ibid., Cuadro 84, p154. 10 Please see “Table 1: Indicative Alignments between CSR and Public Sector Responsibilities and Policy,” Users Guide for Web, Version 1.2, p. 10.

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The following table provides the list of CSR behaviors along with an explanation of how each one relates to educational outcomes.

Table 1: Rationale for Education-Promoting CSR Behaviors

CSR Behavior Rationale 1. Paying required taxes and

government-imposed fees Taxes and fees allow government to make the investments needed to set and meet ambitious targets related to educational quality, equity and coverage.

2. Paying wages consistent with legal requirements and livelihood needs

Household income is a crucial determinant of educational outcomes particularly in countries with large disparities in wealth. Disposable income enables families to bear the opportunity costs of school attendance and to pay fees for books, uniforms, meals as well as other costs associated with school enrollment.

3. Providing employees with training and learning opportunities

Providing employees with opportunities to further their education helps to foster a national culture of learning that, in turn, leads parents to assist children with homework, promote reading, and hold high expectations for their children’s education.

4. Giving preference to local people when hiring and contracting

Such preferences generate demand for schooling by families. Households are more inclined to invest in their children’s education since the returns on this investment are readily perceived and valued.

5. Engaging in fair competition when bidding on Ministry of Education contracts

Such practices, which promote honesty and transparency in business operations, strengthen civil society and provide value to the Ministry of Education. Quality products and services are secured at a fair price, and transaction externalities are reduced. More funds are available to the Ministry for investments directly linked to quality, equity and coverage.

6. Establishing favorable terms and conditions for making technology and intellectual property available to the education sector

Access to leading-edge technology and appropriate intellectual property at concessionary rates enables the Ministry to reduce the per capita outlays needed to achieve quality-related objectives. More resources are thus available to invest in coverage and equity targets.

7. Maintaining or improving environmental conditions that influence learning

Production processes that pollute air, soil or water pose health risks for children and, in some cases, diminish cognitive function (i.e., a child’s ability to learn). For example, upper respiratory tract infection, asthma, nausea, fatigue and headache are all conditions linked to poor air quality. These conditions impede learning, contribute to absenteeism and, over time, result in unacceptably high rates of repetition and drop-out. Exposure to lead, mercury and other chemical compounds can lead to difficulties in information processing.

8. Setting reasonable working hours for employees

Enables parents to help with homework, participate in school governance, and provide children with the emotional support needed for high levels of educational achievement.

9. Recognizing employees’ maternity rights

Unique physiological wiring allows healthy infants to learn in months the equivalent of what older learners may take years to master. However, infants are entirely dependent upon their external surroundings for the nourishment, stimulation and "information" they need to thrive and develop. The extent to which infants receive the proper "inputs" from their mothers (or alternative caregiver) determines their later capacity to learn actively and participate fully in the world around them.

10. Assessing impact of business decisions and practices on educational opportunities and

Almost all business practices have the potential to influence educational outcomes. The goods and services a company chooses to offer, the production processes it uses, its labor force policies, and its community relations activities can all have a bearing on such education-related issues

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CSR Behavior Rationale attainment as disposable family income, environmental quality, discretionary time and

incentives to stay in school. 11. Dialoguing with education

sector representatives about policies and programs

Business is an important education stakeholder. It is a major consumer of the education system’s “output.” Its actions can also influence educational supply as well as overall demand for schooling.

12. Making donations (cash or in-kind) to support education-related activities

The government’s investments in education already account for a very high proportion of all government spending. Nonetheless, universal basic education has not yet been achieved. It is unrealistic to think that the government can invest a higher proportion of the national budget in education without damaging progress in other sectors. Therefore, the shortfall between current and required investments must be covered by external aid and private contributions.

13. Making donations (cash or in-kind) to improve educational quality

Educational quality (or, more properly, parents’ perceptions of it) shapes demand. Low quality is closely linked to low demand. Nevertheless, there is intense pressure on government to achieve universal coverage which leaves little funding left to improve learning outcomes.

14. Promote donations by the general public (cash or in-kind) to support education sector activities

Businesses have enormous potential to generate cash and in-kind contributions from the public through promotions, tie-in sales, and special events. Such resource flows help bridge the gap between what is needed and available to meet coverage, equity and quality targets.

15. Facilitating donations by employees support education-related activities

See above.

16. Sharing information with other businesses about education-related CSR activities

Information dissemination is critical if more businesses are to become involved in education-related CSR activities. The Ministry of Education can work with the corporate sector more cost-effectively as business participation in education sector activities increases and as businesses become more knowledgeable about how they can engage with the Ministry in mutually beneficial education activities. This dissemination will also contribute to more efficient coordination and decrease in the duplication of efforts

17. Create, support or maintain child-care centers or other services for children under five years of age

Provides appropriate care and developmental play for pre-school aged children and may also allow older children—especially girls—who would otherwise be engaged in child care, to attend school

CSR Behaviors: Current Status and Perceptions

We carried out interviews with representatives from the Ministry of Education, business foundations, business associations and individual businesses to gather perspectives on the relative importance of the CSR behaviors listed in the table above for meeting El Salvador’s education needs. Interviewees were handed a list of the 17 behaviors shown in the table above and asked, in the course of an informal, open-ended conversation to respond to the following questions:

• In your view, which of these behaviors are most important for achieving the country’s education

priorities and goals? • Why did you select these behaviors? • In which of these behaviors does the business community currently engage? Please share some

examples of how businesses engage in these behaviors.

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• Which of these behaviors are of greatest interest or concern to the Ministry of Education? Why? • What can the Ministry of Education do to support those behaviors that fall into this “priority

basket”?

The results are summarized in the table below. The activities that were perceived as being of highest (relative) importance in achieving the Ministry’s objectives, but that occur least frequently (lower right corner) are shaded in blue. These behaviors represent priority areas where little action is occurring, but where the potential benefits to education could be great.

Table 2: CSR Priority Behaviors

Importance for Educational Objectives (frequency of response)

Low Medium High

High

Paying wages consistent with legal requirements and livelihood needs Setting reasonable working hours for employees

Giving preference to local people when hiring and contracting

Paying required taxes and government-imposed fees Making donations (cash or in-kind) to support education-related activities

Mediu

m

Providing employees with training and learning opportunities Recognizing employees’ maternity rights

Maintaining or improving environmental conditions that influence learning Promote donations by the general public (cash or in-kind) to support education sector activities

Freq

uenc

y of C

urre

nt Ac

tivity

(fr

eque

ncy o

f res

pons

e)

Low

Create, support or maintain child-care centers or other services for children under five years of age

Engaging in fair competition when bidding on Ministry of Education contracts Establishing favorable terms and conditions for making technology and intellectual property available to the education sector Assessing impact of business decisions and practices on educational opportunities and attainment Dialoguing with education sector representatives about policies and programs Making donations (cash or in-kind) to improve educational quality

Facilitating donations by employees support education-related activities Sharing information with other businesses about education-related CSR activities

•

•

• •

•

•

•

•

•

• •

•

•

•

•

•

•

The patterns shown by this data are consistent with the findings of the October 2002 Technical Assistance Study. The study found most CSR activity in El Salvador takes the form of support for teachers and students in school, most notably in the area of infrastructure. CSR actors (business associations and foundations) as well Ministry of Education respondents see donations that support educational coverage as an important role for the business sector and one that is already occurring. Coverage and infrastructure have been priority areas for the Ministry due to the extensive earthquake

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damage. As of 2003, 95 percent of the 2,647 educational centers have been restored or rebuilt.11 It is important that the Ministry and the CSR community be ready to shift toward other priorities as infrastructure needs are met and become less urgent. Interview data show that paying corporate taxes was seen as a fundamental requirement for a strong educational sector and that business perceives itself to be in nearly full compliance. Similarly, respondents felt the business sector adheres to labor laws regarding salaries and work schedules, although these were not seen as areas of particular importance for education. These perceptions are drawn from, and are most likely to hold true for large, well-established companies that are already participating in education and broader CSR activities. The concept of CSR (especially as it relates to compliance) is probably less understood among smaller businesses. In the few cases where respondents shared opinions about the informal sector, these patterns of compliance and CSR engagement did not hold true. In general, responses indicate that business and public sector respondents alike saw broader elements of how a business is run (e.g., compliance with environmental and labor codes) to be key CSR behaviors. Not surprisingly, respondents also identified cash and in-kind donations to be important in a CSR approach to education. The prevailing view of education-related CSR, however, was relatively short-term. In general, business CSR respondents showed a preference for activities that were most directly related to workforce development such as provision of technology and a focus on secondary education. Interestingly, providing childcare was not seen as a highly leveraged activity for business, even though some major longitudinal studies suggest that this might be the area where return on investment is greatest. Young children who attend a quality nursery school program, for example, experience advantages over other children that last well into adulthood. The most ambitious of these investigations is the High/Scope Perry Preschool Study which has followed a population of disadvantaged, US African-American preschool graduates for over 20 years along with a matched control population that did not have the preschool experience. Findings, obtained when the cohort had reached age 27, revealed significant differences between the two groups. The nursery school graduates had higher employment rates, were less likely to start a family as teenagers, were more likely to enter into marriage, and less likely to commit crimes.12 Although the CSR community shares the Ministry’s desire to strengthen secondary education and reduce attrition, they may not understand that this is reflected in the Ministry’s efforts to improve early childhood and primary education quality.

Education Priorities and Alignment Respondents from both the business and the public sectors stated that Ministry of Education needs to learn to communicate “the business case for CSR” to inspire companies to adopt CSR behaviors that support education. It may be even more important that the Ministry of Education express clearly the business case for education. Although CSR can and should be a “win-win” endeavor, the business community’s current perception of educational benefits appears to be unnecessarily narrow. Most businesses focus on the short- and medium-term benefits of enhanced image and a better-trained workforce. Businesses also see benefits to investing in their immediate geographic areas, where current 11 MINED (2003), Memoria de Labores 2002-2003: Esceulas en transformación hacia una educación de calidad. p. 42. 12 High/Scope Educational Research Foundation, ND and Consultative Group on Early Childhood Care and Development, 1993a.

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or future employees are likely to be directly affected by educational interventions. More should be done, however, to help businesses understand and internalize the broader benefits of education, such as a flexible and adaptable (not just “trained”) workforce, a vibrant civil society, and political stability. Businesses might do more to achieve these goals by investing in remote, under-resourced schools, or investing in longer-term school quality interventions. These sorts of interventions would be in line with Ministry of Education priorities, but until now, businesses have received little guidance from Ministry of Education on how and where to direct their support. Nor surprisingly, business has therefore engaged in a relatively narrow range of CSR behaviors. Such a “narrow” interpretation of education-related CSR limits the potential educational impact of CSR. Clearly, this is a problem. But, a more serious problem is that such an approach has the potential to focus attention away from the Ministry’s educational goals and objectives. Even the “free” resources provided by the business sector, are not without cost to the Ministry of Education. Although such resources may address real needs, they may also require additional investment that would be too expensive for the Ministry to handle on a large scale. For example, a donation of computers requires complementary investments in physical space, security, software, maintenance, teacher training, and staff time in order to be used to full advantage. In order to be cost-effective, CSR actions need to be closely aligned with Ministry of Education priorities. By establishing a plan for CSR, the Ministry of Education can help businesses move away from the “deficit model” and make sure that CSR supports the priorities the Ministry has already identified—rather than creating new projects. At least one business sector actor described coverage as a “black hole” and several expressed an interest in supporting more integrated school quality objectives, in addition to coverage—but most were uncertain about concrete steps to take in that direction. Happily, because of the broad value of education to business profitability, CSR actors (businesses, associations, and foundations) have many different potential points of entry. Current Ministry of Education objectives, as outlined in “Desafíos de la Educación en el Nuevo Milenio: Reforma Educativa en Marcha (2000-2005), include the following:

• Improve the quality of educational services by strengthening the performance of school directors and teachers through the introduction of educational technologies and the transfer of financial resources to schools in order to meet classroom needs

• Strengthen participation by the educational community in the Consejos Directivos Escolares (School Leadership Councils), Asociaciones Comunales para la Educación (Community Education Associations), and Consejos Educativos Católicos (Catholic Education Councils); and involve other local actors in improving educational quality and equity.

• Facilitate access to education by introducing such new service models such as Early Childhood Education, Accelerated Education, Distance Learning, and compensatory education.

• Promote values development, the creation of cultural spaces, and personal development; promote a holistic cultural policy that strengthens national identity and fosters family participation in the development of values13

The achievement of any of these objectives would confer significant advantages to business. Consider the relationships presented in the following table.

13 Desafíos de la Educación en el Nuevo Milenio; Please see Appendix A for more details on the priorities outlined in “Desafios….” and related strategies and programs identified by MINED.

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Table 3: Current Ministry of Education Priorities and Business Interests

Ministry of Education Priority Value to the Business Sector

Improve the quality of educational services by strengthening the performance of school directors and teachers through the introduction of educational technologies and the transfer of financial resources to schools in order to meet classroom needs

Teachers and administrators account for over 90 percent of the Ministry’s budget. Actions that make investments in those resources more cost-effective are an excellent strategy. Research shows that the quality of school leadership and classroom management are among the most powerful determinants of schooling outcomes. Better teachers and administrators lead to higher enrollments (parental perceptions of quality shape demand); lower repetition rates; and higher completion rates. Lower repetition rates brings down the cost of producing a graduate. Ministry resources can be directed toward other productive investments related to coverage and equity. Higher levels of educational attainment contribute to a more skilled and productive workforce, a stronger civil society, and reduced disparities in wealth (with a reduction in attendant political conflicts).

Strengthen participation by the educational community in the Consejos Directivos Escolares, Asociaciones Comunales para la Educación, and Consejos Educativos Católicos; and involve other local actors in improving educational quality and equity

Community participation is another crucial variable closely linked to schooling outcomes and demand for schooling. Widespread experience in such forums helps to create a citizenry that is resourceful and can work together for a common goal. Participants frequently develop substantial skills related to resource mobilization, group problem-solving and self-governance. These skills translate into a workforce that takes initiative, engages in group problem-solving and is resourceful. Furthermore, where community participation is high, so too are school completion and enrollment rates which leads to a more productive labor force.

Facilitate access to education by introducing such new service models such as Early Childhood Education, Accelerated Education, Distance Learning, and compensatory education.

Research links each of these initiatives to significant gains in educational attainment (quality), coverage or equity. Early Childhood Education in particular is associated with higher test scores, higher completion rates, as well as healthier children. It also has a positive effect on equity.

Promote values development, the creation of cultural spaces, and personal development; promote a holistic cultural policy that strengthens national identity and fosters family participation in the development of values

Values formation is essential for the development of a strong civil society. Strong values (including a work ethic) are directly related to work force productivity and the reduction of such externalities as bribery, petty thievery, employee absenteeism and civil unrest.

As illustrated by the table, CSR can fit with any of these objectives—objectives the Ministry of Education is already committed to and working toward—since the “make or break determinant” of CSR compatibility is not content-dominated. Rather, what matters most is the nature of the process wherein the activity occurs. Does it reflect such key CSR characteristics as planned support for change that is ongoing, sustainable, participatory, consultative, and oriented toward the building of enduring relationships? These characteristics could be applied to projects at virtually any educational level from early childhood and pre-school (inicial and parvularia) through elementary, secondary and higher education (básico, medio, and superior). The most important element is a congruence of interests between business and the Ministry.

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In the Memoria de Labores (2002-2003),14 the Ministry of Education presents six factors that contribute to school quality:

1. Educational development (classroom pedagogy) 2. Educational research, monitoring and evaluation of learning 3. Expansion of opportunities (equity) 4. Infrastructure and plant reconstruction 5. Values education and lifelong learning 6. Institutional capacity building and modernization

All of these areas present opportunities for effective business participation, especially the areas of educational development; educational research, monitoring and evaluation of learning; infrastructure and plant reconstruction; and institutional capacity building and modernization. The key consideration is that the CSR behaviors should provide value not only to the business and the Ministry of Education, but most importantly, to students—the core stakeholder in the educational system. As the saying goes, “win-win” is no longer enough. In a system with multiple stakeholders, CSR actions must provide a “win-win-win” outcome.

Ministry of Education Actions to Foster CSR

The Ministry of Education should consider engaging in a series of coordinated actions, outlined in an integrated plan in order to promote CSR for education. These actions can be grouped according to the World Bank framework15 for public sector roles:

•

•

•

Mandating (laws, regulations and penalties pertaining to the control of some aspect of business investment or operations): This area showed the least potential for direct intervention by the Ministry of Education. First, the CSR community sees legal frameworks and compliance in relevant areas as adequate. Second, even if there is a need for increased compliance, most of these areas would fall under other Ministries (e.g., Hacienda, Medio Ambiente, Trabajo y Previsión Social). As far as establishing specific education-related CSR policies, businesses are wary of any kind of mandatory “donation” program, although establishing and enforcing strict standards for school quality could help the Ministry of Education inspire and direct business donations.

Facilitating (incentives, non-binding guidance and codes, endorsements and deterrents, such as market stimulation, tax incentives, awareness raising, processes of stakeholder dialogue and publicity and praise; the public sector will not always be the lead agency in executing these activities): Convening a policy dialogue, integrating new actors, providing a unifying strategic vision and plan, and concrete mechanisms for participation were all seen as important public sector roles in facilitating CSR for education. Many interviewees noted, however, that the public sector should take steps to reduce the disruption related to changes in personnel and party within the Ministry.

Partnering (combing public resources with those of business to leverage complementary resources, realize economies of scale and cross-fertilize best practices): Potential partnering roles for the Ministry of Education include investing in systems to track and

14 MINED, Memoria de Labores 2002-2003: Escuelas en transformación hacia una educación de calidad, p. 8. 15World Bank, CSR Diagnostic – User Guide for Web

15

assess the impact of CSR, and matching business sector resources through a variety of Ministry of Education programs.

Endorsing (showing public political support for CSR performing companies and facilitating civil society organizations in the form of publicized praise or awards; involving leadership companies in the public policy arena; endorsing specific metrics, indicators, guidelines and standards; and ‘leading by example’ through public sector procurement practices): Private and public sector actors agreed that increased dissemination of current programs and practices, through workshops, seminars, publications, and media campaigns, is essential to sensitize and mobilize, and motivate current and new business participation.

•

The overarching public sector role at this stage is to establish a National CSR Plan that will guide all other actions. As the following table suggests, there are opportunities to coordinate and build on current activities. An important cross-cutting role for the Ministry of Education will be to develop and strengthen existing relationships with business foundations and those NGOs that fulfil an important “brokering” role between the public and private business sectors.

Table 4: Actions to Foster CSR

Ministry of Education Role Alignment with Ministry of Education

Priorities

Desired Outcomes Among CSR Actors

Current Activity /Potential Partners

MANDATING: Dialogue with other ministries regarding tax policy, labor standards, environment, and other areas of concern, to ensure that laws and enforcement mechanisms contribute to the realization of education sector goals and priorities

Potential positive impact in multiple areas, especially funding for education, learning environment quality, and attendance rate

Compliance with tax laws, and labor and environmental standards Enhanced understanding of CSR

Current level of compliance for largest firms is seen as high

FACILITATING: • Develop a strategic CSR

National Action Plan to establish and disseminate the Ministry of Education’s vision for corporate engagement in the education sector

• Initiate an ongoing policy dialogue regarding educational outcomes and the role of the business community in supporting it.

• Integrate new actors into the policy dialogue

• Provide concrete mechanisms and proposals for ways that business can engage in CSR for education

• Establish a “hub” of CSR

The corporate sector’s contribution to Salvadoran education is not confined to “gap filling,” but represents a significant complement to the Ministry’s own efforts to achieve progress in relation to clearly defined, measurable targets Potential positive impact in multiple school quality factors, in particular, Institutional Modernization

• Participation in a concerted plan of action that is focused on priorities of shared importance to both the corporate sector and the Ministry of Education

• Allow the CSR community and opportunity for ongoing contributions to macro-level polity dialogue

Planning is getting underway, with World Bank support, for expanding FUNDAEDUCA’s school coverage from the current level of 25 to 1000. ANEP’s ENADE process presents an opportunity for coordination “Closing the Gap” Education and Technology Conference presents an opportunity to begin relationship building Consider building on the model of the current secondary education consultation process—a “kick-off” event followed by inter-sectoral dialogue over several months

• • •

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

16

Ministry of Education Role Alignment with Ministry of Education

Priorities

Desired Outcomes Among CSR Actors

Current Activity /Potential Partners

within the ministry that will transcend political and personnel changes to ensure continuity and business confidence

FUNDEMAS, FEPADE, FUNDAEDUCA are currently engaged in action, research, and/or commentary on the field of CSR, especially as it relates to education Take advantage of current high-profile CSR actors to act as “thought leaders” and share their experiences

PARTNERING: • Channel CSR to

specialized Ministry programs where there are overlapping interests

• Provide systematic assessment of types and levels of CSR for education, as well as impact, at the national level; provide assessment framework or indicators for businesses in order to promote Ministerial accountability for results

• Joint activities are in areas that characterize a win-win-win (business-Ministry-other stakeholders) approach to collaboration

• Joint ownership of a series of high visibility, high priority initiatives

• High levels of mutual accountability

• Build on FUNDEMAS survey data and FUSADES business self-assessment to be released in September

ENDORSING: • Dissemination and

awareness-raising campaign that identifies and promotes examples of good practice, and encourages expansion and initiation of CSR activities in line with a new Ministry of Education planning framework

• Provides a forum to articulate CSR options for business and how they support Ministry policies and programs

• A greater flow of information and “lessons learned” among all CSR actors

• Incorporation of “lessons learned” about best practice into future activities

• More CSR actors are drawn into the process

• FUNDAEDUCA representative within the Ministry currently disseminates useful information to current and prospective participants in that program, and plans are underway to expand this outreach

• Several business foundations and associations (FUNDEMAS, FUSADES and ANEP, for example) are already playing a “convening” role and have strong ties to the Ministry

•

•

Ministry of Education actions should support CSR at the macro and micro levels. Figure 1 shows some of the programs and actors already engaged in CSR at various levels, as well as Ministry programs and activities that could provide opportunities for business engagement.

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Figure 1: Levels of Action

Society Macro

CommunityMicro

Business AssociationsBusiness Foundations

Businesses

Business PeopleEmployees

Entrepreneurs

MINED

School

School DirectorsTeachersStudentsParents

FUNDEMAS

FUNDA-EDUCA

ENADE

10 YearPlan

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Costs and Benefits for Education Stakeholders

To be an effective partner in CSR for education, the Ministry of Education should consider how it can best represent the needs of all its stakeholders, recognizing the ultimate client of the educational sector is the broader society (at the macro level) and the individual learner (at the micro level) as well as employers. The challenge in applying the CSR model, where business is actively engaged in defining its own priorities and looking for alignment with Ministry of Education programs, is to make sure that the vast resources of the corporate sector do indeed contribute to (rather than compete with) Ministry of Education priorities. Establishing a strategic plan that articulates its own vision and objectives for education and CSR will help the Ministry become a strong partner to the business sector. Without a coherent framework to plan, coordinate and evaluate CSR projects, the Ministry risks losing sight of its broader objectives as well as the needs of its full range of stakeholders. For the Ministry to successfully engage with business, projects must simultaneously address and transcend the needs of the business sector. Although the shift from charity to philanthropy supports the development of ongoing, productive and mutually beneficial relationships between businesses and schools, it also poses a threat to schools that are already the most marginalized. Rural, isolated schools are unlikely to attract business investment, especially as long as the business community sees its own returns on investment as being primarily derived from schools that educate its future workforce. Unless businesses internalize the idea that investing in a strong educational system and a “universally” well-educated population confers important benefits to them (e.g., a social and political climate conducive to business interests), the Ministry should take special care to ensure that “micro” level CSR activities (for example, school sponsorship) are balanced by additional resource flows to excluded schools. If “compensatory resourcing” isn’t made

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available to the most “bypassed” schools, an unfortunate byproduct of CSR may well be the ever increasing marginalization-of-the-marginalized and growing inequity within the Salvadoran educational system.

Planning and Priorities for Education CSR The Ministry of Education should consider and respond strategically to several key opportunities and uncertainties as it develops a National Plan for Education CSR:

Decentralization of funding (with more money being allocated to municipalities rather than to central ministries) and a resultant cut of two percent to the Ministry of Education’s budget

•

• •

•

National elections in March 2003 Renewal of the Ten-Year Plan for education (Plan Decenal de Reforma Educativa en Marcha (1995-2005) Anticipated scale-up of FUNDAEDUCA

Technology Planning Process: An Example for Participation and “Win-Win-Win” Thinking In this section of our report we address the question of how best to structure an appropriate consultative process for continuing stakeholder dialogue. This issue is not of theoretical concern but of paramount practical importance since an invaluable opportunity for such exchange will present itself on September 18, 2003 when the conference “Closing the Gap in Education, Technology and Productivity in El Salvador” (“Cerrando la Brecha en Educación, Tecnología y Productividad en El Salvador”) is inaugurated. A background document for that event notes:

The central premise of this report is that skills and technology interact in important ways, and this relationship is a fundamental reason for the large observed differences in productivity and incomes across countries. Indeed, numerous studies have shown that differences in per capita income depend more on differences in total factor productivity [TFP, the ratio of output to all input] than on differences in primary factor accumulation [i.e., wealth as measured by national stocks of land, labor, financial capital and entrepreneurial talent]. And this report argues that skills upgrading, technological change, and their interaction are major factors behind total factor productivity growth.16

In other words, in the knowledge economy (as the new economic context has been described), countries must pay special attention to the main variables associated with enhanced productivity—technology and skills development. Current levels of technology and skills are, at any given point in time, shaped by public and private policies as well as by the international environment. Data from many countries, including statistics presented at a recent OAS conference on economic performance, underscore the critical importance of strengthening education and training systems as a prerequisite for attaining higher and more sustainable growth. 17

16World Bank, Closing the Gap Between Education and Technology, p.2

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In light of the significance of technology, the consultative process outlined below focuses on that area in order to illustrate how the Ministry of Education and the CSR community can work together to forge a common vision and plan of action. A broad overview of the consultative process is outlined below in the form of key questions that should be addressed over the course of a dialogue between the CSR community and the Ministry of Education.

Questions to Promote Shared Visioning Process Between the Ministry of Education and the CSR Community

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What are the priorities of the Ministry of Education for each of the levels at which the Ministry operates (e.g., preparatory, basic, secondary, higher, nonformal)? Describe the reality that would exist if all of these priorities for each level were achieved. In other words, what would the state of Salvadoran education be in terms of: coverage; quality; classroom activities; school plant and related infrastructure; teaching force characteristics; equity? What role would the private sector have played in creating and sustaining this reality that you have just described? What were the some of the processes that facilitated the private sector’s involvement? What were some of the problems that emerged in the early phases of engagement as the CSR business community became involved in education? How were these problems resolved? What role did technology play in getting to the ideal state you described earlier (see #2)? What do we mean when we use the term “technology?” What policies and practices did the Ministry develop to deploy technology successfully?

. What was the role of the private sector in the introduction, dissemination and widespread replication of technology?

. What role, if any, did the following list of potential CSR activities play in achieving the vision:

Scholarships to promote the completion of secondary education and to connect secondary level graduates with choices in the world of work. Support to strengthen monitoring and to disseminate information on how the system is performing in relation to specific performance indicators. Support for strengthening English as a Second Language Programs through policy dialogue and the testing of incentives. Support for strengthening school leadership by creating or deepening connections between school administrators and private sector managers. Support for creating curriculum and performance standards in areas closely associated with private sector requirements Support for the inclusion of content related to the private sector within ongoing teacher training efforts. Support for efforts to achieve equity with respect to whatever performance standards are
onsultation process outlined above is generic in nature. It doesn’t offer any specific guidance on es related to technology. The steps presented below are used to focus, deepen and expand deration of questions 6-9. They reflect the “best practice” literature on planning for the introduction pansion of educational technology.
izontal Cooperation: Confronting Labour and Education Challenges of the Americas in the 21st Century, Organization erican States, Unit for Social Development and Education, http://www.xii-org/english/conference/montevideo/presentations/oea_slm_eng.pdf . 2002.

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http://www.xii-iacml.org/english/conference/montevideo/presentations/oea_slm_eng.pdf

http://www.xii-iacml.org/english/conference/montevideo/presentations/oea_slm_eng.pdf

Step #1—Determine Purpose. “What are we trying to accomplish through investment in technology at each educational level? Select the most appropriate options for each educational level.

Illustrative options include the following: • Master basic academic skills through drill and practice software • Improve higher order critical thinking through access to multimedia content • Provide greater access to resources to support research and learning (e.g., Internet and CD-

ROM material) • Promote collaboration, creativity • Improve communication with individuals outside the school setting (parents, experts, other

students and teachers) • Improve student achievement • Develop and support workplace-related skills • Promote student-centered authentic project-based learning • Promote distance learning

Step #2—Create the enabling environment. Identify and address critical strategic and policy issues for each level of the educational system

Illustrative issues related to strategy and policy including the following:

• Access and equity—what is our stance regarding the ability or right of all students to make

use of education technology. • Accountability—which people and institutions are to be held responsible for meeting defined

technology-related objectives? What processes related to transparency and accountability need to be introduced?

• Alignment—what are the critical linkages and relationships that must be established so that technology will be closely aligned to educational standards and objectives (including those objectives related to workforce preparation)?

• Analysis—what lessons we can learn from the research, development and study of education technology, specifically on the link between the effective use of education technology to achieve educational objectives and student achievement?

• Assessment—how will we evaluate student performance, skills and knowledge? [Note: Assessment should take place in two forms. Formative assessment occurs on an ongoing basis as part of the instructional process and provides opportunities to revise or adjust instruction accordingly. Summative assessment occurs at the end of projects, courses or grade levels]

Step #3—Do tactical planning.

For each educational level, identify and address such tactical issues as the following:

• Ratio of students to hardware/software • Technical support requirements (equipment maintenance; software mastery) • Non-student, non-instructional access • Nature of connectivity (e.g., dial up, permanent , wired connection, wireless) • Deployment of complementary technologies (e.g., VCR)

21

• Professional development requirements (including the percentage of the total technology investment that will be devoted to training)

• Implementation of assessment (indicators and standards of acceptable performance) • Administrative implications • Parental and community involvement • Implications for additional infrastructure

Step #4—Identify and secure required resources

• For each level, what human, material, technical and financial resources are required to implement the choices that have been made?

• Which entities can provide the required resources? • How will these entities be approached and encouraged to participate in the implementation of

these plans? • What “fall back” options exist if these entities are not willing or able to provide needed

resources? • What tactics should be particularly subject to revision if resource shortfalls exist?

The consultative process presented here, if followed, will yield many benefits to both the Ministry of Education and the CSR community. It will result in a shared vision, benchmarked plans, accountability for results, targeted investments in areas that are critical for economic growth, and a firm foundation for further win-win-win corporate engagement in education. The Ministry of Education will be better situated to meet its ambitious goals and the “El Salvador” brand will provide local business with a competitive advantage in today’s global marketplace.

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Summary of Major Findings and Recommendations

The current context • Most CSR activity in El Salvador takes the form of support for teachers and students in school, most

notably in the area of infrastructure. Many CSR actors (business associations and foundations) as well Ministry of Education respondents see donations that support educational coverage as an important role for the business sector.

• Business and public sector respondents alike see broader elements of how a business is run (e.g., compliance with environmental and labor codes) to be key CSR behaviors. Not surprisingly, respondents also identified cash and in-kind donations to be important in a CSR approach to education.

• In contrast to the long-term, sustainable relationships emphasized in formal explanations of the CSR philosophy, the prevailing view of education-related CSR was relatively short-term. Business respondents showed a preference for activities that were most directly related to workforce development such as provision of technology and a focus on secondary education. Provision of childcare or early childhood education was not generally seen as a highly leveraged activity for business (although there were some notable exceptions to this generalization) despite research that demonstrates high rates of return investment in this area.

• Businesses have received little guidance from the Ministry of Education on how and where to direct their support.

• All of the Ministry of Education’s current objectives have the potential, if met, to confer substantial benefit to the business sector. There is also ample scope for the business community to contribute toward these objectives which include the following:

o Improve the quality of educational services by strengthening the performance of school directors and teachers through the introduction of educational technologies and the transfer of financial resources to schools in order to meet classroom needs

o Strengthen participation by the educational community in the Consejos Directivos Escolares (School Leadership Councils), Asociaciones Comunales para la Educación (Community Education Associations), and Consejos Educativos Católicos (Catholic Education Councils); and involve other local actors in improving educational quality and equity

o Facilitate access to education by introducing such new service models such as Early Childhood Education, Accelerated Education, Distance Learning, and compensatory education

o Promote values development, the creation of cultural spaces, and personal development; promote a holistic cultural policy that strengthens national identity and fosters family participation in the development of values

• The educational quality component of the Ministry’s agenda is linked to six key factors: (1) educational development (classroom pedagogy); (2) educational research, monitoring and evaluation of learning; (3) expansion of opportunities (equity); (4) infrastructure and plant reconstruction; (5) values education and lifelong learning; (6) institutional capacity building and modernization The Ministry’s focus on these factors presents many and varied opportunities for effective business participation.

• The CSR community within the business sector believes that collaboration with the Ministry of Education must reflect such key CSR characteristics as planned support for change that is ongoing, sustainable, and participatory; consultative dialogue; and the creation of enduring relationships. These characteristics could be applied to projects at virtually any educational level from early

23

childhood and pre-school (inicial and parvulária) through basic, middle and higher education (básico, medio, and superior).

• Business actions seen by interviewees from the Ministry and CSR community as “highly important” in terms of their influence on educational attainment include the following: maintaining or improving environmental conditions that influence learning; promoting donations by the general public (cash or in-kind) to support education sector activities; facilitating donations by employees that support education-related activities; and sharing information with other businesses about education-related CSR activities. “Fairly important” behaviors include: providing employees with training and learning opportunities; recognizing employees' maternity rights; engaging in fair competition when bidding on Ministry of Education contracts; establishing favorable terms and conditions for making technology and intellectual property available to the education sector; assessing the impact of business decisions and practices on educational opportunity and attainment; dialoguing with education sector representatives about policies and programs; and, making donations (cash or in-kind) to improve educational quality.

Recommendations: Identifying and Communicating Priorities • Build productive and sustainable partnerships between the Ministry and the CSR community.

The beginning of a strategic plan that articulates its own vision and objectives for education and CSR will help the Ministry become a strong ally with the business sector. The Ministry of Education will be best positioned to work effectively with the CSR community within the business sector when it is able to identify and articulate the overlap that exists between ministerial goals, assets, and resource needs, and CSR interests and priorities. In order for the Ministry to successfully align with businesses, the projects should simltaneously be extended and aimed at the business sector's requirements.

• Provide clear guidance necessary for an effective partnership. The CSR community needs clear and straightforward guidance from the Ministry of Education on how business can engage with education. Such guidance is dependent upon the Ministry’s ability to clearly identify, describe and communicate its priorities at all levels (nonformal, early childhood, basic, middle and tertiary). The new cycle of educational planning (to begin soon) is an outstanding opportunity to accomplish this articulation in ways that are readily understood by business.

• Distinguish activity between "value added" and "deficiency" model. It is important for both the Ministry and the CSR community to recognize that what determines whether a given activity represents the "value added" approach of CSR or the "deficiency" model of charitable giving is not so much the nature of the topic addressed, but the manner in which that topic is pursued. The CSR approach blends complementary competencies; partnership-based action; focused systemic activity; a sector-wide frame of reference; and long-term commitments (as opposed to charitable gifts that are one-time donations).

• Alight CSR activities to ministerial priorities. Through dialogue, both the CSR community and the Ministry should come to recognize that CSR behaviors must be closely linked to ministerial priorities. Engaging the resource-strapped Ministry in issues outside its basket of priorities has hidden opportunity and direct costs which the Ministry is not readily able to assume.

• Encourage opportunities for dialogue between Ministry and business sector with the purpose of deepening the analysis of the cost benefits of its collaboration. Extensive dialogue between the Ministry and the business sector should help both parties come to understand that the "free" resources provided by the business sector are not without cost to the Ministry of Education. The acceptance of gifts unrelated to priorities has opportunity costs as well as benefits and may result in diverting scarce resources (money and people) away from priorities in order to fulfill donor expectations or requirements.

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• Analyze cost benefits of the collaboration on indicators of equality. Both the business community and the Ministry should consider how CSR activities either exacerbate or reduce equity concerns. If the business community sees its own returns on investment as being largely derived from schools that educate its future workforce or customer base, rural, isolated schools are unlikely to attract business investment,. Unless businesses internalize the idea that investing in a strong educational system and a "universally" well-educated population confers important benefits to them (e.g., a social and political climate conducive to business interests), the Ministry should consider what steps it can take to ensure that "micro" level CSR activities (for example, school sponsorship) are balanced by additional resource flows to excluded schools.

Recommendations: Structure • Establish new unit in charge of CSR agenda in charge of coordinating and launching effective

CSR activities. In order to achieve effective coordination between the Ministry and the CSR community, the Ministry should consider the establishment of a unit charged with setting and tracking the Ministry’s own CSR agenda. This unit might also manage the process of developing a strategy for scaling up CSR. In summary, the proposed unit would serve as the major institutional mechanism for promoting and nurturing ministerial engagement with the business community on a plan of mutually beneficial activity.

• Reduce staffing disruption. Many business leaders interviewed expressed the view that impermanence among Ministry officials constitutes a barrier to effective CSR work in the education sector.

Recommendations: Process • Introduce systemic, sector-wide approaches. The Ministry of Education supports moving away

from ad hoc project interventions and toward systemic, sector-wide approaches that are most likely to yield significant education sector performance gains. This approach is very consistent with the CSR’s approach to philanthropy. The Ministry should consider how it can best communicate to the CSR community this emerging congruence of approaches. The upcoming conference in September 2003 represents one important communication opportunity for disseminating this message.

• Encourage bilateral engagement contributing to a shared vision. Joint engagement in a shared visioning process (such as the one outlined in this report) will yield many benefits to both the Ministry of Education and the CSR community including benchmarked plans, accountability for results, targeted investments in areas that are critical for economic growth (e.g., technology), and a firm foundation for further win-win-win corporate engagement in education.

• Develop long-term view. The Ministry should consider how it can best help the CSR community develop a broad, long-term view of business’s interests in education. Case studies and “business friendly” articles, multimedia presentations or brochures can communicate how Ministry programs and priorities contribute to workforce development, strengthened civil society, reduced transaction costs, and political stability. Such communications vehicles might also help the business community to recognize that investments in early childhood education probably confer higher returns on investment than programs with seemingly closer linkages to business objectives (e.g., school-to-work transition programs).

• Recognize and capitalize on existing "pro-education" behaviors. Normal business behaviors (e.g., paying taxes, hiring and compensating workers, selecting production processes) exert enormous influence on the resources available to education and educational outcomes. In general, the top tier of the formal business sector appears conscious of these linkages and committed to

25

making business decisions that are consistent with optimizing educational attainment. The Ministry should consider how it can recognize and capitalize on the “pro-education” behaviors already demonstrated by business as a means to encourage additional, more focused activity.

• Develop an information dissemination program. To promote constructive dialogue, the Ministry of Education should consider developing an information dissemination program that motivates companies to adopt education-related CSR behaviors. Such a program would clearly express the anticipated returns to businesses of investments made in each tier of the education system. One objective of this strategy would be to create a shared understanding between the education and business sectors of the broader benefits of education (e.g., the advantages of a flexible and adaptable—not just trained—workforce, a vibrant civil society, and political stability). Another element of the communications strategy might be the preparation of background documents that define and explain key business terms and concepts to education leaders, and, reciprocally, key education terms and concepts to business leaders. Illustrative terms that might be defined in such documentation include early childhood development; equity, equality; positive externalities; market positioning; social profitability/economic profitability; return-on-investment; sustainability of benefits; financial sustainability; school quality; learner quality; and, value-added.

• Apply diverse strategies to promote CSR. Of the four possible roles identified by the World Bank that governments can play in promoting the CSR agenda (mandating, facilitating, partnering and endorsing), facilitating, partnering and endorsing appear to offer promising avenues for future activity. Examples of facilitating actions include convening a policy dialogue, integrating new actors, providing a unifying strategic vision and plan, and offering concrete mechanisms for participation. Partnering behaviors could include, but are not limited to, efforts to combine public resources with those of business to leverage benefits. Endorsing may entail increased dissemination of current programs and practices through workshops, seminars, publications, and media campaigns

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Appendix 1: Acronyms ACE Asociaciones Comunales para la Educación AMCHAM American Chamber of Commerce ANEP Asociación Nacional de la Empresa Privada ASI Asociación Salvadoreña de Industriales CBI Centro de Bienestar Infantil CDE Consejos Directivos Escolares CECE Consejos Educativos Católicos CSR Corporate Social Responsibility / Responsabilidad Social Empresarial EDUCO Educación con Participación de la Comunidad FEPADE Fundación Empresarial para el Desarrollo Educativo FIDES Fondo para Iniciativas de Desarrollo Educativo FIS Fondo de Inversión Social FUNDAEDUCA Fundación Amigos de la Educación FUNDEMAS Fundación Empresarial para la Acción Social FUSADES Fundación Salvadoreña para el Desarrollo Económico y Social FUSAL Fundación Salvadoreña para la Salud y Desarrollo Social IFC International Finance Corporation INSAFORP Instituto Salvadoreño de Formación Profesional MINED Ministry of Education / Ministerio de Educación de El Salvador RSE Responsabilidad Social Empresarial / Corporate Social Responsibility UNDP / PNUD United Nations Development Programme / Programa de las Naciones Unidas para el

Desarrollo USAID United States Agency for International Development

27

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ción a

l inter

ior de

los c

entro

s edu

cativ

os.

Comp

letar

el si

stema

de m

ejora

mien

to pe

rman

ente

de la

calid

ad de

la ed

ucac

ión

supe

rior:

califi

cació

n, ev

aluac

ión y

acre

ditac

ión.

Profu

ndiza

r y fo

rtalec

er el

eje d

e for

mació

n de

valor

es en

los d

ifere

ntes n

iveles

, mod

alida

des y

ár

eas d

el sis

tema e

duca

tivo n

acion

al.

Fome

ntar la

partic

ipació

n de l

a com

unida

d ed

ucati

va en

el de

sarro

llo de

activ

idade

s y

expe

rienc

ias qu

e con

duzc

an al

fome

nto de

la

prác

tica c

otidia

na de

valor

es, q

ue pu

eden

y de

ben s

er co

mpar

tidos

socia

lmen

te.

Gene

rar m

ayor

capa

cidad

admi

nistra

tiva y

ge

renc

ial pa

ra au

menta

r la ef

icien

cia y

redu

cir lo

s co

stos e

n el e

sfuer

zo de

aume

ntar la

cobe

rtura

y ca

lidad

de lo

s ser

vicios

. Me

jorar

el pr

oces

o de e

nseñ

anza

- ap

rend

izaje

media

nte el

invo

lucra

mien

to de

los d

istint

os

actor

es de

la co

munid

ad ed

ucati

va en

el

funcio

nami

ento

de la

escu

ela y,

partic

ularm

ente,

en

la pl

anific

ación

y us

o de l

os re

curso

s del

centr

o esc

olar.

Fo

rtalec

er la

tran

spar

encia

en el

uso d

e los

re

curso

s púb

licos

.

Lineas Estrategicas

Foca

lizac

ión y

asign

ación

tran

spar

ente

de

recu

rsos s

obre

la ba

se de

aten

der a

las

comu

nidad

es co

n alta

dens

idad p

oblac

ional

infan

to - ju

venil

, tasa

s baja

s de a

sisten

cia

esco

lar, a

ltos n

iveles

de an

alfab

etism

o, ate

ndien

do en

prim

era p

riorid

ad a

los se

ctore

s má

s pob

res.

Fo

rtalec

imien

to de

la pa

rticipa

ción d

e la

comu

nidad

educ

ativa

para

que d

e for

ma

comp

artid

a con

los e

sfuer

zos d

el Go

biern

o se

prior

icen y

atien

dan l

as ne

cesid

ades

loca

les de

se

rvicio

educ

ativo

. Pr

omoc

ión de

la pa

rticipa

ción d

e otra

s ins

titucio

nes p

úblic

as, p

rivad

as, o

rgan

ismos

vo

luntar

ios, e

tc., e

n los

difer

entes

prog

rama

s.

Estab

lecer

un pr

ogra

ma de

desa

rrollo

profe

siona

l y e

valua

ción d

e bue

n des

empe

ño de

los

doce

ntes y

dire

ctore

s de c

entro

s edu

cativ

os.

Rede

finir e

l sist

ema d

e cap

acita

ción y

supe

rvisió

n pa

ra of

rece

r asis

tencia

técn

ica y

desa

rrollo

pr

ofesio

nal s

istem

ático

, flex

ible y

acor

de a

las

nece

sidad

es de

los d

ocen

tes y

centr

os

educ

ativo

s.

Dotar

a lo/

as do

cente

s y es

tudian

tes de

tec

nolog

ía ed

ucati

va pa

ra fo

rtalec

er lo

s pro

ceso

s de

ense

ñanz

a -ap

rend

izaje.

Inc

entiv

ar la

crea

tivida

d y la

prod

ucció

n doc

ente

de m

ateria

les ed

ucati

vos y

prác

ticas

peda

gógic

as

innov

ador

as y

pertin

entes

a las

reali

dade

s loc

ales.

Fo

rtalec

er la

cultu

ra de

evalu

ación

y cre

ar un

sis

tema d

e mejo

ra co

ntinu

a de l

a cali

dad.

Fome

nto de

la au

toesti

ma co

mo ba

se de

l resp

eto

hacia

uno m

ismo,

hacia

los d

emás

, hac

ia la

natur

aleza

, el p

atrim

onio

y las

cosa

s.

Desa

rrollo

de la

imag

inació

n y cr

eativ

idad c

omo

base

para

el de

sarro

llo in

dividu

al y s

ocial

. Pr

omoc

ión de

la re

spon

sabil

idad i

ndivi

dual

y so

cial.

Énfas

is en

el va

lor o

virtud

de la

perse

vera

ncia,

so

bre l

a bas

e del

desa

rrollo

de lo

s dem

ás va

lores

y v

irtude

s com

o la d

eterm

inació

n, la

cons

tancia

, la

resp

onsa

bilida

d, el

orde

n, etc

. De

sarro

llo de

capa

cidad

es hu

mana

s, a t

ravé

s del

fomen

to de

l arte

, la cu

ltura

y el

depo

rte.

Desa

rrollo

de un

prog

rama

soste

nido d

e ca

pacit

ación

de di

recto

res,

maes

tros y

mae

stras

, en

el te

ma de

la fo

rmac

ión de

valor

es.

Sepa

ració

n de l

as de

pend

encia

s nor

mativ

as o

regu

lador

as de

las i

nstan

cias o

pera

tivas

o pr

oduc

toras

de lo

s ser

vicios

educ

ativo

s.

Defin

ición

prec

isa de

las f

uncio

nes y

resu

ltado

s qu

e los

func

ionar

ios, d

irecto

res y

doce

ntes d

ebe

alcan

zar,

basa

dos e

n la v

isión

y mi

sión

institu

ciona

l y en

una g

estió

n por

resu

ltado

s.

Orien

tación

de la

admi

nistra

ción y

de lo

s rec

urso

s hu

mano

s, ma

terial

es y

finan

ciero

s hac

ia los

re

quer

imien

tos y

objet

ivos d

el ce

ntro e

duca

tivo.

Fo

rtalec

er lo

s apo

yos l

ocale

s de l

a com

unida

d ed

ucati

va.

Prom

over

la ev

aluac

ión de

resu

ltado

s con

re

ndici

ón de

cuen

tas en

los d

istint

os ni

veles

ter

ritoria

les.

28

Co

bertu

ra

Calid

ad

Form

ació

n de

Valo

res

Mode

rniza

ción

Inst

itucio

nal

Programas Lo

s pro

gram

as de

cobe

rtura

están

enfoc

ados

a log

rar q

ue to

dos l

os ni

ños,

jóven

es y

adult

os

tenga

n opo

rtunid

ad de

inco

rpor

arse

a los

dif

eren

tes se

rvicio

s que

ofre

ce el

siste

ma

educ

ativo

nacio

nal, a

fin de

mejo

rar s

u nive

l de

esco

larida

d, for

mació

n y/o

capa

citac

ión. L

os

princ

ipales

prog

rama

s de c

ober

tura s

on:

A.

Educ

ación

Inici

al y P

arvu

laria

B.

Ed

ucac

ión A

celer

ada

C.

EDUC

O: E

duca

ción c

on P

artic

ipació

n de

la C

omun

idad

D.

Aulas

Alte

rnati

vas

E.

Escu

ela S

aluda

ble

F.

Aten

ción a

Pob

lación

con

Nece

sidad

es E

duca

tivas

Esp

ecial

es

G.

Educ

ación

de Jó

vene

s y A

dulto

s H.

Pr

ogra

ma de

Bec

as pa

ra E

duca

ción

Media

y Su

perio

r

Los p

rogr

amas

de ca

lidad

están

orien

tadas

a me

jorar

las c

ondic

iones

de en

seña

nza -

ap

rend

izaje,

el us

o del

tiemp

o y la

partic

ipació

n de

los a

gente

s edu

cativ

os, a

fin de

logr

ar

apre

ndiza

jes re

levan

tes en

los n

iños,

niñas

y jóv

enes

. Los

princ

ipales

prog

rama

s de c

alida

d so

n:

A.

Desa

rrollo

profe

siona

l de l

os ed

ucad

ore/a

s B.

Fo

rmac

ión in

icial

de lo

s doc

entes

C.

Si

stema

de in

centi

vos a

l bue

n des

empe

ño

doce

nte

D.

Tecn

ología

s en e

duca

ción p

arvu

laria,

bá

sica y

med

ia

E.

Radio

inter

activ

a F.

Te

leapr

endiz

aje

G.

Centr

os de

Rec

urso

s par

a el A

pren

dizaje

(C

RA)

H.

Infra

estru

ctura

y ma

ntenim

iento

esco

lar

I. Re

forma

de la

educ

ación

med

ia

J. Si

stema

de ed

ucac

ión té

cnica

(med

ia y

supe

rior)

K.

Su

pervi

sión y

evalu

ación

de la

educ

ación

su

perio

r

Los p

rogr

amas

de fo

rmac

ión en

valor

es es

tán

orien

tados

a cre

ar op

ortun

idade

s a lo

s miem

bros

de

la co

munid

ad ed

ucati

va pa

ra cu

ltivar

form

as

de se

r, se

ntir y

actua

r que

nos d

ignific

an co

mo

perso

nas y

como

miem

bros

de un

a com

unida

d. Lo

s prin

cipale

s pro

gram

as de

form

ación

en

valor

es so

n:

A Ed

ucac

ión en

valor

es en

la

escu

ela

B Ed

ucac

ión am

bienta

l C

Educ

ación

con e

nfoqu

e de

géne

ro

D Pr

ogra

mas d

e apo

yo a

la for

mació

n en v

alore

s 1.

Prog

rama

s rec

reati

vos y

certá

mene

s 2.

Educ

ación

física

y de

porte

s 3.

Prog

rama

s pre

venti

vos

4. Pr

ogra

mas i

nnov

ador

es de

form

ación

so

cial

E Fo

rtalec

imien

to de

la se

gurid

ad

esco

lar

1. Pr

even

ción d

e la d

elinc

uenc

ia

2. Ed

ucac

ión vi

al

3. Pr

even

ción d

e des

astre

s F

Desa

rrollo

cultu

ral

1. Es

pacio

s de d

esar

rollo

cultu

ral

2. Pr

omoc

ión y

difus

ión cu

ltura

l 3.

Artes

G

Patrim

onio

cultu

ral

Los p

rogr

amas

de m

oder

nizac

ión in

stituc

ional

están

orien

tados

a uti

lizar

en fo

rma e

fectiv

a las

es

tructu

ras y

recu

rsos d

ispon

ibles

, a fin

de lo

grar

un

a pro

visión

de se

rvicio

s edu

cativ

os en

form

a efi

ciente

y efi

caz a

los n

iños/a

s, jóv

enes

y ad

ultos

qu

e lo r

equie

ren,

desa

rrolla

r la au

tonom

ía de

la

escu

ela y

fomen

tar pe

rman

entem

ente

la pa

rticipa

ción s

ocial

. Los

princ

ipales

prog

rama

s de

son:

A.

Si

stema

de su

pervi

sión

B.

Forta

lecim

iento

de la

admi

nistra

ción y

or

ganiz

ación

esco

lar

C.

Siste

ma de

evalu

ación

e inf

orma

ción

educ

ativa

D.

Mo

dern

izació

n del

regis

tro ac

adém

ico y

acre

ditac

ión de

centr

os ed

ucati

vos

E.

Partic

ipació

n soc

ial en

las p

olític

as

educ

ativa

s

29

Appendix 3: Contacts Name Title Organization

Ms. Flor de María Avalos Coordinación Nacional de Programación y Monitoreo de Proyectos

Ministerio de Educación (Ministry of Education)

Mr. Adalberto Campos

Ministry of Education Ministerio de Educación (Ministry of Education)

Mr. Edgar Jiménez


Ing. Rolando Marín

Ministro de Educación Ministerio de Educación (Ministry of Education)

Mr. Francisco Quintanilla


Mr. Rolando Quintanilla


Mr. Ernesto Richter

Coordinador de Escuela 10 Ministerio de Educación (Ministry of Education)

Ms. Lorena Varela

Escuela 10 Ministerio de Educación (Ministry of Education)

Lic. José Napoleón Zepeda

Coordinador Nacional de Programación y Monitoreo de Proyectos

Ministerio de Educación (Ministry of Education)

Lic. Roberto Murray President, Agrisal Corporacion Constancia

Agrisal Corporacion Constancia

Ms. Andrea de Parker

Asistente Ejecutiva a la Presidencia

Agrisal Corporacion Constancia

Mr. Waldo Humberto Jiménez Gerente Técnico ANEP (Asociación Nacional de la Empresa Privada)

Lic. Jorge Arriaza Meléndez

Director Ejecutivo ASI Asociación Salvadoreña de Industriales

Ms. Daryln Meza

Vice-Presidenta Centro ALFA

Licda. Ana de Cruz Responsable del Proyecto FUNDAEDUCA

Fabril de Aceites, S.A.

Mr. Joaquín Samayoa Director, Investigación y Desarrollo Educactivo

FEPADE

Ms. Ana Marta Najarro Coordinadora FUNDAEDUCA (Fundación Amigos de la Educación)

Mr. Adolfo Salumé

President FUNDAEDUCA (Fundación Amigos de la Educación)

Ms. Rhina Reyes de Fuentes

Directora Ejecutiva FUNDEMAS

Mr. Juan A. Valiente

Presidente Ejecutivo Futurekids

Ms. Kristin Rosekrans Directora del Area de Educación US Agency for International Development (USAID)

31

32

Appendix 4: References and Documents Review

ANEP. “III Encuentro Nacional de la Empresa Privada,” Unidad Empresarial. Vol. 76, Julio-Agosto 2002.

Ferranti, David, et. al., (2003). Closing the Gap in Education and Technology.

Washington, D.C.: World Bank.

FUSADES (2003). Informe de Desarrollo Económico y Social 2003: Competitividad para el Desarrollo. San Salvador: EDICPSA. Grant, Andrew (2003). Scale-Up Strategy for Activities of the Fundación Amigos de la

Educación (FUNDAEDUCA) in El Salvador (Interim Report). Howell, Gareth (2003). Report of Mission. Hume, David. Programa de Apadrinamiento de Centros Escolares en El Salvador: Guía

para la Empresa Privada Instituto Apoyo, and SASE, Nuevas Tendencias en la Contribución al Desarrollo Social

Empresas y ONGD. Lima: Corporación Interamericana de Desarrollo de Base. MINED (2000). Desafíos de la Educación en el Nuevo Milenio: Reforma Educativa en

Marcha (2000-2005). San Salvador: Ministerio de Educación. MINED (2003). Memoria de Labores 2002-2003: Escuelas en Transformación Hacia una

Educación de Calidad. MINED. El Salvador 2000: Logros y Desafíos de la Educación. Reyes, et. al., (2002). Education-Focused Corporate Social Responsibility in El Salvador:

World Bank Technical Assistance Study. Rosekrans, Kristin (2002, Fall). “Educational Opportunity: El Salvador’s Barriers to

Achieving Equality Persist,” In Focus Journal, Vol.1,1. http://www.escotet.org/infocus/2002/rosekrans.htm

Sader, Frank. (2003) Back-to-Office Report: El Salvador – Corporate Social

Responsibility, Trade Competitiveness and Investment Attractiveness. World Bank. CSR Diagnostic and Users Guide for Web, Version 1.2