Jee-Peng Tan World Bank

1. Handling the Challenges of Secondary Education in Africa:How Can the NPEF Support the Key Stakeholders? Jee-Peng Tan World Bank Launch Workshop of the Norwegian Post-Primary Education Fund (NPEF), Oslo, Sept 13-14, 2005

2. The Challenges • SEIA is at a crossroads today • Urgent need for a coherent, systemic policy response that is driven by country with support from development partners • Results will be elusive without a shared basis for coordinated action • Vision and policies • Resources, programs and implementation plan and capacity

3. The Key Stakeholders • Countries—the governments at all levels • Ministries—of education, labor, industry, finance, economy • Teachers & education workers • Parents and students and general public • Employers—especially in leading sectors • Civil society—domestic and others • Development partners at central and local levels

4. Lessons from NETF Experience • Define the product niche & partner • Technical support to help countries prepare and implement sound sector policies and programs • Leverage WB capacities to scale up • Articulate the implementation modalities • Generate and disseminate knowledge • Foster dialogue & exchange to create common ground • Enhance capacity of national teams • Keep administrative procedures simple • Clear eligibility criteria • Simple application process, mediated through WB TTLs • Stewardship

5. NETF Results • Started in 1998, disbursed total of $44m • Results in all the three areas of emphasis • Supported countries to develop sector plans • Created sector knowledge assets • Fostered policy dialogue at country and international • NETF Innovations • Integrated package of relevant services • Engagement of key interlocutors • Support for high-risk activities for potentially high-payoff products

6. Examples of Innovative Products • Education Country Status Reports, Sector Reports, and Policy Notes for 23 African countries • Almost all completed with national counterpart team • Many prepared with inputs from the Pole de Dakar team hosted by UNESCO’s Regional Bureau in Dakar, Senegal • Many accompanied by training support • Education Finance Simulation Models in 17 African countries • Constructed to support policy development, program design and budget estimation • Africa Region’s early work on these models laid the analytical foundation for the indicative framework of the Education for All Fast Track Initiative. • Support for EFA FTI endorsement process

7. More Innovative Products • Key Policy Exchange Fora • ADEA-EI-World Bank Bamako Conference on Contractual Teachers • SEIA Conferences • School Management • Tertiary education conference • Regional work • Collaboration with UNAIDS benefiting more than 25 African countries since 2002 • Textbooks and School Construction • Primary school quality • SEIA & TEIA

8. NPEF:Another Success in the Making? • Respect principles of NETF • Support risk-taking and innovation in use of fund • Keep balance in structure of program to deliver an integrated package of services addressing priority needs • Use partnerships to leverage strength of others

9. Thank you!