Financing Adult Literacy and Education A Continuing Challenge in Asia-Pacific and the Philippines

1. Financing Adult Literacy and Education A Continuing Challenge in Asia-Pacific and the Philippines Rene Raya ASPBAE Policy Group Asia South Pacific Association for Basic and Adult Education Foro Internacional de la Sociedad Civil (FISC) Novermber 28-30, 2009

2. Presentation Outline 1. The Philippine EFA Plan 2015 2. Civil Society Tracking and Costing of Literacy (ASPBAE Initiatives) - In the Philippines - In the Asia Pacific Region 3.The Challenges in Financing 4. Options for Financing Adult Literacy and Education

3. Asia South Pacific Association for Basic and Adult Education About ASPBAE Regional network of organizations and individuals Established in 1964 With 640 members in 30 countries across Asia and the Pacific • Community organizations • National education coalitions • Teachers unions • Grassroots educators • Child rights networks • Women’s organization • Other campaign networks Mission  Build an Asia Pacific movement dedicated to promoting quality education for all and transformative adult education ASPBAE works with and through other NGOs, community organizations, government agencies, universities and int’l partners It is a member of ICAE and GCE

4. Philippine EFA 2015 Plan • Central Goal: • Provide basic competencies to all Filipinos • to achieve Functional Literacy for all. • Four component outcomes to achieve EFA • Universal coverage of youth & adults on basic learning needs; • Universal school participation; • Universal completion of the full cycle of basic education; • Total community commitment to attain EFA.

5. Philippine EFA 2015 Plan • One of the better articulated EFA Plans – A MODEL! • Underscores Functional Literacy as central goal, • Adults as part of key target groups • Inclusive and mindful of existing disparities • Provides a convincing rationale for EFA But… Two critical weaknesses:  Poor Targeting (Who, Where, Why, How Many)  No Financing Strategy (A clear disjoint between policy & financing) Result… EFA Plan on Literacy hardly implemented (Consultant’s Plan”) Education has become the most threatened among MDGs

6. In much of Asia and the Pacific • Similar situations occurred… • Plans may be good and responsive • But, •  No clear targeting •  No financing strategy • And so, EFA gaps remain in many countries of the region In much of Asia and the Pacific Adult Literacy is a Neglected EFA Goal Governments and donors are not putting enough money (fund allocation is usually less than 1% of the education budget)

7. ASPBAE Advocacy Strategy… • The situation calls for urgent action • Literacy is affordable and feasible • And the investment is certainly worth the cost

8. We track and make estimates… Philippines Non-Literate Different levels of Illiteracy Fully Literate • 4.1 M - Totally illiterate • 6.9 M - Functionally illiterate 67% Adult, 25-64 Yrs. MALE FEMALE 57% 43% 34% 66% More Male illiterates than Female Youth 15-24 Yrs. One-third of illiterates are Youth

9. We locate and do mapping… • Philippines EDI Low Literacy Medium Literacy High Literacy Missing data Identify areas with low levels of literacy • 75% of adult illiterates in rural areas • Huge concentration • in poor communities and households • in remote upland and island communities • In disaster prone areas • among Muslim and ethnic minority groups • Among those with disabilities

10. We do Targeting… • Philippines *** NEED to reach out to 3.5 million youth and adult illiterates to meet EFA Target of reducing illiteracy by half.

11. We do Costing… • Philippines *** ASPBAE referred to the GCE/AA Benchmarks; the van Ravens costing model; and developed its own costing methodology. Computing Per Learner Cost Plus Factoring Additional Cost: • 20% for women learners • 10% for rural learners • 3% for senior learners (45 Yrs old Up)

12. Similar tracking and costing initiatives are pursued in the Asia and the Pacific Region

13. Mapping the Adult Illiterates - Where are they? Adult Illiterate Population (Total) Source of Basic Data: UNESCO Institute of Statistics (UIS)

14. Estimating the Magnitude of Illiteracy… Asia Pacific Literacy Situation . Source of Basic Data: GMR 2008

15. Who are they? Profile of the Illiterates… • They are the poorest, living below the poverty line and situated in remote and depressed areas • Two-thirds of them are Women • Least connection with the rest of the world • Tend to be less visible • With limited access to basic public services • They have the least access to skill development facilities and remain unskilled during their life time • They are most vulnerable to natural hazards: flood, cyclone, river erosion • Tend to live and work in unhealthy environment • Morbidity and mortality are highest among them

16. Targeting to Meet EFA Goal 4… 256 Million Adult Illiterates must be reached in Asia Pacific to reduce Illiteracy by half by 2015 205.7 Million Female  49.9 Million Male To Achieve Gender Parity in Literacy

17. Estimating the Cost of Literacy… To Achieve EFA Goal 4 of reducing Illiteracy by Half For the next 5 years, Asia Pacific countries will need to Invest a total of $9.0 Billion annually.

18. Comparing Cost with Education Budgets …

19. Challenges in Financing Adult Education and Literacy • There is a mindset - that there is no more money available for Adult Education and Literacy • That limited resources should be reserved for primary and formal education where the rates of return are much higher • Only token recognition of Literacy as a human right • Lack of information on magnitude of Illiteracy • Poor appreciation of importance of Literacy • Literacy & Adult Education are not popular and emotional issues • Very few champions in government • IT IS DEFINITELY AN UPHILL BATTLE TO MAINSTREAM ADULT LITERACY AND EDUCATION

20. Challenges in Financing Adult Education More Researches Needed Need to mainstream Good Practices Clear messages that appeals to citizens and voters WE need more champions in and outside Governments We need strong Endorsers We need to create a strong demand for Adult Education We need a viable Financing Strategy

21. Options and Strategies for Financing... Maximize available resources • there are over 5% of Education Budgets allocated (and simply wasted) for Adult Education and Literacy • Gender and Development (GAD) budgets for women’s literacy • Include Adult Education component in VocTech Education • Tap local government funds Rationalize existing programs and create synergies - livelihood, health, environment, women’s education and skills development programs Ensure more and better ODA for Adult Education and Literacy Do active and effective Budget Advocacy Explore generating additional resources • Innovative Revenue Watching • Private sector financing (tripartite partnership) • NGO can shift some programs from Formal to Literacy and Adult Education • Church programs Civil society as good practitioners, advocates, lobbyists and integrators/catalyst of existing adult education programs.

22. THANK YOU From ASPBAE