 ©IIEP - Interview with a group of pupils |
The use and usefulness of school grants
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IIEP and UNICEF launch a new research in Eastern and Southern Africa
In the framework of IIEP research programme on Decentralization policies, IIEP is examining the design and implementation of the school grants policy in Eastern and Southern Africa (see details of the research programme). After a pilot research in Lesotho, IIEP is launching a research project on “Improving school financing: the use and usefulness of school grants” in Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi and Uganda, in collaboration with UNICEF, Ministries of Education and the Centre for Education Policy Development (CEPD).
Launch of studies in early March
A workshop was organized in Entebbe, Uganda, from 7 to 11 March 2011, in collaboration with UNICEF and the Ministry of Education and Sports. Its objectives were to review the research tools, to test them through field visits to schools, and to launch the research in each country.
The workshop brought together the teams of each participating country, composed of representatives of Ministries of Education, researchers from national research institutions, and representatives of UNICEF Country offices. It was a very fruitful event, which led to in-depth discussions on the school grants policy in the participating countries. Participants could also benefit from the experience and expertise on the topic of experts from CEPD and of the senior researcher who conducted the pilot research in Lesotho. About 30 participants attended the workshop.
Six schools were visited in the Entebbe municipality during two days so as to learn preliminary lessons on the implementation of the grants policy in Uganda. This allowed finalizing the set of research tools to be used by the research teams during the research in their respective countries.
Follow-up: study results expected by end of 2011
Field studies will be conducted in a total of 12 primary schools in each country from April to July 2011. IIEP experts will join the research teams in Ethiopia, Kenya and Malawi during their visits to two schools.
Case studies will be drafted on each school. National synthesis and a comparative analysis will be prepared, and discussed during a regional policy seminar to be organized at the end of 2011.
The research is coordinated by IIEP. UNICEF, through its Eastern and Southern African Regional Office, and through several national offices, is offering financial and technical support. The CEPD also participates in the research.
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