Policy Interventions for Fast Tracking the Goal of Universal Basic Education Dr. Arnold Kukari Senior Research Fellow and Program Leader Universal Basic Education Research Program The National Research Institute
What is the Goal of Universal Primary Education? To ensure that by 2015 ALL children have access to free and compulsory primary education of good quality. This means that all nations that made a commitment towards the EFA and MDG should aim to achieve: 100% Access rate 100% Retention rate 100% in student learning outcomes
What are the National Universal Primary Education Targets? MTDS, 2005-2010 Gross Enrolment Rate - 85% Cohort Retention Rate 70% Youth Literacy Rate 70% PNG Vision 2050 Free Universal Basic Education for all schoolaged children from Elementary prep to grade 12 by 2050.
National UPE Targets (cont.) PNG Development Strategic Plan, 2010-2030 Net admission rate 70% Net enrolment rate 100% Cohort retention rate 70% Completion rate 100% Teacher : pupil ratio 1:40
National UPE Targets (cont.) Universal Basic Education Plan, 2010-2019 Net admission rate 100% Gross admission rate 100% Net enrolment rate 100% Gross enrolment rate 96% Cohort retention rate 77.5% Completion rate 100% Qualified teachers 100% Teacher : pupil ratio 1:35
What are the benefits of UPE? The achievement of the goal of UPE is critical to: The achievement of all the other MDG Unlocking the potential of every child and freeing himself or herself from a life of poverty. Ensuring a healthy and literate population. Emancipating and empowering citizens. Alleviating poverty
Country-Specific Strategies Prioritization of UPE as a development agenda. Re-articulation of the concept of UPE. Education reforms Governance and service delivery reforms Financial reforms
How Have We Done? Access Indicator 2007 2008 2009 Gains Net Admission Rate Gross Admission Rate Net Enrolment Rate Gross Enrolment Rate 11.5% 17.7% 25.5% +14% 79.8% 98.8% 115.0% +35.2% 52.9% 60.1% 63.6% +10.7% 71.3% 71.2% 78.0% +6.7%
Male and Female Access Rates 2007 2008 2009 Indicator Male Female Male Female Male Female Net Admission Rate Gross Admission Rate Net Enrolment Rate Gross Enrolment Rate 11.2% 11.9% 17.4% 18.0% 23.3% 24.5% 80.7% 79.0% 99.8% 97.6% 115.8% 114.0% 54.3% 51.4% 62.1% 57.9% 65.7% 61.2% 75.3% 67.2% 75.0% 67.1% 81.9% 73.8%
Contributing Factors to Poor Access Although there were some gains in the national and gender-based access rates from 2007 to 2009, about 500 to 600 thousand children were yet to have access to basic education. This is due to one or a combination of the following factors: Preference given to over aged children in the admission of children to basic education, Schools practising biannual instead of annual intake
Factors Contributing to Poor Access Repetition of classes, Refusal of teachers to employ multi-grade teaching, Non availability of teachers, Lack of parental capacity to pay school fees, Cultural barriers, Poor absorptive capacity, Inadequate education coverage, and Non inclusive education environment
Retention Indicator 2007 2008 2009 Gains Completion Rate 45.3% 53.9% 56.9% +11.6%
Male and Female Retention Rates 2007 2008 2009 Indicator Male Female Male Female Male Female Completion Rate 48.5% 41.8% 50.6% 53.9% 59.0% 54.2%
Factors Contributing to Poor Completion There has been a steady increase in the number of children completing the basic education cycle. This could be attributed to: Payment of school fees of both the boy and girl child owing to increased levels of income, increase in the level of parental education, and heightened level of awareness on the rights of all children to receive an education, Cultivation and fostering of open and conducive environments for learning, and
Factors Contributing to Poor Completion (cont.) Effective interventions into the cultural barriers hindering girls from accessing and completing basic education. Despite these positive gains, many children still do not complete grade 8. This is due to one or more factors given under access.
Quality of Learning Concerns have been raised about the poor quality of learning. These concerns have been validated by the poor performance of grade 8 students in the Certificate of Basic Education Examination. The 2006 Certificate of Basic Education Results show that, except for the written expression exam, the results for numeracy, literacy and general subjects were well below 40%.
Factors Contributing to Poor Quality of Learning Inadequate, non inclusive or poor school infrastructure. Lack of curriculum and reading materials. Poor school organizational climate. Ineffective teaching and implementation of curriculum. Poor school governance. Lack of ongoing teacher professional development. Unqualified teachers ( 68.7% of teachers were qualified to teach in 2009).
What needs to be done to fast track the goal of UBE? Interventions, policies, plans and decisions must be evidence-based. Ensure compliance of official policies. Free and compulsory basic education. Provision of an inclusive basic education. Sustainability of Fee Free Education Policy but must be underpin by the principle of equity. Review and reform Outcomes-Based Curriculum. Monitor the quality of teacher education. Increase support for teacher learning.
Conclusion In order to promote and secure ALL children s right to receive an education, universal basic education must be made free and compulsory.