Education for Change Liberia Programme July 2011 December 2012 A-Phase Document. IBIS in Liberia 13 th May 2011

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1 Education for Change Liberia Programme July 2011 December 2012 A-Phase Document B-Phase Document: January 2013 December 2015 IBIS in Liberia 13 th May 2011 Education for development Education for Change in Liberia Thematic Programme Document A: I

2 Acknowledgements Over the period of one and a half years preparing this proposal, IBIS in Liberia has consulted more than 80 stakeholders from Grand Gedeh, River Gee, Maryland and Monrovia, including both local and central Government. In addition, IBIS colleagues in the West Africa region, Sierra Leone and Ghana as well as Head Office in Copenhagen were extensively consulted and provided shared learning and guidance throughout the process. This proposal has evolved from all the discussions, internal and external exchanges of learning and ideas, guidance and support from the many people who kindly offered their time during the consultations. It should, therefore, reflect a clear outline of what IBIS role is in contributing to strengthening the education sector in Liberia. Special thanks must be given to CONCERN worldwide in Liberia who have collaborated closely with IBIS in Liberia over the last one and a half years, even as far as helping to edit the near final version of this proposal. Also to the Ministry of Education in Liberia, who have held the door open for IBIS in consultations and developments in IBIS work as well as that of the Government. We look forward to a continued close collaboration throughout the period of this proposal. The bulk of this document has been written by IBIS Education Programme Director, Else Ostergaard. So the stage is set for IBIS future education programme in Liberia. Rosalind Hanson-Alp Country Director Liberia 13 th May 2011 Education for Change in Liberia Thematic Programme Document A: II

3 Summary Country and Sector Liberia Education Project title Education for Change (EFC) Liberia Programme Relevance With a large group of children and young people without any education due to the war, many over-aged children in classrooms, few teachers trained and holding certificates, and a weak civil society, the Ministry of Education (MOE) in Liberia faces multiple challenges in ensuring equitable access to quality, relevant education for all. Analysis of the education system in Liberia reveals a need for support in both service delivery and capacity building at school, community, District, County and national levels. This thematic programme will seek to address 3 core challenges, namely: access to education; quality of education; and accountability and governance of the sector. While the need for service delivery cannot be neglected, it must be seen as a means to an end, where experiences and best practice can be used for evidence based advocacy to ensure longterm, sustainable change. As such, this EFC programme will focus on building the capacity of civil society and community based organizations to hold the government to account on delivering equitable, quality, relevant education for all. Development objective Community based organizations, the emerging civil society organizations and government at the local, county and national level in Liberia, each assuming their specific role, ensuring that all poor and vulnerable children, youth and adults assert their right to relevant, empowering and gender-sensitive quality education. Objectives Target groups Main results Specific objectives 1. Access to formal and non-formal education and vocational skills training for children, youth and adults are increased in the programme area Counties in the South-East of Liberia, through piloting innovative models, using these for advocacy, with specific focus on young women/girls. 2. Quality of education is improved in the programme area, with focus on participatory methodologies, subject content, and life skills that support the development of active citizenship, gender-sensitive and contextually relevant approaches. 3. Accountability and governance in the education system at local, County and national level is improved, civil society is strengthened and engagement between communities, civil society and education authorities is enhanced. Ultimate target group: Children and youth in target areas with specific focus on girls and young women. Immediate target group: Teachers; youth groups (especially young women); communities and PTAs; civil society organisations; and education authorities Increased number of young people especially young women and girls access and complete education and participate actively in training Education for Change in Liberia Thematic Programme Document A: III

4 Assumptions and risks Partner organisations Increased options for practical skills training and empowerment of youth to generate income and or to further their education Improved teaching in terms of methodology, content and life skills Improved learning outcomes (all learners female and male) Special preparatory training for female teachers is piloted Teacher Training in Rural Teacher Training Institutes is improved Increased debate and awareness on the quality and relevance of education amongst education authorities at all levels Staff and partners are able to integrate gender-sensitive approaches in educational interventions Empowerment of communities is improved and communities take part in school management to hold the authorities to account Transparency and accountability in school management is promoted by school leadership Increased acceptance among civil society, communities and education authorities of gender equality in education Education authorities at all levels work together to promote accountability and governance in education Collaborative networking within and between civil society and education authorities is enhanced with the view to strengthen civil society partners to better assume their roles and responsibilities Educational authorities at local school, County and national level will assume their responsibility to promote quality education and transparency and accountability in education governance structures. The decentralisation and democratisation process will include empowering teachers and principals, and supporting educational structures. It is assumed that some local Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) or constituency based organizations have capacity to start collaborating implementation of activities. Although the security situation in Liberia is stable, the situation is presently getting more volatile with risks related to the security situation along the border to neighbouring countries, especially Côte d Ivoire with influx of refugees into Liberia. Furthermore, elections will take place in Liberia in October 2011, which could increase tensions and could bring the current stability under pressure. Civil Society organisations e.g. Self-Help Initiative for Sustainable Development (SHIFSD), Opportunity Created to Enhance Children s Hope (OCTECH), Forum for African Women Educationalist (FAWE), Federation of Liberian Youth (FLY). Community based organisations e.g. Parents Teacher Associations (PTA), youth groups and associations, Teachers Union in Liberia. Ministry of Education (MOE) national and local level. Amount applied for ,500, ,303, ,287, ,245, ,179,732 Education for Change in Liberia Thematic Programme Document A: IV

5 Acronyms AAP Africa Against Poverty ACC Anti-Corruption Commission AHS Activity Handling System AIDS Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome ALP Accelerated Learning Programme ANCEFA Africa Network Campaign on Education for All CBO Community Based Organisation CD Country Director CDO County Development Officer CDP County Development Plan CEO County Education Officer CESLY Core Education Skills for Liberian Youth CFSNS Liberia Comprehensive Food Security and Nutrition Survey CMC Centre Management Committee CO Country Office CS Civil Society CSO Civil Society Organisations CSR Country Status Report CWIQ Core Welfare Indicators Questionnaire DDR Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration process DEO District Education Officer EC European Commission EFA Education for All EFC Education for Change EFE Education for Empowerment EinE&R Education in Emergency and Reconstruction EITI Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative EO Education Officer EPD Education Programme Director ESDC Education Sector Development Committee EU European Union FAWE Forum for African Women Educationalists FLY Federation of Liberian Youth FMM Formative Monitoring Mission FTI Fast Track Initiative GBV Gender Based Violence GDP Gross Domestic Product GER Gross Enrolment Rate GLS Global Learning System GoL Government of Liberia GPI Gender Parity Index HIPC Highly Indebted Poor Countries HIV Human Immunodeficiency Virus HO Head Office IMF International Monetary Fund INGO International Non-Governmental Organisations LEITI Liberia Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative LETCOM Liberia Education for All Technical Committee Education for Change in Liberia Thematic Programme Document A: V

6 LPERP Liberian Primary Education Recovery Program LTTP Liberia Teacher Training Project M&E Monitoring and Evaluation MCSS Monrovia Consolidated School System MDG Millennium Development Goals MoE Ministry of Education NFE Non Formal Education NGO Non-Governmental Organisation OCHA Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs OCTECH Opportunity Created To Enhance Children s Hope OD Organisational Development OPS Organisational Performance System OSI Open Society Institute PDP Partnership Development Plan PRA Participatory Rural Appraisal PRS Poverty Reduction Strategy PTA Parent Teacher Association RD Regional Director REFLECT Regenerated Freirean Literacy Through Empowering Community Techniques RO Regional Office RRP III Reintegration and Recovery Programme III RTTI Rural Teacher Training Institute SGBV Sexual Gender Based Violence SHIFSD Self Help Initiative for Sustainable Development TB Tuberculosis TLM Teaching and Learning Materials TP Thematic Programme TPE Thematic Programme Evaluation UN United Nations UN DESA United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs UNDP United Nations Development Programme UNICEF United Nations Children s Fund UNMIL United Nations Mission in Liberia US United States USAID United States Agency for International Development WAEC West African Education Council WHH Welthungerhilfe WHO World Health Organization WIPNET Women in Peace Building Programme YEP Youth Education Pack Education for Change in Liberia Thematic Programme Document A: VI

7 Map of Liberia Education for Change in Liberia Thematic Programme Document A: VII

8 Lessons Learned from IBIS education projects in Liberia Summary of main achievements from project implementation in Liberia since 2005 IBIS has worked in the South-East of Liberia since 2005 and has been a strong partner to the Ministry of Education in the post-conflict phase through upgrading of teachers in Accelerated Learning Programme (ALP) 1, Teacher Upgrading Projects (TUP) and Reintegration & Recovery Programme (RRP) 2 and in training youth in the Youth Education Pack (YEP) 3 project. We have seen positive results in the quality of teaching after teacher training (through supervision and workshops) on subject content and participatory and child centred methodologies. Observation in the classroom shows that teachers are increasingly involving students, both girls and boys, in activities in the classroom, as opposed to blackboard teaching or teaching by rote. Many teachers are also using TLM to demonstrate math and language, thereby improving their teaching in subject content 4. From 2008 the Rural Teacher Training Institutes (RRTI s) have been enrolling participants for 1 year preservice or in-service teacher training to acquire the C-certificate. IBIS has focused on upgrading untrained teachers to pass the C-certificate entrance test 97 teachers out of 273 teachers (36%) in the TUP II ( ) passed the test and started in-service and pre-service training in From the RRP I project ( ) 27 out of 76 (36%) ALP trained teachers passed the test. So far only a few teachers (4) in the ALP project ( ) have passed the test, as almost all teachers wanted to participate in IBIS upgrading workshops before entering RTTI. In 2011, at least 20 teachers (out of 117) will be supported to take the C-certificate entrance test and enrol in the RTTI teacher training. In terms of improving governance and accountability, Student Councils and Parent Teacher Associations (PTAs) have been instrumental. In the current ALP project all 28 schools have active Students Councils capacity building for all students was organised before democratic elections took place. PTAs are considered an important civil society partner in Liberia, which is why significant focus is given to their development in all projects. It is important not to underestimate the work needed to achieve the meaningful activation of all PTAs, as many often only exist on paper and have no real presence in the school or its activities. However, after capacity building and continuous support in the ALP project, IBIS has seen examples of PTAs who are on track to take on their roles and responsibilities and become involved in school management for example, one PTA successfully had a Principal removed because of drunkenness on the job, and another PTA established a new school building with 6 classrooms, in cooperation with the community (the community financed building materials and labour). IBIS is also seeing examples of PTAs becoming organised and coordinating to become a united civil society presence an initiative is currently being raised by the PTAs in Maryland to establish a board for all PTAs in the County, to increase their voice in advocating for improved governance in education. This initiative is very welcome and will be supported by IBIS. In 2009 IBIS established the first YEP centre in close coordination with MOE, local Authorities and communities in River Gee County. 70 trainees were enrolled as Cycle 1 in October 2009 and after 10 months of intensive training, 52 trainees graduated in August 2010 (out of 70 students the completion rate is 74%). In the eighth and ninth months of the training course, trainees were placed in apprenticeships with private businesses. This provided trainees with the opportunity to gain experience and exposure to the working environment. Following the apprenticeships, 7 graduates were employed by some of these companies. Up to 62% of the graduates from Cycle 1 are currently employed either through self-employment in a group, or through individual applications. Although 25% have not found 1 Final Evaluation-Accelerated Learning Programme (ALP), Liberia. IBIS Project in Grand Kru and Maryland Counties May Final Report-Reintegration & Recovery Programme (RRP). 1 November July Welthungerhilfe, IBIS and Medica Mondiale. July IBIS in Liberia Youth Education Pack (YEP) Organisational Performance System (OPS) Reports 2009 & Final Report-IBIS in Liberia: Teacher Upgrading Project (2), River Gee County. October 2010 Education for Change in Liberia Thematic Programme Document A: VIII

9 employment within their vocation they have been able to find a job, and some graduates have moved from one working group to another to optimize their possibilities of work (e.g. from carpentry to masonry). In an area like Fish Town, where unemployment rates are high, the YEP Cycle I has significantly increased employment options for young people in River Gee County. The positive impact in this small town cannot be under-estimated. The YEP Centre is the first of such training centres for young people that has ever been operational in River Gee County, and both the Ministry of Education at local and national levels and authorities in River Gee appreciate this initiative the Assisting Minister of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) participated in both the opening and graduation ceremonies for Cycle 1 trainees; the Minister of Education participated in the opening ceremony for the 70 new trainees of Cycle 2 (October 2010 July 2011); and the Fish Town City Mayor and the Superintendent for River Gee participated in graduation of Cycle 1 trainees and invited them to participate as representatives for the youth to input into the Development Plan for River Gee. Key learning from six years of implementing education activities in Liberia The very rewarding and relevant partnership with the Ministry of Education will now change into a relationship of collaboration, as IBIS more and more will support and strengthen her partners within the emerging civil society. IBIS will still seek to play a role in promoting and supporting the interface between government and civil society in order for them to cooperate, dialogue and negotiate, each assuming their role and responsibilities. Teachers who do not have WAEC would benefit from a pre-certificate training (in close collaboration with the MOE) after which they could take the test to enter the C-Certificate training Special focus needs to be given to upgrading the capacity of female teachers who are not qualified for the C-Certificate programme this fits with the Liberian Government s focus on integrating more female teachers into the education profession Teachers need learner-centred reading and mathematical methodologies in order to address the greatest challenges in education Special focus on supervision of teachers has a significant impact on the success of learning and capacity building Teachers need extensive upgrading in curriculum content and reading skills as many teachers in the South-East are semi-literate Special focus is needed for Girls in Education in order to address inequalities in entrance, retention and completion of girls in education After-school activities should be strengthened and owned by students both club activities, income generating activities and recreational activities Life skills needs a stronger focus in schools focused on citizen roles and responsibilities It is important to focus on community ownership of education and development projects through PTAs and Community Committees Adequate support is needed for County and District Education Officers in order to ensure effective monitoring and development of schools Follow up and support to all YEP graduates need strengthening so more graduates get involved in jobs related to their education. Learning s from the process is compiled in the annexed Development of a Thematic Programme in Liberia Documenting the Process document. Education for Change in Liberia Thematic Programme Document A: IX

10 Index Summary III Acronyms V Map of Liberia VII Lessons Learned from IBIS education projects in Liberia VIII Index X Introduction 1 1. Programme Context Socio-economic and political situation 2 Political context 2 Socio-economic context 3 The Education Sector in Liberia 4 The Education Sector in South-Eastern Liberia Political space and rights 5 Legal and policy framework for education 5 Resourcing within the education sector 5 Table 1. Government of Liberia expenditure on the education sector Stakeholders and power relations 6 Government and State Actors 6 Civil Society 7 International Actors within the Education Sector Cross-cutting issues 9 Gender 9 HIV and AIDS 9 Environment Problem Analysis Rationale for the intervention 10 Challenges and social dynamics that the programme will address 10 a. Access 10 b. Quality 11 c. Accountability and governance 11 Social actors the programme will engage with as partners to hold the MOE accountable as duty bearers: Analysis of IBIS former experience Programme Description Development objective Specific objectives and tentative indicators 13 Specific Objective 1 and indicators of results 13 Specific Objective 2 and indicators of results 13 Specific Objective 3 and indicators of results Target groups 14 Ultimate target group: Children and youth in target areas with specific focus on girls and young women. 14 Immediate target group: Teachers; youth groups (especially young women); communities and PTAs; civil society organisations; and education authorities Geographical scope 14 Table 2. Proposed timeline for exiting and including IBIS County operational areas for the EFC Expected outcomes and impact 14 Specific Objective 1 14 Specific Objective 2 15 Specific Objective IBIS Policy Analysis and Planning Relevance and synergy between the EFC in Liberia and IBIS global strategies Potential for contributing to IBIS work in Denmark Considerations on the EFC in Liberia s potential for fundraising in Denmark Competencies of IBIS within the thematic area 19 Education for Change in Liberia Thematic Programme Document A: X

11 5. Strategies Overall strategy Access to vocational and literacy skills 20 Accelerated Learning Programmes (ALP) 20 Adult literacy, especially for young women 20 Youth Education Pack (YEP) and other vocational skills activities Quality of Education 22 Teacher professional development 22 Quality content and materials in the classroom 23 Life skills and active citizenship Accountability and governance in education Gender Cross-cutting issues Advocacy Partnerships Sustainability Description of proposed activities Tentative TP activities 26 Objective 1 Activities related to access 27 Objective 2 Activities related to quality 27 Objective 3 Activities related to accountability in the education system Short profile of major partners Principles for selecting activities Criteria for inclusion of partners Assumptions and risks 29 Assumptions 29 Risks Learning, Monitoring and Evaluation Programme Management Organisational structure, narrative and financial reporting 31 Liberia Country Structure Partners, stakeholders and coordination Process for Elaboration of Document B 33 June August December 2011 May 2012: 34 June 2012 November 2012: References 35 Annex 1. Thematic Programme personnel functionsand developments and Country meeting structures 36 Meeting Structure and personnel developments 36 Annex 2. Budget 37 Annex 3. Education for Change in Liberia Thematic Programme Log frame 38 Annex 4. Partner descriptions 46 Annex 5. Organogram of the Liberian Ministry of Education 48 Annex 6. Structure of the Education System in Liberia 49 Table 2. Percentage distribution of Students and Teachers in Primary Schools PTRs by County 50 Table 3. Untrained Teachers per County 50 Table 4. Trained Teachers per County 51 Annex 7. Gender perspective from the Ministry of Education Sector Plan 52 Table and Enrolment in Primary Schools and ALP by male and female 52 Annex 8. Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) 53 The rationale 53 Process 53 Education for Change in Liberia Thematic Programme Document A: XI

12 Introduction The development of the Education for Change (EFC) Thematic Programme in Liberia was based upon learning and knowledge accumulated within IBIS, having implemented ALP, YEP and Teacher Upgrading projects in Liberia since 2005, combined with a series of participatory meetings with key stakeholders and potential partners throughout 2009 and 2010 (for more information see document Development of a Thematic Programme in Liberia Documenting the Process). Stakeholder meetings in the South-East of Liberia clearly outlined that youth education, especially skills training, adult literacy training, teacher professional development and community involvement, are essential priorities and shared by all partners local authorities, communities and civil society. Stakeholder meetings at national level in Monrovia confirmed that the priorities in the South East and the objectives of increasing access to education, improving quality of education and strengthening accountability and governance in the education system are all closely aligned with Government of Liberia s priorities, as outlined in the Education sector Plan ( ) and the Education Act (2002). They are also highly relevant to the Liberian context, where a large group of children and young people are without any education due to the war, there are many over-aged children in classrooms, few teachers are trained and holding certificates, and civil society is weak. The current project activities in ALP, YEP and the Reintegration and Recovery Project III (RRP III) focus on access to education for out-of-school children and youth, adult literacy training, teacher upgrading and capacity building, and involvement of Parent Teacher Associations (PTAs). Project activities have so far mainly been implemented by IBIS. With the elaboration of the EFC programme, the approach will change towards strengthening partnerships with local Civil Society Organisations (although it is also clear that partners capacity has to be significantly developed to meet the targets of the thematic programme). The EFC programme period covers five years from June 2011 until May However, the first 18 months are regarded as the inception phase ( ) after which the final Document B will be developed. The A phase will be based on merging the current projects into the programme through establishing working teams and building ownership of programme objectives and outcomes, continuous learning to increase the understanding of the context, identifying best practice, and selecting and developing appropriate partners. In 2011 activities will focus on establishing partnerships, building ownership of the EFC within all programme components, increasing advocacy activities and conducting a baseline study. In 2012, activities will continue to focus on partnership development and planning, and strengthening advocacy activities in collaboration with partners. Education for Change in Liberia Thematic Programme Document A:

13 1. Programme Context Liberia is a small West African country of approximately 111,370 square kilometres, with a population of approximately 3.4 million people, of whom 1.8 million are children under 18 years old and 50.1% are female 5. The country borders Sierra Leone to the west, Guinea to the North, and Côte d Ivoire to the east, with a long coastline to the south. Administratively, Liberia is divided into 3 Regions (North-Central, South-East and South-West) which are made up of 15 Counties (see maps). The capital city, Monrovia, is in the South-Western region of Montserrado County. Liberia is home to 18 indigenous ethnic groups and a people known as the Americo-Liberians a group of former African-American slaves who founded modern Liberia in the 1820s under the auspices of the American Colonization Society (Liberia is one of only two countries in Africa not to have its historical roots in Europe s rush to carve up ownership of the continent). Approximately 40% of the population is Christian, 40% practice traditional African religions and the remaining 20% are Muslim. 6 Liberia is extremely rich in natural resources, which include ample fertile land for agricultural development, mineral wealth, a long coastline, rich rainfall, one of the world s largest rubber plantations, 40% of West Africa s rainforest 7, and the best agro-climatic conditions for oil palms, cocoa and other tree crops. Liberia is still recovering from the devastation caused by a 14-year civil war (between 1989 and 2003), during which almost 10% of the population was killed and almost half were displaced. The conflict caused widespread destruction of basic service infrastructure, left the country s social and governance structures in ruins and civil society almost completely disintegrated. The conflict was particularly destructive for women and children. During Liberia s recent conflict, a huge proportion of female Liberians, both young and old were victims of gender-based violence. A post-war WHO survey reported that 90% of interviewees, irrespective of age, marital status and religion, said they were subjected to one or multiple acts of sexual abuse during the war or subsequently.8 With 86% of the population displaced at least once during the conflict years, thousands of children were left extremely vulnerable to protection abuses, missed out entirely on their education, and survived without basic care and parental support essential for their development. Since the first post-conflict democratic elections in November 2005, where Liberians elected Africa s first female president Ellen Johnson Sirleaf the country has been slowly transitioning from emergency to development. However, although Liberia is now at peace, that peace is fragile, and the people of Liberia still face huge challenges in terms of poverty, high unemployment, and lack of equitable access to quality basic services such as education, water, sanitation, and healthcare. 1.1 Socio-economic and political situation Political context Liberia is a constitutional republic with a democratically elected President. At the end of the conflict in 2003 (with the resignation of President Charles Taylor on 11 August 2003 and the deployment of a 15,000 UNMIL peacekeeping force), a transitional, multi-party government was established, composed of members of the previous Taylor Government and former rebel groups and headed by Chairman Gyude Bryant. The first post-conflict democratic elections in Liberia were held in November 2005, where Liberians elected Africa s first female president Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. Since then, the country has remained stable, moving from an emergency to development state, as is evidenced by the gradual reduction in the UNMIL peacekeeping forces in Liberia, which have reduced from 15,000 troops in 2008 to 8,000 in mid UNMIL and partners also provide significant police operational support, however, Liberia s national security officials are expected to take full operational responsibilities from The next presidential elections are due to be held in Liberia in October 2011, and the current President has stated her intention to run for re-election. These elections are generally deemed to be a political 5 LISGIS (2008) Report of the Liberia Institute of Statistics and Geo-information Services 6 UN Common Country Assessment: Liberia, June 2006, p.4; National Human Development Report: Liberia 2006, p.20 7 Liberia Comprehensive Food and Nutrition Survey (CFNS) UN (2006) Common Country Assessment Liberia 2006 UN Education for Change in Liberia Thematic Programme Document A:

14 stability test, which will determine the future political stability of Liberia 9. As well as this national government structure, traditional governance structures also co exist alongside modern structures. In fact, for the majority of Liberians (particularly in rural areas), traditional authorities represent their primary contact with public authority. The power of the paramount chief is determined by the local social order and cultural beliefs, and the majority implement local by-laws which sit alongside national state laws. Socio-economic context Having achieved middle income status in the 1970s, Liberia is now one of the poorest countries in the world. According to the UNDP Human Development Index of 2010 Liberia ranks 162 out of 169 countries. Growth without development for the majority was a major feature of the socio-economic situation that contributed to the war, and GDP declined by 90% during the conflict period. Liberia has, however, shown gradual economic growth in recent years. The country recorded economic growth rates of 7.5%, 6.9% and 7.9% in the years , respectively. 10 This growth has been helped by reconstruction and substantial donor assistance since the end of the country s civil war, as well as recent private sector investment reforms which have improved Liberia s ranking in the World Bank s Doing Business 2010 report to 149th out of 183 countries (up from 157th out of 181 countries in 2009). The latest report also shows Liberia as the 10th top reformer among African countries. Thanks to Liberia s extremely rich natural resources, the country has competitive advantages in terms of natural resourcebased industries. There are more than 15 companies (many multinational corporations) operating in the extractive industry across the country including one of the world s largest rubber plantations; over 6 oil companies in search of offshore oil; and numerous companies and artisanal miners in timber, diamonds, gold, silver, iron ore. In 2006 the government of Liberia renegotiated its contracts with the Firestone rubber company and the Arcelor Mittal steel company, resulting in significant gains for Liberia in areas ranging from taxes and corporate governance rules to environmental and social issues such as housing and education. To protect Liberia s vast natural resource assets, in July 2009, the President signed into law the Act Establishing the Liberia EITI, obliging all agencies of government and mining, logging and oil companies to comply with all requirements of the LEITI. However, despite this economic progress, poverty levels are still extremely high. More than 64% of the population still lives below the national poverty line. There is continuing widespread poverty, with at least 76% of the population living on less than US$ 1 per day and 52% surviving on less than US$ 0.50 per day. 11 Official unemployment stands at 85% (UN Community Country Assessment, 2006). While investment in Liberia has grown, the country's international debt has also dramatically risen, just two years after reaching the Decision Point for debt cancellation under the Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative. Liberia is also among the seven countries that have been classified by IMF and World Bank in October 2009 as in debt distress 12, i.e. among the poor countries most severely affected by the global financial crisis with the credit crunch and worsened payback and refinancing conditions in its wake. In addition to widespread poverty, access to basic services remains extremely low. At national level, only 58% of Liberians have access to safe water and only 37% have access to improved sanitation facilities. In rural Liberia, only 40% of households have access to improved water sources, and access to sanitation in some rural areas is as low as 19%. Almost half of the population of Liberia is either food insecure or highly vulnerable to food shortages 41% of the population s food intake is below the 9 It is worth mentioning that, at the time of writing, the escalating tensions in Côte d Ivoire represent a threat to the political stability of the region, having a knock-on effect on Liberia s own political security. With many Liberians and Ivoirians sharing ethnic and cultural ties, particularly in the border Counties of Nimba, Grand Gedeh and Maryland, there is a chance that escalating violence could spill over into Liberia. 10 Liberia Agricultural Sector Investment Programme Report, part of Liberia Agricultural Growth, Poverty Reduction and Food Security (Past Performance and Prospected Outcomes) 2009, p UNICEF (2008) Liberia Country Programme Action Plan IMF (2009): The Implications of the Global Financial Crisis for Low-Income Countries - An Update. Washington, D.C. p.33 Education for Change in Liberia Thematic Programme Document A:

15 acceptable level. 13 Chronic malnutrition remains unacceptably high, with 42% of people in Liberia severely or moderately stunted due to malnutrition and 35% of mortality in children under-five related to malnutrition (CFSNS 2010). Access to basic healthcare remains a huge challenge, particularly in rural areas. Liberia s infant mortality rate is 145 per thousand live births (UNDESA 2008) and the maternal mortality ratio stands at 1,200 per 100,000 live births (UNICEF 2008). Life expectancy is just 59 for men and 61 for women (UN 2010). The Education Sector in Liberia Compounding the cycle of poverty in Liberia are low educational attainment and literacy levels, which are hindering people from acquiring the necessary skills to find a path out of poverty. The UNESCO Institute for Statistics estimates an adult literacy level of 55.5%, although according to OCHA, the literacy rate for Liberia is estimated at below 37% - far below the average for Sub-Saharan Africa of 58%. In terms of Primary Education, the war wreaked an untold amount of damage on the education system. According to Consolidated Liberia Education Policy Statement, 80% of schools were destroyed during the war. By the end of the conflict, primary enrolment had decreased to less than 35% for girls and 28% for boys, and 62% of teachers were unqualified and lacking in even the most basic teaching and learning materials. In line with the MDGs and EFA, in 2003 with the end of the war, Liberia introduced a national policy of free and compulsory primary education. However, huge barriers still exist in terms of the most vulnerable accessing quality education in a safe and protective learning environment. In 2008 the net enrolment rate was still just 33% for primary school, indicating that 67% of primary school aged children are out of school 14. At primary level, only 40% of teachers had officially accepted credentials to teach. The concept of free education is also not a reality for the poorest families. An analysis of the 2007 Core Welfare Indicators Questionnaire (CWIQ) data suggests that parents are still spending large amounts of money on fees. The continuation of fee payment is largely due to the fact that private and mission schools account for approximately 30% of enrolment at primary level (as per 2007/08 school census). Also, the reportedly very late payment of government grants in lieu of fees to public and community primary schools also made it necessary for some schools to levy charges on parents to cover costs. Additionally, the range of items that have to be paid for by parents outside of fees (such as uniforms and school materials) brings into question the definition of free education. The Education Sector in South-Eastern Liberia The South-Eastern Counties face even bigger challenges, as an even smaller percentage of teachers in classrooms are trained, and most teachers function on a voluntary basis and are therefore often absent due to the need to work on their own farms to support their livelihoods. Although the average national pupil/teacher ratio (PTR) is as low as 27 to 1, or even lower at 57 to 1 when only trained teachers are considered, it is still a fact that the national average is greatly influenced by the very large numbers of students and teachers in Montserrado County, relative to rural counties. As such, the rural counties experience even more dramatic disparities between PTRs when comparing the ratios with untrained and trained teachers. For example, Grand Gedeh County has a PTR of 23/1, which leaps to 195/1 when only trained teachers are considered. Similarly, in Sinoe County the PTR leaps from 17/1 to 130/1 when only trained teachers are included. This shows the multiple constraints that most rural schools in the South- Eastern counties face (see Annex 6: Tables 2, 3, 4 for statistics for each County). 13 Liberia Comprehensive Food Security and Nutrition Survey (CFSNS) MOE Education Sector Plan page 58 Education for Change in Liberia Thematic Programme Document A:

16 1.2 Political space and rights Legal and policy framework for education The current policy framework for the education sector in Liberia is informed by the Education Act of 2002 (which is currently being revised by the MOE), the Liberian Primary Education Recovery Program 2007 (LPERP), the Education for All National Action Plan , and the recently approved Education Sector Plan Liberia was admitted to the Education for All (EFA) Partnership in 2007, but unfortunately did not qualify for the Fast Track Initiative at the time. However, in recognition of the needs outlined in the Liberian Primary Education Recovery Program 2007 (LPERP), the Partnership established a Pooled Fund to support the Government of Liberia to address these needs. It was agreed that UNICEF, using a grant from the Government of the Netherlands, would provide the funding ($12 million) which was pooled with financing from the Soros Foundations Network ($4.25 million) for a total of US$16.25million. Liberia s Poverty Reduction Strategy (PRS) of 2008 confirmed the Government of Liberia s commitments to education, outlining a plan towards achieving EFA and Millennium Development Goals. The education component of the PRS incorporated the goals of LPERP and built on its achievements. Through these frameworks, the Government of Liberia has since prepared an Education Sector Plan , which was approved in 2010 and at the same time Liberia was approved as qualified for the Fast Track Initiative. The current policy direction of the Ministry of Education (MOE) is set forth in the Education Sector Plan ( ), which includes specific objectives that centre on equal access for all, community involvement, and quality in terms of curriculum, teaching and learning. Safety, and a clean school environment free from violence, especially for girls, is also emphasised as an important objective, as well as HIV/AIDS prevention and awareness, and development of decentralization policy and strategy with built-in transparent accountability mechanisms. Resourcing within the education sector Government spending in the Education Sector has been increasing steadily since the conflict, but still remains low as a total percentage of Government expenditure. Since the 2004/05 financial year, the Government of Liberia (GOL) allocation to education has been steadily growing (please see Table 1 below). Total expenditure for was $23.9 million, the majority of which was to be spent in Primary Education this represents 11.7% of GOL expenditure. However, while the amount has been increasing, the percentage is still far below the FTI benchmark of 20% and that of many other Sub-Saharan countries. The 2008 PEMFAR (Public Expenditure Management and Financial Accountability Review - World Bank) indicates that this percentage is also less than that of other post-conflict countries. Table 1 Government of Liberia expenditure on the education sector US$ millions Total Education Expenditure Current Capital Education expenditure in % of GDP 1.6% 1.5% 2.0% 3.2% Education as a % of total Government expenditure 9.6% 13.5% 9.9% 11.7% Source: EC Support to Education in Liberia: Situation Analysis and Inception Report (Final) (2009) In terms of distribution of government funds this seems to vary from year to year in a seemingly ad hoc manner, as shown in the Country Status Report on Education in Liberia. For the 2007/08 financial year, the percentage of funds allocated exclusively to primary education was just 29%, which is well below the Fast Track Initiative (FTI) benchmark of 50%. The GOL, however, is not the primary source of revenue for the Education Sector in Liberia. In 2009, the Ministry of Finance estimated that in 2010, development partners would spend approximately US$48 Education for Change in Liberia Thematic Programme Document A:

17 million in the education sector, with USAID alone estimated to spend at least $33 million. Donors are therefore spending almost double what the Government is spending in the sector. This gives an indication of the level of influence development partners have in the sector and the challenge the Government has in seeking to provide leadership and coordination in building a sustainable quality education sector in Liberia. Parents and families are also another significant resource feeding in to the sector. The 2009 Country Status Report (CSR) reveals that the total expenditure of parents on the education of their children has been estimated to be greater than total public spending households contribute more funds to the education sector than the Government of Liberia. Household spending on education in Liberia is remarkably high, despite widespread poverty. In fact, while richer households spend more on education in terms of total amount, poorer households spend proportionally higher amounts of overall household expenditure on education, indicating the importance attached to education as a route out of poverty. This suggests that the MOE needs to consider additional interventions at school level to lower the cost of education for parents, especially those in the lowest quintiles, as well as invest significantly higher amounts in the education system to ease this financial burden on the poorest households without compromising on the quality and availability of education. 1.3 Stakeholders and power relations Although the government is ultimately responsible for delivering education services in Liberia, other bodies including international donors, INGOs, national NGOs, and CSOs strongly influence strategies and implementation at both the national and local levels. Government and State Actors Through the 2002 Education Law it is stated that primary education is compulsory and free of charge for all children in Liberia. With the end of the civil war the government has acknowledged its responsibilities and is in cooperation with partners/donors trying to establish a revitalized and efficient education system in Liberia. At the national level, the Ministry of Education, headed by the Minister for Education, is divided into three main departments, each headed by a Deputy Minister. The three departments include: 1) Administration; 2) Instruction; and 3) Planning, Research and Development. Under each Deputy Minister are one or more Assistant Ministers, who head up Bureaus (there are seven Bureaus - five are within the Department of Instruction and one each in the other two departments. For more information, please see the current MOE organogram, attached as Annex 1). As the organogram indicates, within each Bureau there are a myriad of divisions, which partly explains the complexity of the MOE. In line with the government s focus on decentralisation, beyond Monrovia the MOE is also represented at the county and district levels. 15 County Education Offices are headed by 15 County Education Officers (CEOs), who all report to the Deputy Minister of Instruction. Under the CEOs there are 86 District Education Offices headed by a District Education Officer (DEO). The complex structure of the MOE reflects a hierarchical and multi-layered organization. In terms of power relations, it is important to know where a particular Ministry official is positioned within the hierarchy when engaging with them, as this enables a better understanding of the official s influence and decision making power, and enables both organizations to more effectively target who to engage with, depending on the issue at hand. However, not surprisingly, overall decision-making power within the MOE lies primarily with the Minister and the Deputy Ministers. Amongst the three Deputy Ministers, the Deputy Minister in charge of Instruction is potentially the more powerful, based on the fact that he is in charge of all programming within the Ministry, which includes 5 Bureaus, as well as managing the operations of the 15 County Education Offices. One continuing challenge facing the development of the Education Sector (and indeed all sectors) in Liberia is corruption. Many high ranking officials have been found guilty in large scale corruption scandals and removed from office in the past 2 years. Most recently, in November 2010, the President sent all cabinet members, including the Minister of Education, on administrative leave as part of what was perceived as a cleaning house exercise. A few weeks later many of the cabinet members, including the Minister of Education, were reinstated. Corruption occurs at many levels in the Education Education for Change in Liberia Thematic Programme Document A:

18 sector from central to local to school level. For example, salaries are sent from central level through the County level (County Education Office), and the teachers pick up their salary from there. Often they will be asked to some contribution to the transport of the salary to the County or other expenses. Liberia also experiences problems with teacher s names on payrolls, as there are many ghost names and many teachers actually working in the schools are not paid/are working on a voluntary basis. MOE initiated a survey in 2010 to find the actual teachers working in the school. The investigation has not been finalized or made public and no major changed has taken place. Civil Society In Liberia, civil society is a relatively new concept, which emerged during the civil war when state institutions collapsed and the state could no longer meet its responsibilities to its citizens. Most of the population was needy, and many functions normally carried out by government were performed by the civil society sector, with funding from abroad. This continued during the post-war transition period, as external donors funded resettlement of the displaced and training and reintegration of ex-combatants. Civil society grew and took on different roles, monitoring the peace process and human rights situation in the country and contributing to the election of Presently, while external funding to such initiatives is still strong, more is directed towards government and less towards local organisations. This process has proved frustrating for many Civil Society actors, as Liberian civil society has been found to be dynamic, not burdened by cumbersome systems, as is evident in government, and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) have proven to be largely insulated from political manipulations 15. However, as with government, capacity is a serious issue within Civil Society, as a challenge is in finding the necessary skills and expertise within civil society staffing. There is a growing gap between the needs and the capacity of the civil society sector, as key actors migrate from civil society jobs into better paying INGO or government positions. While the skills gap (one of the many legacies of the war and the low level of educational attainment in the general population) causes challenges in every field, it appears to be greater in the CSO sector, which has greater challenges than government, INGOs and the UN with regard to funding for human resources. There is a general agreement among Liberian CSOs that they need capacity-building support in a range of areas from project management to proposal writing, financial management, training and group facilitation, leadership, organisational development, monitoring and evaluation, internet use, conflict resolution, and networking. Funding problems lead to low salaries, poor labour standards, demanding working conditions, and irregular hours. Liberian civil society has an ability to be innovative and work with limited resources, however, the country s poor infrastructure exacerbates funding problems by making implementation expensive, increasing the cost of transport, project inputs and maintaining offices and communications equipment. Assessments of partnership with civil society at the local and national levels have confirmed that there are extremely few existing NGOs and membership based groups that have sufficiently developed visions, competencies, institutions and systems to support education activities, and have earned high enough profiles and credibility as change agents in the field of education. In terms of Civil Society interaction with government, many CSOs long for clearly defined roles and responsibilities between government and civil society and want help engaging government. However, civil society in Liberia is often not proactive in driving the agenda on policy issues, and feel they are only invited to government meetings for information sharing as opposed to mutual decision-making 16. If strengthened (in terms of capacity and relationships with government), Civil Society has the potential to unite communities and indeed the nation, supporting citizens to have a voice and demand their rights from government and other actors. 15 CSML (2010), Civil Society Component Start-up Assessment 16 CSML (2010), Civil Society Component Start-up Assessment Education for Change in Liberia Thematic Programme Document A:

19 International Actors within the Education Sector The largest and most influential donors in the education sector are UNICEF, US-AID, Open Society Institute (OSI), the World Bank and the European Commission (EC). In terms of influence, UNICEF appears to be quite powerful as it has served as the leader of the education sector donors for quite some time. The World Bank is also influential because they supervise the $40 million Fast Track Initiative (FTI) Catalytic Fund for the sector. USAID is by far the largest funder in the sector and thus they too are powerful. Each of the donors support various parts of the education sector, with a large focus on primary education. OSI and UNICEF have jointly funded, through the Pooled Fund, textbooks and teachers guides, construction of new schools, and renovation of Rural Teacher Training Institutes (RTTIs). The EC has focused primarily on the MOE, supporting institutional reform, the development of quality assurance and monitoring systems and improving strategic planning, policy-making and budgeting. The FTI Catalytic Fund, which is implemented by MOE but supervised by the World Bank, covers school construction in rural areas, provision of textbooks and school grants, improvement of MOE monitoring and evaluation and training of CEOs. USAID provides support for teacher training, early grade reading assessments, girls education, and education skills for youth. Efforts at donor coordination within the education sector in Liberia began with the establishment of the UNICEF and OSI Education Pooled Fund.17 UNICEF took the lead in supporting the Government to develop a pooled fund mechanism, which included the Education Sector Development Committee (ESDC) as part its governance.18 The Committee, chaired by the Minister of Education, was a forum for education stakeholders to be informed about education policy decisions and to report on the progress of their relevant projects. Eventually the ESDC grew into the Educational Development Partners Forum, which would convene monthly or quarterly to discuss issues within the sector. The Forum was particularly active during preparation of the 10 year strategic plan for the sector. Unfortunately upon completion of the plan and approval of the catalytic fund, the Forum has met infrequently.19 To improve coordination in the sector, the MOE has recently established an Education Coordination Sector Unit with five staff under the Department of Planning, Research and Development. The unit will seek to harmonize the activities of donors, NGOs and implementing partners within the sector to avoid duplication and improve information dissemination. The Unit has yet to formally commence work, however, the Coordinator, stated that the Unit planned to resuscitate the EDSC by having monthly meetings with education donors and NGOs and holding an annual sector review to monitor progress in implementation of the sector plan. Recognizing the importance of coordination, IBIS and Concern Worldwide have also made efforts to bring the education INGOs together for a monthly meeting, to collectively engage with the MOE on its policy direction. It has been challenging to bring INGO s together as the organisations liaise individually with the MOE. Through constant reminders and persistence, a core group including IBIS, CONCERN and NRC (with focus on Teacher Training and YEP), LIBTRALO (with focus on Multilingual and Mother Tongue education), UNICEF (represented by a Girls Education Consultant) has been established with other organisations like IRC, CESLY and Sightsavers attending sporadically. Through this initiative IBIS and Concern Worldwide are recognized by the MOE and UNICEF as the lead in coordinating INGO Education meetings. 17 The pooled fund was created as a transitional funding instrument for support of the Liberian Primary Education Recovery Program (LPERP). OSI contributed US$5 million and the Government of the Netherlands through UNICEF contributed $12 million. 18 The ESDC included representatives of the MOE, the Education Donors (primarily UNICEF, OSI, World Bank, EC, USAID and UNESCO), implementation partners and some civil society organizations. 19 This is partly because the World Bank and the EU have argued that the Ministry should now take the lead in convening development. OSI, UNICEF and USAID have all stated that while they agree that the Ministry should take the lead in convening donors, there is a need for donors to have their own forum where they meet separately to share information and discuss concerns. Education for Change in Liberia Thematic Programme Document A:

20 1.4 Cross-cutting issues Gender It is obvious that education for all will not be possible without gender equality. The election of President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has meant some significant political changes, but for most Liberian women gender inequality remains a daily reality. Patriarchal dominance is deeply entrenched and it is reinforced by customary law and the widespread cultural practices of early marriage, polygamy, female genital mutilation, and gender based violence 20. Women are more likely to be faced with multiple types of marginalisation, such as poverty, higher levels of illiteracy and lower levels of education. The female literacy rate is more than 20% lower than the male, and the same difference is apparent for school attendance rates. Girls are lagging behind boys in enrolment, retention and completion at all levels of education. As the educational ladder is ascended, the situation worsens (for example, the percentage of female teachers at the senior high school level is just 3%). There are many barriers for female students to enter and remain in the educational system, such as early marriage and high teenage pregnancy, which accounts for 25% 21 of early school leavers. The higher pressure on girls to work inside and outside the home, and look after younger siblings and sick parents, also negatively interacts with the achievement of gender equality in education, and when faced with limited funds for school fees or materials, boys are invariably favoured due to a low expectation of girls limiting their role to the domestic sphere. Within the education system itself, gender equality is yet to be realised, leaving girls vulnerable to exploitation and abuse. For example, a lack of separate latrines for girls acts as a deterrent for many girls in attending school, particularly during menstruation, and this can also leave girls vulnerable to sexual abuse. The shortage of trained and paid teachers and the lack of knowledge of child protection and child rights among teachers and administrative staff increases the likelihood of corporal punishment and other forms of abuse, including GBV and exploitative sex (e.g. sex for grades ). Shockingly, more than half of children in some counties are recorded to be engaged in selling sex. The MOE has developed a National Policy on Girls Education and has even produced and simplified the policy for implementation. However, while this is a positive policy step towards gender equality, the realities of implementation are far from being realised. HIV and AIDS According to official statistics (such as World Bank 2009) the HIV prevalence rate in Liberia stands at 1.7. However, this is generally considered to be an underestimation, with other studies (which use proxy indicators) putting prevalence at 5.7% - a figure which is generally taken as the consensus and is used as an indicator for the Global Fund for TB, Malaria and AIDS, and the National AIDS Control Programme in Liberia. Following the war, Liberia has faced a host of post-conflict challenges that have increased the vulnerability of women and girls to HIV infection, gender-related violence, poverty, population displacement and limited access to education and health services. The social instability, poverty and powerlessness that often accompany social upheaval and displacement also facilitates HIV transmission with weakening of norms regulating sexual behaviour 22. Gender inequality influences the HIV and AIDS situation in Liberia, where women and girls represent 58% of the estimated 36,000 people living with HIV, and HIV prevalence among young women aged are about three times higher than that of young men the same age, largely due to young women s vulnerability to sexual exploitation and abuse, GBV, and transactional sex 23. However, in October 2010, President Sirleaf unveiled a national roadmap for improving the health and well-being of women and girls, with the title Agenda for accelerating 20 UN Economic Commission for Africa (2004) Gender and HIV/AIDS from 21 Women s Commission for Refugee Women and Children (2006) Help Us Help Ourselves, Education in the Conflict to Post-conflict Transition in Liberia. March, 2006: New York, pg Liberia launches national agenda aimed at improving the health of women and girls, retrieved from 23 Liberia launches national agenda aimed at improving the health of women and girls, retrieved from Education for Change in Liberia Thematic Programme Document A: