The project
In the fall of 2005, CIDA funded an 8-country desk study to help inform its efforts to support civil society participation in education sector-wide programs. The study was carried out by a research team lead by Professor Karen Mundy - Director of CIDE at OISE/UT - and supported by a smaller team under Professor Richard Maclure at the University of Ottawa. Building on this initial desk research, field-based studies were then conducted in Burkina Faso, Kenya, Mali and Tanzania through the funding of CIDA and the IDRC. In this study, we were interested in providing a baseline assessment of those civil society organizations (CSOs) involved in education sector processes, with a focus on better understanding the nature and extent of CSO activities and capacities in the area of education governance. Consequently, the study offers insight and information which can be usefully applied to the development of specific mechanisms to enhance the participation of CSOs in basic education within the context of the new aid architecture.
Final Report
- Executive Summary
- Field Studies: Burkina Faso, Kenya, Mali and Tanzania
Project Goals
- To provide a baseline assessment of the current capacities of civil society organizations in case countries to engage effectively in governance of the education sector.
- To provide insight into the quality and effectiveness of civil society participation in the planning and implementation of sector-wide reform initiatives that CIDA and its development partners are currently pursuing.
- To propose specific mechanisms to enhance the participation of national civil society organizations in the development and implementation of national education sector plans.
- To investigate possibilities for a longer-term collaborative program of support for Southern civil society organizations interested in joining with Southern and Northern research and policy institutions to become more effective education policy advocates and partners.
In addition, the study aimed to produce a state-of-the-art piece of comparative research that analyzes issues of governance, educational change and the role of civil society organizations across a series of case countries. Cross-case comparison was used to better understand the sources of variation in the character, capacity, and scope for civil society participation in education sector policy and governance activities. It also helped us identify best practices and model initiatives for civil society engagement in the education sector.
For further project information, please see:
IDRC Project Brochure (.pdf)
For further information on related CIDEC projects, please visit: cide.oise.utoronto.ca/global_governance
For further information on the CIDE program and CIDEC activities at OISE/UT, please visit: cide.oise.utoronto.ca