Combining direct donor financing and technical assistance to improve primary education in Tanzania

Combiningdirectdonorfinancing andtechnicalassistancetoimprove primaryeducationinTanzania

KayodeSanni,DanielWaistell CIESConference2024

Presentationoutline

PrimaryeducationinTanzania

UKaideducationsectorsupportinTanzania

ChangeinUKaidfinancingapproach

TheShuleBoraprogramdeliverylogic

CombiningTAandpaymentforresults–whatsuccesslookslike

MakingtheTA-PfRcombinationwork

CambridgeEducation

PrimaryeducationinTanzania

Keychallenges

•Weaksectorindicators(watershedmoment2016-5%of 7-year-oldsinStandard2canreadwithcomprehension; PTRof129:1inpre-primary;teacherabsenteeismat43%; childrenwithdisabilities0.05%ofprimaryenrolments)

•Fee-freeprimaryandlowersecondaryeducation introducedin2016(35%enrolmentincreaseinStdIinits firstyear)

•Consequentpressureonsupplyandaffordability–teachershortfallat80,000;30%increaseinno.of classroomsneeded;severeshortagesof infrastructureandtextbooks

•Governmentunabletocovergrowingcostsofprimary educationdespiteinvesting20%ofannualbudget

•Robustinstitutionaloversightofeducationwiththe President’sOffice–Regional&LocalGovernment workingalongsideMOEST(conflict,duplication,top-heavy management)

UKaideducationsectorsupportinTanzania

•ArangeofdonorfinancingsupportavailabletothegovernmentofTanzania

•FocusonsupportprovidedbyUKaid

Bilateralprograms

ShuleBora(QualitySchool),2021-2027,£90m ($114m)

•TechnicalAssistance(managedby CambridgeEducation)£80m($101m)

•Impactevaluationandlearning(managedby DIME)£7m($9m)

•Multi-yearindependentverificationofpayment results(onbehalfofalldonorsinmulti-donor fund)£3m($4m)(managedbyOPM)

Centrallymanagedprograms

GirlsEducationChallenge–global; Tanzania$19m

EdTechHubICTandInnovation; EdTechTanzania$1m

Multilateralprograms

GlobalPartnershipfor Education(GPE)$112m(13% ofGPEglobalbudgetbyUK) (Tanzaniagrantagent–SIDA)

ChangeinUKaidfinancingmodality

•UKaidappliedadirecttechnicalassistance(TA)modalityinfundingtheEducationQualityImprovementProgramme Tanzania(EQUIP-T)from2014-2020

•Apaymentforresult(PfR)modalitywasintroducedinjoiningotherdonors(WB,SIDA,GPEandKOICA)tocreatea multidonorfundundertheEducationProgramforResults(EPforR)from2015–2020

•CommitmenttoEPforRII…butfragmentationindonorcommunity(KOICAdidnotrenewfunding,WBoptedouttosetup $500mstand-alonefacility(BOOST),andUKaiddiscontinueddirectingfinancingofgovernmentandthemultidonor fund)

•EPforRIIlaunchedin2021–phase2multidonorfundwithSIDAandGPEasmaincontributors;UKaidretained commitmenttothemodalitybyfundingTAsupport

•UKaid’sShuleBora(QualitySchool)programmelaunchedin2021todeliverTAassistancealongsidethemultidonor fund(TA+PfR)

•ScopeofShuleBoraTA–improvedoutcomesinlearning,teachingandinclusion(girls,safety,childrenwithdisability)in nineregions+systemstrengtheningandnationalscalingthroughEPforRII–anewwayofworkinginTanzania

Goal (GoT/donors)

TAto9disadvantaged regions (UKaidfunded)

Learning

Sustainedsystem reform

National Regional Local

Teaching

Inclusion/safety (allchildren)

Measurableresults/ testingandscaling

EPforRDLRs

(multidonordirect financing)+TAbyUKaid

Schoolsmeetminimum requirements(focusonlowest quartileLGAs)

Teachercompetenciesand classroomteachingimproved

Systemsandfinancial managementstrengthened

Survivalratesandlearning outcomesinbasiceducation improved

TAsupporttodeliverpaymentlinkedresults

•TAprogramtoimprovecapacityateverystageoftheEPforRchain,and

•Providetesting,adaptationandlearningplatformfornationalscalingthroughEPforR

•Successofcombinedmodalitiesdependentonalignmentofmultiplestakeholders–governmentanddonors

•Anexperimentwithpotentialtodemonstratesystemstrengtheningandimprovedonorcoordination

Agreement

Donorsandgovernment collaborativelyagree DisbursementLinkedResults (DLRs)andIndicators(DLIs)

Delivery

AchievementofDLIsby governmentandverificationof resultsbyindependentagent

Payout

Disbursementoffundsby donorsbasedonDLIpricelist and%ofDLIsachieved

FocusonsystemstrengtheningthroughmixoffoundationalandoutcomeDLIs,annualprogressreview, monitoring,learningandscaling

TAsupporttodeliverpaymentlinkedresults

Whatsuccesswilllooklike

1 1

Trackingsystemperformancebeyondshortterm results;pathwaystoinclusionandlearning outcomesdefinedthroughTAprogram

5

2

Testinginnovationsandadaptingtolocalneedsin 9regionsanddeepunderstandingofsystemic issuesthroughTAprogramdrivesevidencebasedscaling(national)throughEPforRII

3

Ownershipatregional,LGAandcommunitylevel strengthenedthroughrelationshipbuildingofTA program,makingforamoreinclusivesystem

Structural,institutionalandimplementation challengesfacedbyTAprogram,e.g.,civilservice allowancesandworkshopcosts,addressed efficientlythroughEPforRII

6 Implementationsuccessdependson government’sinterestandcapacitytoabsorband applytechnicalimprovements.EPforRII influencesdeploymentofappropriatepersonnelto supportimplementationacrosstheprogram

7

4Reviewsandadjustmentsofpaymentlinked resultsshapedbylessonslearnedinschoolsand LGAs(communicationofevidencethroughTA program)

8

Securingconsensusamongstdonorsand commitmenttojointDLIs,achievingVFM,and rationalisingdemandongovernment’s managementcapacity

Cultureofdatauseandevidence-basedplanning establishedatalllevelsthroughTAprogram enhancescapacityofgovernmentstafftoplan, manageandreportDLIperformance

Shorttermresultsbut…moreisneeded

MakingtheTA-PfRcombinationwork

Somekeyconsiderations

Systeminclusiveness

RegionsandLGAshave differentiatedneeds,priorities, capacityandperformancebaselines. TheTAprogramcanhelptobring thisfrontandcentreoftheEPforRII planning,analysesand disbursementprocesses.

Accountabilityforfunds‘won’

Handingovercontrolofresources throughpaymentsintogovernment financialsystemsempowers governments,buttheriskofnonor lowaccountabilityneedstobe managedviaMOUsandoperational proceduresthataretransparent.

Absorptivecapacityofrecipients

Abalancingactisneededbetween funddisbursementtargets,timelines, andverificationprotocolsofdonors andtheabilityofgovernmentto manage,monitorandreportwithin existingcapacity.TAcanplaya facilitativerole.

Donorcoordination

Individualdonorrequirementsare notalwaysaligned,leadingto fragmentationofTA,multiple verificationprotocols,andastrainon government’sfragilecapacity.Active donorcoordinationviaTAprogram canminimisethis.

Capacitybuilding

Embeddingtechnicaland managementcapacitywithin governmentinstitutionsand workflowsandavoidingcapacity substitutioniskey.Realownership liesbeyondcoordinatingwork logistics.

CatalyticroleofTA

Theeducationlandscapeisfluidand effectiveTArequiresflexibilityand adaptabilitytorespondtoevolving challenges(political,policy, emergency).Thiswillhelptokeep EPforRIIgrounded,relevantand responsive.

Thankyou