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Report urges World Bank to ensure aid effectiveness for education |
Jun 2010 A report by RESULTS Educational Fund, a GCE USA member, takes a close look at trends in education financing by the World Bank's concessional lending window, the International Development Association (IDA).
The report reveals insufficient allocation of financing to sub-Saharan Africa, which raise concerns that Africa will not be able to achieve the educational gains South Asia made over the past decade. The report found that, in 2009, the poorest countries in sub-Saharan Africa received less than 15 percent of World Bank education financing, despite being home to 32 million – 44 percent – of the world’s 72 million out-of-school children. In contrast to the under-funding of sub-Saharan Africa, just three countries – India, Pakistan and Bangladesh – have received over $4 billion --more than half-- of the World Bank education sector’s $8 billion in lending over the past 10 years.
Making matters worse, the World Bank has reduced the amount of IDA funds for education in a growing number of low-income countries (LICs); this reduction is primarily affecting countries that have been endorsed for funding by the Fast Track Initiative (FTI). This is especially worrisome, as the FTI is a multi-donor effort specifically designed to provide additional financing for Education for All; but the report shows that the aim of additionality is not being achieved, as IDA funds migrate away from LICs, FTI funds are increasingly the only source of education funds for them.
The report concludes with a call to donors to the WB's IDA and the FTI to correct course, including by implementing a "matching funds" approach, tapping each source (FTI and IDA) and pooling resources together in an independent global fund.
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