Results in Education for All Children (REACH): Assessment of the Pilot Year

Abstract

Results-based financing (RBF) has the potential to transform how education systems operate, and the types of results they achieve for children the world over. As a financing instrument, RBF shows much promise for helping clients enroll the 121 million children still out of primary and lower secondary school, and teach the 250 million in school but still unable to read or write. Indeed, RBF has dramatically improved the delivery of health services in over 30 countries to date. Although more nascent in the education sector, RBF programs can foster the right incentive structures in education systems, overcoming challenges that impede additional and better education services for the most excluded children and youth. In 2015, the World Bank Group (WBG) launched REACH, a multi-donor trust fund that strives to support country clients in this space, and accelerate the RBF agenda within the institution. This assessment reflects on lessons learned in 2015, and estimates the demand for future RBF in education. The lessons have been distilled from the early experiences with the 20 REACH-funded grants, as well as from the just-in-time support provided to Bank teams and country clients across the globe (about 20 countries in total). The assessment concludes with recommendations for the continued evolution of REACH.