The impact of aid on education policy in India

Christopher Colclough,Anuradha De

doi:10.1016/j.ijedudev.2010.03.008

Abstract

Abstract In the early 1990s, large numbers of children in India remained out of school. International commitments to achieve education for all (EFA) globally meant that India was an important case for donors. India was pressed to accept aid for primary education, and agreed with some reluctance. Although subsequent donor involvement was substantial and influenced aspects of both policy implementation and management, it is shown that Indian education policy priorities remained self-determined. The Government of India – though falling short of securing universal education for its children – succeeded in using external resources and expertise in ways which suited its own purposes, whilst minimising external impact on policy development. The politics and economics of this process are discussed.

Highlights

Education, Aid and Development – the shift to basicsDuring the past three decades the importance attributed by governments and international agencies to investment in basic education has changed profoundly
A watershed for such attitudes was the World Conference on Education for All, held at Jomtien, Thailand, in 1990, jointly convened by the World Bank, UNICEF, UNESCO and UNDP. It proposed the attainment of universal primary education (UPE) by 2000, and five additional undertakings on other aspects of access to education and the quality of learning were affirmed (UNESCO 1990)
The global commitments made by developing country governments at Jomtien to achieve the education for all (EFA) targets in their own countries suggested that there would be no shortage of willing recipients of this newly-pledged aid support

Summary

Introduction

During the past three decades the importance attributed by governments and international agencies to investment in basic education has changed profoundly. In the new circumstances the Ministry of Finance pressed the Ministry of Human Resource Development to accept the Bank’s condition and, in 1991, an IDA loan to support basic education was agreed for 5 districts in Uttar Pradesh It took almost two years for the Bank, the GOI and the Government of UP to agree on the project design. It will be recalled that aid as a share of total education expenditure peaked in 2001-2 and subsequently decreased – partly a consequence of the changes to Indian policy in 2003 which reduced the number of agencies, and reflecting a major change in the nature of interactions between donors and the Indian government Many of those bilaterals which, from 2003, were excluded on account of the size of their overall aid programme to India, could hardly be judged small in terms of their aid contribution to education. The DP contribution is helping to focus Government efforts on sustainability issues through a dialogue on planning, financial management and community involvement. (GOI 2006: 8)

Conclusion

Findings

35 Development Partner