3 What are Norway’s goals?

The main objectives for Norway’s global education effort are to help ensure that:

• all children have the same opportunities to start and complete school;

• all children and young people learn basic skills and are equipped to tackle adult life; and

• as many as possible develop skills that enable them to find gainful employment, and that improve the prospects of economic growth and sustainable development in the broadest sense.

Today, development assistance plays a limited role in middle-income countries, but a larger role in low-income countries. Experience shows that aid alone cannot solve a country’s challenges. It is first and foremost the authorities in the country concerned that have a duty to safeguard the rights of all children and young people in the country. A number of developing countries are increasingly shouldering this responsibility, and economic growth has enabled many developing countries to increase their education budgets in recent years. Nevertheless, many countries still face major challenges in terms of developing comprehensive and sustainable systems of universal education. The particular challenges and needs vary from country to country and from region to region, influenced by underlying factors such as the level of development, the quality of governance and the presence of wars, conflicts, natural disasters, discrimination, etc.

Photo: Ken Opprann

Norway’s strategy is to join forces and agree on common goals, mobilise increased resources and promote coordinated efforts at both global and national levels; we will also seek to strengthen educational systems at country level. The goals are to be achieved in cooperation with a large network of international and national organisations and specialists in the field. Altogether, this is expected to increase effectiveness and to move development trends more rapidly in the right direction.

Norway’s global education effort should not be seen in isolation from other sectors that affect and are affected by education. Norway will continue to provide aid in areas where we are already engaged, and where we are in a good position to play an important role, such as the health and energy sectors. At the same time, we will continue to focus on the key underlying challenge, namely the fight against poverty.

We will ensure that our efforts are sustainable by building capacity and strengthening systems and institutions in recipient countries. Effective taxation systems and tax collection are important. It is also important to ensure that government budgets in these countries give priority to education. Our efforts will be knowledge-based, will provide added value and will support the recipient countries’ own efforts. Aid should be given in such a way that it is not a substitute for the recipient country’s investment in education. Accordingly, the point of departure should always be a sound analysis of the specific conditions and challenges in each country.

We will contribute where there is a willingness to invest in education and where our partnership is wanted. In some countries, Norway may provide technical and financial support for the authorities’ efforts, and thus help to bring about real progress in the education sector. Norwegian efforts will also supplement and support educational efforts by other multilateral and bilateral donors, and we will seek partnerships and cooperation where possible.

In countries where the authorities are shouldering their responsibilities, and there are no special reasons for Norway to enter into direct bilateral cooperation, we will support multilateral efforts. We will also reach out to vulnerable groups in countries in crisis and conflict and to vulnerable states through strategic use of appropriate channels. Norway’s efforts are to have a positive development effect and underpin the positive development that is taking place in a number of developing countries.

A fundamental principle for Norway’s efforts is that primary education is to be free and available to all.

Norway embarks on this effort well aware of the fact that we have not solved all the challenges at home. For example, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has estimated that only 84 % of young people in the OECD countries today will complete upper secondary education. We want to bring our experience into this work, and to humbly acknowledge how difficult working in this field this can be.

The Government will:

• work to increase awareness globally and at country level of the connection between the level of education and economic growth;

• actively promote a global effort to achieve quality education for all in the period up to 2030;

• build alliances and partnerships with developing countries, other donor countries, multilateral organisations, civil society and the private sector; and

• reverse the trend of reducing the share of Norway’s international development budget that is allocated to education. The goal for this Government is to reach the 2005 level once more. Particular priority will be given to education for girls and for vulnerable groups of children, such as children with disabilities and children in crisis and conflict situations.

3.1 Education as a sustainable development goal

Education is one of the Government’s key priorities for the new Sustainable Development Goals. The new goals, which will build on the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), are to come into effect in 2016. The development of these goals is often referred to as the post-2015 agenda.

The MDGs have proved to be one of the most important and successful initiatives in the history of the UN. Since the Millennium Summit in 2000, the MDGs have mobilised global political support, funding and partnerships that have brought about important progress in social and economic development and in the fight against poverty.

The Government is giving high priority to the work on developing a new set of goals and mobilising international financing for sustainable development in the period after 2015. Civil society organisations and the business sector in Norway have been engaged in consultations as part of the process.

Norway is working for a post-2015 agenda that builds on both the Millennium Development Goals and the Education for All goals, while integrating the social, economic and environmental development dimensions, as agreed at the Rio+20 Conference in June 2012. Norway supports the development of a single framework with a limited number of easily communicable development goals.

Education should be given high priority in the new Sustainable Development Goals. There should be a separate goal on education, and the importance of education for attaining other goals should be highlighted.

Norway intends to take a leading role in these efforts and will help to ensure that the post-2015 Sustainable Development Goal on education is based on established international human rights obligations. The gender perspective must be integrated, and particular consideration must be given to marginalised groups. While the MDG on education only covered primary school enrolment, the new goal must cover all levels of education, with a focus on school completion, the quality of education, learning outcomes, education for young people and adults, and the acquisition of the skills needed for gainful employment and to function well in society.

The Government will promote the development of:

• a separate goal on education that is rights-based, has an integrated gender perspective, and takes marginalised groups into particular consideration; and

• targets on free high-quality primary education for all, better quality of teaching and learning outcomes, education for young people and adults, and the acquisition of the skills and knowledge needed to find gainful employment and become a well-functioning member of society.

3.2 Education for those we have not reached

Girls’ education is a question of justice and dignity. It is also the strongest lever for the development of societies and the construction of peace.

Irina Bokova, Director-General of UNESCO

Behind the improved school enrolment rates there are pockets of children who do not have access to education. These children are often discriminated against on several grounds: for example, a poor, disabled girl may also be from a nomadic minority living in a remote province affected by a crisis, with a long way to the nearest village. We will support efforts to identify marginalised groups. We will look into the opportunities for recruiting teachers from different minority groups and increase awareness of the importance of the language of instruction for the quality of learning in general and for children from language minorities in particular. We will draw attention to the needs of the large percentage of children and young people who do not yet have access to education because they live in areas affected by crises or conflicts. Norway intends to be a driving force in the effort to ensure that the goal, adopted by the UN, of ensuring that 4 % of humanitarian funding is allocated to education, is put into practice on the ground – as a minimum.

The various groups of vulnerable children tend to be harder and more expensive to reach than those who normally go to school. Which groups are excluded varies between countries and within countries. It is therefore important that methods and measures are adapted to the local situation.

The Government will:

• implement urgent measures to reach out-of-school children with a view to achieving MDGs 2 and 3.

3.2.1 Girls and gender equality

I raise up my voice – not so I can shout but so that those without a voice can be heard. We cannot succeed when half of us are held back.

Malala Yousafzai

Girls who do not attend school can be hard to reach, but there are many good reasons for promoting education for girls nevertheless, not least because education for girls probably gives the best returns on investment in terms of development. Educating girls has positive spin-off effects in a number of other areas.

Education is essential if women are to take on political and economic positions in society on equal terms with men, and benefit properly from social goods. Educated women are better able to provide for themselves and their families. It has been estimated that for every additional year a girl in a low-income country continues in school, her future income will increase by 10–20 %.1

It is more likely that educated women will send their own children to school. The risk of becoming victim to human trafficking, child labour or sexual exploitation is less for children who attend school. This means that educated mothers, as well as fathers, play a key role in breaking the cycle of poverty. Education creates a positive spiral, and this is something we must contribute to.

If girls in poor areas are to have access to education, we must see these efforts in a broader context. We must take a coherent approach. If a girl’s mother receives proper maternal health care and other basis health services, the girl is more likely to be vaccinated and well nourished, so that she does in fact grow up and is able to learn. Easier access to water would give more girls time to go to school. If sexual and other forms of violence in schools can be stopped, fewer girls will leave school early. Better sanitation facilities will also increase the likelihood of girls attending school. It is important to continue the efforts at primary school level to ensure schooling for girls who continue to be excluded. It is also important to implement measures that enable girls to complete primary school and go on to secondary school, including vocational training. At the same time, we must not overlook the situation for boys when there are particular reasons for giving priority to them. In line with the MDGs, a great deal of effort has gone into increasing access to education for girls in many countries, while less attention has been given to the role schools can play in promoting gender equality. It is important that the gender perspective is included to a greater degree, for example in teacher training and teaching plans.

The Government will:

• seek to ensure that girls start and complete secondary education.

• seek in particular to ensure that girls in sub-Saharan Africa start and complete secondary education. The goal should be gender balance among those who complete secondary education.

• help to develop innovative measures and incentives to encourage parents to send girls to school.

3.2.2 Poor children

Poverty is the root cause of child labour, but tradition and culture are contributory factors. According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), 168 million children are engaged in various forms of child labour. Most of them work in agriculture, but children also work in households, the services sector, and industry. Child labour perpetuates poverty and affects the economy through loss of competitiveness, productivity and income.

Many poor children do not go to school, and it can be difficult to reach them as the cost of taking them out of work is too high, and their rights may be in conflict with cultural and traditional norms. In addition, the need to pay for books, uniforms and transport can be a decisive factor for whether children go to school or not. This shows the importance of taking an integrated approach to poverty, child labour and education. In some parts of the world, such as the Sahel and Somalia, resources are so limited that children’s contribution to family incomes is indispensable. This means that alternative solutions have to be found, so that children can be taught where they are, and at times when they have the opportunity to take part. Drawing up and ensuring compliance with national legislation can be a decisive factor, as has been shown in India in particular.

According to the World Food Programme (WFP), 66 million children in developing countries go to school hungry, and around a third of these are in Africa. A number of studies have shown that when children are hungry or suffer from malnutrition, they are less able to concentrate, and are thus less able to learn. Ensuring that children have enough to eat and are well nourished helps them to learn, and nutrition programmes can provide incentives for parents to send their children to school. If local food is used, this also stimulates local food production. School gardens and kitchens provide opportunities for learning about food production and cooking nutritious meals, which is relevant and useful for the children’s families.

Simple measures can break the vicious circle of hunger, poverty and exploitation of children, and vulnerable children often benefit the most from such measures.

Even in countries where access to education is equal, children from well-off families are more likely to complete primary education than children from poor families. Measures that reduce the barriers to enrolment, reduce the drop-out rate and boost school attendance, such as cash transfers, school gardens and nutrition programmes, bring about substantial benefits for both individuals and society.

The Government will:

• support incentive schemes that make education more accessible for vulnerable groups, including measures relating to school attendance, better learning outcomes, better nutrition and intensified efforts to combat child labour. Priority will be given to low-income countries, fragile states and countries in conflict.

• increase its support for alternative forms of instruction in crisis and conflict situations.

3.2.3 Children with disabilities

Altogether 15 % of the world’s population – more than one billion people – have some form of disability. Unless these people are included in society, and unless steps are taken to ensure that everyone can take part in and contribute to the community and overall development, it will not be possible to achieve key development goals.

Norway ratified the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in June 2013. This convention mainly has implications for the states parties’ domestic policy, but it also sets out that each country is to take measures to realise the objectives of the convention within the framework of international cooperation, for example by including persons with disabilities in international cooperation efforts.

Household surveys are usually the best source of information about access to education for different population groups. However, they do not provide adequate information about children with disabilities, as these children are often hidden away. Another factor that makes the statistics less reliable is the fact that children with disabilities are not always registered at birth.2

Photo: GMB Akash/Panos/Felix Features

Society’s attitudes towards children with disabilities, for example as reflected in national legislation and policy, are decisive for their degree of access to education. In many developing countries, children with disabilities have far less opportunity to attend school than other children. Unfortunately, these children are often overlooked and have no advocates who speak out for them. UNESCO believes that as many as 90 % of children with disabilities do not attend school, and that this group constitutes one third of the total number of out-of-school children. As more children are wounded and maimed in areas affected by conflicts and natural disasters, the proportion of children with disabilities is higher in these areas.

Many children with disabilities are excluded from school in practice due to lack of physical access, for example stairs, narrow doors and unsuitable toilets. Transport to and from school for those who for various reasons cannot get to school on their own presents additional challenges. Such difficulties are further exacerbated in crisis or conflict situations. Inadequate classroom facilities and lack of suitable education materials are other important factors. In some countries, teachers may not have the necessary competence to adapt teaching to the particular needs of disabled children.

It is important to take an integrated approach when seeking to strengthen educational opportunities for children with disabilities. The situation needs to be surveyed, data collected, and plans drawn up to make the public school system accessible for all. Adapted teaching can make it possible for children with various disabilities and learning problems to be included and to complete their schooling.

The Government will:

• include the needs of children with disabilities in its bilateral development cooperation, and be a driving force in ensuring that their needs are also addressed in multilateral and humanitarian efforts in the field of education; and

• help to ensure that the needs of children with disabilities are integrated into national education plans.

3.2.4 Indigenous and minority children

Children from ethnic, religious and cultural minorities often do not attend school or perform badly at school due to discrimination or because the teaching is poorly adapted to their situation and needs. Children from indigenous peoples and other language minorities often experience additional discrimination, as they may not be familiar with the language of instruction. In addition to being taught in their mother tongue, these children also need to be taught in a way that respects their indigenous culture, traditions and knowledge. The recruitment of well qualified teachers from minority groups can help to enhance learning and understanding. With this in view, Norway supports the Maya programme in Guatemala through Save the Children Norway and several projects run by the Rainforest Foundation Norway.

3.3 Education in situations of crisis and conflict

The impact of armed conflict on children is everyone's responsibility. And it must be everyone's concern.

Graça Machel

Children often pay the highest price in situations of war, conflict and natural disaster. Half of the children not attending school today live in areas affected by crises. In many of the world’s poorest countries, armed conflict continues to deprive whole generations of children of the opportunity to get an education. Of the 28.5 million children of primary school age not attending school in conflict-affected countries, 12.6 million live in sub-Saharan Africa, 5.3 million in South and West Asia, and 4 million in Arab countries. Some 2.3 million Syrian children3 do not have access to education in Syria.4 The goal of primary education for all will not be achieved unless these children’s right to education is realised.

Far too many children witness and are victims of violence and destruction. Although it cannot be taken for granted that schools are protected and safe in practice, they can, under the right circumstances, provide a haven in a chaotic and difficult situation. When natural disasters strike, during long-term crises and in the early phases of reconstruction after conflicts or disasters, schools can provide some degree of normality, hope, stability and security. Schools can provide instruction and information that can save lives and protect mental health. Through their education, children and young people also acquire knowledge and skills they will need once the crisis or conflict is over and the work of reconstruction and reconciliation starts. Schools can also be an important arena for identifying those who need psychosocial follow-up. It is therefore vital that normal education is resumed as soon as possible.

When children’s schooling is interrupted, the risk of them not returning to school increases. They are also at greater risk of being recruited to militant groups or prostitution. When large groups of children miss out on education, this will later cause problems for society as a whole and will slow economic growth and development. Particularly when crises are protracted, it is important that children’s and young people’s right to education is respected, protected and realised in order to prevent whole generations missing out on an education.

In some emergencies, international organisations help to establish educational opportunities in areas where no such opportunities previously existed, or help to improve the quality of the educational opportunities already available. Many of the organisations that provide education have a double mandate in that they provide both humanitarian and long-term assistance. However, as is the case in other sectors, it can be difficult to develop sustainable solutions that prevail after the humanitarian organisations have withdrawn.

3.3.1 Disaster risk reduction in the education sector

Many crises develop slowly and could have been prevented with a timely reaction. Acute crises can also be limited by taking a precautionary approach. Disaster risk reduction not only means having a sufficient level of preparedness to be able to respond in the best possible way once a crisis arises; it also involves implementing measures to reduce the negative consequences once a crisis has arisen. The objective of disaster risk reduction in schools is to ensure that pupils, staff and parents can feel safe and secure, that investments in schools are kept up and that education continues in crisis situations. Investments in disaster risk reduction also reduce the needs for humanitarian aid in the wake of a crisis.

Photo: UNICEF Norway

Schools are good arenas for increasing awareness about disaster risk reduction among children, their parents and the local community. Schools can spread information about measures to enhance resilience that can save lives in a crisis situation, as well as disaster risk reduction measures such as environmental and climate change adaptation measures. Schools can foster a collective awareness of safety that has ripple effects throughout the local community and leads to the development of a culture of safety.

An example of the practical importance of such knowledge is the lower secondary school in Kamaichi, Japan, which was hit by the tsunami in March 2011. The older pupils themselves decided that the school needed to be evacuated. They initiated an evacuation, and persuaded the teachers to evacuate to a point higher up the mountainside than the meeting point in the school’s evacuation plans. This may have saved the lives of hundreds of children and adults when the tsunami struck. In areas that have been struck by disasters, high priority is given to knowing what to do and being well prepared. In the wake of the typhoon Haiyan, for example, children in the Philippines have said that one of the most important things for them now is learning how to live with these violent storms. It is important that preparedness is also given high priority before a disaster occurs.

Photo: Jan Speed

Schools are often a natural place for civilians to seek protection in a crisis, but this requires that the school buildings are robust and situated in areas that are not vulnerable to floods, tsunamis or landslides. It is also crucial that the parties to a conflict agree not to attack schools. At the same time, it is important that schools do not continue to function as shelters in the long term, but can rapidly resume educational activities.

The safety of schools should be ensured through cooperation between the country’s education and emergency preparedness authorities. Knowledge about disaster risk reduction and preparedness should be included in teacher training, especially in fragile states. Knowledge about psychological first aid could also be included.

The transition from an emergency to normality can take time. The ability to adapt rapidly to a crisis and then back to normality needs to be strengthened, also in the area of education. It is important that the humanitarian response, and the reconstruction that follows, make both schools and pupils more robust than they were when the crisis arose.

The Government will:

• support international initiatives to ensure that all schools throughout the world are built in accordance with disaster risk reduction standards; and

• support efforts to provide pupils with training in disaster risk reduction and emergency preparedness, and help to ensure that teachers receive training in the basic principles of psychosocial support in crisis situations.

3.3.2 Protection of schools during armed conflict

There is a growing tendency for schools in countries experiencing conflict to be directly affected. In some situations, military groups take over school premises, as we have seen in Syria and Colombia. In other situations, schools are military targets for ideological reasons, as we have seen with girls’ schools in Pakistan. Such attacks are a violation of international humanitarian law and must be monitored, documented and prosecuted. Warring parties must also be urged to follow the Lucens Guidelines for Protecting Schools and Universities from Military Use during Armed Conflict.5 For example, during the civil war in Nepal, the Maoist guerrillas and the government forces agreed to define schools as peace zones, and this agreement was monitored and reported on by representatives from the local communities.

Another challenge relating to schools in conflict situations is the fact that schools are used as an arena for spreading hatred and reinforcing existing tensions. It is vital that schools seek to provide neutral ground before, during and after a conflict. Schools must promote respect for human rights and foster a culture of peaceful coexistence. In areas affected by conflicts or other crises, teaching must be adapted to avoid undermining the development of future governmental and administrative structures.

The Government will:

• seek to ensure humanitarian access and protection in conflict and crisis situations with a view to maintaining continuity of learning and safeguarding schools;

• encourage and support the development of teaching plans that take into account the need to reduce conflict;

• be at the forefront of efforts to ensure that international humanitarian law is respected, and the militarisation of schools and universities and attacks on educational institutions stop; and

• play a leading role in promoting the Lucens Guidelines internationally.

3.3.3 Education during humanitarian crises

In 2012, education accounted for only 1.4 % of the global funding provided in response to humanitarian appeals by the UN and humanitarian organisations.6 The largest humanitarian organisations with an education mandate have set the goal of at least 4 % of humanitarian aid being used for education.

The reasons for this low level of funding are complex. Education is often far down on the list of priorities in humanitarian crises when the immediate provision of food, water and health services is considered paramount in order to save lives. However, humanitarian organisations point to the fact that education can save lives, that it provides vital knowledge and protection, and that it can often be a gateway to other life-saving measures.

Another challenge with regard to financing is that education is not a ‘one-off service’; it is a long-term measure. Humanitarian organisations often establish education services in places that did not previously have such services. Therefore, a decision to provide short-term support for education may well become a long-term financing commitment. This means that it is important to consider long-term solutions, mobilise development partners, and foster closer cooperation with them right from the start of a crisis. It is also important to consider whether transitional or development assistance can be introduced at an earlier stage than is the case today.

A further challenge is the fact that education for refugees is primarily provided by national institutions in the recipient countries. It is important that recipient countries are enabled to provide education services both to the local population and to refugees. In situations where there are huge flows of refugees, there is a need not only for a humanitarian response, but also for flexibility and adaptation of national curricula. The conflict in Syria, for example, shows how the burden on the neighbouring countries can make it necessary to consider the relationship between humanitarian and development efforts in a new light.

Norway is an important contributor to education in humanitarian emergencies, and our funding for education accounted for 3 % of the funding we provided in response to humanitarian appeals in 2013.7 We also provide additional support for education that is not identified as such in the statistics. Almost half of this funding is channelled through civil society organisations, mainly Norwegian humanitarian organisations such as the Norwegian Refugee Council and Save the Children Norway, although a number of other organisations are also involved. In addition, we provide a considerable amount of support through multilateral channels. Norway is one of the largest donors to the education efforts of multilateral humanitarian organisations such as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the UN Central Emergency Response Fund. (CERF).

Norway is one of a handful of countries that include education in their humanitarian policy. In UN forums, Norway highlights the importance of education in situations of crisis and conflict. Further, Norway supports international networks that are addressing these challenges. The Government will use these channels to encourage other donors to follow suit.

The Government will:

• help to ensure that one million more children have access to good-quality education in crisis and conflict situations;

• encourage and support the development of innovative and flexible solutions that give as many children as possible access to education;

• increase the percentage of Norway’s humanitarian assistance that is allocated to education, and increase the percentage of Norway’s development assistance that is allocated to education in the early reconstruction phase;

• increase the use of development funds to help countries that receive large numbers of refugees as a result of humanitarian crises;

• play a leading role in the efforts to reach the UN target of 4 % of humanitarian aid being allocated to education; and

• help to increase knowledge about education in emergencies in national educational systems, in humanitarian organisations and among development actors.

3.4 Learning outcomes

Although many countries have made significant progress in school enrolment since 2000, not enough has been done to ensure that children and young people actually do learn. In many countries, the focus on quantity has had a negative effect on the quality of learning. In some cases, the quality of education is so poor and of so little relevance that it is of little use and leads to few job opportunities.

Children from poor families and vulnerable groups are at particular risk in this context, especially in crisis situations and conflicts.8 The question of the quality of education and learning outcomes is also a question of equal opportunities for vulnerable groups.

Photo: Ken Opprann

A lack of focus on quality and on keeping children in school has led to what is now being called a global learning crisis. In the 85 countries for which we have statistics, more than half the children in 21 countries will not acquire elementary literacy and numeracy skills. Seventeen of these countries are in sub-Saharan Africa; other countries with major challenges are India, Bangladesh and Pakistan.

Ensuring quality education for all is a challenge for all countries, but particularly for poor countries that are struggling to build up sustainable education systems that provide good, effective learning environments. There is no standard solution, as the keys to success vary significantly from one country to another. However, there are certain factors that are essential. First and foremost, adequate financing is needed. This means that education must be given priority in government budgets. Furthermore, national ownership and leadership are crucial in order to bring about the reforms needed to build education systems that give all children and young people equal opportunities to receive a good, relevant education.

It is important to develop national systems to measure and assess the quality of learning and the progress made by pupils. Norway’s efforts to help enhance the quality of education will therefore include support for the development of sound, robust systems for measuring learning outcomes in core subjects. Experience gained from many regions shows that studies comparing learning outcomes in different countries can spur renewed efforts. It is important to build further on the work that is already being carried out, and to consider the extent to which global surveys such as PISA can be adapted for use in low-income countries.

International research shows that, apart from the pupils’ socioeconomic background, the most important factor for learning outcomes is teacher quality. In 2009, John Hattie presented an extensive study of the factors that improve results in schools. It identified a total of 138 factors that affect learning, the most important of which was the contact and interaction between teachers and pupils.9

A lack of qualified teachers is the main reason why many countries are experiencing a learning crisis. In the efforts to achieve education for all, not enough attention has been paid to recruiting enough qualified teachers. UNESCO has estimated that 5.2 million new teachers are needed in the period up to 2015. Nine of the ten countries where this need is greatest are in sub-Saharan Africa. The lack of teachers and relevant teaching materials in these countries has led to low educational quality, and many pupils have dropped out of school as a result.

In many countries, the majority of teachers are women, but in several regions, and particularly in fragile states and remote areas, there is a lack of women teachers. The presence of women teachers is significant for the enrolment of girls in schools and their completion of an education. Data from 30 developing countries show that the recruitment of women teachers has resulted in more girls starting school and better grades for girls, particularly in rural areas.

Infrastructure, such as classrooms and sanitation facilities, is also important to ensure a safe and inclusive school environment. In many countries, this is particularly important for ensuring that girls complete their schooling. A lack of good, relevant teaching material is also a major challenge. In many countries, teaching material is not available in the pupils’ mother tongue, which creates problems in the early learning phase. UNESCO’s report Reading in the mobile era (2014) shows that poor teaching skills, combined with a lack of access to books, constitute the greatest obstacle to teaching children to read. There are strong links between the availability of books and learning to read. Various approaches to improving access to textbooks at reasonable prices are being tried out in the international arena. For example, USAID has launched a ‘100 million book fund’ and is interested in cooperating with Norway on this initiative.

Internet, modern devices such as mobile phones and the social media have changed the world. In areas where there is limited access to textbooks, tablets and mobile phones can give children access to the books they need to learn to read satisfactorily. A study of children who play maths computer games in China and India found that these games improved numeracy skills, particularly among weaker pupils. Rwanda, Kenya and several other countries have made extensive use of new technology to improve the organisation and provision of health and education services. Investments in higher education, research and innovation in developing countries can enable these countries to develop more technology themselves, which can again lead to the development of solutions that are more relevant and user-friendly.

The use of modern technology, such as information technology, could significantly increase learning outcomes. The private sector is already engaged, and could play a greater part, in areas where this offers particular advantages. In some countries, mobile banking services are increasingly being used in the health and education sectors for the transfer of salaries, grants and incentive-based support schemes. This can have a positive impact in the fight against corruption.

It is not easy to build good quality, relevant education systems. There are no standard solutions. Each country needs to develop its own system based on its particular situation and its unique culture and history. Improving the quality of education therefore requires a national effort. The national authorities, civil society, the private sector, teachers’ associations, pupils, parents, multilateral organisations and donors must all be engaged.

It will be up to the national authorities to define what constitutes quality in education. This must largely be considered in the context of the challenges the country is facing in its fight against poverty and its efforts to create sustainable growth and development. National efforts need to take a coherent approach to the whole education sector, including higher education, which is vital for capacity-building in all areas of society. Alongside these efforts to build a more robust and effective education sector, it is also important to strengthen diagnosis and analysis capacity.

The ability to benefit from lifelong learning depends on pupils acquiring good literacy and numeracy skills at an early stage. The Government will therefore give particular priority to efforts to improve the quality of early learning, amongst other things by contributing to the provision of early and well-coordinated childcare and educational opportunities through partners such as UNICEF and various civil society organisations. In this connection, we will also champion a global effort to improve teaching, with focus on developing comprehensive strategies for meeting the need for qualified teachers through recruitment, teacher training, career development, distribution of teachers, incentives to keep teachers in the profession, and sound administration of schools.

Modern technology can provide useful tools for teachers, but at the same time, teachers need to be properly qualified in order to make full use of the opportunities technology offers. In developing good teacher training programmes, it can be worthwhile to think along new lines, particularly with regard to the use of new technology. It is also important to provide training opportunities for teachers who are already working in schools, and particularly to give those who do not have adequate qualifications the chance to improve their skills. At the same time, incentives should be provided to keep qualified teachers in schools, in line with the strategy to improve teacher education outlined in the EFA Global Monitoring Report 2013/14.

A social dialogue that includes the active participation of teachers and teachers’ associations is crucial for developing and implementing effective strategies. In many countries, a lack of dialogue between the authorities and teachers’ associations is an obstacle to efforts to enhance quality in education. There may be complex political processes related to privileges, salaries and status. Both employer and employee organisations in Norway have built up relevant and useful knowledge and experience that can be shared with partner countries.

The Government will:

• take part in the effort to develop robust national systems that can provide good quality education, and in the work to measure and assess progress in basic skills, and support regional and global initiatives to draw up comparative studies of learning outcomes;

• contribute to a major effort to boost teaching skills and the development of incentive schemes to recruit enough teachers where the needs are greatest, with particular focus on the recruitment of women teachers in areas where this is important to increase the attendance of girls.

• establish a platform for exchange of experience and competence-building for teachers, where this is requested, drawing on relevant Norwegian expertise.

• in cooperation with the private sector, Norwegian and international expertise and multilateral organisations, help to promote innovative use of new technology to improve the quality of teaching.

• enter into partnerships with other bilateral donors for testing and improving technological solutions designed to enhance learning, and explore the possibilities of applying innovative solutions for improving access to books and teaching materials.

3.5 Qualifications for the world of work: vocational training, secondary and higher education

Worldwide, today’s generation of young people is the largest in history on a worldwide basis. This generation has talent, energy and new ideas that society should make use of. With the right measures, this generation of young people can be a resource rather than a challenge.

Photo: Bjørnulf Remme

Robust academic and vocational training institutions can boost business development, often in cooperation with the business sector, by providing a qualified workforce, promoting gender equality and developing good managers.

In countries at an early stage of development with a large informal sector, providing basic education to those who are illiterate and enhancing basic skills will produce the greatest socio-economic gains.10 As economic activity increases and the level of development rises, there will be a greater need for higher education and more advanced skills, and such skills will be valued more in the labour market. This will influence the approach Norway takes in its global education efforts.

Middle-income countries are in a better position to shoulder the responsibility for training and education their populations than low-income countries are. Even so, knowledge sharing, technical cooperation and dialogue with and between developing countries are important for finding the best solutions.

Norway will seek to ensure that vocational training and higher education are given greater priority internationally. The aim is to enable developing countries themselves to meet their need for qualified labour and employment for the large generation of young people.

In addition to efforts in low-income countries, Norway will take part in technical dialogue and cooperation with middle-income countries in key areas either through partners or directly in countries where Norwegian companies are operating and/or Norway is already engaged in technical cooperation. Norway will also promote South–South cooperation between countries facing similar challenges.

Norway already provides extensive support for measures to enhance food security through bilateral, regional and multilateral channels. The Government now wishes to integrate food security and nutrition in its global education efforts, with an emphasis on developing closer links between primary education and vocational training on the one hand, and the knowledge and skills needed for agriculture and food production on the other. Training and education in this field is inadequate, and is often given little priority even in developing countries where agriculture is an important sector.

Through our global health efforts, we are seeking to strengthen the training of health workers, who are in short supply in many developing countries. Not only is there unequal distribution of qualified health workers among different parts of the world; there is also a lack of knowledge generation and certified practical experience. Exchanges can be one means of transferring relevant knowledge between countries.

In the energy sector, where Norway is already extensively engaged, there is a great need for competence building in order to increase the share of local content in both provision of services and direct production, from food services to engineers and managers.

3.5.1 Higher education

Investing in higher education is important for health, business development, and primary and secondary education in countries where large numbers of qualified personnel are needed. It will not be possible to improve the quality of primary and secondary education without enough well-qualified teachers and school administrators.

Higher education is also important for innovation and economic development, which in turn makes it possible to increase tax revenues and establish good health and education services. In addition, higher education is crucial for developing robust and effective public institutions, which are a prerequisite for good governance.

Norway supports capacity development in the higher education sector in developing countries through programmes involving cooperation between higher education institutions in Norway and equivalent institutions in the South.

Universities and other higher education and research institutions also receive Norwegian support at bilateral level through our embassies. In 2013, Norway provided NOK 1.38 billion in development aid for educational and research institutions, including NOK 13.6 million via FK Norway.11 This cooperation will continue. In addition, we will intensify our efforts in the field of higher education in designated areas.

The brain drain is a problem for many poor countries and a challenge that we must address in our global education effort. Highly qualified personnel tend to migrate to countries with better social, economic or political conditions. In addition, many students from developing countries stay on in Norway after completing their education in the Norwegian system.

It is not possible to prevent people from seeking work where they choose, but incentives to stay in their own country or in a region greatly in need of qualified personnel can reduce migration without infringing on the right to freedom of movement. Incentives can be in the form of economic or non-economic benefits, such as housing, further education, schooling for children and good working conditions.

Experience shows that education opportunities in third countries, for example at Norwegian educational institutions, should be part of a concrete skills development plan in cooperation with local academic institutions.

The Government will:

• strengthen development cooperation in higher education and research in designated fields that are essential for quality in the education sector;

• intensify efforts to enhance teacher training and vocational training, educational research, innovative solutions and e-learning programmes through NORHED;

• help to further develop higher academic disciplines that are of importance for our efforts to improve energy and natural resource management, global health, and nutrition;

• strengthen programmes for exchanges in the field of education, for example through FK Norway;

• help to further develop methods for distance learning in order to increase the reach of quality instruction and opportunities for further education and training at all levels; and

• help to further develop incentive schemes for preventing brain drain, when possible in cooperation with other OECD countries.

3.5.2 Vocational training

Little importance is attached to vocational training in many countries, and this area tends not to be given priority in international development cooperation, although a number of donors appear to be developing an interest in this field.

In Africa, for example, unemployment is high, businesses are in need of skilled employees. The jobs available at all levels both now and in future will mainly be in the private sector – often in the informal sector.

In many countries, the private sector provides a considerable share of vocational training services. There are many companies that run their own schools or offer apprenticeships. Traditional apprenticeship is by far the most common form of vocational training in the informal sector, particularly in West and Central Africa. If the needs for education services are to be met, it is important to consider alternative ways of running schools.

A number of low-income countries are experiencing rapid economic growth that is driven by investments in the extractive sectors. These sectors are capital and technology intensive, but create few jobs directly. Supplying goods and services from the domestic market to petroleum and mining projects – known as ‘local content’ – can create jobs. Most countries that are rich in natural resources have set, or are in the process of setting, local content requirements. However, complying with these requirements may be difficult due to a lack of skills and capacity in local businesses, as well as poor framework conditions for local business development. Local employees in international companies often find it difficult to move up in the company hierarchy, and as a result, middle-level managers are often brought in from abroad.

It is therefore in the interest of these industries to help improve the qualifications of the local workforce. When local resources can be used instead of bringing in foreign personnel, it is possible to achieve major cost reductions and to increase long-term profitability.

In order to ensure its relevance and quality, vocational training must be planned, developed and provided in cooperation between the education authorities and the private sector in the country concerned, where appropriate with advice from experts in Norway or other countries with good vocational training schemes.

The Norwegian apprenticeship system, which the OECD has commended, seems to work well. Norway also has a scheme for adults who are already in jobs and wish to acquire formal qualifications, which would give them better opportunities for promotion. Norway’s experience can serve as an example, and, in an adapted form, can be helpful for other countries. In low-income countries where there is little cooperation between employer and employee organisations, and the education authorities are still at an early stage of development, it is probably best to start on a small scale and develop cooperation gradually. Our long-term goal will be to help other countries develop robust national schemes, including the development of institutions, rules and incentives that encourage people to take part in apprenticeship schemes. Meanwhile we are already engaged in relevant projects and programmes in developing countries that we can build further on, and not least, we have good partners in this field. This means that vocational training in certain sectors is a field in which Norway can lead the way.

Vocational training for development in cooperation with the Norwegian business sector

The Government sees great potential for development in the interface between education and the business sector, particularly in the field of technical and vocational training. Access to skilled labour is crucial for business development, and young people need to develop the skills necessary for gainful employment. The education sector has an important task to fulfil in this context.

Setting local content requirements means ensuring that investments generate national and local spin-off effects through capital accumulation, local business development, job creation, transfer of knowledge and technology, development of infrastructure, and generation of income and revenue. However, it is not possible to deliver local content without access to skilled labour, and it is therefore important to develop strong links between education systems and industry and the labour market.

Norway is engaged in natural resource management through programmes such as Oil for Development,12 Clean Energy for Development,13 and the International Climate and Forest Initiative. In addition, a number of Norwegian commercial actors are engaged in major projects in developing countries.

Norway’s engagement in this field has brought to light the need for suitably qualified labour. There is also a need for vocational training that qualifies people to work in companies that meet the local content requirements in international operations. Norway is already involved in some vocational training initiatives in connection with our initiatives in the energy sector. The Confederation of Norwegian Business and Industry is using the experience gained from the vocational training scheme in Norway in its cooperation with developing countries, and is thus contributing to efforts to update curricula and adapt them to the needs of the labour market. Otherwise, Norway’s involvement in vocational training in the global arena has been relatively modest.

In order to create jobs, developing countries will need skills and experience acquired through higher education, vocational training and apprenticeships that are relevant for development.

A new Norwegian initiative to promote vocational training in the energy and extractive industries has been developed. It is intended as a supplement to existing programmes for development, and will be based on the need and demand for qualified labour.

This initiative will draw on Norwegian expertise and experience in the fields of higher education, vocational training and apprenticeship schemes that is relevant in a development context. We will join forces with other donors and multilateral organisations where we see that this will enhance our efforts.

The aim is to create synergies between higher education and technical or vocational training and other development efforts by taking an integrated approach. For example, one way of developing the local supply industry is to establish business incubation centres to help local businesses improve their competitiveness. Country-specific structural and social conditions, such as the general conditions for business development, the quality of the education sector, local content policies and the overall quality of institutions must all be taken into account, and must determine the approach taken.

This initiative will also involve strengthening sector-relevant higher education and work experience opportunities under the auspices of the industries concerned. The programme is intended to act as a catalyst, as far as possible in cooperation with existing educational institutions, with a view to strengthening them and promoting sustainability.

Norway will mainly concentrate on areas where vocational training is important for other major Norwegian efforts, such as Clean Energy for Development and Oil for Development. The vocational training for development initiative will supplement other Norwegian efforts and will focus on the same geographical areas.

Support scheme for qualification of local workers

There is a need for jobs in developing countries, and Norwegian companies operating in these countries need qualified workers. The better the qualifications of the local workers that are employed, the greater the local spin-off effects. Therefore, helping to meet the needs of Norwegian companies for skilled labour at all levels of the value chain – from catering to management – through our efforts to strengthen vocational training in poor countries is an important means of promoting local development. This is to be accomplished by means of a scheme under which companies can apply for funding for vocational training initiatives in the broadest sense, including upgrading of existing institutions or establishing new ones. The scheme may also cover various forms of apprenticeship. In order to qualify for support under the scheme, the initiative must have national ownership and the company must share the costs. The scheme is intended to be flexible and to create synergies between the business sector’s need for skills and local development.

This initiative is part of the major international effort to create the jobs that will be needed in the period up to 2030.

The Government will:

• develop a new initiative, called vocational training for development, to enhance the qualifications of local workers. This initiative will be a supplement to other important efforts, such as Oil for Development and Clean Energy for Development, in sectors where Norway has extensive expertise;

• develop an application-based scheme to support vocational training in connection with Norwegian investments in developing countries; and

• strengthen cooperation with multilateral organisations, other donors, and countries in the South on vocational training for specific industries and local content development.

3.5.3 Young people and adults who have not completed school

In addition to the work of strengthening the quality of education in general, the Government will also give priority to efforts to give a new chance to those who have not the opportunity to complete a good-quality education. Primary education for people who are illiterate or have poor basic skills promises high socioeconomic returns and increases the availability of qualified workers.14

It is important to intensify efforts to reduce illiteracy among young people and adults. A particularly large number of women have never learned to read and write. Many of them have had a disrupted education as a result of crises or conflicts.

Inadequate literacy and numeracy skills are an important cause of exclusion. When combined with poverty, this can lead to marginalisation and social disparities, and at worst can result in recruitment to armed groups or prostitution.

We will attach particular importance to sharing knowledge about programmes that are effective. Obvious partners in this context are the UNESCO Institute of Lifelong Learning and various NGOs. It is also important to increase awareness among national authorities and to draw more attention to this group in the public debate in the countries concerned.

Norwegian humanitarian organisations such as the Norwegian Refugee Council and Save the Children run flexible educational projects that enable young people with family or work obligations to make up for schooling they have missed.

Through the World Bank, Norway is supporting capacity-building efforts at country and regional level in sub-Saharan Africa in the field of post-primary education. These efforts target the large numbers of people who have dropped out of or left the school system and focus on the skills needed by the business sector and the informal sector in the region. The aim is to impart basic skills, such as reading and writing, in addition to developing problem-solving, cooperation and communication skills.

UNESCO’s report Reading in the mobile era (2014) explains how mobile technology can be used to reach people with poor reading skills by creating a sustainable portal to education resources.

Measures are needed that enable girls to complete primary school and go on to secondary school, including vocational training. Norway will attach particular importance to helping girls make a successful transition from primary school to secondary school.

The Government will:

• help to ensure that all children and young people have the opportunity to complete relevant, good-quality secondary education;

• promote a stronger focus in the international community’s education efforts on combating illiteracy among adults, particularly women, including the use of technology to develop reading skills; and

• help to ensure that young people who have missed out on schooling as a result of crises or conflicts have a new chance to receive an education on their own terms.