What you need to know about capacity development for education
Why does UNESCO consider capacity-building so important?
Since the Education for All movement, an international initiative launched in 1990, national education plans have been supported as the main tool to provide every learner with access to quality education. Yet the dual questions of how these plans can be translated into concrete action and delivered effectively, or how they can lead to better learning outcomes, still remain core issues.
Indeed, for many least developed countries and crisis-affected states, the ‘how’ of providing education for all has remained a challenge to this day.
Ambitious goals for national education systems often buckle under the weight of the capacity challenges facing them, having skipped over the key question of whether a ministry of education, or any other entity charged with education delivery, has the institutional, organizational, and human capacities to carry out its tasks as well as the tools and resources to plan, implement and manage education policies and plans.
Through CapED, UNESCO implements a programme approach tailored to countries with weakened state institutions, building on what exists and striving to ensure effective country leadership in the design, implementation, and monitoring of strategies for reinforcing education, while playing a key role in UNESCO’s own drive to be more responsive to its Member States’ education needs.
How does UNESCO work in this area?
UNESCO calls on its worldwide network of specialized institutes and field offices and works with partners to assist countries as they develop and implement national policies and plans to improve education quality. The Programme’s tried and tested approach builds strong national ownership to drive development processes and draws on a wide variety of in-house technical expertise. The work includes training education officers in policy design, planning and analysis, and teachers, curriculum developers and school principals in the development, adaptation, delivery and monitoring of education content, supporting distance learning and mobilizing funds. The Programme has three priority areas, policy and planning, skills for life and work and teachers with girls, women, and population groups and regions most in need also targeted. It brings local actors, decentralized departments and ministries together and reaches out to the development community to forge partnerships that complement efforts, share knowledge and spread innovative practices.
How does UNESCO work in the three priority areas?
Reinforcing education sector-wide policies, planning and reforms
UNESCO assists countries in mapping, revising and developing policies, strategies and plans for education systems, all with the targets of SDG4 in mind. It works alongside stakeholders to reinforce their capacities to undertake evidence-based education reforms that fit into their national priorities. It supports countries in implementing education management information systems which help them to identify policy and implementation gaps holding back the development of their education systems.
Skills for work and life
CapED's support in this priority area focuses on helping countries develop holistic, evidence-based, inclusive and gender-responsive policies, plans and strategies to promote technical and vocational education and training (TVET), literacy and non-formal education. The work aims to ensure the acquisition of fundamental skills, flexible paths to learning, lifelong learning opportunities as well as foster youth employment and entrepreneurship, in particular, for women, girls and vulnerable groups.
Improving quality through teachers
CapED focuses on comprehensive teacher policies and strengthening teacher training institutions through the development of quality assessment frameworks and improvement plans. It also builds capacities for pre- and in-service teacher training programmes, curricula, teaching and learning materials development, pedagogical supervision for continuing support in the classroom, and the piloting and scaling-up of successful initiatives and teaching practices, with an emphasis on gender-responsive approaches.
How important is capacity-building in times of crises?
The flexibility of the CapED Programme allows UNESCO to quickly adapt to changing environments and priorities in response to emergencies. For example, when COVID-19 struck, the Programme was able to quickly deploy support, expertise and resources where they were most needed including supporting countries to develop radio or television distance education programmes, robust COVID-19 Education Response plans, and training in new pedagogies and ICT skills for teachers to help them adapt to teaching remotely.
How does this programme’s funding function?
The CapED Programme functions with voluntary contributions and pools funds from various donors to benefit the work undertaken with the 20 least developed countries. The funding model allows the Programme to be flexible, adapting to ever-changing needs and priorities. Donors receive an , as well as regular evaluations of the Programme.
How to donate?
The CapED Programme is currently financed by Finland, France, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden. Former donors include Azerbaijan, Denmark, Dubai Cares, Italy and Switzerland.
If you are interested in supporting the CapED Programme, please contact us for more information at caped@unesco.org.