More, but not yet better : an evaluation of USAID"s programs and policies to improve girls" education

Agency for International Development (USAID) efforts to improve basic education for girls. The evaluation drew on field studies in: Guatemala, Guinea, Malawi, Nepal, and Pakistan; a country desk study of Egypt; issue-oriented research on Bolivia and Thailand; and a literature review. Findings indicate that effective strategies for getting girls into schools included increasing the proportion of national investments in primary education, strengthening institutions responsible for primary education, increasing the supply of schools near girls, designing schools to be acceptable places for girls, engaging the community, and addressing such obstacles as threats to girls" security and school costs. Although various USAID-supported programs were successful in improving educational quality, they were not scaled up because of a lack of a common definition of quality and lack of political support and policy frameworks to facilitate improvements. Effective strategies to help girls complete a basic education included changing school and community cultures from selection to inclusion, reducing costs to families, changing cultural perceptions of girls" potential, working with traditional leaders, and developing girl-friendly regulations and schools. Boys clearly and consistently benefited from initiatives aimed at girls" schooling needs. In all countries studied, USAID targeted and benefited not only girls, but also other children vulnerable to exclusion; those in remote rural communities, those from poor families, language minorities, and disenfranchised ethnic groups. Factors that may contribute to sustainability of outcomes are discussed. Appendices include field studies and basic data on Guatemala, Guinea, Malawi, Nepal, and Pakistan, and data on USAID funding for girls" education. (Contains an extensive bibliography, a glossary, and many data tables and figures.) (ERIC abstract)