The impact of sector-wide approaches: where from, where now and where to?
Erika Boak
Susy Ndaruhutse
Susy consults on projects and research with Education Development Trust, having previously worked for the organisation as part of her 20 years’ experience of working collaboratively with low- and middle-income governments, multilateral and bilateral donors, and NGOs on policy, strategy, finance and capacity development initiatives. She strongly believes in drawing from the best available global evidence on what works, but consistently highlights the need to take local political, economic and social contexts into account to not only ensure that education systems are responsive to local needs, but that successful interventions leave a lasting legacy for future generations of young people.
This research reflects upon and reviews the global progress of education sector wide approaches in developing countries since their introduction in the late 1990s
The research is based on an analysis of the global literature, as well as the grey literature on SWAps since they were first launched. The research methodology was composed of (i) a desk review of existing international literature on SWAps, aid effectiveness, education planning, education financing, education outcomes and fragile contexts as well as relevant national, grey literature; and (ii) stakeholder interviews in the form of telephone interviews, written responses to questionnaires or in some cases face-to-face interviews. The informants were made up of experts within the field of SWAps who brought the perspectives of different donors, and independent consultants with national-level experience of implementing SWAps, as well as some non-traditional donors.