Guidelines for Education Sector Plan Preparation

At the World Education Forum, in Dakar in 2000, the international community pledged that no country with a credible plan to achieve the Education for All goals would be thwarted by a lack of resources. Since then, the development of an education sector plan (ESP) has become a priority in many countries.

ESPs present the policies and strategies for national education reform, and are a powerful tool for coordinating partners and for mobilizing additional domestic and external resources. They have become a critical instrument for governments to signal to all potential investors that their education policies are credible, sustainable, and worthy of investment. The consensus on the need for credible ESPs is strong. However, what does a credible plan require in terms of government leadership, knowledge and data, institutional and human capacities, and dialogue among the education stakeholders? What are the criteria that establish the credibility of a plan? The purpose of these guidelines is to assist countries in preparing credible education sector plans. In certain contexts of vulnerability, conflict, or crisis, countries may also consider the development of a transitional education plan, more short-term and action-oriented, and adjusted to the context and available capacities for situation analysis and data requirements.

These guidelines are not exhaustive. They should be adapted to country contexts and needs. They present an overview of sector analysis, consultative processes, policy reform, strategy development, plan implementation, and monitoring. They do not replace technical manuals on specific tools and methodologies that are used at the various steps of the development of a plan.