National Policy Setting and Planning

Objectives - Education for All Planning
Currently, UNESCO's main thrust in the field of national educational policies and strategies is to provide a focused support in the development and/or reinforcement of national education sector plans for achivement of Education For All (EFA). Look here for information detailing some methodological and technical aspects for EFA planning.

According to the Dakar Framework for Action, all States should "develop or strengthen existing national plans of action by 2002 at the latest" building on existing national education sector development strategies. These plans should be integrated into a wider poverty reduction and development framework, and should be developed through more transparent and democratic processes, involving stakeholders, especially peoples' representatives, community leaders, parents, learners, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and civil society.

The plans will address problems associated with the chronic under-financing of basic education by establishing budget priorities that reflect a commitment to achieving EFA goals and targets at the earliest possible date, and no later than 2015.

Specifically, each National EFA Plan will have to:

• be developed by government leadership in direct and systematic consultation with national civil society;
• attract co-ordinated support of all development partners;
• specify reforms addressing the six EFA goals;
• establish a sustainable financial framework;
• be time-bound and action-oriented;
• include mid-term performance indicators;
• achieve a synergy of all human development efforts, through its inclusion within the national development planning framework and process.

View the National EFA Action Plans of UNESCO Asia and the Pacific Member States

Since 2002 the focus has moved from national planning to implementation planning at local level in decentralized country contexts. UNESCO Bangkok through the Education Policy and Reform Unit (EPR) provides technical advisory services and national capacity building to Member States in the formulation, implementation and financing of National EFA Plans of Action.

Additional Resources:

EFA Planning Guide for South-East and East Asia 

The Guide is a working instrument designed to provide national EFA teams, government and non-government units, and their technical staff involved in EFA with practical guidance and help preparing national EFA Plans of Action.

Education for All: The Year 2000 Assessment, Technical Guidelines
Published through the auspices of the International Consultative Forum on Education for All (the EFA Forum) in August 1998. The guideline was prepared to assist countries in assessing progress towards the Jomtien EFA goals, identify priorities and strategies, and revise their national plans of action accordingly.