This research reflects upon and reviews the global progress of education SWAps (sector-wide approaches) in developing countries since their introduction in the late 1990s. It seeks to provide an update on the effectiveness of SWAps since the Ratcliffe and Macrae (1999) publication, commissioned by the United Kingdom’s DFID entitled: Sector Wide Approaches to Education: A Strategic Analysis. The publication also looks forward to future trends for SWAps. The research analyses the evolution of SWAps and their relationship with (i) aid effectiveness; (ii) planning; (iii) financing; (iv) education outcomes; and (v) fragility.