Education in fragile states: capturing lessons and identifying good practice

Development assistance for the provision of education in fragile states

By: Rose P & Greeley M
Published by: Inter-agency Network for Education in Emergencies (INEE) , 2006

This paper examines how development assistance in these four environments can enhance access to quality basic education for the poor and vulnerable, at the same time improving governance and thereby mitigating the risks of fragility, and increasing the effectiveness of future aid. It introduces the concept of turnaround – how a state’s fragility may be sufficiently reduced to allow sustainable pro-poor growth – as well as the "rights" and "risks" considerations that impact donor decision making and effectiveness. It examines will and capacity in the education sector, explores political economy implications for sequencing and planning, and considers how education can support state-building from the bottom up. The paper also focuses on aid effectiveness in fragile states, where donor coordination instruments may be needed to sustain transitions to post-emergency support in environments still likely to be fragile.