How do you make sure that the noses of all education stakeholders point in the same direction? In the setting of government matters in Kenya, the answer has been the ‘Kenya Education Sector Support Programme‘ (KESSP). Since July 2005, KESSP has been the sector-wide framework setting out overall objectives and targets. It also guided the development of annual operational plans for government departments and agencies, development and corporate partners, non-governmental and community based organisations, private enterprises and many other actors in the education sector. It has been a crucial factor in Kenya’s path towards attaining the Millennium Development Goals (1) and Education for All (2).
When KESSP I was in its final year (July 2009 – June 2010), the 24 ’Investment Programmes‘ that make up KESSP, started preparing for KESSP II. Drafting a five-year plan does not happen overnight. It requires several rounds of deliberations: assessing progress, deciding on new approaches based on lessons learnt, defining overall goals, setting new targets that are aligned with the overall Government’s ‘Vision 2030’, describing strategies, calculating budgets… Because of the nature of VVOB’s collaboration with the Ministry of Education (MOE), VVOB advisors have been closely involved in this process, led by Senior Ministry Officials.
Our two sub-programmes: ‘ICT Integration in Education’ and ‘Healthy Learning’ aim to strengthen the capacity of MOE staff related to strategic planning and policy development at national level. VVOB staff supported strategic thinking and provided technical input. This happened at many meetings and writing workshops with the MOE colleagues they work with on a daily basis: the ICT Unit, the ICT Integration Team and the School Health Nutrition and Meals Unit. New versions of the so-called ’investment plans‘ generated through these workshops were regularly presented to the Senior Management by the MOE staff. In June 2010, when the overall framework was ready and all the Investment Programmes had prepared good drafts of their plans, representatives of the key stakeholders conducted a harmonisation exercise. During three days, mixed teams of experts from MOE and development partners, including VVOB, studied the various plans and identified overlaps, duplication, gaps, inconsistencies and budget shortfalls… Coordination across the whole sector is crucial, and more so for issues that cut across all education levels such as ICT Integration. The MOE-VVOB ICT Integration programme supports developing ICT (integration) policies and guidelines, setting up an educational portal, building awareness about pedagogical aspects of ICT integration, training and coaching of MOE senior staff and managers on ICT skills and their use for education.
The development of KESSP II has been a great opportunity for us to make a difference, through developing the capacity of MOE staff on strategic planning. KESSP II also is a framework for the sustainability of the MOE-VVOB programme’s outcomes. And we are especially pleased that the School Health, Nutrition and Meals Unit, our partner in Healthy Learning, was commended for its well developed plan!
Lut Laenen,
Programme Manager, VVOB Kenya
(1) The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are eight international development goals that all United Nations member states and some international organisations want to achieve by the year 2015. They include among others eradicating extreme poverty, achieving universal primary education, fighting disease epidemics such as AIDS, and developing a global partnership for development. See: www.un.org/millenniumgoals.
(2) Education for All (EFA) is an international initiative, launched in 1990, to bring the benefits of education to ‘every citizen in every society’. In order to realise this aim, a broad coalition of national governments, civil society groups, and development agencies such as UNESCO and the World Bank committed to achieving six specific education goals. See: www.unesco.org/education.
