24. august 2010
Training workshop on FTI and IMF for Nordic Education Coalitions
Nordic Education Coalitions invite their members to a joint 2–day workshop in Copenhagen on advocacy for education in relation to the Education for All – Fast Track Initiative (FTI) and the International Monetary Foundation (IMF).
Aims of the workshop:
• To increase knowledge of members of the networks on relevant policy developments in FTI and in IMF
• To explore possible advocacy actions on national level in each country as well as jointly at Nordic level
Facilitators:
• Lucia Fry, Policy Advisor, Global Campaign for Education (GCE)
• Amy Gray, IFI Education Policy Officer, Global Campaign for Education (GCE)
Background and motivation for holding the workshops:
• The FTI has become a very important mechanism for financing basic education. It has become a forum for exchange of experiences on educational planning and for mobilising much needed funding for education. FTI has been a dynamic set-up since it’s inception in 2002, but has also failed to deliver the expected amounts of funding, and has been a deception in terms of speeding up the process of delivering committed funds. Civil society has been actively following and engaging in dialogue on FITI, and is also represented on the Board of the FTI via Global Campaign for Education.
• The IMFs borrowing policies to developing countries have become a crucial factor in determining the level of national spending on education. The traditional requirements from IMF to a restrictive fiscal policy with a low ceiling on public expenditure are difficult to combine with the needed financing to education. In particular this has affected teachers’ salaries and number of teachers that can be hired. GCE is following and criticising these restrictions imposed by IMF (last year documented this in the report: Education on the Brink, GCE, April 2009).
• Developing advocacy strategies for Education for All (EFA): Advocacy for EFA needs to include efforts to influence these macro economic and international policy trends and developments. The financing of education is restricted and limited among others because of these overall trends. And the effects are felt all the way down to the children in the classroom in terms of poor quality – and felt by those children, who are still without access to education. The aim of these workshops is first of all to increase knowledge of how the institutions are working and their effect on education. Secondly the aim of the workshop is to explore possible advocacy strategies for influencing these processes.
• A joint Nordic Coalitions initiative: In all of the Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden) there are networks/ coalitions/organisations actively engaged in advocacy and campaigning for education in a development context. All of these are linked to the international network Global Campaign for Education, and share some common visions and approaches to education advocacy. This is the first time that we bring these Nordic partners together, and we hope to gain a lot from sharing experiences and information on policies in our respective countries. Furthermore, as our countries often have joint representation and/or coordinated policies in international institutions, we find it relevant also to explore possible joint strategies for advocacy at Nordic level.
Program: Download draft program here
Workshop organisers and contact:
• The Danish NGO Education Network: Eva Iversen, ei@ibis.dk
• Finland Teachers Union: Ritva Semi, ritva.semi@oaj.fi
• Swedish EFA Network: Eva Elmstedt Frisk, eva.elmstedt-frisk@lararforbundet.se
• Union of Education Norway: Kathrine Blyverket, kathrine.blyverket@utdanningsforbundet.no
Background material – for reading in preparation of the workshops:
• Education on the Brink, GCE, April 2009
• EFA FTI Annual Report
The following will be prepared and sent out to participants before the workshop:
• Short presentation of each coalition/network
• Overview over Nordic representation in international institutions relevant to education
Registration for Danish participants:
Deadline for registration is August 9th 2010 – via the web site here below
NB: The workshop is open only to members of the Education Network member organisations (staff, volunteers and members) and their participation is free.
Tid: 24. august 2010 Kl. 00:00 - 25. august 2010 Kl. 00:00
Sted: IBIS, Nørrebrogade 68B, 3.sal, 2200 København N