Building coalitions & networks

A recent review of our education campaigning work found that ActionAid has played a key role in building or strengthening national networks, coalitions, alliances or campaigns on basic education in at least 15 countries.

These include the Education Network in Nepal, CSACEFA in Nigeria, GNECC in Ghana, Elimu Yetu in Kenya, TEN-MET in Tanzania, FENU in Uganda and the National Education Campaign in Brazil.

Influencing national government
Many of these national networks felt that they had influenced national government to take the Dakar commitments more seriously and to move more quickly to establish the participatory planning processes promised in Dakar, and some felt that their role in this had been decisive. They also mentioned their contribution to informing lower-level government officials of the Dakar goals, and some had increasing access to senior officials of the Ministry of Education.

Part of the policy-making process
Many had gained places in key policy including committees, planning groups and forums. Crucially, networks demanded, and in most cases were given, places for the network in its own right rather than to individual organisations belonging to it. In countries such as Ghana, Tanzania, Uganda, Nigeria, Kenya the Ministry of Education has begun to seek out advice or information from the national networks on specific issues.

Promising signs of influence over policy could already be seen in concrete changes to policy and discourse in diverse areas, which include:

• the increased recognition of the role of parent teacher associations in The Gambia
• partial or comprehensive removal of education charges in Tanzania and Nepal
• inclusive education in Bangladesh, Uganda
• adult literacy in Uganda
• non-formal education in Ethiopia

Continuing with this work
The work of these networks has received a major boost through the Commonwealth Education Fund, which makes substantial funding available and raises the profile of this work.

photo : ©Howard Baker/ ActionAid