Comprehensive Evaluation of the Universal Primary Education (UPE) Programme: Effectiveness of the Policy, Legal, Regulatory and Institutional Framework
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Date
2020
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National Planning Authority
Abstract
The 1992 Government White Paper provided for Universal Primary Education as one of the main policy tools for achieving poverty reduction and human development. Since the introduction of UPE in 1997, no comprehensive evaluation of the policy has ever been conducted to take stock of the gains attained, challenges faced, and lessons learnt during implementation of the UPE policy. This policy brief presents the key findings and policy advice arising from the policy, legal, regulatory and institutional framework thematic area of the recently concluded independent comprehensive evaluation of UPE policy undertaken by NPA. Overall, it was found that although there is an elaborate and institutionalized legal, policy, regulatory and institutional framework to support UPE, there is no policy document detailing what UPE is and how it was to be implemented. In addition, there are hardly any statutory instruments issued by the Minister of Education and Sports on UPE as required by the Education Act, 2008. Significant weaknesses were found in the design and or implementation of key policies including; automatic promotion policy, textbook policy, ECD policy, instruction in local language policy, guidelines on school feeding, decentralization of provision of primary education, and one public primary school per parish. It is recommended that comprehensive documentation of UPE policy should be undertaken and the minister should issue a statutory instrument on UPE as required under the Education Act, 2008.