Abstract
This study examined evidence from 33 USAID projects implemented between 1990 and 2005 as the basis for addressing three questions: (1) What interventions have USAID projects employed to strengthen and improve basic education in the developing world? (2) How well have these education projects performed? (3) And, what insight can be gained from these investments that might help shape future USAID funding of education systems? Key findings from the study include: (1) USAID can be proud of some excellent work and documented successes. Projects reviewed in this study contributed to raising education quality, extending access, improving persistence, and strengthening public and private institutions in numerous countries. (2) For the most part, USAID project designs were formulated in terms of education system outcomes (e.g., student achievement, access, persistence, learning) but most project documents available for this review concentrated on the extent project outputs (e.g., number of textbooks printed, number of teachers trained) were delivered. In some respects, this was a reflection of USAID operating practices during the period, as well as the nature of documentation reviewed. (3) A review of anticipated outcomes and targets found unrealistically high levels of initial expectations, which made even reasonable levels of accomplishment appear to be inadequate. Results sometimes were over-promised at the project design stage and modest evaluation findings were sometimes overstated. (4) Findings regarding frequency and magnitude of learning gains and improvements in student flow are consistent with those found in World Bank primary education projects during this same period. Based on USAID and World Bank data, this paper offers estimates of gains in learning and persistence that would be reasonable to use in planning future education projects. Development assistance projects operate in complex political and economic environments, so success of even the best-designed project can never be assured. Results of this study indicate that USAID projects during the 1990s and early 2000s made important contributions to strengthening education systems, extending education access, and increasing student learning. USAID itself was also undergoing almost constant reorganization and reform during this period, which affected systemic continuity and documentation practices. If anything, the results of this review represent a conservative estimate of USAID successes since impacts may have emerged that were not indicated in the documents available for this study. Findings highlight the considerable challenge posed by efforts to influence the operation of national education systems. (Author abstract, modified)