MINUTES OF THEEDUCATION DPG MEETING

18 MARCH, 2009

In Attendance:

  1. Tanya ZebroffDFIDChair
  2. Anders Frankenberg SIDADeputy Chair
  3. Maria-BejaranoSIDAMember
  4. Corey Huntington CIDAMember
  5. Beatrice Omari CIDAMember
  6. Dan ThakurCIDAMember
  7. Felicity Townsend EC Member
  8. Pantalee Kapichi UNICEFMember
  9. Joseph Vere UNICEFMember
  10. Gertrude KihundrwaDFIDMember
  11. Andrew Mambo WFPMember
  12. Marc BernalUNESCOMember
  13. Criana Connal UNESCO Member
  14. Rest LaswayWBMember
  15. Mary EyakuzeUNESCOSecretariat

The Agenda had 8 items.

  1. The Higher Education Students Loans Board
  2. Minutes and Matters Arising from the February DPG Education meeting
  3. One UN- Joint Programme
  4. Updates on Technical Working Groups {TWGs}.
  5. Review of Status of Current Issues / Documents
  6. Issues to be raised with MOEVT through the TROIKA
  7. Upcoming events –February to end of March
  8. AOB and Next Meeting

Agenda 1.0The Higher Education Students Loans Board.

1.1The Ed. DPG felt a need to have a discussion on the issue with MOEVT, and in order to have an effective dialogue it was important to understand well the nature of the HESLB.

1.2Prof. Issa Omari, from the UDSM, gave a presentation on “Cost Sharing Issues in Higher Education in Tanzania” to update the Ed DPG members on the key issues.{see his presentation attached}

Action Point:

1.3HE document to be shared, and ensure that it is discussed in the different TWGs.

Agenda 2:0 Minutes and Matters Arising from the February DPG Education meeting,

2.1Food for Education {FFE} – CIDA volunteered to provide in-puts to school feeding guidelines document being developed.

2.2The MOU on Water and Sanitation in school will be shared, and UNICEF will provide a report on the progress.

Agenda 3:0 One UN- Joint Programme

3.1This agenda was postponed to next DPG-Education meeting in April, 2009.

Agenda 4:Updates on Technical Working Groups {TWGs}.

4.1The MOEVT had provided a schedule for the TWGs meetings and the chairpersons for each group. However, only the RACEF TWG had met as planned. The meeting raised concern as the process is not moving according to the agreed roadmap.

Action Point:

4.1.1Discuss the ESDC structure at the ESDC Task Force meeting -19 March, and ESDC meeting - 26 March.

4.1.2Each TWG needs to define their roles (revise the TORs for each group) and report against the agreed milestones {2008/09}.

4.1.3DPs to provide the necessary support to sub-sector Directors, who are the chairpersons the TWGs.

4.2Minimum Standards document are to befinalised with incorporation of in-puts from the Ed DPG members so that a consolidated set of comments can be sent to the Ministry. This needs to be done quickly as there is concern about the MOEVT not meeting the deadline for utilizing the funds and being black listed within the UNICEF system.

Action Point:

4.2.1CIDA will compile the in-puts and share the draft with UNICEF and others before sending to MOEVT by Friday, 20 March.

4.2.2The document will then be discussed in the QITWG and follow ESDP structure for endorsement.

4.3An update on ESMIS indicated that training is taking place and the national Technical Team {NTT} is held every month. The challenges include delays in releasing JP funds for ESMIS which affects timely implementation of activities. Additional activities are emerging {e.g. literacy assessment survey, additional support and IT equipment; etc.} requiring further financial support. Currently, there is no clear link between the ESMIS Master Plan and the MOEVT Roadmap; it is important to institutionalize coordinated planning that is guided by ESMIS and M&E.

Action Point:

4.3.1Troika to raise in dialogue with PS and through ESDC

Agenda 5:Review of Status of Current Issues / Documents

5.1The Education Chapter in the PHDR 2009 has been completed.

5.2Inclusive Education. The first draft of document on Inclusive Education Strategy is being compiled by UNICEF and includes all commentsfrom DPs, which was agreed to be sent to the MOEVT by 20 March, 2009.

Agenda 6: Issues to be raised with MOEVT through the TROIKA.

6.1The new DOL categories

6.1.1The JAST has been redefined in relation to the Division of Labour {DOL}. They are categorized in three groups “aiming at working more effectively and efficiently together in an inclusive environment”.

6.1.2The categories are:

a)Lead Partner - Leads all development partners {DPs} in a sector or thematic area, and is the focal point in the dialogue between Government and DPs.

b)Active Partner - Provides financial or technical to the sector, engages into policy and technical dialogue, and is ready to take over a lead role.

c)Contributing Partner - Contributes financially to the sector or thematic area, but does not engage in direct policy and technical dialogue with the Government on sector issues without prior consultation with the sector DPG. Such partners can also bepartners consideringphasing out or phasing in.

Action Points

6.1.2.1Members were advised to discuss their category positions in the education sector {whether Active or Contributing} within their Agencies.

a)The new JAST DOLguidelines will be sent to all Education DPs by TROIKA and provide comments

b)The DOL was shared with the PS –MOEVT, and revision is awaited, which the PS has agreed to provide.

6.2The MKUKUTA Review process

6.2.1The Government is working on a Concept Note to prepare for the MKUKUTA / MKUZA review and formulation process. All DPG Sector Working Groups are expected to contribute to these review processes, and enable the Task Force to utilize deep and extensive partnership networks that exist between Government and DPs.

Action Point

6.2.2DPs are encouraged to provide comments on the documents to be sent by TROIKA.

6.3Other issues to be raised

These included:

a)Clarification of the revised ESDP structure including where Higher Education sits within the process;

b)Formation and functioning of the TWGs across sub-sectors, including need to revise the TORs and have active TWGs again particularly M&E and CCI which have no directors appointed;

c)Single textbook policy directive;

d)Setting date of milestones meeting;

e)PETS lack of progress on signing of MOU and procurement procedures for the enumeration firm for phase 2; and

f)Review to ensure all milestones are costed for 09/10.

Agenda 7.0 Upcoming events –February toend of March

7.1An update on the PETS informed that the inception report would be completed by 27 March, 2009. However, the Memorandum of Understanding {MOU} had not been signed raising concern over delays in the release of funds from DPs for the activity.

7.2The meeting was further informed that the study visits to Uganda and Zambia would happen during the week of 22-25 March. DFID and CIDA, as members of the PETS sub-committee, would join the Government teams on the country visits as well as the national consultant.

Action Point

7.3PETS Inception Report will be shared by all members when received.

7.4The First Pan-African Conference on Curriculum, Literacy and Book Sector Development: Rebuilding Education in Africa Promotion in Africa would be held in Dar-es-Salaam from 24-27 March. UNESCO would provide more information, and invitations to DPs to attend the conference. This is important in terms of the link to the EAC activities and the stronger alignments that are formed as part of that, particularly related to textbook policies as the proposed single textbook policy is not in line with the decentralized textbook procurement that EAC countries are doing.

7.5TheMOEVT,in collaboration with UNESCO will host the Basic Education in Africa Programme {BEAP}, to be held in Bagamoyo, 20-23 April, 2009.

7.6The ESDC will confirm if dates for the mid-term review of the Milestones and the joint monitoring field visits will be held in April, along with the TWGs.

Agenda 8:0 A.O.B

8.1The meeting was informed about the CSO led (PRATHAM /ASER) literacy and numeracysurvey in India. In Tanzania, Mr. Joseph Kisanji of TENMET is managing the project, which is being conducted in East Africa and is known as – UWEZO. The project will be initiated in Simanjiro and Temeke districts. {See report of the visit to ASER: UWEZO -Promoting Learning in East Africa.}

8.2CIDA happily announced the signing of the financial support agreement with the Government for the next five years. {2009-2013}

8.3DFID was glad to host the get-together event held on March, 6. The MOEVT was well represented by Mr. O.Mhaiki, the Deputy PS, and several officials from the office of the Commissioner for Education, and the Institute of Adult Education.The meeting agreed we would like to continue the get-together social events. A tennis tournament has been suggested as the next event. Dates to be confirmed at next meeting.

8.4The next Education DPG meeting will be held on 8thApril, 2009 at 9:00 am at DFID

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