Faced with escalating demand for instructional staff to serve the expanding undergraduate enrolments, many middle income countries in Southeast Asia are investing heavily in expanding their provision of graduate education. An attractive secondary benefit is that graduate programmes contribute to a local university-based research capacity that…

What insights and generalisations can be drawn from looking across the work of multiple governmental and non-governmental organisations aimed at supporting basic education in low and medium income countries? To address this question, this study analysed findings of nine evaluation meta-studies completed by international assistance organisations,…

What was accomplished and what was learned from United States Agency for International Development's (USAID) investment of over $733 million aimed at strengthening basic education systems in the developing world? These questions were addressed through an analysis of 286 documents drawn from 33 projects sponsored by the USAID between 1990 and 2005.…

This study examined the extent that a scholarship program operating in Sierra Leone and Djibouti was successful in increasing girls' persistence in basic education. Results of field studies indicated that scholarships could be appropriately targeted and delivered in ways that appear to minimize misappropriation of funds. However, the scholarships…

Asian countries have expanded basic education over the past three decades, due to declining enrollment rates, a booming economy, and supportive national-development strategies. Urgent health, environmental, population, and economic pressures are fueling a move to decentralized education systems and negatively affecting headmasters. School…

This monograph examines selected issues in the design and conduct of program and project evaluation in developing countries, with a focus on the evaluation of international technical assistance programs. Chapter 1 introduces the evolving role of efficiency criteria in the evaluation of educational systems. Chapter 2 provides detail on the nature…

Asserts that three factors are changing international development assistance and the agenda of international development agencies working in the area of education: (1) shifts in the age distribution of the population; (2) devolution of more authority to lower levels of the education system; and (3) intensified competition for resources. Examines…

This paper presents a case study in which systems theory is used as a framework for analyzing the experience of international consultants in assisting the education ministry of a developing country in formulating a national education 5-year plan. The study highlights the broader dilemma faced by international consultants who are frequently…