November 3, 2003—The Honduran government has made a major stride toward  meeting the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) of full primary education for all of the country’s children. On October 14, Government officials and representatives of the World Bank and other donors signed a Memorandum of Understanding that coordinates the support of one dozen multilateral and bilateral development partners pledged to help Honduras reach that crucial objective.

“The signing of the Memorandum sends a clear signal that Honduras and the donor community alike stand committed to fulfilling their promise of universal primary education,”  said Jane Armitage, the World Bank’s Country Director for Honduras.

For now, Honduras is a long way from reaching the MDG of universal primary education completion for all children by 2015. Currently, only 68 percent of students finish the primary cycle, although gross enrollment rates at this level are over 100 percent. 

In pursuit of the goal, the Memorandum lays out a process by which donors and the government will channel their efforts towards achieving universal primary school completion. Once a year, Honduran officials will present a work plan that states expected results, planned interventions, committed funding, and the amount of new aid that is required. The government will also review the past year’s performance, according to agreed-indicators..

Bank representatives played a key role in drawing up the Memorandum, the first of its kind in Latin America. The strategy grew out of Honduras’ charter membership in the Education for All Fast Track Initiative. Under that compact, launched in 2002, international donors for education commit to provide financing, as well as policy, data and capacity-building support to countries that are committed to accelerating progress toward the Millennium Goal of universal primary completion by 2015, through the adoption of sound educational policies and clear accountability for results. Honduras was among the first seven countries to qualify for the Initiative.

The country’s Education For All Plan focuses on achieving on-time enrollment, improved quality of instruction, and reduced dropout—all essential conditions for ensuring that all children not only have access to school, but stay in school and successfully complete the primary cycle. Under the Memorandum, donors committed about $50 million for the first three-year phase of the Plan, in addition to bilateral funding already in place, as well as forthcoming Bank assistance, plus an already approved $30 million in primary education aid from the Bank. “The World Bank has been a key ally in support of  the Education for All effort,” said Honduran Education Minister Carlos Avila.

About the Education for All Initiative
 
The  Education for All Fast Track Initiative is a new global program designed to help low-income countries like Honduras accelerate progress towards the MDG of universal primary completion. Donors have pledged more than $200 million in additional support for primary education in 2003-05 for the first seven countries, including Honduras, to qualify for the Initiative. That funding amounts to an additional 40 percent in resources for primary education and will help give about 4 million additional children in those countries access to primary school. The Fast Track funding will go toward hiring new teachers, building new schools, providing books and materials and providing AIDS orphans and other vulnerable children with special support to keep them enrolled in school.

In addition to the Bank, the Fast Track donors supporting Honduras include Canada, Germany, Japan, Sweden, Spain, the U.S., the Inter-American Development Bank, UNESCO, UNICEF, Ibero-American Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.  Globally, the Fast Track Initiative encompasses all major donors for education—more than 20 bilateral, regional and international agencies and development banks. The Secretariat for the program is housed at the World Bank and supported by all of the partners.

The other initial countries are: Burkina Faso, Guinea, Guyana, Mauritania, Nicaragua and Niger. Later additions include Albania, Bolivia, Ethiopia, Ghana, Mozambique, Tanzania, Uganda, Vietnam, Yemen and Zambia.  In addition, Bangladesh, Democratic Republic of Congo, India, Nigeria and Pakistan are eligible for intensified technical support.

For more information:
Education for All Initiative

The World Bank and Honduras

Honduran President Ricardo Maduro and donors sign the
Memorandum of
Understanding.