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Providing better education services to the poor: Accountability and context in the case of Guatemalan decentralization

Gershberg, Alec Ian ; Meade, Ben and Andersson, Sven LU (2009) In International Journal of Educational Development 29(3). p.187-200
Abstract
We explore how two community-based reform models align with the World Bank's World Development Report 2004 accountability framework. Using a qualitative case study of rural Guatemalan primary schools, we examine local governance through interviews with a range of stakeholders. While both reforms appear appropriate according to the World Bank's accountability framework, especially the model giving a greater authority to parents, both in practice encounter challenges associated with design issues - mainly human resource management involving both inadequate support and lower compensation for teachers in one of the models - and difficulties in adapting the reform models to local context. Overall, the accountability framework provides a useful... (More)
We explore how two community-based reform models align with the World Bank's World Development Report 2004 accountability framework. Using a qualitative case study of rural Guatemalan primary schools, we examine local governance through interviews with a range of stakeholders. While both reforms appear appropriate according to the World Bank's accountability framework, especially the model giving a greater authority to parents, both in practice encounter challenges associated with design issues - mainly human resource management involving both inadequate support and lower compensation for teachers in one of the models - and difficulties in adapting the reform models to local context. Overall, the accountability framework provides a useful heuristic and lens to view project design and implementation, but, as with any generalization derived from "best practice," details matter. We discuss the importance of highlighting common challenges of reforms like "decentralization" that, while gaining recognition globally, involve local communities in education management and the importance of local context in determining the success of such reforms. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. (Less)
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author
; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Educational reform, Accountability, World Bank, Guatemala, Educational administration, Decentralization
in
International Journal of Educational Development
volume
29
issue
3
pages
187 - 200
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • wos:000265902600002
  • scopus:63449098376
ISSN
0738-0593
DOI
10.1016/j.ijedudev.2008.08.002
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
184c0565-8273-4e4f-a813-831a2be4762d (old id 1426016)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 14:50:20
date last changed
2022-02-04 23:05:22
@article{184c0565-8273-4e4f-a813-831a2be4762d,
  abstract     = {{We explore how two community-based reform models align with the World Bank's World Development Report 2004 accountability framework. Using a qualitative case study of rural Guatemalan primary schools, we examine local governance through interviews with a range of stakeholders. While both reforms appear appropriate according to the World Bank's accountability framework, especially the model giving a greater authority to parents, both in practice encounter challenges associated with design issues - mainly human resource management involving both inadequate support and lower compensation for teachers in one of the models - and difficulties in adapting the reform models to local context. Overall, the accountability framework provides a useful heuristic and lens to view project design and implementation, but, as with any generalization derived from "best practice," details matter. We discuss the importance of highlighting common challenges of reforms like "decentralization" that, while gaining recognition globally, involve local communities in education management and the importance of local context in determining the success of such reforms. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.}},
  author       = {{Gershberg, Alec Ian and Meade, Ben and Andersson, Sven}},
  issn         = {{0738-0593}},
  keywords     = {{Educational reform; Accountability; World Bank; Guatemala; Educational administration; Decentralization}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{3}},
  pages        = {{187--200}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{International Journal of Educational Development}},
  title        = {{Providing better education services to the poor: Accountability and context in the case of Guatemalan decentralization}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijedudev.2008.08.002}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.ijedudev.2008.08.002}},
  volume       = {{29}},
  year         = {{2009}},
}