How the Global Partnership for Education helped strengthening Kenya’s Civil Society Coalition

Civil society organizations (CSOs) are important members of the Global Partnership for Education, because they are essential voices in shaping the education development agenda. CSOs actively participate in the governance of the Global Partnership, with 3 of the 19 seats on the Board of Directors reserved for their constituency: one for Northern CSOs; one for CSOs from the South; and one for the teaching profession. CSOs also have a seat on the GPE’s Financial Advisory Committee.

CSOs are important contributors to the preparation and implementation of education strategies in many of our developing partner countries. Often, they also help assess progress toward education results by taking part in the joint monitoring of the implementation of education sector plans.

GPE work with Elimu Yetu in Kenya

In Kenya, GPE’s support has helped increase the capacity of Elimu Yetu, a civil society coalition (in Swahili, Elimu Yetu means “our knowledge/ education”). Elimu Yetu received support from the Global Partnership’s Civil Society Education Fund (CSEF), which is managed by the Global Campaign for Education, one of our GPE partners. To help civil society organizations in developing countries become stronger and more visible partners in education, the Global Partnership provided $17.6 million to the Civil Society Education Fund for the period 2009-2012.

Elimu Yetu was one of 45 civil society organizations which received CSEF funding. Elimu Yetu comprises 102 local education organizations, teacher unions, research organizations, and education professionals.

“The Civil Society Fund enabled our coalition to participate consistently and meaningfully in the development of Kenya’s new education policies and strategies, in particular raising issues such as marginalized children and better mechanisms to improve governance,” said Janet Muthoni Ouko, National Coordinator of Elimu Yetu when I met her at the Global Partnership’s Sector Monitoring Initiative workshop in South Africa earlier this year.

Ms. Ouko told me that the coalition’s consistent involvement in discussions about how to ensure better education for Kenyan children built credibility and trust with the Government. The education reform process in recent years has turned education into a constitutional right in Kenya. Elimu Yetu contributed to the establishment of strong accountability mechanisms in schools through involved parents, local civil society and student councils.

Civil Society Organizations are now trusted partners

Over the past year, Kenya has worked to develop its next education sector plan. Civil society organizations – through Elimu Yetu – have been trusted partners in the discussions to identify education needs and priorities for this new plan.