GPE 2020 highlights eight principles that GPE follows in all its work, five of which emphasize development effectiveness:

1. Inclusive policy dialogue to engage national governments, donors, civil society, teachers, philanthropy and the private sector
2. Country ownership and providing support for nationally identified priorities
3. Harmonization and alignment of aid to country systems
4. Mutual accountability and transparency across the partnership
5. Inclusive partnership as the best way to achieve development results.

Happy school girl in a primary school in Lao PDR.

Credit: GPE/Stephan Bachenheimer

• Developing countries lead the process to analyze, plan, develop and implement their education sector strategies. GPE partners provide the tools, guidance, technical support and resources that governments may need at each stage of the process.​
• GPE promotes dialogue and consensus: GPE encourages governments to include all partners in the dialogue at each stage of the education sector plan development, implementation and monitoring. Governments lead local education groups, with representatives from development partners, civil society, teachers, donors and multilateral agencies. The local education group is responsible for endorsing the country’s education sector plan, and following its implementation through annual joint sector reviews.
• GPE promotes the use of country systems: Whenever possible, GPE promotes the use of country’s public procurement and financial systems to channel aid. Of all implementation grants, 48% are transferred through government budget systems and 35% use national procurement laws.
• GPE closely monitors progress and results: A new results framework in the GPE 2020 strategy includes 37 indicators of progress, which will be monitored annually and reported to the partnership. The results framework is the primary tool for measuring progress and holding all members of the partnership accountable. GPE believes that transparency and accountability drive better results, reaching GPE’s vision to inclusive and equitable quality education for all girls and boys.