MEETING IN BRUSSELS ALSO ADDRESSES GRANTS TO COUNTRIES, IMPLEMENTATION PLAN, BUDGET

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Mike Kelleher at mkelleher1@globalpartnership.org

Brussels, May 30, 2013 ---The Global Partnership for Education (GPE) Board of Directors approved an operational framework for effective support in fragile and conflict-affected states, a major part of its efforts to get all children in school and learning. The Board, which met in Brussels, Belgium, on May 21-22, 2013, also approved a new replenishment strategy, a detailed implementation plan to put GPE’s Strategic Plan in effect and comprehensive funding guidelines providing greater clarity on the basis of which the Board approves GPE funds.

As reported previously, the Board also approved US$439 million in grants to 12 developing countries, providing critical funding and momentum toward quality education for all children. See full press release.

The GPE Board endorsed the broad strategy and timeline for a replenishment campaign for the GPE Fund, including convening a pledging conference around June 2014. For a detailed look at the Board meeting agenda, final decisions, documents and presentations, click here.

The following is a brief summary of other decisions made by the Board:

• GPE’s Implementation Plan for the Strategic Plan 2012-2015 was approved: The Implementation Plan provides outcomes, actions, key actors, timeframes and indicators for each of these five strategic objectives:
  • Fragile and conflict-affected states are able to develop and implement their education plans.
  • All girls in GPE-endorsed countries successfully complete primary school and go to secondary school in a safe, supportive learning environment.
  • Dramatic increase in the number of children learning and demonstrating mastery of basic literacy and numeracy skills by Grade 3.
  • Improve teacher effectiveness by training, recruiting and retaining teachers and supporting them to provide a good quality education.
  • Expand the volume, effectiveness, efficiency and equitable allocation of external and domestic funding and support to education in GPE-endorsed countries.
• A review and assessment of supervising and managing entities was requested. This is part of an eligibility expansion plan that would allow more agencies to become a GPE managing entity at the country level.
• A new guidance note on Dividing Indicative Allocations in Federal States was approved. This will assist eligible developing country partners with federal government systems to divide their indicative allocation across sub-national entities.
• A review of the Indicative Allocation Model for GPE grants was requested taking into account the high demand for funding from developing country partners to support the implementation of Education Sector Plans.
• A supplemental budget request of US$940,000 was approved for the GPE Secretariat representing 12 additional staff positions impacting the 6-month period from July 1 through December 31, 2013.
• The Board is considering changes to GPE’s Global and Regional Activities program, asking the GPE Secretariat to prepare options for dealing with innovation, knowledge gaps, regional issues and similar matters, for consideration by the Board in November 2013.
• The Board also requested options for a revised GPE Board structure and given the appointment of the new CEO in February 2013, the Board acknowledged that the role of the Chair will become an unremunerated position as of July 1, 2013. At the same time, the Board launched a process for the selection of a new chair of the Board. The new chair is expected to take on the role as of January 1, 2014.

For more information about this and previous Board meetings, click here. To learn more about GPE, visit our website at www.globalpartnership.org.