Education System Coherence in Ethiopia: The Case of GEQIP-E Implementation

Abstract

This research was intended to explore the extent to which the Ethiopian education system was coherent for learning outcomes by taking the case of a large-scale education reform, GEQIP-E. A qualitative research method was applied with data collected from key stakeholders of GEQIP-E and Ethiopian education. The data was part of the Ethiopian national education diagnosis carried out by the RISE Ethiopian Country Research Team[1]. The set of key stakeholders involves the Ministry of Education, the World Bank, other donors, Regional Education Bureaus, Woreda Education Offices and one City Administration, Addis Ababa. A slightly modified version of Pritchett’s five-by-four accountability model was used as a theoretical framework for the analysis of the data. The results suggest two types of incoherence for learning outcomes; (1) incoherence between design elements of accountability; and (2) incoherence between systems of accountability. The Ethiopian education system was largely coherent for schooling focusing on increasing enrolments and grade attainments but not coherent for learning outcomes. It is not however clear whether the incoherence is attributable to the design of the education system itself or the production model uncritically pursued by educational planners. A probe might be needed to resolve this dilemma.

*Authors are research team members of the larger RISE six-year research program.