Aid Effectiveness in Basic and Primary Education in Nepal

Abstract

This study deals with the issue related to educational aid provided for the basic and primary education in Nepal. Aid covers one-third of the total national investment in the basic and primary education. I framed a major research question, ‘How has the aid been effective in the basic and primary education?’ Following this research question, I carried out an in-depth study focusing on the aid phenomenon in the primary education. This study reveals the aid management scenario particularly in relation to how the aid has been utilized for the development of the basic and primary education in consonance with addressing various challenges and issues that are inherent in access, equity and quality dimensions. I followed qualitative research design with focus on its philosophical premise which encompasses ontological, epistemological, and methodological assumptions. The ontological framework for this study subscribes to the notion of multiple realities regarding the management of educational aid. My epistemological assumption dwelt on inter-subjective discourse that knowledge can be accessed through focused interactions with research participants and through intensive study of literature. However, I was aware of the fact that knowing of absolute truth is fairly not possible since what we uncover as ‘knowledge’ today does not remain the same due to the influence in the study-specific context brought about by the rapid flow of time. Despite this limitation, prolonged discourse and intensive interactions based on subjective inquiry in uncovering what research participants felt as ‘truth’ assured me to claim that the revealed knowledge is trustworthy. ii I adopted interpretive paradigm in order to derive substantive meanings from the uncovered knowledge. So, following interpretive paradigm, I derived meanings with analysis and reflections on the beliefs, values, and feelings expressed by research participants about aid effectiveness. I made my study more substantive and authentic by incorporating relevant ideas that I gathered through literature study. In this study, I focused on various theories: complexity management theory, effective theory and social action theory, which were widely discussed vis-à-vis the purpose of the study that provided me with a strong foundation for critically gauzing the dynamics pertaining to aid effectiveness in the basic and primary. Major findings of my study reveal aspects for the effective management of the aid with active participation of community and simultaneous focus on the five principles, aid effectiveness is crucial. Moreover, an energized participation of community with common and consistent understanding is essential for effective allocation, management and utilization of the aid. Development partners and the government both were convinced with the quantitative progress in basic and primary however beneficiaries expected to achieve more qualitative progress on each of the four pillars of education- access, equity, quality and relevance. Hence, mutual proximity, clarity, understanding and sharing with emphasis on empowered cooperation between development partners and receiving countries should be the guiding force for generating effective meanings and results from the aid. The point worth internalizing is that development partners contribute better as facilitators than posing themselves as rescuers.