Guide to policy development

In early 2020, the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education (MBSSE) initiated a sector-wide review of education policies, in order to identify gaps and prioritise the revision and development of new policies. One of the most common challenges preventing governments from achieving a standardised and integrated approach to policy development is the absence of a shared understanding of the differences between key policy documents, including alignment on the purpose, objectives, structure, and content of each document. This guide was commissioned to create a shared understanding of the differences between policy documents, to standardise the policy development process, and to ensure coherence and consistency across the policy process in order to strengthen education service delivery in Sierra Leone. Part A of this document presents a guide to policy development at the MBSSE. Section 1 provides an introduction to the fundamental principles of good policy development and associated key questions. Section 2 provides an overview of a generic policy cycle, including a brief description of the six key stages. Section 3 describes the sequential process of policy development, including where and when related policy documents such as standards, policy guidelines, and standard operating procedures (SOPs) may be required. Section 4 defines the difference between policy, standards, policy guidelines, and SOPs, including the key questions to inform the development of each. Section 5 presents the essential criteria for each of the above-mentioned policy documents, and Section 6 lays out the drafting, consultation, and approval process for these documents within the MBSSE. Part B presents the approved template outlines for each of the four policy documents, which provide a reference at-a-glance. However, substantive policy development should use the accompanying locked templates to ensure consistency throughout the drafting process. Lastly, frequently asked questions about where policies come from, who makes them, and how they are different from the legislation are addressed in Appendix 1.