Decentralized finance and provision of basic education

Selecting the appropriate option for the provision and financing of basic education is a challenge for any education system. The challenge typically concerns the precarious balance between efficiency in the delivery of education and equity of access to education, and thus concerns making choices regarding the organization, delivery and financing of education services. Many countries in Asia have embarked on a long and sometimes uncertain route towards the decentralization of education. This booklet highlights the fact that decentralization in the provision and financing of education can improve the efficiency and equity of public education services, if the underlying factors of decentralization are well understood and made the best use of. Although the evidence is mixed and information is sometimes limited, some important policy questions are now being uncovered. Studies have found that effective education decentralization requires the establishment of management and finance mechanisms that enable local authorities to exercise accountability in improving the access, quality and equity of the education services that are under their responsibility. The target audience of this booklet are ministerial and institutional education policy makers, as well as managers and experts working in education policy and planning. As such, the booklet not only provides a theoretical exploration of the subject, but also critically analyses the issues involved and documents practical experience related to decentralization of the provision and financing of education.