Why is Education Budget Work Important?

Over the last decade, budget work has grown enormously in popularity as a tool for holding government to account at all levels – from the national to the grassroots. The move to political and financial decentralisation in many countries and the strength of pro-democracy and accountability movements have also focused attention on budgets¹. By empowering civil society to explore issues related to the education budget, opportunities can be created that allow local people to engage in the big questions of national economic policy.

The budget reflects a government’s social and economic policy priorities by translating policies, political commitments and goals into decisions on where funds should be spent and how funds should be collected. As such, budgets are crucial to understanding the planning choices made by a government². A well-functioning budget system is vital to the formulation of sustainable fiscal policy and facilitates economic growth.

While a government’s budget directly or indirectly affects the life of all its citizens, frequently people with the most modest means are the most greatly affected by budget decisions. In particular, the wellbeing of those with low incomes, and their future prospects, can hinge on expenditure decisions in areas such as education. Moreover, even when funds have been allocated to pro-poor policies, weak expenditure and programme management – and a lack of political power among the poor – can mean that money does not always reach the intended beneficiaries³. Therefore it is important for marginalised groups of people to be able to participate and express their opinion regarding decisions that impact them.

Whilst the budget cycle is complex, opportunities exist for civil society to engage at different levels throughout the process. Civil society can work with the government to influence the decision-making process and final expenditure. It can examine whether this expenditure is disbursed as planned, whether it has the desired impact, and the impact of the budget on different parts of the population. By building national capacity in budget analysis, tracking and monitoring, civil society can use the information generated on public expenditure to advocate for their right to education to be fulfilled.

International Organisations and Budget Work

Over the last decade significant transformations in governmental systems have provided improved opportunities for civil society to engage in budget work. Many countries have shifted from being closed societies to open ones, and are striving to build more democratic and participatory decisionmaking processes. Democratic societies require informed citizenry, public participation, and government practices that are transparent. While this trend has been perhaps the single largest factor behind the new interest in and possibilities for budget work, the timing of the growth in budget work also reflects several other international developments including⁴:

• An emerging consensus on the complementary roles of government and non-governmental actors in advancing economic development. Increasingly, state, private sector, and non-profit partnerships are seen to be central to enhancing governance and implementing effective poverty-reduction strategies.
• The adoption of new public finance practices in many countries. This has led to a surge of independent budget work. The new practices welcome and support greater transparency in budget systems and a larger role for the independent oversight offered by civil society and legislatures.
• Decentralisation has brought budgeting closer to communities. While decentralisation can complicate the monitoring of budgets nationally, it can also create opportunities for greater citizen and local legislative involvement.

A number of international organisations⁵ have emerged in the wake of these transformations, including:

The International Budget Project

The International Budget Project of the Centre on Budget and Policy Priorities supports the growth of independent budget work around the world. It assists non-governmental organisations and researchers to analyse budget policies and to improve budget processes, systems and institutions. In particular, the project supports applied research on the effects of budget policies on the poor, working primarily with organisations that conduct analysis in developing countries or in countries new to democracy.

The Economic Governance Programme, Institute for Democracy in South Africa

The Economic Governance Programme analyses the allocation and use of public resources to understand the impact of budgets on the poor. Its priority is to enhance the advocacy and policymaking efforts of civil society and legislatures, with the belief that civil society can add value to the economic choices government makes, and that wider participation in the budget process can help broaden agreement on these choices. Programmes include the Africa Budget Project, which is also the regional partner of the International Budget Project; the Women’s Budget Project; and the Children’s Budget Unit; Sector Budget Analysis; and a focus on education.

Transparency International

Transparency International recently launched a new programme called the Africa Education Watch, aimed at improving transparency and accountability in the use of resources for primary education. Through a set of diagnostic measures national chapters assess waste leakages and corruption in the use of resources for primary education. The project also assess the extent to which local accountability structures and instruments such as school management committees and the public display of financial information contribute to reducing leakages and corruption.

1. Save the Children (2004) Where’s the Money Going?: Monitoring Government and Donor Budgets London: Save the Children UK
2. Global Campaign for Education and ActionAid (2007) Education Rights: An Activist’s Guide to a Human Rights Based Approach to Education
   London: ActionAid
3. International Budget Project (2001) A Guide to Budget Work for NGOs Washington DC: International Budget Project
4. Ibid
5. The groups listed here are representative of some of the more experienced organisations engaged in budget work. For a detailed list of groups by country see www.internationalbudget.or Civil Society and Education Budget Work