Tool 5.2: Tip Sheet
ECE Technical Working Groups in subsector coordination
Should there not be any existing coordinating body for the ECE sub-sector that can be leveraged to effectively oversee the implementation of ESP operational plans, it will be important to establish a new coordinating body (CB).
One starting point in developing a stand-alone entity is through establishing an ECE Technical Working Group (TWG) utilizing existing resources and guidance included in Tool 1.4 “Strategic Ideas for Establishing the ECE Technical Working Group”. Establishing an ECE TWG that will play an integral role in subsector coordination responsibilities can be an excellent way to ensure the direct engagement of key ECE stakeholders and decision makers in ESP implementation and monitoring processes as well as develop a core team of stakeholders tasked with moving the national ECE agenda foward.
An ECE TWG is generally meant to consist of a “core team” of technical advisors that will support the ECE arm of the Ministry of Education (or other ministries that have responsibility over ECE) with its mandate and tasks on ECE. Should there are be a large number of actors implementing ECE activities in your country context, it could be advisable to create a subsector coordinating body that is inclusive of all actors implementing ECE activities that can be convened by the chair of the ECE TWG as a means of ensuring the ECE TWG does not exceed 8-10 members in total.
Additionally, it will be important to ensure that subsector coordination is operational at both the national and subnational levels. In the case that the ECE TWG is only present and operational at the national level, it will require that the subnational level is effectively represented in the ECE TWG, or alternatively, that all regions have subsector coordinating bodies that will liaise with the ECE TWG at the central or national level. Within this context, the Chair of the ECE TWG can coordinate with relevant government officials (from the MoE or other line ministries for ECE) to establish subnational coordinating bodies.
Developing a Terms of Reference for an ECE Coordinating body
If an ECE Technical Working Group exists, or if there is a decision to establish an ECE TWG, the sample ToR included as an Annex to Tool 1.4 can be adapted to include subsector coordination responsibilities at the national level.
However, should the decision be made to not create an ECE TWG but rather establish an ECE CB tasked with the oversight of ECE activities in the ESP operational plan, the tips that follow may be helpful to guide the development or strengthening of the terms of reference (ToR) of the ECE CB. A sample ToR is provided as an Annex. The sample may be used as a template and adapted to your context as needed. The template can be further adapted for TORs for subnational coordination bodies (see tip 3 for a suggested division of roles and responsibilities between national and subnational coordination bodies).
Ensure ECE sub-sector coordination bodies are inclusive of the sub-national level of government
Establishing and maintaining strong lines of communication between national and sub-national levels of government is an essential element in ensuring effective implementation and monitoring of ESP operational plans.
Establishing an ECE CB inclusive of both national and subnational levels can promote regular and systematic communication that can facilitate the timely identification of regional bottlenecks to implementation as well as capacity gaps at the subnational level. This can be accomplished a variety of ways depending on country context:
- Integrating subnational representation within the national coordinating body: Regional focal points can be invited to participate either virtually or in-person to ECE subsector coordination meetings convened at the national level. Alternatively, there can be a focal point within the coordination body at the national level tasked with engaging and collecting information from the subnational level which can then be shared during national coordination meetings. This could be the most feasible approach when the number of partners implementing ECE activities sub-nationally is relatively limited and doesn’t require extensive coordination of partners at the subnational level.
- Establishing sub-national ECE CBs: In instances where the number of partners implementing ECE activities requires coordination at the subnational level, it would be beneficial to establish sub-national ECE CBs led by appropriate subnational education authorities (in collaboration with other line ministries responsible for ECE), to ensure appropriate coordination and oversite of ECE implementing partners. Chairs for subnational ECE CB can be appointed by the Chair of the ECE CB at the national level and the ToRs included in the annex of this tool can be adapted for subnational CBs. It will be important to establish a mutually beneficial relationship between ECE CBs at the national and subnational level in support of the implementation and monitoring of ECE activities included in the ESP operational plan.
Clarifying roles and responsibilities between national and subnational coordination bodies
National and subnational coordination bodies play complementary roles to one another, each structured to maximize its comparative strengths in supporting the implementation and monitoring of ECE activities included in the ESP operational plan.
Primary responsibilities of the ECE coordination body at the subnational level can include:
- Ensuring all relevant stakeholders at the subnational level are appropriately informed of the national subsector strategy (as articulated through ESP) and operational plans
- Monitoring of implementation of national subsector strategy, including associated activities and subnational quantitative targets
- Identifying bottlenecks in implementation and identifying corrective measures and, when necessary, communicating existing bottlenecks to national ECE CB for support
- On-going assessment of subnational implementation capacity in the implementation of sub-sector workplans (as articulated through ESP operational plans)
- Informing subnational stakeholders of policies/standards endorsed at the national level and ensuring appropriate operationalization and oversight at the subnational level
- A mapping of partner presence at the subnational level
- Consolidation of qualitative information (bottlenecks, lessons learned, etc) and quantitative data (reporting against subsector targets) that will feed into and inform sector review processes
Primary responsibilities of the ECE coordination body at the national level can include:
- Ensuring all ECE regional authorities at the subnational level have ownership over the national subsector strategy (as articulated through ESP and operational plans)
- Ensuring all ECE regional authorities at the subnational level are appropriately informed of and adhere to subsector policies/standards endorsed at the national level
- Monitoring effective implementation of the subsector annual workplan through a consolidation of information provided from subnational coordination bodies (requests for support to national level to address bottlenecks, subnational capacity gaps, quantitative reporting against subnational targets, etc)
- Informing appropriate Ministries/Divisions/Departments responsible for, or supporting, the ECE subsector at the national level for the need of support to subnational levels of government to address identified bottlenecks or capacity gaps
- National mapping of actors implementing ECE activities (consolidation of regional mapping exercise conducted by subnational coordinating bodies).
- Informing subsector strategic planning and advocacy (establish linkages with ECE TWG if operational and not directly responsible for subsector coordination at the national level)
- Liaising as necessary with the ESP Strategic Monitoring Committee overseeing implementation of ESP operational plan
Ensure appropriate investment in subsector coordination
Effective and sustained subsector coordination requires both human and financial resources.
At the subnational level, funding could be required to support travel of ECE actors/stakeholders involved in the implementation of ECE activities from the community or district level to the regional level to participate in coordination meetings. Funding could also be needed to support communication (phone/internet) at the subnational level between the chairs of subnational CBs and relevant actors at the subnational level (district/local ECE actors) as well as on-going communication with the ECE CB at the national level. When possible, leverage financial resources allocated for sectoral coordination and/or monitoring included as part of the ESP to help support subnational coordination.
Leverage the Cluster System in humanitarian contexts to strengthen the implementation and coordination of ECE activities
In country contexts affected by humanitarian crisis, the Resident or Humanitarian Coordinator can activate the Cluster system.
Clusters are established as part of an international emergency response, based on an analysis of humanitarian needs and coordination capacity on the ground and in consultation with national partners. Where an Education Cluster has been established, this coordination platform can be leveraged to coordinate and oversee the implementation of humanitarian programming for the ECE subsector and address context specific issues related to the implementation of ECE programming in humanitarian settings. In some cases this can be achieved through establishing an ECE sub-working group under the Education Cluster. Alternatively, if a ECE TWG exists in your country context, members from the ECE TWG could represent the ECE subsector within the Education Cluster.
Annex
Sample Terms of Reference for the Early Childhood Education (ECE) Coordinating Body (CB)
Note: The specifics and sections of this sample ToR are likely to need adaptation to your country context. This is a suggested format only – please feel free to use any format that suits your country context.