The aid paradigm and the education sector
New approaches to development co-operation: what can we learn from experience with implementing sector wide approaches?
An analysis of the implementation of SWAps, and their role within the wider framework of national policy
Authors:
M. Foster
Publisher:
Centre for Aid and Public Expenditure, ODI, 2000
Sector wide approaches (SWAps) are one of a number of recent innovations in aid practice which respond to lessons learned in the long history of development co-operation. This working paper, produced by the Overseas Development Institute (ODI), outlines the rationale of the development of SWAps, discusses the emerging evidence on the circumstances in which sector programmes are likely to be successful, and highlights the need for sector programmes to be nested within the overall strategic framework of national policy.
While this paper does not focus on one particular region, short examples of country experiences with SWAPs are given, including Uganda, Ghana and Bolivia. It is concluded that a shared vision is necessary if support is to be provided to a sector programme, and that it is important to support the budget process even where it is weak.
