Multilateral Aid Review summary - The Education for All - Fast Track Initiative (FTI)

The FTI is a global partnership between donors, developing countries, agencies and civil society organisations to drive progress towards the Millennium Development Goal of universal primary education by 2015. It provides financial and technical support to countries to develop education sector plans and can also provide funding for their implementation.

	comment
Contribution to UK development objectives	Strong
	+	The only significant pooled funding mechanism in education.
	+	Significant contribution to MDGs 2 and 3 although attribution is not clear.
	+	Well targeted at the poorest with spending predominantly directed to low income countries.
	+	Reductions in numbers of out of school children and increase in girls’ enrolment in FTI countries. Improvement in school completion rates in FTI countries.
	+	Well targeted at fragile states with almost 50% of total allocations
	+	Specific country evidence of improvements in gender policy influenced by FTI.
	_	Historically weak focus on results extends to gender results as well.
	_	Lack of a results framework means aggregate evidence is poor.
Organisational strengths	Satisfactory
	+	Positive engagement with countries on cost control and management and lean Secretariat keeps administration costs down but needs more capacity to deliver on FTI’s objectives.
	+	FTI model supports donor alignment behind government plans and is flexible, country led, and Paris compatible.
	+	New board structures provide better oversight, a clearer mandate and will provide for better beneficiary voice.
	+	FTI offers three year predictability and has a framework which prioritises allocations based on needs and performance.
	+	FTI has a disclosure policy which promotes openness. Country-level model is inclusive and consultative.
	_	Lack of a results framework means cost-benefit is not systematically assessed.
	_	Weak or inflexible supervising entities or donor groups at country level can seriously undermine delivery.
	_	Recruitment processes remain slow and difficult.
	_	Disbursement remains slow but has significantly improved.
Capacity for positive change	Likely
	+	Though progress in the past was relatively slow, recent reforms have been extensive and demonstrate the serious commitment of management to improvement.
	_	Delays and difficulty in recruitment remain a brake to progress.