Community schools: The solution to local needs

Abstract

The 1980s and 1990s have been labeled "years of crisis" in education in the countries of the developing world. National budgets for education did not grow in response to rising demand, spurred by the international commitment to Education for All (EFA). Public goals and practical realities on the ground became separate and occasionally contradictory worlds. Donors found education to be increasingly frustrating as an area for investment and, in many instances, backed away. The major US foundations, such as Ford and Carnegie (which had made innovation in education in Africa a priority in the 1960s), typified this trend. At a time when the accent in development switched to "hard," measurable outcomes, investment in what seemed to be the softest sector was not appealing. © 2007 Springer-Verlag US.