18 November 2013: The World Bank’s ‘Education for Development’ blog has analyzed the inequality of education in Indonesia, offering recommendations for overcoming this challenge through the post-2015 development agenda. Following on the recommendation of the UN High-level Panel on the Post-2015 Development Agenda (HLP) to prioritize the principle of “no one left behind,” the post explores ways to apply the principle to children’s primary education.

Levels of inequality are great between districts in Indonesia, which are largely responsible for the financing and provision of education themselves. World Bank studies have found that the major factors associated with better provision of services are the quality of local governance and the inclusion of local people in the planning process. The post highlights two important lessons for local governance capacity-building programs: the need for a multi-sectoral approach, rather than one focused solely on the education system; and the need to tailor efforts to local circumstances and constraints.

The article notes that, for post-2015 development goals on education and inequality to be achieved, it is crucial to strengthen the management ability of local governance systems for education. [World Bank Blog Post]