Coalition for Educational Development Sri Lanka

	Home
	Introduction
	Current Statues and Issues
	Civil Society Org's and Role in Education
	Issues and Concerns for Advocacy
	Plan of Action
	CED Partner Organizations
	Reviews for Policy Advocacy
	Projects of Provincial Level

Civil Society Organisations and Role in Education

Civil society refers to all groups outside state such as community based groups, indegenous peoples’ organisations, non government organisations, charitable religious, professional, parent, teacher, welfare organisations and various types of foundations. There is a widespread belief and agreement on the vital role that the civil society can play in influencing educational policies and practice. Civil society expresses the interests of social groups and raises awareness of key issues in order to influence policy formulation and decision making and they have displayed their ability to shape policy through advocacy and mobilization of people and resources.

Though we have a long history of civil society or community interest in education in Sri Lanka the development of a highly centralized system of education has given rise to a bureaucracy leading education with minimum participation of civil society organisations, stakeholders and community in general. This has led to the need for proactive participation of civil society organisations and community to influence and support education activities to put the system in the correct tract leading to quality education and education for all.

The Dakar Framework for Action clearly states and calls for a dialogue between state and civil society at national level and recommend to “ensure the engagement and participation of civil society in the formulation, implementation and monitoring of strategies for educational development” (MINEDAF VIII 2002). Though the government has the authority and the ultimate responsibility in education, civil society organisations perform a vital role in many ways. They provide a service where state fails to provide and also where what is provided by the state is insufficient. One major advantage they have is their closeness to the operational level and local cultures which have made them to reach the disadvantaged and excluded through strategies attuned to the needs of the people. This closeness allows them to introduce innovative thinking and practice more relevant to the grassroot level. Moreover they have a knowledge base to work as informed critics and advocates on all the issues that need advocacy.

In advocating or change and development the CSOs should join and get involved with other stakeholders, academics, funding agencies and critics focusing on the problems and issues building a movement presenting a coherent voice and liaise with state as a formidable force to influence policy and practice in education.

Civil Society Organisations in Sri Lanka are at present not a driving force or an effective medium of educational change. They are often criticized for the lack of coordination, duplication of activities and struggling among themselves for funds. In the context of educational development they do not work with a clear vision or an understanding of a commitment towards the burning issues in education. Most organisations continue to work as delivery agents of welfare assistance provided by international non-governmental organisations.

However, despite the present situation of Civil Society Organisations engaged in educational activities, many believe that they have the promise and potential as a basis of hope and action for the future. Since 1977s there is a significant increasing CSOs, but their role and input have not been effective to influence the policy development for change and also as a support mechanism for effective implementation of reforms to improve quality and reach the marginalized and excluded to participate in education. From the position of working as delivery agents of welfare and also responding to an agendas of interests set by INGOs, the CSOs, need to undergo an institutional transition in their organisational structures to become development oriented organisations changing their structures, developing a capacity for advocacy and attitudes taking seriously into consideration the ideas and opinion of communities or groups served by them.

In the current context of education in Sri Lanka, where a crisis of confidence in education is felt, a coalition of CSOs for Educational Development (CED) is formed to strengthen the collective force of CSOs by improving their capacity for advocacy and collective force as a basis of hope and action for future in the process of education, transformative, holistic and sustainable.

Coalition for Educational Development (CED)

In 2004, the Coalition for Educational Development (CED) was formed and received legal status as a non-profit organization under the Company Act in Sri Lanka in May 2006. Provincial Coalitions of Civil Society Organisations who worked under Commonwealth Education Fund (CEF) were invited to join the National Coalition. They were selected on the basis of their involvement in educational activities in the provinces and in the Notational Coalition they are organized at three levels, district, provincial and national. Each province is represented by a provincial coordinator who became a member of the National Coalition (CED). There are 63 registered civil society organisations dispersed working as partner organisations in CED and they work in various aspects in communities including education.

Vision, Mission and Objectives of CED

Vision

To ensure quality and equity in education for all irrespective of race, religion, language, social status and disabilities.

Mission

To promote and advocate the involvement of civil society organizations from community level to national level in the formulation and implementation of national policy of quality education for all and to support achieving innovative educational progrmmes at all levels to ensure quality and equal opportunities.

Objectives

To promote and advocate the involvement of civil society organisations form community to national levels in the formulation and implementation of national policies that will promote quality education and equal education for all.
To advocate and support the reforms and programmes directed towards achieving educational development of the highest possible level in keeping with national needs and international standards.
To strengthen the capacity of civil society organizations (CSOs) at all levels in order to promote educational development activities in an inclusive manner and incorporate the participation of all stakeholders.
To monitor the implementation of educational progrmmes and utilization of funds and resources to ensure quality and equitable education for all.

Advocacy is the main activity of the coalition. The need for effective advocacy is necessary as coalition begins to engage in broader national issues. Major progressive changes in education do not occur by chance. Coalition needs to be guided by an honest and realistic approach to achieve its mission at a time education in Sri Lanka is moving without a clear guidance of a coherently enunciated long term educational policy.

CED is seen by its members as a national body of CSOs who have come to work together by a common agenda irrespective of different interests by considering education as a common concern to all of them (Amarasiri de Silva 2006). This positive attitude of the CSOs will lead to action involvement in achieving the goals set by the CED constitution. CED with a constitution, a vision and mission, a set of goals and a progrmme of work has the potential to develop a stronger public image using diverse resources and ideas. It will channel grassroot voices and experiences while influencing policy and practice, avoid duplication of effort, create synergy for combined and cooperative action and advocate for educational development with a unified voice overcoming the haphazard responses to issues in education.

CED essentially is a mechanism for increasing the power and leverage of civil society organisations and individuals to advocate for educational development. It will develop an indigenous knowledge base with the civil society organization to advocate for evidence based policy and informed decision making in educational development.

CED organized at district, provincial and national level is a national independent advocate for development of education.

As a result of a number of provincial meetings held with the partner organizations, several issues that need to be translated into advocacy activities could e identified under the four objectives of the CED. They are listed below.