The Systems Approach for Better Education Results (SABER) is an initiative to produce comparative data and knowledge on education policies and institutions, with the aim of helping countries systematically strengthen their education systems and the ultimate goal of promoting Learning for All.
GOVERNANCE
RESOURCES
LEVELS OF
EDUCATION
COMPLEMENTARY
INPUTS
AND
CROSS-CUTTING
THEMES
INFORMATION
SA&A
School
Autonomy
and
Accountability
EPS
Engaging
the Private
Sector
SF
School
Finance
T
Teachers
SH&SF
School
Health and
School
Feeding
WFD
Workforce Development
TE
Tertiary Education
P&S
Primary and Secondary
ECD
Early Childhood Development
ERA
Education
Resilience
Approaches
E&I
Equity
and
Inclusion
ICT
Information
and
Communication
Technologies
SA
Student
Assessment
EMIS
Education
Management
Information
Systems
GOVERNANCE
The strengthening of education systems entails a reform in the accountability relationships among their various actors and participants so that these relationships become clearer, consistent, measured, monitored, and supported.
It also means establishing a feedback cycle between financing and results. Since failures of governance and accountability typically have their severest effects on schools serving disadvantaged groups, this system approach promotes educational equity as well as efficiency.
RESOURCES
An education system includes not only the full range of learning opportunities available in a country, but also the rules, policies, and accountability mechanisms that bind an education system together, as well as the resources and financing mechanisms that sustain it.
The ability to transform those resources efficiently and effectively into learning outcomes hinges on the capacity of the education system to formulate policy, set standards, implement quality assurance, assess student performance, manage human and financial resources, and engage in intergovernmental and external partnerships.
LEVELS OF EDUCATION
The Systems Approach for Better Education Results (SABER) is built on the premise that people learn throughout life. However, the period between birth and young adulthood is especially critical because the ability to learn that is developed during this period provides a foundation for lifelong learning. The extent to which children and young people learn during these years depends on their ability to learn, the learning opportunities available to them and the quality of those opportunities.
COMPLEMENTARY INPUTS AND CROSS-CUTTING THEMES
The assessment and strengthening of an education system entails to address issues such as the fast development of ICTs, the fostering of resilience under external stressors and the goal of an inclusive and equitable education.
Such issues, which are not attributable to a particular policy area, are dealt with as cross-cutting and complementary inputs for the whole set of the SABER tools.
INFORMATION
The strengthening of an education system entails putting in place good metrics and information systems for monitoring whether programs and policies are delivering learning. Information on student learning and school performance fosters healthier political engagement and better service delivery. Information also helps policy makers manage a complex system.
