This study discusses equitable effectiveness of international education cooperation project taking SBM (School Based Management) policy implementation support in Nepal by JICA as a case, focusing on perception of head teachers toward SIP (School Improvement Plan) effectiveness.
The study finds out SBM policy implementation is not equitable if it is only by legislation, however head teachers of vulnerable schools rates SIP effectiveness higher than the less vulnerable schools if the intervention (training program for SMC (School Management Committee) is provided.
The study further discovered that the intervention is not effective to reduce the number of “left-behind” school (head teachers in vulnerable area rating effectiveness of SIP low) that consists of 33.9% of the entire target, while it is just equivalent to that of control group (32.8%)..
Yet the intervention positively affects “left-behind” schools in promoting students’ and teachers’ participation in SIP planning and more focused SIP activities to the school challenges, meanwhile they face harder managerial challenges than “benefited” schools (in vulnerable area with higher rating for SIP effectiveness) in facilitating wider participation by SMC and guardian in SIP implementation. This indicates “left-behind” schools are characterized by its
double vulnerability - areal and managerial vulnerability.
Meanwhile, the intervention has in-equitable effect too. the intervention widens the gap between “left-behind” and “benefited” schools, in the areas of “support provided by local education offices”, “textbooks”, “student absenteeism”, and “problem analysis in SIP preparation.”
In this case, in-equitable nature of “by-legislation only” policy implementation is redressed by providing training for SMC of all target school, Single intervention for all school, however, may not sufficient to salvage the potential “left-behind” schools with double vulnerability, Additional supports are needed, probably in the areas of widened gap above, for such schools and this necessitates early detection. International cooperation projects can mitigate and minimize its in-equitable effect and shall further accelerate its contribution for SDGs achievement, provided that such arrangements for schools with left-behind potentials are done in project design.