The new abolitionists? The World Bank and the ‘boldness’ of global school fee elimination reforms

Abstract

This article explores the ambiguity within the World Bank's (WB) stance on primary school fees by examining the recently launched school fee abolition initiative. Drawing on key texts from this initiative and two decades of WB educational policy, we suggest that the discursive work around school fees performed by the Bank is a reflection of broader historical shifts in its representation as a development institution. Our three-part analysis shows how the language of school fee abolition, its putative boldness as a policy initiative, and the careful construction of non-adversarial partnerships work to reposition the WB as a champion of global education rights without relinquishing its neoliberal policy prescriptions. The analysis demonstrates the inseparability of two strands of discourse analysis Á the linguistic and the discursive Á and the socially productive nature of their interaction.

World Bank Influence on Policy Formation in Education: A Systematic Review of the Literature

“…Loans are issued to support a range of activities, including school infrastructure and facilities (e.g., building schools), training, sector planning activities, administrative reforms, and technical assistance (Edwards, 2015; Edwards et al, 2015; Nagel & Snyder, 1989). Loans can be used to plan and implement initiatives that generate additional funding and in-kind contributions from families, for example, through strategies that rely on community participation in school management (Mundy & Menashy, 2012; Tadevosyan, 2008; Vavrus & Kwauk, 2013). Unsurprisingly, one of the reasons for which governments look to the World Bank for funding is that it offers financing at below-market rates—and because the World Bank, unlike typical banks, is willing to lend for social programs, such as those related to education (Terzian, 2016).…”

“…Verger et al (2014) write that the World Bank, in addition being the “largest single international funder of education for development,” stands out because “the technical and knowledge-based resources it devotes to education dwarf those of other international institutions” (p. 381). These resources are put to use in the evaluation of the programs and policies that the World Bank supports (e.g., through loans and technical assistance) in addition to carrying out studies of other policies of interest (Samoff, 1993; Vavrus & Kwauk, 2013; Verger, 2012). These studies lead to different kinds of research products, such as World Bank working papers, academic journal articles, books, and book chapters.…”

The World Bank, the International Finance Corporation, and Private Sector Participation in Basic Education: Examining the Education Sector Strategy 2020

“…The most controversial aspect of the Edlib era was the Bank's approach to school fees or the private financing of education (Vavrus & Kwauk, 2011). Such fees were largely framed by the Bank as unfortunately necessary, because the State was seen as unable to meet demand.…”

“…The Bank's formal emphasis on private provision remained relatively stable in its policy documents and research products after the 1995 paper, despite the Wolfensohn presidency of the World Bank (1995Bank ( -2005 during which the Bank became increasingly supportive of the rapid expansion of free primary education and the abolition of school fees (Chabbott, 2003;Jones, 2007;Vavrus & Kwauk, 2011;World Bank, 1999;World Bank & UNESCO, 2006). The Bank's 1999 Education Sector Strategy, for example, describes changing public/private roles as one of five key ''drivers of change'' (p. 2) in education and first used the term ''partnering'' to describe solutions that create more diversity and completion in K-12 education.…”