Nigar Baimova
Final Research Paper
Executive Summary
In a variety of ways, the Government of Azerbaijan has committed itself
to the goals and particulars of the Education for All (EFA) movement. The
Ministry of Education completed a Year EFA 2001 assessment report and number
of efforts have been taken to identify problems that prevent the system
from serving all children. The purpose of this paper is to analyse the
system of education in Azerbaijan with particular attention on the issue
of increased dropouts, its meaning and causes of the problem. Specific
issues examined include the issues of equity, quality, effectiveness and
rationality of the current education system. The main purpose is to investigate
these problems and suggest best ways that education services might be provided
to solve them. This paper identified some significant deficiencies in the
current system. They include the following:
· Increased inequality and serious inefficiencies in the system;
· Privatisation of educational costs and services;
· Significant disparities by region in the amounts spent per
pupil by schools.
· Little official data available and denial of the existing
problems in the education system.
The findings are summarised in the set of recommendations, the main of which are the following:
Information campaign among policy makers, educators and service providers at all levels of the system to bring the problem of drop-outs to their attention and urge them to think over the steps they can take to overcome the problems; Media campaign to create awareness.
Develop a plan of action to deal with problems. Organise a special Department/Agency to deal with the problem, including representatives from all levels of the education and youth/sports NGOs, communities etc.
The Educational Budget could be more efficiently by reducing the number of teachers. As management is increasingly decentralised, but funding largely still centralised, a transparent formula is needed for the allocation of funds. New funding scheme that relies on money transfers from central to local authorities should be developed. Moreover the purpose of decentralisation should be to raise learning achievement.
Interventions to reduce the impact on access and achievement (in schools
and labour markets) of factors other than right and merit (family income,
family education, locality etc) might include scholarships for pupils from
disadvantaged groups, differential current and capital expenditure per
pupil in disadvantaged schools and drive against illegal payments of all
kinds.
The Ministry of Education should take a stronger oversight role in
ensuring that enrollment levels and quality are maintained at a minimum
standard in all regions.
It is important to note that implementing some of these recommendations requires major changes in the structure of education.
Need for the Study
Like most post-Soviet societies, Azerbaijan has an education legacy
from the pre-independence period that has a continuing major impact on
current structures and practices. A lecture more of instruction, with a
focus on the memorisation and recitation of factual information, typically
pervades all grade levels and subject areas in the primary and secondary
schools. The issue of drop-outs is "new" in Azerbaijan and awareness of
it among actors throughout the system appears to be relatively low. Nonetheless,
a variety of pieces of evidence (interviews, data collection etc) suggest
that a substantial, but unknown, number of children in Azerbaijan either
are absent from schools or drop-out (Williams, 2000), which negatively
affects prospects for continued national development. According to various
sources understanding of increasing droup-outs as a problem varied considerably:
A number of educators saw the problem as “real, but not big”. Other suggested
that this was not really a problem in Azerbaijan. There also was a group
how saw a problem as a serious issue, particularly for the future.
Given Azerbaijan’s strong tradition of universal education (literacy rates at the 1989 census were 97.3 percent of the 15 + year old population and 99.9 percent – the population aged 15-24) it is felt that this issue deserves attention, if, for no other reason than to prevent current problems from getting even worse. Because the problem is recent there is a lack of awareness, which results in a lack of knowledge about the extent of the problem and its causes. As a consequence, the system is ill prepared to cope and prevent the problem.
The Scope of Problem
According to the 1996 quantitative study, the primary reason (27.1%
of responses) reported for non-attendance was that children did not want
to attend. Outdated teaching methods and the lack of a relevant curriculum
maybe some of the underlying causes for the general poor attitude of children.
Early marriage, especially in rural areas, was mentioned among the main
reasons for non-attendance of females. Irregular attendance is huge area
of concern. It may be caused by a number of problems that have different
underlying causes including illness, poor physical condition of the school,
reluctance to attend because of the quality of education, desire to help
the family by generating income, or the inability of parents to provide
appropriate clothing or "hidden" school fees. The issue of drop-outs mainly
affects the most vulnerable groups of children - street children; IDPs
and refugees and also children from poor families. One report suggested
that in 1995, at least, 30 percent of IDP/refugee children did not attend
school (Azerbaijan League of the Rights of the Child, 1996). This contrasts
with interviews conducted with school officials in IDP camps. The results
of interviews suggest that school leaders know all the children in the
camp, enroll and keep track of them. It was estimated 3 out of 100 children
might repeat or miss school for an extended period due to illness. Assuming
the high figure is correct, approximately 3.2 percent of the school age
population in 1999 would be IDP/refugee children not attending school.
The issue of equal access to education is challenged in this respect. Decreased
public spending of education, private education expenditure affect enrolments
in education and have implications for quality education. The quality of
education should be the national priority and the prerequisite of national
security of the country. Therefore there is a need for strong oversight
from the Ministry of Education to monitor trends and to put in place national
policies to deal with observed variations in educational coverage, quality
and learning outcomes.
Methodology and Sources of Data
Three sources of data were used in this study. The first was comprised
of artefacts, including government and NGO publications, reports from other
agencies and investigators, and legal documents. The second major source
of data was interviews with government officials, school administrators,
primary and secondary school teachers, individuals associated with international
agencies, and individuals associated with national and international NGOs.
Interview questions varied according to the role of the respondent and
also according to initial responses provided. Some respondents were interviewed
on two or more occasions, as needed to clarify responses or because of
questions arising from subsequent interviews of other respondents. The
third source of data consisted of observations in some of the schools in
Baku or outside.
The Context of Education in Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan had strong social indicators before independence. Basic
food and consumer needs were met and access to health and education was
universal. According to the WB Project Appraisal Document (1999) on a Proposed
Learning and Innovation Credit (Report No. 18991-AZ), Azerbaijan inherited
"a developed education from the Former Soviet Union (FSU), and its impressive
educational statistics at all levels of education place it in the ranks
of middle income countries, and ahead of several FSU countries". They note,
however, that education in Azerbaijan is also confronting several major
challengers. Indeed, since independence in 1991 social indicators have
deteriorated, partly because of the large number of displaced people. A
recent study undertaken in Azerbaijan by the World Bank classified over
60 percent of the households as poor and 20 percent as very poor. Among
displaced persons, the incidence of poverty was 75 percent. Currently,
funding of education in Azerbaijan is mainly centralised. There is not
enough transparency and accountability in the system. Education budget
has declined affecting expenditures on primary and secondary education.
In response to declining resources, the education sector has adjusted spending
in several ways (sharp declines in capital expenditure, difficulties in
the production and distribution of textbooks and other learning materials
etc). The real value of teachers’ wages fell, thus creating an environment
of corruption.
There are emerging regional differentials in enrollments and extended absence in schools. Two of the main principal reasons are poverty in the home and unsupportive school environment. The first of these reasons is manifested in children not having adequate clothing or appropriate materials and in a need to assist the family to earn money. The second reason is that schools are in terrible state, absence of teaching and learning materials and sometimes a hostile attitude of teachers to children from poor households. Although both factors are the outcomes of the economic situation in the country, it is believed that the problem of non-attendance must be addressed by policy changes in order to reduce the effects of poverty and promote a more supportive and attractive school environment.
Enrolments in education
Although state figures of enrolment indicate that 91% of children were
enrolled in 1995
1989 1999 1991
1992 1993 1994
1995 1996 1997 1998
1999
Pre-primary enrolments (net rates, % of population aged 3-6)
21.6 20.7
19.9 18.8
18.7 16.2 15.2
13.9 13.2 13.2 13.9
Basic education enrolments (gross rates, % of population aged
7-15) 87.8 87.7
87.8 88.2
89.1 90.3 91.2
90.6 91.5 87.2 86.8
Upper secondary enrolments (gross rates, % o, aged 15-18)
62.8 59.5
58.7 52.0
43.5 38.5 35.3
36.9 40.6 41.6 42.7
Source: Ministry of Education
evidence suggests that a substantial number of children in Azerbaijan either have not been enrolled in or have not attended school, or absent from school for long periods of time, which negatively affect their achievement and as a result academic and career prospects and in the long run prospects for Government. There seem to be various forces that act on schools and on individual teachers that promote the under-reporting of non-attendance and drop-outs. The reasons for this could be: administrative pressure to produce attendance figures that indicate conformity with public policy; and a sensitivity on the part of teachers and schools to the economic circumstances of individual students and their families. The World Bank’s Poverty Assessment report provides the following figures: While in their account enrolment at ages 6 to 16 was 81 per cent, extended absence was 10% thus reducing the effective enrolment to around 80%.
In most of the cases children not attending schools are working trying to support their families. A nationally representative survey of 6166 households by UNICEF in 2000 showed that 13 per of children aged 5-14 were working. The most remarkable was the class difference: “only 5% of children in rich households are currently working, while the corresponding figure for children in poor households is 22%”. In other words, students from middle and upper income families are more likely to participate in education and receive better schooling, and access to higher education.
Implications for educational quality
In the Constitution of Azerbaijan the right to education is determined
as follows: “Everybody has the right to get education and the right to
choose the form of education”. The state must ensure the adequacy of education
with the international regulations and standards. In terms of the Law on
Education the State recognises the priority of education and on the basis
of it implements state policy in the field of education. However, in reality
the education system of Azerbaijan is confronted with number of problems.
In real terns, the declines in expenditures on education have been considerable.
Thus, while relative spending and basic enrolments rates have remained
more or less stable, real expenditures per pupil in basic education have
dropped sharply. This decline in resources has been adjusted on quality
within the system rather than in terms of less "quantity" or narrower access
to basic education.
Teachers and textbooks
Access to school relates to children possessing the opportunity to
learn, but educational quality contributes to actual learning achievement.
Measurable inputs that comprise educational quality include teaching staff,
educational materials and school conditions. Although data on the links
between educational quality and students outcomes are scarce, the quality
of teachers, learning materials and schools conditions are strongly associated
with success in learning outcomes.
Teachers are central to the reform process and they represent key players in ensuring education quality as well as in the implementation of reforms, such as the introduction of new curricula and teaching methods. However, their conditions are not good in Azerbaijan. The low prestige of the teaching profession has directly influenced the quality of education provision in two ways. The low salaries and prestige of the teaching profession result that the best teachers leave the school at the first opportunity, and that the qualified young people are not attracted to the profession. Those who remain in schools look for second jobs and/or other means to support their income. Often teachers impose fees on students for tutoring, special classes and extracurricular activities. While allowing teachers the opportunity to add up to the low wages, this creates the environment for greater inequity with the school as most families are unable to pay for such services.
For textbooks, only 70 percent of primary school children are provided with free textbooks by the Government, with children from grades 5-11 paying. The textbook issue has been complicated by the sharp rise in paper prise. The ability to plan and budget the large-scale textbook production has been affected by the breakdown of trade networks and as a result, access to materials has declines and the quality of the present stock of textbooks has worsened. In 1998, only 3.2 percent of education spending was on textbooks and curriculum development. Free textbooks are provided in more limited numbers than official figures suggest.
There is a considerable variation among schools by regions and by types and rate of absence and drop-outs have increased. For example, the percent of relevant age group (3-6 years) attending kindergartens has dropped from 19 in 1990 to 11 percent in 1999. In upper secondary education, the share of the relevant age group (15-18 years) attending school dropped from 34 percent in 1990 to 22 percent in 1998. Children and adolescents out of school are also vulnerable to the attractions of street life and organised gangs of children, which contributes to problems of delinquency and crime.
Monitoring learning achievement
The question of quality in learning is important, however this is an
area that is difficult to measure. My assessment of learning achievement
has been limited to ad hoc monitoring and school-based. University admission
results were also used in assessing learning achievement. From the data
available from State Students Admission Committee it is clear that majority
(64%) of those who apply for places at the higher education do not gain
admission.
There is a widening gap in achievement among students by place of residence. There is a large differentiation between rural areas and urban areas. Evidence suggest that access here varies with income level. It is felt that widespread use of extra-curricular private tutoring financed by parents is considered by to be an important source of social inequity.
Implications for equity in education
Patterns of educational access have changed in Azerbaijan. It is unlikely
that the substantial shifts in enrolment at various levels of education
to have been random in their incidence among children from different sorts
of families. Family background and place of residence become even more
important in determination of access to education. Thus, it is undeniable
that the importance of family income in determining enrolment and attendance
increased during 1990s. Various factors such as information tuition charges,
various "entrance fees", payment for textbooks and other school materials
make it difficult for children from poorer families to stay in the school
system. The problem begins at pre-school level, where the proportion of
children from low-income households enrolled is typically much lower that
in the case of middle or high income households. Attendance rates also
tend to vary with household income. The Human Development Report 1999 for
Azerbaijan indicates that among very poor 6 to 16 year olds rates for extended
absence ranges from 43 percent in the far south and 38 percent in Nakhchivan
to only 2 percent in the Absheron peninsula. The average household over
the last half of the 1990’s, in which nearly three-quarters of households
have been using 70% of their expenditure on food, and in which, in 1997
an average wage could purchase only two-fifths of a minimum consumer basket
(UNICEF, 1999:1).
Household monthly education expenditure by expenditure group (manats)
National Very Poor
Poor Non-poor
Educational items
11,868 7,243
9,198 16,131
Fees
1,830
703
1,334 2,615
Total
13,698 7,946
10,532 18,746
% of total non-food expenditures 5.4%
5.7%
5.4% 5.4%
Per child average
8,561
3,784
5,543 17,042
Source: World Bank Social Assessment Report
From the table above we can conclude that the non-poor spend four and a half times as much per child as the very poor, so that private expenditures show large variations, which means that looking at only public spending and coverage does not give a full picture of how the poor appear to be suffering a differential impact of the public financing squeeze.
Inefficient allocation of funds/Disparities
The system of funding of education in Azerbaijan is very typical to
many of those in CIS countries. Unlike other countries where the funding
is allocated based on demand and based on a per pupil allocation, in Azerbaijan
it is based on the cost of funding the curriculum. That is costs are driven
by the number of teachers that are needed to deliver the curriculum. As
a result in Azerbaijan there are many small schools, which benefit, whereas
large schools with large number of students are in disadvantaged situation.
It was impossible to obtain data from the Ministry of Education about allocation
of resources among various schools and municipalities, however unofficial
findings of NGOs ("Hayat", "Reliable Future") reveals that there is considerable
variation in pupils per teacher. While according to the MOE figures for
2000 the student teacher ratio in general education is 12:1, the range
is from a low of 8 in Shemakha to 18 in Baku. Average class size is 18
in Baku, with a low of 6 in Shemakha and a high of 35 in Baku. With current
system in place the class costs about the same, regardless of the number
of students in the class. Disparities in class size and student-teacher
ratio are reflected and lead to disparities in per pupil allocations.
All these unavoidably lead to inequalities in education since as mentioned
above if a rural school in Shemakha with very few students receives the
same amount as large school in Baku, there are no incentives for schools
to become more efficient. The State could develop more efficient and equitable
system if the funding of school could be developed on a per capita (per
pupil) basis.
Public spending on education
The public education system is primarily financed from general revenues.
The education budget is divided into two major components: Republican budget
and local city or district-level budgets. The most serious problem in education
is considerable decline in the level of public funding largely due to reduced
levels of economic activity and government revenues. Since education is
largely dependent on state funding, a drop in the level of public spending
for education has resulted in considerable decline in the quality of education
in the country. In Azerbaijan, public investment in education as a percent
of GDP has dropped dramatically from close to 7% in 1992 to 3.8% in 2001.
In the State budget of the Republic of Azerbaijan for 2001, approved by
the Parliament of the Country, expenditures for the education have been
foreseen in the sum of 1,1,011133,0 million manats, which contains 22,0%
of the general expenditure of the Country Budget (Table 1).
Table 1
Public education expenditure
1992 1993 1994 1996
2001
As share of GDP
6.7% 7.1% 4.9% 3.2%
3.8%
As share of total
Government expenditure
13.4% 12.8% 10.2% 19.2% 22.0%
In real terms (using GDP deflator) 100
83 45
24 22
Source: Ministry of Education
In light of decreasing expenditure levels, the distribution of spending
has become an even more important issue. Inconsistent reforms in the mechanism
of funding education have resulted in further inequalities in education
finance. According to 1992 Education Law central government devolved responsibilities
to local “raion” authorities, which appears to have increased variations
in school quality and widening regional differentiation in per pupil expenditure.
There is little transparency or predictability in either the amount of
funding schools receive or priorities that determine eligibility for funding.
Schools have virtually no control over funding. Even repair works are negotiated
with the Ministry of Education and raion authorities.
Teachers salaries fell in real and relative terms, the number
of teachers is high and the share of staff costs in total remains high.
Badly paid and demoralised teachers often find other sources of income.
Majority survive by giving private lessons, petty trading, farming, teaching
in more than one school, or taking other second job. A smaller, full-time,
better paid teaching force would have higher morale and would be more effective.
Private education expenditures
There is a declining ability of household and individuals to cover
educational costs. Unemployment is increasing. If in 1991 there were 11321
persons looking for a job, in 1998 this figure was 77904. Number of unemployed
per registered vacancy was 8.2 in 1998 compared to 0.6 in 1991 (Source:
State Statistics Committee). Falling wage levels and increased poverty
has led to growing division between non-poor and poor. Parents are often
unable to buy basic essentials such as pencils and paper, or to pay for
costs of transportation. Especially in the winters most of them find it
difficult to provide their children with adequate clothing and shoes necessary
for unheated classrooms.
Reforming the education system
The low level of public allocations to education means that budgetary
funds will have to be used more efficiently. An important potential source
of increased efficiency is reduction in the number of teachers, with consequent
improvements in the salaries and morale of those than remain, and scope
for needed improvements in the salaries and expenditure. Since independence,
the number of teachers per student has actually increased slightly, despite
large real resource cuts. The scope of the problem can be seen in official
figures for 1998, with almost 200,000 workers in education accounting for
around 14 percent of the work force (and 44 percent of total government
employment), making education the second largest sector of employment after
agriculture. The problem is that allocation of teachers and wages is done
according to notional class sizes rather than actual student numbers, encouraging
the continued operation of marginal schools. The economy is unlikely to
be able to afford a public sector that employs so many people.
A further important policy area is that of community financing, for which the Government should seek to develop replicable models. These should ensure that adequate overall resources for education are mobilised, but must also take into account the relative ability of different households to contribute to cost of recovery.
There should be more decentralisation as means to raise learning achievement.
The mechanism for this are increased efficiency and greater local accountability
in the supply of education, leading to higher quality schools that are
more in line with the population's preferences.
References:
“Reaching the last few: Girls Education in Azerbaijan”, UNICEF, Ministry
of Education of Azerbaijan Republic”, Baku 2001
“Republic of Azerbaijan: Interim Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper”, World Bank, June 2001
“Children and Women in Azerbaijani: A Situation Analysis”, UNICEF-The Republic of Azerbaijan, 1999, Baku, Azerbaijan
“Street Children: A New Phenomenon”, UNICEF, 1995, Baku
“Education for All: The Year 2000 Assessment: Azerbaijan’s Country Report”, Ministry of Education of Azerbaijan Republic, 1999, Baku
Azerbaijan Human Development Report, 1999, UNDP, Baku, Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan Human Development Report, 1999, UNDP, Baku, Azerbaijan
IMF, 1996
UNICEF (1995) Strategies for Building a Decentralised Education System in Azerbaijan
The World Bank (1999). Project Appraisal Document on a Proposed Learning
and Innovation Credit in an Amount of SDR 3,700,000 to the Azerbaijan Republic
for an Education Reform Project, May 4, 1999, Report No: 18991-AZ. Europe
and Central Asia Regional Office: Human Development Sector.