Decentralization and community participation in education in Ethiopia : a case of three woredas in Horro Guduru Wollaga zone of Oromia national regional state

This study explored decentralization and rural community participation in primary education in three woredas in Horro Gudurru Wollaga Zone of Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia. The study has illustrated how communities participate in their local schools and examined the successes and challenges in the implementation process. The main fieldwork was conducted in July and August 2009. Qualitative research approach was applied and focus group interview, qualitative interview, documents and field observation were used for data collection. The study majorly involved 24 informants that include woreda education officers, headmasters, Kebelle Education and Training Boards, Parent Teacher Associations and community members. The study investigated that the decentralization in education has improved community participation in education. This has improved access and equity in education, sense of community ownership and school level disciplinary problems. Despite these encouraging outcomes, the implementation of decentralization and community participation in education is suffering from many challenges. Poverty in the community and fluctuation in households’ income were found to affect community capacity to finance schools. The block grant fund for schools was inadequate. Schools have no adequate infrastructure and the existing ones were intended to fix problems quickly and hence are of low quality. The PTA and KETB lack basic knowledge and experience for the position and were not succeeded in performing their functions effectively. These bodies have also limited power over control of teachers and performance of headmasters. Further, there is inequality between localities and weak relationship between actors and sectors. Generally, the decentralization of education and community participation has brought great change in the way a school is financed, but little change in the way a school is managed and educational quality is improved. Hence, the decentralization of education is serving as a tool for lessening state responsibility for provision of education. Moreover, the lack of necessary resource and trained manpower at the local level are potential challenges for the successful implimetation of the decentralization of education and the promotion of community participation and hence for local educational development

Effect of large-scale agricultural investment on local livelihoods : a study of Bako-Tibe Agro Products Plc, Ethiopia

This study examined the effect of a large-scale agricultural investment, namely Bako-Tibe Karuturi Agro Products Plc., on local livelihoods in Ethiopia using quantitative and qualitative analysis. A sample survey of randomly selected 88 households from three kebelles adjacent to the investment and three focus group discussions in each of the kebelles were carried out. Key informant interviews with woreda (district) government officials and qualitative and informal interview with local people were conducted. Available official documents were collected. The study investigated local, socio-economic conditions and rural livelihood imperatives were not taken sufficiently into account when decisions about the investment were taken. The land expropriated for the investment was a ‘rural communal landholding’ vital for communal grazing and forest based economic activities. Parts of the rural communal landholding were used for crop production on individual basis for year with the authorization of local government bodies. Regardless of its use, the communal landholding and parts of it used for crop production were not registered and consequently not eligible for payment of compensation. Stated intentions of the investment included more productive land use, generation of employment and training benefits for the local community and improvement of local social facilities and infrastructures. But the opportunity costs of the investment for the local people seem to be greater than the benefits generated so far. The expropriation of the landholding changed accesses to communal grazing land and water resources for livestock and challenged household irrigation. It has significantly affected forest-based incomes for household consumption and commercial purposes. It affected individual landholdings used for years (but unregistered) and intra-local mobility of the community adjacent to the investment. Though local employment opportunities were created, these consisted of low-paying seasonal jobs and casual labour with no employment security and poor working conditions. Under the current investment agreement and investor’s performance, spillover effects related to improved agricultural production techniques are questionable. Any significant contribution of the investment to local and national food supply seems unlikely. The change of accesses to the local resource base strongly affected local livelihoods options to and income diversification opportunities. Farm income (crop-production and livestock) contributes up to 87% of total household income. The local households are economically poor - mean per capita income is far less than the national average and more than two-thirds reported a mean annual food supply shortage of 1.75 months. As a consequence of expropriation of unregistered individual land holdings, inequality in land and wealth distribution, measured through the GINI index, increased by about 4 and 2 percentage points respectively