One of the principal functions of government worldwide is to translate public social policy into the provision of social services for citizens. This course will explore how this happens in widely varying national contexts in the education sector. “Education for All” is a universally-recognized international policy norm based on the ‘right to education’. EFA asserts that everyone has the right to ‘basic education’ (enough education to be functionally literate in their environment - usually compulsory primary and lower secondary school). This EFA policy is domesticated in nearly every country worldwide, and is then translated into basic education services. School is an astonishingly

similar social service all over the world (picture children sitting at little desks in a classroom with a teacher at the front), but ‘basic education’ also can be and has been organized in a wide variety of ways depending on the context, resources and unique needs of the communities being served.



In this course we will explore the commonalities and differences of basic education service provision and the many issues central to effectiveness in a number of disparate settings across the world, with special emphasis on less-developed countries. The course will involve review of online

documents and multi-media about basic education programs in different countries; discussion of issues, dilemmas and challenges in service provision; and synthesis of findings about effective basic education service provision strategy and tactics.