In April 2009, DFID announced the commissioning of a series of reviews of its work to build support for development in the UK over the last decade. The reports were completed in July and a public consultation opened on their recommendations for 12 weeks. The review reports can be accessed on the right hand side of this page.
In November DFID announced its way forward in light of the review recommendations and consultation responses. We opened a further one-month consultation, ending 8 December, on our specific proposal to phase out the Development Awareness Fund (DAF) and the Enabling Effective Support (EES) programme and to put in place a new programme of support for global learning in England, and separate programmes of support in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. The consultation question was as follows: What are your views on DFID’s proposals regarding the future of the EES programme and the DAF?
Twenty-seven responses were received: five from development education centres; 12 from the EES regional programmes or from organisations closely associated with the EES; eight from other NGOs; and two from trade unions. Of these, three responses opposed phasing out the DAF. Nine responses supported the establishment of a new programme of global learning in schools. Six of these raised issues related to the way the programme should be designed.Other responses concerned other aspects of DFID’s way forward following the reviews.
We have considered carefully the responses to the consultation. On balance they supported the proposal to phase out the DAF and the EES programme. Issues which they raised have been useful in shaping the design of the future programme (see below).
DFID ministers have now decided that the DAF and the EES will be phased out. The development education support provided through the DAF and the EES programme will be replaced by a new programme of support for global learning in England, and separate programmes of support in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. A new funding scheme to replace the existing Mini Grants scheme will provide opportunities for building support for development work outside the education sector.
Our response to common issues expressed in the consultation is as follows.
Issues raised in consultation on design of new global learning programme
DFID’s way forward
Aim: This should be to enable the education sector to take on the global learning agenda itself, rather then just ‘delivering’ global learning.
This will be an important objective of the new programme.
Length: New programme should be at least 5 years as building capacity takes time
Ministers have agreed a design phase for a five-year global learning programme in England.
Loss of networks, knowledge and momentum established by the EES programme.
We will be taking forward a competitive tender process for the new global learning programme in England. All bidders will be required to demonstrate how their approach has been informed by an assessment of existing approaches to embed and support global learning in schools.
During January 2010, we will be working on the design of the new global learning programme for England, working closely with the Department of Children School and Families (DCSF). Subject to ministerial approval, we will then announce a tender for bids in the Official Journal of the European Union in February. We will be meeting with stakeholders to discuss the design of the new programme. If you are interested in attending a stakeholder consultation, please contact Saadia Mahmood on saadia-mahmood@dfid.gov.uk by 25 January 2009.
We will also be taking forward separate discussions with partners in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland about the best way to continue our support to global learning in these parts of the UK.
The current DAF funding round will continue to its conclusion, with the last grants allocated in February 2010. All current DAF grants will continue as agreed.
The EES grant agreements will come to an end on 31 August 2010.
A design process for the new funding scheme to replace the existing Mini Grants scheme is underway.
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