Australian aid evaluations: basic education and pandemics

This forum, which is jointly organised by the Development Policy Centre and the Office of Development Effectiveness (ODE), is the latest in a series on the evaluation of Australian aid.

It will focus on two recent evaluations. The first is an end of program review for the Basic Education Assistance for Muslim Mindanao (BEAM-ARMM) program, which involved four implementing partners working across four distinct components in the conflict-affected Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao. It’s objective was to contribute to poverty alleviation and sustainable peace, through increasing access and quality of basic education, and training for Out of School Youth. The review highlights some of the challenges and lessons for evaluating and achieving improved educational outcomes in complex, high-risk environments.

The second evaluation focuses on pandemics and emerging infectious diseases, with the view of contributing to the evidence base on strengthening health systems in the Asia-Pacific region to prevent, detect and respond. The evaluation will inform decision-making about future Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) investments and policy engagement on regional health security, and approaches for future DFAT responses to disease outbreaks. The evaluation also contributes to the literature on lessons learned from previous outbreak responses, with a focus on impact on human and animal health systems and community engagement on prevention and detection of emerging infectious diseases.

ODE is an operationally independent unit within DFAT that measures and reports on the effectiveness of the Australian aid program. Further information about ODE here.  

Further information about the Development Policy Centre here.