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Summary of publication
This report presents the findings of an independent mid-term review (MTR) of the Vanuatu Education Support Program Phase II (VESP II). VESP Phase II is a three-year program (2019 to 2021) with an option to extend for up to five years (2022 – 2026). The program builds on the achievements of VESP Phase I (2013-2019) in continuing to support improving primary education outcomes in Vanuatu through a focus on access, quality, and management.
The key purpose of the review was to inform investment improvement in the sector with secondary purposes of providing accountability in terms of VESP II’s performance and consolidating information that could provide an evidence-base for decision-making in the sector. The review was also used to inform Australia’s decision on whether continue to continue the current VESP II delivery modality and expand the phase. VESP II has now been extended to 2026.
This review covers the period from 2019 until late 2020 and concluded that the investment should continue for another five years. Findings indicate that the investment remains highly relevant to both Government of Vanuatu (GoV) and Government of Australia as it directly supports key policy objectives. Since 2020, VESP II has demonstrated its capacity to adapt and pivot its resources to respond to the more recent changes in context and policy settings outlined in the Vanuatu Recovery Strategy 2020 – 2023, Yumi Evriwan Tugeta (July 2020) and Australia’s Vanuatu COVID-19 Response Plan as part of Australia’s development policy, Partnerships for Recovery: Australia’s COVID-19 Development Response. Key informants (including from GoV) for the MTR presented evidence that VESP II is an effective program that has supported Vanuatu’s Ministry of Education and Training (MoET) to achieve a range of satisfying results and has delivered outcomes in line with the needs and priorities of MoET. However, for VESP II to evolve and continue to align with GoV’s priorities in the future, the MTR identified several adjustments that need to take place as part of a long-term vision for VESP II. These are being addressed as part of the VESP II extension to 2026.
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- Vanuatu Education Support Program Phase II – Mid-term Review [PDF]
- Vanuatu Education Support Program Phase II – Mid-term Review [DOCX]