Education and health in sub-Saharan Africa : A review of sector-wide approaches

Dissatisfaction with traditional projects and sector adjustment programs led to the design of alternative and more efficient approaches to improve the impact of development assistance in the education and health sectors. These new approaches, commonly referred to as "Sector-Wide Approaches" because they cover the whole sector rather than one or more sub-sectors, are increasingly being used by the World Bank and bilateral agencies. However, whether these new approaches will lead to the expected results will depend closely on the ability of the partners in this process to work more effectively together. In reviewing the experience to date of this approach in the World Bank's Africa Region, Education and Health in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Review of Sector-Wide Approaches provides valuable lessons about how these new approaches can more effectively help accelerate education and health development in Africa. The report summarizes the lessons learned and provides advice and guidance to operations staff in the Bank, partner agencies, and governments on how to make sector-wide approaches an effective tool for provision of development assistance.