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This issue paper, one in a series that United States Agency for International Development (USAID) produces, provides analytical input to policy makers and practitioners on ways to address the pressing educational challenges in the Muslim world. The paper summarizes the findings and guidance contained in a full report of a three month desk study that analyzed the strengths and weaknesses of secular and Islamic educational systems in 12 Muslim countries (Egypt, Morocco, Yemen, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nigeria, Guinea, Mali, Senegal, Uzbekistan). It focuses particularly on access to and quality of secular and Islamic education. Key findings of the report are: (1) most countries studied have made significant strides in primary school enrollment in secular/public education systems, although secondary enrollment rates remain low; and (2) one of the strengths of Islamic schools in most of the countries studied is that they are highly accessible, and most do not appear to have links with extremist Islamic groups. The report concludes that the best educational strategies in Muslim countries encourage public and moderate Islamic school systems to complement each other to reach all learners with enriched content. It recommends ways to improve access to and quality within schools, noting that none of the countries studied, with the exception of Malaysia, has established an effective education system capable of providing universal access to quality education. Includes 14 notes. Annexes contain: "Summary of Country Education Profiles" and "Summary of Country Profiles of Islamic Schools." (BT)

This report evaluates U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) efforts to improve basic education for girls. The evaluation drew on field studies in: Guatemala, Guinea, Malawi, Nepal, and Pakistan; a country desk study of Egypt; issue-oriented research on Bolivia and Thailand; and a literature review. Findings indicate that effective strategies for getting girls into schools included increasing the proportion of national investments in primary education, strengthening institutions responsible for primary education, increasing the supply of schools near girls, designing schools to be acceptable places for girls, engaging the community, and addressing such obstacles as threats to girls' security and school costs. Although various USAID-supported programs were successful in improving educational quality, they were not scaled up because of a lack of a common definition of quality and lack of political support and policy frameworks to facilitate improvements. Effective strategies to help girls complete a basic education included changing school and community cultures from selection to inclusion, reducing costs to families, changing cultural perceptions of girls' potential, working with traditional leaders, and developing girl-friendly regulations and schools. Boys clearly and consistently benefited from initiatives aimed at girls' schooling needs. In all countries studied, USAID targeted and benefited not only girls, but also other children vulnerable to exclusion; those in remote rural communities, those from poor families, language minorities, and disenfranchised ethnic groups. Factors that may contribute to sustainability of outcomes are discussed. Appendices include field studies and basic data on Guatemala, Guinea, Malawi, Nepal, and Pakistan, and data on USAID funding for girls' education. (Contains an extensive bibliography, a glossary, and many data tables and figures.) (SV)