Implications of Development Ethics to Official Development Assistance to Education: The Case of the World Bank in Colombia between 2000 and 2015

Abstract

Education and development are deeply interconnected and reciprocally reinforced. As such, educational policies fully recognize the important role of education in the development strategy of any country. Granting the ultimate financial responsibility for improving education lies in the national governments, for many countries, educational financing depends to great extent on Official Development Assistance (ODA). This new ODA industry however, throws ethical question that need to be addressed. This paper elaborates on Development Ethics reflection on the ends, means, and processes of beneficial social change. It emphasizes on education as a means of struggle towards the construction of social justice.

Considering the case of the World Bank in Colombia between the 2000 and 2015, this paper focuses on the guiding principles of development and education as both a means and an end. It is suggested that education goals should respect its intrinsic value in order to promote positive freedom, agency and empowerment. To achieve the goals, this paper also reviews the strategies of the implementation of education ODA considering participation, power relation and levels of accountability as the main drivers in the development industry.