Weighting the Indicators :

Weights reflect priorities. The Calculator allows users to selectively emphasize different indicators using a scale of 1 (low priority) to 5 (high priority). Once the selections are made, the program automatically assigns the appropriate weights. The print-out records the weights assigned to each indicator. Weights add an extra dimension to the Calculator. Users may wish to emphasize specific indicators as they review different policy scenarios. Government and donor actions already reflect specific priorities. For example, the international community has made universal primary completion a Millennium Development Goal. This, in effect, places the highest official priority on primary education relative to the expansion of secondary or tertiary education. Many policy makers will readily accept this ranking. Yet, practical circumstances dictate how vigorously the goal can be pursued. Some countries may find that the most effective and rapid means of increasing primary school enrolment will be by educate mothers. This would involve expanding adult female literacy programs. Considerations in selecting weights are efficiency (achieving a given objective at least cost), equity (spreading more broadly the benefits of a policy), and effectiveness (assuring high coherence between the goals and outcomes of policy). For example, if universal primary education is the only goal that interests policy makers, primary school completion will be given a weight of five (the highest value). Everything else will drop out (i.e., have zero weight). If equality is stressed higher weights will be given to achieving gender parity and activities that expand education in rural areas. An emphasis on effectiveness would give priority to the quality of education, especially at the tertiary level. Better trained teachers are required to raise the quality of primary and secondary education.