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MCC Releases FY24 Country Scorecards with Updated Education Indicators

For Immediate Release

November 7, 2023

Contact: 202-521-3880
Email: press@mcc.gov

WASHINGTON (November 7, 2023) – Today the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) released its fiscal year (FY) 2024 country scorecards, which included education indicator improvements.

The scorecards are a key component in MCC’s competitive country selection process that determines which countries are eligible to develop a five-year grant agreement, known as a compact, in FY 2024. Of the 80 country scorecards created by MCC, 25 countries passed, and 55 countries did not.

All the FY24 scorecards are publicly available on MCC’s website.Scorecards consist of a collection of 20 independent, third-party indicators that measure a country’s policy performance in the areas of economic freedom, ruling justly, and investing in people. The FY24 scorecards included two changes to the education indicators related to the way MCC assesses a country’s commitment to strengthening its education system.

First, MCC set higher standards for girls’ education by replacing the indicator on girls’ enrollment in lower secondary school with one that assesses girls’ completion of lower secondary education.

Second, MCC replaced its indicator measuring government expenditures on primary education with a new indicator that covers expenditures for all levels of education. MCC’s Board of Directors selects new partner countries annually in December based on policy performance as measured by the scorecard, the opportunity to reduce poverty through economic growth, and the availability of funding. Only low- and lower-middle income countries, as classified by the World Bank, receive scorecards.Competitive Selection of MCC PartnersMCC uses a competitive, data-driven, and transparent process for determining where the agency invests to reduce poverty through economic growth. To be considered for MCC compact funding, countries must pass at least 10 of 20 indicators including one indicator from each category, as well as both criteria that MCC considers “hard hurdles” for eligibility – the Political Rights or Civil Liberties indicator, and the Control of Corruption indicator. After considering the pool of countries that have passed the scorecard, MCC’s Board of Directors determines which countries are eligible for both compact and threshold investments.

MCC’s rigorous eligibility criteria and competitive selection process create a powerful incentive for countries to reform their policies even before a program dollar is spent – referred to as “The MCC Effect.” Countries around the world are using MCC’s scorecard as a road map for policy and institutional reforms to qualify for MCC funding and identify where improvements are needed to foster economic growth.

The Millennium Challenge Corporation is an independent U.S. government agency working to reduce global poverty through economic growth. Created in 2004, MCC provides time-limited grants and assistance to countries that meet rigorous standards for good governance, fighting corruption and respecting democratic rights.

MCC Releases FY24 Country Scorecards with Updated Education Indicators | Millennium Challenge Corporation

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