Basic and secondary education, adult education, literacy programmes and teacher training help reduce poverty by increasing the productivity of the poor, improving health standards, and by enabling people with the skills they need to better participate in society. Consia recognises by expanding access to, and equity of education, by improving the quality of education and by encouraging institutional capacity building, education can empower civil institutions, increase capacity and encourage good governance practises, helping to aid the introduction of sound, accountable and transparent government policy.    Consia has the competencies to implement curriculum and programme development, institutional capacity building, policy and system development, transitions to sector-wide approaches, gender development and decentralisation programmes at basic, secondary and teacher education.