The EFA Fast Track Initiative seeks to support countries in developing an HIV/AIDS response as part of the education sector plan for EFA1. The EFA Fast Track Initiative (henceforth FTI) is a multi-donor effort to assist low income countries to achieve Universal Primary Education (UPE) by 2015. It helps countries to develop credible and evidence based education sector plans that will attract incremental external assistance. It has accelerated the development of sector plans in the first 12 participating countries and supported progress in donor harmonization.2. The FTI approach, through facilitating a comprehensive sector preparation and review process, offers the following potential benefits for developing an appropriate education response to HIV and AIDS as part of the national multisectoral response: Higher political profile; Better policy framework and dialogue; Better programmes; Better financing; Better coordination; Better lesson learning. However, the potential has yet to be fully realized and the FTI Partnership is revising and further developing procedures, going forward.3. The FTI has recognized that HIV and AIDS are important constraints on the achievement of EFA, and is seeking to strengthen the response to HIV and AIDS in education sector plans. As part of this process the FTI Partnership has endorsed a review of the coverage of HIV and AIDS issues in education sector programmes for countries endorsed by the FTI in order to draw lessons learned and consider options for the role of the FTI in strengthening country levels responses.