This project seeks to identify and connect African education researchers who are working to improve the foundational learning of African primary school children. This work could be essential in tackling the inequities in education in sub-Saharan Africa: a situation that must be addressed to enable socio economic development.

This project is being implemented at an opportune time when foundational learning is one of the top priorities for many African countries. According to the Spotlight on Basic Education Completion and Foundational Learning in Africa by UNESCO’s Global Education Monitoring Report, children living in the continent are five times less likely to reach the minimum level of proficiency in reading by the end of primary school, than children elsewhere.

Education Sub Saharan Africa (ESSA), the REAL Centre (University of Cambridge) and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation are collaborating to implement this two-year project. They will focus on mapping of researchers, their institutions and the evidence they are producing in four countries: Ghana, Kenya, Senegal and Tanzania. 

Goals:

• Improve the visibility and accessibility of education research undertaken by sub-Saharan Africa-based researchers;  

• Establish a community of practice (network) and strengthen the capacity of sub-Saharan Africa-based education researchers at the theme and country levels; and,

• Promote the uptake and use of locally produced education research in policy and investment decision-making by synthesising, advocating for, and communicating evidence.

This project is built on the theory that key actions must be taken, including mapping African education research and researchers; building field and country specific research networks; strengthening the capacity of African education researchers; improving the visibility and accessibility of locally produced research; and motivating the use and uptake of locally produced evidence.