The Foundational Learning Compact Umbrella Trust Fund Progress Report October 2023–September 2024 Transforming Education, Improving Learning Outcomes, Changing Lives The Foundational Learning Compact Umbrella Trust Fund Progress Report October 2023–September 2024 Transforming Education, Improving Learning Outcomes, Changing Lives © 2024 International Bank for Reconstruction and Development / The World Bank 1818 H Street NW Washington DC 20433 Telephone: 202-473-1000 Internet: www.worldbank.org This work is a product of the staff of The World Bank with external contributions. The findings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed in this work do not necessarily reflect the views of The World Bank, its Board of Executive Directors, or the governments they represent. 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Contents Acknowledgments vii Abbreviations viii Foreword from the Global Director x Program Manager’s Note xiii Executive Summary xv SECTION 1 Trust Fund Overview and Highlights 1 Context1 FLC Overview 3 FLC Portfolio Indicators  8 Results Framework Highlights  10 SECTION 2 Implementation Progress  13 The accelerator Program  13 Learning Measurement and Data 26 Learning Assessment 28 Learning Data Analytics 34 Drivers of Learning – the Global Education Policy Dashboard  36 Teachers44 Global Coach 45 Coach Mozambique 46 Teach-Coach SUNSET Grants 50 Education Technology 56 EdTech Hub 56 iii Education Policy Academy 59 The Foundational Learning Policy Academy  61 The Inclusive Education Policy Academy 67 The Teachers Policy Academy  68 EdTech Policy Academy 69 Inclusion Support Program for Refugee Education  73 The Implementation Science for Education Program  80 Bangladesh Secondary Education Program 84 Early Learning Partnership 88 SECTION 3 Risks and Challenges 103 Risks and Challenges for the FLC Umbrella 103 Risks and Challenges at the Activity Level 105 SECTION 4 Looking Ahead 113 Planned Activities for the FLC Umbrella 113 Planned Actions at the Activity Level 113 SECTION 5 Trust Fund Financials 123 ANNEXES 127 Annex A Ongoing FLC- and ELP-Funded Activities and Projects 129 Annex B: FLC Results Framework 2021–2027 163 Annex C: UNICEF-Accelerator Transfer Out 185 References 187 Notes 189 Boxes Box 2.1 Rwanda Accelerator Grant 16 Box 2.2 Edo State Accelerator Grant 17 Box 2.3 Kenya Accelerator Grant 18 Box 2.4 Mozambique Accelerator Grant 19 Box 2.5 Sierra Leone Accelerator Grant 19 iv Foundational Learning Compact Umbrella Trust Fund Progress Report October 2023–September 2024 Box 2.6 Pakistan Accelerator Grant 21 Box 2.7 Senegal Accelerator Grant 22 Box 2.8 Ghana Accelerator Grant 22 Box 2.9 ALMA support for global and country work on learning measurement and data 29 Box 2.10 Implementation of Policy Linking in Iraq  31 Box 2.11 GEPD Data in Edo State, Nigeria  39 Box 2.12 Implementation of SUNSET Grants in Tanzania, Djibouti and India 51 Box 2.13 Implementation of INSPIRE Grant in Burundi 77 Box 2.14 Implementation of INSPIRE Grant in Chad  77 Box 2.15 Implementation of INSPIRE grant in Ethiopia 78 Box 2.16 Implementation of INSPIRE grant in South Sudan 78 Box 2.17 Research Plans under Development in Three Target Countries: Ghana, Rwanda, and Nigeria 82 Figures Figure ES1 Key FLC Results: October 2023-September 2024 xvii Figure 1.1 Structure of the FLC Umbrella Trust Fund  4 Figure 1.2 The FLC Pillars and Cross-Cutting Themes 5 Figure 1.3 Activities under the FLC Umbrella Trust Fund 6 Figure 2.1 Core Areas for Foundational Learning Supported under the Accelerator Program 14 Figure 2.2 Country-Level Support to Learning Assessment 30 Figure 2.3 Dashboard Structure, Tools, and Indicators 37 Figure 2.4 Core Elements and Cross-Cutting Themes of Foundational Learning in the Education Policy Academy 61 Figure 2.5 Menu of Selected Themes Tailored to Each Cohort of the Inclusive Education Policy Academy 67 Figure 2.6 INSPIRE Framework 74 Figure 2.7 INSPIRE Model 75 Figure 2.8 Menu of Interventions to select and operationalize 75 Figure 2.9 Types of Implementation Science Research at Scale 81 Figure 5.1 Total Funds Committed by Development Partners as of September 30, 2023 ($) 123 Figure 5.2 FLC Grants by Region as of September 30, 2023 ($) 124 Map Map 1.1 The FLC Supports 76 out of 86 Countries in the World Bank Education Portfolio 7 Notes v Tables Table 1.1 Indicators That Surpassed Targets As of September 2024: Selected Indicators 11 Table 2.1 Accelerator Program: Progress on Key Milestones  25 Table 2.2 Learning Measurement and Data: Progress on Key Milestones 42 Table 2.3 All Countries Receiving SUNSET Grants 51 Table 2.4 Global Coach Program: Progress on Key Milestones 55 Table 2.5 Coach Mozambique Program: Progress on Key Milestones 55 Table 2.6 SUNSET Grants: Progress on Key Milestones 55 Table 2.7 EdTech Hub: Progress on Key Milestones 58 Table 2.8 Literacy Policy Academy Courses Offered During Reporting Period 62 Table 2.9 Education Policy Academy: Progress on Key Milestones 70 Table 2.10 Inclusion Support Program for Refugee: Progress on Key Milestones 79 Table 2.11 Implementation Science for Education: Progress on Key Milestones 83 Table 2.12 Bangladesh Secondary Education Program 87 Table 2.13 Progress Update Summary for ELP 96 Table 5.1 FLC Umbrella Trust Fund Financial Status as of September 30, 2024 ($) 124 Table 5.2 ELP Associated Trust Fund Financial Status as of September 30, 2024 ($) 125 Table A.1 Ongoing FLC-Funded Activities and Projects 129 Table A.2 Ongoing ELP Trust-Funded Activities and Projects 138 Table C.1 Summary of UNICEF Accelerator Program Progress 186 vi Foundational Learning Compact Umbrella Trust Fund Progress Report October 2023–September 2024 Acknowledgments This progress report was prepared by Kanae Watanabe, Mabel Martínez, Priyal Gala, and Raiden Dillard, under the guidance of Halil Dundar (Practice Manager, Global Engagement and Knowledge). The team received inputs from Maryam Akmal, Hanna Alasuutari, Michela Chiara Alderuccio, T.M. Asaduzzaman, Diego Luna Bazaldua, Marcela Gutierrez Bernal, Kathryn Dempsey Bullard, Marie-Hélène Cloutier, Alisa K. Arif Currimjee, Fran Beaton-Day, Amanda Devercelli, Laura Gregory, Saamira Halabi, Robert Hawkins, Ella Humphry, Gang I. Kim, Melissa Diane Kelly, Changha Lee, Jessica Lowden, Sergio Venegas Marin, Magreth Paul Mziray, Lucia Jose Nhampossa, Prachi Patel, Shwetlena Sabarwal, Marla Hillary Spivack, Jayshree Thakrar, and Rana Yacoub. The team also received much-appreciated assistance from a number of World Bank country task team leaders and others too many to list here. Jihane El Khoury Roederer designed the cover, layout and some graphic assets of the report, and Datapage International Limited co-designed it. Laura Dodge copyedited the report. We would like to express our gratitude to our donors—the Bernard Van Leer Foundation; the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation; Echidna Giving; UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO); the Hewlett Foundation; the Hilton Foundation; the LEGO Foundation; the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland; Philanthropy Advisors; Porticus; Rockefeller Philanthropy; and the governments of Australia, Canada, Germany, Scotland, and the United States—for their generous support and contributions to the Foundational Learning Compact Multi-Donor Umbrella Trust Fund (FLC). Without them, the activities summarized in this report would not have been possible. This progress report examines the progress made by the activities under the Foundational Learning Compact Multi-Donor Umbrella Trust Fund from October 31, 2023, to September 30, 2024. Acknowledgments vii Abbreviations Acronym Description ACER Australian Council for Educational Research AIM-ECD Anchor Items for Measurement—Early Childhood Development ALMA Accelerating Learning Measurement for Action AMPL Assessment for Minimum Proficiency Levels AMPL-a Assessment for Minimum Proficiency Levels for Sustainable Development Goal 4.1.1a AMPL-a+b Assessment for Minimum Proficiency Levels for Sustainable Development Goals 4.1.1a & 4.1.1b AMPL-b Assessment for Minimum Proficiency Levels for Sustainable Development Goal 4.1.1b CONFEMEN Conference of Ministers of Education of Francophone Countries CPD continuous professional development ECD early childhood development ECE early childhood education EdoBEST Edo Basic Education Sector Transformation EiE Education in Emergencies ERICC Education Research in Conflict and Protracted Crisis EdTech education technology ELP Early Learning Partnership ELRN Early Learning Resource Network FCDO United Kingdom Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office FCV fragility, conflict, and violence FLC Foundational Learning Compact FLN foundational literacy and numeracy FY fiscal year GEPD Global Education Policy Dashboard GPE Global Partnership for Education IBRD International Bank for Reconstruction and Development ICT information communications technology IDA International Development Association IFC International Finance Corporation INEE Inter Agency Network for Education in Emergencies INSPIRE Inclusion Support Program for Refugee Education viii Foundational Learning Compact Umbrella Trust Fund Progress Report October 2023–September 2024 Acronym Description ITE initial teacher education LAISE Learning Acceleration in Secondary Education LDC Learning Data Compact LIRE Learning Improvement for Results in Education LLECE Latin American Laboratory for the Assessment of the Quality of Education MINEDH Ministry of Education and Human Development MOE Ministry of Education NGO nongovernmental organization OECD Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development OLC Open Learning Campus PASEC Program for the Analysis of Education Systems PIRLS Progress in International Reading Literacy Study PISA Program for International Student Assessment RoC Reinventing our Classroom SDG Sustainable Development Goal SRGBV school-related gender-based violence SUNSET Scaling Up National Support for Effective Teaching TIMSS Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study TPD teacher professional development UK United Kingdom UIS UNESCO Institute for Statistics UNESCO United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization UNHCR United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees UNICEF United Nations Children’s Fund USAID United States Agency for International Development WWHGE What Works Hub for Global Education ZIP zona de influência pedagógica Abbreviations ix Foreword from the Global Director Responding to the learning crisis will take a better, bigger World Bank that is equipped with a catalytic financing platform like the FLC. The FLC is an important tool to combat the learning crisis and enable the global community to come together around a shared commitment to improving learning outcomes for all children. Climate, geopolitical, and socioeconomic crises are putting prosperity out of reach for millions across the globe, with devastating consequences for developing countries. By 2030, up to two-thirds of the world’s extremely poor, half of whom are children, will live in contexts characterized by fragility, conflict, and violence (FCV). Of the 15 million refugee children and youth worldwide, more than half are not in school. Nearly half of the world’s children, ‘live in extremely high-risk countries’ vulnerable to impacts of climate change, with extreme weather events disrupting education systems, causing prolonged school closures, and increasing learning poverty, particularly in low-income countries. This comes on top of the global learning crisis, which continues to hinder the development of critical essential skills such as literacy, numeracy, and socioemotional skills. We know the power of education—of foundational learning. We know how skills build on themselves and have lifelong benefits for students. But the reverse is also true: crises build upon each other. By not addressing the learning crisis now, we are setting ourselves up for more and deeper crises tomorrow: low growth, instability, and continued poverty. There are many pieces to solving this puzzle. First, governments must focus more on the quality of teacher recruitment and on the content of teacher training and professional development so that teachers can be more effective. x Foundational Learning Compact Umbrella Trust Fund Progress Report October 2023–September 2024 Classrooms should be equipped to foster effective learning through a simple, effective curriculum that is supported by textbooks, learning materials, and structured pedagogy. Second, learning outcomes must be measured and tracked through learning assessments that ensure children acquire necessary foundational skills and that enable governments to adjust the curriculum to improve learning outcomes. Third, education spending is insufficient; recurrent costs are very high, and many governments are also facing large debt. Governments must prioritize smarter, more effective, and efficient spending to secure better outcomes for all children. Fourth, the capacity of governments, from the central level to the district level, must be strengthened to effectively implement interventions that move the needle on foundational learning outcomes. And finally, we must build resilient education systems that can adapt to challenges such as conflict, climate change, and natural disasters, ensuring children can continue learning despite disruptions. The World Bank supports governments in addressing all these priority areas to address the learning crisis. Foundational learning is the basis for students’ learning in other subjects, in higher grades, and in their lives beyond school. Without strong foundational skills, children face a steep uphill battle in school and life. In Sub-Saharan Africa, 86 percent of 10 year-old children cannot read and understand a relevant text, highlighting the urgency of the global learning crisis. Ensuring that the most marginalized students—including girls, children in rural and remote areas, minority groups, students with disabilities, and displaced students—develop strong foundational skills is the first step in ensuring equitable learning opportunities for all. The Foundational Learning Compact (FLC) demonstrates the value of partnerships to achieve our collective aim of No Learning Poverty, which is also the main education indicator in the new World Bank Corporate Scorecard. By leveraging the World Bank’s $27.1 billion (active portfolio as of September 2024) global education portfolio, the FLC is at the forefront of transforming education systems through collaboration, data-driven solutions, and technical expertise. Many of the initiatives that the FLC has developed and piloted have been scaled up and are now being implemented more broadly with more funding. They are also many public goods that can be used by all stakeholders. This report highlights the noteworthy interventions that are making impact—and the support of the FLC was instrumental in making these a reality. Countries can and must accelerate learning. Let us continue to work together to ensure that learning poverty becomes a thing of the past, because the cost of inaction is too high. Realizing the full potential of education requires our unwavering commitment. Foreword from the Global Director xi Through collective action, we can ensure that every child receives the necessary skills needed to thrive and contribute to a more prosperous and equitable world on a livable planet. Let’s get to work and scale up! Luis Benveniste Global Director Education Global Practice Success for the FLC is continuing to develop knowledge, tools, and support for evidence- based interventions at the global level that have the potential to be transformative in as many countries as possible by complementing and contributing to World Bank policy dialogue and financing at the country level. xii Foundational Learning Compact Umbrella Trust Fund Progress Report October 2023–September 2024 Program Manager’s Note Translating our shared vision to accelerate foundational learning and transform education systems is a major lift that demands a level of investment from multilateral institutions, governments, foundations, and the private sector never seen before. The FLC is proud to be a platform for collaboration for this shared vision of learning for all children. With a global footprint in 76 of the 86 countries in the World Bank education portfolio, the Foundational Learning Compact (FLC) supports the development of global knowledge, data, tools, as well as country-level analytics, technical assistance, and capacity building to transform education systems. Partner funding through the FLC leverages approximately $33.4 billion in financing, including the World Bank’s own International Development Association (IDA) and International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) funding. The FLC provides an invaluable platform for collaboration with our partners as we work together towards the achievement of SDG 4. Although the World Bank is the largest external financer of education in the developing world with a portfolio of 162 projects amounting to over $27.1 billion in 86 countries (as of September 2024), funding remains insufficient, and partnerships remain the key to achieving deeper impact. In this reporting period, the FLC Anchor has benefitted more than 23.6 million students and 3.9 million teachers and school leaders. The activities have also influenced government policies in 81 countries through evidence, data, and advisory services. The FLC has also developed nearly 86 analytical reports, tools, and notes. This has been achieved through 51 catalytic grants totaling around $25.6 million. These grants provide tailored support to 38 countries and include three regional grants as well as 14 global grants for global public goods, knowledge, and initiatives. Program Manager’s Note xiii FLC grants at the country level leverage the World Bank-financed In this reporting period, the FLC Anchor education program and contribute has benefitted more than 23.6 million to improving government capacity students and 3.9 million teachers and to implement evidence-based interventions. Overall, these activities school leaders. strengthen country dialogue with better data and knowledge and enhance implementation capacity, enabling the World Bank to work with governments to design and implement effective reforms and interventions that improve learning, through World Bank, government, and other financing, such as Global Partnership for Education (GPE) grants. As the partnership expands, we have added three new programs to the FLC this year. The Accelerating Learning Measurement for Action (ALMA) program was launched in January 2024 to increase the availability and use of quality data on the learning outcomes. Another new initiative, the Inclusion Support Program for Refugee Education (INSPIRE), supports governments to integrate refugee children into national education systems, leveraging financing from the IDA Host-Refugee Window. Finally, the new Implementation Science for Education Program, launched in April 2024 in partnership with the What Works Hub for Global Education (WWHGE) at Oxford University, aims to support World Bank-financed projects with research to improve implementation at scale. Existing programs also expanded this year. The Accelerator Program, which has influenced government focus on foundational learning in five countries in Sub-Saharan Africa has evolved into Accelerator 2.0, a program that will benefit many more countries with technical assistance on core aspects of foundational learning. The Education Policy Academy, which started with Education Technology, has been expanded with more and updated offerings, including Learning Assessment, Literacy, and Inclusive Education Policy Academies. Governments are demanding innovative and evidence-based ideas at scale, as well as knowledge and capacity building to help them transform education systems characterized by high learning poverty into drivers for long-term growth. These demands require resources and commitment from the education community. We hope this report will give you a glimpse into FLC activities and the potential for even more impact at scale. We value your contributions, insights, and expertise. I would like to thank you, our partners for joining us in our mission to invest in people, accelerate learning, and end learning poverty. Kanae Watanabe Senior Partnership Coordinator and FLC Program Manager Education Global Practice xiv Foundational Learning Compact Umbrella Trust Fund Progress Report October 2023–September 2024 © hadynyah / iStock Executive Summary The Foundational Learning Compact Progress Report October 2023–September 2024 presents the progress made in FLC activities and highlights from its associated trust fund, the Early Learning Partnership (ELP). It picks up where the last FLC Progress Report (World Bank 2023a) left off on October 1, 2023. While most of the document will focus on the FLC Anchor Trust Fund (TF) part of the FLC Multi- Donor Umbrella Trust Fund, there is also a dedicated section for the ELP Associated Trust Fund. The report contains sections on the overview of the FLC Anchor TF, implementation progress of specific activities, risks and challenges, activities planned for the remainder of 2024 and into 2025, a specific section for ELP, and a financial update for both the FLC Anchor and ELP TFs. It also includes annexes with updated information on all of the FLC Umbrella TF grants and an updated Results Framework for the FLC Anchor TF. Executive Summary xv The objective of the FLC is to enhance global and country-level efforts to pursue The FLC is a partnership platform systematic and sustained improvements that: in early childhood, primary, and • Streamlines donor investments to maximize secondary education resulting in better impact on foundational learning at a national learning outcomes for all. With the scale. support of partners, the FLC finances • Fosters high-level policy dialogue with targeted interventions aimed to accelerate countries to undertake critical reforms for foundational learning at scale, increase foundational learning. learning measurement and data, improve • Supports tool development, data generation, teaching quality, and improve the quality evidence, and knowledge to inform policy of foundational learning interventions—all reforms and interventions for foundational toward the objective of improving learning learning. outcomes. • Provides deep knowledge and technical expertise to support policies and In this reporting period, the FLC interventions to improve learning outcomes. Anchor TF supported 76 countries • Develops global public goods, such as data around the world. Approximately half of these countries are in Sub-Saharan and analytics, to improve the quality of early Africa, followed by Latin America and and foundational learning outcomes that can be used by the global education community. the Caribbean, South Asia, and the Middle East and North Africa. The FLC focuses its support where there is strong government ownership and need. The FLC Anchor has benefited 23.6 million students and 3.9 million teachers and school leaders through the support of FLC global public goods—comprising 86 tools, reports, and analyses—and technical assistance. FLC financed tools, data, evidence, analytical work, and technical assistance contributed to country policy dialogue in approximately 81 countries. This has been achieved through 51 Bank-executed catalytic country grants (totaling $25.6 million) to 38 countries, as well as three grants for regional activities (totaling $3.9 million) and 14 grants for global activities (totaling $15.6 million). The FLC has provided funding to World Bank country programs, which has enabled the provision of technical assistance to governments to increase their ability make policy decisions and implement programs to improve foundational learning outcomes. Compared to the previous reporting period, the FLC has disbursed $12.9 million this year—which reflects the acceleration of implementation in the last year across all activities. The following summarizes the main results for FLC activities as of September 2024, including for the ELP. xvi Foundational Learning Compact Umbrella Trust Fund Progress Report October 2023–September 2024 FIGURE ES1  Key FLC Results: October 2023-September 2024 US$33.4 BILLION CATALYZED including IDA/IBRD funding, GPE grants, co-financing, and government financing 3.9 MILLION 76 countries 23.6 MILLION teachers and and territories students benefitted school leaders trained supported 1,190 81 86 global practitioners country policy public goods dialogue informed developed Source: Visual in updated FLC brochure. The FLC Umbrella supports the following programs and initiatives: the Accelerator Program and Accelerator 2.0; Learning Measurement and Data initiatives; support for Teachers; EdTech Hub; Education Policy Academy; and the Bangladesh Secondary Education Program; new initiatives, such as Inclusive Support for Refugee Education (INSPIRE) and Implementation Science for Education (ISE); and the associated Early Learning Partnership (ELP) trust fund. Accelerator Program The Accelerator Program made substantial progress this year, achieving several key milestones in participating countries. The program continued to shape the design and implementation of World Bank-financed education projects with a strong focus on foundational learning, while advancing evidence-based instructional interventions. Below are the major achievements: Executive Summary xvii • Influence on foundational learning design and government policies. The program has influenced government sector plans and the design and implementation of World Bank-financed education operations in Mozambique, Edo State (Nigeria), Rwanda, and Sierra Leone, where foundational learning has been prioritized. National and sub-national strategies now focus on structured pedagogy and enhanced learning assessments. • Support for evidence-based interventions. The program provided financial and technical support to implement structured pedagogy programs, including revising literacy and numeracy curricula, to provide textbooks and teacher guides, and to deliver intensive teacher training to enhance classroom instruction in countries such as Sierra Leone, Mozambique, and Edo State (Nigeria). • Learning assessments and data systems. In Edo State, the first state-wide learning assessments was completed, enabling the government to monitor progress in foundational learning. Rwanda has also prioritized learning assessments as part of its National Foundational Learning Strategy. • Cross-country collaboration and knowledge exchange. The program facilitated multiple cross-country learning events, including symposiums and knowledge-sharing workshops in Rwanda and Ghana. These engagements have fostered stronger collaboration among governments and development partners. • Technical and operational support to country teams. Implementation advice and support helped country teams identify and address capacity gaps, ensuring the effective design and implementation of foundational learning programs. For example, Sierra Leone piloted a new literacy package for grade 1, which will be scaled up to grade 2 classrooms by early 2025. • Orientation sessions for Accelerator 2.0. The program conducted multiple orientation sessions on Accelerator 2.0 for country teams. These sessions provided key operational details and outlined the types of technical assistance available under the new program. Looking ahead, the new Accelerator 2.0 program will provide grants to more countries. It will strengthen the instructional core, reinforce regional technical expertise, and foster knowledge exchange on foundational learning. These efforts will be based on evidence-driven interventions aimed at improving classroom learning quality. xviii Foundational Learning Compact Umbrella Trust Fund Progress Report October 2023–September 2024 Learning Measurement and Data Learning measurement and data is reorganized under three workstreams: (1) Learning Assessment; (2) Learning Data Analytics; and (3) Drivers of Learning under the Global Education Policy Dashboard (GEPD). The achievements this year are summarized below: Learning Assessment • Policy Linking report for Rwanda and benchmarking exercise in Iraq were completed. • The implementation of Assessment for Minimum Proficiency Levels for Sustainable Development Goal 4.1.1b (AMPL-b) continued in Pakistan, and preparations began to implement AMPL-a and AMPL-a+b in Lebanon. • Just-in-time technical assistance and support were provided to enhance learning assessment systems and activities in 13 countries: the Arab Republic of Egypt, Bangladesh, Ghana, Guyana, Malawi, Mexico, Papua New Guinea, Pakistan, the Philippines, Rwanda, Sint Maarten, Somalia, and Tunisia. Looking ahead, the new ALMA program1 was launched and the selection of the first round of country grants will be made by October 2024. Learning Data Analytics • With the release of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2022 in December 2023, the World Bank conducted analysis and disseminated results in 49 country briefs in January 2024 and May 2024. Upon the expected release of 2023 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) data in December 2024, country briefs will be produced that will harmonize and analyze the new data. A Global Learning Poverty Update is scheduled to be released in late 2026 based on recent learning outcome data. Drivers of Learning – Global Education Policy Dashboard • Data collection and country coverage: Collected comprehensive, actionable data on four education systems: Edo State (Nigeria), and the Balochistan, Punjab, and Sindh regions in Pakistan, bringing the total to 17 systems. Validated and disseminated results for eight additional systems: Chad, Edo State (Nigeria), Gabon, and Balochistan, Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Islamabad regions in Pakistan. Executive Summary xix • Dissemination and impact: GEPD data is being used to shape policy recommendations and inform upcoming World Bank operations, such as the Human Capital Opportunities for Prosperity and Equality (HOPE – Education) in Nigeria. In Edo State (Nigeria), GEPD data identified key gaps in pedagogical skills and learners’ preparedness for school, prompting a renewed focus on early childhood education. In Balochistan (Pakistan), GEPD insights drove the government to focus on Early Childhood Development and Continuous Professional Development initiatives. • Currently, implementation is ongoing in eight systems (Bangladesh, Central African Republic, Colombia, Lebanon, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Seychelles, and Togo). Looking ahead, the GEPD implementation will be completed in four more systems that are in the pipeline: Guinea, South Africa (Western Cape province), Somalia, and South Sudan. With United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Institute for Statistics (UIS) and the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER), GEPD will also be implemented in Pakistan and Sierra Leone along with the AMPL-b student assessment, which will enable countries to report on SDG 4.1.1b and generate learning poverty estimates for the first time. Teachers The Teachers program includes Global Coach, Coach Mozambique, and Teach-Coach Scaling Up National Support for Effective Teaching (SUNSET) grants. In addition, a new work program on initial teacher education launched last year with FLC support forms a key part of the Teachers program. The progress and future plans are the following: Global Coach • The Global Coach program was concluded in January 2024 and all resources have been made publicly available. The knowledge gained from the program has contributed to the Teachers Policy Academy, which aims to enhance technical knowledge on teachers’ professional development (TPD) among World Bank staff and clients in order to improve the quality of TPD programs. • The global teachers’ report, “Making Teacher Policy Work,” published in November 2023 (World Bank 2023b), emphasizes the need for teacher policies to be designed with a deep understanding of teachers’ experiences, while a subsequent report on the Coach program, released in March 2024, highlights case studies from six countries and insights on continuous professional development for teachers. xx Foundational Learning Compact Umbrella Trust Fund Progress Report October 2023–September 2024 Coach Mozambique • The Coach Mozambique program expanded the pilot, finalizing materials for grade 2 and conducting extensive data collection for an impact evaluation. Results indicate positive changes in teacher practices and significant progress in student literacy across monitored schools. • Joint monitoring sessions with coaches (pedagogical director) and monitors (cluster-school coordinators (zona de influência pedagógica (ZIP)) confirmed the effective use of lesson plans and increased support for teachers, with a significant rise in both the number of assessed students and their skills from the second to third term. • The third round of training for teachers and monitors, conducted in June 2024, enhanced pedagogical practices and feedback mechanisms. Teach-Coach Scaling Up National Support for Effective Teaching (SUNSET) grants • Under the SUNSET program, 24 countries received nearly $5.5 million to enhance teachers’ professional development through the Teach and Coach programs. • The program successfully concluded in June 2024. The program focused on managing grant closures, evaluating outcomes, and preparing analysis on lessons learned for dissemination through various channels. • Additional technical assistance was provided to SUNSET country teams, alongside documentation of achievements and lessons learned, with plans for an online event to share findings. • Under the grants, countries adapted and implemented the Teach classroom observation tool to gather data about quality of teaching and to inform teacher professional development efforts. From there, many countries designed or updated continuous professional development initiatives, and in some cases leveraging Coach materials. These efforts took a range of forms, from mentoring and 1:1 coaching to online training platforms to international knowledge exchange. Analysis of lessons learned under the grant is currently underway. Looking ahead, the Mozambique’s Aprender+ program will be expanded to 5,500 schools, grade 3 lesson plans will be finalized, and an impact evaluation will be conducted. Globally, the program will disseminate insights from Global Coach and SUNSET Grant programs, launch a study on initial teacher education, and engage in workshops, research, and assessments to improve teacher preparation and measure teaching effectiveness. Executive Summary xxi Education Technology The partnership with the EdTech Hub include the Hub’s provision of technical assistance to World Bank staff through the Helpdesk, the annual development of joint knowledge products, and the World Bank’s provision of strategic guidance through its participation on the Hub’s Executive Committee and Strategic Advisory Board. Progress is listed below: • Since the launch of the Helpdesk in April 2020, World Bank staff has made 48 active requests for support. The Helpdesk provides relevant and just-in-time knowledge services, such as document reviews, expert consultations, curated list of resources, and topic briefs, in response to questions that governments have about EdTech policy and program design and implementation.    Looking ahead, the EdTech Hub will continue increasing engagement with World Bank country teams through its helpdesk and collaborate on joint projects, including content development for the EdTech Policy Academy in October 2024. It will also support the development of Sierra Leone’s National Digital Learning Strategy, expected to be completed in early 2025. Education Policy Academy Building on the lessons from the EdTech Policy Academy, the World Bank has expanded its offerings under the Education Policy Academy and established it as a core training program for World Bank teams and governments counterparts to build knowledge and capacity to design and implement effective education policies and programs. Education Policy Academy activities are partially supported by the FLC, and this year they focused on five thematic areas: foundational learning, inclusive education, teachers, education technology, and early childhood education (featured under the ELP section). Program achievements include the following: • The Foundational Learning Policy Academy incorporated and expanded upon the previous Literacy Policy Academy. The online Literacy Policy Academy introduced participants to the science of reading and to policies that promote effective early grade reading at scale in six modules. • The Advancing Foundational Teaching and Learning event, held in Accra, Ghana in May 2024, offered training to all World Bank education staff working in SSA in foundational learning. This included effective curriculum development, teacher training, and the provision of quality instructional resources. The event also included two learning modules on classroom and large-scale assessment, paired with country cases from regional staff and insights from practitioners and policymakers from Ghana. xxii Foundational Learning Compact Umbrella Trust Fund Progress Report October 2023–September 2024 • The Inclusive Education Policy Academy (IEPA) was expanded to include Malawi, which completed Phase 1 of IEPA in June 2024. Malawi joined Rwanda and Zambia in IEPA Phase 2, which was launched with World Bank country teams and government counterparts. An in-country workshop is being planned to take place in Rwanda in February 2025. • The Teachers Policy Academy built capacity around the fundamentals of teacher policy and high-quality in-service teacher professional development. A pilot 2-day workshop was conducted customizing the content of the “Teachers: Strengthening Continuous Professional Development” course to Morocco’s specific context. • The EdTech Policy Academy in Spring 2024 focused on “Strategies to Support Teacher Capacity Building through Technology,” with 48 participants from the ministries of education in Georgia, Moldova, Jordan, and the Philippines. The micro-course format allowed participants to engage with the content at their own convenience. Looking ahead, the Education Policy Academy as a program will focus on increasing accessibility and engagement through new self-paced modules, bite-sized content, and more face-to-face courses. All courses were migrated to the World Bank Open Learning Campus, ensuring a consistent user experience and improved tracking of progress. In the next year, each policy academy has specific next steps. The Literacy Policy Academy will conduct training events in Colombia and the Central African Republic, with additional materials translated for Lusophone countries. The Teachers Policy Academy will roll out new professional development modules, expand course delivery, and develop content on initial teacher education. The Inclusive Education Policy Academy will hold a workshop in Rwanda (to be confirmed) in early 2025, launching Phase 3 by June 2025. The EdTech Policy Academy will assess current EdTech policies and implementation strategies during the planned October 2024 session, helping countries prioritize actionable steps for advancing their goals. The updated Learning Assessment Policy Academy will build on field experiences in Ghana and develop learning data analytics content, including for ALMA grantees. Inclusion Support Program for Refugee Education (INSPIRE) This is a new global initiative launched in February 2024, in collaboration with UNHCR, to support governments in the inclusion of refugee children in host country education systems. INSPIRE supports host countries strengthen and implement policies, reinforce system capabilities for integrating refugee children into national education systems through country grants. At the global level, the program generates policy and operationally relevant knowledge and lessons on refugee Executive Summary xxiii education and convenes global events to advance the agenda on refugee education. Achievements to date include the following: • A Guidance Note on Refugee Inclusion is currently being drafted to help World Bank teams and governments to design and implement programs to incorporate refugee children into national school systems. • A global knowledge event is being planned at Wilton Park in the United Kingdom (UK) to bring together governments that have committed to host refugee children in their education systems with experts, refugee advocates, and partners to support the development of refugee inclusion plans. • Phase 1 countries have been selected and implementation has begun in four countries (Burundi, Chad, Ethiopia, and South Sudan) to provide technical support to governments to developing refugee inclusion plans, as well as designing and implementing programs. Looking ahead, INSPIRE will prioritize the global dissemination of its Guidance Note on refugee inclusion, with knowledge-sharing webinars planned on key topics to ensure broad access. In addition, the program will continue providing just-in-time technical assistance to countries as needed, offering ongoing support for refugee education efforts. A new round of country grants will also be awarded, expanding the program’s reach and supporting additional countries in implementing refugee inclusion initiatives. Implementation Science for Education (ISE) Program This new program, developed in April 2024 in partnership with the What Works Hub for Global Education at Oxford University, supports the delivery of evidence-based reforms and programs to improve foundational learning at scale, while developing resources and knowledge on implementation science in education. Achievements to date include the following: • Phase 1 countries have been selected, research design is underway, and baseline data collection will begin soon. The team has seen strong uptake and interest from country teams. Looking ahead, the ISE Program will focus on finalizing research plans for Phase 1 countries and selecting data collection firms to implement these plans. Baseline results from these Phase 1 countries will be compiled to assess initial findings and inform future efforts. Additionally, the program will conduct a call for proposals to identify and select Phase 2 countries, laying the groundwork for the next phase of research and implementation. xxiv Foundational Learning Compact Umbrella Trust Fund Progress Report October 2023–September 2024 Bangladesh Secondary Education Program This program is the one activity in the FLC Anchor on secondary education. Progress is summarized below: • The program delivered evidence-based research that informed programs benefitting students and teachers. • The “Reinventing Our Classroom” intervention reduced teacher absenteeism and improved classroom management and student behavior. • Advisory services have supported the government with a teacher need assessment mapping, and technical assistance has been provided to address school-related gender-based violence (SRGBV) and mental health, aiming to reduce dropout rates and improve student retention. • Surveys were conducted to gain insights on green skills and technical assistance was provided on the topic. Looking forward, the program will focus on disseminating evidence generated to enhance outreach and influence on policy. The program will also assist the Ministry of Education in achieving targets for learning loss recovery and dropout prevention through the Learning Acceleration in Secondary Education (LAISE) program, as well as provide technical assistance for piloting blended learning and supporting vocational and technical education for at-risk students in secondary schools. Early Learning Partnership The Early Learning Partnership (ELP) trust fund leverages the World Bank’s global presence, access to policymakers, and technical expertise to enhance early learning opportunities and outcomes for children worldwide. It supports World Bank teams in advocating for ECD investments, designing effective policies, and implementing impactful programs through three main workstreams: catalytic country grants, high-value analytical work and special initiatives, and capacity building. Achievements to date include the following: • The ELP made significant strides in enhancing early learning opportunities globally. Key achievements include the approval of 136 catalytic grants totaling $27.7 million between 2022 and 2024, and the implementation of ECD measurement tools in 36 countries. It is estimated that since 2015, ELP has now leveraged more than $4 billion in increased funding for early childhood development through IDA, IBRD, GPE, and domestic resources. Executive Summary xxv • The ELP’s capacity building initiatives, including the Early Childhood Policy Academy and Early Years Fellowship, have engaged 400+ policymakers, partners and World Bank staff to create solutions, innovate and share cross-country knowledge to expand access to quality early learning and childcare to foster improved early learning and childcare systems. These efforts have contributed to stronger policy dialogue, better quality interventions, and stronger early childhood systems. • The Invest in Childcare initiative, launched by ELP, has catalyzed tremendous growth in the World Bank’s portfolio of analytical and operational work. The team has responded to more than 100 requests from country teams and clients for technical assistance and catalytic finance in 2024. A recently completed portfolio review shows that the number of World Bank projects with childcare activities has increased from 8 in 2017 to 152 in 2024. The initiative has been key to meeting and exceeding the IDA20 Policy Commitment on childcare, which was to support 15 countries to expand access to quality, affordable childcare (16 reached so far), and to ensuring childcare has a strong institutional anchor within the newly released World Bank Gender Strategy. Over the next year, the ELP will continue to support region- and country-based teams with technical assistance, catalytic grant funding (both Recipient- and Bank-Executed), high quality guidance and cutting-edge analytical work, and opportunities for capacity building and cross-country exchange. The program will complete its second global cohort of the Early Childhood Policy Academy focused on Investing in Childcare, and it will extend its offering of self-paced courses on the Education Policy Academy. Additionally, ELP will continue to provide guidance on scaling parenting interventions and support the Read@Home initiative, focusing on book development and caregiver engagement. Efforts to measure childcare quality are also underway to strengthen program effectiveness in early childhood education and care. xxvi Foundational Learning Compact Umbrella Trust Fund Progress Report October 2023–September 2024 © Africa Studio / Adobe Stock Executive Summary xxvii We need to do much more to develop foundational skills like literacy, harness technology advances and provide training for skills that are needed in growing economies. This is a mission critical at the World Bank. Ajay Banga, President, World Bank 2024 Generation Unlimited Global Leadership Council xxviii SECTION 1 Trust Fund Overview and Highlights In this section The Foundational Learning Compact (FLC) Progress Report October 2023–September 2024 presents the progress made in FLC activities and highlights from its associated trust fund, the Early Learning Partnership (ELP). Section 1 provides an overview of the FLC Trust Fund that includes the context, structure, objectives, pillars, cross-cutting themes, and key activities, alongside a summary of FLC Anchor portfolio indicators and highlights from the Results Framework. Subsequent sections include implementation progress of activities, including outputs, risks and challenges for the FLC and for individual activities as well as mitigation measures, outlook for planned activities for the remainder of 2024 and into 2025, a financial update, as well as annexes with updated grant information, projects supported, and the updated Results Framework. Context Foundational skills—literacy, numeracy, and socioemotional skills—are the bedrock of a child’s education. The focus on foundational learning is grounded on the notion that basic literacy, numeracy, and socioemotional skills are not only valuable on their own, but also serve as an essential building block for more advanced learning and skills. Ensuring foundational learning for all also contributes to sustainable development, inclusive growth, gender equality, national cohesion, peace, and prosperity, while also supporting progress on all other Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). While governments have made efforts to increase total education spending over the past decade, low-income countries still lack sufficient © Sarah Farhat / World Bank funding to overcome their learning crisis. SECTION 1 Trust Fund Overview and Highlights 1 Low- and lower-middle-income countries face a climate-related events, such as floods, droughts, particularly challenging “double jeopardy:” their and heatwaves, are disrupting schooling, leading financial resources are both scarce and often to prolonged closures and learning losses. For misallocated. Although increased investment example, students in low-income countries that enhances educational performance, particularly experienced a climate related school closure in low-income countries, inefficient use of between January 2022 and June 2024 lost an available funds restricts this impact. To improve average of 45 days of schooling, compared with educational outcomes, governments must enhance just six days in high-income countries according the efficiency of current spending by optimizing to the recent World Bank report Choosing Our public financial management, strengthening Future: Education for Climate Action (Sabarwal governance, and ensuring more effective resource et al. 2024). Ensuring that education systems are allocation, particularly focused on evidence-based resilient and adaptable to these climate risks is interventions that improve foundational learning essential for safeguarding both current and future outcomes. learning outcomes​. Despite the urgent need to accelerate the attainment of learning outcomes, national commitments have largely overlooked its urgency and the broader learning crisis As climate change increases the frequency of (Alonso et al. 2023). While there is evidence of what extreme weather events, more frequent school works, progress in implementing evidence-based closures will result in learning losses. Worldwide, interventions and improving learning outcomes education is the single strongest predictor of remains slow. Global education stakeholders can climate change awareness. A year of education support governments to recover learning losses, increases pro-climate beliefs, behaviors, and green focus on acceleration, and ultimately improve voting. Studies show that climate education for foundational learning and reduce inequalities. children also increases climate concerns among parents. However, we need to strengthen climate This lack of progress in improving foundational education in schools. Our World Bank education learning is especially concerning in regions like Sub-Saharan Africa, where the situation programs increasingly include components remains critical. Current estimates indicate that focused on strengthening climate education. nearly nine out of 10 children in Sub-Saharan Africa are in learning poverty, meaning that they Luis Benveniste, Global Director, cannot read and comprehend a simple text by age Education Global Practice, World Bank 10. This region also faces significant challenges in access and retention, with over 25 percent of school-aged children still out of school, according There is growing momentum on foundational to recent United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) learning, which can be leveraged alongside figures. climate resilience efforts to implement evidence-based strategies at scale. Now is the In addition, climate change is having a time to agree on a forward plan for securing significant impact on education systems, foundational learning for all children. Numerous particularly in low- and middle-income countries are successfully implementing evidence- countries. Increasingly frequent and severe based interventions, supporting teachers, and 2 Foundational Learning Compact Umbrella Trust Fund Progress Report October 2023–September 2024 © lemélangedesgenres / Adobe Stock measuring learning—key drivers of educational Structure, Objectives, Pillars, improvement—with the support of the FLC. The and Cross-Cutting Themes path forward involves a blend of immediate, scalable solutions and long-term strategic The FLC remains an important mechanism to investments in education systems to ensure support governments in pursuing foundational every child not only attends school but also learning outcomes at scale. Established in gains essential literacy, numeracy, and social- August 2020, the FLC operates as an umbrella emotional skills. multi-donor trust fund, pooling contributions from donors to fund evidence-based interventions Over the past four years, the Foundational focused on improving early childhood, primary, Learning Compact (FLC) has served as the World and secondary education. Aligned closely with Bank’s primary instrument for collaboration the World Bank’s education priorities, particularly with global education partners to support foundational learning, the FLC concentrated its governments in improving foundational learning. efforts on areas such as learning acceleration, This FLC progress report covers from October 2023 learning measurement, teacher capacity building, through September 2024. While this progress education technology, and promoting inclusion of report primarily focuses on the FLC Anchor children with disabilities and refugee children. trust fund, it also provides a dedicated section on the ELP. The report describes how the FLC strategically leverages the World Bank’s own education portfolio ($27.1 billion as of September 2024), FLC Overview which includes funding from the International Development Association (IDA) and International This section outlines the FLC’s structure, Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) governance, management, objectives, pillars, funding, covering 162 projects across 86 countries. themes, and activities, and summarizes key By catalyzing the World Bank’s own financing, the portfolio indicators and updates on the results FLC enables partners to support impact at scale framework. through national education systems. SECTION 1 Trust Fund Overview and Highlights 3 The FLC Umbrella Trust Fund is centered around is governed by the FLC Partnership Council, its Anchor multi-donor trust fund, with the ELP comprising all donor partners and managed by Trust Fund contributing to the FLC’s overarching the FLC Program Management Team under the development objectives.2 Figure 1.1 illustrates leadership of the World Bank’s Global Director for the current program architecture. The FLC Anchor Education. FIGURE 1.1  Structure of the FLC Umbrella Trust Fund FLC Umbrella Trust Fund FLC Partnership Council DONORS: FLC Anchor Trust Fund Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), LEGO FOCUS: Foundation, Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Primary and secondary Finland, the Government of Scotland education and education systems DONORS: Bernard Van Leer Foundation, Bill & Melinda FOCUS: Gates Foundation, Echidna Giving, UK Foreign, Early childhood Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) Hewlett Foundation, Hilton Foundation, LEGO Foundation, Philanthropy Advisors, Porticus, Rockefeller Philanthropy, and Governments of ELP Associated Trust Fund Australia, Canada, Germany, US FLC Umbrella Trust Fund Program Management 4 Foundational Learning Compact Umbrella Trust Fund Progress Report October 2023–September 2024 The Annual Partnership Council (PC) meetings FIGURE 1.2  The FLC Pillars and Cross-Cutting Themes have been organized since April 2021, with the fourth PC meeting taking place on May 24, 2024. Hosted by FCDO, it provided an update on activities and work plans for the FLC for FY24-FY25. The Results Framework was revised and updated to reflect the following: (1) new funding as new programs have joined the FLC, and (2) the evolution of existing programs. The meeting noted that an independent evaluation of the FLC (including ELP) would be launched in 2025. Structurally, the FLC is organized around three core pillars: measurement, evidence-based policies Measurements Evidence-based Capacity and systemic reforms, and capacity building.3 policies and building systemic Furthermore, it emphasizes five cross-cutting reforms themes: gender, climate, education technology Gender (EdTech), inclusion, and fragility, conflict, and violence (FCV) (see figure 1.2). Climate Education technology Activities Inclusion Fragility, conflict, and violence The FLC Anchor encompasses a set of targeted programs and activities that aim to improve learning outcomes. These include: Leverage World Bank lending, policy dialogue, and operational knowledge • Accelerator Program, which has expanded to Accelerator 2.0 to benefit more countries with foundational learning. • Learning Measurement and Data activities, which focus on (1) Learning Assessments, (2) Learning teacher support, education technology, and Data Analytics, and (3) Drivers of Learning. early childhood education. • Support for teachers is provided through • Bangladesh Secondary Education Program. programs like Global Coach, Coach Mozambique, • Two new initiatives: the Inclusive Support and the Teach-Coach Scaling Up National for Refugee Education (INSPIRE) to support Support for Effective Teaching (SUNSET) grants. government to incorporate refugee children • EdTech Hub to support governments and in national education systems; and the country teams to tackle incorporation of Implementation Science for Education (ISE) to education technology. support implementation research at scale to inform operations. • Education Policy Academy, which has been expanded and updated to cover Figure 1.3 maps the FLC activities by education level foundational learning (including learning and those under the ELP associated trust fund. assessment and literacy), inclusive education, Progress by activity are discussed in section 2. SECTION 1 Trust Fund Overview and Highlights 5 FIGURE 1.3  Activities under the FLC Umbrella Trust Fund Activities under the FLC Umbrella Trust Fund EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT PRIMARY EDUCATION (EARLY LEARNING PARTNERSHIP) (FOUNDATIONAL LEARNING COMPACT) Invest in Childcare Accelerator Program Parenting and Caregiving Learning Measurement and Data ECD Measurement Global Coach Read@Home Coach Mozambique ECD in FCV Settings Teach-Coach SUNSET grants Engaging Policymakers EdTech Hub Early Years Fellowship Education Policy Academy Inclusion Support to Refugee Education (NEW) Implementation Science (NEW) SECONDARY EDUCATION (FOUNDATIONAL LEARNING COMPACT) Bangladesh Secondary Education Program FLC Anchor activities are supporting 76 countries need. Reflecting this priority, countries such as around the world. As map 1.1 shows, nearly Bangladesh, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Cameroon, half of these countries are in Sub-Saharan Africa, Central African Republic, Chad, El Salvador, Eswatini, followed by Latin America and the Caribbean, Ethiopia, Ghana, Lebanon, Morocco, Mozambique, South Asia, and the Middle East and North Africa. Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra The FLC concentrates its support where there Leone, Somalia, Tanzania, and Togo each received is strong government ownership and a clear support through three or more FLC activities. 6 Foundational Learning Compact Umbrella Trust Fund Progress Report October 2023–September 2024 MAP 1.1  The FLC Supports 76 out of 86 Countries in the World Bank Education Portfolio Number of activities supported in countries by the FLC 1 The darker the 2 shade, the more 3 activities are being 4 implemented in 5 the country IBRD 46842 | DECEMBER 2024 Middle East and North Africa: Algeria Teach, Teach-Coach Academy; Ghana Accelerator, Learning Measurement and SUNSET Grants; Comoros Education Policy Academy; Djibouti Data, Education Policy Academy, ISE; Guinea Education Teach, Teach-Coach SUNSET Grants; Arab Republic of Egypt Policy Academy; Guinea-Bissau Education Policy Academy; Learning Measurement and Data; Iraq Learning Measurement Liberia Teach, Education Policy Academy; Mali Education and Data; Jordan Teach, Education Policy Academy Lebanon Policy Academy; Mauritania Education Policy Academy; Learning Measurement and Data, GEPD, Teach; Morocco Teach, Niger Accelerator, Teach, Education Policy Academy; Nigeria Teach-Coach Sunset Grants, and Education Policy Academy Accelerator, Learning Measurement and Data, Education Policy Academy, ISE; Senegal Accelerator, Teach, Education Policy Europe and Central Asia: Armenia Teach, Teach-Coach SUNSET Academy; Sierra Leone Accelerator, Teach, Education Policy Grants; Bulgaria Teach; Georgia Education Policy Academy; Academy; Togo GEPD, Teach, Education Policy Academy  Kosovo Teach; Moldova Education Policy Academy; Romania Teach, Teach-Coach SUNSET Grants; Uzbekistan Teach, Teach- East Africa: Angola Teach, Education Policy Academy; Coach SUNSET Grants  Burundi Teach, Teach-Coach SUNSET Grants, Education Policy Academy, INSPIRE; Eswatini Teach, Teach-Coach SUNSET South Asia: Afghanistan Teach; Bangladesh GEPD, Teach, Grants, Education Policy Academy; Ethiopia Teach, Education Bangladesh Secondary Education Program; India Teach, Policy Academy INSPIRE; Kenya Accelerator, Education Policy Teach-Coach SUNSET Grants; Nepal Teach, Teach-Coach Academy; Madagascar Teach, Education Policy Academy; SUNSET Grants, EdTech Hub; Pakistan Accelerator, Learning Malawi Learning Measurement and Data, Education Policy Measurement and Data, GEPD, Teach, Teach-Coach SUNSET Academy; Mozambique Accelerator, Coach, Teach, Education Grants  Policy Academy; Rwanda Accelerator, Learning Measurement Latin America and the Caribbean: Brazil Teach, Teach-Coach and Data, Education Policy Academy, ISE; São Tomé and SUNSET Grants; Colombia Teach, GEPD; El Salvador Teach, Príncipe Teach, Education Policy Academy; Seychelles GEPD; Education Policy Academy; Guyana Learning Measurement Somalia Learning Measurement and Data, Teach, Teach-Coach and Data; Haiti Teach; Honduras Teach, Teach-Coach SUNSET SUNSET Grants; South Africa Education Policy Academy; Grants; Mexico Learning Measurement and Data, Teach, South Sudan Education Policy Academy, INSPIRE; Tanzania Teach-Coach SUNSET Grants; Peru GEPD, Teach; Sint Maarten Teach, Teach-Coach SUNSET Grants, EdTech Hub, Education Learning Measurement and Data; Uruguay Teach  Policy Academy; Uganda Education Policy Academy; Zambia Education Policy Academy; Zimbabwe Education Policy West Africa: Benin Education Policy Academy; Burkina Faso Academy  Education Policy Academy; Cameroon Teach-Coach SUNSET Grants, Education Policy Academy; Cabo Verde Teach-Coach East Asia and Pacific: China Teach; Indonesia Teach, SUNSET Grants, Education Policy Academy; Central African Teach-Coach SUNSET Grants; Kiribati Teach, Teach-Coach Republic GEPD, Teach, Teach-Coach SUNSET Grants, Education SUNSET Grants; Mongolia Teach; Papa New Guinea Learning Policy Academy; Chad GEPD, Teach, Education Policy Academy, Measurement and Data, GEPD; Philippines Teach, Education INSPIRE; Côte d’Ivoire Teach; Democratic Republic of Congo Policy Academy; Tuvalu Teach, Teach-Coach SUNSET Grants Teach; Gabon GEPD, Teach; The Gambia Education Policy Source: Designed by the World Bank FLC program management team, with the support of the World Bank cartography team and the report’s designer, October 2024. IBRD46842. SECTION 1 Trust Fund Overview and Highlights 7 FLC Portfolio Indicators to World Bank country programs, enabling the provision of technical assistance to help This section summarizes the main results of governments increase their capacity to deliver the FLC Anchor TF from October 1, 2023, to foundational learning. Grants have been awarded September 30, 2024. on a rolling basis or through call for proposals depending on the amount of funding based on During the reporting period, FLC activities and country need and government ownership. The high outputs, including 86 tools, reports, analyses, number of requests for support, which far exceed and technical assistance, have benefitted around funding, reflects the high level of interest from 23.6 million students and 3.9 million teachers governments in the targeted and evidence-based and school leaders in 76 countries. Evidence, data, support provided through the FLC. tools, capacity building, and technical assistance funded by the FLC have contributed to policy During this reporting period, the FLC disbursed dialogue in approximately 81 countries. $12.9, which reflects the acceleration of implementation, new funding, and several closing To date, the FLC Anchor has awarded 51 World programs. The substantial disbursement reflects Bank-executed catalytic country grants (totaling the intensive and targeted technical support $25.6 million) to 38 countries, three grants provided with FLC funding, which has supported the for regional activities (totaling $3.9 million), development of global knowledge and been critical and 14 grants for global activities (totaling in helping countries implement specific interventions $15.6 million). The FLC has provided funding proven to improve foundational learning outcomes. © Yongyuan Dai / iStock 8 Foundational Learning Compact Umbrella Trust Fund Progress Report October 2023–September 2024 FLC by the Numbers Portfolio Indicators for the FLC Anchor TF (October 2023-September 2024) US$33.4 BILLION in financing catalyzed through the FLC Anchor Trust Fund $25.6 MILLION for 38 country grants $19.5 MILLION for 3 regional and 14 global grants Number of beneficiaries supported through FLC grants Accelerator: 5.7 million students (Kenya: 2,465,315, Mozambique: 535,000, Niger: 106,726, Nigeria Beneficiaries [Edo State]: 257,260, Rwanda: 1,938,510, Sierra Leone: 400,000) Education Policy Academy: 581 practitioners (online), 609 practitioners (in-person) Total: 27.5 million Teach/Coach SUNSET grants: 17.7 million students, more than 3.9 million teachers, more than Students: 23.6 million 23,000 pedagogical leaders — Actual figures (direct and indirect) at grant closing Teachers & school Coach Mozambique: 481 school leaders, 1,879 teachers, and 83,500 students leaders: 3.9 million Bangladesh Secondary Education Program: 10,603 students 1,025 teachers INSPIRE: 529,000 refugee students, 24,000 (Burundi), 405,446 (Chad), and 100,000 (South Sudan) Number of countries supported by FLC activities Accelerator: 9 countries Learning Measurement and Data – Learning Assessment: 13 countries 76 Learning Measurement and Data – Drivers of Learning (GEPD): 12 countries Teach: 51 countries countries of Bank Teach-Coach SUNSET grants: 24 countries EdTech Hub: 2 countries portfolio supported Education Policy Academy: 43 countries INSPIRE: 4 countries Implementation Science: 3 countries Bangladesh Secondary Education Program: 1 country Number of countries in which policy dialogue has been informed by FLC support 81 Accelerator: 9 countries Learning Measurement and Data – Learning Assessment: 5 countries Learning Measurement and Data – Drivers of Learning (GEPD): 4 countries country policy Teach-Coach: 60 countries dialogues Education Policy Academy: 43 countries Bangladesh Secondary Education Program: 1 country INSPIRE: 4 countries Number of tools, materials, and reports developed with FLC support Accelerator: 5 outputs 86 Learning Measurement and Data – Learning Assessment: 3 outputs Learning Measurement and Data – Learning Data Analytics: 49 PISA briefs + 1 report resources Learning Measurement and Data – Drivers of Learning (GEPD): 9 outputs Teach-Coach: 7 tools and reports developed EdTech Hub: 3 outputs Education Policy Academy: 8 outputs Bangladesh Secondary Education Program: 2 tools Sources: Results Framework, project documents, and input from teams. SECTION 1 Trust Fund Overview and Highlights 9 Results Framework Highlights will include the Implementation Science for Education Program going forward as activities The Results Framework has been updated contribute to this indicator. to reflect the evolution of the FLC Umbrella Trust Fund. This evolution includes the We are also introducing four new or modified following elements: (1) the closing of some indicators to track new activities, namely programs such as the Global Coach Program, the expanded Education Policy Academy, and the Teach-Coach SUNSET Grants and the the Inclusion Support Program for Refugee revision of the corresponding indicators; (2) the Education, and Implementation Science for overachievement of several indicators; (3) the Education Program. The new indicator Technical expansion of programs, such as the Education assistance delivered to governments to improve Policy Academy and Accelerator programs that will capacity for implementation at scale will be informed require modifications to existing indicators and by the Implementation Science for Education new targets; and (4) new programs, such as the Program. There is a modified indicator that will Inclusion Support Program for Refugee Education, be used to capture Policymakers participating in and Implementation Science for Education Program the Education Policy Academy across all the policy that will have corresponding new indicators. academies. To capture policy reforms resulting from the Inclusive Education Policy Academy, Nineteen of the indicator targets have been there is a new indicator inclusive education policies/ surpassed and one indicator has been achieved strategies/programs emphasizing gender equality during the last reporting period, which account and/or disability inclusion informed by participating for nearly 65 percent of the indicators in the Inclusive Education Policy Academy countries. Results Framework. The rest of the indicators are Finally, the new indicator Number of refugee on track to be achieved in the next three years. children and youth whose inclusion in national Table 1.1 shows how the Accelerator Program, education system is supported (disaggregated) will Learning Measurement and Data activities, be informed by the Inclusion Support Program Teachers Program, and Bangladesh Secondary for Refugee Education. Education Program have results that have exceeded their targets. More details in annex C. Finally, two indicators will be dropped after this reporting period. The indicator Investment Cases Several indicators related to the Teachers that outline costed plan to meet foundational learning activities will be updated to reflect the relevance targets will be dropped because this instrument is of other activities. For example, the indicator no longer being required under Accelerator 2.0. Teacher policies or programs changed or informed The indicator Technical assistance to World Bank has been updated to enable the inclusion country programs on design and implementation and tracking of just-in-time support to countries of Teach-Coach–related activities provided will be that is informing projects with teacher support dropped because the target has been reached and interventions and reforms, which had not been the program is finished; a new indicator will be captured previously. The indicator Increased country introduced next year based on the new Teachers capacity for evidence-based policy or program design Program. and monitoring based on measurement interventions 10 Foundational Learning Compact Umbrella Trust Fund Progress Report October 2023–September 2024 TABLE 1.1   Indicators That Surpassed Targets As of September 2024: Selected Indicators Target Current value (December Indicator (September 2024) 2023/2024) Accelerator Program Foundational learning targets developed by Accelerators 6 accelerators 5 and adopted publicly by government Learning Measurement and Data Number of large-scale learning assessments implemented or enhanced to increase their international comparability 9 country/education systems 6 and likelihood to report on international learning indicators. Global Education Policy Dashboard implemented in selected 17 country/education systems 13 countries/systems Teachers Program Implementation of Teach in selected countries/systems 51 country/education systems 40 Bangladesh Secondary Education Program Scalable teacher training platforms and networks piloted 8 2 © narongchaihlaw / Adobe Stock SECTION 1 Trust Fund Overview and Highlights 11 In a world in turmoil, speed, scale, and impact spell success. In fact, we have no choice. Because making the kind of progress the world needs collective action and a sense of urgency. Anna Bjerde, Managing Director of Operations, World Bank 12 SECTION 2 Implementation Progress In this section This section provides implementation progress for each activity and includes context and recent updates, followed by implementation progress and outcomes achieved at the global and country level, as well as outputs and resources developed during the reporting period. THE ACCELERATOR PROGRAM Activity Overview The Accelerator Program was launched in 2020 influenced the design of IDA-financed operations by the World Bank in partnership with UNICEF, by sharpening the focus on foundational learning, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, FCDO, intensifying the national focus on foundational UIS, and USAID to strengthen country capacity learning outcomes, and strengthening coordination to design and implement effective foundational among partners. learning programs to reduce learning poverty. The program focuses on countries committed Building on the strengths of the original to the agenda of improving foundational program, Accelerator 2.0 started at the end learning.4 The Accelerator Program introduced of the reporting period. This next phase aims a methodology to help selected countries with to further unlock progress in foundational strong political will to set foundational learning learning by providing technical and grant targets, develop a costed foundational learning support to a broader set of countries in plan (Investment Case), and target technical Sub-Saharan Africa to implement evidence- assistance to identified areas of technical capacity based interventions that improve classroom need. Through these activities, the program instruction. Examples of such interventions SECTION 2 Implementation Progress 13 THE ACCELERATOR PROGRAM include structured pedagogy programs that be supported under the Accelerating Learning encompass evidence-aligned literacy and Measurement for Action (ALMA) program, which numeracy curricula, quality textbooks with aligned is described in section 2. Figure 2.1 depicts how teacher guides, and practical and skills-based these core areas for foundational learning are teacher training and support. Assessments will supported under the Accelerator Program. FIGURE 2.1  Core Areas for Foundational Learning Supported under the Accelerator Program CURRICULUM TEACHING ASSESSMENTS FOUNDATIONAL LEARNING TEXTBOOKS and TEACHING & LEARNING LANGUAGE OF MATERIALS INSTRUCTION SYSTEM SUPPORT FOR INSTRUCTIONAL COHERENCE 14 Foundational Learning Compact Umbrella Trust Fund Progress Report October 2023–September 2024 Progress and Outcomes The first phase of the Accelerator Program has the first state-wide learning assessment, enabling the continued to achieve notable implementation state government to monitor and report on learning results during the reporting period. Generally, the progress. In Sierra Leone, the program supported the program has successfully: development of a curricular package that includes high quality teaching and learning materials for • Raised the level of focus of foundational learning foundational literacy, which was a priority activity at the national level under the Zero Learning Poverty Plan. In Rwanda, the • Influenced government sector plans and program elevated the prioritization of foundational strategies to focus on effective foundational learning through the National Foundational learning program design and implementation Learning Strategy, which now guides activities in the sector. The program has also supported quality • Influenced governments’ focus on measuring in-service teacher training, textbooks, and teaching foundational learning outcomes more regularly and learning materials reviews, and a track-and- and reliably trace pilot to ensure timely textbook delivery. • Influenced the design and implementation of World Bank-financed education programs to Key lessons learned from countries that include an evidence-based, technically robust successfully improved foundational learning interventions for foundational learning outcomes under the Accelerator Program feature • Strengthened collaboration among donor the importance of flexibility, instructional focus, partners at both local and headquarters levels and country-specific support. Lessons highlight • Generated interest from additional countries to the need for a more agile approach to supporting join the program the design and implementation of World Bank- financed projects, rather than strictly adhering to The Accelerator Program has leveraged nearly the methodology of “target-setting + investment $2.4 billion in financing across participating case + strengthening implementation capacity.” Key countries. It has informed policy dialogue, as activities that focus on the instructional core and well as World Bank, government, and Global coherence are more effective in improving learning Partnership for Education-financed projects in outcomes. Grant amounts should be linked to Ghana ($218.7 million), Kenya ($306 million), country-specific activities, and there is a need Mozambique ($499 million), Niger ($140 million), for greater regional and country-based expertise Nigeria (Edo) ($293 million), Pakistan ($522 million), to enhance project design and implementation. Rwanda ($200 million), Senegal ($100 million), Additionally, the administrative burden of and Sierra Leone ($106.6 million). After the coup transferring funds to UNICEF did not yield clear in Niger in 2023, the country grant for Niger was benefits for the program’s overall impact. reallocated to Senegal and Ghana. Boxes 2.1 to 2.8 provide a summary of country Accelerators like Edo State (Nigeria), Rwanda, implementation progress in Rwanda, Nigeria and Sierra Leone have made significant progress (Edo State), Kenya, Mozambique, Sierra Leone, in putting education systems on evidence-based Pakistan, Senegal, and Ghana. This is followed by pathways to improve foundational learning implementation of the global Accelerator Program. outcomes. For example, in Edo State, Nigeria, the Table 2.1 at the end of the Accelerator section program provided intensive technical support to presents the progress to date of key milestones of government counterparts to design and implement the program across these countries. SECTION 2 Implementation Progress 15 THE ACCELERATOR PROGRAM BOX 2.1 Rwanda Accelerator Grant The Accelerator Program in Rwanda is The Accelerator Program in Rwanda guiding national and donor investments in leverages a basic education portfolio foundational learning and helping improve accountability for results. Leveraging a of $200 million, including a remedial sizable World Bank-financed basic education education program that will expand to portfolio of $200 million, the program 2,500 schools and train 24,000 uncertified focuses on improving policy dialogue, partner coordination, instructional quality, and learning teachers. measurement. The program has supported Rwanda with the following: development by providing quality in-service • Policy dialogue and coordination. training to 24,000 uncertified teachers that Rwanda’s first National Strategy for focused on enhancing their pedagogical Foundational Learning, supported by the skills and improving foundational literacy program, continues to guide investments to and numeracy instruction. improve learning outcomes. The program has also supported the establishment of • Learning measurement. The program platforms for coordinating foundational continues to strengthen the national learning activities, including the learning assessment, the Learning Foundational Learning Steering Committee Achievement in Rwandan Schools (LARS), and the National Foundational Learning and its alignment with the Global Proficiency Symposium. The most recent symposium Framework (GPF). A Policy Linking exercise (March 25-26, 2024) brought together is improving the alignment of the national government and development partners to assessment with the GPF. discuss instructional quality, evidence-based curricula, effective teaching and learning materials, and foundational learning program implementation. • Instructional quality. To improve classroom instruction, the program has supported the development of revised textbooks and teacher guides for primary grades P1–P3 (Kinyarwanda, English, and math). It has also introduced more efficient textbook procurement practices and supported the development of a track- and-trace system to improve textbook delivery. Furthermore, the program © ranplett / iStock has strengthened teacher professional 16 Foundational Learning Compact Umbrella Trust Fund Progress Report October 2023–September 2024 BOX 2.2 Edo State Accelerator Grant In Edo State, the Accelerator Program Edo State’s first-ever learning assessment, has helped shift attention towards backed by a $293 million World Bank foundational learning outcomes and enhanced accountability for learning through project, is enhancing instructional specific reading targets for early grades. quality and driving national attention to The Accelerator grant in Edo State leverages foundational learning. $293 million in financing and is focused on policy dialogue and coordination, instructional quality, and learning measurement. Specifically, the Accelerator Program has supported Edo design and implement the state’s first State with the following: ever learning assessment to measure, monitor, and report on learning progress. • Policy dialogue and coordination. The The program supported the development Edo State Learning Agenda: Learning to Read of the state-wide learning assessment. It is an abridged version of the Investment provided continued support for assessment Case supported by the Accelerator Program. through: (1) analysis of results and It outlines Edo State’s plans to improve preparation for future rounds, (2) standard- foundational learning with specific reading setting to determine proficiency targets that the government aims to thresholds, (3) strengthening policy around achieve and a series of actions to achieve institutionalization of learning assessment, them. In addition to setting out the path, it and (4) strengthening government continues to help shift the public dialogue capacity to conduct future rounds of towards improving foundational learning assessment and use data for decision- outcomes. making. Furthermore, the Accelerator Program supported the implementation • Instructional quality. The Accelerator of the Global Education Policy Dashboard Program has supported the technical to enable the government to identify gaps analysis of lesson plans for early grade in the sector that can be addressed to reading, evaluating their alignment with improve education outcomes. the curriculum and the science of reading, and enhancing the government capacity • Management Information System. to design new lesson plans and implement The program supported the design existing ones in-house. In parallel, to of a comprehensive Basic Education improve teacher performance, the program Management Information System that is supporting the Edo State with the includes data at the school, student, and development of a teacher performance- teacher levels. The system aims to help based management system. the state monitor education targets and key metrics in real time, including data • Data. Accelerator technical assistance collected through classroom observation strengthened government capacity to tools. SECTION 2 Implementation Progress 17 THE ACCELERATOR PROGRAM • Teacher performance and training. supported the development of an index An expert review of existing lesson of quality teaching practices and a plans resulted in specialized training teacher assessment for pedagogical and for national lesson plan developers to content knowledge skills. These efforts improve their approach to instructional are expected to reshape the way the practices for reading. To improve teacher government selects, trains, and supports performance in the classroom, the program teachers in the classroom. BOX 2.3 Kenya Accelerator Grant The Accelerator Program supported Kenya’s The Accelerator work in Kenya has been School-Based Teacher Support Initiative (SBTSi), leveraging the $306 million primary and lessons have informed the implementation of the World Bank’s Kenya Primary Education education project, as well as a new Equity in Learning Program (KPEEL) program secondary education operation grounded in ($306 million), as well as the preparation of the the government’s National Education Sector new secondary education program. Strategic Plan 2022–26. • Since SBTSi’s inception in 2021, grade 1-3 teachers and other essential Initiative and onboarding teachers onto stakeholders continue to receive the Learning Management System. An comprehensive school-level support evaluation of SBTSi conducted in 2023 through four key components of the indicated that while SBTSi has provided initiative, including capacity building much-needed continuous professional training at national, county, and sub-county development by offering localized support, levels, cluster-based peer support meetings integrating a digital component is essential and activities, in-school peer support to augmenting existing operations. from fellow teachers, and support visits Following the recommendations and from Curriculum Support Officers, Quality in consultation with the government, a Assurance Support Officers, and Sub-County strategy has been designed to integrate Directors of Education (SCDE). information communications technology • Following recommendations from the (ICT) by setting up a central repository for evaluation of SBTSi and consultations the School-Based Teacher Support Initiative with the government, a strategy has and onboarding teachers onto the Learning been designed to integrate information Management System (LMS). The roll out of and communication technology through the customized LMS aims to be a dynamic the setup of a central repository for tool, fostering content sharing, storage, and the School-Based Teacher Support information management. 18 Foundational Learning Compact Umbrella Trust Fund Progress Report October 2023–September 2024 BOX 2.4 Mozambique Accelerator Grant Accelerator activities outlined in The Accelerator in Mozambique leverages the Investment Case have informed $499 million from the Improving Learning Mozambique’s Partnership Compact (and corresponding GPE grant), as well as a and Empowering Girls in Mozambique new World Bank human capital investment Project and the Mozambique Human project in the pipeline. The program leverages Development Integrated Project. the $299 million Improving Learning and Empowering Girls in Mozambique Project and the $200 million Mozambique Human an evidence-based approach to reach the Development Integrated Project, with a focus on learning targets. improving policy dialogue and coordination and instructional quality. Mozambique continues to • Instructional quality. The program has build on the support provided by the program provided technical support for the design on the following fronts: and implementation of a literacy package with lesson plans, teacher training, and • Policy dialogue and coordination. coaching focused on classroom practice, The development of the Investment Case as well as the use of learning assessments has resulted in greater alignment across to guide the teaching process (through the the government and key partners toward Aprender + Program). BOX 2.5 Sierra Leone Accelerator Grant The Sierra Leone Accelerator Program has The Accelerator Program in Sierra supported the implementation of a revised Leone leverages over $106 million in curricular package (decodable textbooks, teacher guides, and supplementary project financing for the Sierra Leone materials) to improve foundational literacy. Free Education Project to accelerate the The program leverages around $106.6 million acquisition of foundational literacy for in project financing from the Sierra Leone Free Education Project to accelerate the children in grades 1 and 2. Accelerator- acquisition of foundational literacy for children financed technical assistance has been a in grades 1 and 2, while improving coordination game-changer in early grade reading. among key partners on foundational learning efforts. The Accelerator grant is also leveraging $44.9 million from GPE to UNICEF literacy for grades 3 and 4. The program has for foundational learning for numeracy and supported Sierra Leone with the following: SECTION 2 Implementation Progress 19 THE ACCELERATOR PROGRAM • Policy dialogue and coordination. and formative assessments. The program The priorities identified in the Zero Learning promotes a structured pedagogy approach Poverty Plan continue to inform the that includes training teachers on essential country’s focus on foundational learning. skills in phonics-based reading instruction, The program has been instrumental in English language teaching methodologies, generating alignment among actors on and reading and writing strategies. The the importance of foundational skills, as materials for grade 1 have been piloted, and well as accompanying interventions and by January 2025 every grade 1 classroom reforms. across Sierra Leone will be equipped with these improved materials. Results from the • Instructional quality. The program is pilot will be used to inform the national supporting the development of evidence- scale up including implementation for aligned teaching and learning materials grade 2. for grades 1-2 and providing high-quality teacher training with a focus on phonics. • Teacher training. The Accelerator support The development of the literacy package is helping to design the training for the is led by the National Technical Team new teaching and learning materials for Literacy, which has been working on and adapting the continuous teacher materials design with literacy experts. The professional development software (used in package for grade 1 includes evidence- classrooms to observe lessons and provide aligned student textbooks and workbooks, feedback regarding pedagogy) to include teacher guides, supplementary materials, literacy. © kehinde / Adobe Stock 20 Foundational Learning Compact Umbrella Trust Fund Progress Report October 2023–September 2024 BOX 2.6 Pakistan Accelerator Grant The Pakistan Accelerator Program triggered a national spotlight on foundational The Accelerator Program in Pakistan learning, with federal and provincial leveraged $522 million from the Catalyzing governments making a coordinated effort to prioritize interventions that matter Learning in Pakistan through Analytics for improving reading. The Accelerator Project. Program has supported Pakistan with the following: aligned with the curriculum (with efforts • Policy dialogue and coordination. The underway to adapt the content for Sindh Investment Case to improve foundational and Balochistan). The country has also learning continues to enhance coordination piloted a parental engagement strategy, of foundational learning activities across sending prompts to parents’ phones to federal and provincial levels. The program encourage them to practice reading with has supported the development of their children. In addition, the program is foundational learning policies in all four supporting a holistic review of different provinces and in the Islamabad Capital elements of the foundational literacy Territory. This is accompanied by the and numeracy ecosystem, including development of a coordination body at the private sector, textbook publishing, federal level, the Foundational Learning and learning measurement initiatives Hub, a one-stop-shop of science of learning across provinces. information and tools to bring together key government counterparts and development • Data and evidence. The Accelerator Program also funded the Global Education partners and align on foundational learning Policy Dashboard (GEPD), which has been activities. implemented, along with the Assessment • Instructional quality. Several key of Minimum Proficiency Level aligned interventions to improve foundational with SDG 4.1.1b (AMPL-b), to get data on learning are underway, with provincial learning and key drivers of learning. The governments introducing reading GEPD data has been validated with key hours, teacher training on content provincial counterparts and is being used to knowledge, and a package of improved inform World Bank and other governmental teaching and learning materials, as well programs, as well as dialogue with partners. as supplementary reading materials See the GEPD subsection. SECTION 2 Implementation Progress 21 THE ACCELERATOR PROGRAM BOX 2.7 Senegal Accelerator Grant The Accelerator Program influenced the The program leverages the $100 million design of an IDA-financed education operation Project for Improvement of Education in Senegal to include elements critical to the instructional core to support foundational System Performance. learning programs. interventions, as well as complementary • The program has prioritized the activities financed by the Read@Home development and procurement of high- program will be documented in an quality teaching and learning materials, upcoming report. including teachers’ guides (now available in five languages), textbooks, and alphabet • In parallel, efforts are underway to train charts. A language mapping to understand literacy specialists across the country to dominant spoken languages for each public support teachers and foundational reading primary school in the three key regions efforts. Engagement with government has been completed. Lessons from these is underway to identify implementation processes. BOX 2.8 Ghana Accelerator Grant The Accelerator Program has supported a The program leverages the $218.7 million diagnostic analysis of key constraints to Ghana Accountability for Learning Outcomes foundational learning. Project, which aims to improve the quality of • The initial phase focused on identifying education in basic schools. key constraints and bottlenecks to improving foundational learning bottlenecks to ensure that the teaching and outcomes. In conjunction with technical learning materials reach schools, reviewing support to strengthening the national and assessing the quality of available learning assessment system, the program teaching and learning materials and literacy supported an in-depth review and analysis and numeracy trainings for teachers, and of the existing foundational literacy evaluating the differential learning approach programs, including curriculum, teaching implemented in the World Bank-financed methodologies, assessment practices, and project. Findings from the diagnostic is system-level support. informing the design of the Additional • Based on the diagnostic, some key areas Financing to the GALOP program. of focus include resolving distribution 22 Foundational Learning Compact Umbrella Trust Fund Progress Report October 2023–September 2024 At the global level, the Accelerator Program World Bank’s Africa regional education teams activities focused on three objectives. These organized a three-day Advancing Foundational were (1) fostering cross-country learning, Teaching and Learning event in Ghana on May (2) disseminating technical information and 28-30, 2024. The event was designed to build the resources, and (3) facilitating technical and core technical knowledge of World Bank staff in operational support for country teams, as detailed order to provide more focused technical support in the following subsections. An additional objective to governments to raise foundational learning was the distilling of the lessons from the first outcomes. phase of the Accelerator Program to inform the design of Accelerator 2.0. Disseminating technical information and resources Fostering cross-country engagements One-stop-shop on foundational learning. To make relevant resources easily accessible to country Support to country and regional foundational teams, the Accelerator Global Program developed learning events. Part of the success of the a one-stop-shop intranet page. Aimed at World Accelerator lies in fostering dialogue around Bank staff working on foundational learning, the foundational learning at the country level. Some page enables easy access to technical resources, Accelerator countries are convening their own sample terms of reference for key activities, and country or regional events to bring the dialogue other useful resources to facilitate progress on closer to their context. One example is the foundational learning at the country level. biannual Symposiums on Foundational Learning organized by the government of Rwanda. The Facilitating technical and operational Global Accelerator Program has supported these support for country teams convenings by identifying and inviting relevant technical speakers, promoting the events to other Support to country activities. As countries Accelerators for learning purposes, and providing sought technical expertise to fill capacity gaps for technical inputs to the program—for example for foundational learning, the Accelerator Program the use of data and evidence on interventions that identified and facilitated collaboration with quality move the needle for foundational learning. technical experts. For example, the Ghana team was connected to a specialized literacy expert for Learning session with the Africa Accelerators for its diagnostic work on identifying key constraints the Foundational Literacy and Numeracy Hub. to foundational learning. The Accelerator Program The Global Program facilitated a learning session provided continuous support to country teams on the Accelerator Program on November 15, to facilitate procurement of relevant technical 2023, during which Accelerator Program teams expertise. This has entailed working together to from Mozambique, Nigeria (Edo State), and Sierra develop and review terms of reference for different Leone shared updates on program activities and types of technical support, as well as developing a lessons from the field. The session also included roster of literacy and numeracy experts. government representatives from Edo State and Sierra Leone. Accelerator 2.0 Advancing Foundational Teaching and Learning Accelerator 2.0 was recently launched. The Knowledge Exchange in Ghana. The Accelerator Accelerator Program hosted multiple orientation Program, Education Policy Academy, and the sessions for country teams to disseminate SECTION 2 Implementation Progress 23 THE ACCELERATOR PROGRAM information about Accelerator 2.0 to explain the phase of the program. There was significant change in design. The sessions shared technical interest from country teams, as evidenced in the information about the types of technical assistance applications for Accelerator 2.0. Grant selection was focused on improving foundational learning taking place at the end of the reporting period. outcomes that will be supported under the new Outputs and Resources Edo State Learning Assessment Systems and Strategy. Describes the design, implementation, and outcomes of the first cycle of the Edo State Learning Assessment Systems and Strategy (ELASS), in which the assessment domains were mathematics and reading comprehension for primary 3 and 6 and junior secondary 3. Edo State report (draft). Analysis of lesson plans and their implementation in Edo State. Edo State paper (draft). Contains quantitative analysis of the structured pedagogy program on EDO STATE LEARNING learning outcomes in Edo State. ASSESSMENT SYSTEMS AND STRATEGY Ghana report (draft). Diagnostic analysis of MATHEMATICS AND READING COMPREHENSION PRIMARY 3, PRIMARY 6, AND JUNIOR SECONDARY 3 key constraints to foundational learning First Cycle (2021 - 2023) in Ghana. EdoBESST Programme, Supported by WorldBank Benin City | January 2024 24 Foundational Learning Compact Umbrella Trust Fund Progress Report October 2023–September 2024 TABLE 2.1  Accelerator Program: Progress on Key Milestones Nigeria Milestone Mozambique Niger (Edo State) Pakistan Rwanda Sierra Leone Learning targets are Completed Completed Completed Completed Completed Completed developed by the previously previously previously previously previously previously government Learning target baselines Completed Completed Completed Completed Completed Completed are established by the previously previously previously previously previously previously government An Investment Case that Completed Paused Completed Completed Completed Completed outlines a strategy for previously due to previously previously previously previously meeting learning targets is security developed situation The Investment Case is Completed Paused Completed Completed Completed Completed costed with a realistic previously due to previously previously previously previously budget security situation Resource and capacity Completed Completed Completed Completed Completed Completed gaps are identified within previously previously previously previously previously previously government Technical assistance to On track Paused On track On track On track On track address identified resource to be due to to be to be to be to be and implementation completed security completed completed completed completed capacity gaps is provided by December situation by December by December by December by December 2024 2024 2024 2024 2024 A community of practice Ongoing Paused Ongoing Ongoing Ongoing Ongoing focused on sharing data due to and lessons from the security Accelerator experience and situation learning poverty reduction efforts is implemented and supported Note: A portion of the grants was reallocated from Niger and Rwanda to countries with demand. From this reporting period and going forward, the term “Ongoing” will be used to refer to activities that are in progress and/or that need periodic updates. This replaces the term “In Progress” used in previous FLC Progress Reports. SECTION 2 Implementation Progress 25 LEARNING MEASUREMENT AND DATA Activity Overview Improving learning and reducing learning database, 99 countries had not reported on poverty requires regular and quality any SDG 4.1.1 learning outcome indicators measurement of learning outcomes and (namely, SDG 4.1.1 literacy and numeracy drivers of learning, as well as analysis and indicators for (a) lower primary, (b) end of use of the collected data to inform actions primary, and (c) end of lower secondary levels) and policies. However, learning assessment in the prior eight years. Of countries that did systems in many countries do not monitor report on SDG 4.1.1 indicators, only 18 reported student learning outcomes with enough on all indicators. These results indicate that it is frequency and reliability. urgent to promote more awareness about these data gaps and to increase support to countries Gaps in reporting on international learning to collect this data. Learning data gaps are indicators (SDG 4.1.1) illustrate this challenge. significantly more prevalent in low- and lower- For example, as of March 2024 in the SDG middle-income countries. Given these persistent 26 Foundational Learning Compact Umbrella Trust Fund Progress Report October 2023–September 2024 challenges around robust and comparable learning data—and to reduce fragmentation among assessments and lack of learning data, the World agencies by agreeing on common technical Bank (1) supports countries in addressing these guidelines to support countries. The work is also learning data gaps and generates global, regional, building on other global learning monitoring and and country-level outputs to strengthen learning harmonization efforts, such as the Global Alliance assessment systems and increase the availability for the Monitoring of Learning (GAML),6 which of high-quality and comparable learning data and has supported UIS in defining the Minimum data on drivers of learning; (2) produces indicators Proficiency Levels needed to benchmark and analytics to inform policies, programs, learning data and report results on global and practices; and (3) builds capacity to collect, learning indicators. Throughout the reporting administer, and use learning data. period, the World Bank strived to maintain close coordination and collaboration with FLC This work is aligned with and benefits from partners, UIS, and assessment organizations recent coordinated efforts with partners to such as the International Association for the address these learning data gaps. In 2019, Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA) and the concept of Learning Poverty—the share the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and of children unable to read and understand a Development (OECD), among others. simple text by age 10—jointly developed by the World Bank and UIS, was introduced to spotlight In the context of these commitments and the learning crisis. In 2022, a new update activities, the FLC has continued supporting released along with a report published by the key Learning Measurement and Data World Bank, UNESCO, UNICEF, FCDO, USAID, activities presented below under three and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation workstreams: indicated that learning poverty in low- and middle-income countries likely increased from • Learning Assessment: Focuses on supporting 57 to 70 percent due to the pandemic-related the production of learning data through quality school closures and economic shock. In 2021, learning assessments and strengthening UNESCO, UNICEF, and the World Bank jointly learning assessment systems. founded the Learning Data Compact (LDC) to ensure better coordination and harmonization • Learning Data Analytics: Focuses on of global partners to scale up the monitoring of promoting the effective use of learning data. learning outcomes, drivers of learning, and what happens in the classroom. In 2022, these UN • Drivers of Learning: Focuses on measuring agencies also joined efforts with FCDO, USAID, and utilizing data on practices, policies, and and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation under political factors that can be acted upon to the Global Coalition for Foundational Learning improve learning outcomes. (CFL)5 to support improved learning outcomes and monitoring of learning globally. One of the Table 2.2 presents the progress to date of key key commitments is to support the availability milestones of the Learning Measurement and Data and use of internationally comparable learning activities. data—particularly in countries with no learning SECTION 2 Implementation Progress 27 LEARNING MEASUREMENT AND DATA LEARNING ASSESSMENT proficiency level. This information allows countries to produce internationally comparable learning The first workstream, Learning Assessment, outcomes data to report on the SDG 4.1.1 a, b, and focuses on supporting the production of learning c indicators. AMPLs are designed to integrate the data, including the design and administration of tools and methodologies in national assessment learning assessments while strengthening the systems and processes, with country ownership overall learning assessment systems. Over the as the guiding principle. Countries are engaged reporting period, the workstream included various from the very beginning in the consultations and types of products and activities related to Policy discussions regarding AMPL implementation. They Linking, Assessments for Minimum Proficiency have full ownership of the assessment process, Levels (AMPL), National Learning Assessments (NLA), test administration, data management, data and Cross-National Learning Assessments. The outputs, and results. They also have full access new Accelerating Learning Measurement for Action to all the materials and documentation that will (ALMA) program will mainly support this workstream. be used. AMPLs can be administered as a stand- alone assessment or integrated into a national Policy Linking is a benchmarking methodology learning assessment. The administration of AMPLs for learning outcomes and toolkit to equate and integrated into national learning assessments allows compare learning assessment results across countries to preserve the integrity of their national countries. This instrument was developed by USAID, assessment, while strengthening their capacity to UIS, and other development partners to compare produce internationally comparable data. (and eventually link) national large-scale student assessment results to global or international student National Learning Assessments (NLAs) are critical learning standards and outcome indicators, including for monitoring the quality and equity of national SDG 4.1.1 (a, b, and c) indicators.7 It entails workshops systems. Building effective and sustainable learning that gather teachers and curriculum experts to assessment systems leads to evidence-based help determine the content alignment of learning decision-making in education policy and practice, assessments with the learning standards described supports sector planning, and can lead to improved under the Global Proficiency Framework. This allows learning outcomes. NLAs are generally designed for the alignment of student learning outcomes in to assess outcomes relative to national standards proficiency levels consistent with the SDG 4.1.1 target and curriculum rather than global standards. and indicators. The involvement of local experts Nevertheless, NLAs can also be used to report on and assessment units in the Policy Linking process SDG 4.1.1 if they meet the criteria set forth by UIS.9 increases the likelihood of stakeholders owning the results achieved and making use of these results to Cross-national Learning Assessments refer to report on and inform policies and programs. International and Regional Learning Assessments (ILSAs and RLSAs), which can complement The Assessments for Minimum Proficiency information emerging from NLAs to benchmark Levels (AMPLs) allow countries to report on the learning outcomes in a comparative manner SDG 4.1.1 indicators at a relatively low cost by with other countries. These are generally used for measuring the attainment of proficiency levels in reporting on international learning indicators. Cross- reading and mathematics at a given level of the national learning assessments that include countries education cycle.8 AMPLs allow the identification of from many regions are referred to as international the proportion of children and young learners in a large-scale assessments. Regional assessments level of education (early primary, end of primary, or involve countries in a geographic region, often with lower secondary) who achieve at least the minimum a common linguistic or cultural background. 28 Foundational Learning Compact Umbrella Trust Fund Progress Report October 2023–September 2024 The Accelerating Learning Measurement for collaboration with other partners at the global, Action (ALMA) program was launched in January regional, and country levels and with governments. 2024 to support these Learning Assessment The program encompasses several components activities. This includes increasing the availability of global and country work, namely to (1) develop and use of quality data on learning generated and disseminate global public goods to share good through large-scale learning assessments to practices; (2) build capacity related to learning inform public policy and programs and supporting assessments and data; and (3) provide targeted countries to report on SDG 4.1.1 while strengthening technical and financial support to priority countries. systems and ensuring sustainable capacity is built. Box 2.9 provides a summary of ALMA global and ALMA builds on the existing World Bank education country work on learning assessment, and figure 2.2 lending and analytical portfolio, prior support to illustrates how these components connect. ALMA is learning assessments, as well as coordination and expected to close in 2027. BOX 2.9 ALMA support for global and country work on learning measurement and data • Global Level assess student learning outcomes at the primary education level at scale; • Development and dissemination of (2) report on international learning global knowledge, tools, and resources. indicators; and (3) reduce existing • Peer-learning activities including SDG 4.1.1 learning data gaps. Eligible the development of Education Policy countries are (1) classified as IDA or blend Academy modules on learning and have not reported on SDG 4.1.1.a assessments and use of learning data or b in the last eight years. The grant and delivery of the Academy. supports the design of new learning • Collaboration with the partners part assessment(s), strengthening of existing of the Coalition for Foundational learning assessment(s), or administration Learning and the Global Alliance for of learning assessment(s) that will allow the Monitoring of Learning to foster reporting on SDG 4.1.1.a or b. Other synergies and coordinate efforts in activities, such as analysis of learning addressing global learning data gaps. data to create demand for learning • Country Level assessment(s), technical assistance, and other system-strengthening activities, are • Technical assistance to countries supported if they complement the above through regional fellows who support a objectives. Country grant applications are group of countries with large data gaps evaluated according to their (1) technical and projects that finance assessments quality, (2) potential for sustainability, and through the global team providing (3) demonstration of coherence with just-in-time support to the policy national education policies, programs, dialogue, as well as planning and strategies, and plans, (4) collaboration, implementation of related activities. coherence, or complementarity with • Country grants: Funding channeled partners, (5) World Bank value-add, and to country teams to (1) systematically (6) contribution to the evidence base. SECTION 2 Implementation Progress 29 LEARNING MEASUREMENT AND DATA FIGURE 2.2  Country-Level Support to Learning Assessment Country grants (small and large) to More countries report Engagement Quick mapping of finance with country needs and on SDG 4.1.1a and teams (WB and constraints; Short - Targeted technical assistance 4.1.1b partners) and plan of actions - Learning assessment and data fellows government - Partnerships with local research National Assessment [By HQ ALMA team, institution Systems strengthened [with CFL pillar 2 with in-country partners] stakeholders] [Management by WB country teams; Oversight by HQ ALMA team] Learning data used to inform government policies and programs and created demand for sustained learning Peer learning activities: Education Policy Academy, conference, community of practice assessments Global knowledge and tools: Guidance notes, roster of experts and terms of reference, reports Collaboration with development partners (CFL, GAML, etc.), learning assessment organizations, and internal teams (e.g., GEDP, Teachers, Accelerator, EdTech, Skills) Just-in-time technical assistance and support in policy and technical dialogue Progress and Outcomes During the reporting period, the World Bank Mathematics, highlighting the transition from supported the use of Policy Linking and the hybrid workshops in 2021-2022 to in-person administration of AMPL in several countries, workshops for the Rwanda LARS 2023. It provides provided targeted technical assistance focused new insights and recommendations to better align on strengthening NLAs and assessment systems, future LARS tests with the Framework. In Iraq, facilitated country participation in ILSAs and RLSAs, the Policy Linking methodology was used to link launched a call for proposals for the first round the expanded Service Delivery Indicator learning of ALMA country grants, and delivered capacity assessment (called SDI+) to the Global Proficiency building. The new ALMA program was launched to Framework and Minimum Proficiency Levels. expand the scale and impact of this work. Results of the Policy Linking implementation in Iraq indicate that the benchmark for Minimum The Policy Linking report for Rwanda was Proficiency Levels recommended by the panelists finalized, and the benchmarking exercise was was robust, feasible, and reliable. The results implemented in Iraq. The Policy Linking Report show that only 34.7 percent of the grade 4 was published in October 2023 for Rwanda based students assessed with this test were above on the Policy Linking workshops and benchmarking minimum proficiency in reading, meaning that that took place from April to July 2023 in Kigali, they had acquired the skills to be able to read with Rwanda to set global benchmarks on the 2021 comprehension grade-appropriate texts in Arabic LARS. This report summarizes the Policy Linking as defined in the Global Proficiency Framework. methodology and toolkit used in the LARS to the Box 2.10 presents more information about Global Proficiency Frameworks for Reading and implementation of Policy Linking in Iraq. 30 Foundational Learning Compact Umbrella Trust Fund Progress Report October 2023–September 2024 BOX 2.10 Implementation of Policy Linking in Iraq Prior to the Iraq SDI Survey Reading GEPD (2019) and were aligned with the Global Assessment for grade 4 in 2022, Iraq Proficiency Framework to ensure they met global had not engaged in any international or minimum proficiency levels. An additional 18 institutionalized national large-scale educational items were included to enhance the assessment assessments, aside from high-stakes exams. instrument by covering under-represented The most recent standardized learning data subconstructs in the Framework for reading. for primary education was the Early Grade Reading Assessment (EGRA) and Early Grade The Policy Linking workshop for the results took Mathematics Assessment (EGMA) in 2012. place in May 2024. This was a six-day activity with a representative group of subject-matter In 2020, the government sought the World teachers and curriculum specialists acting as Bank’s assistance to conduct a simplified, panelists. Following all tasks for a Policy Linking nationally representative student assessment to workshop, the panelists and facilitators came up update national learning levels and gain insights with an estimate of the proportion of students into factors influencing learning outcomes. below and above minimum proficiency in grade This request led to the creation of an enhanced 4 as defined by the learning standards and Service Delivery Indicator (SDI) reading survey milestones presented in the Global Proficiency with a focus on the student assessment module, Framework. The results show that only targeting grade 4 students and enabling 34.7 percent of the grade 4 students assessed international comparisons with the use of were above minimum proficiency in reading. Policy Linking benchmarking methodologies. On the other hand, 65.2 percent of the students The assessment items were adapted from the were below the learning threshold of being able Tanzania SDI (2016) and the Arabic version of the to read with fluency and comprehension. The implementation of AMPL-b continued in Conditional on the situation on the ground, the Pakistan and preparations began to implement field work is expected to take place between AMPL-a and AMPL-a+b in Lebanon. In both October 2024 and March 2025. countries, the AMPLs are being implemented as a stand-alone module along with the GEPD. In The World Bank provided targeted just-in-time Pakistan, AMPL-b data collection was completed technical assistance and support to 13 countries to in all provinces except Sindh (implementation in enhance their learning assessment systems and Balochistan was completed in December 2023 activities in Arab Republic of Egypt, Bangladesh, and implementation in Punjab was completed Ghana, Guyana, Saint Marteen, Malawi, Mexico, in January 2024). The AMPL-b booklets were Papa New Guinea, Pakistan, Rwanda, Somalia, translated to Sindhi and the pilot and full Tunisia, and the Philippines. Highlights include implementations in Sindh are expected by technical review of Egypt’s national learning December 2024. In Lebanon, building on the assessment reports and exam guidance; review of existing Arabic translation of the AMPL-b items, Ghana’s NLA data quality and policy dialogue; review preparation is underway for the administration and guidance on a lending project in Guyana that of AMPL-a and AMPL-a+b along with the GEPD. includes learning assessment activities at primary SECTION 2 Implementation Progress 31 LEARNING MEASUREMENT AND DATA and secondary levels, as well as technical advice on countries about financing large-scale learning assessment design and implementation progress; assessments as an activity for improved education oversight and guidance for the assessment service delivery. The World Bank also held a landscape report supported by the Global Coalition webinar with IEA on the use of international large- for Foundational Learning for Malawi; technical scale assessment data for system improvement. review and guidance related to state-level learning assessments for primary and secondary education To support the inclusion of internally displaced in the state of Guanajuato, Mexico; guidance to the and refugee children in assessments, the World Institute of Education (PIE) of Pakistan on using tools Bank coordinated the development of a set of such as AMPLs to embed reporting on SDGs in the questions to identify students with internal National Assessment System; guidance for Rwanda displacement or refugees’ status. In collaboration on the technical staffing requirements to perform with UNHCR, the World Bank also developed a set of quality assessment activities, on improvements of context questionnaire items tailored to gather data assessment practices, and review of benchmarking on students with experiences of forced displacement of assessment results using Policy Linking; and or refugee status. These items were proposed technical dialogue with policymakers of Tunisia to the Conference of Ministers of Education of and the Philippines. There is a plan to increase Francophone Countries (CONFEMEN) for potential support through additional resources provided inclusion in the next round of the Program for the through ALMA. Analysis of Education Systems (PASEC) regional assessment in Africa. To ensure the accuracy and To facilitate more meaningful participation in relevance of the questions, the Bank conducted cross-national assessments, the World Bank consultations with development partners from the also launched a study on the cost of large-scale CFL. Their insights helped refine the questionnaire, learning assessments in Sub-Saharan Africa. ensuring it would capture critical information The study is expected to be completed in early about the educational experiences of displaced and 2025. Results will support the dialogue with refugee students, contributing to a more inclusive assessment framework. During the reporting period, a call for proposals was launched for the first round of country grants under the ALMA program to support reporting on SDG 4.1.1. The first call for proposals for these grants was launched in June 2024. Applications were compiled and reviewed in August, and final decision will be made in October. To support capacity-building activities, two modules focused on learning assessment were delivered in May 2024 as part of the Advancing Foundational Teaching and Learning event. See subsection on Education Policy Academy. Teachers and curriculum specialists work on the benchmarking of The World Bank continued to engage with their national assessment results in a Policy Linking workshop in partners and assessment organizations to inform Kigali, Rwanda/World Bank. support to countries and the development of 32 Foundational Learning Compact Umbrella Trust Fund Progress Report October 2023–September 2024 global public goods, as well as to maximize monitoring of learning progress and improving synergies. During the reporting period, this included availability of learning data. The World Bank has participation in the Global Alliance for Monitoring been attending meetings with Global Coalition for Learning (GAML) and Technical Cooperation Group Foundational Learning partners, has co-written (TCG) in December 2023 and in the Conference on joint blogs (featured under Outputs and Resources), Education Data and Statistics in February 2024. has contributed to the data plan for 4.1.1a and the The World Bank also continued to participate in review of criteria for reporting on SDG 4.1.1, and has the CFL Pillar 2, which supports countries in the participated in UIS technical consultations. Outputs and Resources Engagement with partners: The Importance of SDG 4.1.1A for Foundational Learning. Joint blog prepared by partners under the Global Coalition for Foundational Learning on December 2023 on the downgrading of the SDG 4.1.1a indicator, which tracks early- grade reading and math proficiency from Tier 1 to Tier 2. The blog explains how this should concern the international community, as this indicator is crucial for monitoring foundational learning skills. Without improved reporting, the indicator risks being removed from the global SDG framework by 2025, which could undermine efforts to improve foundational learning outcomes. National Learning Assessment: When an assessment system works to improve learning: the case of Sobral. World Bank blog post highlights Sobral, a municipality in Brazil that has been successful in improving foundational learning through a set of policies and programs, including a robust assessment system that helps monitor student progress, inform instruction, and set learning targets, fostering accountability and supporting teacher development. Sobral’s model, emphasizing data-driven decisions and a culture of continuous improvement, offers valuable lessons for other education systems aiming to enhance learning outcomes. Policy linking: Rwanda – Evaluation of the Methodology of the Policy Linking Toolkit: Linking Learning Achievement in Rwanda Schools 2021 to the Global Proficiency Framework. Report produced in October 2023 from the onsite Policy Linking workshops and benchmarking that took place from April to July 2023 in Kigali. SECTION 2 Implementation Progress 33 LEARNING MEASUREMENT AND DATA LEARNING DATA ANALYTICS The second workstream under Learning International Student Assessment (PISA) 2022 Measurement and Data, Learning Data in December 2023, the World Bank conducted Analytics, focuses on compiling, harmonizing, analysis and disseminated country level briefs for and disseminating learning data, developing 49 countries for World Bank country teams to use indicators, tools, and analytics, and supporting in policy dialogue with governments. PISA assesses coordination and delivery of data literacy the knowledge and skills of 15-year-old students capacity building with country teams and in mathematics, reading, and science. PISA 2022 governments. Learning Poverty estimates are also included an assessment of young people’s regularly updated and disseminated through financial literacy, which was optional for countries. reports, blogs, presentations, websites, as well as PISA has been providing temporally and globally country briefs, and policy dialogue. comparable results for students since 2000, and 2022 was the eighth assessment cycle. This PISA The World Bank is archiving, documenting, and test was originally due to be conducted in 2021, but curating large collections of country, regional it was delayed by a year due to COVID-19. In 2022, and global learning data, harmonizing these over 690,000 15-year-olds from 81 countries and data to facilitate cross-country comparisons and economies participated in PISA. disseminating them for use in policymaking. Building on harmonized microdata available in The World Bank’s analytics and briefs were for the Global Learning Assessment Database (GLAD), the 49 countries where the World Bank is harmonized country-level learning outcomes engaged (directly or indirectly) with PISA at the (disaggregated by sex, urban/rural, and wealth country level. Two-page briefs were produced for quintile) are available in the Country Learning policy dialogue and to make them more accessible Outcomes (CLO) database. Estimation of the to policymakers in January 2024 and longer briefs Learning Poverty indicators uses the CLO database (five pages) were released in May 2024. New global as one of main inputs. The CLO and Learning evidence from PISA also led to analysis that Poverty data, as well as other education data estimates COVID-19 pandemic related learning from UIS and other organizations, are compiled losses using global test score data. and made available under the EdStats collection. The collection is currently available for users to explore and download on the World Development Indicators. This data will become available in the new Data360 development data platform that will Achieving substantial improvements in be launched by the World Bank. international assessments like PISA requires years of focused and sustained efforts led by governments. Progress and Outcomes Diego Luna Bazaldua, FLC supported the production of PISA knowledge as quoted in a news release of the and tools for policy dialogue on learning data. Second Congressional Commission on Education With the release of the OECD Programme for (EDCOM 2) by the Government of the Philippines. 34 Foundational Learning Compact Umbrella Trust Fund Progress Report October 2023–September 2024 In addition, technical dialogue with Tunisia led to The EGMA follows on from the successful implementation of an Early Grade Mathematics implementation of the EGRA in 2021, and it informs Assessment (EGMA). This assessment was the Bank financed Strengthening Foundations in conducted by the Tunisia Ministry of Education, Learning Project. with technical assistance from the World Bank. Outputs and Resources May 2024 page 1 Jordan | PISA 2022 Public Disclosure Authorized The OECD Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) assesses the knowledge and skills of 15-year-old students in mathematics, reading, and science, along with other skills. PISA has been providing temporally and globally comparable results for students since 2000, and its eighth assessment cycle took place in 2022. Over 690,000 15-year-olds from 81 countries and economies participated in PISA. This PISA test was originally due to be conducted in 2021 but was delayed by one year because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The exceptional circumstances throughout this 10666 period, including lockdowns and school closures in many countries and economies, led to occasional difficulties in collecting some data. While the majority of countries and economies met PISA’s technical standards, a small number did not. According to OECD/PISA, in Jordan, 7,799 students from 260 schools participated in PISA 2022, representing a national sample of about 94 percent of all 15-year-olds in the country, and 99 percent of 15-year-olds enrolled in school. In 2018, 8,963 students from 313 schools participated in PISA representing a national sample of about 54 percent of all 15-year-olds and 5400 percent of enrolled 15-year-olds. Jordan administered PISA on paper in 2006, 2009, 2012, 2015, and 2018, and on computers in 2022. Jordan switched from paper to computer assessment in 2022. Past reading and science scores were computed on a scale that was only weakly linked to the international scale; for this reason, this note does not report trends in reading and science for Jordan and limits trend reporting to mathematics. Overview of Achievement Results PISA 2022 covered reading, mathematics and science, with a major focus on mathematics. Other optional domains included creative thinking and an assessment of young Public Disclosure Authorized people’s financial literacy. Trend analyses provide insights into knowledge and skills of 15-year-olds in the country. The figures below break down student results by subject. Mean scores in Jordan over time, by subject The mean score in mathematics decreased by 39 The mean score in reading decreased by 77 points The mean score in science decreased by 54 points points from 2018 to 2022, which is a statistically significant difference. from 2018 to 2022 from 2018 to 2022 COVID-19, School Closures, and Student Learning Outcomes 600 600 600 OECD-23 OECD-23 500 500 OECD-23 500 New Global Evidence from PISA MNA 429 Reading Science 419 422 MNA 415 409 408 409 Mathematics 401 405 399 MNA 400 400 400 JOR: 375 400 384 387 386 380 JOR: 342 JOR: 361 Public Disclosure Authorized 300 300 300 Maciej Jakubowski 2000 2003 2006 2009 2012 2015 2018 2022 2000 2003 2006 2009 2012 2015 2018 2022 Tomasz Gajderowicz 2000 2003 2006 2009 2012 2015 2018 2022 Note: MNA represents the regional average of Middle East and North Africa countries and economies. LMC represents lower-middle income countries and economies who participated in PISA 2022. OECD average comprises of the Harry Patrinos 23 OECD member countries. Regional and income estimates are not temporally comparable due to differences in participating countries across cycles. According to OECD/PISA, caution is required when interpreting estimates because one or more PISA sampling standards were not met in 2022. Below minimum, basic, and high performers in Jordan over time, by subject (%) The share of students scoring below minimum The share of students scoring below minimum The share of students scoring below minimum proficiency in mathematics is 83 percent, and it proficiency in reading is 80 percent. Results are not proficiency in science is 69 percent. Results are not increased by 24 percentage points between 2018 and comparable overtime. comparable overtime. 2022. This change is statistically significant. 3 3 3 3 2 2 9 9 7 7 8 8 17 17 20 20 33 34 31 33 34 31 32 32 40 31 31 32 32 31 31 37 40 36 36 50 52 49 49 53 37 50 52 50 50 54 50 50 39 39 53 59 55 54 44 44 59 55 59 59 Mathematics 61 61 67 67 68 68 Reading Science Public Disclosure Authorized 83 83 80 80 66 65 69 66 65 68 69 68 67 67 68 68 69 69 59 59 61 61 58 58 62 62 50 48 51 50 48 51 46 46 41 41 44 46 50 44 46 50 50 50 40 54 54 30 30 40 26 26 24 24 OECD OECD OECD MNA MNA MNA 2006 2009 2012 2015 2018 2022 2006 2009 2012 2015 2018 2022 2006 2009 2012 2015 2018 2022 LMC LMC LMC Below Minimum Basic High Below Minimum Basic High Below Minimum Basic High Note: PISA performance across the three subjects is categorized into proficiency levels. Students performing below Level 2 (below minimum), the baseline level of proficiency needed to participate effectively and productively in society and in future learning, do not demonstrate the knowledge and skills required to answer most of the easiest items on the PISA mathematics, reading, and science tests, while students performing at Levels 5 and 6 (high) are able to successfully complete the most difficult items on these tests. Read more about how proficiency levels are constructed by the OECD here. Results are not directly comparable for reading and science. Caution is required when interpreting estimates because one or more PISA sampling standards were not met. Key Messages Jordan had the second highest learning loss in mathematics worldwide, equivalent to 2 years of schooling lost (20 points: 1 year of learning). Jordan is one of the countries with larger increases in the coverage of the PISA sample, which implies the expansion of education to more marginalized populations (from 88% coverage in 2018 to 94% in 2022). Learning levels across subjects remain very low, with few students achieving minimum proficiency levels across subjects. Jordan has one of the widest gaps in reading Education Global Practice performance favoring girls (46 points). The difference between immigrant and non-immigrant students in mathematics performance is not significant. Food insecurity is prevalent in Jordan: One in four students reported food insecurity (Jordan ranks 7th in the world). January 2024 Teacher shortages and availability of qualified staff are increasingly identified as major constrains for learning in Jordan. Two sets of 49 PISA country briefs (Jordan COVID-19, School Closures, and Student Learning sample shown here) were developed and Outcomes - New Global Evidence from PISA disseminated. Two-page briefs were produced (Jakubowski, M., Tomasz, G., and Patrinos, H. soon after the data was released to ensure timely 2024). This paper analyzes global test score use for dialogue with governments. The five- data to estimate the impact of COVID-19-related page briefs included additional analysis and were school closures on learning, finding that scores disseminated in May 2024. The briefs summarize declined by an average of 14 percent of a standard main results from PISA 2022 for national policy deviation—equivalent to around seven months makers. The learning assessment briefs have of learning. Losses were particularly severe for been used in policy dialogues to highlight the students in schools with extended closures, as need to accelerate foundational learning to well as for boys, immigrants, and disadvantaged governments. students. These educational setbacks could lead to substantial national income losses over time. SECTION 2 Implementation Progress 35 LEARNING MEASUREMENT AND DATA DRIVERS OF LEARNING – THE observations of teaching behaviors with the use of the Teach Primary tool. The Dashboard collects new GLOBAL EDUCATION POLICY data in each country using a school survey, a policy DASHBOARD survey, and a survey of public officials. The school survey collects data on learning and service delivery The third workstream within Learning at the school level, the policy survey analyzes Measurement and Data, Drivers of Learning, the policy environment, and the survey of public focuses on the Global Education Policy Dashboard officials sheds light on the bureaucratic capacity. (GEPD). The Dashboard collects data on the Although every country needs to identify priorities practice, policy, and political level factors enabling for investment and policy reforms that are best an analysis of the de jure and de facto status of suited to its own context, the resulting Dashboard what drives learning. Specific attention is given to provides concise evidence of areas throughout the their impact on policy dialogue and on learning system for potential government prioritization and outcomes. serves as a tool for tracking progress. The GEPD has been measuring, tracking, and The Dashboard uses 39 indicators that can show linking the progress of key drivers of learning progress relatively quickly (in one to two years). outcomes in basic education using three data Figure 2.3 captures the structure, indicators, collection instruments since 2019. The Dashboard and the tools used to measure these indicators. (1) highlights gaps between what the evidence They correlate to the four main school-level suggests is effective in promoting learning and service delivery factors, which are labeled in the what is in fact happening in each system; and figure as “Practices”: prepared learners, effective (2) gives governments a means to track progress teaching, appropriate inputs and infrastructure, as they act to close those gaps. The World Bank and capable school management. Another set of has worked on filling data gaps, raising awareness indicators is a proxy for the policies that affect each on the learning crisis and its drivers, and creating of these areas (the “Policies” circle in the figure). capacity at the ministry level to strengthen the The final set of indicators captures the political collection and use of data to inform policy. The context and bureaucratic capacity of the system GEPD includes measures of student school (the outermost “Politics” circle). Better performance readiness in grade 1, literacy and numeracy in these policy and political domains is needed for learning outcomes in grade 4, and classroom sustained systemwide improvements in learning. © Stock Latino / Adobe Stock 36 Foundational Learning Compact Umbrella Trust Fund Progress Report October 2023–September 2024 FIGURE 2.3  Dashboard Structure, Tools, and Indicators Politics Policies Practices Lea rs r 1. School Survey e ch ne Tea rs 2. Policy Survey LEARNING Sch oo u ts 3. Public Officials lm na in p Survey a ge l me oo nt Sch Source: World Bank. Progress and Outcomes Similar to last year, the focus of GEPD activities systems, bringing the total to 15, including Chad, this year has been mainly on expanding Edo State (Nigeria), Gabon, and four provinces and implementation, dissemination and research, the Islamabad Capital Territory of Pakistan. The and technical innovations. These activities are World Bank also provided training to countries, depicted below. such as Bangladesh, to build country-level capacity for data collection and use. Furthermore, GEPD Country Implementation data was leveraged to produce reports, briefs, and technical inputs that have informed policy Over the last reporting period, the World Bank dialogue in multiple countries. For instance, in undertook several implementation activities. Edo State, the data and insights helped inform the The Bank collected comprehensive, rigorous, and technical assistance under the EdoBEST program actionable primary data on four education systems, ($293 million) as well as the design of a new World bringing the total to 17: Edo State in Nigeria, and Bank-financed project for $500 million that is under the Pakistan provinces of Balochistan, Punjab, and preparation. In Pakistan, tailored policy notes were Sindh. Additionally, results were validated and developed from GEPD data for each province and disseminated to key policymakers in eight more the Islamabad Capital Territory. These are being SECTION 2 Implementation Progress 37 LEARNING MEASUREMENT AND DATA used for policy dialogue to help government (Western Cape province), Somalia, and South Sudan. prioritize interventions in a finance constrained Other countries have shown interest, and the World environment. The data is also being used in Bank is working with the relevant teams to plan other ways in other places from informing World implementation and seek further funding. Bank country strategy (Madagascar), program monitoring (Niger, Chad), and Public Expenditure Dissemination and research Reviews (Ethiopia), among others. Efforts are made to disseminate the collected The GEPD has leveraged nearly $1.1 billion data to a significant number of stakeholders. in financing across several countries, while In each country, stakeholder validation and continuing to engage closely with the local dissemination events were planned to ensure the authorities to ensure strong political buy-in data were presented and reached a wide audience. and that the instruments are well understood All the data collected are included on the GEPD and effectively used. With approval from website to increase accessibility. Multiple papers relevant ministries, the World Bank engaged have been drafted to share the country findings, with all relevant stakeholders in each country including a forthcoming paper that explores to maximize the synergies between World Bank factors affecting teaching and learning, such as financed projects and the use of the data. Multiple the impact of play-based teaching behaviors on departments (planning, evaluation, monitoring, learning outcomes. Additionally, a cross-country curriculum) were involved in the activities. Part of analytical paper has been drafted to summarize the implementation also involved reaching out to the data collected. The anonymized microdata are local organizations to discuss collaboration and now available for research, with multiple papers to ensure the data collected was used to inform, planned or drafted, leveraging the data. These rather than duplicate, their activities. The World outputs are listed under Outputs and Resources at Bank worked closely with government counterparts the end of this subsection. through the process, which allowed the GEPD to inform country dialogue efficiently and for its data The dissemination efforts have also had impact. to be used to inform the design of World Bank- For instance, in Balochistan province in Pakistan, financed projects in Chad ($150 million), Gabon the government is using GEPD data to drive ($0.25 million), Nigeria (Edo) ($293 million), and dialogue with key stakeholders and is focusing on Pakistan ($671 million). GEPD data has also been strengthening early childhood development and used for creating indicators for pipeline projects to teacher continuous professional development show progress. initiatives. In Edo State (Nigeria), the GEPD has helped identify key gaps within the government- As of the end of the reporting period, led EdoBEST project, such as weak pedagogical implementation is ongoing in eight systems skills, content knowledge, and policy gaps (Bangladesh, Central African Republic, Colombia, regarding learners’ preparedness for school. Lebanon, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Seychelles, The government is now interested in putting a and Togo), and a robust pipeline for GEPD has stronger focus on early childhood education, which been developed. Discussions have taken place to was not a central reform area before. See box 2.11 prepare for four more systems: Guinea, South Africa on Edo State. 38 Foundational Learning Compact Umbrella Trust Fund Progress Report October 2023–September 2024 BOX 2.11 GEPD Data in Edo State, Nigeria The GEPD has been instrumental in providing evidence that underscores the strengths of the In Edo State (Nigeria), GEPD data prompted government’s flagship EdoBEST project. It has a renewed government focus on early demonstrated the project’s robust teacher presence, effective operational and school childhood education. management procedures, and the government’s strong bureaucratic measures to support The GEPD’s takeaways on the lack of education policies and practices. The GEPD has pedagogical skills and content knowledge of also been a valuable tool for cross-checking teachers have informed the technical assistance other available sources of information, such as provided to the government through the the recently developed BEMIS. Accelerator Program, such as the training for teachers on lesson plan development and The GEPD also helped identify key gaps, pedagogical skills. GEPD data is also shaping including learners’ lack of preparedness for the Human Capital Opportunities for Prosperity school. Based on this, the government is now and Equality (HOPE – Education) operation exploring a potentially stronger focus on early under preparation. childhood education, which was not previously a central reform area. At the same time, the World Bank has continued duplicating efforts and to further reduce to work on developing tools that can enhance transaction costs. In Pakistan (all provinces and the usability of the data at the country level. One Islamabad Capital Territory except for Sindh) such product is the development of improved data and Sierra Leone, the World Bank partnered visualization tools for each country, which allow with UIS and Australian Council for Education users to explore the GEPD indicators for any given Research (ACER) to implement the AMPL-b student country, manipulate the data in different ways to assessment alongside the GEPD. This complement explore technical questions, and leverage built- enables the country to report on SDG 4.1.1b and to in features to look at the relationship between create a learning poverty estimate for the first time different indicators.10 In countries where there has through a relatively low-cost instrument. been demand, the World Bank has also worked on developing more in-depth papers to outline the The World Bank has adapted field protocols to findings of the GEPD for that country. This has been incorporate new tools and accommodate country the case in Edo State (Nigeria). demands. This was done to ensure that the data would be as relevant as possible for country dialogue and ongoing World Bank operations. For Technical innovations instance, for Bangladesh, additional questions related to attitudes about climate change and Even though the three survey instruments mitigation behaviors were added. The topic is have been streamlined, the GEPD continues highly policy relevant given that extreme heatwaves to coordinate with other projects to avoid have been disrupting schooling in the country. SECTION 2 Implementation Progress 39 Spotlight The GEPD in Pakistan Shaping the future: How GEPD data is influencing policy dialogue in Pakistan Provincial government counterparts and World Bank staff discuss GEPD data in Pakistan/World Bank. In Pakistan, GEPD data has become a powerful tool for advancing education and reducing learning poverty by revealing critical insights and guiding policy reform. The comprehensive data captured by the Dashboard identifies key systemic issues constraining the learning potential of Pakistan’s children and defines a holistic path for human capital development, encompassing the full spectrum of key determinants of learning outcomes. Earlier this year, GEPD data were presented to provincial government counterparts. In Balochistan (Pakistan), insights from The findings sparked discussions on vital GEPD contributed to improvements in reforms and helped shine a spotlight on the poor foundational learning outcomes. Some early childhood development and teacher provincial governments, such as School professional development programs. Education Department (SED) of the government of Balochistan, have been leveraging GEPD insights in dialogue with key stakeholders. Based on GEPD results, the provincial government has shown a keen interest in strengthening early childhood development and continuous teacher professional development initiatives. These efforts, guided by data-driven finding, ensure that interventions are both impactful and aligned with the province’s specific needs. The World Bank has also used GEPD data to prepare specific, targeted policy recommendations for each province. By offering actionable, sequenced, and tailored policy reform options to the government, alongside advice on program design and implementation to improve education outcomes, the program aims to help the country tackle learning poverty. These recommendations were presented to relevant stakeholders during provincial-level policy dialogues and will be incorporated into pipeline operations. Through these diverse applications, GEPD data is not just informing policy—it is transforming the educational landscape in Pakistan. 40 Foundational Learning Compact Umbrella Trust Fund Progress Report October 2023–September 2024 Outputs and Resources: GEPD What’s at Play? Unpacking the Relationship between Teaching and Learning Brian Stacy, Maryam Akmal, Halsey Rogers, Sergio Venegas Marin, Hersheena Rajaram, and Viyaleta Farysheuskaya1 Abstract Using unique nationally representative school and system survey data from 13 education systems in low- and middle-income countries collected through the World Bank’s Global Education Policy Dashboard (GEPD), we examine how the pedagogical practices and subject content knowledge of primary-school teachers correlate with their students’ learning outcomes. We find that student performance on literacy (and to a lesser extent math) assessments is correlated with receiving instruction from teachers with better measured pedagogical skills. While the better-pedagogy effect is modest for the full sample, it is statistically robust and quite substantial for the upper-middle-income countries in the sample. Based on a sub-sample of those education systems, we also find that the use of play-based learning strategies that support greater student engagement appears to be highly predictive of student learning outcomes in literacy. Better pedagogical practices are correlated with teachers’ exposure to more practical, school- based pedagogical support—for example through induction or mentoring and feedback on lesson plans—and also with better teacher evaluation at the school level. The findings confirm the important role of interventions providing direct pedagogical support and feedback to teachers through training, instructional leadership, and evaluation, and they highlight the potential for play-based interventions to © SMARTEDGE improve student learning outcomes. What drives learning in Edo State, Nigeria? A SNAPSHOT BASED ON THE GLOBAL EDUCATION POLICY DASHBOARD 2024 1 The order of author names was randomly assigned using the American Economic Association’s author randomization tool. 1 What’s at Play? Unpacking the Relationship What drives learning in Edo State, Nigeria? A between Teaching and Learning. Draft paper snapshot based on the Global Education Policy on the drivers of teaching and learning across Dashboard 2024. The report summarizes the GEPD countries, with an emphasis on play-based findings from the implementation of the GEPD in behaviors. Edo State. Global Education GEPD findings. A set of seven PowerPoint Policy presentations were developed for Chad, Gabon, Dashboard and Pakistan (Balochistan, Islamabad Capital Pakistan, Balochistan Territory, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh, and Punjab) April 2024 to facilitate policy dialogue with counterparts. SECTION 2 Implementation Progress 41 LEARNING MEASUREMENT AND DATA TABLE 2.2  Learning Measurement and Data: Progress on Key Milestones Milestone Status Learning Assessment ALMA country grants are selected Ongoing Policy Linking is scaled up in additional national assessment programs, including technical Ongoing assistance AMPL-b is implemented to support global monitoring of learning outcomes in selected Ongoing countries Global report on teaching and learning (using Global Education Policy Dashboard data Completed including analysis of PLAY) is developed Study on the cost of large-scale learning assessments in Sub-Saharan Africa is developed Ongoing Learning Data Analytics Country briefs on newly released learning data are developed Ongoing A Global Learning Poverty Update based on recent learning outcome data is completed Ongoing Drivers of Learning - Global Education Policy Dashboard The GEPD interface to integrate all feedback received during listening labs is revised Ongoing A short note outlining evidence on use and influence through key stakeholder surveys is Ongoing developed The second round of application of data collection in the eight new countries is completed Ongoing A report outlining progress between the two rounds in Jordan is completed Completed At least one country beyond the original group to join the GEPD is added Completed Microdata for three to five countries in the first cohort are analyzed, and a report on Ongoing findings is finalized and disseminated Drivers of Learning - Global Education Policy Dashboard: country progress* Bangladesh Ongoing Central African Republic Ongoing Chad Completed Colombia Ongoing Gabon Completed Guinea Pipeline Jordan [Round 2] Completed Lebanon Ongoing Niger Completed Nigeria—Edo State Completed Pakistan—Balochistan Completed 42 Foundational Learning Compact Umbrella Trust Fund Progress Report October 2023–September 2024 Milestone Status Pakistan—Punjab Completed Pakistan—Sindh Completed Papa New Guinea Ongoing Peru [Round 2] Ongoing Seychelles Ongoing Somalia Pipeline South Africa (Western Cape province) Pipeline South Sudan Pipeline Togo Ongoing Note: ALMA = Accelerating Learning Measurement for Action; AMPL-b = Assessment for Minimum Proficiency Levels for Sustainable Development Goal 4.1.1b; PLAY = Playful Learning Across the Years. * As presented in table 4 of the FLC Progress Report January 2021–September 2022 and table B.4 of the FLC Progress Report October 2022 – September 2023, implementation of the Dashboard was already completed for Peru, Jordan, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Madagascar, Mozambique, Pakistan—Islamabad, Pakistan—Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Sierra Leone. From this reporting period and going forward, the term “Ongoing” will be used to refer to activities that are in progress and/or that need periodic updates. This replaces the term “In Progress” used in previous FLC Progress Reports. © Fernanda Reyes / iStock SECTION 2 Implementation Progress 43 TEACHERS Activity Overview Teachers are the most important in-school of teachers, as well as in teacher recruitment, factor for student learning. The shift from an deployment, professional development, and underperforming teacher to an exceptional one management. can result in a considerable increase in student learning, equivalent to several years of schooling. To build strong systems that support the Teachers also wield substantial influence on teacher career pathway, the World Bank has students’ overall well-being, affecting not just their undertaken multiple initiatives to strengthen educational accomplishments, but also their future the teaching profession and raise teaching social and vocational trajectories. In the context of quality. In 2019, the World Bank launched Teach, the learning crisis, improving teaching quality has a suite of classroom observation tools, to measure become more important than ever. High-quality core teaching practices and contribute to the teaching requires that teachers are adequately development of teacher education and professional trained, appropriately recruited, equitably development programs. In 2021, the World Bank deployed, and well-supported to be successful launched the Coach program to develop resources in the classroom. However, many countries face and provide technical assistance on teachers’ system-wide challenges in their initial education continuous professional development (CPD). 44 Foundational Learning Compact Umbrella Trust Fund Progress Report October 2023–September 2024 In 2023, the World Bank began a multiyear global GLOBAL COACH study of initial teacher education (ITE) to analyze how primary school teachers are prepared through The Global Coach program aims to help countries various models of ITE as the first step to career- design, implement, and evaluate high-quality long professional development; and to identify teacher professional development programs lessons and guiding principles (particularly of and systems that align with global evidence relevance to low- and middle-income countries); to complement World Bank financed projects. and to steer future World Bank education Its goals are achieved through a three-pronged operations, advice, and analytics that aim to approach consisting of (1) the development of reinforce teacher effectiveness. technical resources and know-how, (2) direct technical support for World Bank financed projects The FLC has supported this work through seeking to improve systems at the country level, (1) the Global Coach Program; (2) the Coach and (3) robust stakeholder engagement and Mozambique Program; and (3) the Teach-Coach dissemination strategy. Scaling-Up National Support for Effective Teaching (SUNSET) Grants. With all three of these programs The Coach vision is that all classroom teachers closing during this reporting period or shortly have regular access to high-quality, effective, after, the World Bank has identified priority professional development opportunities that areas for technical assistance toward teachers support them in improving their classroom for foundational learning based on demand teaching practices and drive student learning. from countries and lessons from operations and Specifically, the Global Coach program focuses policy dialogue. The priority areas for technical on ensuring that teachers have regular access to assistance include (1) taking a more holistic professional development opportunities that are approach to teachers’ careers (beyond teachers’ tailored, practical, ongoing, and focused. in-service training and follow-on support), including initial teacher education, deployment, induction, evaluation, and career development; and (2) improving the monitoring, assessing, and Progress and Outcomes evaluation of teacher training to determine the efficacy of interventions. As mentioned during The Global Coach program was completed in the FLC Partnership Council Meeting in May January 2024. All resources developed under the 2024, the World Bank has commenced work on program are publicly available through the Coach several of these areas, including (1) the global program webpage. Knowledge gained from the study of initial teacher education, mentioned Global Coach program is feeding into changes above; (2) knowledge notes on specific relevant to the Teachers Policy Academy (as discussed topics, such as teacher and school evaluation, in the Education Policy Academy subsection) to enhancing learning in very large classes, and actively develop more robust capacity to engage teacher management in the context of significant in policy dialogue, as well as project design and shortages; and (3) continued support to implement implementation related to teachers’ professional the Teach classroom observation tools and further development among World Bank staff and develop the tools, such as by adding an early government counterparts. This section described literacy tool. The World Bank plans to engage the dissemination activities that took place during with key partners in the design of a new teacher’s this reporting period. Table 2.4 at the end of this program in the coming year to meet priority section presents the progress to date of key technical assistance needs. milestones of the Global Coach program. SECTION 2 Implementation Progress 45 TEACHERS Publication of Global Teachers’ Report  and resources. It highlights the different ways the Coach tools have been used to respond to country The global teachers’ report Making Teacher needs and presents lessons learned. To launch this Policy Work was published in November 2023 report and further disseminate lessons, a webinar (World Bank 2023b), accompanied by a hybrid was held in March 2024 bringing together country launch event that included author presentations teams and experts from selected case countries to and expert contributions from policymakers, share learning on teachers’ continuous professional researchers, and a former Global Teacher Prize development.  recipient. The report presents an approach for designing COACH MOZAMBIQUE and implementing teacher policies that can be effective at scale and sustained over time. Coach Mozambique is a country pilot of the The report delves into the challenges linked to Coach program launched in 2022 that adapts the implementation of teacher policies at scale. its tools and resources to the specific country Drawing from behavioral science, the report argues context. Mozambique’s Aprender+ program is a that teacher policy design and implementation structured pedagogy program that aims to improve must be grounded in a deep understanding of reading outcomes for students in grades 1 to 3. how teachers experience these policies and what is The program has three main components: (1) the required for systems to effectively scale and sustain use of structured lesson plans; (2) initial training these policies. Specifically, policy makers must go of all teachers, coaches, and monitors to develop beyond what works in teacher policy by focusing on a common understanding of the Coach model; how to support teachers in different contexts; while and (3) ongoing TPD in the form of high-quality making sure it is implementable at scale and can be instructional coaching that helps ensure teachers sustained over time. This report draws in part on consistently and correctly use the Aprender+ insights from the development and application of teaching materials in the classroom. the Coach tools and resources. The report presents an approach to identify and address barriers to The teacher training intervention follows the change at the individual teacher level, and how to principles shown to be associated with effective secure the conditions needed to drive and sustain for TPD: that training be ongoing, tailored, changes to impact teaching and learning in the focused, and practical. More specifically, the pilot classroom at the system level. creates high-quality teacher guides for Portuguese- language instruction that are aligned to the Publication of Emerging Findings curriculum. Teachers are trained in how to teach from the Coach Program  using these structured lesson plans. Coaches are trained to support teachers regularly by observing The World Bank also conducted a study of classes, providing individualized feedback, and country experiences in implementing the Coach checking whether the teacher guides are being tools and resources. A report of this study, used effectively, using an adapted version of the titled “Improving Teacher Continuous Professional Coach tools and resources. School cluster—zona Development: Case Examples from the Coach de influência pedagógica (ZIP)11—coordinators play Program” (Mufti 2024) was published in March the role of monitors and are trained to implement 2024. The report presents case examples from monthly school visits to support coaches and six countries that have used the Coach tools teachers and assess students’ literacy outcomes. 46 Foundational Learning Compact Umbrella Trust Fund Progress Report October 2023–September 2024 Progress and Outcomes After the Aprender+ model was tested in Concluded Year 2 Implementation 60 schools in the provinces of Niassa and Manica of Aprender+ in 2022, the pilot was expanded to 356 schools in 2023-2024. In the past year, program materials Concluded year 2 implementation of coaching were also finalized for grade 2. At the end of sessions, monitoring visits, student learning 2023, the project duration was extended by an assessments, and ZIP-level meetings additional year. The first round of data collection In line with the Aprender+ philosophy of for the impact evaluation was completed in providing continuous teacher training, coaching October 2023 and the final round of data sessions are conducted by having the coaches collection including student learning assessments (pedagogical director) attend classes twice a is under progress. Preliminary findings from month for each teacher, followed by subsequent surveys of teachers, coaches, and monitors were coaching sessions. For example, during the third analyzed with TEACH coding practices being trimester (mid-August to mid-November), individual applied to classroom observation videos. Table 2.5 coaching sessions were organized benefiting at the end of this section presents the progress to 705 teachers (438 female). date of key milestones of the Coach Mozambique program. Monitors (cluster-school (ZIP) coordinators) conducted monthly visits to their cluster schools to observe teachers’ classroom practices and Joint Monitoring Sessions in coaching sessions, and to assess student Manica and Niassa learning. During these visits, they observe a complete coaching session, which includes In October 2023, joint monitoring sessions with classroom observation and a follow-up meeting Coaches (pedagogical director) and Monitors between the coach and the teacher. During the (cluster-school (ZIP) coordinators) were third trimester, 529 coaching sessions were conducted across 24 schools in the provinces observed by 103 monitors, representing 89 percent of Manica and Niassa, with each province of 116 monitors, and recorded in the Kobo Toolbox hosting 12 schools, to gather insights from the application using the programmed instruments on implementation. These visits confirmed that their tablets. teachers were utilizing the structures lesson plans and appreciated the additional support and According to data from the Kobo Toolbox guidance provided by their coaches. Feedback reported, the team noted that teachers highlighted an increases level of support for were utilizing lesson plans in their classes teachers from both coaches and monitors. Key and following them sequentially. In terms interviews revealed that students made notable of pedagogical competencies, the teachers progress in acquiring essential reading skills. effectively utilized all five competencies.12 Data These findings align with results from student indicate that most competencies were achieved assessments conducted by Monitors during their at levels above 80 percent by teachers. Notably, school visits. Competency 2, which involves demonstration and practice, increased significantly from 58 percent (second trimester) to 84 percent (third trimester). SECTION 2 Implementation Progress 47 TEACHERS Competency 3, focusing on checking strategies for monitors’ travel to schools. comprehension, also improved from 69 percent to These discussions played a crucial role in enhancing 80 percent, reflecting an increased emphasis on implementation and effectiveness of ZIP-level registering student performance.   support to teachers and coaches by providing a space to review program progress, refine the use of During their visits, monitors randomly selected the teaching skills embedded in the lesson plans, and assessed three students per month at their and address teachers’ challenges in real time. assigned schools using the student learning Data collected in October 2023 through the impact assessment tool, which was designed to evaluate evaluation show that teachers in treatment ZIPs the effects of the Aprender+ Program. In the reported participating in substantially more ZIP second term, 84 out of 105 were assessed during meetings than those in control ZIPs. Both coaches 35 monitoring visits, with results indicating and teachers also reported more ZIP visits in that 81 percent of the assessed students had treatment schools, indicating a program effect on mastered expressive vocabulary, 62 percent ZIP coordinators’ (monitors) behavior. showed auditory comprehension, 58 percent could identify letters, 25 percent could identify Finalized program materials for grade 2 and words, and 12 percent were able to read a simple developing for grade 3 sentence. In comparison, by the third term, out The World Bank finalized the development of a pool of 2,136 students, 1,283 were assessed of grade 2 materials (teacher guide and during 529 monitoring visits, achieving 60 percent posters) and started developing the grade 3 coverage. The results demonstrated that teacher guide. Throughout Years 1 and 2 pilot 82 percent of the assessed students had mastered implementation, extensive feedback was collected expressive vocabulary, 73 percent showed auditory to refine the guides, training structures, delivery comprehension, 74 percent could identify letters, methods, and presentations tailored for trainers, 62 percent could identify words, and 34 percent teachers, coaches, and monitors. were able to read a simple sentence. Overall, the data indicate a significant increase in the number Fostering a close collaboration with the ministry of students assessed from the second term (84 students) to the third term (1,283 students), as The World Bank fostered close collaboration with well as an improvement in students’ skill acquisition the Ministry of Education to ensure government from the second to the third term.   ownership and smooth implementation. This entailed defining the scope of the intervention, Monitors are responsible for organizing ZIP-level validating program materials, handpicking and meetings among teachers and coaches at their liaising with participating ZIPs and schools in two assigned schools. They use the Kobo Toolbox provinces (Niassa and Mania), as well as devising on their tablets to report on ZIP-level meetings. a logistics blueprint for training. The World Bank During the third term, a total of 196 meetings maintained regular communication with crucial were reported via the Kobo Toolbox platform, a directorates, such as the National Directorate for significant increase from the 35 meetings reported Primary Education and the Institute for National during the second trimester. These meetings Development of Education, which were directly enabled participants to review the program’s involved in all project activities. The biweekly overall activities, analyze pedagogical guidance meetings, which also involved the implementing sessions, participate in classroom simulations, firm, ensured that the Ministry reinforced the share pedagogical insights, and discuss logistical capacity building endeavors throughout the 48 Foundational Learning Compact Umbrella Trust Fund Progress Report October 2023–September 2024 program and has a central role in coordinating In this round of data collection, the full evaluation with the province and district levels throughout the sample (356 schools) is being evaluated to assess implementation. grade 1 students’ Portuguese literacy, as well as collect another round of school surveys. This will Conducting data collection for impact evaluation provide information about the impact of Aprender+ on student learning and a broader sample to An impact evaluation for this Coach model was reach conclusions about the impact on teacher conducted. The team conducted the first round pedagogical practices, Coach, and ZIP behavior. of data collection in September and October 2023 to measure the impact of the program and Support for year 3 implementation inform and improve implementation, focusing on understanding program fidelity, teacher During the reporting period, Aprender+ training perceptions of the program, professional for teachers, monitors, and coaches has been development activities in the control group, extended by one year. The third round of trainings and potential constraints to program impact. was delivered in June 2024 in Niassa and Manica, Baseline data collection in October 2023 covered consisting of a two-day refreshment training 227 schools, including 118 Aprender+ schools and for trainers and a two-day training for grade 1 109 comparison schools. Specifically, 305 surveys teachers. In addition, grade 2 teacher guides were from grade 1 teachers, 170 surveys from principals, distributed to all teachers who participated in 2023 117 surveys from coaches (typically deputy training as grade 1 teachers as they moved to principals), and 63 surveys from ZIP coordinators grade 2. were collected.  The data collection showed important positive Training changes in treatment school staff behavior. Namely, in treatment schools, teachers The training focused on demonstration and demonstrated higher quality of pedagogical practice to allow teachers to practice, receive practices, as measured through TEACH, ZIP feedback, and feel comfortable using effective monitors increased their visits to schools and techniques integrated in the lesson plans. number of ZIP-level meetings, and coaches increased the frequency of observing teaching In June 2024, grade 1 teachers, and monitors and providing feedback to teachers. For example, were trained using a cascade model. This was 50 percent of treatment teachers report receiving organized in three levels. The first level was the coaching at least once a month, as opposed to provincial level, which was reserved for refresher 30 percent in control schools, as measured two to training of trainers from teacher training three months after initial trainings. institutions and provincial officials. The second level consisted of district centers for the refresher The final round of data collection is being training of monitors conducted by teacher training conducted from August to November 2024 to institutions’ trainers. The third level was at ZIP- assess students’ literacy in Portuguese and level for the training of grade 1 teachers by their administer surveys to the school staff. The aim respective monitors. At this level, 813 grade 1 is to allow students to benefit more fully from the teachers were trained, including 677 teachers program and enable the observation of any longer- (256 female) in Manica and 136 teachers term impact in teaching and coaching practices. (122 female) in Niassa, respectively. SECTION 2 Implementation Progress 49 TEACHERS TEACH-COACH SUNSET Table 2.3 in the end of this section presents progress to date of key milestones of the SUNSET grants. GRANTS Supporting Use and Scale-Up of Coach The Scaling-Up National Support for Effective and Teach through SUNSET Grants Teaching (SUNSET) grants enabled the implementation of activities related to measuring In 2022, 24 countries were awarded Teach-Coach classroom observations (for example, using SUNSET grants totaling almost $5.5 million to Teach) or teacher professional development support efforts to improve teachers’ professional (for example, using the Coach program tools development leveraging nearly $11.7 billion in and resources), adapted to country contexts. World Bank financing. Agile Grants for funding In several cases, the grants were associated with amounts of $50,000 and under were awarded projects already under implementation. SUNSET to nine countries. Scaled-Up Grants for funding grants supported countries to: amounts between $50,001 and $500,000, were awarded to 15 countries, as shown in table 2.1. • Collect data on teaching practices to Grantees completed results frameworks with understand strengths and weaknesses in terms baseline and endline targets.  of time spent on learning and quality of general teaching practices. The grants closed on June 30, 2024. A small • Enhance the quality of TPD (in-service) number of grants had slightly different closing programs along the four dimensions of the dates to align with the closing dates of the Coach model (more tailored, practical, focused, associated World Bank projects. Unused funds and ongoing professional development). were distributed in the form of small top-ups (up to $20,000) to six high-performing country • Contribute to the global evidence base and grants to finalize related activities in July and address knowledge gaps related to the design August 2024, and to contribute to documentation and implementation of TPD activities, or to the and dissemination activities.  links between teaching quality and learning outcomes. Under the global Teachers program, just-in- time technical assistance was also provided to the SUNSET country teams to strengthen their ability to support related World Bank-financed Progress and Outcomes projects. Support was also provided to document achievements and lessons learned from the After two years, the SUNSET grants program implementation of SUNSET grants, including closed in June 2024. During the current reporting through the drafting of selected country snapshots, period, the program focused on managing the a note of key lessons learned, and preparation closing of the country grants, documenting the for an online event to share the learning from activities, evaluating the outcomes and articulating the SUNSET grants. All dissemination activities lessons learned, preparing for the dissemination of are scheduled to take place around November the results and lessons. 2024. See box 2.12. 50 Foundational Learning Compact Umbrella Trust Fund Progress Report October 2023–September 2024 TABLE 2.3  All Countries Receiving SUNSET Grants Scaled-up grants Agile grants Pakistan, India, Romania, Dijbouti, Somalia, Tanzania, Indonesia, Cabo Verde, Armenia, Algeria, Morocco, Brazil, Uzbekistan, Cameroon, Mexico, Burundi, El Salvador, Central African Republic, Eswatini, Nepal Honduras, Côte d’Ivoire, Kiribati, and Tuvalu Source: World Bank. BOX 2.12 Implementation of SUNSET Grants in Tanzania, Djibouti and India Strengthening CPD has been a major area classroom observation and mentoring. of interest in Tanzania, including through Through the SUNSET grant, school leaders and development of the Teacher Continuous pedagogical advisors were trained to conduct Professional Development framework, regular classroom observation and mentoring Mafunzo Endelevu ya Walimu Kazini of teachers and a teacher mentoring program (MEWAKA). As of 2020, only a small percentage was developed that is now being rolled out of teachers had received CPD in the prior nationwide to preprimary, primary, and lower five years, making improvements to CPD a secondary school teachers. The mentoring high priority. With the support of a SUNSET program includes attention to specific grant, data were gathered on the roll-out of foundational teaching skills. In addition, to MEWAKA to help inform policy dialogue around boost knowledge exchange across francophone CPD. A knowledge exchange partnership was countries, a lesson-sharing trip to Morocco developed between Ministry of Education was arranged to share experiences related to and the UNESCO Teacher Education Center in implementation of classroom observation and Shanghai, which has helped inform Tanzania’s teacher mentoring. development of its CPD approach by learning from Shanghai’s history of school- and cluster- India’s 2020 National Education Policy set based CPD. The grant also enabled the Ministry ambitious goals for foundational learning of Education to design and test CPD modules and needs-based CPD plays an important for headteachers, principals, and school quality role in reaching these goals. In support of officers to monitor the quality of teaching these efforts, the SUNSET grant supported practices. The CPD resources for teachers were implementation of the Teach ECE and Teach distributed, with 15 modules digitized and Primary classroom observation tools. Data from shared with teachers for use in communities over 4,000 classrooms fed into a pilot study of of practice. Finally, two national teaching skills teachers’ needs, and more than 1,800 teachers competitions were also held to help recognize received written feedback on their pedagogical and celebrate teachers. practice. Classroom observations also helped to inform CPD provision in Maharashtra and As Djibouti works to improve teaching Andhra Pradesh. Moreover, the Teach ECE and raise student learning outcomes, the framework will help inform a training course for Ministry has worked to improve CPD through ECE teachers. SECTION 2 Implementation Progress 51 TEACHERS Supporting cross-country learning through Last year, the World Bank launched a study on regional workshops and other events initial teacher education (ITE). This study, funded by the FLC, is expected to be launched in June Three regional workshops were held in 2024 to 2025 at a global conference on teacher education strengthen learning across countries and increase in Rabat, Morocco. This study aims to respond to capacity. A Pacific regional workshop on teachers critical gaps in the knowledge base and in policy was held in Suva, Fiji. An Eastern Europe and Central guidance related to initial teacher education and Asia regional workshop on teachers took place in to help make the case for investing in ITE to help Vienna, Austria. And an Africa regional workshop build strong teacher pathways and high-quality on foundational learning, which included significant educations systems. attention to teacher issues, was held in Accra, Ghana. The Pacific workshop focused on enhancing As part of the study, a diverse group of case teacher skills and the ECA workshop focused on a studies are being developed to examine key ITE broad range of teacher policy issues, including CPD; issues in context and three background papers both workshops brought together policy makers have been commissioned, covering education from the regions. The Africa workshop focused technology’s potential role in ITE, the economics particularly on teacher education and development of initial teacher education, and empirical in the context of foundational learning. The Africa research on ITE’s impacts on teaching quality. workshop brought together over 100 World In addition to these papers and extensive literature Bank staff and representatives from partner review and interviews with experts, the study is organizations. All three workshops incorporated supporting data collection in at least two countries. lessons from the SUNSET grants on how to The results of the study will be published in a report strengthen teacher professional development. that synthesizes the available evidence on key ITE issues and presents key considerations and Early lessons from seven of the SUNSET grants principles for strengthening ITE systems. (El Salvador, India (Maharashtra), Mozambique, Pakistan (Punjab), Sierra Leone, South Africa, and Tanzania) were shared in a publication released on March 15, 2024 on Improving This was an excellent workshop—first post-COVID Teacher Continuous Professional Development: to bring policy makers and practitioners together Case Examples from the Coach Program (Mufti to share their country experiences and challenges, 2024). These were also discussed within a webinar matched with evidence-based research. on March 21, 2024, titled “A Conversation on It addressed the typical gap in Pacific education Strengthening Teacher Continuous Professional workshops where practical activities often lack Development” featuring speakers from Tanzania, alignment with presented data. Future topics China, Oman, Kenya, Mozambique, and Finland. In could bridge policy and institutional levels and addition, a session on “Sustainable and Resilient focus more on realistic task execution. Teacher Preparation and Development in Low- and Middle-Income Countries” was organized as part of Statement by a participant of the the “Reimagining Teachers and Teacher Education Pacific regional workshop. for Our Futures Conference” in Helsinki, Finland (June 17-20, 2024). The panel brought together key speakers from China, the West Bank, Mozambique, and Finland, along with the World Bank, to share learning including from the SUNSET grants. 52 Foundational Learning Compact Umbrella Trust Fund Progress Report October 2023–September 2024 Outputs and Resources Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized Improving Teacher Continuous Professional Development Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized Case Examples from the Coach Program Public Disclosure Authorized by Abdal Mufti Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized ? Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized November 2023 Improving Teacher Continuous Professional Development 1 Making Teacher Policy Work. Improving Teacher Continuous Teach Secondary suite of This report zooms into what lies Professional Development: resources. Teach Secondary is behind the success or failure of Case Examples from the a free classroom observation teacher policies: how teachers Coach Program. This document tool that provides a window experience these policies, and examines how the World Bank’s into one of the less explored how systems scale and sustain Coach program, supported and more critical aspects of these policies. by partners through the a student’s learning: what Foundational Learning Compact, goes on in the classroom. The has been implemented and tool is intended to be applied adapted in different contexts in secondary classrooms to support improvements in (grades 7-12). It was designed teacher CPD. It provides a to help countries collect data on summary of the different tools teaching practices to improve and resources that have been teaching quality following the developed to support the design, Teach framework. implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of teacher CPD. SECTION 2 Implementation Progress 53 Spotlight Teach-Coach SUNSET Grant in Mexico Using measurement and data to improve education policy and teaching practice In Guanajuato, the state government is working to strengthen primary school teachers’ classroom skills by investing in school leaders’ pedagogical leadership skills. In the wake of pandemic-induced learning losses, the Secretariat of Education conducted classroom observations to examine teachers’ needs, with the aim of designing and delivering a professional development intervention for primary school principals that would help recover and accelerate student learning. Improving school principals’ mentoring and pedagogical leadership has been a focus in the Participants of the methodology workshop in Guanajuato, Mexico/World Bank. state since 2015, and support from the SUNSET grant helped to deepen this focus. As a result of the grant, post-pandemic teaching practices were measured in primary schools in Guanajuato using the Teach Primary classroom observation tool. The observations, which were conducted in classrooms for grades 4 to 6, provided important information to inform on how to support teachers. Based on the findings, a hybrid coaching program for primary school principals in Guanajuato was developed. This program works to build school leaders’ ability to provide 1:1 coaching to teachers with the goal of helping teachers in grades 4 through 6 improve their teaching practices. The program was piloted with 270 school principals, reaching more than 1,215 teachers, representing approximately 16 percent of all primary schools in the state. An evaluation of the coaching program was conducted, and findings are currently being analyzed. Under the grant, a monitoring and evaluation strategy was designed to help inform potential scale-up of the coaching program across the state. 54 Foundational Learning Compact Umbrella Trust Fund Progress Report October 2023–September 2024 TABLE 2.4  Global Coach Program: Progress on Key Milestones Milestone  Status  Draft training materials and guidance note for implementation developed  Completed previously   Global Coach guidelines and training materials for implementation are finalized based Completed previously  on inputs and adaptations from country applications  International Technical Advisory Board established and consulted  Completed  Report that codifies know-how created (a global teachers report, and a report examining Completed  emerging findings from the Coach program)  Webpage with all training resources developed Completed  Global Coach program materials disseminated globally  Completed  Note: From this reporting period and going forward, the term “Ongoing” will be used to refer to activities that are in progress and/or that need periodic updates. This replaces the term “In Progress” used in previous FLC Progress Reports. TABLE 2.5  Coach Mozambique Program: Progress on Key Milestones Milestone  Status  Local advisory board established  Completed previously   Coach fellow hired for two years Completed previously   Consultations on adaptation and application of Coach protocol for Mozambique Completed previously   conducted and a brief on key findings developed  Training materials developed  Grades 1 and 2 completed. Grade 3 underway   Training materials developed and number of ZIP coordinators/teachers trained  Completed  Monitoring tool developed  Completed  Monitoring tool applied and integrated into the government data collection system  Ongoing  Process evaluation conducted in year 1 to assess areas of strength and intervention Completed  areas that need improvement   Baseline data collected and cleaned, and a report written in Year 2 of the initiative  Completed Endline data collected and cleaned, and a report written in Year 2 of the initiative  Ongoing  Note: From this reporting period and going forward, the term “Ongoing” will be used to refer to activities that are in progress and/or that need periodic updates. This replaces the term “In Progress” used in previous FLC Progress Reports. TABLE 2.6  SUNSET Grants: Progress on Key Milestones Milestone  Status  Call for proposals launched  Completed previously   Country grants selected and awarded   Completed  Grant implementation, monitoring, and reporting   Completed Technical assistance provided to 8–10 country teams on designing sustained integration Completed of Teach- and Coach-related activities into country systems   Technical resources developed to support the independent, sustained integration of Completed Teach- and Coach-related activities into country systems   Note: From this reporting period and going forward, the term “Ongoing” will be used to refer to activities that are in progress and/or that need periodic updates. This replaces the term “In Progress” used in previous FLC Progress Reports. SECTION 2 Implementation Progress 55 EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY Activity Overview EDTECH HUB The World Bank is committed to promoting The EdTech Hub is a global research partnership the effective and efficient use of education that generates and facilitates access to the technology (EdTech) to support teachers evidence needed to make decisions about and education systems enhance access to effective uses of technology.13 The Hub provides quality education for all students—both rigorous research and policy advice on the effective in classrooms and beyond. The goal is to use of digital technologies in low- and middle- collaborate with various stakeholders to identify income countries. Established in 2019, the Hub is technology-driven solutions backed by evidence. delivered by a consortium of organizations led by These solutions are tested on a smaller scale Results for Development (R4D), and including Brink, and then expanded to reach other potential Jigsaw Education, Open Development & Education users. The knowledge gained from these (OpenDevEd), and the University of Cambridge’s endeavors is widely shared with policy makers Faculty of Education. It is supported by FCDO, the and supports the capacity building needed to Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, UNICEF, and the leverage EdTech. World Bank, among others. Through its integrated 56 Foundational Learning Compact Umbrella Trust Fund Progress Report October 2023–September 2024 approach combining research, innovation, Progress and Outcomes and technical assistance, the Hub helps World Bank teams and government counterparts to The main elements of the partnership between make clear, evidence-based policy decisions to the EdTech Hub and the World Bank are the achieve maximum impact. The aim is to improve Hub’s provision of technical assistance to World learning outcomes and address the obstacles Bank staff through the Helpdesk, the annual to implementing and using EdTech in ways that development of joint knowledge products, and are effective, impactful, cost-effective, context the World Bank’s provision of strategic guidance appropriate, and scalable. The three strands of through its participation on the Hub’s Executive its approach are (1) qualitative and quantitative Committee and Strategic Advisory Board. research to support decision-making; (2) innovation The progress on this can be seen in Table 2.7. “sandboxes” generating real-time evidence to Since the April 2020 launch of the Helpdesk, the explore how to improve EdTech interventions World Bank has had 48 active requests for support. or scale up successful pilots; and (3) just-in- The Helpdesk provides relevant and just-in-time time technical assistance support through its knowledge services, such as document review, Helpdesk and long-term close collaboration with expert consultation, curated list of resources, and governments. topic briefs, in response governments’ questions related to EdTech policy and program design and The Hub provides support in the following focus implementation. areas in relation to EdTech: • Digital personalized learning to support learning and teaching at the level of the student. • Teacher continuous professional development to support in-service professional development and structured pedagogy. • Data to advance data use and decision-making. • Participation and messaging to promote participation in school. • Girl’s education and technology to tackle the barriers girls face in the pursuit of education. • Climate, emergencies, and protracted conflict data to support more resilient and inclusive education systems. • Special educational needs and disabilities data to support teaching and learning of marginalized learners. © Bartosz Hadyniak / iStock SECTION 2 Implementation Progress 57 EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY Outputs and Resources Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized ‘What EdTech Solutions to Choose?’ podcast. Lessons on Implementation: Stakeholders’ Explores the development, use and lessons Experiences with Digital Personalized Learning learned of an innovative tool that provides a Platforms (D’Angelo et al. 2024). A study that framework to help governments choose better looks at the perceptions and experiences of EdTech solutions. students, parents, teachers, and other education stakeholders involved in Prográmate, a project that EdTech Policy Scan for Sub-Saharan Africa. uses a digital personalized learning platform to Rapid desk review conducted by the Help Desk to develop secondary school students’ mathematics identify current policies pertaining to EdTech across skills and knowledge in the Dominican Republic.  Sub-Saharan Africa, completed in anticipation of the Africa EdTech Policy Academy. TABLE 2.7  EdTech Hub: Progress on Key Milestones Milestone Status  World Bank facilitation of consultation and technical advice provided by EdTech Hub  Ongoing  Develop joint knowledge products  Ongoing  Note: From this reporting period and going forward, the term “Ongoing” will be used to refer to activities that are in progress and/or that need periodic updates. This replaces the term “In Progress” used in previous FLC Progress Reports. 58 Foundational Learning Compact Umbrella Trust Fund Progress Report October 2023–September 2024 EDUCATION POLICY ACADEMY Activity Overview Launched in January 2022, the Education Policy the Foundational Learning Policy Academy, Academy has grown into the World Bank’s encompassing Learning Assessment modules core training program for education, aimed and the Literacy Policy Academy, the Inclusive at building knowledge and technical capacity Education Policy Academy, the Teachers Policy of policy makers and practitioners in effective Academy; the EdTech Policy Academy, and the Early policy dialogue, policy and program design, Childhood Education Policy Academy (featured in and program implementation in priority the ELP section). thematic areas. Aligned with the new corporate World Bank Group Academy under the recent The Academy offers a diverse range of learning World Bank Knowledge Compact, the Education experiences, including self-paced online courses, Global Practice has launched a new phase of the webinars, workshops, face-to-face activities, and Education Policy Academy during this reporting knowledge exchanges. Each course has several period. This will provide expanded and updated modules that can be taken as a full course or courses to governments—primarily technical separately, with additional modules currently under staff from Ministries of Education—as well as development. Courses are designed to influence World Bank teams and partners. This phase of the and support World Bank financed projects and Academy, partially supported by the FLC, includes improve learning outcomes. SECTION 2 Implementation Progress 59 EDUCATION POLICY ACADEMY Progress and Outcomes During the reporting period, the Education Policy high demand for more hands-on, customized Academy customized courses for delivery at learning events. country and regional levels to fit specific local contexts, continuously updated and created new With over 1,000 practitioners participating in content tailored to emerging needs, translated Education Policy Academy, feedback has been learning materials into multiple languages, overwhelmingly positive, and partners remain and established a network of experts and interested in collaborating on the development facilitators. The courses supported participants to and delivery of the Education Policy Academy. For more effectively conduct policy dialogue, design the reporting period, 581 practitioners participated and implement projects, as well as diagnose and online and 609 participated in person in the address operational challenges. The courses strive courses. Across all courses, participants expressed to be timely and enhance activities financed under high levels of satisfaction with the skills and World Bank financed projects. knowledge gained. Many participants noted that the Academy had already impacted their work, with In total, the Education Policy Academy some planning to apply its lessons in future work. is catalyzing over $15 billion in financing across El Salvador, Central African Republic, The following subsections outline the progress Ethiopia, Gambia, Georgia, Jordan, Malawi, of each Policy Academy financed by the FLC, Moldova, Morocco, Philippines, Rwanda, including lessons from design and dissemination and Zambia among others. Key counterparts phases based on participant feedback. in select Ministries, World Bank staff, and These Policy Academies are the Foundational partners are now more knowledgeable and Learning Policy Academy—which expands on the better prepared to engage in policy dialogue, Literacy Policy Academy and includes Learning project design and implementation on priority Assessment modules, Inclusive Education Policy thematic areas. Many of the academies have Academy, Teachers Policy Academy, and EdTech been implemented in the field and are tailored Policy Academy. See figure 2.4 for a view of the to country contexts. There continues to be relevant themes. © julief514 / iStock 60 Foundational Learning Compact Umbrella Trust Fund Progress Report October 2023–September 2024 FIGURE 2.4  Core Elements and Cross-Cutting Themes of Foundational Learning in the Education Policy Academy Ge n d e r e q u i t y Large scale student assessment for system monitoring Classroom assessment to support student learning Foundational EdTech High-quality Learning Prepared Financing instructional teachers resources Evidence-based curriculum and instruction Leadership for change Di sab i l i t y i nc lus io n scale early grade reading programs. Now, as part of THE FOUNDATIONAL the broader Foundational Learning Policy Academy LEARNING POLICY ACADEMY with updated context, it continues to play a pivotal role in advancing these goals. Designed to enhance The Foundational Learning Policy Academy the capacity of policymakers and practitioners in expands on the Literacy Policy Academy. Initially, crafting and implementing foundational learning the Literacy Policy Academy introduced participants related policies, this Academy focuses on ensuring to the science of reading and the policies needed to that all children achieve literacy. See table 2.8. SECTION 2 Implementation Progress 61 EDUCATION POLICY ACADEMY TABLE 2.8  Literacy Policy Academy Courses Offered During Reporting Period Course Format Platform Country Dates Participants Literacy Policy Academy Asynchronous World Bank Global Ongoing 196 (English) Open Learning Campus (OLC) Synchronous Teams Global April 2 – May 10, 2024 30 Política de Alfabetización Asynchronous OLC Global Ongoing Pending (Spanish) Synchronous In-person event El Salvador May 8, 2024 50 L’Académie des Politiques Asynchronous OLC Global Ongoing Pending de l’Alphabétisation Synchronous In-person event Central African June 12-14, 2024 Pending (French) Republic One major in-person event delivered through The capacity building event discussed strategies the Academy was Advancing Foundational and approaches to enhance learning outcomes, Teaching and Learning, held in Accra, Ghana including effective curriculum development, from May 28-30, 2024. The cross-thematic event teacher training, and the provision of quality attracted approximately 120 participants, mainly instructional resources. The event highlighted practitioners from the East and West Africa regional the importance of a whole-system approach, units together with international development emphasizing the need for collaboration between partners such as FCDO and the Bill and Melinda researchers, implementers, and governments. Gates Foundation and policy makers from Ghana. It also underscored the significance of evidence- The event focused on deepening technical based practices, cost-effective interventions, knowledge to better support governments to and sustainable solutions to address the high improve foundational learning outcomes. learning poverty in the region. Participants shared Participants at the Advancing Foundational Teaching and Learning knowledge event in Accra, Ghana/World Bank. 62 Foundational Learning Compact Umbrella Trust Fund Progress Report October 2023–September 2024 knowledge on successful implementation of in Accra. Based on increasing client demands effective interventions, explored opportunities for the Literacy Policy Academy in different for collaboration, and delved into challenges that languages, all course content (including audios, hinder improvement in learning outcomes. videos, quizzes, additional resources) was adapted and translated for French and Spanish speaking This event also included newly developed content audiences. Adapted examples from scopes and on learning assessment. The event included two sequences, lesson plans, and training manuals modules on measurement, one on classroom were included for each language. Three seminal and the other on large-scale assessment. In reports from the Tools for Improving Reading each module, practitioners learned about core Series are included in the modules. The course will concepts of learning assessment, the landscape of also be translated into Portuguese in FY25. learning assessment activities in Africa, and how the World Bank can support counties to enhance These adaptations were used to create tailored learning assessment systems through projects and in-person Literacy Policy Academy courses that technical support. These modules included country were delivered in El Salvador (Spanish) and cases from the region and interventions from Central African Republic (French) in May 2024. practitioners and policymakers from Ghana who Content was also tailored to address specific are involved in learning assessment. literacy challenges and educational goals of each country. These events demonstrated the flexibility Feedback from the events was overwhelmingly of the course content and its applicability to diverse positive. 90 percent of respondents reported that educational contexts. The course has since been they gained a better understanding of the key made a prerequisite for similar upcoming in-person technical elements needed for foundational learning regional events, further solidifying its importance in and felt more equipped to assist government in foundational learning initiatives. improving literacy outcomes. This included knowing when and how to access tools and resources for The face-to-face workshop in El Salvador assessed effective assessment and identifying opportunities the extent to which the Spanish Literacy Policy to enhance evidence-based teaching practices. Academy module met clients’ needs for an Participants also emphasized the importance of effective and relevant training experience. establishing networks for ongoing dialogue and The workshop confirmed the usefulness of accessing technical resources to support foundational the translated Academy to counterparts and learning. This event emphasized peer learning and demonstrated that adapted, local language collaboration across the region and with global versions of the courses provide significant value. expertise, spotlighting knowledge and expertise The workshop had strong ministerial support, from the regions, and focus on key areas in World including the participation of the Minister of Bank-financed projects, such as curriculum and Education. See spotlight story on El Salvador instructional resources, teachers, classroom-based Literacy Policy Academy workshop. assessment, large-scale assessment, education technology, gender, and education finance. Participants have expressed high levels of satisfaction with the Literacy Policy Academy, In addition, the online Literacy Policy Academy, noting the value of the multimedia content, which initially launched in 2021 as a pilot course quizzes, and the practical applicability of the with five modules, was updated during the material. They highlighted the importance of reporting period and is now also available in including concrete examples and expert insights in Spanish and French. The content was integrated the course, which enriched their learning experience into the Foundational Learning Policy Academy and supported high-quality policy dialogue. SECTION 2 Implementation Progress 63 EDUCATION POLICY ACADEMY Lessons learned underscore the flexibility of the course—evolving from a pilot version to a You offer lots of detail and concreteness for comprehensive multi-language offering and learners to delve into if they want, and include pilot in-person events—and the ability to tailor some inspiring examples of success at scale, content for different contexts. Participants you include quizzes that actually required praised the engaging experts and inclusion of understanding the material, etc. concrete implementation examples. These factors contributed to the course’s success and its impact. Statement by a participant of the Literacy Policy Academy. Participants at the Advancing Foundational Teaching and Learning knowledge event in Accra, Ghana/World Bank. 64 Foundational Learning Compact Umbrella Trust Fund Progress Report October 2023–September 2024 Spotlight Enhancing Foundational Literacy in El Salvador Building literacy foundations to push El Salvador’s educational reform El Salvador’s commitment to improving foundational learning took a significant step forward with the Education Policy Academy Workshop held in May 2024. Faced with a learning poverty rate of 69 percent, the country is actively working to address this crisis. This workshop was tailored to the unique literacy challenges faced by the country. The workshop is closely linked to the $250 million World Bank-financed Growing and Learning Together Project aimed at improving early childhood development. The project focuses on improving and strengthening literacy skills in children, particularly through the production of educational materials, teacher training, and promoting reading at home. The event was a face-to-face workshop focused on strengthening capacity in literacy instruction. It deepened knowledge to improve teacher training, align the national literacy plan with global evidence, and reinforce critical skills such as decoding and reading comprehension. The event had 53 participants: 46 government officials from El Salvador, in addition to two government officials from Honduras and six staff from the two World Bank country teams. Participants engaged in collaborative discussions, analyzing their country’s strategies and proposing actionable improvements. Michael Crawford, World Bank Lead Education Specialist, at the Literacy Policy Academy in El Salvador/World Bank. SECTION 2 Implementation Progress 65 Among the key outcomes of the workshop were the recognition of the need for continuous teacher training to reinforce phonics teaching methods and promote key skills such as decoding and reading comprehension from the early grades; the importance of political commitment to ensure sustainable progress; the need for constant evaluation of students; and availability of adequate materials. These findings are essential inputs for El Salvador´s new Literacy Plan. The workshop not only provided valuable insights for El Salvador but also sparked interest among Honduran officials to replicate the model in their country. This collaborative approach, combined with the tailored Literacy Policy Academy content in Spanish version, demonstrated the adaptability and impact of the program in addressing different educational contexts. By emphasizing evidence-based reforms, aligning literacy efforts with international best practices, and fostering regional collaboration, the workshop highlighted how targeted interventions could significantly improve foundational literacy outcomes. The success of the event has paved the way for further educational reforms and the scaling of foundational learning programs across the country. © edfuentesg / iStock 66 Foundational Learning Compact Umbrella Trust Fund Progress Report October 2023–September 2024 THE INCLUSIVE EDUCATION other relevant line ministries, civil society actors, including organizations of persons with disabilities, POLICY ACADEMY researchers and academics, as well as practitioners from formal or nonformal education settings in The main objective of the Inclusive Education Malawi, Rwanda, and Zambia. The IEPA targets Policy Academy is to strengthen education policymakers who are designing and implementing systems to be more inclusive for all learners. This education policies or programs and who have more initiative aims to build the knowledge, engagement, direct influence on the overall policy decisions and and technical capacity of policy makers, with a resource allocation at the national and subnational focus ensuring quality education system for all, levels aiming towards more inclusive education including learners with disabilities. The content is systems. based on the latest research in inclusive education and is delivered through a series of online and With new funding from the FLC, a Phase 1 hybrid learning modules, in-person workshops, country specific IEPA was launched with Malawi and field visits. These are particularly useful for between April-June 2024. This engagement countries working towards or starting their journey included 45 practitioners. Specific content for in developing more inclusive education systems. this professional development was identified through consultation with the key stakeholders in During this implementation period, the Inclusive Malawi, and included self-study materials such as Education Policy Academy (IEPA) has built upon assignments, surveys and quizzes. See figure 2.5 the program established in 2021 with other for themes. Global and regional speakers led eight funding and expanded to include Malawi, live sessions, complemented by local perspectives. Rwanda, and Zambia with support from the FLC. Participants collaborated on diverse final group The cohort includes selected representatives of projects. Rwanda and Zambia had completed their the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Health, and Phase 1 of IEPA earlier in 2022 and 2023. FIGURE 2.5  Menu of Selected Themes Tailored to Each Cohort of the Inclusive Education Policy Academy Key concepts and principles of Inclusive Education Elements for inclusive Fundamental of inclusive education and Policy and Legal education policy and legal Inclusive Education disability inclusion Frameworks framework Inclusive EMIS, essentials Multisectoral Coordination, collaboration, and roles for collecting disability Data and evidence Approaches to of key stakeholders in supporting disaggregated data Inclusive Education inclusive education inclusive teacher education and System-wide Applying UDL principles, facilitating CPD, inclusive leadership, Principles of Reform to Ensure educational accessibility, encouraging curriculum, instruction, TLM, Universal Design for Disability Inclusion individualization when necessary and assessment, EdTech, financing Learning in Education considering heterogeneity of disability Deeper dive for case Interventions to Deeper dive for disability inclusive project Operationalizing studies/interventions to support Support Learning of design, preparation, and implementation Disability Inclusion learning of persons with Persons with following the recently launched guidance in Education different disabilities Disabilities for disability inclusion in education SECTION 2 Implementation Progress 67 EDUCATION POLICY ACADEMY Participant feedback was positive. There was an • Teachers Policy 101 - Fundamentals of Teacher average attendance rate of close to 83 percent Policy (available in English and French): This and high satisfaction regarding the relevance and course provides a high-level overview of policies critical engagement with the content. However, related to preparing, developing, and managing connectivity issues during virtual sessions were a sustainable pipeline of effective teachers. noted as a challenge. This will be mitigated in the It draws on strategies for effective teacher future Phase 1 offerings. policy, including making teaching an attractive career, improving the quality of initial teacher A select group of participants will advance education (preservice), promoting meritocratic to Phase 2 for a deeper, in-country learning selection of teachers, and providing high- experience. While all selected IEPA participants quality professional development and school have participated in Phase 1 of the Academy leadership. The course provides evidence-based and completed self-study and engagement in knowledge on teacher policy, emphasizing live sessions (including preparation of a project interventions that have demonstrated improved proposal as a group work), a smaller selection teacher effectiveness, featuring operational of these participants will have the opportunity insights on how to implement such programs to continue participating in Phase 2, which across various settings. will include an in-country workshop in an African country (Rwanda, to be confirmed) in • Teachers - Strengthening Continuous Professional Development (in English): This February 2025. course is currently being updated (previously titled “Provide High-Quality In-Service Teacher THE TEACHERS POLICY Professional Development”). It introduces key principles and considerations for designing, ACADEMY implementing, and monitoring strategies and programs for the continuous professional The objectives of the Teachers Policy Academy development (CPD) of teachers. are (1) to develop increased knowledge to support teacher reforms that translate into The two courses are offered as asynchronous high-quality teaching practices and improved online courses, hybrid courses (asynchronous student learning outcomes, and (2) to develop online with virtual or in-person components), deeper skills to effectively implement and and bespoke regional and national workshops. monitor such reforms. Under the Teachers Course materials are continually updated based Education Policy Academy, the foundations have on insights from World Bank-financed projects been set for World Bank teams to be able to and new research. Tailored workshops mentioned engage policy makers at country or regional levels earlier in the Teachers section have stimulated on various aspects of teacher policy. particular interest in this theme from country participants, fostering ongoing engagement with The Teachers Policy Academy includes interest in the development of communities of “Teachers Policy 101” and “Teachers— practice. To aid the design and delivery of these Strengthening Continuous Professional workshops, the online courses are being converted Development”. These two course offerings into Knowledge Packs, allowing offline and provide the following: hybrid options, and to enable easy adaptation for customized and contextualized use. 68 Foundational Learning Compact Umbrella Trust Fund Progress Report October 2023–September 2024 A pilot two-day workshop that customized knowledge and skills in areas where EdTech can be the content of the “Teachers: Strengthening catalytic for effective education systems. Continuous Professional Development” course to the specific context of Morocco’s education During the reporting period, the Spring 2024 reforms was developed and implemented in EdTech Policy Academy “Strategies to Support June 2024 with around 20 officials from the Teacher Capacity Building through Technology: Ministry of National Education. The workshop Tools, Modalities, Contents and Use of Data,” outlined teacher preparation and development was held between March and April 2024, with pathways, presented evidence-based principles 48 participants from Georgia, Moldova, Jordan, for effective CPD, and explored different CPD and the Philippines. Each country team included modalities, including through country case policy makers from ministries of education, other studies. The Moroccan officials presented ongoing national institutions, World Bank country teams. teacher reforms, leading to an active discussion Task team leaders in each group were nominated among participants. Discussions touched on a as “country champions” and served as team wide variety of topics, including policy directions leaders. See table 2.9. for supporting novice teachers, use of the Teach tool, including to inform decisions about CPD, This Policy Academy was offered in a micro- potential CPD modalities tailored to Morocco, and course format. This format enabled a more the current and potential roles of inspectors and personalized capacity-building experience, allowing school leaders. The response to the workshop was teams to receive guidance and support tailored positive. In a survey at the end of the workshop, to the specific needs of the country. The goal was 80 percent of respondents reported that they to develop a comprehensive, self-paced online found the workshop to be very useful and relevant course where participants can access and engage to their work, while the remaining 20 percent with the content at their convenience to enable considered it rather useful and relevant. 90 percent participation. While participants of the 2024 Policy expressed a strong likelihood of applying what they Academy were encouraged to complete the micro- learned from the workshop in their work (with the course during the official Policy Academy week, remaining 10 percent moderately likely to do so). the format allows the World Bank to easily cater to ad hoc requests from countries seeking additional Key lessons from the implementation of technical support through these offerings. the Teachers Policy Academy highlight the importance of continuously updating course At the end of the Policy Academy, an exit survey materials. Feedback recommendations emphasize was conducted to collect information about the incorporation of peer reviews, adaptation participants’ experience with various features to local contexts, and the integration of both of the course. The findings were instrumental immediate and follow-up participant feedback. in informing improvements to course content and delivery. The rating of the different course components was highly positive across all areas, EDTECH POLICY ACADEMY with “Excellent” and “Very good” ranging from 72 to 89 percent. Among the various course features, The EdTech Policy Academy was developed to Policy Academy participants valued the reflection provide systematized just-in-time cross-support activities on the platform and the support and and capacity building to practitioners on the guidance received from instructors the most (i.e., most demanded topics in EdTech. It is a project- “Excellent” – 67 percent). The features that received based, hands-on clinic to provide actionable the lowest endorsement were the platform SECTION 2 Implementation Progress 69 EDUCATION POLICY ACADEMY activities - including readings, videos, and country the dossier, which appears as the least favorite yet examples and the additional materials offered in rated “Excellent” at 50 percent.  TABLE 2.9  Education Policy Academy: Progress on Key Milestones Policy Academy Milestone Status Literacy Launch and implement a World Bank Policy Academy with five modules for Completed previously policy makers and practitioners Deliver Policy Academy courses to least 200 participants Completed Achieve high participant satisfaction with course delivery Completed previously Deliver multilingual courses Completed Deliver two regional pilot in-person events Completed Develop short one-module slide deck version to introduce participants to the key Planned themes and/or used to initiate policy dialogue with client countries. Inclusive Launch and implement a World Bank Policy Academy for policy makers and Completed previously Education practitioners Deliver Policy Academy courses to least 200 participants Ongoing Achieve high participant satisfaction with course delivery Completed previously Deliver virtual course to second country cohort Ongoing Develop additional disability-inclusive curriculum content and self-study materials Completed Develop five new course modules Planned Teachers Launch and implement a World Bank Policy Academy for policy makers and Completed previously practitioners Deliver Policy Academy courses to least 200 participants Ongoing Achieve high participant satisfaction with course delivery Completed previously Develop PPTs and knowledge packs for greater flexibility in delivery Ongoing Deliver multilingual courses Planned Develop a course on Initial Teacher Education (Preservice) Planned EdTech Launch and implement a World Bank Policy Academy for policy makers and Completed previously practitioners Deliver Policy Academy courses to at least 200 participants Completed previously Achieve high participant satisfaction with course delivery Completed previously Deliver multilingual courses Completed Develop curricula for four courses based on research evidence and knowledge Completed packs based on World Bank–Hub collaboration Create a community of practice that develops five collaborative products each Ongoing year for use at the Academy Note: From this reporting period and going forward, the term “Ongoing” will be used to refer to activities that are in progress and/or that need periodic updates. This replaces the term “In Progress” used in previous FLC Progress Reports. 70 Foundational Learning Compact Umbrella Trust Fund Progress Report October 2023–September 2024 Outputs and Resources Advancing Foundational Teaching and Learning Knowledge Exchange Virtual Conference Experience. A set of presentations, videos, and other materials developed for the Knowledge Exchange. Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized Translation of Literacy Policy Academy materials into Spanish and French. Five documents have been produced to date as translations under the series “Tools to Improve Reading,” including “Cómo aprenden a leer los niños: Hacia una planificación de clases basada en la evidencia,” “Cómo impartir una enseñanza eficaz de la lectura,” “L’arc-en-ciel de la lecture en début de scolarité: Un guide rapide pour mettre fin à la pauvreté de l’apprentissage,” “Comment les enfants aprennent á lire: Ver une planification des cours fondée sur des données probantes,” and “Comment dispenser un enseignement efficace de la lectura.” Malawi IEPA materials. Participant Virtual Launch Event Inclusive Education Policy Academy (IEPA) Malawi Phase I Malawi Inclusive guide, materials, and resources Participant Guide Education Policy for live sessions prepared for the Academy (IEPA) Malawi IEPA 17th April 2024 Hanna Alasuutari Thematic Lead for Inclusive Education, Senior Education Specialist Education Global Practice, World Bank SECTION 2 Implementation Progress 71 EDUCATION POLICY ACADEMY Strengthening Continuous Professional Development (CPD) in Morocco. Presentation developed for the Morocco Teachers Policy Academy highlights key strategies for improving teacher induction and ongoing professional development. Spring 2024 EdTech Policy Academy Spring 2024 EdTech Policy Academy Aide Memoire. Strategies to Support Teacher Capacity Building through Technology: Tools, Modalities, Contents, and the Use of Data Summarizes the content of the Fourth EdTech Policy 1. About Spring 2024 EdTech Policy Academy Academy, findings from the exit survey, and key The EdTech Policy Academy was developed to provide systematized just-in-time cross-support and capacity building to World Bank staff, staff of partner organizations, and policymakers from client takeaways for the next iteration as well as ideas for countries on the most demanded topics in EdTech. It is a project-based, hands-on clinic to provide actionable knowledge and skills in areas where EdTech can be catalytic for effective education systems. The EdTech Policy Academy Strategies to Support Teacher Capacity Building through Technology: Tools, moving forward. Modalities, Contents and Use of Data, took place between March and April 2024, with 48 participants from 4 country teams: Georgia, Moldova, Jordan and the Philippines. Each country team included professionals from ministries of education, other national institutions, World Bank employees [Task Team Leaders (TTLs)] and consultants. TTLs in each group were nominated as “country champions” and served as team leaders. Methodology This Policy Academy was offered in a micro-course format featuring the topic: technology for teacher professional development. The micro-course format enabled a more personalized capacity-building experience, allowing country teams to receive guidance and support tailored to their specific needs and availability. The goal was to develop a comprehensive, self-paced online course where students can access and engage with the content at their convenience. While participants of the 2024 PA were encouraged to complete the micro-course during the official PA week, the format allows the EdTech team to easily cater to the requests from countries seeking technical support on the topic. This enables any interested party to access and complete the course at their most convenient time. This first micro-course was designed to offer a combination of synchronous and asynchronous activities to ensure a flexible approach. The synchronous activities consisted of two live sessions with the instructors: an onboarding meeting and a final meeting to discuss the roadmap for future action. As for the asynchronous activities, participants were encouraged to complete the micro-course for self-paced learning on the platform during the PA week (Learning Management System). The Online Platform included an introductory module with a welcome message by a simulated minister of education from a fictitious country “the United Republics of Learning” and guided by the six steps of the Learning Journey. The course followed the strategic-thinking methodology presented in the introductory module, which is divided into six steps: (i) Identify the challenge, (ii) Understand the context, (iii) Select possible tech solutions, (iv) Engage the ecosystem, (v) Choose appropriate delivery methods, and (vi) Monitor and evaluation. This structured roadmap guided participants in enhancing their projects’ component during the course and organizing their next steps. The first synchronous meeting focused on the first two steps, encouraging participants to identify their main challenge and its implications for their specific context. 72 Foundational Learning Compact Umbrella Trust Fund Progress Report October 2023–September 2024 INCLUSION SUPPORT PROGRAM FOR REFUGEE EDUCATION Activity Overview One-fifth of children are currently displaced or the capabilities of host governments to incorporate living in a fragile, conflict-affected, or violent refugee children into national education systems. (FCV) context. Among the 15 million refugee It supports host countries to act on the “Mega children and youth worldwide, over half are not Pledge” commitments made at the 2023 Global in school. To prevent them from becoming a lost Refugee Forum to improve formal school access generation, the most sustainable solution for rates for refugees by 2027. The program provides educating refugee children is their inclusion into a unifying framework, as well as accompanying host country education systems. technical assistance to enable governments to include refugee children in national education The Inclusion Support Program for Refugee systems wherever they may be along the inclusion Education (INSPIRE) is a global knowledge spectrum, as figure 2.6 shows. and technical assistance initiative launched in February 2024. This program aims to strengthen SECTION 2 Implementation Progress 73 INCLUSION SUPPORT PROGRAM FOR REFUGEE EDUCATION (INSPIRE) FIGURE 2.6  INSPIRE Framework Lays out a framework inclusion and on-ramps required at different points Parallel Policies and Systems Schools Students Included in system separate spaces Instruction outside Included in national of the national education system; education system, instruction delivered delivered by NGOs in temporally or or humanitarian Policies & Registration of schools Language acquisition geographically organizations in legal issues into national system activities separate spaces temporary education centers Documentation Application of Remedial/ accelerated standards education programs Strengthening Teacher Psychosocial data systems training support Results-based Refugee teachers financing The INSPIRE program has two main pillars: to increase access, psycho-social support, and (1) Global Knowledge, Monitoring, and Capacity disability inclusive education. Development, which focuses on creating tools like a Guidance Note for Refugee Inclusion, One of the objectives of the INSPIRE program peer learning events, and just-in-time technical is to use the technical assistance delivered by assistance; and (2) Country grants to provide the country grants to leverage larger funding technical assistance to countries to integrate from the IDA Host-Refugee Window, as well refugee children into national education as to leverage World Bank-financed projects systems through tailored interventions. Some to deliver targeted interventions for refugee of the interventions supported include remedial students. INSPIRE country grants will provide foundational learning, language of instruction, technical assistance to support countries to design teacher development to support refugee children, and implement programs for refugee inclusion. measurement of learning, education technology Figure 2.7 illustrates this model. 74 Foundational Learning Compact Umbrella Trust Fund Progress Report October 2023–September 2024 FIGURE 2.7  INSPIRE Model Support to countries to help finance refugee integration 1. Recipient-Executed Activities Governments integrate refugee students into the national school system 2. Bank-Executed Technical Assistance Grants to country teams to provide technical assistance for on-ramps into national systems, implementation support, and M&E The program adopts an approach that meets This flexibility ensures that each country can select countries where they are. A menu of interventions and operationalize the most relevant interventions are adapted to each country’s unique context. to address their specific challenges. See figure 2.8. FIGURE 2.8  Menu of Interventions to select and operationalize Menu of Interventions Regionally targeted Strengthening Application of Psychosocial Teacher Language financing data systems standards support training acquisition activities Results-based Registration of schools Remedial/ accelerated Refugee Documentation Policies & financing into national system education programs teachers legal issues Country Projects COUNTRY A COUNTRY B COUNTRY C COUNTRY D INSPIRE is implemented in partnership with the from 2024 to 2027, with potential for continuation United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees based on financing. (UNHCR) and other partners. The program will run SECTION 2 Implementation Progress 75 INCLUSION SUPPORT PROGRAM FOR REFUGEE EDUCATION (INSPIRE) Progress and Outcomes Since its launch in February 2024, at the global The INSPIRE program has organized several level INSPIRE has been fostering knowledge learning events over the first seven months. This and providing technical support, while at the includes hosting a session entitled “Refugees and country level it has been building capacity for the Impacts on Education in Host Communities”, refugee inclusion in national education systems. featuring evidence from Colombia and Jordan, The progress of key milestones can be seen in as well as a dialogue on “Making Schools Safer Table 2.10. The global activities are described below: in Situations of Fragility, Conflict, and Violence,” featuring experiences from DRC relevant to INSPIRE is developing a Guidance Note for refugees. INSPIRE has also been featured in learning Refugee Inclusion in Education to inform policy sessions hosted by UNHCR and GPE and participated dialogue, development of government refugee in events organized by the Geneva hub on Education inclusions plans, and design and implementation in Emergencies (EiE), Inter-agency Network for of World Bank financed projects. This will provide Education in Emergencies (INEE), ECW, and others. a common framework for refugee inclusion and operational “How To…” notes for specific inclusion INSPIRE has provided just-in-time technical interventions. The paper is being produced in advisory and help desk support to enhance collaboration with UNHCR and the Education policy dialogue, as well as project design Research in Conflict and Protracted Crisis (ERICC). and implementation. The INSPIRE program is This reference document has been through an advising World Bank teams as their government internal concept note review with peer reviewers counterparts consider responses for refugee in August. populations in Uganda, Lebanon, Gaza, and West Bank. The support ranges from contracting technical Together with UNHCR and FCDO, the World assistance on issues such as certifying prior learning Bank have been planning and co-organizing a for refugees (Uganda), to organizing an operational global knowledge event “From Commitment to clinic to stress test response ideas (Lebanon), to Action: Refugee Inclusion in Education” at Wilton developing short policy notes to inform the design Park in the United Kingdom that will be held in of World Bank operations (West Bank and Gaza). November 2024. The event will bring together ministries of education and refugee agencies from At the country level, country grants aim to countries benefiting from INSPIRE grants, refugee enhance refugee education within World Bank- led organization, refugee advocates, key partners, financed projects. Since the launch of the program, and international experts. It will be a follow-up to four countries have been identified, proposals the Global Refugee Forum (GRF) of 2023 that will have been drafted, and technical support has been create a space for the delegations from Burundi, provided to improve the quality of the proposals. Chad, Colombia Ethiopia, Jordan, Turkey, Zambia Country grants have been awarded to Burundi, that have made commitments to host refugees Chad, Ethiopia, and South Sudan for an average in their national education systems to learn from grant size of US$200,000. These grants are for each other and from technical experts and reflect technical assistance, training, analytics and policy on how they will implement of those commitments. dialogue that support the design, planning, and The content from the Guidance Note on targeted implementation of refugee education components interventions will be used as technical inputs to the in IDA/IBRD financed projects, to advance refugee event and the event will serve to preview the report. student inclusion in national systems. 76 Foundational Learning Compact Umbrella Trust Fund Progress Report October 2023–September 2024 Boxes 2.13 to 2.16 summarize progress in grants began implementation in June 2024. Burundi, Chad, Ethiopia, and South Sudan during The boxes below provide a summary as of the first three months of implementation. After September 30, 2024. the initial grantee selection in May, the country BOX 2.13 Implementation of INSPIRE Grant in Burundi The grant will provide technical assistance into the national education system and for the finalization of a strategy and costed launching the implementation of its associated action plan for the integration of refugees into action plan. As of the end of September, two key the national education system, conduct an experts—a curriculum specialist and a language assessment / design an operational plan for acquisition expert—have been recruited. providing skills training to out of school refugee Their primary task is to compare the curricula youth, and provide technical assistance aimed at of Burundi and Congo, where the refugees formulating an approach to language acquisition come from. with the objective of smoothing the integration of refugee children into school settings and The study is critical to identify gaps and enhancing their educational experiences through areas of alignment, particularly in subject inter alia socio-emotional support. content, learning outcomes, and pedagogical approaches. Based on this analysis, a transition To ensure smooth implementation, a series of framework will be developed to support refugee coordination meetings have been held with students in adapting from Lingala (the primary key stakeholders, including with UNHCR and language of instruction in the Congolese the government. The dialogue has focused on system) to Kirundi and French, which are the validating the strategy for integrating refugees official languages of instruction in Burundi. BOX 2.14 Implementation of INSPIRE Grant in Chad The objectives of the grant are (1) to design implementation of results-oriented initiatives evidence-based interventions aimed at geared towards addressing the educational assessing and identifying the most effective needs of refugee children. methods for facilitating the integration of refugee children into Chad’s national education As of end of September, there has been a system; and to (2) establish the necessary coordination meeting with UNHCR to better groundwork for fostering an enabling understand their activities and to develop environment conducive to initiating constructive synergy. A meeting was held with the Ministry policy dialogues and informing the design and of Education to introduce INSPIRE. There was SECTION 2 Implementation Progress 77 INCLUSION SUPPORT PROGRAM FOR REFUGEE EDUCATION (INSPIRE) also a coordination meeting with the Ministry of working on refugee education to learn about Social Affairs, Solidarity and Humanitarian Action their experiences and programs. Terms of in Charge of Refugees to better understand Reference have been developed to appoint INSPIRE and the government’s vision. an NGO for an impact evaluation on remedial education programs complemented with A coordinating meeting with the ministry in psychosocial support in order to assess charge of early childhood development has the effectiveness of this policy instrument been held. There has also been a meeting in facilitating the successful adaptation of with nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) disadvantaged children within schools. BOX 2.15 Implementation of INSPIRE grant in Ethiopia The initial proposal has been revised to include The next step is to identify the beneficiary basic education focusing on activities involving schools, contract, and commence Education Technology (EdTech) to facilitate implementation. The technical assistant access to quality education. Discussions have provided by the grant will inform the education been initiated to identify local partners with project currently being designed and will also experience in implementing EdTech activities be aligned with the Ministry’s overall Digital in consultation with the Ministry of Education, Education Strategy. Regional Education Bureaus (REBs), and the Refugees & Returnees Service. BOX 2.16 Implementation of INSPIRE grant in South Sudan This grant includes two activities: language Development of plans for mapping languages in mapping in schools serving refugee and refugee and host community areas is ongoing. host community students, and psychosocial support to teachers. Under the first activity, Under the second activity on psychosocial a consultant with expertise in language-in- support to teachers in South Sudan, consultants education in South Sudan has been hired and have been hired with expertise on teacher a draft language prioritization tool has been mental wellbeing and psychosocial support developed and presented to Education Under interventions. Development of theory of Secretary and Department of Languages in the change, intervention curriculum and data Ministry of General Education and Instruction. collection instruments are ongoing. 78 Foundational Learning Compact Umbrella Trust Fund Progress Report October 2023–September 2024 INSPIRE also supports refugee children in early of policymakers, program implementers, and childhood. The ELP Associated TF builds on researchers to share lessons from interventions previous work on ECD in FCV context to expand in Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East the scope of INSPIRE to cover ECD. The approach that serve forcibly displaced and host children includes providing top-ups to existing, high (ages 0-5) and their caregivers. It was attended performing ELP FCV in ECD grants to explore by around 20-30 people in-person and further inclusion efforts (two top-ups to date in Burundi 50-60 online. and Zambia) and new grants to countries already receiving INSPIRE grants to ensure that there is TABLE 2.10  Inclusion Support Program for a focus on ECD (one new grant awarded to date Refugee: Progress on Key Milestones in Chad). Additionally, INSPIRE ELP has been cosponsoring events. For example, the Hilton Milestone Status Foundation hosted a panel on partners day at the Country grants selected Ongoing World Bank Fragility Forum, partnering with ECD Deploy technical assistance Ongoing in FCV and INSPIRE to design and organize the Generate and share knowledge and lessons Ongoing session. The event aimed to drive greater attention to the critical importance of addressing the needs Note: From this reporting period and going forward, the term “Ongoing” will be used to refer to activities that are in progress of young children and their caregivers in these and/or that need periodic updates. This replaces the term contexts. It brought together a diverse group “In Progress” used in previous FLC Progress Reports. © emretopdemir / iStock SECTION 2 Implementation Progress 79 THE IMPLEMENTATION SCIENCE FOR EDUCATION PROGRAM Activity Overview Although there is a large and growing body of to address this gap. This program embeds evidence that identifies the kinds of education implementation science research in World Bank- systems, policies, and programs that are needed financed operations and deploys insights from to improve learning outcomes, knowing what is implementation science to help World Bank needed is insufficient. Systems need to learn how projects deliver reforms and programs to improve to make changes in practice that roll out at the foundational learning at scale, while contributing classroom level, at scale. Real-world challenges— to global education by developing knowledge on technical, systemic, and political—often hinder well- implementation science. designed programs and prevent large investments in foundational learning from achieving their The ISE program leverages the World Bank’s potential. unique position, including its on-the-ground teams, policy dialogue, financing, and The Implementation Science for Education operational support to the national education (ISE) Program is a new initiative under the systems. The program has a three-step model for FLC launched in April 2024 in partnership with embedding implementation science in government the What Works Hub for Global Education programs. Figure 2.9 provides an illustrative (WWHGE)14 at Oxford University that aims example that includes the following steps: 80 Foundational Learning Compact Umbrella Trust Fund Progress Report October 2023–September 2024 1. Work with teams to identify potential 3. Work with counterparts to adjust implementation challenges and related implementation based on results, feed into questions global knowledge 2. Answer these questions with “right fit” evidence FIGURE 2.9  Types of Implementation Science Research at Scale 1. Work with teams to identify potential implementation challenges and related questions 2. Answer these questions with “right fit” evidence 3. Work with counterparts to adjust implementation based on results, feed into global knowledge Awareness and buy-in Curriculum crowding Qualitative • Are local gov, teachers, and parents • How will space be made in the timetable interviews and aware of and bought into program? for the new program? FGDs • Will it be additive or replace something Modality for training else in the timetable? • Will training be in person or virtual? Universal or waterfall? Interaction with high stakes assessment • Will it be delivered by government • Is the program being implemented in a trainers or service provider? year where there is a high stakes Policy review assessment? If so, how will this be Training uptake managed? • Are there barriers to teacher training Monitoring attendance? • How will deployment of the Admin data for • How is teacher learning assessed? program in classrooms be monitored? process • What local gov official(s) will monitoring Instructional materials modality and oversee role out? availability • What instructional materials? Impact Nimble impact A/B testing • Will they be edtech or analogue? • Is the program leading to improvements evaluation that in learning outcomes produces fast • What finance and distribution plans? results Teams work with counterparts to build feedback loops and adjust implementation based on results Program feeds into global knowledge on implementation and design Progress and Outcomes The Bank issued a call for proposals in May 2024 in June 2024 the World Bank selected the three that led to the award of three country grants to country teams. Although the plan had been to only Ghana, Nigeria and Rwanda linked to projects select two country proposals in the initial round, that have a component aimed at improving given the strength of the proposal pool, a third foundational learning outcomes. Selected grant was also awarded. The program is leveraging projects have a component aimed at improving nearly $1.2 million in financing across Ghana foundational learning outcomes rooted in a strong ($218.7 million), Nigeria (Edo) ($735 million), and evidence base, linked to a key project milestone, Rwanda ($200 million). and led by a task team leader with a track record of incorporating research into operations. The Teams were awarded grants between $200,000 response to the call for proposals was strong, and and $300,000 and are collaborating with experts SECTION 2 Implementation Progress 81 IMPLEMENTATION SCIENCE FOR EDUCATION (ISE) PROGRAM to finalize research plans and prepare for data to each project research team. In August 2024, collection in the current school year. The selected WWH researchers began providing technical input country teams worked closely with the ISE core on the design of the research plans. All three teams team and the WWHGE to develop research plans, are finalizing their plans, with the goal of beginning leveraging cutting-edge methods and tools for real- data collection during the second semester of the time monitoring and implementation measurement current school year. See box 2.17. The progress of data. The WWH has assigned a researcher from key milestones can be seen in Table 2.11. their team to provide dedicated technical support BOX 2.17 Research Plans under Development in Three Target Countries: Ghana, Rwanda, and Nigeria Ghana. ISE supports the improved delivery of education curriculum. The ISE program a differentiated learning curriculum. The team will support the government to refine and is examining how differentiated learning is test their implementation plan, using both understood and implemented in the system, quantitative and qualitative methods, and make and the role that coaching and monitoring play recommendations for improvements as the in delivery. Data collection activities include program scales. desk reviews, school-based data collection, and qualitative interviews. The team plans to Nigeria. ISE is supporting the implementation use the findings to inform adaptations to the of a new structured pedagogy program. ISE differentiated learning programs and pilots resources and technical support will examine using A/B testing. the readiness of the system to roll out this program, including understanding, readiness, Rwanda. ISE is focused on supporting and acceptance of structured pedagogy by the government’s implementation of support officers and teachers and exploring remedial education. The government has monitoring. The findings will be used to designated Fridays as remedial days and is improve implementation in the target state and investing in the development of a remedial to inform scale-up plans. As findings from these activities emerge, the country-specific policy notes or blogs to document knowledge sharing components of the program and share experience, and global synthesis and will begin. The program has two components: guidance notes. These products will support the (1) knowledge use at the country level, where growing agenda on implementation science under findings will be used to adjust implementation the World Bank’s agenda on building government plans and inform scale up; and (2) development capability for implementation, and they have the and dissemination of global knowledge products, potential to influence the design of future World which will include presentations at conferences Bank-financed projects. and exchanges with WWHGE partners and others, 82 Foundational Learning Compact Umbrella Trust Fund Progress Report October 2023–September 2024 TABLE 2.11  Implementation Science for Education: Progress on Key Milestones Milestone Status Proposals received from country teams Completed Draft research plans delivered Ongoing Partner(s) and/or vendors to collect implementation data identified Ongoing Baseline data collection completed Not yet started Midline and/or endline data collection completed Not yet started Note: From this reporting period and going forward, the term “Ongoing” will be used to refer to activities that are in progress and/or that need periodic updates. This replaces the term “In Progress” used in previous FLC Progress Reports. © Riccardo Niels Mayer / Adobe Stock SECTION 2 Implementation Progress 83 BANGLADESH SECONDARY EDUCATION PROGRAM Activity Overview The Bangladesh Secondary Education Program of the World Bank’s new $300 million project in stands out as the only country-specific grant secondary education, Learning Acceleration in in the FLC, not part of a global initiative, and Secondary Education (LAISE). Including the project, is focused solely on secondary education. this program is leveraging 750 million in World Launched in 2021 and implemented by the World Bank financing in Bangladesh. Bank, FCDO, and partners, its goal is to strengthen the secondary education system and accelerate learning recovery post-COVID-19. The program complements the government’s existing Secondary Progress and Outcomes Education Development Program. The program has four key areas: enhancing essential skills, This year, the program delivered three pieces improving teacher performance, promoting of evidence-based, decision-making research student retention—particularly for girls—and and technical assistance for teacher training strengthening evidence and data use. These and school-related gender-based violence. The priorities were chosen for their potential to deliver studies are Harnessing Education for Climate Action quick, impactful results in response to COVID-19 In Secondary Schools, Reinventing Our Classroom: challenges. The program helped inform the design Evidence-Based Reforms For Teacher Training, and 84 Foundational Learning Compact Umbrella Trust Fund Progress Report October 2023–September 2024 System Readiness For Green Skilling, which are or mitigation strategies. To incentivize students to described below. Table 2.12 at the end of this read and absorb the material, a test on the booklet section presents the progress to date of key content was announced for two months later with milestones of the Bangladesh Secondary Education rewards for the top performers. The endline data Program. collection for this research was conducted in April 2024. The data collection instrument included Harnessing education for climate the same indicators as the baseline and midline, action in secondary schools with the addition of measures to assess students’ willingness to migrate in the future. Students’ Bangladesh is vulnerable to climate risks that climate knowledge was tested with a quiz on significantly hamper learning continuity. Based the climate change knowledge from the midline on the latest global evidence, there is significant booklet. scope to better harness the secondary education system for climate change mitigation and Below are the impacts that were observed: adaptation. To address Bangladesh’s risks, the World Bank initiated a study on harnessing • The information intervention was seen to secondary education for climate action. Previously, increase knowledge, decrease skepticism, and baseline data for the study were collected that boost willingness to contribute to combating the revealed that secondary students in Bangladesh climate crisis. The findings noted that the effects have low knowledge but high anxiety about climate on anxiety are ambiguous: more knowledge change. At the same time, teachers are strongly about negative future consequences may supportive of mainstreaming climate education in increase anxiety, but a better understanding of the curriculum. the phenomenon might reduce it.  • Results from the study suggest interest in STEM During the study, the midline data collection varied by gender. One reason for this may be was conducted from September to October that girls’ education and career choices are more 2023, an intensive intervention was conducted, influenced by prosocial goals, which could show and the endline data was collected. The data a larger increase in STEM interest compared collection focused on the same indicators as the with boys. baseline, with new indicators added to assess whether students and teachers had engaged • There was variation in outcomes between the in or contemplated any new activities related two districts. Exposure to more climate risk to climate change, their interest in science, may lead to more experience and awareness technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields, of climate change, making the interventions and their motivations. This round targeted the less effective. Conversely, those exposed to same students who participated in the baseline climate risk might be more responsive to the round, as well as new grade 8 students who were interventions due to their firsthand experience absent during the baseline round, to evaluate motivating better absorption and retention of any spillover effects from the intervention. An the material. intensive intervention was conducted where • Greater climate change awareness from the a climate change information booklet was interventions were noticed that could increase distributed to students. The booklet provided the desire to migrate among students in the information about the climate crisis, emphasizing high-risk district. how science can be used to find creative solutions SECTION 2 Implementation Progress 85 BANGLADESH SECONDARY EDUCATION PROGRAM Reinventing our classroom: Evidence-based the program decreased the prevalence of social reforms for teacher training exclusion. The program also was highly effective in lowering teacher absenteeism without affecting Reinventing our Classroom (ROC) was an perceived teacher competency. intervention designed to improve teacher classroom management by shedding light on System readiness for green skilling the management challenges teachers face in the classroom. It was designed based on the The purpose of the study was to gather insights insights gleaned from teacher mindset work from youth and university lecturers regarding carried out in Year 1 (December 2021–September their perspectives and experiences with ‘green’ 2022) of the grant, covering 500 teachers and skills. Respondents were asked about their 8,000 students across 127 schools. In 2023-2024, awareness, attitudes, and practices around green another round of data collection was undertaken skilling, and to identify the current gaps and to study the medium-term impacts of the program. opportunities in green skills education and training. The intervention, “Reinventing Our Classroom,” Three data collection activities took place: The was a straightforward intervention in typically youth survey involved an online questionnaire overcrowded secondary school classrooms to targeting 200 youth aged 17 to 24 years was equip teachers with simple pedagogical tools to conducted in April 2024. Complementing this, manage their classrooms effectively. Teachers split qualitative interviews were held with five key students in the classrooms into smaller groups decision-makers from universities in Bangladesh and gave them full responsibility for establishing that teach green skills. The insights from these and reinforcing good behavioral norms in their interviews informed the design of a subsequent classroom. With minimal teacher interference, quantitative lecturer survey, which took place students first collectively establish the types of in January 2024. This quantitative survey also acceptable and unacceptable behaviors in the consisted of a questionnaire distributed to 41 classroom and put forward a classroom code of key decision-makers and lecturers across various conduct during the first month. Students self- universities, with 29 percent identifying as female. assessed and monitored their weekly progress. Additionally, technical assistance was provided to The total program length was 15 weeks. support the government in developing training modules on climate change and green skills for Treated students performed better in the endline teachers. These modules will be adopted by the Math and Bangla tests, but the treatment effects National Curriculum Textbook Board (NCTB) to were not statistically significant. The program facilitate teacher training in secondary grades. made no impact on overall academic test scores. Support has also been deployed to help draft By contrast, there was strong evidence that treated guidelines for climate change awareness at the students internalized the behavioral component. school level. Students reported large and statistically significant improvements in both prescriptive and descriptive Advisory services and technical support behavioral norms. For example, they exhibited better behavior, have a higher sense of belonging Advisory services and technical assistance to their school, and reported better relationships are now in place to conduct a teacher need with their teachers. They also exhibited higher assessment. This is currently being undertaken, empathy and lower impulsivity. Further analysis which will ensure that the Ministry of Education is of the social ties in the classroom revealed that able to better understand the teacher professional 86 Foundational Learning Compact Umbrella Trust Fund Progress Report October 2023–September 2024 development needs in different grades, subjects, gender-based violence (SRGBV) and mental and geographical areas. Based on this assessment, health. Accordingly, technical assistance is in place the World Bank will support the development now to support government with a guideline on of a teacher training manual to pave the way SRGBV and mental health to be implemented for future teacher trainings. Several stakeholder at school level to reduce drop out and improve consultations with teachers and stakeholders have retention. Through this support, schools are been conducted using online feedback software expected to have a better system in place to report and in-person workshops. Based on the feedback, SRGBV related incidents and support students the manual will be developed and submitted to the with mental health counselling. There is ongoing government for approval and dissemination to the discussion to develop training modules for teachers district education offices. on mental health and SRGBV to ensure that every school has at least one teacher trained in SRGBV Based on the findings of the previous studies, and mental health. the government plans to focus on school-related TABLE 2.12  Bangladesh Secondary Education Program Milestone Status Pilot and evaluate online teacher training Completed Pilot and evaluate platforms for teacher networks Ongoing Improve teacher and head teacher mindsets (including for classroom management) Completed Prepare a report that codifies the know-how created Ongoing Launch an intervention focused on improving students’ aspirations and sense of self Completed Improve climate knowledge of students and system readiness for green skilling Completed Note: From this reporting period and going forward, the term “Ongoing” will be used to refer to activities that are in progress and/or that need periodic updates. This replaces the term “In Progress” used in previous FLC Progress Reports. Outputs and Resources Feasibility study report covering secondary LAISE program document covering secondary education sector in Bangladesh (internal). education sector in Bangladesh (internal). This A feasibility study to examine several reforms that document shows several reform areas in secondary could be undertaken in the education sector to education, mainly covering student support for improve education outcomes.  improved learning and retention, improved teacher capacity, and improved secondary systems and resilience, for the next five years. SECTION 2 Implementation Progress 87 EARLY LEARNING PARTNERSHIP Activity Overview The Early Learning Partnership (ELP) associated catalytic country grants, high-value analytical work trust fund leverages World Bank strengths—a and special initiatives, as well as capacity-building global presence, access to policy makers, and efforts. strong technical analysis—to improve early learning opportunities and outcomes for children around the world. The ELP is designed to support Progress and Outcomes World Bank teams to get the information they need to make the case to invest in early childhood Catalytic financing to build the pipeline development (ECD), design effective policies, and improve the portfolio quality and deliver impactful programs. At the country level, ELP grants provide teams with resources The ELP hosts competitive funding rounds to for early seed investments that can generate support ECD services through project preparation large financial commitments through World Bank and supervision, pilots, evaluation, and upstream finance and government resources. At the global analytical work (up to $250,000 per grant). ELP level, ELP research and special initiatives work to funding rounds focus on specific topics; each fill knowledge gaps, build capacity, and generate round has a learning agenda to promote cross- public goods. ELP has three main streams of work: country knowledge sharing and ensure that teams 88 Foundational Learning Compact Umbrella Trust Fund Progress Report October 2023–September 2024 can access the latest evidence, tailored technical Learning Measurement. One of the pillars under assistance, and support to measure impact. ALMA is focused on ECD measurement activities. Analytical work also has resulted in engagement ELP continues to have a large active portfolio with policy makers interested in implementing of grants covering a range of topics, including measurement activities as part of their ECD/ Measuring ECD, quality early learning, parenting ECE policies, including the co-organization and and resilience, ECD in FCV settings, childcare, participation with UNICEF and WHO in regional and Read@Home. In 2024, the ELP has concluded conferences in Eastern and Southern Africa for one round of funding awarding $9.5 million to policymakers. Along with other efforts supported 51 grants. The grants are supporting country by the ELP, the ECD Measurement grant thematic teams to undertake a number of different activities, round, which was launched in FY23 has continued including to identify pathways to expand access to in FY24 with tailored technical support for grantee childcare, make the case for childcare, and design countries. Teams have recently submitted their implement and evaluate operations and policy midline progress reports, which are currently being changes related to childcare. reviewed. The midline progress will help to identify areas of additional technical support, understand High-value global analytical some initial lessons learned, and guide improved work and special initiatives ECD monitoring policy and practice. As part of analytical work, the team supported a World Bank ECD Measurement country publication on the use of ECD and ECE The Scaling Up Measurement in Early Childhood measurement tools and published a scientific book project supports countries in measuring early chapter highlighting validity evidence for the Teach childhood outcomes (primarily ages 4–6) and ECE classroom observation tool. the quality of early learning environments, while working toward the generation of globally comparable data. The World Bank has developed Read@Home tools and materials to scale up ECD measurement: Improving foundational literacy outcomes Anchor Items for Measurement—Early Childhood requires effective reading instruction and access Development (AIM-ECD) and Teach Early Childhood to books for reading practice in languages Education (ECE). Since their launch in 2020, these tools children know. The Read@Home initiative expands have been used in more than 30 countries in seven children’s opportunities to read in and outside regions. Efforts are focused on their rollout in more school, in homes, schools and communities in countries through household and national school the language they know. To date, the World Bank surveys, and as part of lending projects and thematic has provided assistance related to Read@Home grants. Also, in coordination with UNICEF and World to 18 countries,15 including sourcing, selecting, Health Organization teams, these tools are now and developing high-quality reading materials, being rolled out in countries with little system-level involving caregivers and communities in reading, information on ECD or ECE. Analytical work has also and optimizing the book supply chain with a focus been focused on disseminating measurement results on improving procurement to improve efficiency and validation studies on these tools. The project was and reduce costs.  successfully finalized in FY23, with all deliverables submitted and project objectives achieved. The Bank has developed a range of demand- driven public goods in connection with the In FY24, the work continued under the new ALMA Read@Home initiative, including a global Read@ program mentioned in an earlier subsection on Home manual, practical guidance notes on book SECTION 2 Implementation Progress 89 EARLY LEARNING PARTNERSHIP selection, licensing, and critical aspects of book Quality Early Learning: procurement, along with an open-source book Nurturing Children’s Potential distribution (‘Track and Trace’) app to ensure The publication Quality Early Learning: Nurturing that children get the books they need when they Children’s Potential (Bendini and Devercelli 2022) need them, and a parent engagement package was launched regionally at the Investing in Quality that provides practical resources to support Early Childhood Education (ECE) to Promote the reading activities at home. This last includes Potential of Latin America event in November flip books, pictures, video, audio, and discussion 2023. The event brought together 30 delegations guides in English, Spanish, French and Arabic that from 14 countries, reaching a participation of can be translated into additional languages and almost 200 people, including representatives from adapted to a range of contexts so all caregivers government agencies responsible for the provision can participate, regardless of language or literacy of early childhood education services, NGOs, the level. The latest Read@Home product is the First private sector, as well as global and regional experts 100 Books Framework, which guides countries on and cooperation leaders, including the International the types of books that should be included in initial Finance Corporation (IFC), UNICEF, UNESCO, the collections of titles for underserved languages. All GPE, and the Inter-American Development Bank. of these products are available to the wider public The conference was coordinated with other high- and are openly licensed to permit translation and profile events, including the November 2023 Joint adaptation. These products are further detailed Education Sector Review co-led by the government under Outputs and Resources at the end of this of El Salvador, the World Bank, and UNICEF, as well subsection. as the Central American Integration System-Central American Education and Cultural Coordination The World Bank continues to expand the (CECC-SICA regional ministerial meeting hosted by resources available on the Early Learning El Salvador), which helped enhance visibility (through Resource Network (ELRN), an online platform extensive positive TV, newspaper, radio, and social that hosts textbooks, teacher guides, and media coverage), participation, and productivity. reading books along with the procurement and parent engagement resources for use in This event exemplifies how global analytical work ECD and foundational literacy and numeracy is influencing policy, programs, and interventions programs. These materials are openly licensed in countries. It provided a space for exposure to and ready to print. The ELRN currently provides new knowledge, hands-on learning and discussion, access to print-ready files for more than 4.600 and sharing experiences across participating books in 55 languages. The ELRN also hosts a print countries on how to enhance the quality of early cost calculator to estimate the cost of printing childhood education. For example, the delegation these resources and the Track and Trace app.[1] from Paraguay, where the World Bank is preparing The World Bank has developed a low-cost, open- a new ECD project, had the opportunity to learn source book distribution (‘Track and Trace’) system from the El Salvador ECE project and strategic that is available to all Bank and other education agenda on how to strengthen governance and projects. The World Bank works with partners quality standards of ECE systems. at the country and global levels, including the Global Book Alliance, USAID, UNICEF, and various Invest in Childcare nongovernmental organizations to support The World Bank launched Invest in Childcare as a the uploading, downloading, and use of ELRN whole-of-Bank effort to expand access to quality, resources.  affordable childcare in low- and middle-income 90 Foundational Learning Compact Umbrella Trust Fund Progress Report October 2023–September 2024 countries. This initiative is designed to expand Initial funding of $105 million has been secured. the size and improve the quality of investments in This funding has come from the governments childcare, yielding benefits for women’s economic of Australia, Canada, Germany, and the United empowerment and child development, as well States; the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation; the as broader benefits for families, businesses, and Hilton Foundation; Echidna Giving; the Hewlett economies. It does so through catalytic country Foundation; and the LEGO Foundation. In the grants, research and upstream analytical work, first 18 months, the team committed $70 million operations, and policy dialogue. The program is out of the $104 million. Internal coordination, key to delivering the IDA20 policy commitment collaboration, and engagement around Invest in on childcare, which is to support at least 15 IDA Childcare are strong and growing. The World Bank countries in expanding access to quality, affordable Staff Childcare Working Group has 35 members childcare, especially for low-income parents. It also representing 21 units (including the IFC), terms mobilizes dozens of teams at the global and country of reference, and regular meetings. A thematic levels from both the World Bank and the IFC. The first brief on Addressing Care to Accelerate Equality year of implementation has been highly successful, (Ahmed, T. et al. 2023) was prepared for the World with demand exceeding expectations: more than Bank’s Gender Strategy Update. Partner/external 140 requests have been received for countries for interest continues to be high, with the team financial and technical assistance, and the IDA20 participating in 12 external events, including civil policy commitment on childcare has been exceeded society consultations. (16 countries so far, exceeding target of 15). All major strands of work are launched and At the country level, the initiative provides catalytic progressing, including the following: grants, technical assistance, and capacity building to support countries to design and implement • Catalytic country grants: $13 million awarded quality projects that maximize benefits for women, so far to 75 country grants children, families, businesses, and economies and to make the case for further investments.   • Recipient-executed grants: $50 million recipient-executed grants awarded (out of At both the global and country levels, analytical $80 million available) to thirteen countries, with work, impact evaluations, data collection efforts, five more likely by June 2025. and the development of new tools and guidance will address knowledge gaps, build the evidence • Global analytical work (data collection, base, serve as global public goods, and support evaluations, and tools and guidance for teams): country work. The work program is grouped into • Women, Business and the Law (WBL) module two streams of complementary funding that work on childcare scaled up to 190 countries and together to drive quality investments in childcare integrated into the WBL index as of 2024  at the country level and contribute to the global • The Living Standards Measurement Study evidence base and public goods: World Bank- (LSMS) team has developed a childcare executed funding and recipient-executed funding. module to integrate into household surveys   Recipient-executed funding flows directly to governments and requires matching funding to be • 14 impact evaluations financed with provided, incentivizing countries to invest public Development Impact Evaluation/ resources in childcare and creating sustainable Development Economics/Gender Innovation pathways to scale access to quality, affordable Labs; impact evaluations are being prepared childcare. for all recipient-executed grants  SECTION 2 Implementation Progress 91 EARLY LEARNING PARTNERSHIP • Priority tools and guidance developed, Four Early Years fellows were recruited in FCV including safeguarding and quality assurance locations and received training on supporting guidance and situation assessment tools, ECD operations in fragile contexts. As their for review by members of the World Bank capstone project, one group of fellows from staff Childcare Working Group  Ethiopia and El Salvador wrote a literature review of the socioemotional effects of ECD programs • Capacity building: knowledge exchange and in refugee and forced displacement settings. technical assistance rolling out with high demand:  The report will be published by end-2025. • Internal World Bank Childcare Community To support the expansion of ECD measurement of Practice launched with 200+ staff work in FCV locations, a how-to note on members measuring child development outcomes in • all 14 Early Years fellows completed fragile contexts has been developed. This note multisession childcare training; the content has gone through peer review and will be made is being converted to a self-paced publicly publicly available in December of 2024. The ECD available course (in the ECE Policy Academy)  Measurement team will work on dissemination • 13 countries selected for 18-month activities and explore how to integrate key “Invest in Childcare Policy Academy” information from this note in upcoming capacity program (out of 26 applications) ECD in FCV The ECD in FCV work program aims to increase investment in ECD interventions in FCV contexts. Holistic, programmatic ECD interventions can potentially reduce the long-term impact of conflict and violence on development and contribute to peacebuilding efforts. Twelve catalytic grants in nine countries totaling $1.8m have been supported under the ECD and FCV program. In recognition of the nature of crises and that the timing of the need for funds may not fit within our funding cycle, a small amount of funds has been made available to World Bank teams on a rolling basis. Since the FCV funding window closed in 2023 with seven grants totaling $1.1 million, five additional grants have been awarded, four to countries requiring just-in-time support (Afghanistan, Lebanon, Burundi, and Zambia) and one to Chad to explore opportunities to integrate refugee children into the national education and childcare system. This brings the total number of grants supported under the ECD in FCV contexts program to 12.  © Media Lens King / iStock 92 Foundational Learning Compact Umbrella Trust Fund Progress Report October 2023–September 2024 building activities for policymakers and other • Review existing evidence on implementing stakeholders. at scale: Guides on implementing parenting programs have been developed by various The ECD in FCV initiative has joined the INSPIRE development partners for specific pilot program mentioned in an earlier subsection interventions for various contexts. This activity to ensure ECD is included in these efforts. has reviewed these existing guides and The approach includes providing top-ups to developed a “how to” guide for implementing existing, high performing ELP ECD in FCV grants parenting interventions at scale. to support them to explore inclusion efforts (two top-ups to date in Burundi and Zambia) and • Partner with ELP grant teams to build the providing new grants to countries already receiving evidence base: There are several clear evidence INSPIRE grants to ensure that there is a focus on gaps on implementing at scale particularly on ECD (one new grant awarded to date in Chad). costing. The global parenting team is partnering This strategic engagement is still in the early stages with country teams that received ELP grants and evolving.  to collect data to fill these gaps. For example, the parenting team is working with grant Parenting and Caregivers teams to collect data on costing of parenting interventions to compare the cost of such The last initiative, Parenting and Caregivers interventions across countries. To complement contributes to the growing high-quality the more systematic data collection on design evidence from systematic reviews and elements, case studies on various interventions meta-analyses, randomized trials, and other on parenting being implemented under the quasi-experimental and observational research grants will also be developed to support and on the effectiveness of parenting interventions. inform future parenting interventions under However, while investments in parenting World Bank operations. interventions through World Bank operations have grown sharply since the beginning of the COVID-19 Synthesizing these lessons for use as written pandemic, early evidence suggests that these guidance at the global level: Based on the new interventions are not operating at the intensity analytical work generated from partnering with necessary to achieve transformational impact. grant teams and reviewing existing evidence, the The aim of this program is to provide actionable team are developing written guidance such as how- and clear advice on how to implement effective to guides which are adaptable, evidence-based and parenting interventions at scale. Activities include open source. the following: Capacity building • TA to ELP grants teams and establishing a community of practice on parenting: to Early Years fellows support the quality of parenting activities being implemented under World Bank projects, The Early Years Fellowship selects young a community of practice on parenting is professionals to work as short-term consultants being established. A seminar series has been for the World Bank for two years in their home launched that promotes cross-country and countries on cross-sectoral ECD work programs. cross-regional knowledge sharing and ensures These young professionals have played an that teams can access the latest evidence being important role in bringing ECD expertise into the generated on this topic. Bank’s work at the country level and increasing SECTION 2 Implementation Progress 93 EARLY LEARNING PARTNERSHIP country-level collaboration with other sectors on they engaged with conference attendees and ECD. The fellows are simultaneously enrolled in key partners, which included 1,000 practitioners, an extensive professional development program researchers, donors, and policy makers, presented (20 percent of their time). Three cohorts of fellows their capstone projects in five conference sessions, have been supported since 2017. and participated in learning exchanges with experts to deepen learning and bring back evidence-based The third cohort, which launched in September examples to their country teams. The final capstone 2022 with 14 fellows working in 17 countries, projects, including a literature review and guidance graduated in September 2024. Fellows have notes, will be published and disseminated by been active ECD stakeholders in their respective end-2025. countries and regions, supporting interventions, Policy makers analytical work, and policy dialogues across health, nutrition, social protection, and education. The Early Childhood Policy Academy (formerly They have also been actively engaged in their called Engaging Policymakers in Early Childhood professional development program, completing Program) is a comprehensive, multiyear virtual courses, trainings, and capstone projects on initiative designed to enhance the capabilities various ECD themes such as ECD in FCV, childcare, of policy makers. This program aims to facilitate ECD measurement, parenting and caregiving, South-South knowledge sharing and foster and quality early learning. In March 2024, 22 constructive peer interactions—all with the current and former Early Years Fellows travelled ultimate goal of encouraging increased and to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, to participate in the improved investments in ECE. The first cohort of Africa Early Childhood Network’s (AfECN) East and 100 policymakers and World Bank staff focused on Southern Africa Regional Conference. At the event, early childhood education graduated 2022. Eastern Africa Regional Early Childhood Conference in Tanzania/Tina Belaynehe. 94 Foundational Learning Compact Umbrella Trust Fund Progress Report October 2023–September 2024 Eastern Africa Regional Early Childhood Conference in Tanzania/Tina Belaynehe. The second cohort is focused on childcare Based on content piloted with policymakers and and launched in early 2024. It consists of World Bank teams, self-paced courses ranging 110 policymakers and 60 World Bank staff from between two to six hours and bite-sized learning 13 countries, which were selected from over products are adapted and launched onto the 26 countries in an open recruitment process. World Bank’s Open Learning Campus for staff, The cohort has completed its first hybrid course, policymakers, and partners. In early 2024, the Introduction to Investing in Childcare, which existing four self-paced courses were published introduced key topics and policy considerations on the platform: Building Effective Early Learning around expanding access to affordable, decent Systems, Measuring Early Childhood Education Quality, quality childcare, and explored the rationale Measuring ECD Outcomes, Quality Early Learning. for investing in childcare and the relationship A fifth course on Learning Through Play was launched between childcare and women’s economic in May 2024. Two more courses on ECD in FCV contexts empowerment outcomes, child development and childcare are currently being developed. outcomes, family welfare, business productivity, and economic growth. All topics introduced in this Table 2.13 presents a summary progress update for course will be explored in more depth through the catalytic grants, high-value analytical work, and courses, learning exchanges, and other activities capacity-building efforts conducted under the ELP throughout the program, which will run until during this reporting period. December 2025. SECTION 2 Implementation Progress 95 EARLY LEARNING PARTNERSHIP TABLE 2.13  Progress Update Summary for ELP ELP activity Progress Update Catalytic grants 2022 47 grants totaling $9.1 million approved 2023 38 grants totaling $9.0 million approved 2024 51 grants totaling $9.6 million approved High-value analytical work ECD measurement Since July 2022, 21 countries and subnational governments have implemented the Anchor Items for Measurement—Early Childhood Development (AIM-ECD) measurement tools, and six countries have implemented Teach ECE measurement tools. Additional countries have implemented Teach ECE with support from FLC SUNSET grants but are not counted here to prevent duplication. Two dissemination activities were conducted on ECD/ECE measurement work, one with other UN agencies in a regional event for policy makers from Eastern and Southern Africa and another at an international academic conference. The team has also published and supported analytical work in World Bank publications and peer-reviewed academic books showcasing the technical properties of these measurement tools and their use to understand the relationship between quality ECE service delivery and child developmental outcomes. Read@Home Eighteen countries have been supported with technical assistance for book development and selection, parent and community engagement, and/or procurement; more than nine workshops held with internal and external partners; guidance on parent engagement (one package) and procurement (10 products) developed and disseminated; a book distribution management app (Track and Trace) developed and launched in more than five countries; a print price calculator launched; and over 4,600 print-ready titles in 55 languages, along with textbooks and teacher guides, available on the Early Learning Resource Network. ECD in FCV Eleven grants awarded to teams supporting ECD interventions in fragile settings, a knowledge and learning agenda has begun (five workshops to date). A note on measuring ECD outcomes in FCV settings drafted and ready to be submitted for peer review. Partnerships with the Joint Data Center on Forced Displacement funding is being made available to teams to collect data on ECD indicators as part of household surveys of displaced populations. More recently, the ELP has been mainstreaming ECD activities into INSPIRE described in a previous subsection to ensure efforts to include refugees into national education systems include ECE services. Childcare Interest in childcare continues to grow and demand is high. More than 140 requests have been received from countries and World Bank teams for finance and technical assistance and internal and external interest in the childcare agenda is high and continuing to gain momentum. $70 million (out of $105 million available) has been committed in first 18 months, with $104 million+ in new IDA/IBRD and domestic resources leveraged so far. All major work launched and progressing well, with many targets to be exceeded, including the IDA20 Policy Commitment on Childcare. 96 Foundational Learning Compact Umbrella Trust Fund Progress Report October 2023–September 2024 ELP activity Progress Update Parenting A new program of work has begun to provide World Bank task teams and governments with actionable and clear advice on how to implement effective parenting interventions at scale. Activities include: (i) generating operational lessons from country and regional experiences: through ELP catalytic grants, the team will support upstream analytical work and help country teams build the pipeline for future operations with parenting activities;(ii) synthesizing these lessons for use at the global level: together the operational lessons from these various experiences will be captured in written guidance in the form of “how-to” notes to improve parenting practices; and (iii) constructing cost estimates for interventions: a key activity is collecting costing data on parenting interventions across 5-10 different countries. Capacity building Early Years fellows Cohort 3 will graduate in end-September, with 14 Fellows having worked in 17 countries to support World Bank teams and governments in all ECD-related work programs, as well as having pursued a professional development program consisting of a virtual learning program, in-person summits, a capstone project, mentorship, and career counselling. Policy makers Cohort 1 concluded in November 2022; Cohort 2 launched in early 2024 with 110 policymakers and 60 World Bank staff from 13 countries completed a four-week Introduction to Investing in Childcare course in June 2023. Outputs and Resources Early Learning Resource Network. “Track and Trace” to Strengthen Book Distribution Management. Provides access to openly licensed, Read@Home’s Track and Trace app is a revolutionary low-cost, print-ready and digital instructional openly licensed platform designed to bring transparency and resources for foundational literacy efficiency to the TLM supply chain. and numeracy (FLN) in a wide range of languages. SECTION 2 Implementation Progress 97 EARLY LEARNING PARTNERSHIP First 100 Books Framework. Read@Home’s 100 First Children’s Books Framework offers guidance to projects developing book collections in underserved languages. Read@Home Parent Engagement Materials. Provides a variety of practical resources to encourage and support parent engagement during reading activities at home. Procurement support guidance. Ten guidance documents supporting Read@Home have been produced to date, including guidance for procuring books through World Bank systems, optimal technical specifications for durability and cost- effectiveness, guidance on copyright and licensing. Read@Home cost calculator. This tool has been designed to estimate the costs of printing books (textbooks, teacher’s guides, and books for reading practice) for foundational literacy. Start the Story. Campaign to highlight the power of children’s books and celebrate the International Day of Education on 24 January 2024.  98 Foundational Learning Compact Umbrella Trust Fund Progress Report October 2023–September 2024 Spotlight Early Years Fellowship in Tanzania Developing in-country champions to promote the ECD agenda Since launching in 2016, the ELP’s Early Years Fellowship program has been developing the next generation of in-country leadership needed to scale up investments in the early years. Two cohorts have since graduated: 20 young African professionals worked from 2017 to 2019, and a global cohort of 25 fellows supporting 36 countries worked from 2020 to 2021. Both groups have made substantial contributions to the World Bank and to client countries’ engagement in early childhood work in terms of analytical work, operations, and support to early years systems building. The third cohort, which launched in September 2022 with 14 fellows working in 17 countries, graduated in September 2024. Fellows have been active ECD players in their respective countries and regions, supporting interventions, analytical work, and policy dialogues across health, nutrition, social protection, and education. One of those individuals is Magreth Paul Mziray. Here is her story. “I am Magreth Paul Mziray, an Early Magreth Paul Mziray, a World Bank Early Years Fellow in a classroom in Tanzania/World Bank. Years Fellow at the World Bank working in Tanzania. I have over a decade of professional experience in multisectoral Early Childhood Development, encompassing Health and Nutrition, Education, and Childcare. SECTION 2 Implementation Progress 99 Before joining the World Bank, I worked as a Program Coordinator for international and local organizations. Over the years, I worked with government, civil society, partners, and media and contributed to spearheading the National ECD policy dialogue development and implementation. I joined the World Bank in 2022 and was seconded to work at the Ministry of Education. Working at the government office, I have created strong partnerships as a focal point with government to ensure the success of the World Bank projects. I have supported the US$500 Million BOOST Primary Student Learning Program in Tanzania: specifically Early Childhood Education, providing technical assistance to strengthen the quality of early learning in Tanzania. I have contributed to the development of Early Childhood Development (ECD) and Early Childhood Education (ECE) materials, including Quality Early Learning Packages, guidelines, curriculum, training programs, and other teaching and learning materials that will impact over 12,000 preprimary classes. I have secured grants from the Early Learning Partnership (ELP) on Quality Early Learning and Invest in Childcare Policy Academy. I am also a focal person supporting 10 delegates from Tanzania mainland and Zanzibar participating in the Policy Academy Program. Since joining the World Bank, I have engaged and represented the World Bank in National ECD forums, including the National ECD stakeholder Forum; I am a member of the secretariat coordinating the implementation of the National Multi- sectoral Early Childhood Development Program (NM-ECDP 2021/22-2025/26); and I participate in the Tanzania Early Childhood Network (TECDEN) and Africa Early Childhood Network (AfCEN). I was a key organizer of the Eastern Africa Regional Early Childhood Conference in 2023 and facilitated the participation of the World Bank country team. I aspire to use my expertise to support ECD work that aims to improve access to and quality of services for children’s holistic development.” 100 Foundational Learning Compact Umbrella Trust Fund Progress Report October 2023–September 2024 © hadynyah / iStock SECTION 2 Implementation Progress 101 Foundational learning is particularly important as we work to ensure that education systems leave no one behind. Ensuring that the most marginalized students—including girls, students in rural and remote areas, students from minority groups, students with disabilities, and displaced students—develop strong foundational skills is the first step in ensuring equitable learning opportunities for all. Luis Benveniste, Global Director, Education Global Practice, World Bank 102 SECTION 3 Risks and Challenges In this section This section presents an overview of the risks and challenges for the FLC Umbrella, followed by the risks and challenges at the activity level, including mitigation measures. Risks and Challenges for the The FLC is the main platform for donor collaboration for early childhood, primary, and FLC Umbrella secondary education in the World Bank. There is limited duplication with other trust funds, except Strategic risk those regional trust funds that cover preprimary and basic education. Even in those instances, The strategic risk for the FLC Umbrella Multi- regional trust funds, which provide only funding, donor Trust Fund is low. The FLC’s high-level are not accompanied with the kind of technical objective of reducing learning poverty and support and quality assurance provided by the FLC. increasing learning-adjusted years of school is at the core of the World Bank’s early childhood, primary, and secondary education program. In Stakeholder risk addition, in 2024, learning poverty was chosen as a core indicator in the new World Bank Scorecard, Stakeholder risk is moderate. FLC roles and further encoding it as a corporate indicator against accountability are clearly defined according to which the whole Education portfolio is measured. corporate guidance in the Partnership Document. The FLC’s development objective of enhancing However, there is a risk that all donors contribute global and country-level efforts to pursue systemic, to the FLC based on soft preferencing rather sustained improvements to early childhood, than via general contributions. This creates an primary, and secondary education systems to inflexibility that prevents the World Bank from achieve learning for all is also anchored in the adjusting to country demand, implementation World Bank’s strategic education policy approach realities such as slow disbursement, and external (World Bank 2020a). The development objective shocks such as changes in government, conflict, or is also aligned with SDG 4 to ensure inclusive and natural disasters. It also limits the scale of results to equitable quality education and promote lifelong the amount of financing available for each activity learning opportunities for all. based on specific donor contributions. This model SECTION 3 Risks and Challenges 103 also leads to a fragmentation in the Partnership for this is to continue to stress to donors that the Council, with donors more likely to focus only on biggest impact comes from influencing the larger those activities they are funding. Mitigation involves amounts of World Bank financing but sometimes trying to convince both existing and potential there are constraints to the willingness to be donors to contribute generally to the FLC without influences, such as other government priorities, preference. This shift is a challenge, because many politics, low capacity to name a few. Also, FLC donors have their own priorities. In addition, with results can be limited by the amount of funding. constrained development budgets, some donors For example if the country grant is too small are not able to provide further financing. Program relative to the larger World Bank operation, it may management is thus continuously reaching out be difficult to get teams to pay attention to the to other potential bilateral donors, as well as to small pot of funding because they are focused on foundations to fundraise. the World Bank financing, which is aligned with World Bank corporate incentives. There is residual Another stakeholder risk is that donors may risk that the expectation with the limited funding is tend to become overly involved and directive in disproportional to the contribution. the management and technical aspects of the activities as they become familiar with technical aspects of the activities. The mitigation here is to Financial risk put the contribution in perspective with the scale Financial risk is also moderate. There are two of the challenge and the World Bank portfolio, financial risks. The first is that the payment of which is becoming increasingly challenging with installments may be delayed if a donor is not some donors. There is residual risk that cannot be satisfied with implementation or if financial/political mitigated. conditions in donor countries result in decreases in aid funding—even if the installment is agreed upon in A not insignificant stakeholder-related risk is a the administrative agreement and/or implementation growing trend for donors to move from financing delays are outside the World Bank’s control. Mitigating themes, such as education, toward financing this risk includes explaining the reasons for the country programs. Mitigation of this risk entails implementation delay, emphasizing the need to follow high-level advocacy of the need to address the the installments in the legal agreement as much as world’s learning crisis, as well as continuing to possible to prevent negative impacts on the program engage with donors not only at the global level but and on the smooth functioning of the overall trust also at the country and regional levels. fund, and how the World Bank plans to accelerate implementation and disbursement. There will be Shrinking development budgets and the diversion some residual risk that cannot be fully mitigated. of funding away from education to topics such as Ukraine, food insecurity, and climate pose another risk. The mitigation is to continue to engage with The more significant financial risk is that it will donor countries by stressing the urgency of the take time to improve learning poverty, which is, learning crisis and the lack of sufficient progress in the wake of COVID-19, near 70 percent. The toward SDG 4 (see box 3.1). needs in education are great and the FLC does not receive enough contributions to measurably affect One more risk is that stakeholders’ high learning poverty or learning-adjusted years of expectations of the World Bank and of the FLC school, which may take significant resources and sometimes may not be in proportion to the actual support as well as favorable policies over time to amount of funding contributed. The mitigation change. Additional funding is needed to continue 104 Foundational Learning Compact Umbrella Trust Fund Progress Report October 2023–September 2024 © ranplett / iStock to expand and sustain the impact of FLC funding. in several countries. For example, the World Bank More resources are needed to meet the need for has worked with a handful of reading experts around learning data, to expand the Accelerator cohort, the globe. As the program has matured, reading continue to support teachers, implement education experts are needed simultaneously in multiple technology, expand the Education Policy Academy languages. The program is thus putting a strong offerings, broaden implementation science, and focus on strengthening the facilitation of technical support more refugee inclusion. assistance to countries. At the global level, the Bank is strengthening its global team on foundational learning by recruiting specialists in curriculum and Risks and Challenges at the instruction and learning assessment and developing closer partnerships with regional teams to build Activity Level client capacity to design and implement foundational learning programs. Several efforts are also under Accelerator Program way, including developing sample terms of reference, developing a roster of consultants, and procuring on- Identifying deep technical expertise needed in key demand external technical support that can be made areas related to foundational learning is a challenge available to country teams at strategic times. SECTION 3 Risks and Challenges 105 Learning Measurement and Data Policy Linking. Given political sensitivities, the actual use of Policy Linking results for Learning Assessment benchmarking national assessment results takes time and engagement with policy makers. As of The lack of reliable assessment systems to this writing, policy makers have not yet used the measure learning limits governments’ ability results of the two Policy Linking studies prepared to monitor indicators of quality in education to report on SDG 4.1.1 indicators. Separately, UIS is systems and to make meaningful changes, working on expanding the technical specifications and filling that gap is urgent. The World Bank of learning assessments for SDG reporting to is implementing a work program to deliver this facilitate reporting. support to countries with FLC funding channeled through ALMA. The World Bank—through policy Assessment for Minimum Proficiency Levels. dialogue and financing that often includes The implementation of Assessments for Minimum components on measurement— continues to stress Proficiency Levels (AMPL) across multiple countries the importance of measuring learning to track faces several challenges, including the time- improvement in learning outcomes. consuming translation and validation process © hadynyah / iStock 106 Foundational Learning Compact Umbrella Trust Fund Progress Report October 2023–September 2024 required to maintain the psychometric integrity country teams and clients comparative information of the tool, slow turnaround times for review and on costs, and works with partners to encourage the feedback, and the difficulty of aligning AMPLs adoption of these tools. with existing national learning assessments. Additionally, there is limited availability of Drivers of Learning – the Global Education Policy technical assistance, with the Australian Council Dashboard for Educational Research (ACER) being the sole provider, and a lack of clear methodological Underutilization of the data is a risk for the guidelines for integrating AMPLs into national GEPD. To ensure take-up of the resulting data, it is systems. To mitigate these risks, it will be essential important to make sure that the country selection to work towards establishing realistic timelines, is demand driven. Countries working on strategic improving coordination across partners, identifying documents such as country strategies, Education and enabling additional assessment agencies to Sector Plans, analytics, public expenditure provide technical support, and preparing fallback reviews, project documents and associated Result strategies for addressing delays in technical Frameworks are most likely to need access to quality assurance, translation, or validation to relevant data and data collection instruments that streamline the implementation process and expand can support ongoing efforts. In the absence of technical capacity. such efforts and such demand, there is a risk that the data and analysis will be underutilized. In such Cross-national learning assessments. There is cases, governments may not validate the data, a lack of funding for countries to participate in which could make it challenging to use. To mitigate cross-national learning assessments and limited this risk, the World Bank will prioritize support to information on the costs. Although the World Bank countries where there is strong demand and a has informed countries about available options in clear plan on how the data will be used. The new regional and international assessment programs focus on country-driven implementation could also (e.g., the 2024 round of the Programme for the reduce this risk. Analysis of Education Systems (PASEC]), several countries have not been able to secure funding Increasingly, the GEPD is being implemented to participate in such cross-national assessments. in FCV countries where there is significant These countries are at risk of withdrawing their insecurity or where climate-related school participation if funding is not available to cover closures can create delays. Because of political the international fees. Without financial resources, upheaval in some of the countries, it has become many countries will miss a critical, time-sensitive increasingly difficult to always have a focal point in opportunity in 2024 and 2025 to close existing the relevant ministry. This makes the work of the learning data gaps. In addition, the market for survey more difficult, as enumerators usually need large-scale assessments and public information authorization from the ministries to proceed to the of costs is limited, particularly in low- and lower- field. Furthermore, the insecurity due to terrorists’ middle-income contexts. To address this, the World attacks or climate shocks has made enumerators’ Bank promotes innovative assessment tools, such work more dangerous. There is a need for a high as the GEPD with AMPL. In addition, the World degree of flexibility and adaptability to continue to Bank conducts studies to gather information on adjust to the moving reality in the field. large-scale assessment costs, provides World Bank SECTION 3 Risks and Challenges 107 Teachers Education Policy Academy Global Coach, Coach Mozambique, and Policymakers need more tailored support than SUNSET Grants ever to deliver high-quality education. The Education Policy Academy courses have been One risk of the tools of the Coach program is instrumental in helping practitioners design and that they are aimed at improving teachers’ implement projects, as well as resolve operational professional development, with many (not all) challenges pertinent to the theme. For instance, the of them focusing on a one-on-one coaching Literacy Policy Academy pilot events in El Salvador model that can be difficult to scale up and and the Central African Republic both tailored may not be efficient or locally relevant in some content to address specific literacy challenges of contexts. While countries have adapted the Coach those countries. tools and resources in some cases, alternative models will need to be explored for scalability However, connectivity issues during virtual and sustainability. It will also be important to sessions, particularly in the Inclusive Education continue to monitor how countries are responding Policy Academy, highlighted the need for reliable to teachers’ professional development needs internet access. To address this, the Academy is and how well Coach tools and resources support exploring solutions like data bundle purchases and those efforts. leveraging World Bank country office support for future cohorts. For Coach Mozambique, it is a continuous challenge to ensure government ownership For the EdTech Policy Academy, first, the and the active role of internal system actors. language barrier was a significant issue, In expanding the program, the World Bank highlighting the need to offer content in recognizes the importance of the government’s multiple languages for future editions. The lack ongoing and progressive ownership of the pilot of simultaneous translation and the availability and strengthened communications between of the platform only in English could explain the the central government and provincial-level differences in the level of engagement among authorities. To support the Ministry of Education participants. Addressing these language barriers in transitioning smoothly from the pilot to the significantly enhances the accessibility and impact nationwide expansion, the firm that supported of the course. Second, the length of the course and Year 1 and 2 implementation is assisting the the clarity around its goals also require attention. Ministry in developing detailed training plans and logistics for the scale up. Other challenges Additionally, the course workload was considered for Coach Mozambique relate to resource excessive by some, indicating a need to balance allocation and management. The successful the readings and activities on the platform national expansion requires meticulous planning more effectively. Ensuring that the workload and allocation of financial and human resources is manageable will depend on having clear and and training consistency and quality across six well-defined course objectives. There is also room provinces. It requires robust coordination among for improvement in enhancing the flow of the central and provincial authorities and well- activities on the platform and making the content structured training programs for trainers, coaches, less time-consuming, which will help create a more and teachers.   manageable experience.   108 Foundational Learning Compact Umbrella Trust Fund Progress Report October 2023–September 2024 Inclusion Support Program governments, and humanitarian organizations to for Refugee Education bridge funding gaps and ensure the sustainability of inclusion programming. There are policy constraints for Refugee Inclusion. Legal and policy frameworks governing Limited capacity in and attention to refugee education may lack provisions or guidelines inclusion could hinder the impact of INSPIRE. for the inclusion of refugee children, leading to This would be mitigated through assembling a regulatory challenges and bureaucratic hurdles. roster of technical experts from a wide variety of This is especially true in the case of rules for partners, including non-traditional partners like freedom of movement, which could greatly affect local academics and municipalities. This could be the feasibility of inclusion programs. This would be supported by training and knowledge development mitigated through policy dialogue and technical for World Bank staff to build their capacity in assistance where there is government interest on relevant areas. the adoption of inclusive education policies at the national and local levels to address the specific Although this risk is likely to manifest itself needs and rights of refugee children. differently in each country, social and cultural barriers, including prejudice, discrimination, and Political instability and conflict risk in the host xenophobia, may impede the social integration country may disrupt the implementation of and acceptance of refugee children within the program, leading to delays or interruptions the host community and education system. in activities. This is mitigated through political This would be mitigated through community risk assessments undertaken in the context outreach and awareness campaigns to promote of the Windows for Host Communities and tolerance, diversity, and inclusivity, as well as Refugees eligibility to identify potential areas better understanding of the benefit to the host of instability and conflict. Further mitigation community among students, teachers, parents, would be accomplished by engaging with key and community members, and via cultural stakeholders, including government authorities, sensitivity training and intercultural dialogue to community leaders, and international partners, foster understanding and respect for different to build consensus and support for the program. backgrounds. Finally, where practicable, contingency plans and adaptive management strategies could be Implementation Science for Education developed to respond to changes in the political environment and mitigate the impact on program The biggest risk to the program is that challenges implementation. There will be residual risk that in the implementation of the components of cannot be mitigated. World Bank-financed projects being studied in the grant cause delays in the ISE activities. The Insufficient funding or financing constraints Bank is taking several steps to mitigate this risk. may limit the resources available for the First, all three projects were selected because implementation of refugee inclusion, the ISE work is closely relevant to a key project compromising the effectiveness of the technical milestone (Disbursement Linked Indicator or assistance. This would be mitigated through similar). This means that all project teams and careful costing and budgeting analyses to estimate governments have strong incentives to make the costs associated with program implementation. progress on implementation of the component. Furthermore, INSPIRE would advocate for Second, all three teams have proposed either a additional funding from international donors, baseline activity and/or process evaluation that SECTION 3 Risks and Challenges 109 can begin immediately, even if there are some is working closely with the interim government and delays in project implementation. Third, three following-up on current plans. project were chosen, rather than the minimum two originally proposed, to ensure that knowledge can be distilled. Fourth, researchers from WWH Early Learning Partnership are embedded in the research teams to support the teams to modify research plans if there are The core risk is that shrinking fiscal space at the changes to the project, while maintaining the country level could crowd out domestic financing original spirit of the award. in early childhood development. The Engaging Policymakers program is a way to mitigate this Bangladesh Secondary constraint by creating a cohort of champions in Education Program the sector. The Early Years Fellowship program is another effort to nurture the leaders of tomorrow The main challenge is that translating evidence who understand the importance of prioritizing into action requires significant effort. Although early childhood development. the government has been supportive, internalizing the knowledge and using it to inform program and Another risk is that the number of funders policy design is neither easy nor straightforward. interested in funding for ECD seems to be Entrenched ideas, vested interests, path getting smaller. ELP has not received any new dependence, and political economy constraints contributions to support general ECD work prevent full uptake. since the last major contribution from the LEGO Foundation in 2021. All recent contributions have Given the recent change of government, focused on Invest in Childcare. There is no money there is a risk that the activity will slow and remaining to host competitive funding rounds the government uptake will be impacted. unless new resources are raised. The program has The World Bank is assessing the situation and a strong history of impact, as well as the strong taking measures to ensure that there is continuity. linkages to the learning poverty agenda that will be To ensure timely execution of plans, the World Bank leveraged for fundraising. © Jennifer / iStock 110 Foundational Learning Compact Umbrella Trust Fund Progress Report October 2023–September 2024 © Bartosz Hadyniak / iStock SECTION 3 Risks and Challenges 111 The World Bank Group was created to help countries confront tough times, and we are doubling down on our support in this new era of crisis. With innovation and commitment, our efforts will equip nations with the resources they need to build a more resilient future, drive impactful development, and ultimately contribute to the vision of a world free of poverty on a livable planet. Anna Bjerde, Managing Director of Operations, and Ed Mountfield, Vice President, Operations Policy and Country Services, World Bank 112 SECTION 4 Looking Ahead In this section This section discusses key FLC activity and program milestones planned for the next six to 12 months, including expanding program implementation, developing new resources, conducting research, and strengthening capacity. Planned Activities for the efficacy, it will be an opportunity for feedback and knowledge sharing to inform decisions about the FLC Umbrella FLC and its future programming. Independent Evaluation An independent external evaluation of the FLC Planned Actions at the umbrella program, including the ELP associated trust fund, is required at the five-year mark and Activity Level will measure the overall health and impact of the program since inception. The evaluation is Accelerator Program required by World Bank guidelines and will assess design, implementation, and results of the FLC • Over the next year, the Accelerator Program Umbrella Trust Fund. Terms of Reference will be will implement the next phase of the developed during mid-2025, and the evaluation program. Building on lessons from the original is anticipated to take place during the fall of 2025 Accelerator Program, the second phase throughout the spring of 2026. The evaluation will provides demand-driven country grants to a allow for adjustments to the trust fund as needed, broader set of countries to support preparation including of the Results Framework.​ or implementation of foundational learning operations. The program will support evidence- One critical decision that will result from based activities that are directly linked to the evaluation will be for FLC partners and foundational learning in the classroom. In doing stakeholders to collectively decide whether to so, the program will emphasize the importance extend the FLC Trust Fund, which has an end of designing and implementing interventions disbursement date of December 31, 2027. As the with a solid evidence base for improving evaluation will report on program progress and foundational learning. SECTION 4 Looking Ahead 113 • Accelerator 2.0 has three components: • Recruit learning assessment experts to support regional teams. The fellows will be • Country grants to support strengthening based in the regions with the biggest learning of instructional core and related delivery data gaps and largest number of World Bank- systems financed projects and ALMA grants. These • Reinforcing regional technical expertise on local experts will be hired by December 2024 foundational learning and high-level stake and work closely with country teams and holder convenings governments, offering hands-on assistance • Foundational learning knowledge creation in the day-to-day activities linked to learning and exchange assessment. Additionally, these fellows will gain on-the-job experiences and training, helping to develop local human resources necessary to Learning Measurement and Data sustain and improve their assessment systems over time. Learning Assessment Learning Data Analytics • Complete the Policy Linking exercise in Iraq and the administration and data • Harmonize, analyze, and produce country analysis of AMPLs in Pakistan and Lebanon, briefs using the newly released TIMSS depending on the situation on the ground. data. The 2023 TIMSS data are expected to be In the coming months, the Policy Linking released in December 2024. The World Bank report in Iraq will be finalized and shared with will seek advance access to the data so that counterparts for validation. AMPL-b will be country briefs can be prepared and release piloted and implemented in Sindh by December in December as well. The short briefs will 2024. AMPL-a and AMPL-a+b are planned to summarize key results and will inform policy be implemented in Lebanon by March 2025, dialogue by interpreting the results, as well as if possible. program design and implementation. • Continue providing targeted technical • A Global Learning Poverty Update is scheduled support to countries on the topics to be released in late 2026 based on recent of learning assessment and learning learning outcome data. A Concept Note review assessment system. Support to countries meeting was held on March 30, 2024, and the will progressively move towards a focus on World Bank team is currently analyzing the data. ALMA grantees while continuing to provide just-in-time support to non-grantees. Drivers of Learning - Global Education Policy Dashboard • Finalize and launch the report on the costs of large-scale assessments. The • Continue to expand coverage of the GEPD report is expected to be completed by March through additional implementations. 2025. The team will coordinate with other The World Bank will finalize the ongoing development partners to avoid duplication implementations and initiate implementation and determine additional entry points with in pipeline countries and countries currently governments for data collection and for under discussion. The team will continue to dissemination activities. complete validation exercises in countries 114 Foundational Learning Compact Umbrella Trust Fund Progress Report October 2023–September 2024 where data are collected and use these include the EdTech readiness index, climate, opportunities to improve governments’ additional classroom observation, the longer understanding and use of the data. grade 4 assessment (AMPL) that allows for reporting on SDG 4.1, and others. • Enable off-the-shelf use of GEPD instruments through the development of • Leverage the growing amount of GEPD practical resources and guides to facilitate data to expand the analytical agenda. In implementation. To help tackle the challenge particular, the World Bank is working on a series discussed in section 3 regarding scale-up, the of research papers and blogs to disseminate World Bank plans to release an implementation GEPD insights as well as to exploit the richness guide to facilitate local implementation of of GEPD data for topics where evidence may be the GEPD by country teams, partners, or scarce. A draft paper analyzing the relationship governments with minimal involvement from of teaching and learning, with an emphasis the GEPD global team. This will be a step- on play-based teaching behaviors, will be by-step guide with sequential instructions published later this year. Another area of for countries to implement the GEPD survey. work is on the relationship between education The World Bank also plans to improve the and climate. Finally, a paper looking at cross- modularity of the survey so that countries country statistics across GEPD countries is being can easily add or remove modules depending planned. Alongside, the team will continue to on country needs. This modularity will allow refine a tool showcasing key GEPD insights countries to manage the duration and cost of through user-friendly data visualizations and the administration. Optional modules would continue to revamp the website. © View Stock / Adobe Stock SECTION 4 Looking Ahead 115 Teachers • Finalizing the grade 3 Teacher Guide consisting of 120 Lesson plans. The first Coach Mozambique set of 40 lesson plans was shared with government. All 120 lesson plans were shared • The World Bank will continue providing by mid-August 2024. Based on the Ministry’s support to the Ministry of Education on feedback, plans will be reviewed, designed, the expansion of Aprender+ program to and handed to Ministry for the expansion additional provinces, covering approximately in grade 3. 5,500 schools across 74 districts. This expansion aims to ensure a uniform teaching • An Impact Evaluation of Aprender+ is being approach and enhance engagement and conducted and the final round of data monitoring capabilities, thus promoting collection will take place between August- consistent educational quality. Joint monitoring November 2024. This will evaluate long-term visits are being planned for mid-October 2024 implementation fidelity and the program’s in Manica and Niassa. effects on student learning and teaching practices. The evaluation will provide valuable • Reviewing all materials developed through insights for the expansion and inform the the program based on Year 1 and 2 Global Coach program with insights from field implementation feedback. The materials will implementation. be used for the scale up of the program through the World Bank-financed MozLearning project. © Adobe Stock / Ricardo Niels Mayer 116 Foundational Learning Compact Umbrella Trust Fund Progress Report October 2023–September 2024 Global Teachers Work Program Education Technology • With Global Coach and SUNSET grants EdTech Hub closing, lessons will be disseminated widely and incorporated into the • Continue disseminating the availability Teachers Policy Academy, which will influence of the EdTech Hub Helpdesk to World design and implementation of World Bank- Bank teams looking for EdTech solutions. financed projects. To date the Hub has worked with 25 different World Bank country teams. • The global study on initial teacher education is expected to be launched in • Create joint knowledge products with the June 2025 at a global conference on teacher Hub. The Hub has been participating in weekly preparation and development. Preparations planning sessions leading up to the Policy for this conference are underway, and Academy proposed for October 2024. The partners and stakeholders will be invited to Hub has already completed a rapid scan of share evidence on teachers’ education and EdTech policies and will potentially contribute professional development. to additional content development. In addition, ongoing collaborative support is being provided • The World Bank plans to engage with key to the Sierra Leone Ministry of Basic and Senior partners in the design of a new Teachers Secondary Education on the development of program that could potentially include the its National Digital Learning Strategy, which is following: anticipated to be completed in early 2025. • Regional/country-level workshops to contextualize the recommendations from Education Policy Academy the global study of the initial teacher education. • Working closely with the World Bank Group • Support of collaborative research on Academy and Open Learning Campus, the teacher preparation to improve local, Bank will roll out Education Policy Academy evidence-informed policy making. 2.0 in the fall of 2024. New courses will include • Support to countries to monitor, assess, physical learning environments, student and evaluate teacher training. assessment, and skills development, alongside the continuation of the original six modules. • Support to countries to measure effective teaching practices, including through • By increasing face-to-face courses, piloting and scaling up use of the Literacy translating and adapting materials into add-on for Teach, and to use the results to multiple languages, and developing bite- inform policy and practice. sized versions of existing content, the World • Support to countries on teachers’ Bank aims to make learning more engaging careers, including deployment, induction, and accessible. Self-paced modules tailored to evaluation, and career development. participant feedback will also be prioritized. SECTION 4 Looking Ahead 117 • The Bank plans to maintain the current focus on instructional design for early grade set of technical content areas, in addition reading programs, targeting education officials. to developing a new course on Strategic Additionally, the course will be translated into Choices for Education Reform tailored to Portuguese in FY25 to benefit Lusophone senior policy makers that need to tackle countries. systemic change issues. • Teachers Policy Academy. Next steps include • The Bank will continue to explore possibilities (1) preparing for synchronous components for for delivering the courses alongside technical five in-service teacher professional development partners through existing and new avenues. modules, including a facilitator’s guide for each The collaborations with global and regional of the modules; (2) building a network of expert multilateral institutions and with technical facilitators; and (3) applying the synchronous partners are strong. The next phase will include course in more country contexts. The following exploring other types of partners, including actions would help meet learning needs while think tanks, local institutions, and universities also improving the current offerings, and could where relevant and possible. be carried out subject to funding: Following are next steps regarding the thematic • Continue to develop the two courses in Education Policy Academies: Knowledge Pack mode for greater flexibility in delivery. • Inclusive Education Policy Academy. Phase 2 • Expand implementation of bespoke of IEPA will include an in-country workshop regional, subregional, and national in Rwanda in February 2025. Phase 3 of the workshops, and hybrid delivery of courses Academy will be launched by June 2025, and it with country teams. will provide opportunities for the participants to • Translate materials into additional languages. join global forums such as the Global Disability Summit organized in Berlin in April 2025. These • Develop a course on initial teacher offerings will be expanded with new self-paced education (preservice) (based on the global online modules, which can be flexibly used, study underway) or add materials to the that will be launched by June 2025. A self-paced “Teachers: Strengthening Continuous e-learning module for this academy, which Professional Development” course so can also be used for future country cohorts that the one course covers both teacher addressing the fundamentals of disability preparation and development. inclusive education, will be finalized by May 2025. • Learning Assessment Content. Building on • Literacy Policy Academy. Between two and the implementation experience of the two four synchronous events will be conducted, modules in Ghana, the World Bank will update delivering the Literacy Policy Academy to local and expand content on Learning Assessment education policy makers and school staff, and Systems for the Policy Academy and its including teachers and education managers. translations to reflect newer country cases, A confirmed event in Colombia in October information on existing and new learning will train over 150 school leaders from two assessments, and emerging themes that are subnational education systems: Cundinamarca/ relevant for practitioners. The updating will Bogotá and Antioquia/Medellín. A follow-up continue during the rest of 2024 and 2025. The workshop in the Central African Republic will Bank will also develop content on Learning Data 118 Foundational Learning Compact Umbrella Trust Fund Progress Report October 2023–September 2024 Analytics for the Academy to support capacity Inclusion Support Program development, particularly for ALMA grantees. for Refugee Education These updates will include consultations with policymakers, development partners, and In the coming months, the global program will World Bank country teams so that the updated focus on the following activities: learning materials reflect their information needs. In addition, content planning and • Organize and co-host the Wilton Park event development will continue for sessions on for refugee inclusion in November 2024. The learning assessment for the upcoming regional event will bring together INSPIRE counterparts, event for policymakers in Nepal co-organized stakeholders and experts to support these with the UNICEF office for South Asia. governments to turn commitments they have made on refugee inclusion at the GRF into • EdTech Policy Academy. As a follow up to action. the Spring 2024 EdTech Policy Academy, the objective of the upcoming EdTech Policy • Finalize the Guidance Note and conduct Academy (expected to be in October-November global dissemination. This resource document 2024) is to provide a continuation of the learning will be used by World Bank teams and experience and assess the progress and current governments to inform policy dialogue as well needs of participating countries. In particular, as program design and implementation. An the focus will be on evaluating current EdTech internal decision meeting with peer reviews policies and strategies, emphasizing strategic will be conducted in January. There will also be implementation choices, and identifying existing consultation with partners. Webinars will be EdTech Policies and achievable goals. held on various refugee inclusion topics. © Joel Carillet / iStock SECTION 4 Looking Ahead 119 • Continuation of just-in-time technical program, building on data and evidence assistance to countries as situations emerge, generated by the Bangladesh program in including continuing support to Uganda and Years 1 and 2. Lebanon. • Support the Ministry in making better Implementation Science for decisions using impactful evidence and data, Education Program using study evidence to pilot blended learning in secondary schools. Provide • The ISE Program will execute Phase 1 of the technical assistance on supporting vocation program and beginning plans for Phase 2 as and technical education in secondary schools, follows: especially for dropout-prone students. • Finalize design of research plans for Early Learning Partnership Phase 1 countries. • Select data collection firms and implement • Two rounds of Bank-executed grants research plans in Phase 1 countries. (up to $250,000 per grant) are underway in Invest in Childcare until end-2026. Just-in- • Compile baseline results for Phase 1 countries. time Bank-executed grants (up to $25,000 per • Conduct call for proposals and begin grant) will also be introduced to support project selection of Phase 2 countries. preparation or implementation with more limited application and reporting requirements. Bangladesh Secondary The World Bank will be accepting applications Education Program for these until December 30, 2024. Recipient- executed match funding is available for childcare • Continue disseminating evidence generated activities within World Bank operations on a under the grant with partners to enhance one-to-one match basis for IDA and IDA–IBRD outreach and leverage evidence-based policy blend countries, and on a one-to-two match measures. Key findings have been reflected basis for IBRD countries (leveraging IDA, IBRD, in the design of the new World-Bank financed domestic, or other resources), up to a maximum LAISE program. In the coming year, the focus of $10 million ELP match funding per country. will be on supporting evidence-based project Applications will continue to be accepted on a implementation. rolling basis until December 30, 2024.  • Support disbursement-linked indicators. • The second cohort of the Engaging Next steps involve supporting the development Policymakers in Early Childhood Program of indicators related to preventing school- (within the Education Policy Academy) related gender-based violence and mental focused exclusively on childcare has been health support in the LAISE program, building launched and will conclude in December on data/evidence generated by the Bangladesh 2025. Self-paced courses on early childhood program in Years 1 and 2. education have been migrated into the Education Policy Academy platform on the • Support the Ministry of Education in World Bank Open Learning Campus (OLC), achieving targets on learning loss and with new modules planned on childcare, early dropout prevention. This will be done using childhood development in FCV contexts, and disbursement-linked results under the LAISE parenting and adversity. 120 Foundational Learning Compact Umbrella Trust Fund Progress Report October 2023–September 2024 • New guidance on implementing parenting providing additional procurement guidance interventions at scale as well as a paper on globally and to internal and external teams; costing parenting interventions are expected and expanding the library of open source, to be completed by the end of FY25. print-ready books. • For Read@Home, over the next year, • On ECD measurement, existing activities will the World Bank will continue to provide continue over the next 12 months, and new technical assistance for book development, activities on the measurement of childcare selection, and procurement, as well as quality have begun with a literature review parent and caregiver engagement. A series and landscape review of childcare quality of rapid reviews will take place to consolidate measurement tools to capture structural the available evidence on shared reading and process quality elements in childcare interventions, packaged into user-friendly settings. The team will continue providing programmatic guidance. In addition, high- technical guidance and support to the ELP quality evaluations—both in terms of impact grantees and just-in-time support to policy and cost-effectiveness—will be conducted makers and staff who require guidance on ECD in selected geographies to help generate a measurement topics. In addition, a country more robust body of data. The Bank will also results report reflecting the integration of ECD develop global public goods by developing measurement tools from UNICEF, WHO, and the a training course on strengthening the book World Bank is currently under development and supply chain (with a focus on procurement), will be delivered for Senegal next fiscal year. In rolling out the ‘Track and Trace’ system; addition, analytical work will be submitted to expanding the Parenting Engagement Package; academic conferences and journals focused on documenting implementation lessons; ECD and ECE.  © paltu / Adobe Stock SECTION 4 Looking Ahead 121 It is time to seize these opportunities and work together towards a more effective and efficient aid delivery system that truly benefits developing countries. Akihiko Nishio, Vice President, Development Finance, World Bank 122 SECTION 5 Trust Fund Financials In this section This section outlines financial highlights for the FLC Umbrella TF. It covers program expansion, the status of funds received and disbursed, as well as figures and detailed financial tables that provide information on allocation and utilization of contributions from development partners for the FLC Anchor Trust Fund and for the ELP. As of September 30, 2024, there was a total Nearly all the available amount is allocated to of $50.9 million in paid-in contributions from new programs that were launched this year, development partners and $19.9 million in including Implementation Science, INSPIRE, and unpaid contributions for the FLC Anchor. Of those ALMA, or those that were expanded such as the contributions, $37.8 million has been disbursed Accelerator 2.0 and the Education Policy Academy. and $8.7 million remains to be executed. As all FLC funding targets specific activities, there are no unallocated or unprogrammed funds in the FIGURE 5.1  Total Funds Committed by FLC Anchor (see figure 5.1). Development Partners as of September 30, 2023 ($) During this period, 37 grants, namely the SUNSET 16,814,563 grants, Global Coach, and Coach Mozambique were closed. Approximately 38 percent of grants benefitted Africa (see figure 5.2). 37,031,256 984,589 Disbursements represent a 6.1 percent increase over the previous reporting period. The FLC 10,000,000 disbursed $12.9 million this year, which reflects the acceleration of implementation in the last year across all activities. Table 5.1 and Table 5.2 6,208,694 provide more details on the status of contributions, Gates Foundation Government of Scotland disbursements and funds available. LEGO Foundation Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Source: World Bank Trust Fund Portal. SECTION 5 Trust Fund Financials 123 FIGURE 5.2  FLC Grants by Region as of September 30, 2023 ($) South Asia 11 Middle East and North Africa 5 Latin America and the Caribbean 7 Europe and Central Asia 3 East Asia and Pacific 2 Africa 26 Global 14 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 Source: World Bank Trust Fund Portal. TABLE 5.1  FLC Umbrella Trust Fund Financial Status as of September 30, 2024 ($) Reporting Period Cumulative Total funds committed by Development Partners - 71,039,102 The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation - 16,814,563 Government of Scotland - 984,589 LEGO Foundation - 10,000,000 Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland - 6,208,694 UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office - 37,031,256 Total funds received from Development Partners 13,292,038 50,907,607 The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation 2,600,000 13,524,469 Government of Scotland 752,675 752,675 LEGO Foundation 1,500,000 10,000,000 Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland 0 6,208,694 UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office 8,439,372 20,421,796 Pending contributions from Development Partners - 19,895,701 The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation - 3,000,000 Government of Scotland - Directorate for External Affairs - 231,914 LEGO Foundation - 0 Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland - 0 UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office - 16,663,760 Total funds disbursed to grants 12,865,834 37,864,805 Program management & administration costs 629,040 1,824,037 Total funds transferred out to other institutions 0 1,079,922 Total funds available - 8,724,039 Source: World Bank Trust Fund Portal. 124 Foundational Learning Compact Umbrella Trust Fund Progress Report October 2023–September 2024 TABLE 5.2  ELP Associated Trust Fund Financial Status as of September 30, 2024 ($) Reporting Period Cumulative Total funds committed by Development Partners - 132,497,032 Bernard van Leer Foundation - 257,050 The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation - 9,997,917 German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development - 21,253,200 Government of Australia - 2,073,683 Government of Canada - 7,751,341 Hewlett Foundation - 2,000,000 Hilton Foundation - 5,500,000 LEGO Foundation - 32,600,000 Rockefeller Philanthropy (from Echidna Giving) - 3,000,000 UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office - 1,063,840 United States Agency for International Development - 47,000,000 Total funds received from Development Partners 89,762,746 Bernard van Leer Foundation - 257,050 Gates Foundation - 9,997,917 German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development - 21,253,200 Government of Australia 65,950 1,739,458 Government of Canada - 7,751,341 Hewlett Foundation - 2,000,000 Hilton Foundation - 5,500,000 LEGO Foundation 9,999,991 15,199,939 Rockefeller Philanthropy 1,000,000 3,000,000 UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office - 1,063,840 United States Agency for International Development 22,000,000 22,000,000 Pending contributions from Development Partners - 42,730,336 Bernard van Leer Foundation - 0 Gates Foundation - 0 German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development - 0 Government of Australia - 330,275 Government of Canada - 0 Hewlett Foundation - 0 Hilton Foundation - 0 LEGO Foundation - 17,400,061 SECTION 5 Trust Fund Financials 125 Reporting Period Cumulative Rockefeller Philanthropy - 0 UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office - 0 United States Agency for International Development - 25,000,000 Total funds disbursed to grants 24,319,177 Program management & administration costs 419,852 1,311,157 Total funds transferred out to other institutions 0 0 Total funds available - 14,889,241 Source: World Bank Trust Fund Portal. © Deshan Tennekoon / World Bank 126 Foundational Learning Compact Umbrella Trust Fund Progress Report October 2023–September 2024 ANNEXES Partnerships and commitments signal the World Bank’s recognition that meaningful, collaborative action on foundational learning is imperative for ensuring that the promise of education is realized. Luis Benveniste, Global Director, Education Global Practice, World Bank 128 ANNEX A Ongoing FLC- and ELP-Funded Activities and Projects TABLE A.1  Ongoing FLC-Funded Activities and Projects Approval Grant Amount Activity Grant No. Country Date Amount ($) Disbursed ($) Objective ISE-DL TF0C6243 Ghana 9/9/24 130,000 0 To enhance the quality of basic Coaching and education in underperforming Mentoring schools and bolster equity and accountability in the education sector Global TF0C6230 Lebanon 9/10/24 75,000 0 To engage key stakeholders Education to identify constraints to and Policy options for preserving and Dashboard rebuilding human capital Global TF0C5981 Colombia 8/23/24 200,000 0 To enhance tertiary education Education quality in participating Policy institutions and increase Dashboard enrollment of students from disadvantaged backgrounds in quality programs Global TF0C5591 Peru 7/16/24 200,000 732 To provide technical assistance Education for investments in building, Policy protecting, and utilizing human Dashboard capital Inclusive TF0C5558 Global 7/15/24 424,321 77,323 To offer World Bank education Education staff and client country Policy Academy counterparts learning opportunities to enhance knowledge and skills in education policy design, program implementation, and policy dialogue in key thematic areas. Annex A: Ongoing FLC- and ELP-Funded Activities and Projects 129 Approval Grant Amount Activity Grant No. Country Date Amount ($) Disbursed ($) Objective INSPIRE TF0C5329 Global 5/31/24 300,000 5,295 To manage, coordinate, and Regional supervise INSPIRE activities at Management, the regional level Coordination and Supervision Enhancing TF0C5293 Chad 6/24/24 254,000 0 To enhance access to primary Educational education, improve the quality Support for of literacy and numeracy Refugees teaching, and strengthen essential management systems. INSPIRE Global TF0C5274 Global 6/24/24 300,000 45,594 To produce actionable, policy- Program relevant evidence and lessons, monitor progress on refugee education, and support selected host countries in strengthening and implementing policies. Support for TF0C5187 Ethiopia 6/10/24 104,467 16,735 To improve employment Integrating outcomes of the TVET system of Refugees in Ethiopia with a focus on women TVET and marginalized groups Enhancing TF0C5186 Burundi 6/7/24 249,000 0 To empower boys and girls Educational through improved access to Support for quality nutrition, healthcare and Refugees basic education services Inclusion of TF0C5036 South 5/30/24 199,000 0 To support the design and Refugees Sudan implementation of activities in National aimed at fostering the inclusion Education of refugee students in national System schools Improving TF0C3293 Senegal 11/3/23 70,000 69,198 To improve the quality of Foundational foundational literacy for Literacy students in grades 1-3 Accelerators TF0C3218 Sierra 11/1/23 150,000 92,632 The grant will enhance Sierra Program Leone Leone’s education system by improving learning conditions, teaching practices, foundational literacy, and reducing learning poverty 130 Foundational Learning Compact Umbrella Trust Fund Progress Report October 2023–September 2024 Approval Grant Amount Activity Grant No. Country Date Amount ($) Disbursed ($) Objective Global TF0C2831 Central 9/19/23 230,000 158,354 To improve access to and Education African quality of preprimary and basic Policy Republic education and strengthen Dashboard education system management and resilience Global TF0C2788 Pakistan 9/14/23 500,000 426,523 To enhance sector resilience Education through better coordination Policy with a focus on disadvantaged Dashboard with areas and vulnerable AMPL-B populations Bolstering TF0C2449 Global 8/15/23 2,240,209 1,115,041 To develop the teaching Global profession and workforce for Support for improved student learning the Teaching through the development Profession and and provision of global Workforce evidence-based tools and recommendations to support policy dialogue and operations Global TF0C2436 Bangladesh 8/13/23 200,000 60,551 To improve the quality of and Education enhance equitable access to Policy education from preprimary to Dashboard grade 5 Assessments TF0C2395 Malawi 8/15/23 48,000 35,375 To carry out a functional review System for of current assessments for Foundational foundational learning and the Learning utilization of assessment data Global TF0C2291 Global 8/1/23 765,500 503,910 To improve measurement of Education education service delivery, and Policy offer countries much-needed, Dashboard 2.0 comprehensive, and timely information to strengthen the effectiveness of the decisions made to improve learning Teach-Coach TF0C2167 Mexico 7/25/23 181,487 181,116 To support federal and state SUNSET Grants education authorities in promoting that all students can regain their educational trajectories in the aftermath of the pandemic Annex A: Ongoing FLC- and ELP-Funded Activities and Projects 131 Approval Grant Amount Activity Grant No. Country Date Amount ($) Disbursed ($) Objective Accelerating TF0C2146 Global 8/1/23 535,000 239,652 To increase the availability and Learning effective use of quality data on Measurement learning of children and youth for Action - generated through technically Primary sound large-scale learning Education assessments to inform global, regional, and national systems, policies, and programs Foundational TF0C2123 Pakistan 7/17/23 250,000 211,818 To provide actionable, Learning sequenced, and tailored Compact (FLC) policy reform options to the Implementation government of Pakistan, as well as advice on program design and implementation to improve education outcomes, specifically addressing learning poverty Leading TF0C1511 Burundi 5/15/23 200,000 199,173 To improve student learning the Path of and progression in early grades Learning for in Burundi and, in the event of Burundi an eligible crisis or emergency, provide immediate and effective response Coach TF0C1442 Mozambique 5/4/23 1,870,653 1,299,595 To help Mozambique design, Mozambique TF implement, and evaluate high- quality teacher professional development programs and systems that align with global evidence Arise and Align: TF0B9868 Cameroon 10/24/22 250,000 177,357 To improve teaching quality in Improving Cameroon Teacher Professional Development TEACH Nepal TF0B9593 Nepal 9/16/22 125,000 120,062 To improve teaching quality in Nepal Scaling up TF0B9175 Tanzania 7/20/22 573,000 572,151 To support the rollout of Teachers strengthened, continuous Continuous professional development Professional activities in 26 local systems, Development in enhancing the support teachers Tanzania receive and improving their teaching practices 132 Foundational Learning Compact Umbrella Trust Fund Progress Report October 2023–September 2024 Approval Grant Amount Activity Grant No. Country Date Amount ($) Disbursed ($) Objective Early Childhood TF0B9151 Regional: 7/21/22 43,000 41,052 To support the rollout of Education Maghreb strengthened, continuous (l’année professional development préscolaire) activities in 26 local systems, Classroom enhancing the support Observation teachers receive and improving their teaching practices First Teacher TF0B9066 Somalia 7/7/22 353,236 214,724 To identify coaching practices Coach that support teachers in Professional improving the quality of Development their classroom instruction Program by piloting and evaluating Somalia’s first Teacher Coach professional development program, with a focus on female coaches Equip Teachers TF0B9045 Romania 6/30/22 498,900 463,169 To support the Ministry of with Modern Education in enhancing its Tools and capacity to address early Resources school leaving and prevent to Improve dropouts by increasing Classroom learning quality at preschool Practices and primary levels, contributing by piloting Teach and Coach tools, delivering training, and completing a randomized controlled trial Strengthening TF0B9044 India 6/29/22 75,000 72,401 To facilitate the rollout of Teacher the Teach 2.0 ECE tool in Education and Andhra Pradesh and the Professional downward extension of the Development Teach 2.0-based practice (I-STEP) of regular classroom observations that the state has already rolled out at the primary and secondary levels Annex A: Ongoing FLC- and ELP-Funded Activities and Projects 133 Approval Grant Amount Activity Grant No. Country Date Amount ($) Disbursed ($) Objective Teach-Coach TF0B9043 India 6/28/22 362,500 348,020 To enable greater exposure SUNSET Grants to and facilitate the contextualization, adaptation, and rollout of Teach ECE and Teach Primary tools across India’s education portfolio, including the development of training materials and digitized/ video content; translation of the Teach tool into local languages; orientation/capacity-building workshops at decentralized federal levels; and development of a digital application to support rollout Gujarat TF0B9042 India 6/29/22 62,500 62,450 To enable the state of Gujarat Outcomes for to strengthen needs-based Accelerated TPD informed by data from the Learning Teach Primary tool (GOAL) Teacher TF0B9032 Brazil 6/28/22 68,500 57,353 To support states and Professional municipalities to enhance Development teacher training capacity at the Materials and local level and by equipping Activities to teachers with the pedagogical Support Local tools necessary for learning Governments recovery in North and Northeast Brazil Strengthening TF0B9016 Pakistan 6/29/22 250,000 207,757 To support the adaptation and Coaching contextualization of classroom and Adapting observation and teacher to Local mentoring tools in Khyber Languages Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab to in Education improve elementary education (SCALE) services in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 134 Foundational Learning Compact Umbrella Trust Fund Progress Report October 2023–September 2024 Approval Grant Amount Activity Grant No. Country Date Amount ($) Disbursed ($) Objective Ensuring TF0B9014 Regional: 6/27/22 519,200 513,793 Utilize Teach and Coach Effective El Salvador frameworks to understand Teacher and classroom practices linked to Professional Honduras learning and develop structured Development materials to support regular for Early coaching and feedback sessions Learning on a national scale Scaling Up TF0B9012 Djibouti 6/27/22 300,000 299,752 To support the Ministry to Improved tailor and modernize TPD and Teaching teacher monitoring through the Practices rollout of improved classroom observation and coaching at the preschool level and in basic education grades 1–9 Enhancing TF0B9007 Regional: 7/6/22 305,000 292,077 To support measurement of Professional Pacific teaching practices and guidance Support to ECE Island for practical and tailored TPD in and Primary countries Tuvalu and Kiribati Education Teachers in Pacific Island Countries TEACH Pilot TF0B8976 Central 6/20/22 105,000 104,831 To improve teaching quality in African the Central African Republic Republic Capacity TF0B8969 Armenia 6/20/22 50,000 48,213 To improve the quality of Building preschool and general through TEACH education using Teach and and COACH Coach to design training courses based on teachers’ needs Scaling-Up TF0B8937 Côte 6/17/22 517,500 462,754 To scale up the tools, National d’Ivoire approaches, and activities Support for developed to update Côte Effective d’Ivoire’s early learning and in- Teaching service training strategies Annex A: Ongoing FLC- and ELP-Funded Activities and Projects 135 Approval Grant Amount Activity Grant No. Country Date Amount ($) Disbursed ($) Objective Using TEACH TF0B8936 Cabo Verde 6/30/22 60,000 58,759 TEACH is expected to help to Strengthen improve teacher pedagogical Teacher practices and focus greater Professional attention on evidence-based Development practices that have been shown to lead to higher learning outcomes Strengthening TF0B8905 Eswatini 6/15/22 105,000 95,145 To assess quality of the ECCDE Teaching to develop a comprehensive Quality at Early package of interventions to Childhood Care, improve service quality Development, and Education (ECCDE) Level Strengthen TF0B8904 Uzbekistan 6/15/22 356,000 355,993 To collect and use data on Early Childhood teaching practices to improve Education pre- and in-service TPD Teacher programs at scale; enhance Practices to the quality of pre- and in- Boost Social- service TPD with more tailored, Emotional practical, focused, and ongoing Learning professional development; Outcomes in and contribute to the global Early Learning evidence base Programs Building TF0B8883 Bangladesh 6/21/22 4,139,986 3,499,609 To guide the secondary Back Better education system on how to Education build back better for improved Systems retention and learning after COVID-related disruptions and learning losses Global Support - TF0B8523 Global 4/28/22 3,290,567 2,869,592 To support selected national Accelerator and subnational committed Program governments to improve foundational learning and reduce learning poverty through the implementation of coherent and evidence-based plans 136 Foundational Learning Compact Umbrella Trust Fund Progress Report October 2023–September 2024 Approval Grant Amount Activity Grant No. Country Date Amount ($) Disbursed ($) Objective Accelerating TF0B8275 Kenya 3/22/22 526,397 526,374 To accelerate learning outcomes the Fight in Kenya Against Learning Poverty Accelerating TF0B7310 Mozambique 11/1/21 776,397 651,495 To improve the teaching and Improvements learning processes in basic in Learning education and expand access to quality digital skills and entrepreneurship development programs for youth in Edo State Edo State: TF0B7302 Nigeria 11/2/21 2,710,629 2,584,235 To accelerate learning outcomes Accelerating in Mozambique the Fight Against Learning Poverty Accelerating TF0B7072 Rwanda 10/8/21 2,139,352 1,846,436 To accelerate learning outcomes the Fight in Rwanda Against Learning Poverty Source: World Bank Trust Fund Portal Note: ECE = early childhood education; TPD = teacher professional development. Annex A: Ongoing FLC- and ELP-Funded Activities and Projects 137 TABLE A.2  Ongoing ELP Trust-Funded Activities and Projects Approval Grant Amount Activity Grant No. Country Date Amount ($) Disbursed ($) Objective Enhancing TF0C5001 El Salvador 10/3/2024 200,000 0 To improve access to Access to employment opportunities Quality and skills development of Childcare and selected vulnerable groups of Empowering El Salvador by (1) addressing Women the knowledge gap concerning access to childcare among vulnerable young mothers and (2) supporting and informing the implementation of a childcare allowance Evaluating the TF0C6286 Georgia 9/26/2024 249,500 397 To build the evidence base Impact of Child to help the Ministry of and Maternity Health, IDPs, Labor and Benefits on Social Assistance of Georgia Parents’ and understand constraints Children’s Time to access to affordable, and Well-Being quality childcare services and improving outcomes for women, children, and families Expanding TF0C6091 Ukraine 9/5/2024 250,000 2,562 To (1) improve teaching and Access to learning conditions; and (2) Quality strengthen management Childcare and capacity of the education Preschool system by exploring options to Amidst Forced increase access to affordable, Displacement high quality, public and private childcare Unlocking TF0C6090 South 9/4/2024 160,000 7,445 To strengthen the evidence Barriers to Africa base and the policy dialogue Center-Based around South Africa’s twin Childcare goals of improving access Services to quality ECD services—a critical building block of the education and health systems’ preparedness to respond to social, economic, and environmental changes 138 Foundational Learning Compact Umbrella Trust Fund Progress Report October 2023–September 2024 Approval Grant Amount Activity Grant No. Country Date Amount ($) Disbursed ($) Objective Improving TF0C6093 Guinea 9/2/2024 51,000 0 To support access to quality Childcare childcare and early learning Infrastructure in Guinea by improving and Services children’s health and education outcomes, as well as women’s employment and productivity Strengthening TF0C2566 Chile 9/1/2024 130,800 66,851 To support the government the Quality of of Chile to design quality Community- community care services Based Care to guarantee care and development for children with limited access to standard ECD services, and contribute to the expansion of both the national care system and the new minimum guarantees protections for children Life Cycle TF0C6052 Kyrgyz 8/31/2024 150,000 0 To strengthen data and the Impacts of Republic knowledge base on the welfare Center-Based impact of key development Childcare for challenges and trends and Children and to inform operations and Women in the policy design in Central Asia Kyrgyz Republic countries by generating data to inform childcare policy in Kyrgyzstan and in the CA region Response - TF0C4699 Ethiopia 8/30/2024 3,000,000 0 To improve access to multi- Recovery sectoral response services for Gender-Based Violence (GBV) survivors; in selected conflict-affected communities in Ethiopia Piloting Child TF0C4932 Kenya 8/28/2024 250,000 13,971 To increase market Care Provision participation and value for Inclusive addition for targeted farmers SACCOs and in select value chains in project FPOs in Kenya areas by promoting access to childcare services Annex A: Ongoing FLC- and ELP-Funded Activities and Projects 139 Approval Grant Amount Activity Grant No. Country Date Amount ($) Disbursed ($) Objective Childcare in the TF0C5832 Regional: 8/8/2024 249,900 0 To prioritize childcare in Crosshairs of Eastern and disaster preparedness, Climate Change Southern response, and recovery efforts and Disaster Africa in the face of intensifying Risk climate shocks by analyzing the complex childcare-disaster nexus, engaging stakeholders, and building capacity Understanding TF0C5639 Türkiye 8/2/2024 86,495 7,148 To support the Turkish Child Penalty in government in the analysis Türkiye of trends in standards of living and the design of public policy interventions towards reduction of poverty and inequality, with a focus on childcare and gender norms in relation to child penalty Strengthening TF0C5724 Chad 8/1/2024 205,000 0 To increase access to primary Support for education and the quality Improved of teaching for literacy and Access to numeracy, to strengthen key Quality management systems, and to Childcare and better integrate and improve Early Childhood education services for refugee Education children in Chad, while also Services benefiting host community children Invest in TF0C5725 Armenia, 7/30/2024 246,000 0 To provide advisory and Childcare Azerbaijan, analytical support to the and governments of Armenia, Georgia Azerbaijan, and Georgia Promoting TF0C5726 Sri Lanka 7/29/2024 102,000 0 To address gender and social Effective inclusion gaps in Sri Lanka Childcare by identifying opportunities Policies for the available to promote childcare National Policy and facilitate economic on Childcare recovery from the economic crisis by increasing female labor force participation through the implementation of effective childcare models and by ensuring implementation of a revised Child Daycare Policy 140 Foundational Learning Compact Umbrella Trust Fund Progress Report October 2023–September 2024 Approval Grant Amount Activity Grant No. Country Date Amount ($) Disbursed ($) Objective Empowering TF0C5641 Burundi 7/26/2024 206,000 4,889 To improve nutrition, access to Women basic services, and economic Entrepreneurs, opportunities in the targeted Climate areas through access to Refugees and profitable, climate-resilient Displaced economic (employment People in and self-employment) Burundi opportunities, and the promotion of childcare services Boosting TF0C5643 Tajikistan 7/24/2024 250,000 0 To promote economic Women’s inclusion of jobseekers (mainly Labor Force female) through support to Participation development and piloting of and Children’s family-based Kindergartens Development (FbK) model in Tajikistan through Family-Based Kindergartens Assessing TF0C5574 Madagascar 7/18/2024 93,800 0 To improve learning outcomes the Role of and increase retention in basic Early Learning education by conducting a Centers on study targeting parents and Parents’ Time primary caretakers of young Use and children, and specifically Perceptions focusing on mothers Enhancing TF0C4299 Jordan 7/8/2024 5,000,000 0 To support the government Women of Jordan to expand access to Economic quality childcare services as a Opportunities way to address constraints that (IPF) women face to enter and stay in the labor force Assessment TF0C5348 Malaysia 6/28/2024 150,000 0 To support the government of Childcare of Malaysia’s inclusive growth Quality, objectives through advisory Demand-side and analytical activities in Constraints select key areas of human to Uptake, capital development by and Women’s strengthening the evidence Employment base on both the supply and demand side of childcare Annex A: Ongoing FLC- and ELP-Funded Activities and Projects 141 Approval Grant Amount Activity Grant No. Country Date Amount ($) Disbursed ($) Objective Empowering TF0C5330 Uzbekistan 6/25/2024 231,500 7,928 To support the government of Tomorrow: Uzbekistan to design a climate Innovations resilient and gender sensitive in Childcare economic inclusion program Services for for vulnerable households Children with Disabilities in Uzbekistan Validating TF0C5287 Honduras 6/19/2024 149,880 3,003 To contribute to boosting and Applying women’s participation in a Childcare lucrative commercial and Toolkit for processing activities promoted Agricultural under the Productive Alliance’s Investments investments Understanding TF0C5234 Bosnia and 6/13/2024 100,000 0 To increase formal private and Addressing Herzegovina sector employment among Barriers to targeted groups of registered Accessing jobseekers Childcare Community- TF0C5180 Guinea- 6/12/2024 245,000 4,668 To strengthen service delivery Based ECD Bissau in the social sectors to improve and Women’s human capital outcomes and Empowerment provide women with income Pilot in Guinea- generating opportunities Bissau Promoting TF0C5164 Niger 6/11/2024 61,000 0 To improve the capacity of Women’s the Niger adaptive safety nets Empowerment system to respond to shocks and Improving and to provide access for Child poor and vulnerable people to Development safety nets and accompanying Outcomes measures by mapping existing childcare services and piloting of community childcare spaces to promote the participation of women in training, productive inclusion and cash for work activities 142 Foundational Learning Compact Umbrella Trust Fund Progress Report October 2023–September 2024 Approval Grant Amount Activity Grant No. Country Date Amount ($) Disbursed ($) Objective Building the TF0C5159 Tanzania 6/7/2024 175,000 0 To (1) build the evidence ECD Evidence base and address country Base in and global knowledge gaps Tanzania and (2) ensure the quality of childcare services (plotting and/ or at scale) Community TF0C5160 Comoros 6/5/2024 185,000 2,703 To support investment in Childcare affordable community- for Women based childcare services for Beneficiaries Women beneficiaries of safety of Safety Net net programs engaged in Programs economic activities Engaged in Economic Opportunities Activities Promoting TF0C5043 Argentina 5/29/2024 248,750 12,104 To support the government Early Childhood of Argentina to promote the Development human capital of vulnerable through children in the early years by Childcare supporting early childhood development policy dialogue at national and subnational level, assessing childcare quality, and promoting positive parenting practices through childcare Building TF0C5044 Regional: 5/23/2024 250,000 0 To increase girls’ enrolment Futures for Western and completion in secondary Children Africa education by exploring the and Women: possibilities of childcare Setting the provision to support Foundations adolescent girls that are out for Investments of schools and that would be in Childcare in targeted by the project for West Africa training Design and TF0C5002 Peru 5/22/2024 250,000 21,732 To strengthen the coordination Implementation and improve the provision of a Cash Plus of services to poor and Care Strategy vulnerable children from the Cuna Mas and Juntos programs in Peru Annex A: Ongoing FLC- and ELP-Funded Activities and Projects 143 Approval Grant Amount Activity Grant No. Country Date Amount ($) Disbursed ($) Objective Enhancing the TF0C5003 Panama 5/21/2024 250,000 4,052 To increase the capacity of Operation and MIDES to scale up a Parenting Quality of Early Community Model in Panama’s Childhood Care indigenous territories by Centers enhancing the ECD Centers program, with the objective of expanding its coverage, improving its quality, and generating evidence for effective intervention Building Equity TF0C4931 Cameroon 5/16/2024 183,500 15,511 To harmonize childcare and for Childcare early childhood services rolled Investments out by the Social Protection and Education sectors ECD TF0C4822 Dominican 5/2/2024 126,000 86,773 To improve the Borrower Measurement- Republic capacity to: (1) recruit and Quality Early train primary and secondary Learning ELP school teachers, (2) assess Grant student learning in primary and secondary education, (3) evaluate the quality of service provided by public early childhood development centers, and (4) enhance the process for decentralizing public school management Quality ECD TF0C4823 Iraq 5/2/2024 196,286 3,534 To provide quality home Home Support support for vulnerable for the Most preprimary age children in Iraq Vulnerable Children in Iraq Understanding TF0C4527 World 4/2/2024 218,000 36,677 To study the processes for Public Land public land allocation and the Allocation for impact that has on the publicly Early Learning facilitated service delivery of services (Global child childcare, that we know and Country reduce women’s unpaid work Deep-Dives) 144 Foundational Learning Compact Umbrella Trust Fund Progress Report October 2023–September 2024 Approval Grant Amount Activity Grant No. Country Date Amount ($) Disbursed ($) Objective Improving TF0C4591 Cabo Verde 4/1/2024 157,500 20,543 To improve the regulatory Access to environment for childcare Quality including accreditation and Childcare licensing procedures for childcare providers Supporting TF0C4574 Egypt, Arab 3/31/2024 75,000 7,021 To improve the performance the Egyptian Republic of and support the National decarbonization of the Railways to logistics and transport Establish the sectors in the Alexandria Childcare Greater Cairo Area railway Facility corridor by boosting women’s employment through quality childcare facilities Assessing TF0C4502 Latin 3/22/2024 250,000 92,149 To mainstream historically the Potential America excluded groups in World of Childcare and Bank operations, policy Services to Caribbean dialogue, and analytics Strengthen of the Latin America and Diversity and the Caribbean Region by Inclusion in the exploring opportunities Water Sector to provide inclusive and accessible childcare services and facilities to strengthen diversity and inclusion in the water sector Expanding TF0C4503 Bhutan 3/21/2024 249,000 6,246 To support the RGoB to Access to think through how its ECCD Quality model might be extended to Childcare include children aged 0 to 2 and tweaked to also improve employment outcomes for women by supporting their childcare needs Annex A: Ongoing FLC- and ELP-Funded Activities and Projects 145 Approval Grant Amount Activity Grant No. Country Date Amount ($) Disbursed ($) Objective National TF0C4375 Gambia, 3/14/2024 180,000 8,639 To increase (1) foundational Childcare The learning of early-grade Situation students; (2) access to job- Assessment relevant training for youth, and (3) income-generating opportunities, including for the poor and vulnerable, in The Gambia by providing a nationwide overview of childcare demand and conducting two supply assessments focused on childcare arrangements in higher education institutions and the potential for mobile childcare centers Guidance note TF0C4407 Latin 3/14/2024 50,000 23,269 To supporting economic and Toolkit for America recovery among beneficiaries Operationalizing and in Argentina’s agrifood system Childcare in Caribbean by creating or maintaining Agriculture 1,050 jobs for women through improved childcare systems Education TF0C1507 Moldova 2/5/2024 5,000,000 200,000 To expand access to childcare Quality in Moldova with the focus Improvement on ensuring access for Project – disadvantaged students Expanding Access to Childcare via the ECCE Activities Read@Home TF0C4027 Jordan 2/4/2024 326,764 87,300 To bridge the gap between informal home dialects and formal Modern Standard Arabic, which is crucial for improving reading outcomes and overall educational conditions for children in Jordan 146 Foundational Learning Compact Umbrella Trust Fund Progress Report October 2023–September 2024 Approval Grant Amount Activity Grant No. Country Date Amount ($) Disbursed ($) Objective Reader-Friendly TF0C3523 Eswatini 1/19/2024 250,000 10,853 To strengthen education Homes to service delivery and Improve management systems in the Literacy early years by testing out demand-side interventions at the household level to improve early literacy outcomes and promote school readiness Higher TF0C1702 Senegal 12/22/2023 1,900,000 0 To increase equitable access Education to market-relevant, short-term Project - vocational tertiary education ESPOIR-Jeunes and strengthen governance and research in higher education Piloting TF0C3576 Ethiopia 12/15/2023 250,000 30,623 To facilitate the establishment Community and operation of community- Based ECD based childcare centers, to Centers to ease the challenges women Promote Child face in balancing economic Development pursuits with childcare and Support responsibilities Poverty Reduction in Three PSNP Regions (Amhara, SNNP, Sidama) Developing TF0C3609 Indonesia 12/14/2023 135,000 0 To provide the international Reach Up research community, civil and Learn society and policy makers with for Paternal a better informational basis Engagement to guide efforts to improve service delivery in developing countries Promoting ECD TF0C3524 Honduras & 12/11/2023 261,600 27,050 To support the government measurement El Salvador of Honduras in having and Policy valuable information related Monitoring in to children’s development Honduras and and achievement to support El Salvador the improvement of teaching practices with the ultimate input from children’s outcomes Annex A: Ongoing FLC- and ELP-Funded Activities and Projects 147 Approval Grant Amount Activity Grant No. Country Date Amount ($) Disbursed ($) Objective Providing TF0C3482 Ghana 12/8/2023 250,000 66,928 To enhance the quality of Quality childcare provision under Childcare in the Labor-Intensive Public Ghana’s Safety Works (LIPW) component of Net Programs the Ghana Productive Safety Nets Project 2 (GPSNP2), thereby ensuring that more women are able to partake in this important income- generating opportunity while simultaneously ensuring children from poor and vulnerable households benefit from early learning activities Entrepreneurship TF0C3501 Ghana 12/8/2023 250,000 26,601 To provide analytical and Childcare underpinnings and technical advisory support to strengthen the capacities of the three client countries to design and implement their social protection policies and labor and economic inclusion programs Vietnam Quality TF0C3426 Viet Nam 12/7/2023 490,150 125,892 To provide policy advisory Early Childhood and technical assistance Education for high-level and impactful ECEC reforms aimed at (1) universal quality preschool for all children aged 3-5 and (2) improved access to quality, affordable childcare for children under 3 years old Developing a TF0C3502 Bangladesh 12/7/2023 365,000 137 To support development Monitoring & and implementation of a Evaluation monitoring and evaluation System for framework to monitor project Nurturing Care results and inform evidence- Interventions based intervention design and decision making of the nationwide child benefit program 148 Foundational Learning Compact Umbrella Trust Fund Progress Report October 2023–September 2024 Approval Grant Amount Activity Grant No. Country Date Amount ($) Disbursed ($) Objective Investing in TF0C3223 Pakistan 11/27/2023 500,000 0 To improve reading skills of Parenting early grade primary students to Improve and increase student retention Stunting, in primary schools in selected Nutrition, districts Hygiene and Early Stimulation Agile Support TF0C3346 Nigeria 11/27/2023 225,000 20,693 To improve secondary For Parents education opportunities And Caregivers among girls in targeted areas Program in participating states (Northern Nigeria) Design and TF0C3427 Brazil 11/27/2023 238,500 28,682 To protect the income of Implementation poor families with children of Group from 0 to 6 years of age and Modality for mitigate risks that might ECD Parenting damage those children’s Services within human capital the Brazilian Social Assistance System ECE Quality TF0C3340 Liberia 11/21/2023 220,750 89,201 To improve foundational Analysis (LEQA) literacy instruction and equitable access in public primary schools and to strengthen the education system More and TF0C3177 Ecuador 11/19/2023 249,250 105,898 To strengthen the government Better Data to of Ecuador’s ability to make Monitor Quality evidence-based policy of Services and decisions and enable future ECD Outcomes impact evaluations for the for Evidence- national strategy “Ecuador Based Policies Crece sin Desnutrición” on in Ecuador indicators of parenting and others relevant to the strategy Annex A: Ongoing FLC- and ELP-Funded Activities and Projects 149 Approval Grant Amount Activity Grant No. Country Date Amount ($) Disbursed ($) Objective Building an TF0C3341 Morocco 11/16/2023 246,100 72,509 To establish an enabling Integrated M&E environment for quality System for ECE Early Childhood Education Provision service delivery by supporting the development of an integrated monitoring and evaluation system for ECE provision, including enhanced multidimensional tools, convergence in the data platforms, and institutionalization of the use of ECE measurements by stakeholders Improving TF0C3345 Congo, 11/16/2023 245,000 37,163 To help ensure that the Access to Republic of government’s goal to Quality Early significantly expand access to Learning quality education will include Opportunities expanded access to affordable early learning opportunities and that this will be done in a way that mirrors best practices and is accessible to the most vulnerable populations Piloting TF0C3224 Bulgaria 11/12/2023 245,000 145,562 To (1) strengthen ECE Classroom policy environment and Observations MOES capacity to manage of Pedagogical investments in teaching Practices to improvement to boost quality Promote Teaching in ECE classrooms in Bulgaria Quality and and to (2) promote a unified Strengthening approach to child-centered Teacher pedagogy in ECE standards Professional Development Policies Sustainable TF0C3289 Kenya 11/9/2023 220,000 33,878 To strengthen delivery systems Scale-up of for enhanced access to social Nutrition and economic inclusion Improvements services and shock-responsive through Cash safety nets for poor and and Health vulnerable households Education (NICHE) 150 Foundational Learning Compact Umbrella Trust Fund Progress Report October 2023–September 2024 Approval Grant Amount Activity Grant No. Country Date Amount ($) Disbursed ($) Objective Operationalizing TF0C3106 Ethiopia 11/6/2023 212,842 50,307 To improve learning outcomes the National and nutrition services for girls Early Childhood and boys, and to strengthen Development service delivery and and Education accountability, in all regions including areas affected by conflict, droughts and high levels of refugees Parenting TF0C3068 Sao Tome 11/6/2023 157,000 75,895 To strengthen the social Education and protection system and Program Principe expand the coverage of social protection programs Measuring ECD TF0C3237 Nigeria 11/3/2023 233,314 127,736 To increase the availability in Nigeria of nationally representative data on ECD in Nigeria and to develop a guidance note on better training practices for enumerators to collect data on ECD Diagnostics TF0C3175 Malawi 11/1/2023 200,000 155,276 To improve learning for Improved environments for students in Childcare and lower primary in government Access to ECD schools by conducting in Malawi diagnostics to explore the nature of formal and informal ECD support available and designing pilot models for improved provision Scaling Up TF0C3152 Jordan 10/30/2023 100,000 11,173 To enhance women’s economic Access to empowerment in the Mashreq Childcare region through increased access and multi-sectoral collaboration for childcare Health TF0C1703 Cote 10/25/2023 5,000,000 328,587 To improve quality and Nutrition and d’Ivoire accessibility of childcare ECD Program services provided by for UHC community nutrition centers (known as FRANCs) Annex A: Ongoing FLC- and ELP-Funded Activities and Projects 151 Approval Grant Amount Activity Grant No. Country Date Amount ($) Disbursed ($) Objective Nurturing Care: TF0C2879 Lebanon 10/25/2023 168,000 8,660 To provide technical assistance Promoting and analytics to inform the Early Childhood policy dialogue on selected Development in Social Safety Net, Jobs, and Lebanon Pensions reforms in Mashreq countries, focusing on ECD diagnostics and the design of a ‘Nurturing Care’ module for the Emergency Social Safety Net project Support to TF0C5163 Nigeria 10/24/2023 225,000 0 To institutionalize Women Women Affinity Affinity Groups (WAGs) and Groups under other platforms for women’s the Nigeria economic empowerment for Women and enhance the economic Project (NFWP) opportunities of unbanked to Enhance women Positive Parenting Supporting TF0C5689 Indonesia 10/24/2023 244,000 56,070 To provide analytical and Transformative advisory support to the Parental government of Indonesia Engagement in to enhance its evidence- Early Childhood based policy making and Education implementation of the through the National Education Strategy Utilization 2020-2024 of Assistive Technologies - Phase 2 Supporting TF0C3032 Philippines 10/24/2023 250,000 126,437 To provide technical assistance Philippine and advisory services to the Pantawid DSWD in key areas supporting Program’s the efficient and effective Digital delivery of the Pantawid Innovations program on Parenting and Caregiving Complementary Services 152 Foundational Learning Compact Umbrella Trust Fund Progress Report October 2023–September 2024 Approval Grant Amount Activity Grant No. Country Date Amount ($) Disbursed ($) Objective Multisectoral TF0C3057 Philippines 10/24/2023 250,000 12,670 To support strengthening ECD Database the system for monitoring access to and quality of ECE services so that improvements and interventions can be systematically planned to help young children’s holistic development for their smooth transition to kindergarten Using Evidence TF0C3074 Tanzania 10/23/2023 250,000 24,610 To improve equitable access to to Improve the quality learning in preprimary Quality of ECE and primary education in and Childcare mainland Tanzania in Tanzania Mainstreaming TF0C3070 Gambia, 10/23/2023 229,000 76,433 To increase (1) foundational Playful The learning of early-grade Parenting in students; (2) access to job- Social and relevant training for youth; Behavioral and (3) income-generating Change opportunities, including for the Communication poor and vulnerable, in The Gambia Enhancing TF0C3072 Comoros 10/20/2023 174,000 98,859 To provide emergency cash Parenting and transfers and improve the Caregiving resilience of vulnerable Interventions households within Social Safety Net Programs Solutions to TF0C3073 Senegal 10/18/2023 245,250 82,461 To support the government Tackle Parental of Senegal’s effort to build Stress and efficient, adaptive social Improve Mental protection systems through Resilience technical assistance and the production and dissemination of operational knowledge Annex A: Ongoing FLC- and ELP-Funded Activities and Projects 153 Approval Grant Amount Activity Grant No. Country Date Amount ($) Disbursed ($) Objective Assessing and TF0C3071 Pacific 10/15/2023 500,000 174,880 To guide policy makers Supporting Islands of selected Pacific Island Quality of Countries on how to improve ECE in Pacific early childhood education Islands outcomes through more effective teacher professional development programs and stronger education systems Understanding TF0C2991 Uganda 10/14/2023 250,000 112,119 To generate data and and Supporting evidence on the extent and Parenting channels through which during Climate- climate shocks contribute to Stress childhood adversity, explore the current coping and adaptive mechanisms used by caregivers, and identify possible entry points to promote positive parenting during climate-related shocks Scaling Up TF0C2949 Panama 10/12/2023 250,000 75,476 To expand the evidence-base a Parenting and increase the capacity of Community Ministry of Social Development Model in (MIDES) to scale up a parenting Indigenous community model in Panama’s Territories indigenous territories Improve the TF0C2973 Central 10/11/2023 172,250 94,632 To improve access to and Quality of ECE African quality of preprimary Services in CAR Republic and basic education and Community- strengthen education system Based Learning management and resilience Centers Measuring TF0C2965 Regional: 10/9/2023 231,250 98,373 To enhance the Bank’s and Parenting Western client’s understanding of Practices, Africa the risk to early childhood Risks to ECD, development and early and Access to childhood education, and Support Using the availability of services Phone Surveys based on new data; and to in West Africa summarize global knowledge on low-cost parental interventions to mitigate risk for children’s development 154 Foundational Learning Compact Umbrella Trust Fund Progress Report October 2023–September 2024 Approval Grant Amount Activity Grant No. Country Date Amount ($) Disbursed ($) Objective ECD TF0C2897 Kenya 10/5/2023 250,000 37,566 To reduce regional disparities Measurement in learning outcomes, improve ELP Grant the retention of girls in upper primary education, and strengthen systems for delivering equitable education outcomes Read@Home in TF0C2849 Sierra 9/28/2023 356,511 242,119 To a) improve the management Sierra Leone Leone of the education system through the implementation of better procurement practices and increase the efficiency of distribution of teaching and learning materials (TLM); and b) improve learning conditions through the identification of age-appropriate, suitable, and engaging storybooks to be distributed to students of the public education system Supporting TF0C2653 World 9/13/2023 815,000 477,427 To support parents and Learning at caregivers to effectively Home engage with children’s development Childcare TF0C2654 Republic of 9/7/2023 300,000 23,063 To support the government Entrepreneurship Congo of the Republic of Congo to implement its Education Sector Strategy (2021-2030), with a focus on (1) improving equitable access to quality basic education and (2) strengthening education management systems Early Learning TF0C0802 Rwanda 8/23/2023 4,000,000 1,149,610 To contribute to the reduction Partnership in the stunting rate among RETF - Stunting children under five years Prevention of age (with a focus on and Reduction those under two) in the Project targeted districts and provide immediate and effective response in the case of an eligible crisis or emergency Annex A: Ongoing FLC- and ELP-Funded Activities and Projects 155 Approval Grant Amount Activity Grant No. Country Date Amount ($) Disbursed ($) Objective Expanding TF0C2328 World 8/8/2023 600,000 90,053 To develop the teaching Measurement profession and workforce for in Childcare and improved student learning Early Childhood through the development Education and provision of global evidence-based tools and recommendations to support policy dialogue and operations Accelerating TF0C2237 World 7/26/2023 500,000 277,239 To increase the generation, Learning availability and effective use of Measurement quality data on early childhood for Action Early developmental outcomes Childhood generated through technically- sound learning assessment activities to inform global, regional, and national systems, policies, and programs to improve learning outcomes of preprimary age children Supporting the TF0C2130 Uganda 7/20/2023 77,500 12,741 To improve teaching and Introduction learning in early grade reading of One Year in target schools, improve of Quality, learning environments in Government- target schools, and increase Provided Pre- the coverage of the Education Primary Education Management Information in Uganda System Health, TF0C2134 Cote 7/17/2023 100,000 56,522 To improve access and Nutrition and d’Ivoire utilization of quality health, ECD Program nutrition, and early years’ for UHC development services, particularly for women, children, and indigent populations Cultivating TF0C2076 Afghanistan 7/12/2023 250,000 113,140 To analyze the current ECD Evidence for country landscape and Brighter Futures: develop, implement, and Advancing ECD evaluate a small-scale, fit- and Empowering for-purpose, phone-based Afghan Parents intervention for parents of Through young children Resilient Mobile Intervention (Afghanistan CEBF) 156 Foundational Learning Compact Umbrella Trust Fund Progress Report October 2023–September 2024 Approval Grant Amount Activity Grant No. Country Date Amount ($) Disbursed ($) Objective Supporting TF0C1971 Papua New 6/28/2023 276,300 110,345 To support the design of the First 1000-day Guinea Child Nutrition and Social Parents and Protection Project and build Caregivers in the institutional capacity of key PNG counterparts to implement the Fast-Track Initiative to Reduce Stunting Peri-Urban TF0C1651 Senegal 6/4/2023 246,080 165,139 To improve the delivery of Integrated select services that promote Child Growth, ECD in underserved areas of Care, the country Nutrition, and Development (MindUp) Building the TF0C1553 Burundi 5/19/2023 275,500 128,554 To improve student learning Foundation and progression in early for Quality ECE grades and provide an Systems immediate and effective response to an eligible crisis or emergency Supporting TF0C1470 Morocco 5/3/2023 328,300 266,480 To support analytical work, Childcare cross-country exchange, and Expansion policy dialogue to explore opportunities to expand access to quality, affordable childcare Integrating TF0C1392 Kenya 5/2/2023 175,000 44,035 To increase employment and Childcare into earnings and promote savings Youth Skills for selected vulnerable youth, Efforts at national scale Empowering TF0B8653 Somalia 3/7/2023 2,000,000 305,769 To support childcare activities Women to enable women to participate Through in skills and leadership training Education and programs Skills Project Promoting TF0C0899 El Salvador 2/28/2023 158,000 157,899 To improve ECCE teaching Access to practices nationwide, upgrade Affordable physical learning environments and Quality of selected ECCE centers, Childcare and strengthen institutional capacity for education sector management Annex A: Ongoing FLC- and ELP-Funded Activities and Projects 157 Approval Grant Amount Activity Grant No. Country Date Amount ($) Disbursed ($) Objective Improving Access TF0C0748 Sierra 2/20/2023 245,000 127,188 To inform the design of a pilot to Childcare Leone of community-based childcare and Women’s services to encourage Engagement participation of women in in Income- income-generating activities, Generating and entrepreneurial and life Activities skills trainings Enhancing TF0C0803 Serbia 2/14/2023 249,420 73,213 To promote the literacy Children’s Early of vulnerable children by Language providing them with age- And Reading appropriate books and Development At guidance to parents about the Home importance of home learning Invest in TF0C0652 World 2/9/2023 1,250,000 690,329 To improve the size and quality Childcare-global of world bank investments in childcare Childcare Services TF0C0678 Benin 2/6/2023 250,000 156,418 To improve the efficiency to Promote and adaptivity of the social Women’s protection system and to Empowerment increase the coverage of and Improve Child vulnerable households in the Development Productive Social Safety Net Outcomes in Benin Read@Home TF0C0596 Tajikistan 1/30/2023 277,100 82,630 To increase the utilization of Tajikistan a basic package of health and preschool education services for 0- to 6-year-old children Strengthening TF0C0621 Cameroon 1/28/2023 332,443 161,987 To improve equitable access Equitable Access to quality basic education, to Reading with a focus on selected disadvantaged areas Enhancing the TF0C0607 Zambia 1/24/2023 252,500 91,536 To improve equitable access to Provision of quality learning conditions in Early Childhood ECE in targeted areas Services Skills for TF0C0474 India 1/13/2023 250,000 220,619 To enhance institutional Creating a mechanisms for skill Childcare development and increase access Workforce in to quality and market-relevant India training for the workforce 158 Foundational Learning Compact Umbrella Trust Fund Progress Report October 2023–September 2024 Approval Grant Amount Activity Grant No. Country Date Amount ($) Disbursed ($) Objective Childcare and TF0C0371 Liberia 1/9/2023 240,000 159,531 To improve social and livelihood Empowerment services for women and girls in of Women targeted communities, foster positive social norms, and strengthen the government’s capacity to advance women’s and girls’ empowerment Enhancing Early TF0C0318 Middle East 1/5/2023 250,000 235,771 To bring together regional and Arabic Learning and North international knowledge and Africa experience to make the case for scaling and integrating ECD services and financing and to inform policy making to achieve universal coverage in the region Catalyzing TF0C0388 Regional: 1/5/2023 250,000 160,027 To enhance women’s economic Knowledge and Eastern and empowerment in the Investment Southern region through generating on Childcare Africa new regional knowledge, in Eastern and facilitating regional exchange, Southern Africa and catalyzing investments Enhancing TF0C0359 Bangladesh 12/22/2022 203,000 92,221 To support the design of a Design for community-based childcare Community- support model targeted Managed to NEET youth to address Childcare care constraints and lay the Support for foundations for evaluating NEET Youth impact on increasing access to skills and employment Expanding TF0C0089 Cabo Verde 12/21/2022 217,000 187,328 To improve access to basic Access to Quality services and labor market– Childcare relevant training Inclusive Early TF0C0296 Burundi 12/16/2022 193,500 97,888 To improve nutrition, and Childhood access to basic services and Development economic opportunities in the Initiative targeted areas Understanding TF0C0154 Pakistan 12/13/2022 269,000 259,355 To improve availability, the State of Child utilization, and quality of and Caregiver primary healthcare services Outcomes and elementary education in Khyber services in selected districts of Pakhtunkhwa Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Annex A: Ongoing FLC- and ELP-Funded Activities and Projects 159 Approval Grant Amount Activity Grant No. Country Date Amount ($) Disbursed ($) Objective Improve Access TF0C0264 Ethiopia 12/13/2022 267,600 265,994 To improve internal efficiency, to Quality, Age- equitable access, and quality in Appropriate general education (grade 0 to Storybooks grade 12) to Children in Conflict- Affected Areas Paving the TF0C0270 Colombia 12/13/2022 223,055 207,149 To provide technical assistance Road for an and analytical inputs to the Improved government in the redesign and Gender- and reform of ECD, childcare, Transformative and malnutrition systems to ECD System in improve coverage, quality, and Colombia inclusiveness Sanar para TF0C0245 Colombia 12/12/2022 250,000 249,948 To provide technical assistance Crecer: and analytical inputs to the Improving government in the redesign Quality of ECD and reform of ECD, childcare, and Promoting and malnutrition systems to Socioemotional improve coverage, quality, and Well-Being for inclusiveness Venezuelan Migrant Children in Colombia Quality Early TF0C0494 Kosovo 12/11/2022 150,000 47,399 To improve equitable access to Childhood and quality of ECD services Education Support to TF0C0155 South 12/7/2022 206,500 195,844 To develop a curriculum and Enabling Sudan training package for childcare Environment services and apply them in for Childcare pilot locations nationally and Women’s Economic Empowerment Activities Enhancing TF0C0213 Rwanda 12/7/2022 150,000 141,913 To improve the delivery Quality of and quality of childcare in Childcare and community and home-based ECD Provision ECD centers for the Poorest 160 Foundational Learning Compact Umbrella Trust Fund Progress Report October 2023–September 2024 Approval Grant Amount Activity Grant No. Country Date Amount ($) Disbursed ($) Objective Empowering TF0C0182 Congo, 12/1/2022 352,650 210,429 To provide emergency income Women ECD Republic of support to households Entrepreneurs affected by the COVID-19 crisis and increase access to productive safety nets for poor and vulnerable households and youth Home-Based TF0C0158 Lebanon 11/30/2022 112,500 18,639 To contribute to the women’s Childcare economic empowerment agenda in the country by piloting a new model of childcare service provision: home-based care Understanding TF0C0105 Regional: 11/21/2022 251,700 186,444 To build internal staff Maternal Kenya, capacity to support clients Employment Tanzania, in implementing disability and Inclusive Uganda inclusion in operations, and to Childcare for enhance the quality and level Mothers of of disability data in the Bank Children with for operations Disabilities Community TF0C0090 Madagascar 11/21/2022 170,000 68,879 To support improved Childcare livelihoods and increased for Women’s resilience to shocks for women Productive in extremely poor households Inclusion by facilitating the scale-up of community-based childcare provision for beneficiaries with young children Improving TF0C0091 Bangladesh 11/19/2022 209,300 105,995 To provide consumption Access and support to vulnerable Quality of households with pregnant Child Daycare women and mothers of Services in children under 4 years of age Bangladesh and increase knowledge of nurturing care services that contribute to ECD Expanding TF0C0080 Sao Tome 11/18/2022 240,853 157,499 To equip girls with life skills Access to and and improve student learning Quality Principe outcomes for all Storybooks Annex A: Ongoing FLC- and ELP-Funded Activities and Projects 161 Approval Grant Amount Activity Grant No. Country Date Amount ($) Disbursed ($) Objective Enabling TF0C0088 Uganda 11/15/2022 200,000 134,458 To increase access to Childcare entrepreneurial services that Services enable female entrepreneurs for Women to grow their enterprises in Entrepreneurs targeted locations, including in Uganda host and refugee communities (ENCAWE- Uganda) Expanding TF0C0021 Moldova 11/11/2022 180,000 172,093 To support identification of Access to incentives for the private ECD Services sector to expand the access Provision for to and quality of preschool Ukrainian education with an emphasis Refugees on disadvantaged students, and Local including Ukrainian refugees Population by Harnessing the Potential of the Private Sector Tailoring TF0C0020 Argentina 11/10/2022 250,000 216,052 To support economic recovery Childcare and promote climate-smart Options in practices among project Productive beneficiaries in the country’s Alliances agri-food system, and respond effectively in case of an eligible crisis or emergency Engaging TF0B5050 World 2/3/2021 1,035,000 890,871 To help build policy maker and Policymakers in World Bank staff engagement ECE and technical capacity to yield more and better-quality investments in ECE in a select group of countries Source: World Bank Trust Fund Portal. Note: ECD = early childhood development; ECCE = early childhood care and education; ECE = early childhood education; NEET = not in education, employment, or training. 162 Foundational Learning Compact Umbrella Trust Fund Progress Report October 2023–September 2024 ANNEX B: FLC Results Framework 2021–2027 The FLC has developed a theory of change and a Also, the scale of the outcomes is directly linked to Results Framework. They reflect the perspective the availability of current funding and the length of of the umbrella, which is a high-level view and time for implementation. As contributions and/or is meant to capture the breadth of activities—as the implementation period increases and activities opposed to the details of each activity, which are mature, the ambition of the targets/results can tracked separately at the activity level, in activity- be appropriately increased and more focused on level results frameworks. Also, as noted in the outcomes. FLC Partnership Document, both the theory of change and the results framework are indicative, The indicators and objectives are pegged to the because the activities will develop and evolve end of the activity and/or of the FLC Umbrella during the course of FLC implementation as new itself, which at present will conclude in 2025. funds come in and new donors join the FLC, and Given that many of the activities were rolled over activities adjust to realities on the ground including from the predecessor Systems Approach for external shocks. Better Education Results (SABER) Umbrella Facility Trust Fund and that other activities, although The Results Framework, presented starting on initiated after the rollover, predate the FLC Results the next page, shows the key results from the Framework, the indicators are effectively retrofitted various activities that contribute to pillar-level into this Results Framework. objectives; these in turn contribute to the FLC’s higher-level objective. The FLC Results Framework The current Results Framework has been updated is consistent with the World Bank Umbrella Trust to reflect the evolution of the trust fund, including Fund guidance and is different from the more the closing of some programs, and the addition of granular activity-level results frameworks, which new programs. will continue to be monitored in parallel. To make the Results Framework more manageable and coherent, a few key indicators have been chosen from each of the activity results frameworks. Some indicators may be output-oriented rather than measuring outcomes. Efforts have been made throughout this report to document the influence and impact of the activities. Annex B: FLC Results Framework 2021–2027 163 164 Indicators that are new, modified, or to be dropped are indicated below. Notes can be found below the table. Trust Fund: Foundational Learning Compact (FLC) Umbrella Program/Anchor FLC Development Objective: FLC will enhance global and country efforts to pursue systemic and sustained improvements to MDTF level early childhood, primary, and secondary education systems in order to achieve learning for all Foundational Learning Compact Umbrella Trust Fund Progress Report October 2023–September 2024 Unit of Sept. 2023 End Target Indicator Measure Baseline Sept. 2022 (cumulative) Sept. 2024 (cumulative) (calendar year) Notes Pillar level Pillar 1: Measurement Development objective: Measure and monitor learning outcomes and drivers of learning Pillar level outcome 1 Outcome 1: Greater focus by governments on accountability to achieve key foundational learning outcomes Outcome 1 indicators Indicator 1: Number of 0 (2021) 3 5 6 (Mozambique, Niger, 5 (2023) Activity: Accelerator Foundational learning Accelerators Nigeria [Edo State], Program targets developed Pakistan, Rwanda, Definition: New by Accelerators and Sierra Leone) foundational learning adopted publicly by targets that measure government Target Surpassed early grade literacy and/or numeracy are established or existing learning targets in the Education Sector Plan are revised and prioritized as appropriate. Accelerators are governments participating in the Accelerator Program. Data source: Accelerator Program documents and/ or technical notes Who will collect: World Bank Accelerator team Annex B: FLC Results Framework 2021–2027 Unit of Sept. 2023 End Target Indicator Measure Baseline Sept. 2022 (cumulative) Sept. 2024 (cumulative) (calendar year) Notes Pillar level outcome 2 Outcome 2: Increased measurement of learning and drivers of learning Outcome 2 indicators  MODIFIED Number of 0 (2021) 3 6 9 (The Gambia; Ghana; 6 (2023) Activity: Learning countries/ Iraq; Islamabad Measurement and Data education Capital Territory, Definition: Learning Indicator 1: Number systems Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Measurement and Data of large-scale Balochistan, and Punjab criteria, including Policy learning assessments [Pakistan]; Rwanda; Linking criteria, to be used implemented or Sierra Leone) in country selection based enhanced to increase their international on a lack of adequate comparability and Target Surpassed assessment systems or likelihood to report on assessment data. Learning international learning assessments include cross- indicatorsa national assessments such as the PASEC, AMPL-b, and AMPL-a+b. Learning assessment data need to meet the criteria established under Learning Measurement and Data, including Policy Linking, aligned with UIS standards. Data source: Learning Measurement and Data, including Policy Linking Who will collect: World Bank Learning Assessment team in coordination with UIS and UNICEF 165 166 Unit of Sept. 2023 End Target Indicator Measure Baseline Sept. 2022 (cumulative) Sept. 2024 (cumulative) (calendar year) Notes Indicator 2: Number of 3 (2021) 7 13 17 (Peru, Rwanda, 13 (2023) Activity: GEPD Global Education countries/ Jordan, Ethiopia, Definition: Number of Policy Dashboard education Madagascar, Foundational Learning Compact Umbrella Trust Fund Progress Report October 2023–September 2024 countries or education implemented in systems Mozambique, systems in which data selected countries/ Islamabad, Khyber collection has been systems Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, completed, in response Sindh, Balochistan, to demand from and Sierra Leone, Niger, in coordination with Gabon, Jordan [2], Chad, government counterparts Edo State [Nigeria]) Data source: GEPD website (for data approved for Target Surpassed release by governments); World Bank team (for other cases) Who will collect: World Bank GEPD team Indicator 4: Number of 30 (2021) 35 44 51 40 (2024) Activity: Teach Implementation of countries/ Definition: Number of Teach in selected systems Target Surpassed countries where Teach countries/systems (primary or ECE) is implemented Data source: World Bank Teach team Who will collect: World Bank Teach team Annex B: FLC Results Framework 2021–2027 Unit of Sept. 2023 End Target Indicator Measure Baseline Sept. 2022 (cumulative) Sept. 2024 (cumulative) (calendar year) Notes Indicator 5: Number of 22, including 29, including 36, including 9 FCV 43, including 11 FCV 32, including Activity: ELP Implementation countries 6 FCV 7 FCV settings settings settings 11 FCV settings Definition: Number of of ECD outcome settings (2027) countries where ECD measurement tools in (2021) Target Surpassed outcome measurement countries, including in tools are implemented, FCV settings with financial or technical support from the ELP team. These tools may include, but are not restricted to, AIM-ECD, MELQO, GSED, ECDI2030, CREDI. Note: This indicator does not include Teach ECE, which is covered under Indicator 1.2.4. Data source: ELP team Who will collect: ELP team 167 168 Unit of Sept. 2023 End Target Indicator Measure Baseline Sept. 2022 (cumulative) Sept. 2024 (cumulative) (calendar year) Notes Pillar level Pillar 2: Evidence-based policies and systemic reforms Development objective: Improve policies to deliver better learning outcomes Foundational Learning Compact Umbrella Trust Fund Progress Report October 2023–September 2024 Pillar level outcome 1 Outcome 1: Government implement evidence-based interventions to improve foundational learning Outcome 1 indicators  MODIFIED Number of 0 Total: 74,000 Total: 26.1 million Total: 29.2 million Total: 21.4 Activity: Bangladesh students million (2027) Secondary Education Target Surpassed Coach Program + Coach + Teach- Indicator 1: Children/ Coach Coach Mozambique, Coach + Accelerator  students benefiting Mozambique, Mozambique: 45,450 Teach-Coach Definition: Number of directly and indirectly Teach-Coach Coach Mozambique: SUNSET grants: students in intervention area from evidence-based SUNSET SUNSET grants: 128,950 10 million in Bangladesh + number interventions to grants: 0 17.7 million SUNSET grants: 17.7 + of students in intervention improve learning area for Coach + number + + millionb (cumulative and Bangladesh of potential students disaggregated by Bangladesh Bangladesh: + Secondary in intervention area in gender and level of Secondary 92,000 Bangladesh: 102,603 Education Accelerators education) Education Program: + + Evidence-based Program: 1 million Accelerator: interventions will be 74,000 Accelerator: + 8.3 million defined as being informed 11.3 million + Accelerator: by Smart Buys or other Nigeria (Edo State): Nigeria (Edo State): 10.4 millionc sources for evidence-based Accelerator: 0 257,260 257,260 Nigeria (Edo interventions. Level of Mozambique: education will be primary Mozambique: 3.8 million State): 250,000 3.3 million and secondary. Sierra Leone: 609,381 Mozambique: 3.8 million Data source: Bangladesh Sierra Leone: Rwanda: 3.6 million (2025) Ministry of Education; 209,381 Coach, SUNSET grants, Niger: 453,490 Sierra Leone: and Accelerator Program Rwanda: 1.7 million Kenya: 2.5 million 900,000 (2027) documents Niger: 346,764 Rwanda: Who will collect: Kenya: 2.5 million 2.5 million Bangladesh Secondary Niger: 450,000 Education Project team, (2026) Teach-Coach team, and Kenya: 2.5 World Bank Accelerator million (2026) team Annex B: FLC Results Framework 2021–2027 Unit of Sept. 2023 End Target Indicator Measure Baseline Sept. 2022 (cumulative) Sept. 2024 (cumulative) (calendar year) Notes Indicator 2: Number of 0 (2021) 0 6 7 (Sierra Leone, Rwanda, 5 (2027) Activity: Accelerator Accelerators Accelerators Pakistan, Mozambique, Program that implement Nigeria [Edo State], Definition: This could be in interventions to Kenya, Senegal) reducing learning poverty reduce learning or increasing learning poverty or increase Target Surpassed outcomes according to learning outcomes national targets as defined by the government in relation to the Accelerator Program. Data source: Accelerator Program documents and/ or events Who will collect: World Bank Accelerator team Intermediate results indicators TO BE DROPPED Number of 0 (2021) 2 5 5 (Rwanda, Sierra Leone, 4 (2023) Activity: Accelerator prioritized Pakistan, Mozambique, Program Indicator 1: and costed Nigeria [Edo State]) Definition: An Investment Investment Cases that Investment Case is a costed plan to outline costed plan Cases Target Surpassed reach the learning targets to meet foundational and to align internal and external actors’ programs learning targetsd and funding. It supports greater alignment across governments and key partners toward an evidence-based approach to reach government targets to improve foundational learning outcomes. Data source: Accelerator Program documents and/or technical notes Who will collect: World Bank Accelerator team 169 170 Unit of Sept. 2023 End Target Indicator Measure Baseline Sept. 2022 (cumulative) Sept. 2024 (cumulative) (calendar year) Notes Pillar level outcome 2 Outcome 2: Greater adoption by government of evidence-based teacher policies and effective teacher professional development programs developed and implemented to contribute to improved teaching practices Foundational Learning Compact Umbrella Trust Fund Progress Report October 2023–September 2024 Outcome 2 indicators  MODIFIED Number 0 (2021) Total: 2 Total: 44 Total: 66 Total: 10 Activity: Bangladesh of teacher- Bangladesh Bangladesh: 4 Bangladesh Secondary Education related Secondary Target Surpassed Secondary Program, Global Coach, Indicator 1: Teacher + policies Education Education Coach Mozambique, Teach- policies or programs or policy Global Coach, INSPIRE changed or informed, Program: 2 Bangladesh: 6 Program: 5 documents Coach, Coach or preparation/ + (2027) Definition: Teacher-related informed Mozambique, + implementation + policies and programs that Global Teach-Coach SUNSET grants, Teach of World Bank are influenced, or World Coach, Coach SUNSET grants: 40 implementation, Global projects with teacher Bank projects with teacher Mozambique, and teacher-related Coach, Coach interventions or reforms or interventions Teach-Coach conferences: 60 Mozambique, reforms informed that are informed. SUNSET Teach-Coach grants: 0 SUNSET Data source: Bangladesh grants: 5 Ministry of Education, (2027) Global Coach survey, program documents Who will collect: World Bank Bangladesh Secondary Education Project team, World Bank Coach team, INSPIRE team Annex B: FLC Results Framework 2021–2027 Unit of Sept. 2023 End Target Indicator Measure Baseline Sept. 2022 (cumulative) Sept. 2024 (cumulative) (calendar year) Notes Intermediate results indicators Indicator 1: Coach Number 0 (2021) 0 1 1 1 (2024) Activity: Global Coach teacher training of teacher Definition: Package program developed training Target Surpassed of training materials programs developed for teachers and coaches, based on Coach in a modular manner to be adaptable to different contexts and to be assessed to meet key quality criteria Data source: Coach team Who will collect: World Bank Coach team Indicator 2: Scalable Number 0 (2021) 3 5 8 2 (2024) Activity: Bangladesh teacher training of pilots Secondary Education platforms and implemented Target Surpassed Program networks piloted Definition: Piloting, evaluating, and scaling-up mechanisms for classroom monitoring and academic supervision Data source: Bangladesh Ministry of Education Who will collect: World Bank Bangladesh Secondary Education Project team 171 172 Unit of Sept. 2023 End Target Indicator Measure Baseline Sept. 2022 (cumulative) Sept. 2024 (cumulative) (calendar year) Notes Pillar level outcome 3 Outcome 3: Greater adoption by government of evidence-based EdTech policies Outcome 3 indicators Foundational Learning Compact Umbrella Trust Fund Progress Report October 2023–September 2024 Indicator 1: EdTech Number of 0 (2021) 16 23 27 15 (2027) Activity: EdTech Policy focused interventions interventions Academy and EdTech Hub or policies designed or or policies Target Surpassed Definition: Academy informed coursework enables technical diagnostics of existing and planned initiatives by participants. Interventions or policies designed using input from EdTech Policy Academy or products or services from EdTech Hub. Data source: EdTech Policy Academy platform Who will collect: World Bank EdTech team Pillar level outcome 4 Outcome 4: Greater adoption and implementation by government of evidence-based early childhood and childcare policies Outcome 4 indicators Indicator 1: Countries Number of 0 (2021) 2 5 7 8, including 2 Activity: ELP adopt/integrate early countries in FCV settings Definition: Number of childhood learning (2027) countries where policy through play and/ makers develop or or childcare into the strengthen initiatives formal education focused on integrating or gender/child and strengthening ECE, protection system childcare, and/or learning through play within their system Data source: Case studies Who will collect: ELP team Annex B: FLC Results Framework 2021–2027 Unit of Sept. 2023 End Target Indicator Measure Baseline Sept. 2022 (cumulative) Sept. 2024 (cumulative) (calendar year) Notes Intermediate results indicators Indicator 1: Change Number of 0 (2021) 2 5 16, including 5 in FCV 10, including 2 Activity: ELP in national policy countries settings in FCV settings Definition: Countries that commitments to, and (2027) have had meaningful shifts enabling environments Target Surpassed in ECE and/or childcare for, early childhood policies and/or the enabling development, playful environment that can be parenting, childcare, reasonably attributed to and quality play- ELP funding. Changes to based early learning, enabling environments could include inclusion including in FCV of ECD or related topics countries within subsector or sector strategies, quality standards, regulations, quality assurance system, curricula, practitioner frameworks, training curricula, financing amounts and/or mechanisms, and addressing demand-side barriers. Data source: Reporting by World Bank grant teams Who will collect: ELP team Indicator 2: Increased Number of 0 (2021) 0 (2022) 1.7 million 2.4 million 10 million Activity: ELP access to quality early children (2027) Definition: Number of childhood services children reached with early childhood services Data source: Project reporting (the eligibility criteria for recipient- executed grants will specify these reporting requirements) Who will collect: ELP team 173 174 Unit of Sept. 2023 End Target Indicator Measure Baseline Sept. 2022 (cumulative) Sept. 2024 (cumulative) (calendar year) Notes Pillar level Pillar 3: Capacity Building Development objective: Improve the effectiveness of education systems Foundational Learning Compact Umbrella Trust Fund Progress Report October 2023–September 2024 Pillar level outcome 1 Outcome 1: Increase government implementation capacity to improve foundational learning skills Outcome 1 indicators Indicator 1: Technical Number of 0 (2021) 5 6 7 (Sierra Leone, Rwanda, 10 (2027) Activity: Accelerator assistance delivered Accelerators Pakistan, Mozambique, Program to governments Nigeria [Edo State], Definition: Technical and stakeholders to Kenya, Senegal) assistance to be provided fill implementation in the form of workshops, capacity gaps for meetings, notes, Accelerators recruitment of experts, and so on. This is the activity of the program that is expected to help lead to the outcomes (learning targets established, Investment Cases set, capacity gaps identified and addressed). Technical assistance to substantively fill implementation capacity- building gaps could include tailored activities such as early grade literacy/ numeracy curriculum, teaching, teaching and learning materials, parental and community engagement, and language of instruction. Data source: Accelerator Program documents or technical notes Who will collect: World Bank Accelerator team Annex B: FLC Results Framework 2021–2027 Unit of Sept. 2023 End Target Indicator Measure Baseline Sept. 2022 (cumulative) Sept. 2024 (cumulative) (calendar year) Notes Indicator 2: Increased Number of 0 (2021) Total: 11 Total: 17 Total: 22 Total: 10 (2025) Activity: Learning country capacity for countries Policy Linking Policy Linking and Assessment, GEPD, Teach, evidence-based policy and AMPL: 3 AMPL: 7 Target Surpassed Implementation Science for or program design Education Program + + and monitoring based Definition: Number of Learning Assessment on measurement GEPD: 5 GEPD: 7 (incl. Policy Linking countries or systems that interventions + (Ethiopia, Jordan, and AMPL): 8 use Learning Assessment, Madagascar, Niger, COVID GEPD, Policy Linking, Teach Peru, Rwanda, + learning data, or other assessments Sierra Leone) Learning Data losses: 3 to strengthen policy or + Analytics: 3 programs or use indicators COVID learning + or tools related to Learning losses: 3 Assessment, GEPD, Policy GEPD: 11 countries (Dominican Rep., Linking, Teach, or other (Ethiopia, Jordan, Brazil, Chile) assessments to monitor Madagascar, Niger, their education system Peru, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Chad, Edo Data source: GEPD State [Nigeria], Gabon, website, World Bank Pakistan) Learning Assessment team Who will collect: World Bank Learning Assessment, GEPD, and Implementation Science 175 176 Unit of Sept. 2023 End Target Indicator Measure Baseline Sept. 2022 (cumulative) Sept. 2024 (cumulative) (calendar year) Notes Pillar level outcome 2 Outcome 2: Increase government implementation capacity for in-service teacher professional development and teacher capacity to implement evidence-based teaching practices Foundational Learning Compact Umbrella Trust Fund Progress Report October 2023–September 2024 Outcome 2 indicators Indicator 1: Teachers, Number of 30 (2021) Total: 1,944 Total: 5.1 million Total: 3.9 million Total: 200,000 Activity: Global Coach, principals, coaches, teachers, Global Coach Global Coach Mozambique, Teach- classroom observation principals, Coach, Coach Mozambique: Target Surpassed Coach, Coach Coach, and Bangladesh monitors, and coaches, Mozambique, 1,486 Mozambique, Secondary Education pedagogical leaders classroom Teach-Coach Teach-Coach Program Teach-Coach Coach Mozambique: trained observation SUNSET SUNSET Definition: Teachers, SUNSET grants: 2,360 monitors, and grants: 290 grants: principals, coaches, 4.9 million teachers pedagogical SUNSET grants: 3.9 190,000 (2027) classroom observation + and 150,000 leaders million teachers, 23,000 monitors, and pedagogical Bangladesh pedagogical + pedagogical leaderse leaders supported by Secondary leaders Bangladesh + Global Coach, Coach Education + Secondary Mozambique, and Teach- Program: Bangladesh: 3,277 Education Bangladesh: 2,252 Coach country grants, 1,654 (2,252+1,025) Program: Bangladesh Secondary 10,000 (2027) Education Program Data source: Global Coach, Teach-Coach, and Coach Mozambique program documents; World Bank Bangladesh implementation status and results reports Who will collect: World Bank Coach team, and World Bank Bangladesh Secondary Education Project team Annex B: FLC Results Framework 2021–2027 Unit of Sept. 2023 End Target Indicator Measure Baseline Sept. 2022 (cumulative) Sept. 2024 (cumulative) (calendar year) Notes   TO BE DROPPED Number of 30 (2021) 52 52 52f 45 (2027) Activity: Teach-Coach World Bank Definition: Technical Indicator 2: Technical education Target Surpassed assistance provided by assistance to World country Teach-Coach core global Bank country programs team to the design programs on design and implementation of and implementation of measurement and teacher Teach-Coach–related professional development activities provided activities in World Bank portfolio Data source: Coach team, Teach-Coach grant monitoring Who will collect: World Bank Coach team Pillar level outcome 3 Outcome 3: Increase implementation capacity of EdTech interventions to improve learning outcomes Outcome 3 indicators Indicator 1: Use Number of 7 (2021) 40 45 48 100 (2027) Activity: EdTech Hub of EdTech Hub responses Definition: Number of products and services additional individuals, (cumulative) technical working-level joint queries responded to by EdTech Hub Helpdesk in support of World Bank–funded operational activities and country dialogues Data source: Helpdesk tracker Who will collect: World Bank EdTech Hub team 177 178 Unit of Sept. 2023 End Target Indicator Measure Baseline Sept. 2022 (cumulative) Sept. 2024 (cumulative) (calendar year) Notes Pillar level outcome 4 Outcome 4: Increase capacity to implement interventions that improve learning outcomes Number of 0 (2024) N/A N/A 3 6 (2027) Activity: Implementation Foundational Learning Compact Umbrella Trust Fund Progress Report October 2023–September 2024  NEW countries Science for Education Indicator 1: Technical Program assistance delivered Definition: Technical to governments to assistance provided in improve capacity for the form of workshops, implementation at meeting notes, comments, scale and consultancies to design and execute implementation science research plans alongside World Bank financed operations Data source: Implementation Science for Education Program documents and program notes Who will collect: Implementation Science for Education Program team Annex B: FLC Results Framework 2021–2027 Unit of Sept. 2023 End Target Indicator Measure Baseline Sept. 2022 (cumulative) Sept. 2024 (cumulative) (calendar year) Notes  MODIFIED Number 0 EdTech: 179 EdTech: 791 Total: 1,430 in-person; Total: 1,000 Activity: Education Policy of participants in-person/ (612+179) 581 online in-person/ Academy hybrid in-person/hybrid ECE: 150 in-person/ hybrid; 1,500 Definition: Number of Indicator 2: hybrid; 242 online online (2027) participants completing a Policymakers participating in the EdTech: 839 (791+48) course Education Policy in-person/hybrid Data source: Course leads Academyg and OLC Inclusive Education: 45 in-person; 36 online Who will collect: World Literacy: 110 in-person; Bank Education Policy 287 online Academy team Teachers: 286 in-person; 16 online Pillar level Outcome 5 Outcome 5: Increase implementation capacity of evidence-based ECE interventions Indicator 1: Fellows Number of 45 fellows 59 fellows 59 fellows 59 fellows 85 fellows Activity: ELP and policy makers fellows or 0 policy 77 policy 77 policy makers 187 policy makers 175 policy Definition: Number complete the early policy makers makers makers makers (2027) of fellows and number childhood professional (2021) of policy makers who development program complete the early childhood professional development program offered under the Early Years Fellowship and ECE policy maker program Data source: Attendance reporting from professional development program Who will collect: ELP team 179 180 Unit of Sept. 2023 End Target Indicator Measure Baseline Sept. 2022 (cumulative) Sept. 2024 (cumulative) (calendar year) Notes Cross cutting themes Foundational Learning Compact Umbrella Trust Fund Progress Report October 2023–September 2024 Gender Indicator G1: Female Number of 0 (2021) 37,000 Total: 4.3 million Total: 5.7 million Total: 5.2 Activity: Accelerator children and youth students Accelerator: million Program and Bangladesh benefiting directly Target Surpassed Accelerator: Secondary Education Nigeria (Edo State): from evidence-based 5.1 million Program 146,500 interventions to Definition: Number Accelerator: 5.6 million Nigeria improve learning Mozambique: (Edo State): of female students in (cumulative) 1.8 million Nigeria (Edo State): ~125,000 intervention areas in 128,630 Sierra Leone: Accelerators; number 83,232 Mozambique: 1.9 million Mozambique: of female students in 2.0 million Rwanda: 839,480 Sierra Leone: 292,531 intervention area in Sierra Bangladesh Niger: 172,529 Rwanda: 1.8 million Leone: 441,000 Data source: Accelerator Kenya: 1.2 million Niger: 225,883 (2027) Program documents and + Kenya: 1.2 million Rwanda: Bangladesh Ministry of Bangladesh + 1.3 million Education Secondary Bangladesh: 88,709 Niger: 200,000 Who will collect: World Education (2026) Bank Accelerator team and Program: 88,709 World Bank Bangladesh Kenya: 1.2 million Secondary Education (2026) Project team + Bangladesh Secondary Education Program: 60,000 (2027) Annex B: FLC Results Framework 2021–2027 Unit of Sept. 2023 End Target Indicator Measure Baseline Sept. 2022 (cumulative) Sept. 2024 (cumulative) (calendar year) Notes Indicator G2: Evidence- Number of 0 (2021) 14,000 15,738 22,738 20,000 (2027) Activity: Bangladesh based student girls reached Secondary Education outreach conducted Target Surpassed Program to promote girls’ Definition: Evaluation retention and scale-up of novel approaches that target adolescent aspirations and sense of self with girl- focused interventions Data source: World Bank implementation status and results reports Who will collect: World Bank Bangladesh Secondary Education Project team Indicator G3: Increased Number of 0 (2021) 0 0 82,654 children 2 million Activity: ELP access to quality mothers 45,010 women mothers (2027) Definition: Number of childcare to support reached 4 million mothers and children women’s economic Number children (2027) reached by quality empowerment of children childcare services reached supported under World Bank operations Data source: Project reporting (the eligibility criteria for recipient- executed grants will specify these reporting requirements) Who will collect: ELP team 181 182 Unit of Sept. 2023 End Target Indicator Measure Baseline Sept. 2022 (cumulative) Sept. 2024 (cumulative) (calendar year) Notes Inclusion Indicator I1: FLC Number of 0 (2021) 2 (EdTech 3 (EdTech Policy 5 (EdTech Policy 3 (2027) Activity: FLC Foundational Learning Compact Umbrella Trust Fund Progress Report October 2023–September 2024 activities that are FLC initiatives Policy Academy, Teach, Academy, Teach, GEPD, Definition: FLC activities disability inclusive Academy and GEPD) Inclusive Education address inclusion of Teach) Policy Academy, children with disabilities INSPIRE) Data source: FLC teams Target Surpassed Who will collect: PMA team Number 0 (2024) N/A N/A 3 3 (2027) Activity: Inclusive  NEW of policies/ Education Policy Academy Indicator I2: Inclusive strategies/ Definition: Number of new education policies/ programs inclusive education policies/ strategies/programs strategies/programs in emphasizing gender Malawi, Rwanda, Zambia. equality and/or Data source: Project disability inclusion documents informed by participating Inclusive Who will collect: Inclusive Education Policy Education Policy Academy Academy countries team Fragility, Conflict and Violence Number of 0 (2024) N/A N/A Total: 729,446 Total: 729,000 Activity: INSPIRE  NEW refugees (2027) Burundi: 24,000 Definition: Number of Indicator F1: Number refugee children and youth Chad: 405,446 of refugee children and supported by national youth whose inclusion Ethiopia: 200,000 education systems through in national education South Sudan: 100,000 INSPIRE country grants system is supported Date source: Project (disaggregated), documents informed by the Inclusion Support Who will collect: INSPIRE Program for Refugee Team based on inputs from Education country teams Annex B: FLC Results Framework 2021–2027 Unit of Sept. 2023 End Target Indicator Measure Baseline Sept. 2022 (cumulative) Sept. 2024 (cumulative) (calendar year) Notes Knowledge and Learning Indicator K1: Number of 0 (2021) Total: 6 Total: 22 Total: 35 (incl. 13 from 10 (2025) Activity: All FLC activities Knowledge or learning knowledge Accelerator: 4 current reporting Accelerator: 1 Definition: Number of events delivered or learning (Kenya forum, period) + learning or knowledge- events Brazil study tour, sharing events delivered to Learning 2 brown bag Target Surpassed promote lessons learned Measurement lunches) and collaboration among and Data: not + Accelerator: 7 (4 + 1 donor partners, country available Ghana event, 1 FLN Hub Learning decision-makers, and/or + Measurement and event, 1 Accelerator 2.0 World Bank staff Data: 3 (Education Information Session) EdTech Policy Data source: PMA team Learning Day, + Academy: not One Africa retreat; Who will collect: PMA available Learning Middle East and team Measurement and + North Africa Data: 6 (3 + 1 webinar Global high-level regional with IEA, 2 Ghana event conference) Coach, Coach learning assessment Mozambique, + sessions) Teach-Coach EdTech Policy + SUNSET Academy: 4 Education Policy grants: 5 + Academy: 5 (4 + 1 Global Ghana event) Coach, Coach + Mozambique, Global Coach, Coach Teach-Coach Mozambique, Teach- SUNSET grants: 11 Coach SUNSET grants: (including World 11 Teachers’ Day, Teach ECE training, + Teach Secondary Bangladesh: 6 inaugural training, (3 stakeholder Coach methodology consultations with training, Teacher’s teacher, 2 dissemination team workshop in events with MoE, 1 Mexico) Knowledge exchange) 183 184 Unit of Sept. 2023 End Target Indicator Measure Baseline Sept. 2022 (cumulative) Sept. 2024 (cumulative) (calendar year) Notes Indicator K2: Number of 0 (2021) 14 Total: 63 Total: 122 (incl. 59 Total: 12 (2027) Activity: All FLC activities Knowledge or results knowledge or Learning from current reporting Definition: Number of briefs on lessons results briefs period) Foundational Learning Compact Umbrella Trust Fund Progress Report October 2023–September 2024 Measurement and knowledge or results briefs learned and/or impact Data: 57 PIRLS Learning Data on lessons learned and/ disseminated country briefs Analytics: 57 PIRLS or impact that have been + country briefs + 49 PISA disseminated, including briefs among the FLC donors GEPD: 4 + or on the FLC website, (Madagascar to promote knowledge report, Ethiopia GEPD: 13 (4 + 1 sharing, learning, and report, 2 blogs) Teaching and Learning collaboration among donor + paper, 7 PPTs with GEPD partners, country decision- findings, 1 Report for EdTech Policy makers, and/or World Bank Edo State) Academy: 2 staff + Data source: PMA team Education Policy Who will collect: PMA Academy: 3 (2 + 1 team Advancing Foundational Teaching and Learning Knowledge Exchange Virtual Conference Experience) Note: AMPL-b = Assessment for Minimum Proficiency Levels for Sustainable Development Goal 4.1.1b; AMPL-a+b = AMPL for Sustainable Development Goal 4.1.1.a and 4.1.1b; ECD = early childhood development; ECE = early childhood education; ELP = Early Learning Partnership; FCV = fragility, conflict, and violence; FLN = foundational literacy and numeracy; GEPD = Global Education Policy Dashboard; IEA = International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement; INSPIRE = Inclusion Support Program for Refugee Education; MoE = Ministry of Education; OLC = Open Learning Campus; PASEC = Program for the Analysis of Education Systems; PIRLS = Progress in International Reading Literacy Study; PISA = Program for International Student Assessment; PMA = Program Management and Administration; SDG = Sustainable Development Goal; SUNSET = Scaling Up National Support for Effective Teaching; UIS = United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization Institute for Statistics; UNICEF = United Nations Children’s Fund. a. To streamline, two previous indicators: “Learning assessment implemented in selected countries” and “Countries implementing learning assessments that allow international comparisons based on SDG 4.1.1.” had to be combined in this one indicator. b. These are the actual figures at grant closing. c. For the Accelerator Program, the beneficiaries are benefiting indirectly. d. This indicator will be dropped after this reporting period because this instrument is no longer being required under Accelerator 2.0. e. Previous year’s numbers for beneficiaries were projections. The figures this year include actual direct and indirect beneficiaries. f. The target has been reached and the program is finished. A new indicator will be introduced next year based on the new Teachers Program. g. This indicator was broadened to include all the thematic policy academies to reflect the expansion of the academies. ANNEX C: UNICEF-Accelerator Transfer Out This is a UNICEF provided report for the the World Bank in five countries. Political components of the Accelerator Program, in which economy analysis and stakeholder mapping are UNICEF holds the lead implementation role. This conducted to support this process. is based on funds were Transferred Out to UNICEF from the FLC at the beginning of the Accelerator UNICEF and the World Bank collaborate to Program. address learning poverty in Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria (Edo State), Rwanda, and Sierra Leone. Their joint efforts focus on leveraging technical Background expertise and financial support to strengthen educational systems and improve foundational The Accelerator Program is a crucial part of learning, especially for marginalized children. UNICEF’s efforts in foundational literacy and numeracy. It aims to integrate foundational learning into UNICEF’s global educational initiatives Implementation progress by providing technical guidance, designing and expanding interventions, and offering resources Program adjustments ensured continued to improve foundational literacy and numeracy focus on foundational learning amid political quality. The program supports UNICEF’s broader challenges in Niger. The political emergency that strategy to enhance learning outcomes. took place in Niger from July 2023 posed significant challenges for program implementation. After These are the components led by UNICEF: close consultations with the country team, the World Bank and Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation • Advocacy and Communications: Develops focal points, the remaining balance of the tailored advocacy strategies for FLN in program funds in UNICEF Niger was reallocated five target countries through participatory to UNICEF Headquarters and repurposed for workshops. These strategies include long-term tracking progress in foundational learning with goals, power mapping, and relevant advocacy RAPID 5 (formerly “Big 5’’) indicators in line with tools. Foundational Learning Action Tracker. Meanwhile, the program implementation in other four • Analytical and Advisory Services: Aligns with countries was completed in December 2023.  UNICEF’s global FLN initiative, providing global public goods and country-specific services like The reporting period was marked by increased education system analysis, learning assessment intensity in the implementation of Program plans, and capacity development. activities based on the country workplans and the advocacy strategies. Main activities • Partner Alignment and Accountability: undertaken and achievements include:   Ensures coordination and alignment with Annex C: UNICEF-Accelerator Transfer Out 185 • Guided by the roadmap set in the national • Partner group coordination and alignment advocacy strategies, UNICEF country offices mechanisms for foundational learning have undertook numerous advocacy activities related been established and/or strengthened in all to foundational literacy and numeracy (FLN), five target countries in close consultation reaching at least 7.5 million people and featured with government partners and key stakeholders; in several media outlets, including 228 media and  mentions in Nigeria.  • Political economy analysis of the key • UNICEF Headquarters has worked on sharing stakeholders involved in the foundational global evidence, tools, and knowledge products learning in Niger, Nigeria Edo State, and Sierra that provide information and guidance on Leone as well as the stakeholder mapping and FLN activities through the FLN Hub and other Local Education Group (LEG) assessment in knowledge-sharing mechanisms.  Mozambique and Rwanda were completed, and the results were used for enhancing partner • UNICEF country offices provided various forms coordination and accountability system in each of analytical and advisory services to inform country. better foundational learning interventions, resulting in the development of key guiding materials such as investment case with Theory of Change, education data brief and factsheet, pedagogical guidance notes, cost analysis report, etc. TABLE C.1  Summary of UNICEF Accelerator Program Progress Component Deliverables Status Advocacy and 1. Communication and advocacy plans in place Completed Communications 2. Number of people who have been reached through the advocacy strategy Completed 3. Number of stakeholders providing cofinancing for implementation of the Completed advocacy plans Analytical and 4. Outputs such as capacity assessments, costing tools, equity analysis, Completed Advisory Services institutional analysis, and positive deviance research outputs like scorecards Partner Alignment 5. Materials supporting Local Education Group (LEG) alignment and mutual Completed and Accountability accountability (e.g., data-informed LEG presentations, data synthesis for joint sector reviews, assessment of LEG effectiveness documents) 6. New data brought to the LEGs and included in joint sector reviews Completed 7. Spotlight on partners who are actively supporting the learning target and Completed Investment Case 186 Foundational Learning Compact Umbrella Trust Fund Progress Report October 2023–September 2024 References Ahmed, T., Devercelli, A., Glinskaya, E., Nasir, R.; Jakubowski, M., Tomasz, G., and Patrinos, H. Rawlings, L.B. 2023. “Addressing Care “Covid-19, School Closures, and Student to Accelerate Equality.” World Bank Learning Outcomes: New Global Evidence Group Gender Thematic Policy Notes from PISA.” 2024. Policy Research Series. Washington, D.C.: World Bank. Working Paper 10666. Washington, http://hdl.handle.net/10986/40184 D.C.: World Bank. https://documents1​ .worldbank.org/curated/en/09993230111​ Alonso, S. Gregory, L., Crawford, M., Oviedo 2496929/pdf/IDU16cf7d0801f2091478​ Buitrago, Maria; Herman, R., Ellinore, A. b1934914b47c3ab4027.pdf “Learning Recovery to Acceleration : A Global Update on Country Efforts to Mufti, Abdal. 2024. “Improving Teacher Continuous Improve Learning and Reduce Inequalities Professional Development: Case Examples (English).” Washington, D.C. : World Bank from the Coach Program.” Washington, D.C.: Group. http://documents.worldbank​ World Bank. https://documents1.worldbank​ .org/curated/en/099071223174514721​ .org/curated/en/099031524124058392/pdf​ /P179960038bed500a08dfc0489b6fa2254a /P50091712b5f9e018181811fdcf75e0e093​ .pdf?_gl=1*eq03av*_gcl_au*OTg5MD​ Bendini, Magdalena and Devercelli, Amanda E. 2022. IwNTI4LjE3MjU0NjY4MjE “Quality Early Learning: Nurturing Children’s Potential.” Washington, D.C.: World Bank. Sabarwal, S., Venegasd Marin, S. Spivack, M., http://hdl.handle.net/10986/37371 Ambasz, D. 2024. “Choosing Our Future: Education for Climate Action.” International Benveniste, L. and Giannini, S. “Governments in Bank for Reconstruction and Development low-income countries are spending more (IBRD) and World Bank. Washington D.C.: on education, but more funding is needed World Bank. for children who receive the least.” 2023. Education for Global Development (World World Bank. 2021. “Accelerator Program.” Online Bank Blog), October 10, 2023. Washington, brief, July 1. Washington, D.C.: World Bank. D.C.: World Bank. https://blogs.worldbank​ https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic​ .org/en/education/governments-low​ /education/brief/accelerator-program -income-countries-are-spending-more​ World Bank. 2022. Foundational Learning Compact -education-more-funding-needed​ Umbrella Trust Fund Progress Report: -children?deliveryName=DM200583 January 2021–September 2022. Washington, D’Angelo, Sophia, Juan D. Barón, Haani Mazari, D.C.: World Bank https://openknowledge​ Daniel Morales, Santiago Ospina Tabares, .worldbank.org/handle/10986/40398 Paola Polanco, and Tom Kaye. 2024. Lessons World Bank. 2023a. Foundational Learning on Implementation: Stakeholders’ Experiences Compact Umbrella Trust Fund Progress with Digital Personalized Learning Platforms. Report: October 2022 to September 2023. World Bank and EdTech Hub. Washington, D.C.: World Bank. References 187 Washington, D.C.: World Bank. http:// https://www.worldbank.org/en/news​ documents.worldbank.org/curated​ /feature/2020/11/20/world-bank-launches​ /en/099714101122426512/IDU133927f3​ -accelerator-countries-program-to-improve​ a1b8da14cef19dc91c44fe316dcb9 -global-foundational-learning World Bank. 2020. “World Bank Launches “World Bank. 2023b. Making Teacher Policy Work. ‘Accelerator Program’ to Improve Washington, D.C.: World Bank. http://hdl​ Global Foundational Learning.” .handle.net/10986/40579 Online feature story, November 20. 188 Foundational Learning Compact Umbrella Trust Fund Progress Report October 2023–September 2024 Notes 1 ALMA was launched in January 2024 to support the Technical Cooperation Group (TCG) on countries to increase the availability and use the Indicators for SDG 4 to support the use of quality data on the learning of children of learning assessments to report on SDG 4 and students generated through large-scale indicators. For more information, see https:// learning assessments to inform public policy gaml.uis.unesco.org/ on the GAML website. and programs, and report on SDG 4.1.1 while 7 For more information, see Policy Linking for strengthening systems and ensuring sustained Measuring Global Learning Outcomes on capabilities. the USAID website and Policy Linking on the 2 The ELP was originally established in 2015 as a UNESCO website. multi-donor trust fund working with countries 8 For more information on AMPLs, see Assessment to promote increased investment in early for Minimum Proficiency Levels on the AMPL childhood development (ECD) through research, website. policy planning, project design, and finance. 9 For more on designing national learning Through its major global work program, Invest assessments, see the new criteria for national in Childcare, the ELP catalyzes investments in assessments to report on SDG 4.1.1a by the quality childcare. For more on this, see the ELP UNESCO’s Institute for Statistics. subsection. 10 Interactive web-based Shiny apps are developed 3 Measurement: Improving the country’s capacity using open-source R software. to better measure learning outcomes. Evidence- 11 ZIPs are areas of pedagogical influence in Based Policies and Systemic Reforms: Supporting Mozambique. governments to adopt evidence-based 12 Competency 1 (effectively using the teacher’s interventions. Capacity Building: Partnering guide), Competence 2 (demonstrating and with governments to improve strengthening practicing), Competence 3 (checking for students’ government capacity and increasing the comprehension), Competence 4 (building effectiveness of the education systems. relationships), and Competency 5 (effectively 4 For more information on the Accelerator managing the classroom) Program, see World Bank (2022) and World Bank 13 For more information, see the EdTech Hub (2021). For more information on the Accelerator website. Program’s launch, see World Bank (2020). 14 The What Works Hub for Global Education was 5 For more about the Global Coalition for funded by the FCDO and the Bill and Melinda Foundational Learning, see the webpage on the Gates Foundation, with other strategic partners Global Partnership for Education website. aligning resources and providing in-kind support. 6 The Global Alliance to Monitor Learning (GAML) 15 Burundi, Cameroon, Djibouti. El Salvador, is an institutional platform to oversee the Eswatini, Ethiopia, Honduras, Iraq, Niger, North coordination efforts to measure learning and Macedonia, Pakistan, Republic of the Marshall the harmonization of standards for measuring Islands, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Serbia, learning. The GAML work in tandem with Sierra Leone, South Sudan, and Tajikistan.  Notes 189 The FLC would like to thank our donors for joining us in our mission to to invest in people, accelerate learning, and end learning poverty. KEY TECHNICAL PARTNERS OF THE FLC The FLC works closely with other technical partners to navigate the tremendous challenges in global education. Given the many powerful actors in the global aid architecture for education, the FLC finances several activities that work in coordination across multiple multilateral agencies—to move the needle on learning data and close the digital divide on remote learning. The FLC is proud to work closely with: GPE; UNESCO; UIS; UNICEF; and USAID. Contact the FLC: We welcome all questions about this critical learning initiative. The FLC is open to country governments and donor agencies, as well as foundations, and private sector donors. Send emails to flc-secretariat@worldbank.org.