Author:

A new video showcases learning about the collaborative research process co-led by CAMFED and government partners in Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe being used to examine how the in-school youth-led mentorship program (Learner Guides) can benefit all students through integration into national school systems.

In the video, government and other participants describe essential elements contributing to the effectiveness of the process which include:

• co-creation from design stages

• engagement of diverse ministries, ministry departments and other stakeholders

• experiential learning gained from participatory on-site research and regional exchange meetings.

Read more and watch the video.

The blog introduces the reader to Qurban, a child in Chak 13, and how his life changed due to the TALEEM programme.

“Chak 13 -A village is home to nearly 1,500 people but doesn’t have a single school. Most men work as laborers in the fields, while many women work as house-help in the nearby city. As poverty is rampant, children are frequently compelled to work to support their families. Qurban, the eldest among his siblings and the only son, had been working at a relative’s barbershop in the village since the age of 10.”

“Qurban vividly recalls the day when he came back from work to find Sunaina and a community worker talking to his parents.” ““My father kissed my forehead and told me that I would now need to wake up early every morning because I would be going to school,” shares Qurban with a smile.”

Read the blog.

This blog talks about the benefits of Accelerated Education Programmes:

“Every child out of school in Ghana and West Africa has the potential to unlock the nation’s potential, achieve foundational literacy, and create opportunities for themselves and their communities. The partnership between CEA, as a state implementer, and AFC, as a research think tank, in addressing Out-of-School children and Youth challenges in West Africa exemplifies how collaboration between governments, researchers, civil society, and development partners like GPE KIX can address the barriers to education and highlight alternative pathways to basic education based on evidence.”

Read the blog.

Less than two per cent of the world’s 34 million deaf children have access to learning in sign language, and 95% of these children encounter sign language for the first time only when they begin school.

Addressing this critical inequity, a 33-month project multi-country initiative was launched in Kenya this April. The initiative operates on dual tracks: researching the impact of sign language-rich learning environments while simultaneously investigating the complex factors that enable or impede scaling this impact across Kenya, Malawi, and Rwanda.

Read the blog.

This blog was published by UNESCO in April. It looks at the recent cuts in spending from seven donor nations and the impact this has on education in various countries. The impact will depend on how much the countries funded their education by overseas development aid:

“In low-income countries, aid accounts for 12% of total education spending, including household contributions. In relative terms, it is expected that aid to education will fall by half in Chad and Liberia, and by one third in Madagascar and Mali. In absolute terms, aid to education levels will fall by USD 33 million in Ethiopia, 35 million in Rwanda and 51 million in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Expressed as a share of total aid spending, the cuts represent 18% in Rwanda, 48% in Liberia and 19% in Somalia.”

Read the analysis.

Across 6 countries in Africa, education union programmes against child labour are delivering life-changing results. In 2024 alone, over 1,880 former child labourers have been returned to classrooms in project areas in Burundi, Malawi, Mali, Togo, Uganda, and Zimbabwe.

Activities focus on assessing the number of children not in school, training hundreds of teachers and school leaders on children’s rights, and raising awareness of the negative impact of child labour and the benefits of education. This engagement also involves working with local people and mobilising the community to act against child labour.

Read the blog. 

In this podcast episode from the Resource and Support Hub, Andrea Watkins, technical director of the Safeguarding Resource and Support Hub talks with Nicolo Di Marzo, Ethiopia country director, and Bethelhem Sileshi, safeguarding, gender and social inclusion officer at Link Education International.

Listen to the podcast. 

Through a US$10 million GPE grant for 2023–2025, targeted schools have become safer, more inclusive and better equipped to withstand crisis in South Sudan. The grant supported interventions such as building flood-resilient classrooms and gender-sensitive sanitation facilities; along with providing remedial classes and school supplies for learners whose education was disrupted by flooding.

The blog introduces the reader to Kau, a 19-year-old student in primary school. Kau attends Malakia Boys Primary School and is not only learning the curriculum, but also taking part in a school club focused on environmental education.

Read the blog.

“See what young people have to say about equal access to education in the Asia-Pacific region.”

The five takeaways on gender and education are from five inspiring young women.

“Education was my way out. It’s the reason I can speak to you here eloquently in English. It’s why I am standing with you here today.” (Ain Husniza, Malaysian activist and found er of Pocket of Pink, a feminist initiative combining art, advocacy, and education to empower youth)

Read the blog.

This blog provides information about the situation of education in Pakistan. The Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) research team at Idara-e-Taleem-o-Aagahi (ITA) launched a five-year longitudinal study to assess the delivery of foundational learning and political accountability across eight diverse constituencies in Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Balochistan.

“Infrastructure assessments revealed that while most schools had access to electricity, many lacked digital learning facilities such as computer labs and internet connectivity. Inclusive infrastructure—such as ramps and accessible toilets—was limited, highlighting an area for focused attention on understanding of inclusion/disability and support in schools. Teacher attendance and qualifications also varied, underscoring the importance of continuous professional development and administrative support. School governance bodies, where functional, were active in select areas, suggesting the potential for strengthening community engagement in school management.”

Read the blog and find out more about the results from the study.