Quality of learning outcomes
In this working paper, the authors analyse the evidence on schooling outcomes from 75 studies of a range of school interventions. The paper shows that education interventions are not only getting more children into school and keeping them there but are also helping children to learn more. There is compelling evidence of the effectiveness of conditional… Read more
Many young people around the world — especially the disadvantaged — are leaving school without the skills they need to thrive in society and find decent jobs. As well as thwarting young people’s hopes, these education failures are jeopardizing equitable economic growth and social cohesion, and preventing many countries from reaping the potential benefits of… Read more
A rights-based, child-friendly school has two basic characteristics: it is child-seeking and child-centred. Teachers are the single most important factor in creating an effective and inclusive classroom. Child-friendly schools aim to develop a learning environment in which children are motivated and able to learn. Staff members are friendly and welcoming to children and attend to… Read more
It was difficult to find research where effectiveness in terms of attainment was reported. The goal of inclusive education often seems to be inclusion itself or attendance rather than completion or graded learning outcomes. Outcomes of inclusive education are often illusive and difficult to measure. The World Bank suggest that tests of content knowledge provide… Read more
Sir Michael is a leading authority on education systems and education reform. Over the past two decades his research and advisory work has focused on school improvement, standards and performance; system-wide reform; effective implementation; access, success and funding in higher education; and access and quality in schools in developing countries. Sir Michael is DFID’s Special… Read more
This report argues that a rigorous focus on the successful delivery of aid can lift developing countries to the point that aid is unnecessary. “The good news from Pakistan” draws lessons from Sir Michael Barber’s experience of delivering aid in Pakistan since 2010. Throughout he demands a new level of ambition and execution in aid… Read more
This report provides practical advice on how to navigate through digital innovations in education, and suggests where more innovation effort is needed. It provides an actionable guide to learning technology that will allow founders, funders, and teachers to make better decisions. It identifies persistent gaps in innovation activity and points to what needs to be… Read more
In this video, Prof. Sally Grantham-McGregor discusses the importance of early childhood development. She argues that the main reasons for a child not reaching his or her full potential are partly nutritional, party health related and partly due to psychosocial stimulation or the quality of the home environment. She goes on to explain that how well… Read more
The immediate role for expanded assessment is to sound the alarm about a widespread stagnation of learning at very low levels despite a dramatic increase in school enrolments and education expenditures. It is clear that the main cause of the schooling-learning gap is not lack of classroom inputs, but the political economy of education. However,… Read more
The goal (impact) of the INSTEP was to contribute to keeping Kenya on track to meet MDGs 2 and 3, as indicated by progress in the primary school net enrolment rate (PNER) and the primary school completion rate (PCR). The following purpose (outcome) is reported on: improved access, quality and accountability in both state and… Read more
In this paper, the authors develop a new metric for the distribution of educational achievement across countries that can further track the cognitive skill distribution within countries and over time. A close relationship between educational achievement and GDP growth is identified that is remarkably stable. In a series of approaches for addressing causality, the authors… Read more