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GPE in action
September 19, 2018 |
GPE in action
GPE in Action
Through stories, discover how GPE helps partner countries strengthen their education systems and achieve results.
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A global partnership

A global partnership

Developing country partners

Click on highlighted countries to read stories

  • Afghanistan
  • Albania
  • Bangladesh
  • Benin
  • Bhutan
  • Burkina Faso
  • Burundi
  • Cabo Verde
  • Cambodia
  • Cameroon
  • Central African Republic
  • Chad
  • Comoros
  • Congo, Democratic Republic of
  • Congo, Republic of
  • Cote d'Ivoire
  • Djibouti
  • Dominica
  • Eritrea
  • Ethiopia
  • The Gambia
  • Georgia
  • Ghana
  • Grenada
  • Guinea
  • Guinea-Bissau
  • Guyana
  • Haiti
  • Honduras
  • Kenya
  • Kiribati
  • Kyrgyz Republic
  • Lao PDR
  • Lesotho
  • Liberia
  • Madagascar
  • Malawi
  • Mali
  • Marshall Islands
  • Mauritania
  • FS Micronesia
  • Moldova
  • Mongolia
  • Mozambique
  • Myanmar
  • Nepal
  • Nicaragua
  • Niger
  • Nigeria
  • Pakistan
  • Papua New Guinea
  • Rwanda
  • Saint Lucia
  • Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  • Samoa
  • Sao Tome and Principe
  • Senegal
  • Sierra Leone
  • Solomon Islands
  • Somalia
  • South Sudan
  • Sudan
  • Tajikistan
  • Tanzania
  • Timor-Leste
  • Togo
  • Tonga
  • Tuvalu
  • Uganda
  • Uzbekistan
  • Vanuatu
  • Vietnam
  • Yemen
  • Zambia
  • Zimbabwe

Other eligible countries

  • Armenia
  • Bolivia
  • Egypt
  • El Salvador
  • Guatemala
  • India
  • Indonesia
  • Maldives
  • Morocco
  • Philippines
  • Sri Lanka
  • Swaziland
  • Syria
  • Tunisia
  • Ukraine

Donor partners

  • Australia
  • Belgium
  • Canada
  • Denmark
  • European Union
  • Finland
  • France
  • Germany
  • Ireland
  • Italy
  • Japan
  • Luxembourg
  • Netherlands
  • Norway
  • Republic of Korea
  • Senegal
  • Spain
  • Sweden
  • Switzerland
  • United Arab Emirates
  • United Kingdom
  • United States of America

GPE improves learning and equity
by building stronger education systems

GPE improves learning and equity by building stronger education systems

Girls attend morning assembly at the Shaheed Mohamed Motaher Zaid School in Sana'a. The Social Fund for Development provided funds to the school as part of their 'quality of education' program. Republic of Yemen. Photo: Dana Smillie / World Bank
 

Who we are

A global partnership and fund dedicated exclusively to education for the most vulnerable children

A global partnership and fund dedicated exclusively to education for the most vulnerable children

Learn more

Partners

Partners

  • Low and lower middle-income countries
  • Donor countries
  • Civil society organizations
  • International organizations and development banks
  • Private sector
  • Philanthropic foundations
  • Teacher organizations

Our results

77 million more children in primary school between 2002 and 2016
more children in primary school between 2002 and 2016
76% of children completed primary school in 2015
of children completed primary school in 2015
74% of girls completed primary school in 2015
of girls completed primary school in 2015
48% of girls completed lower-secondary school in 2015
of girls completed lower-secondary school in 2015
Learn more

Our approach

Improving LEARNING AND EQUITY through strong education systems

STRENGTHENING EDUCATION SYSTEMS

support quality education sector plans

align partners behind national strategies

increase effectiveness of all aid

Improving LEARNING AND EQUITY through strong education systems

RESULTS-BASED FUNDING

incentives and requirements to drive better outcomes

extra support for countries affected by conflict

MORE AND SUSTAINED FINANCING

Donor country governments increase aid to education and fully finance the GPE Fund

Developing country governments increase education spending to at least 20% of the national budget

Private sector and philanthropic foundations contribute expertise and financing

Multilateral and regional development banks mobilize additional co-financing through the GPE Multiplier

  • Girls play in the yard of Ayno Meena Number Two school in the city of Kandahar, Afghanistan. Credit: GPE/Jawad Jalali
    Credit: Afghanistan Ministry of Education

    Brishna

    9 years old
    Afghanistan

    Gains in education are a particularly heartening aspect of Afghanistan's still difficult recovery since the Taliban were overthrown in 2001. Under the Taliban the number of children in school was extremely low, especially girls, but the situation has improved markedly, with the rate of girls enrolling in primary school rising from 44% in 2002 to 84% in 2017. Even so, many challenges remain for girls getting an education in Afghanistan beyond this level, especially in remote areas.

    One of the main obstacles is the lack of female teachers and schools in rural areas, such as Helmand province where Brishna lives. GPE is tackling both problems in its support for Afghanistan's national education sector plan. Under the GPE program, women teachers are being recruited, trained, and deployed to community-based schools in some of the country's poorest districts. GPE is also working with the government on reforming governance and management of the education sector.

    Brishna lives in a small village in Garamser, Helmand. She is 9 years old and comes from a poor family. Brishna is a bright girl and always wanted to go to school. Credit: Afghanistan Ministry of Education

    "Getting an education is my only dream."

    A new community school in Brishna's village is enabling more girls and boys to go to school. Nationwide, the rate of girls enrolling in primary school increased from 44% in 2002 to 84% in 2017.
  • Young boys in pre-school. Credit: GPE/Livia Barton
     

    Cambodia

    Better health means better learning

    GPE has been supporting education in Cambodia since 2006. The focus is on strengthening inclusive primary school education and promoting better health for learning in school. Here, the partnership is giving special attention to children with sight, hearing and learning disabilities.

    A training module for teachers to increase education opportunities for vision- and hearing-impaired children is used in teacher training colleges across the country. Teachers taking the module are qualified to do basic vision and hearing screening, and refer children for further treatment. Since the program started in 2014, over 33,000 children and teachers have been screened, and about 10% have received further treatment. GPE is supporting a government initiative for health check-ups for grade 1 students with nearly 140,000 children assessed since the program started.

    The check-up program is expected to be adopted nationwide, making Cambodia a leader in integrating health into its school system. GPE played an important role in bringing development partners together to provide initial funding for the program, including the World Bank, as GPE's grant agent, and nongovernmental organizations specializing in school health. These included the Fred Hollows Foundation, Catholic Relief Services and Krousar Thmey, a Cambodian organization educating children with disabilities.

  • Education in Chad. Credit: Educate a Child

    Chad

    Giving refugee children an education

    Chad is surrounded by conflicts in neighboring countries and still feeling the effects of famine and other crises that have left it one of the world's poorest countries and host to 400,000 refugees. GPE, which allocates about half of its grant funding to support countries affected by fragility and conflict, is supporting Chad's efforts to strengthen its school system which was weak even before large numbers of refugees arrived.

    In the remote Lake Chad region, where many refugees live, 62% of Chad's children are out of school. With GPE's support, Chad is not only addressing the immediate humanitarian needs of the refugees but also creating a stronger and more enduring education system for local and refugee children alike. In 2016 and 2017, GPE helped the government build 86 classrooms in the Lake Chad region, launched school meals and nutrition awareness programs, distributed 60,000 new textbooks, and started training programs to expand the number of qualified teachers there. In all, over 8,500 children have benefitted from these interventions.

     
  • At age 11, she is in CM2 (fifth grade). Each morning and evening, she travels four kilometers on foot to get to school and return home. She is motivated and loves learning. She wants to become a teacher. Credit: GPE/ Carine Durand

    Juliana

    11 years old
    Cote d'Ivoire

    GPE contributed to Cote d'Ivoire's recovery from over a decade of civil war by supporting the development of a new education sector plan. School was made compulsory for boys and girls, and the state budget for education increased by 25%. An important outcome of both measures was the rate of girls completing primary school, rising from 33% in 2000 to 60% in 2016. A US$41 million GPE grant helped to train teachers and build schools in underserved remote areas.

    GPE's support for rehabilitating Cote d'Ivoire's education system, and the backing the partnership's work is getting from local communities, has brought tangible benefits for many children. Juliana's new school is closer to her home, making her walk to classes safer, and giving her more time to spend on homework.

    "My parents never went to school. I am the first girl in my family to go to school. My favorite subjects are mathematics, science and geography. I would like to be a teacher."
  • Hidassie School. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Credit: GPE/Midastouch
     

    Ethiopia

    Raising the quality of teaching and learning

    When Ethiopia joined GPE in 2004, less than 50% of children were in primary school and the quality of education was low, in part due to a lack of trained teachers. Also too many children dropped out. GPE has worked with the government and other development partners to strengthen the education system, significantly increasing the number of children in school and learning. Grants totaling US$368 million supported education reforms to improve the quality of teaching and learning in over 40,000 schools.

    Key to improve learning are trained teachers and a modern curriculum. With GPE's support a new curriculum was developed and over 200,000 teachers upgraded their qualifications. As a result, 44% of teachers in grades 1-4 were trained in 2013, up from just 3% in 2006. For grades 5-8, the percentage rose from 53% to 92% over the same period.

    Quality learning also needs textbooks. Thanks to the support of GPE and other education partners, 200 million textbooks were distributed reaching the government's ambitious target of one textbook per student. A new system to monitor performance of schools, teachers, and students has also been established. With 85% of primary-age children now in school, Ethiopia's next generation is on a path to a better future.

  • Gbimsi Junior High School, Savelugu, Northern Region, Ghana, May 2016 Credit: GPE/ Stephan Bachenheimer

    Ghana

    A stronger system delivering results

    Ghana's focus on getting more children in school since the late 1990s has paid off: the country has seen dramatic increases in enrollment and significant improvements in the quality of education. GPE has assisted Ghana at every step of this investment to strengthen the country's education system.

    GPE worked with the government and other partners to draw up and carry out Ghana's 2010–2020 education strategic plan. Its implementation is resulting in better basic education services in 75 deprived districts, and higher spending on teaching resources and equipment for the country's most disadvantaged schools.

    Ghana is also making encouraging progress in strengthening its school supervision and accountability systems, resulting in a marked increase in student and teacher attendance, and higher enrollment and transition rates from primary to lower-secondary school. The primary school completion rate increased from 69% in 2004 to 100% in 2015, an enormous success. The number of students completing secondary school rose from 54% to 75% in the same period.

     
  • Students in second grade classroom. Credit: GPE/Kelley Lynch
     

    Kenya

    Using technology to strengthen teacher performance and learning

    GPE is helping the government of Kenya to adopt new technologies to strengthen the country's education system. The National Education Management Information System gives every child a unique identifying number so that their progress through the school system can be tracked. By analyzing the data, the government knows how well children do in school and where they are moving, which is invaluable for setting education programs and policies.

    An online tool for teacher appraisals is raising teaching standards by tracking classroom performance, professional knowledge, and attendance, among other criteria. The appraisals are used to identify successes and gaps that can then be addressed through training and peer learning.

    Another important aspect of GPE's work in Kenya is to remove the barriers keeping girls out of school through grants to 4,000 low-performing public primary schools. The grants are used to waive school fees for girls and hire female teachers, and for initiatives to counter sexual harassment and violence against girls.

  • Two preschool girls during class at the Ruben Dario preschool in Matagalpa, Nicaragua. Credit: GPE/Carolina Valenzuela

    Nicaragua

    Investing in early childhood education

    Investing in early childhood care and education— the foundation for a successful school career—is a priority for the government of Nicaragua. This is paying off with preschool enrollment rising from 40% in 2013 to 50% in 2017, resulting in many more children in Nicaragua being better prepared to start primary school.

    GPE is supporting Nicaragua in this endeavor and a GPE grant was used to design a unified curriculum that covers the three levels of preschool education. It was launched nationwide in 2017 and almost 7,000 educators have been trained on the curriculum. The grant also helped build, furnish and equip preschool classrooms, including toilets and recreational areas. Nearly 9,000 preschools received textbooks, school supplies and learning toys.

     
  • Class 5 students with teacher Asia Ebrahim; Asfia Badr Basic School for Girls, Nile East Locality, Alfayhaa Administrative Unit, Al-Baraka District, near Khartoum, Sudan Credit: GPE/ Kelley Lynch
     

    Sudan

    Improving learning to promote peacebuilding

    Sudan's government recognizes that improving the access to and the quality of education will play a big role in peace building and preventing further outbreaks of the conflicts that have blighted the country. Between 2012 and 2018, GPE helped build 1,600 classrooms primarily in poor rural areas with weak learning outcomes and initiated a program of school grants to make education affordable for poor families. As part of this program, over 5,300 schools received GPE grants to pay for school uniforms and running costs.

    GPE funding also ensured the distribution of 22 million textbooks across Sudan. Because of this effort, all students in grades 1–8 have access to textbooks in math, science, Arabic and English. As well as making an important contribution to Sudan's education infrastructure, GPE is working closely with the Ministry of Education to strengthen its management and monitoring capacity through three systems: a teacher database; national learning assessments; and a rapid education management information system, which provides reliable information on primary and secondary education, and went into operation because of GPE funding.

    Preliminary results from a national learning assessment show that reading skills increased significantly between 2014 and 2017 proving that GPE interventions work.

  • The 6th grade classrom at Kisiwandui primary school in Zanzibar welcomes two blind students. Credit: GPE/Chantal Rigaud

    Tanzania-Zanzibar

    Ensuring children with disabilities are in school and learning

    In Zanzibar, among numerous interventions to achieve this, the Ministry of Education is working with civil society organizations to conduct awareness-raising activities for parents, teachers and communities to ensure the education system does not leave children with disabilities behind.

    GPE is supporting this initiative with a US$5.2 million grant that has so far trained hundreds of teachers on guidance and counseling, detecting special needs, and classroom skills for including children with disabilities. Vision- and hearing-impaired children also receive glasses and hearing aids, and more than 250,000 learning and teaching materials for inclusive education—the pedagogical concept that children of all abilities and backgrounds should learn together—have been distributed to schools.

    Some 28% of Zanzibar's schools offer an inclusive education. To increase this number, Zanzibar set up the National Council for People with Disabilities and a Department of Disability Affairs to ensure that the rights and needs of children with disabilities are part of government education strategies and programs.

     
  • Girls attend morning assembly at the Shaheed Mohamed Motaher Zaid School in Sana'a. The Social Fund for Development provided funds to the school as part of their 'quality of education' program. Republic of Yemen. Photo: Dana Smillie / World Bank
     

    Yemen

    Conflict heightens the urgency of keeping children in school

    The ongoing conflict in Yemen is jeopardizing the education of the country's 6.5 million school-age children. Before the conflict, Yemen made considerable headway in getting more children into school, particularly girls. But the conflict has wiped out years of education gains. Although 80% of Yemen's schools are still open, little learning is taking place. Many schools are open for just a few hours a day, and teachers, whose salaries have not been paid for months, are compelled to search for other ways of making a living.

    A priority of GPE's program for Yemen is finding ways for children affected by the crisis to be able to continue their learning. Since the start of the conflict, GPE has been holding meetings with education partners outside Yemen to find solutions to help the Ministry of Education keep the education system functioning.

    As part of its support, GPE is working with the government to draw up a transitional education plan and lay the foundations for a longer-term education plan. GPE's grant to Yemen of US$72.6 million has twice been reprogrammed to enable the partnership to respond to immediate needs, such as helping the ministry and UNICEF to buy basic school supplies and learning materials. This also allowed funds to be used for psychosocial support for children and teachers.

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Focus areas: Early education, Education in crisis situations, Gender equality, ICT, Inclusive education, Teaching quality
Regions and countries: Afghanistan, Cambodia, Chad, Côte d'Ivoire, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Nicaragua, Sudan, Tanzania, Yemen
Document type: Briefs, brochures, factsheets
Language: English
Year: 2018
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