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Global and regional activities program

Funding
The global and regional activities (GRA) program engages education stakeholders in researching and applying new knowledge and evidence-based practices to resolve education challenges.

The GRA program supports research, capacity development and knowledge sharing at the regional and global levels to accelerate the objectives outlined in GPE’s strategy through technical workshops, peer-learning events and conferences.

It focuses on 3 areas: learning outcomes, education financing, and out-of-school children. The GRA portfolio consists of 15 grants valued at US$31 million.

View progress reports

7 grants of US$17 million awarded to improve learning outcomes
Learning outcomes
3 grants of close to US$4 million awarded for education financing and systems building
Education financing and
systems building
5 grants totaling US$9,8 million awarded for out-of-school children, access and equity
Out-of-school children,
access and equity

Learning outcomes

GPE has awarded 7 grants of US$17 million to undertake research, knowledge sharing and capacity development activities that seek to better understand and promote good practices in quality education. Projects include activities undertaken by 10 different agencies in at least 53 countries.

1. Development of methodologies to link reading assessments across regions and draw lessons regarding best early assessment practices

Objective: Promoting regular assessment of reading and numeracy progress and lessons on best practices.

Partners: UIS, Hewlett Foundation

Geographic focus: 53 GPE countries in Africa, Asia, Arab States and Latin America

Grant: $462,246 (2013-2015)

Knowledge products:

Website: Catalog of learning assessments

E-book: Understanding what works in oral reading assessment

Blog: Laying the foundation to monitor learning globally

Blog: Understanding what works in oral reading assessments

2. Learning outcomes in early grades in reading: Integrations of curriculum, teaching, learning materials, and assessment of education

Objective: Development of well-defined curricula and syllabi in early literacy promoting reading success

Partners: UNESCO IBE, University of Geneva

Geographic focus: Burkina Faso, Niger, Senegal

Grant: $2,998,996 (2013-2017)

Knowledge products:

Reports:

Blog: Reading: a way out of poverty

3. ELAN - Effectiveness of teaching and learning in bilingual context

Objective: Promotion of efficient literacy process in schools and contributing to universal primary education

Partners: AFD, OIF

Geographic focus: Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Mali, Niger, Senegal

Grant: $1,408,200 (2013-2015)

Knowledge product:

Report: Final report on student assessments

4. OPERA - Teaching and learning effectiveness for learning outcomes

Objective: Self-assessment of teachers and improvement of their professional practices

Partners: AFD, Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie

Geographic focus: Burkina Faso and the IFADEM African partner countries

Grant: $996,855 (2013-2016)

Knowledge products:

Publication: OPERA. Rapport final

Tools: Livret de formation

Video: Improving teaching practices in Africa

Blog: Observer les enseignants en classe pour améliorer l'apprentissage

Blog: De nouveaux outils d'analyse du processus enseignement-apprentissage

5. Pacific Early Grade Readiness and Learning Program (PEARL) Quality/Learning Outcomes

Objective: Improving evidence-based policy and decisions on school readiness and early grade reading

Partner: World Bank

Geographic focus: Pacific island countries with targeted activities in Kiribati, Tonga, Tuvalu, Samoa and Papua New Guinea

Grant: $8,505,075 (2014-2019)

Knowledge products:

Operational guide: Pacific Islands’ Pacific Early Age Readiness and Learning (PEARL) - Operational Guide. June 2019

Supplementary annexes to the operational guide: Pacific Early Age Readiness and Learning (PEARL) Operational Guide – Supplementary annexes. June 2019

Report: A randomized evaluation of a low-cost and highly scripted teaching method to improve basic early grade reading skills in Papua New Guinea

Report: Early childhood development in Tonga: Baseline results from the Tongan early human capability index

Story and video: A better start for children in Tonga

Press release: Pacific early age readiness and learning workshop a success

Story: Pacific early age readiness and learning program: Every child ready, every child learning

6. Improving Teacher Support and Participation in Local Education Groups

Objective: Enhancement of teacher effectiveness through participation in social dialogue regarding policy

Partners: UNESCO, Education International

Geographic focus: Benin, Cote d'Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Haiti, Liberia, Mali, Nepal, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Uganda

Grant: $1,984,850 (2014-2017)

Knowledge products:

Website: Enhancing teacher participation in social dialogue

Report: Improving teacher support and participation in local education groups

7. Learning Outcomes - Asia Region/ Learner assessment for instructional progress

Objective: Improvement of quality of assessment systems and learning outcomes in the Asia-Pacific region

Partners: UNESCO Asia-Pacific Regional Bureau for Education

Geographic focus: Asia Pacific region, with targeted activities in Afghanistan, Bhutan, Cambodia, Kyrgyz Republic, Lao PDR, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Tajikistan, Timor-Leste, Vietnam

Grant: $944,061 (2014-2016)

Knowledge products:

Website: Network on Education Quality Monitoring in the Asia Pacific (NEQMAP)

Online database: NEQMAP Knowledge Portal

Policy Brief: Using large-scale assessments of students' learning to inform education policy: Insights from the Asia-Pacific region

Blog: Ensuring learning data matters

Education financing and systems building

GPE has awarded 3 grants of close to US$4 million to 4 partners in support of research, development of new methodologies and tools, capacity development, and evidence-based advocacy on issues related to school grants and equity, national systems and financial flows. Overall, the 3 grants cover at least 14 countries worldwide.

1. Education Financing: Development of methodologies to improve national reporting on financial flows

Objective: Development of detailed education finance data available for national sector planning and analysis

Partners: UIS and IIEP (Paris and Pole de Dakar)

Geographic focus: Cote d'Ivoire, Guinea, Lao PDR, Nepal, Uganda, Vietnam, Zimbabwe

Grant: $2,119,074 (2013-2016)

Knowledge products:

Report: Who pays for what in education? The real costs revealed through national education accounts

Webinar: National Education Accounts (NEA) - September 2016

Blogs:

2. Improving equity through school grants

Objective: Implementing school grant policies, assessing their impact on school equity, quality and students

Partners: IIEP

Geographic focus: Francophone Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean with targeted activities in Democratic Republic of Congo, Haiti, Honduras, Madagascar and Togo

Grant: $996,812 (2013-2016)

Knowledge products:

Videos:

Website: Improving school financing: the use and usefulness of school grants


Reports and guidelines:

Blogs:

Infographics: School grants

3. School profiles: systems improvement

Objective: Development of information feedback systems and tools for increased accountability

Partners: UNICEF, IIEP, Pole de Dakar

Geographic focus: Global with targeted activities in Madagascar, Nepal, the Philippines, Togo and Zambia

Grant: $878,069 (2014-2017)

Knowledge products:

Webinars:

Website: Data must speak

Out-of-school children, access and equity

Five grants totaling US$9,8 million were awarded to undertake projects in over 60 countries across Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East. The projects seek to enable a better understanding of the persistent challenges to access, the multiple barriers confronted by out-of-school children and ensuring equity for the most marginalized, including girls and children with disabilities.

1. Out-of-School children: Closing the data gap

Objective: Improving collection and use of data, increasing quality and comparability, linking data to policy.

Partners: UIS, UNICEF, World Bank, UNESCO

Geographic focus: Global: Africa, Arab states, Asia, Latin America

Grant: $1,099,527 (2013-2016)

Knowledge products:

Report: Fixing the Broken Promise of Education for All – Findings from the Global Initiative on Out-of-School Children

Blog: Reducing the number of out-of-school children means reaching the most marginalized

2. Significant reduction in out-of-school children

Objective: Enhancing of retention rates and education system efficiency and reducing dropout risks.

Partners: UNICEF, UIS, national governments

Geographic focus: Global

Grant: $3,284,900 (2013-2015)

Knowledge product:

Report: Global Initiative on Out-of-School Children: South Sudan Country Study

Website: All in school

3. Addressing the out-of-school children data and policy gaps

Objective: Reducing number of out-of-school children, improving learning especially of vulnerable groups

Partners: World Bank, UNESCO, UNICEF, UIS, national governments

Geographic focus: Global

Grant: $1,583,027 (2014-2017)

Knowledge products:

Reports:

Website: Economic impact of child marriage

4. Disability, health and education in support of learning for all

Objective: Improving learning for all in basic education through teacher training and implementation of inclusive school health and nutrition

Partner: World Bank

Geographic focus: Global: 15 GPE countries

Grant: $3,000,000 (2014-2018)

Knowledge products:

Reports:

5. Addressing school-related gender-based violence

Objetive: Girls' completion of primary and transition to secondary school in a safe, supportive environment

Partners: UNICEF, UNGEI

Geographic focus: Cote d'Ivoire, Ethiopia, Togo, Zambia

Grant: $800,000 (2014-2017)

Knowledge products:

Reports:

Blogs:

Progress reports