By Conrad Sackey, Minister of Basic and Senior Secondary Education of Sierra Leone;
Pia Rebello Britto, Global Director of Education and Adolescent Development, UNICEF; and
Anders Holm, Executive Director at the Hempel Foundation
Picture this: turning 10 years old and being unable to read and understand a simple sentence. This harsh reality affects 4 in 5 children across Africa, and 9 in 10 children in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Foundational learning – the achievement of basic literacy, numeracy and socio-emotional skills – provides the essential building blocks for future learning and higher-order skills. When children acquire these skills, they stay in school longer, learn more effectively, and are empowered to reach their potential.
This issue was at the heart of this week’s second annual Foundational Learning Exchange in Kigali, Rwanda, which brought together 28 Education Ministers from across Africa and over 500 education leaders. It was an opportunity for countries across the continent to reflect on the progress made and challenges ahead and assess whether they are moving fast enough to drive meaningful change on foundational learning.
Investing in foundational learning yields extraordinary returns: Just a one percentage point increase in public education resources directed to the poorest 20 percent of students could lift 35 million primary school-aged children out of learning poverty, if allocated to proven interventions. Beyond education, this investment contributes to healthier communities, stronger economies, and more inclusive societies.
Yet, despite these enormous benefits, significant challenges across Africa remain, placing millions of children at a lifelong disadvantage and trapping generations in cycles of poverty and inequality. Addressing these challenges requires urgent, collective action from governments and stakeholders, as well as a continued commitment to scaling proven approaches.
What works: Implementing the basics
Recognising the scale of the crisis and its urgency, the Global Coalition for Foundational Learning was established in 2022 to support countries to drive accelerated action. Through the Coalition, experts developed the RAPID Framework, which outlines the key actions needed to improve foundational learning outcomes.
Governments and stakeholders worldwide have also been invited to endorse the Commitment to Action on Foundational Learning, which emphasises evidence-based policies and practical implementation of the RAPID Framework. To date, 35 countries and 34 organisations have signed the Commitment.
To monitor countries’ progress on these efforts for foundational learning, UNICEF and the Hempel Foundation launched the Foundational Learning Action Tracker in 2023, offering a data-driven approach to identify strides taken and remaining gaps.
Findings indicate that nearly three-quarters of African countries are collecting data to ensure that every child remains in school, about two-thirds of countries are using assessment data to inform education policy and planning, and almost 80 per cent are setting benchmarks for literacy and numeracy in early-grade curricula.
While these efforts illustrate countries’ commitment to advance progress, significant gaps remain. Fewer than 10 per cent of countries are implementing targeted instruction, a critical approach that tailors support to students’ learning levels.
Even more concerning is that only about 20 per cent of countries are taking action on the RAPID 5 – a set of fundamental interventions that are critical to supporting foundational learning, such as ensuring that every child in the early grades has a personal textbook, conducting annual literacy and numeracy assessments in the early grades, and implementing evidence-based foundational learning programmes at scale.
Bridging the gap: Countries leading the way
Though Africa is moving forward, overall action remains too slow, and to safeguard the future of the millions of children at risk of falling behind, efforts must be quickly accelerated. To that end, several countries are leading the way with bold, innovative solutions that bridge the gap.
For instance, Burundi’s Ministry of Education has launched a nationwide initiative to build at least one school on every hill, alleviating classroom overcrowding and improving access to education.
Ghana’s Safe School Programme is providing all primary schools with psychosocial support resources, improving students’ mental health.
Sierra Leone's learning transformation is still in its early stages, but key systems are already in place for regular learning assessments and improving instructional quality.
Progress is also underway in other REACH focus areas, including a national out-of-school initiative, major investments in teacher development and recruitment, and integrating psychosocial health and well-being into planning, all the way from central-level to schools.
These examples highlight how to truly shift the trajectory of learning poverty rates, countries must prioritise meeting the needs of the most vulnerable children at risk of falling behind in the early grades, where foundational skills are developed.
Leveraging the Foundational Learning Exchange to accelerate progress
At this year’s Foundational Learning Exchange, building on the inaugural event hosted by Sierra Leone last year, government leaders, donors and development partners were presented with the pivotal opportunity to come together to take stock of challenges, share successful practices, and strategise.
As these dynamic discussions took place, it was clear that having a dedicated space for dialogue both illuminates shared challenges and helps pave the way for countries to shift from commitment to action, and from pilot to scaling up evidence-based solutions.
As leaders return home, let these exchanges inform the critical shifts that are needed to move the needle on foundational learning. A brighter future for Africa is within reach, and it starts with ensuring every child across the continent gains the foundational skills they need to thrive and succeed.
Conrad Sackey - Minister of Basic and Secondary Education, Sierra Leone
Honorable Mr Conrad Sackey is currently Minister of Basic and Senior Secondary Education of Sierra Leone. He was previously the Chairperson of Sierra Leone Teaching Service Commission. He holds a Master of Arts degree in Education from University College London’s Institute of Education.
Pia Rebello Britto, Global Director, Education and Adolescent Development, UNICEF
Pia Rebello Britto is the Global Director for Education and Adolescent Development at UNICEF, where she provides strategic vision and leadership to ensure that every child has access to quality learning opportunities. Ms. Britto oversees the development of programme policies, strategies, and guidelines that drive UNICEF's global education and adolescent development initiatives.
Before assuming her current position, Ms. Britto served as the UNICEF Representative to the Lao People’s Democratic Republic and has also held the role of Global Chief and Senior Advisor of Early Childhood Development at UNICEF. Ms. Britto holds a doctorate in Developmental Psychology and is a recognized expert in her field.
Anders Holm, Executive Director, Hempel Foundation
Anders Holm is the Executive Director of the Hempel Foundation, overseeing initiatives in education and biodiversity conservation. He leads efforts to reach 1 million children with educational programs by 2030 and conserve 5 million hectares of tropical forests. Holm focuses on accelerating impact through strategic partnerships and capacity building worldwide. Previously, he has held leading roles at the Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Business, Industry, and Financial Affairs in Denmark.
