There are very complex dynamics that dictate language of instruction (LOI) policy and practice decision making in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). These complexities include lack of evidence of what languages are best for improving student learning in some cases, a lack of commitment or will from governments and/or communities to accept or apply existing evidence in other cases; and more often than not, the lack of a clear, intentionally supportive plan and roadmap to meet governments where they are in their journey and goals for improving student learning in any language(s) they deem necessary for their society. To help countries navigate their linguistic journeys and priorities, AIR and the Gates Foundation, in collaboration with key education decision- and policymakers will develop the Blueprint for the Use of evidence In LOI Decisions (BUILD) Framework. AIR and in-country consultants will work closely with education decision makers in the selected countries to develop LOI country road maps based on their current realities (evidence realities, political realities, and economic and resource realities) and goals. AIR will help articulate where each country is in their journey and then strengthen their capacity to design the most effective steps moving forward to achieve their educational goals. The BUILD countries include Cote d’Ivoire, Mozambique, Rwanda, Senegal, and South Africa. This panel will explore how education decision- and policymakers can strengthen language of instruction decision-making across Sub-Saharan Africa with the ultimate goal to ensure country-level LOI policies link to providing all students with equal access to achieving foundational learning outcomes.

This session will bring together technical representatives from the Global Coalition for Foundational Learning, partner and donor organizations, and governments who are involved in the successful scaling of foundational learning programs and interventions. The session will compare different approaches to scaling foundational learning, highlighting successes and challenges from diverse experiences. The interactive discussion will provide a platform for participants to share their lessons learned, identify common principles, and explore what works and what doesn’t in various contexts, fostering collaboration among technical experts, government, and implementers.

The first part of this session will highlight policy frameworks and practices that have been designed to meet the needs of people with disabilities to ensure inclusive education.  This will include discussions on strides made on access, literacy, collection and use of data on in and out of school children with disabilities to provide a better understanding of the demographics and the extent to which progress has been made on disability inclusive education featuring country examples from Rwanda and Liberia. The Speakers will spot light support to blind and learners with low vision  including the training of teachers in the reading and writing of braille.

Following this, the next presentations will focus on the supply-side aspect of Teacher Education on inclusive education pedagogy and deployment of special needs education teachers and disability-specific education specialists to effectively support all children. The Speaker will highlight an example from Malawi on how EMIS has been strengthened to improve the quality of data on children with disabilities particularly on identification, assessment, placement, instruction.

This session tackles the challenge of limited evidence on effective EdTech scaling, particularly in low- and middle-income countries in Africa. The session will put EdTech in foundational learning as the focus of this conversation. 
We'll explore a new initiative that combines research and on-the-ground data to identify cost-effective models for expanding EdTech's reach and impact. Join us to discuss practical strategies and evidence-based insights for sustainable EdTech solutions in Africa. 

Conducting valid and reliable learning assessments is key to improving learning and addressing learning loss globally. In doing so, a variety of data sources such as regional, household, nationally representative, sample or census-based assessments can be complementary to help to track progress and enable countries to measure learning levels both for global reporting and national education and development needs. Part I of this panel features distinctive national examples of learning assessments, including discussions on comprehensive assessment data collection in Rwanda, benchmarking learning outcomes in South Africa, and the PAL network’s experiences of conducting learning assessments outside school walls, through community-based household learning assessments. After a pause for Q&A, Part II of the panel will focus on regional and internationally comparative assessments. The PASEC Coordinator will offer an overview of their work conducting regional assessments with Francophone, Anglophone, and Lusophone countries, and a representative of the Global Coalition for Foundational Learning will discuss the important topic of reporting learning assessment data for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) indicators 4.1.1 and 4.2.1 in order to have comparable learning data globally. The final presentation will highlight Ghana’s journey using their national learning assessments in reporting on SDG indicators 4.1.1 and 4.2.1.By the end of the session, participants will gain key new practical insights: (i) There is a value to understanding whether students are learning or not and we should value what we measure; (ii) There are cost effective, high quality, and comparable options now available for how to get information on student learning; (iii) There is ample experience in the region for inter-governmental exchange and support from donors to achieve this; and (iv) This is not a top down process, but something countries can drive using the available technical expertise to match how they want to use learning assessments.We can't count the progress if we don't have the numbers!

Resources:

• PAL Network: https://palnetwork.org/
• SDG4: https://www.unesco.org/sdg4education2030/en/sdg4
• PASEC: https://pasec.confemen.org/en/
• Global Coalition for Foundational Learning: https://www.unesco.org/sdg4education2030/en/
  knowledge-hub/global-initiatives/coalition-foundational-learning 

The session aims to exchange on the successful experiences of effective community participation and engagement in improving foundational literacy and numeracy, including the school management committee approach in Madagascar, Mali & Niger by JICA, the Community Engagement Approach in Nigeria, Malawi and Uganda by HCA, Community Education Volunteer programme in Uganda by CSO Building Tomorrow, Uburezi Iwacu (“Homes and Communities”) approach with literacy-supportive, stimulating and safe home and community environments in Rwanda by USAID. The session will also feature a community theater presentation showing how the arts can be used to engage parents and community members in foundational learning.

This session will highlight several ways in which private sector stakeholders can be engaged to support foundational learning. Participants include representatives from the financial sector, telecommunications, publishing, printing, and private foundations. In a discussion panel format, each private sector representative will first offer a lightning talk overview of their engagement with foundational learning. Their presentations will include the role of affordable private ECD providers and financial institutions in expanding access to pre-primary education under Catalyze EduFinance, successful examples of collaborations with telecoms companies to support foundational learning, including through e-learning applications, zero-rated data, and devices; the role of private sector publishers and printers to increase access to teaching and learning materials; and the landscape of private foundations supporting foundational education. A discussion segment will then allow for exchange among these private sector representatives regarding their reasons for supporting foundational learning, the obstacles they face in collaborating on education initiatives, and their key recommendations for governments and development partners. Participants will come away from the session with practical ideas regarding areas for private sector engagement and how best to reach and collaborate with private sector partners to advance foundational learning goals.

Resources:

• Blog Post: What does Private Sector Engagement Mean in Education?
• Private Sector Engagement Partnerships: Management Tips for Success

This session asks how teacher policies, such as those related to planning, managing, and incentivizing the teaching workforce, can drive success in foundational learning. Key topics affecting foundational learning include teacher shortages; attracting, selecting, deploying, and retaining high performers; incorporating teachers’ voices in policymaking; and the need for data for efficient workforce management. This session opens with a brief introduction to the World Bank’s Framework for Teachers and a presentation on the 2024 Global Teachers Report by UNESCO and the International Task Force on Teachers for Education 2030. Illustrative examples are then provided by representatives from Rwanda and the Gambia, followed by Q&A.

Resources:

• World Bank Teachers Framework

• UNESCO and International Task Force on Teachers for Education 2030: Global Report on Teachers

• UNESCO & UNICEF: Global Report on Early Childhood Care and Education: The Right to a Strong Foundation

• UNESCO: Why the World Needs Happy Schools: Global Report on Happiness In and For Learning

• Rwanda Basic Education Board Teacher Development and Management

• Incentives for Teacher Relocation: Evidence from the Gambian Hardship Allowance

• Teacher Pay and Student Performance: Evidence from the Gambian Hardship Allowance

The panel titled "Effective School Leadership for Foundational Learning" will explore the crucial connection between strong school leadership and the improvement of foundational learning outcomes. Drawing from the experiences and insights of key stakeholders in Rwanda, this discussion will delve into policy development, research findings, and practical interventions from the following organizations: (i) Rwanda Ministry of Education through Rwanda Basic Education Board (REB) will present on Rwanda’s journey in promoting effective school leadership through policy, focusing on the integration of professional standards for effective school leadership and their impact on improved teaching and learning outcomes. (ii) VVOB will share research findings on how effective school leadership in primary education positively influences learning outcomes, emphasizing that investing in school leadership professional development benefits the entire school community, even though implementing changes at the learner level can be challenging. (iii) USAID-Tunoze-Gusoma will highlight how school leadership practices directly support foundational learning, particularly in literacy, and contribute to student success. (iv) African Centre for School Leadership (ACSL) will discuss their approach to supporting foundational learning by providing support on professional development, policy advice, and best practices from partner countries.

The African Union has declared 2024 the Year of Education, marking a pivotal moment in addressing the educational challenges across the continent. Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN) form the bedrock of academic achievement and sustainable development. Yet, millions of children across Africa remain deprived of basic learning opportunities, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. In response, the African Union Commission (AUC), in collaboration with UNICEF and other key stakeholders, has launched the End Learning Poverty Campaign (ELPAf) as part of a broader agenda to improve education outcomes for all children. This session will provide a platform to reflect on the progress made and chart a roadmap for future achievements.

Data has become a critical ingredient in the decision-making process in education systems today. The ability to effectively collect, analyze, and utilize education and skills data is crucial for informed policymaking and program development. However, many African countries face challenges in producing reliable data and translating it into actionable insights. This session will provide key insights on systemic challenges of generating high quality assessment data and its use to promote data driven decision making that promotes foundational learning outcomes. The projects and country case studies showcased in this session seek to increase the number of countries whose education policy processes are influenced by their own data. It is important to leverage the FLEX as a key advocacy touchpoint to promote the ideals of data in decision-making in education and share insights on foundational learning data from some countries. Partners will leverage this technical exchange session to highlight best practices on the use of data for foundational learning reforms and strengthen countries' commitment to producing and using data in shaping effective education policies. 

Presenters: Haogen Yao, Education Economist, UNICEF HQ, Rudranarayan Sahoo, Education Specialist, Lead quality and Learning UNICEF ESARO

This session will focus on approaches to pre-service and in-service teacher education and continuing professional development. The session will be interactive with questions raised to each panelist and audience engagement. The panelists will highlight approaches to teacher education used in different countries and innovations to improve effectiveness and cost efficiency, with a focus on achieving improved foundational learning outcomes utilizing evidence-based approaches. A presentation from Ghana and Zambia will highlight how initial teacher education is the first stage in teachers’ career-long journey of professional development. Tanzania will provide insight into an approach to rolling out cluster and school-based professional development for teachers. Sierra Leone will showcase the diffusion between pre-service and in-service teacher education, sharing the modality of a pool of master trainers from pre-service institutions training in-service teachers in foundational. Finally, USAID and UNICEF will offer regional perspectives on a range of different modalities for teacher continuing professional development in foundational learning, including the role of the “middle tier” of education supervisors in this process.

Resources:

• USAID Transforming Teacher Education in Zambia
• Ghana Transforming Teacher Education & Learning (T-TEL) 

This session will explore how evidence-based, scalable, and sustainable solutions are turning commitments into transformative actions to address Africa's learning crisis. Drawing on both country-level and development partner experiences, this session will highlight the critical role of strong data, political will, and strategic partnerships in advancing foundational learning outcomes to achieve broader education and development goals.. Through an interactive discussion, participants will gain insights into what it takes to successfully scale interventions, institutionalize sustainable programs, and ensure all learners gain foundational learning skills across the continent. The session will also emphasize the importance of monitoring progress with high-quality data to ensure that no learner is left behind.

Moderator: Rose Baguma, Director General of  Education Policy Analysis, Ministry of Education, Rwanda

Speakers: 

• Honourable Minister of Education Kenya

• Honourable Minister of Education Senegal

• Honourable Minister of Education from Rwanda as the host

• Honourable Minister of Education from Country 4 (TBC- South Africa?)/Malawi

• Global CFL Principal - Dr. Benjamin Piper, Director, Global Education, BMGF (TBC)

• Global CFL Principal - Ms. Natasha de Marcken, Deputy Assistant Administrator, USAID (TBC)

• Global CFL Principal - Ms. Pia Britto, Director, Education and Adolescent Development, UNICEF (TBC)

• Global CFL Principal - Mr. Luis Benveniste, Director, Director, Education Global Practice, World Bank (TBC)

Resources: 

• Blog Post: Foundational Learning - What it Takes and What Works

In this session, we present key insights from new two major analyses on foundational learning in 
Africa. First, we delve into a bibliometric analysis of foundational learning research from Kenya, 
Ghana, Tanzania, and Senegal, examining trends, research gaps, and geopolitical factors shaping 
academic knowledge production. Drawing on data from international databases and locally published 
sources, we reveal trends in research output, inequality indicators, collaboration patterns, and funding 
sources from 2010 to 2023. This includes highlighting the professional development needs and 
research priorities of Africa-based foundational learning researchers, with examples of targeted 
initiatives, including those by ESSA, to address these needs and advance sustainable research and 
practice.
We then expand the discussion to findings from a 15-country foundational learning stakeholder 
mapping study, proposing recommendations to strengthen partnerships, donor coordination, and 
resource alignment. This includes strategies for scaling successful interventions and fostering 
collaboration among governments, donors, and implementing partners to build a resilient and 
impactful foundational learning ecosystem across Africa. Together, these insights aim to support 
actionable solutions for addressing research, funding, and cooperation needs to accelerate progress 
in foundational learning across the continent

This session will take a deep dive into ways in which different countries are using learning assessment data to shape their instructional approaches, including remedial learning, structured pedagogy, and teaching at the right level (TaRL). The moderator will provide an introduction to using assessment data for decision-making in targeted and differentiated instruction. Then, three country case studies will feature remedial learning programming (Rwanda), Teaching at the Right Level (Uganda), and structured pedagogy (Senegal). The last half of the session will be reserved for a facilitated discussion with the audience about other countries’ experiences with remedial learning and targeted instruction, and how they have used assessment data to support those efforts.

In the context of the Commitment to Action on Foundational Learning, this session examines how countries have responded through national policies on foundational learning and strategies for financing, implementation, and accountability. It examines how different countries have incorporated foundational learning into their policies, and how the focus on foundational learning is being financed. In Part 1, Rwanda, Zambia, Sierra Leone, and Nigeria  will present their foundational learning policies, interpreting the concept of “policy” broadly to mean translating a commitment to Foundational Learning into formal written documentation with more specific goals, strategies and/or targets that have been agreed on within a government agency. Their presentations will give participants insights into multiple options for formalizing their own commitment to foundational learning within government policy and strategy documents. Following a Q&A session, during Part II these presenters will then join a panel discussion together regarding financing the foundational learning priority. Audience members will have two opportunities to engage with the presenters and pose their own questions regarding how to practically translate commitments on foundational learning into policy and ensure those commitments are funded.

Resources:

• Republic of Rwanda: Foundational Learning Strategy 

School feeding programs have been recognized as a strategic tool to enhance educational outcomes and are crucial interventions aimed at ensuring that children receive nutritious meals during school hours especially at the foundational learning stage. School feeding programs and their complementary activities represent a vital investment in the future of children and communities worldwide. These programs are designed to combat malnutrition, improve concentration and academic performance, and increase school enrolment and attendance rates. As Member States continue to invest in foundational learning, integrating school feeding initiatives and complementary activities into educational policies and programs is vital. The Africa Foundational Learning Exchange in the Year of Education 2024 (FLEX) Conference on Foundational Learning provides an opportune platform to discuss and advocate for comprehensive, sustainable, and scalable school feeding programs across the continent. This round table discussion aims to bring together diverse perspectives to create comprehensive strategies that ensure the success and sustainability of school feeding programs and their complementary activities.

Play-based learning: an effective pedagogical approach to foundational learning

This interactive session will showcase the power of Learning through Play (LtP) in facilitating foundational learning outcomes. It will highlight the experience of Ministries of Education that are stepping up to transform their education systems and support holistic child development. The session will open with a short playful activity where the audience will experience play-based learning (PBL) in action. Ministries of Education from Rwanda, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Zambia, and Kenya (tbd) will then share their experience in integrating LtP across the education system and programs. The Ministry officials will provide specific examples of LtP programs for teacher professional development, teaching & learning materials development, and for early literacy, numeracy, and integration of STEM education. The representative of LEGO Foundation (tbc) will focus on why it is important to invest in LtP, particularly at the pre-primary and lower primary levels, and where interventions are showing promising results. Participants will also hear from a local government representative who has leveraged its resources to support foundational learning. Evidence on the role of play in increasing access to education and improving early literacy and numeracy will be shared. Finally, Pan-African research on the benefits of PBL and policy and program recommendations to governments will be shared. Dialogue with the audience will cap the session. A table will be set up with printed teaching and learning materials, videos, and sample LtP lesson plans. The audience will have access to these play-based resources developed by MOEs with support from civil society actors. CSO representatives should be at hand to offer additional information about these practical resources. 

Participants are invited to join an evening of dinner and networking at the Kigali Convention Center Plaza.

The session aims at sharing the spotlights on effective strategy on Foundational learning and key insights drawn from FLN mapping study in SADC region. Additionally, the session will focus on sharing impactful and cost-effective country led practices to improve foundational literacy and numeracy outcomes. The country-led practices include the differential learning approach in Ghana, early grade reading programme in Namibia and continued learning enrichment programme in Botswana. Additionally Teaching at Right Level will share key insights and lessons learned when supporting education systems across the continent.

Resources:  Power point and video projection on screen, 4 hand-held microphones,  2 TV screens, Display area to showcase country success stories

Growing evidence explains the types of changes that are needed in classrooms to improve foundational learning outcomes, but too often well-formulated plans go awry, and education leaders must adapt. This panel of Ministers partnered with a relevant development partner, will feature candid reflections on a time things did not go as planned, and challenges Ministers and policy makers have faced implementing and scaling education reforms to improve learning outcomes, how they have iterated and adapted in the face of challenges, and what lessons they learned along the way. And why things going wrong can be a useful way of learning and that can lead to even stronger results and impacts.

Hosted by UNICEF in partnership with the World Bank, this session addresses the crucial transition from early childhood education (ECE) to the early grades, emphasizing the importance of school readiness for all children, including those from marginalized and disadvantaged backgrounds. Many countries have recognised the value of early childhood education as an integral strategy for foundational skills, especially to support learning recovery. As African nations strive to meet educational commitments set by the African Union and global frameworks, inclusive access to high-quality ECE has been recognised as an integral strategy for learning recovery. 

This event aims to strengthen government stewardship of early childhood education using the CATch ECE Tracker to update the status of key initiatives and strategies being deployed by countries. By facilitating discussions on successful strategies for improving access to inclusive, quality equitable ECE, the session seeks to reaffirm political and investment commitments, emphasizing the need for sustained support. Ultimately, by creating a platform for dialogue, the session aspires to enhance the quality and accessibility of early childhood education, contributing to improved educational outcomes throughout Africa. Aligned with the overarching goals of the FLEX Conference, this session aims to drive collective efforts toward achieving inclusive school readiness and learning recovery, significantly contributing to the educational development of children across the continent.

Resources: 

• ECE Accelerator Toolkit

• Global Report on Early Childhood Care and Education: The right to a strong foundation

• Add today multiply tomorrow: building an investment case for early childhood education

• Advocacy Workbook for ECE 

• ECE Spotlight Series: Build to Last. Quality Assurance: Supporting learning through monitoring and regulation

• ECE Spotlight Series: Build to Last. Parenting: Engaging parents and caregivers to support child development and early learning

• Build to last: A framework in support of universal quality pre-primary education

• Gender-Transformative Pre-Primary Education. Integrating gender into pre-primary education systems: Tools for gender-transformative policy and programming

• Tackling Gender Inequality from the Early Years: Strategies for building a gender-transformative pre-primary education system

• Early Childhood Development in Emergencies Integrated Programme Guide 

• Nurturing care for children living in humanitarian settings 

• Childcare in Humanitarian Crises practitioner guide 

• Core Commitments for Children in Humanitarian Action 

A growing focus globally on strengthening science, technology, engineering and mathematics 
(STEM) education seeks to prepare youth for 21st century demands. However, most African countries 
face the challenge of integrating high-quality Play-Based STEM Education that fosters conceptual 
understanding, problem-solving, innovation and entrepreneurial mindset. Recently ADEA (2020 & 
2023) conducted two studies on the status of STEM education at secondary and primary school in 
Africa that culminated in the development of a STEM toolkit for Africa. The parallel session on 
Integration of STEM education in African education provides an opportunity to ministry of education 
officials to share experiences from policy dialogue forums held in respective countries. The two study 
reports and STEM toolkit for Africa will also be launched

During this highly interactive workshop, participants will have the opportunity to learn more about High Impact Teaching Strategies (HITS) which work to improve foundational learning at scale. They will experience a live demonstration lesson (and assume the role of Grade 2 students!) to see the HITS in action and will be encouraged to use practical checklists to identify different strategies. During the workshop, there will be ample opportunity for participants to delve into specific strategies in more detail and to share their insights and perspectives on operationalizing the HITS in their contexts. Through small and whole group discussion, participants and speakers will build knowledge collectively. 

This session hosted by the Global Book Alliance will give participants an overview of the Teaching & Learning Materials supply chain and market system and offer key tips for strengthening each aspect. An initial presentation from Malawi’s Secretary of Education will frame the context of Forecasting, Planning, & Procurement for sufficient teaching and learning materials. Following this, participants will be divided into small groups to view posters and hear presentations about each aspect of the supply chain and market system. Poster stations will include: Core Instructional Materials development (textbooks and teachers’ guides); Supporting Publishers and Supplementary Materials Title Development; Printing, Distribution Management and Track & Trace systems; building an Enabling environment; and Ensuring Active Use. A closing Q&A discussion session will allow the participants to reconvene and reflect on all the elements of the teaching and learning materials system.

Resources: 

Global Book Alliance https://www.globalbookalliance.org/

Ministerial reflections on School Visits

Particiapnts may visit the Kigali Genocide Memorial to pay their respects. Please note that the last 
time for entrance to the museum is 16:00. Please visit the museum website for further information: 
https://kgm.rw/