ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳

Education is a foundational infrastructure for job creation, and good jobs are the surest way out of poverty. A powerful driver of development, education is one of the strongest instruments for reducing poverty and improving health, gender equality, peace, and stability. It delivers large, consistent returns in terms of income, and is the most important factor to ensure equity and inclusion.

For individuals, education promotes employment, earnings, health, and poverty reduction. Globally, there is a?. For societies, it drives long-term economic growth, spurs innovation, strengthens institutions, and fosters social cohesion. 

Developing countries have made tremendous progress in getting children into the classroom and more children worldwide are now in school. But learning is not guaranteed, as the 2018 World Development Report (WDR) stressed.

Making smart and effective investments in people¡¯s education is critical for developing the human capital that will equip young people with skills to help them find jobs. At the core of this strategy is the need to tackle the learning crisis, and help youth acquire the advanced cognitive, socioemotional, technical and digital skills they need to succeed in today¡¯s world. 

However, learning is in crisis.

Over 250 million children are currently out of school. Learning outcomes are also alarmingly low: seven in 10 children in low- and middle-income countries cannot read or understand a simple paragraph by the age of 10. In sub-Saharan Africa, the figure is even more concerning¡ªnine in 10 children lack basic reading comprehension, a challenge that looms large as the region¡¯s youth population is expected to grow by 40 percent by 2050. Between January 2022 and June 2024, over 400 million students faced school closures due to extreme weather events.

Investments in education are also inadequate. Low-income countries devote a meager $55 per year per student, while public debt is crowding out spending on domestic social services.

The effects of the covid-pandemic have further compounded the learning crisis. The staggering effects of school closures reach beyond learning. This generation of children could lose a combined total of US$21 trillion in lifetime earnings in present value or the equivalent of 17% of today¡¯s global GDP ¨C a sharp rise from the 2021 estimate of a US$17 trillion loss. Moreover, skills gaps and mismatches are deepening challenges for youth in a dynamic job market. Nearly a quarter of young people from age 18 to 24 globally are not in employment, education, or training¡ªand 35% on average in Southern and Northern Africa and Southern Asia.

High-quality early childhood development investments in basic numeracy and literacy, and socio-emotional skills provide the best possible start in life. These skills are critical, helping today¡¯s children become tomorrow¡¯s productive workers. These skills will also enable workers to reskill or upskill later in life. If a child cannot read with comprehension by age 10, they are unlikely to become fluent readers. They will fail to thrive later in school and will be unable to power their careers and economies once they leave school.

As these children mature into adults, equipping them with transferrable and relevant skills can improve the quality of labor and better match it to the demands of a changing world. Carefully designed specialist, technical, or vocational programs can advance skills development. But success depends on how programs match labor demand and the base skills of participants. Successful skilling programs involve revising and updating curricula based on employers¡¯ needs, a mix of in-class instruction and on-the-job experience, and placement services that match students with employers.

Beyond youth, lifelong learning enables workers to maintain productivity over their lifetime. Expanding training in fast-growing sectors¡ªsuch as healthcare, where AI-powered tools are reshaping workforce needs¡ªhelps workers adapt to evolving labor markets.

ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ is committed to working with countries to build education systems that support quality learning at all levels, and so that everyone, everywhere, has the opportunity to learn. We are leveraging our technical, knowledge, and financial partnerships to support countries to develop the foundational skills of students¡ªliteracy, numeracy, and socio-emotional skills¡ªto create a sustainable pathway from classrooms to careers. ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ is the largest financier of education with a $26.5 billion education portfolio in 85 countries, improving educational opportunities for 305 million students, including 146 million women and girls. We know that investing in education pays off in the long run¡ªfor individuals over their entire lives and for entire societies.

Last Updated: Apr 22, 2025

ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳¡¯s global education strategy is centered on ensuring learning happens ¨C for everyone, everywhere. Our vision is to ensure that everyone can achieve her or his full potential with access to a quality education and lifelong learning. To reach this, we are helping countries build foundational skills like literacy, numeracy, and socioemotional skills ¨C the building blocks for all other learning. From early childhood to tertiary education and beyond ¨C we help children and youth acquire the skills they need to thrive in school, the labor market and throughout their lives.

Investing in the world¡¯s most precious resource ¨C people ¨C is paramount to ending poverty on a livable planet.  Our experience across more than 100 countries bears out this robust connection between human capital, quality of life, and economic growth: when countries strategically invest in people and the systems designed to protect and build human capital at scale, they unlock the wealth of nations and the potential of everyone.

Building on this, the ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ supports resilient, equitable, and inclusive education systems that ensure learning happens for everyone. We do this by generating and disseminating evidence, ensuring alignment with policymaking processes, and bridging the gap between research and practice.

ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ is the largest source of external financing for education in developing countries, with a portfolio of about $26.5 billion in 85 countries including IBRD, IDA and Recipient-Executed Trust Funds. IDA operations comprise 62% of the education portfolio.

The investment in FCV settings has increased dramatically and now accounts for 26% of our portfolio.

ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ projects reach at least 425 million students -one-third of students in low- and middle-income countries.

ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳¡¯s Approach to Education

Five interrelated pillars of a well-functioning education system underpin the ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳¡¯s education policy approach:

1. Learners are prepared and motivated to learn;
2. Teachers are prepared, skilled, and motivated to facilitate learning and skills acquisition;
3. Learning resources (including education technology) are available, relevant, and used to improve teaching and learning;
4. Schools are safe and inclusive; and
5. Education Systems are well-managed, with good implementation capacity and adequate financing.

The Bank is already helping governments design and implement cost-effective programs and tools to build these pillars.

Our Principles:

• We pursue systemic reform supported by political commitment to learning for all children. 
• We focus on equity and inclusion through a progressive path toward achieving universal access to quality education, including children and young adults in fragile or conflict affected areas, those in marginalized and rural communities, girls and women, displaced populations, students with disabilities, and other vulnerable groups.
• We focus on results and use evidence to keep improving policy by using metrics to guide improvements.   

• We want to ensure financial commitment commensurate with what is needed to provide basic services to all. 
• We invest wisely in technology so that education systems embrace and learn to harness technology to support their learning objectives.   

Laying the groundwork for the future

Country challenges vary, but there is a menu of options to build forward better, more resilient, and equitable education systems.

Countries are facing an education crisis that requires a two-pronged approach: first, supporting actions to recover lost time through remedial and accelerated learning; and, second, building on these investments for a more equitable, resilient, and effective system.

Recovering from the learning crisis must be a political priority, backed with adequate financing and the resolve to implement needed reforms.  Domestic financing for education over the last two years has not kept pace with the need to recover and accelerate learning. Across low- and lower-middle-income countries, the , and in 2022 it remained below 2019 levels.

The best chance for a better future is to invest in education and make sure each dollar is put toward improving learning.  In a time of fiscal pressure, protecting spending that yields long-run gains ¨C like spending on education ¨C will maximize impact.  We still need more and better funding for education.  Closing the learning gap will require increasing the level, efficiency, and equity of education spending¡ªspending smarter is an imperative.

• Education technology can be a powerful tool to implement these actions by supporting teachers, children, principals, and parents; expanding accessible digital learning platforms, including radio/ TV / Online learning resources; and using data to identify and help at-risk children, personalize learning, and improve service delivery.

Looking ahead

We must seize this opportunity to reimagine education in bold ways. Together, we can build forward better more equitable, effective, and resilient education systems for the world¡¯s children and youth.

Accelerating Improvements

Supporting countries in establishing time-bound learning targets and a focused education investment plan, outlining actions and investments geared to achieve these goals.

Launched in 2020, the Accelerator Program works with a set of countries to channel investments in education and to learn from each other. The program coordinates efforts across partners to ensure that the countries in the program show improvements in foundational skills at scale over the next three to five years. These investment plans build on the collective work of multiple partners, and leverage the latest evidence on what works, and how best to plan for implementation.  Countries such as Brazil (the state of Cear¨¢) and Kenya have achieved dramatic reductions in learning poverty over the past decade at scale, providing useful lessons, even as they seek to build on their successes and address remaining and new challenges.  

Universalizing Foundational Literacy

Readying children for the future by supporting acquisition of foundational skills ¨C which are the gateway to other skills and subjects.

The Literacy Policy Package (LPP)  consists of interventions focused specifically on promoting acquisition of reading proficiency in primary school. These include assuring political and technical commitment to making all children literate; ensuring effective literacy instruction by supporting teachers; providing quality, age-appropriate books; teaching children first in the language they speak and understand best; and fostering children¡¯s oral language abilities and love of books and reading.

Advancing skills through TVET and Tertiary

Ensuring that individuals have access to quality education and training opportunities and supporting links to employment.

Tertiary education and skills systems are a driver of major development agendas, including human capital, climate change, youth and women¡¯s empowerment, and jobs and economic transformation. A comprehensive skill set to succeed in the 21st century labor market consists of foundational and higher order skills, socio-emotional skills, specialized skills, and digital skills. Yet most countries continue to struggle in delivering on the promise of skills development. 

ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ is supporting countries through efforts that address key challenges including improving access and completion, adaptability, quality, relevance, and efficiency of skills development programs. Our approach is via multiple channels including projects, global goods, as well as the . Our recent reports including and STEERing Tertiary Education provide a way forward for how to improve these critical systems.

Addressing Climate Change

Mainstreaming climate education and investing in green skills, research and innovation, and green infrastructure to spur climate action and foster better preparedness and resilience to climate shocks.

recognizes that education is critical for achieving effective, sustained climate action. At the same time, climate change is adversely impacting education outcomes. Investments in education can play a huge role in building climate resilience and advancing climate mitigation and adaptation. Climate change education gives young people greater awareness of climate risks and more access to tools and solutions for addressing these risks and managing related shocks. Technical and vocational education and training can also accelerate a green economic transformation by fostering green skills and innovation. Greening education infrastructure can help mitigate the impact of heat, pollution, and extreme weather on learning, while helping address climate change. 

Examples of this work are projects in (life skills training for adolescent girls), (fostering relevant scientific research) , and Bangladesh (constructing and retrofitting schools to serve as cyclone shelters).

Strengthening Measurement Systems

Enabling countries to gather and evaluate information on learning and its drivers more efficiently and effectively.

ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ supports initiatives to help countries effectively build and strengthen their measurement systems to facilitate evidence-based decision-making. Examples of this work include:

(1) The : This tool offers a strong basis for identifying priorities for investment and policy reforms that are suited to each country context by focusing on the three dimensions of practices, policies, and politics.

1. Highlights gaps between what the evidence suggests is effective in promoting learning and what is happening in practice in each system; and
2. Allows governments to track progress as they act to close the gaps.

The GEPD has been implemented in 13 education systems already ¨C Peru, Rwanda, Jordan, Ethiopia, Madagascar, Mozambique, Islamabad, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sierra Leone, Niger, Gabon, Jordan and Chad ¨C with more expected by the end of 2024.

(2) Learning Assessment Platform (LeAP): LeAP is a one-stop shop for knowledge, capacity-building tools, support for policy dialogue, and technical staff expertise to support student achievement measurement and national assessments for better learning.

Supporting Successful Teachers

Helping systems develop the right selection, incentives, and support to the professional development of teachers.

Currently, the ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ Education Global Practice has over 160 active projects supporting over 18 million teachers worldwide, about a third of the teacher population in low- and middle-income countries. In 12 countries alone, these projects cover 16 million teachers, including all primary school teachers in Ethiopia and Turkey, and over 80% in Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Vietnam.

A ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳-developed classroom observation tool, Teach, was designed to capture the quality of teaching in low- and middle-income countries. It is now 3.6 million students.

While Teach helps identify patterns in teacher performance, Coach leverages these insights to support teachers to improve their teaching practice through hands-on in-service teacher professional development (TPD).

Our recent report on proposes a practical framework to uncover the black box of effective teacher policy and discusses the factors that enable their scalability and sustainability.

 Supporting Education Finance Systems

Strengthening country financing systems to mobilize resources for education and make better use of their investments in education.

Our approach is to bring together multi-sectoral expertise to engage with ministries of education and finance and other stakeholders to develop and implement effective and efficient public financial management systems; build capacity to monitor and evaluate education spending, identify financing bottlenecks, and develop interventions to strengthen financing systems; build the evidence base on global spending patterns and the magnitude and causes of spending inefficiencies; and develop diagnostic tools as public goods to support country efforts.

Working in Fragile, Conflict, and Violent (FCV) Contexts

The massive and growing global challenge of having so many children living in conflict and violent situations requires a response at the same scale and scope. Our education engagement in the Fragility, Conflict and Violence (FCV) context, which stands at US$5.35 billion, has grown rapidly in recent years, reflecting the ever-increasing importance of the FCV agenda in education. Indeed, these projects now account for more than 25% of the ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ education portfolio.

Education is crucial to and displacement on the welfare of youth and children in the short-term and preventing the emergence of violent conflict in the long-term. 

Last Updated: Apr 21, 2025

Support to Countries Throughout the Education Cycle

Our support to countries covers the entire learning cycle, and helps shape resilient, equitable, and inclusive education systems that ensure learning happens for everyone. 

Examples of ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ support for:

Early Childhood Development

In Senegal, the $75 million multisectoral is reaching 2.5 million children and parents through integrated community-based nutrition and early stimulation programs; enrolling more than 210,000 children into pre-primary education using government, Koranic and community-based programs; constructing 100+ preschool classrooms; and increasing birth registration from 46 percent to more than 70 percent. The Project recently supported the Government in rolling out the Read@Home program in the country, reaching 50 percent of all children ages 0-6 years with storybooks in the languages spoken at home.  A nationally representative study was recently completed to measure child development and the quality of early learning settings through collaboration between the national statistics agency, the ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳, UNICEF and WHO. It is the first and most extensive survey of its kind to be undertaken in the Africa region.

In Uzbekistan, the ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ Group has been increasingly investing in expanding high quality play-based early learning to build foundational skills. This is well-illustrated by projects¡ª and where since 2015, the ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ Group investments have supported transformational change in access to quality early learning services. These investments resulted in a 66.5 percentage point increase in preschool enrollment for young children including through introducing an affordable half-day kindergarten model, doubling infrastructure utilization and stimulating community interest in early childhood development.  The 2019 ECD Project improved equity with a free "one-stop" community model, home-based support for children with disabilities, parent engagement and a mobile bus program which reached underserved areas. Teacher training has transformed educators into learning partners.

Foundational Learning and Secondary Education

In Morocco, the Ministry of Education, with support from the , took inspiration from the ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ Global Education Evidence Advisory Panel¡¯s (GEEAP) Smart Buys to develop a system of pioneer schools that receive comprehensive support to improve the instructional core. Targeted schools receive: (i) new technology hardware (projectors, computers, etc.), (ii) infrastructure improvements, (iii) additional teacher training, , (ivv) structured pedagogical materials, and (vi) TaRL remediation activities. The model was implemented in 628 primary schools in 2023/24 and was extended to an additional 2,000 primary schools and 232 middle schools (coll¨¨ges) in 2024/25. ) found that, after one year, the program improved student learning by 0.90 standard deviations (s.d.) on average and that its average effect exceeds the 99th percentile of treatment effects of other education interventions in low- and middle-income countries.

Skills and Tertiary Education

The ongoing (ACE) program is the first large-scale regional higher education initiative funded by the ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳. It is designed to address Africa¡¯s critical skills gaps in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics), agriculture, health, environment, and education. Launched in 2014, the program enhances postgraduate education, research, and faculty development in key fields while fostering regional collaboration between universities, industries, and governments. By leveraging economies of scale, ACE enables institutions to share resources, standardize training, and expand access to quality education across Africa. The program supports university-led Centers of Excellence to conduct high-impact research and train highly skilled professionals aligned with Africa¡¯s economic and development needs. 

The ACE program has established 81 centers of excellence across 50 universities in 20 countries, significantly expanding Africa¡¯s capacity for postgraduate education and applied research. More than 61,000 students, including over one-third women, have enrolled in internationally accredited programs. The ACE institutions have produced nearly 7,000 peer-reviewed research articles, addressing urgent challenges such as infectious diseases (e.g., Ebola, COVID-19), food security, and climate resilience. Additionally, 11,000 students have completed industry internships, enhancing their employability and strengthening links between academia and labor market needs. The program has played a transformative role in strengthening Africa¡¯s research and innovation ecosystem, ensuring universities contribute effectively to regional economic growth. 

The was designed to improve the quality and relevance of Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programs in Bangladesh by modernizing curricula, expanding access to training, and strengthening institutional capacity in both public and private institutions. It introduced performance-based funding mechanisms to encourage better outcomes, facilitated industry partnerships to ensure alignment with labor market needs, and provided financial support to disadvantaged students, including stipends for female trainees. The project also played a critical role in the development of national skills policies, establishing regulatory frameworks to standardize and enhance TVET across the country. By emphasizing competency-based learning and improving job placement support, the initiative significantly boosted the employability of graduates in key economic sectors.

The project achieved significant outcomes in enhancing the TVET sector in Bangladesh through support for 90 public and 23 private polytechnic institutions, leading to an increase in enrollment from 97,792 in 2010 to 175,000 in 2018 (an increase of nearly 79 percent), with female enrollment rising from 8,000 to 43,000 during the same period. The introduction of stipends benefited over 116,000 students, surpassing the target of 96,000. Additionally, the project facilitated short-term training for more than 110,000 individuals, with a completion rate of 98 percent and job placement for over 53 percent of graduates within six months of training. Institutional capacity was bolstered through the provision of development grants, faculty training, and the establishment of 32 Industry Skills Councils to align curricula with market needs. The project also laid the groundwork for the National Skills Development Policy and the National Technical and Vocational Qualifications Framework, contributing to systemic reforms in Bangladesh's skills development landscape.

Support to Fragile, Conflict, and Vulnerable (FCV)

In Yemen, the ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳¡¯s , which is implemented through UNICEF, WFP, and Save the Children.  The project helps maintain access to basic education, improve conditions for learning and strengthen education capacity in selected districts of the Republic of Yemen.  It provides a school package to over 1,100 schools that includes four key elements: (i) teacher training and performance-based teacher payments; (ii) learning materials and school supplies; (iii) rehabilitation of school infrastructure; and (iv) school meals. To date, almost 600,000 students have benefited from these interventions. It also supports the delivery of remedial education for struggling students in grades 1-6 to address learning losses in mathematics and language and strengthens local capacity for managing education.

Last Updated: Apr 21, 2025

In addition to working closely with governments in our client countries, the ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ works at the global, regional, and local levels with a wide range of donor and technical partners, including foundations, non-profit organizations, bilateral donors, and other multilateral organizations. Some examples of our most recent global partnerships include:

UNICEF, UNESCO, UK Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO), USAID and Gates Foundation: Coalition for Foundational Learning

ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ is working closely with UNICEF, UNESCO, FCDO, USAID, and the Gates Foundation through the  to advocate for and provide technical support to governments in low- and middle-income countries to ensure progress toward foundational learning.  ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ works with these partners to promote and endorse the Commitment to Action on Foundational Learning, a global network of countries committed to halving the global share of children unable to read and understand a simple text by age 10 by 2030.

The Gates Foundation, Finland, FCDO, and Lego Foundation: Foundational Learning Compact (FLC) Umbrella Trust Fund

The FLC is a multi-donor umbrella trust fund working to strengthen global and country efforts to improve foundational learning in early childhood, primary and secondary education. It leverages the ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ education portfolio of US$25.7 billion [HD1] [KW2] [SS3]  and provides targeted financing to accelerate foundational learning at scale.

At the global level, the FLC supports the development of global public goods such as operational guidance, technical tools, technical assistance to governments and capacity building for policymakers. At the country level, the FLC finances evidence-based interventions around the globe, including learning measurement, literacy, numeracy, and social-emotional skills, improving teaching quality, and the use of effective education technology. FLC partners benefit from the Bank¡¯s unique position in high-level policy dialogue with governments, its deep sectoral and technical knowledge, as well as unparalleled convening power to support the transformation of national education systems.

Australian Aid, Bernard van Leer Foundation, Gates Foundation, Canada, Echida Giving, FCDO, German Cooperation, William & Flora Hewlett Foundation, Conrad Hilton Foundation, LEGO Foundation, Porticus, USAID: Early Learning Partnership (ELP) Associated Trust Fund[HD4] [HD5]

The ELP is a multi-donor trust fund, housed at the ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳.  ELP leverages the ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳¡¯s strengths¡ªas a global presence, access to policymakers and strong technical analysis¡ªto improve early learning opportunities and outcomes for young children around the world.

ELP helping ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ teams and countries access the information they need to make the case for investing in Early Childhood Development (ECD), design effective policies and deliver impactful programs. At the country level, ELP grants provide teams with resources for early seed investments that can generate large financial commitments through ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ financing and government resources. At the global level, ELP research and special initiatives work to fill knowledge gaps, build capacity and generate global public goods. ELP also includes the Invest in Childcare initiative to drive investments in quality, affordable childcare. This ambitious cross-sectoral work program strategically addresses the childcare challenge through research, major new data collection, policy changes and new operational approaches that can work at scale.  

MasterCard Foundation: Tertiary Education and Skills (TES) Umbrella Trust Fund

TES was launched together with its first donor, the Mastercard Foundation. It aims to prepare youth and adults for the future of work and society by improving access to relevant, quality, equitable reskilling and post-secondary education opportunities.  It is designed to reframe, reform, and rebuild tertiary education and skills systems for the digital and green transformation.

Education Above All (EAA): EAA-WB Partnership Facility (EWPF)

The EWPF partnership launched in 2024 is a co-financing facility. It will provide up to $250m in financing to ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ funded projects in education. The objective of the EWPF is to increase access to primary education for out-of-school children and increase access to training and tertiary education through scholarships for youth. Potential beneficiary countries include those in the Middle East, Asia, and Sub-Saharan Africa regions.

UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS):  Learning Poverty Indicator

Aimed at measuring and urging attention to foundational literacy as a prerequisite for achieving SDG4, this partnership was launched in 2019 to help countries strengthen their learning assessment systems, better monitor what students are learning in internationally comparable ways and improve the breadth and quality of global data on education.

FCDO, the Gates Foundation: EdTech Hub

Supported by the FCDO, in partnership with the Gates Foundation, the EdTech Hub is aimed at improving the quality of ed-tech investments. The Hub launched a rapid response Helpdesk service to provide just-in-time advisory support to 70 low- and middle-income countries planning education technology and remote learning initiativesF

Last Updated: Apr 21, 2025