Hewlett Foundation Education Project: Evidence-Informed Policymaking
In order to holistically understand the barriers to more effective data accessibility, sharing, and use, DG—together with education sector experts from IREX—mapped the education data and decision ecosystems in Kenya and Senegal, focusing on primary and secondary education. By gathering in-depth information on barriers around the use of education data, DG facilitated the possibility for targeted interventions that, ultimately, will create robust education data ecosystems and better learning outcomes in Kenya and Senegal.
The global development community has invested billions of dollars in creating better education outcomes through improved use of data and evidence, with nearly $250 million spent on education data from 2017-2019 alone. Still, education data remains largely untapped, underutilized, and siloed. For example, the Kenyan Ministry of Education has experienced data challenges in management, sharing, and interoperability. Another example in Senegal shows limited research on the utility and availability of data for education policymaking. Both countries exemplify the global challenge of effectively harnessing data for better outcomes in the education sector.
In an effort to support stakeholders in both countries who are seeking to improve their education systems, DG and IREX—with support from the William & Flora Hewlett Foundation—embarked on a collaborative effort to explore the landscape of education data ecosystems in Kenya and Senegal between December 2022 and February 2024. This project explored the intricacies of education data supply, access, and utilization, offering insights into the challenges and opportunities faced by stakeholders in leveraging data to inform decision-making processes. The program sought to gather real-world stories and perspectives to enrich the discourse on education data systems, laying the groundwork for further research and reform initiatives in both countries.
The findings from the assessment allowed DG to make several country-specific recommendations to stakeholders in Kenya and Senegal regarding ways in which they can improve their education data ecosystems and create more robust, inclusive, and responsive education systems. These findings and recommendations can be explored in “Evidence-Informed Policymaking: Education Data-Driven Decision Mapping in Kenya and Senegal.”
In 2024, DG will continue our work in this program, with support from the William & Flora Hewlett Foundation, in order to implement select recommendations made in “Evidence-Informed Policymaking: Education Data-Driven Decision Mapping in Kenya and Senegal.”
Share
Related Posts
Stakeholder, Where Art Thou?: Three Insights on Using Governance Structures to Foster Stakeholder Engagement
Through our Tobacco Control Data Initiative (TCDI) program and its sister program Data on Youth and Tobacco in Africa (DaYTA), we have learned that creating governance structures, such as advisory boards or steering committees, is one approach to ensuring that digital solutions appropriately meet stakeholders’ needs and foster future stakeholder engagement. In this blog, we explore three insights on how governance structures can advance buy-in with individual stakeholders while connecting them to one another.
Launching the Early Grade Education Activity (ASAS) Program: A Collaborative Project from IREX and DG
IREX and Development Gateway: An IREX Venture (DG) are pleased to announce their collaborative work on the USAID-funded Early Grades Education Activity (ASAS) program, which launched in August 2023 and will run through July 2028. This blog explores how the ASAS program will empower teachers, universities, communities, and stakeholders within Jordan’s Ministry of Education and throughout the country to deliver inclusive and holistic early-grade education for Jordanian students from kindergarten to grade three in order to strengthen numeracy and literacy skills.
At a Glance | Evidence-Informed Policymaking: Education Data-Driven Decision Mapping in Kenya and Senegal
Development Gateway: An IREX Venture (DG) and our strategic partner IREX, supported by the William & Flora Hewlett Foundation, conducted a study of the education data systems in Kenya and Senegal. In our findings from this study, we underscore the necessity of a harmonized approach to education data management and share insights that provide a valuable roadmap for future reforms and investments in education data systems.