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
(inter)National Models for Women’s Safety Online
Development Gateway and IREX spent the last year analyzing how different nations approach the "how-to" of online safety regulations. This blog discusses our research, which suggests that the most effective models go beyond reactionary and punitive measures to facilitate a functional ecosystem of trust and accountability.
From Ambition to Adoption: Reflections on AI in Higher Education in Kenya and Jordan
Higher education institutions are being asked to move beyond AI experimentation toward meaningful adoption. Drawing on a strategic dialogue in Nairobi, this blog explores how universities can bridge that gap through AI sovereignty, partnerships & practical adoption priorities.
A Year After USAID: Reclaiming Control of Data Systems
Just months after the 2025 U.S. aid freeze was announced, we published a blog post warning that the USAID cuts would result in a data crisis, with some countries losing access to their digital health data. This blog explores how those systems – and the countries relying on them – have fared nearly a year on.