ESSA's 2022/23 Annual Report
Our 2022/23 Annual Report is out now!
About ESSA
ESSA improves education using evidence and data from Africa in research, advocacy and programme design.
We take a systems approach by identifying challenges and co-designing solutions in partnership with local education researchers, higher education leaders, policymakers, funders and employers to improve education outcomes for young people.
Our research generates actionable insights that inform decisions, policies and practice and strengthen education systems.
We are delighted to share our Annual Report and Financial Statements for the year 2022/23. This year has seen significant growth for ESSA in both impact and team size. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to all our partners, without whom this progress would not have been possible.
ESSA LBG in Ghana
This year marks the first full year of operations for ESSA LBG in Ghana, presenting consolidated accounts for both Ghana and the UK.
Our values of being evidence-based, solutions-focused, and always learning have guided us through this period of growth.
Strategic Plan Review and Team Expansion
As we approached the midpoint of our 2021- 2026 Strategic Plan, we reviewed our successes and challenges. Based on these reflections we resolved to focus on identifying country-focused strategies for our work, first by boosting our existing work in Ghana and Kenya. Our aspiration is that by 2026, ESSA would have contributed to catalysing impactful change in the education system, using evidence and data.
Our team grew from 14 to 26 members across seven countries. We welcomed two new trustees, Mr. Jonathan Ane and Professor Elsie Effah Kaufmann, who bring extensive experience in business, research, and policy.
Demographics of African Faculty and Education Research in Africa
Our work on Demographics of African Faculty, supported by key partners, revealed the need to recruit over 35,000 lecturers in the East African Community to meet student-to-teacher ratios. This work exemplifies the power of trust and partnerships.
In collaboration with the REAL Centre, we raised the profile of research focused on Early Childhood Development and Foundational Learning, and convened researchers to understand their needs and priorities. This work affirms our commitment to better support researchers in sub-Saharan Africa and advance African research.
Enhancing Education Research in Africa
To further strengthen our commitment to advancing African research, we welcomed a new partner, Southern Hemisphere.
Our comprehensive 18-month collaborative project (June 2023 to November 2024) dubbed ‘Enhancing Education Research in Africa’, spans East Africa, West Africa, and Southern Africa.
To start this work, we conducted in-person consultations at conferences in East, West, and Southern Africa, supplemented by desk research and key informant interviews, particularly involving women and early-career researchers.
Supported by Echidna Giving, Imaginable Futures, and the Jacobs Foundation, this initiative collaborates with researchers in Africa to understand what it would take to establish a robust and sustainable education research ecosystem.
Enhancing Student Employment
The launch of our report, ‘What Next? Enhancing African Students' Transition to Employment through Effective Career Services,’ in Ghana showcased how evidence can drive action. The collaboration with Ashesi University, Kepler, and Dubai Cares sparked meaningful discussions on school-to-work transitions.
It is all about collaboration
These are just the highlights of what we achieved together in the year 2022/23. We would not have achieved all these milestones without the hard work, dedication, and advice from our highly talented and hard working team and Board.
Inspired? Read our annual report for more
We invite you to read more in our annual report.
We hope you will be inspired by what we have achieved and the potential of what we can do with more support in 2024.
