ESSA's Highlights and Year-End Reflections for 2025

Our final newsletter of the year is out.

In a thoughtful year-end message, our CEO Dr Pauline Essah reflects on what we’ve delivered together in 2025, what we’ve learnt, and why partnership and trust remain central to our work across Africa.

A few highlights from the year:

• Higher education data: our DAF–EAC work supported the approval of new regional data guidelines to strengthen decision-making in East Africa.

• Early Childhood Development: we supported 31 researchers across 10 countries, selected from 807 applications (with 55% women among grantees).

• Foundational Learning: 300+ participants from 16 countries connected through our learning events, and our grants call received 315 applications.

• School leadership: the ACSL grants information webinar drew 700+ participants, showing strong demand for Africa-led evidence (with grants up to USD 15,000 and USD 35,000).

• Leadership transition: on 1 August, Dr Essah stepped into the CEO role, building on the strong foundations laid by Lucy Heady.

Looking ahead to 2026, we’ll be celebrating ESSA’s 10th anniversary, shaping our strategy for 2027 and beyond, and continuing to back Africa-led research that can genuinely inform policy and practice.

Read the full message and subscribe here

Questions? Email us at comms@essa-africa.org.