Integrating Foundational Learning Research into Policy: What Works?

Foundational Learning (FL) is the bedrock of a child’s education, shaping literacy, numeracy, and socio-emotional skills that determine future success. Yet across sub-Saharan Africa, most children are falling behind. It is at this stage that children develop the core literacy, numeracy, and socio-emotional skills needed for future success (World Bank, 2025). However, FL outcomes across sub-Saharan Africa remain below desired levels. Only one in five children in the region reaches minimum proficiency in reading and mathematics by the end of primary school (UNESCO, 2022a).

Country-level data show similar patterns. In Kenya, while 9 in 10 children are enrolled in school, 45% of Grade 3 learners meet expectations in reading English text and 60% in numeracy (FLANA, 2023). In Ghana, approximately 80% of children do not attain FL skills by the end of primary school (UNESCO, 2022b). In Senegal, 69% of children can not read and understand age-appropriate texts by age 10. Additionally,24% of primary school-aged children are out of school (World Bank, 2022; UNESCO, 2024).  

Between April and June 2025, Education Sub Saharan Africa (ESSA) and the REAL (Research for Equitable Access and Learning) Centre of the University of Cambridge organised a series of workshops in Ghana, Kenya and Senegal, which focused on promoting locally led and policy-relevant research in FL in SSA.  Throughout these workshops, speakers and participants alike shared valuable insights, pointing to effective ways to use research to influence policy and practice. 

Speakers agreed that FL policies must be grounded in evidence to achieve meaningful results. This prevents the creation of irrelevant policies developed in isolation. This blog outlines key elements for translating FL research into policy and practice, emphasising that successful research is: 

• Locally led: Research managed by local scholars is often more impactful, as these experts understand the education system and context. Local researchers should drive the design and execution of studies aimed at improving FL outcomes. Dr Benjamin Piper, Director of Global Education at the Gates Foundation, stated at the Kenya workshop, “local government leadership and the expertise of local researchers are key to improving FL.”

• Locally funded: The source of funds plays a crucial role in the direction of the research. Unfortunately, only 34% of locally-led FL research is funded in Senegal (Diallo et al., 2024), 8% in Ghana (Acquah et al., 2024), and 11% in Kenya (Lawson et al., 2024). Locally funded research is highly likely to influence the national agenda. In acknowledging the importance of locally funded research, Dr Robert Gichuhi Ndegwa, Director of Education at Kenya’s Ministry of Education, argued that “it is time to invest in building robust, homegrown research systems that generate actionable evidence.” This addresses the situation where our policies are based on “imported models and externally driven research that may not reflect our realities.”  

• Context-specific: Research that targets local needs and seeks to address them is more likely to make an impact. In his keynote address at the Senegal workshop, Professor Moustapha Sokhna, the Dean of the Faculty of Education and Training Sciences and Technologies at the University of Cheikh Anta Diop, emphasised the need for research to be directly aligned with local needs and priorities. The onus then lies on researchers to align their efforts with national priorities and reflect local FL needs. Understanding the nation’s educational priorities and designing research to meet them increases the relevance of such studies.   

• Collaboratively implemented: Impactful FL research should ensure collaboration among researchers, policymakers, and implementors. For research to make a meaningful impact, its agenda should align with the national education priority in FL. As such, it is important to involve key actors, particularly policymakers from the Ministries of Education, from the inception of the research through to its implementation. As Professor Michael Boakye-Yiadom, Director General of the Institute of Educational Planning and Administration (IEPA) at the University of Cape Coast in Ghana, acknowledged in the workshop, “all stakeholders, including policymakers, practitioners and researchers, need to work together so that the implementation of the research can be in line with policy.” 

• Visible and accessible: Quality research has a limited effect unless it reaches key decision-makers who can apply its findings. Many studies go unused, not because of flawed methods but because they lack visibility and accessibility. If research is not made available to policymakers, its ability to drive change is restricted. Raising the profile and availability of FL research is crucial. This can be achieved by sharing findings at national forums, during policy dialogues, and at related events.

This blog serves as a call to researchers, policymakers, and practitioners in FL to prioritise the above-mentioned factors in every effort at implementing research. Prioritising these factors will ensure that research doesn’t just sit on shelves but drives real improvements in foundational learning across sub-Saharan Africa