This project seeks to identify and connect African education researchers who are working to improve the foundational learning of African primary school children. 

Improving foundational learning is one of the top priorities for many African countries. According to the Spotlight on Basic Education Completion and Foundational Learning in Africa by UNESCO’s Global Education Monitoring Report, children living in the continent are five times less likely to reach the minimum level of proficiency in reading by the end of primary school, than children elsewhere.

Education Sub Saharan Africa (ESSA), the REAL Centre (University of Cambridge) and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation are collaborating to implement this two-year project. We will focus on mapping of researchers, their institutions and the evidence they are producing in four countries: Ghana, Kenya, Senegal and Tanzania. 

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Objectives

• Improve the visibility and accessibility of education research undertaken by sub-Saharan Africa-based researchers.

• Establish a community of practice (network) and strengthen the capacity of foundational learning researchers in sub-Saharan Africa (based on an assessment of their professional development needs).

• Promote the uptake and use of locally produced education research in policy and investment decision-making by synthesising, advocating for, and communicating evidence.

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This project is built on the theory that key actions must be taken, including mapping African education research and researchers; building field and country-specific research networks; strengthening the capacity of African education researchers; improving the visibility and accessibility of locally produced research; and motivating the use and uptake of locally produced evidence.

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Reports relating to capacity strengthening for African researchers based in Africa 

• Identifying and addressing professional development needs of early childhood development and foundational learning researchers in sub-Saharan Africa Summary report for action (English) 

• Identifier et répondre aux besoins de développement professionnel des chercheurs en développement de la petite enfance et en apprentissage fondamental en Afrique subsaharienne Rapport de synthèse pour l'action (French) 

• Identificar e Responder às Necessidades de Desenvolvimento Profissional dos Investigadores em Desenvolvimento da Primeira Infância e Aprendizagem de Base na África Subsariana: Relatório de Síntese Para Ação (Portuguese) 

• Foundational Learning Grant Proposal Writing Workshop Report

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Reports for mapping publications by African researchers in international databases 

• Mapping foundational literacy and numeracy publications in sub-Saharan Africa Report on analysis from international databases

• Mapping foundational literacy and numeracy publications in sub-Saharan Africa from international databases – Summary

• Cartographie des publications sur l’apprentissage fondamental en Afrique subsaharienne à partir des bases de données internationales – Résumé (French)

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Literature search protocol 

• Literature search protocol for mapping African-led Foundational Learning publications in English, French and Portuguese  

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Reports for mapping research outputs from African local journals and repositories 

• Mapping Foundational Literacy and Numeracy Research in sub-Saharan Africa – Ghana Country Report

• Mapping foundational literacy and numeracy research in sub-Saharan Africa – Kenya Country Report

• Mapping Foundational Literacy and Numeracy Research in sub-Saharan Africa – Senegal Country Report

• Cartographie de la Recherche sur l’apprentissage Fondamental en Afrique subsaharienne – Rapport National du Sénégal (French)

• Mapping Foundational Literacy and Numeracy Research in sub-Saharan Africa – Tanzania Country Report

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Cross-country Reports

• Mapping Foundational Literacy and Numeracy Research in Four sub-Saharan African Countries – Lessons from Country-level Searches

• Cartographie de la recherche sur l'apprentissage fondamental dans quatre pays d'Afrique subsaharienne – Leçons tirées de la recherche menée au niveau national (French)

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Spreadsheet and user guide for foundational learning publications by African researchers 

• Spreadsheet of African Foundational Learning (FL) Publications in International Databases and Local Repositories

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Workshop Reports

• ESSA and REAL Centre Workshop Report: Enhancing Africa-led Research on Early Childhood Development and Foundational Learning

• Enhancing Africa-Led Research on Early Childhood Development and Foundational Learning Workshop: Recommendations for Action

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Posters

• Mapping African Research on Foundational Literacy and Numeracy in sub-Saharan Africa (English)

• Cartographie de la Recherche Africaine sur l'Apprentissage Fondamental en Afrique Subsaharienne (French)

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Blogs

• Prioritising early learning research in sub-Saharan Africa for equitable learning outcomes  

• Enhancing Early Childhood Development and Foundational Learning through African-Led Research

• Understanding Research Priorities and Professional Development Needs of Early Years Researchers in Africa 

• Mapping Research on Foundational Literacy and Numeracy in sub-Saharan Africa Contexts - Where are the Publications? (English)

• Cartographie de la recherche africaine sur l’apprentissage fondamental en Afrique subsaharienne – où trouve-t-on les publications ? (French)

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News

• Shaping Africa’s Research Agenda: Insights from Professor Kwame Acheampong’s Keynote at Grant Proposal Writing Workshop for Africa-based Foundational Learning Researchers  

• Calls to increase research funding in Africa louder than ever 

• Enhancing African-Led Research on Early Childhood Development and Foundational Learning 

• New Effort to 'Decolonise' African Education Research

• New project announced to identify and connect Africa-based education researchers in improving foundational learning