LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION A Global Update on Country Efforts to Improve Learning and Reduce Inequalities © 2023 International Bank for Reconstruction and Development / The World Bank 1818 H Street NW Washington DC 20433 Telephone: 202-473-1000 Internet: www.worldbank.org This work is a product of the staff of The World Bank with external contributions. The findings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed in this work do not necessarily reflect the views of The World Bank, its Board of Executive Directors, or the governments they represent. The World Bank does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or currency of the data included in this work and does not assume responsibility for any errors, omissions, or discrepancies in the information, or liability with respect to the use of or failure to use the information, methods, processes, or conclusions set forth. 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LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION Contents Foreword........................................................................................................................................................................ 5 Acknowledgments...................................................................................................................................................... 6 Abbreviations............................................................................................................................................................... 7 Overview....................................................................................................................................................................... 10 0.1 REACH every child and keep them in school............................................................................................ 13 0.2 ASSESS learning levels regularly............................................................................................................... 14 0.3 PRIORITIZE teaching the fundamentals.................................................................................................. 16 0.4 INCREASE the efficiency of instruction, including through catch-up learning............................. 18 0.5 DEVELOP psychosocial health and wellbeing......................................................................................... 22 0.6 Putting it all together.................................................................................................................................... 23 1. Introduction............................................................................................................................................................. 26 1.1 Urgent need to recover and accelerate learning...................................................................................... 27 1.2 RAPID: Framework of education priorities during the pandemic and beyond............................... 30 1.3 Objectives, scope, and methodology: The What and the How............................................................ 32 1.4 Summary of efforts to recover and accelerate learning...................................................................... 33 2. REACH every child and keep them in school................................................................................................. 35 2.1 Halted progress in education access and enrollment............................................................................ 37 2.2 Bringing all children back to school........................................................................................................... 39 2.3 Keeping children in school............................................................................................................................ 41 2.4 Conclusion........................................................................................................................................................ 46 3. ASSESS learning levels regularly..................................................................................................................... 47 3.1. Lack of regular and reliable learning data hinders learning recovery and acceleration............. 48 3.2 Implementing regular assessments to monitor learning at the system level................................ 50 3.3 Providing learning data to schools............................................................................................................ 52 3.4 Supporting teachers’ use of continuous classroom assessment practices to inform instruction. 54 3.5 Investing in data systems to improve the availability and use of learning data.......................... 54 3.6 Conclusion........................................................................................................................................................ 56 4. PRIORITIZE teaching the fundamentals....................................................................................................... 57 4.1 Overburdened and imbalanced curricula are hampering learning recovery and acceleration... 58 4.2 Ensuring sufficient time for core content and foundational skills.................................................... 60 4.3 Learning within a limited time.................................................................................................................... 64 3 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION 4.4 Aligning teaching and learning materials with expected learning outcomes................................ 69 4.5 Conclusion........................................................................................................................................................ 70 5. INCREASE the efficiency of instruction, including through catch-up learning................................ 71 5.1 Recovery and acceleration are unattainable in inefficient and ineffective education systems. 72 5.2 Framework of approaches to enable efficient and effective learning for all.................................. 74 5.3 Scaffolding teaching to improve education outcomes......................................................................... 76 5.4 Providing a range of additional and alternative supports for struggling students...................... 81 5.5 Conclusion........................................................................................................................................................ 89 6. DEVELOP psychosocial health and wellbeing.............................................................................................. 90 6.1 Pandemic’s detrimental impact on psychosocial health and wellbeing........................................... 92 6.2 Fostering psychosocial health and wellbeing......................................................................................... 94 6.3 Screening for early detection of psychosocial health issues.............................................................. 97 6.4 Intervening to support psychosocial health............................................................................................ 98 6.5 Conclusion........................................................................................................................................................ 103 7. Putting it all together and concluding remarks.......................................................................................... 104 7.1 Urgency of the learning crisis not yet reflected in country actions................................................... 106 7.2 Fostering political and public commitment behind a long-term vision and plan.......................... 108 7.3 Identifying opportunities and constraints in resources and capacity............................................. 116 7.4 Aligning the education system toward learning recovery and acceleration................................... 123 7.5 Conclusion......................................................................................................................................................... 127 Appendices................................................................................................................................................................... 134 A. Methodology...................................................................................................................................................... 132 B. Criteria for selection of case studies........................................................................................................... 137 C. Examples of targeted instruction programs............................................................................................. 140 References.................................................................................................................................................................... 142 4 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION FOREWORD The world is experiencing a deep learning crisis that long predated COVID-19. Even before the pandemic, the learning poverty rate — the share of children who cannot read and understand a simple text by age 10 — was an alarming 57 percent in low- and middle-income countries. With the onset of COVID-19, schools were fully closed for in-person learning for 141 days on average. One billion children saw their education interrupted for more than a year, generating the worst shock to education on record and exacerbating the learning crisis. Virtually all education systems deployed remote and hybrid forms of instruction, but these were a poor substitute to in-person learning. The World Bank estimated that learning poverty could have jumped to 70 percent in low- and middle-income countries. As countries reopened schools, some education systems jumped to action — identifying and reaching out-of-school children, applying diagnostic assessments, and launching learning recovery initiatives and remedial strategies, many of which became longer-term, comprehensive investments to accelerate learning. Unfortunately, too many countries returned to “business as usual,” failing to employ coordinated policies or implementing only short-lived measures — a clear indication that societies often did not internalize the magnitude of the crisis. At the same time, financing for education decreased, evidenced by the drop in the share of public spending devoted to education since 2020. This report, Learning Recovery to Acceleration: A Global Update on Country Efforts to Improve Learning and Reduce Inequalities, takes stock of what countries have done so far to recover and accelerate learning since reopening schools, and what we have learned from their experience. It follows the RAPID Framework for Learning Recovery and Acceleration, which we published with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, U.K.’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), UNESCO, UNICEF and USAID in 2022 as a menu of policy actions based on past evidence and on policies that many countries were already implementing. To a large extent, many of the policies and interventions needed to recover from the pandemic setbacks and accelerate learning are known. One lesson is clear: political and financial commitment are vital for improving learning and reducing inequality. Effective education strategies require societies’ determination to make education a priority and devote the necessary human and financial resources to end the learning crisis. Policymakers, schools, and communities must work urgently to recover learning, tackle deep-rooted systemic challenges, and build resilience to future disruptions. Without decisive action, shocks to human capital could persist for decades — jeopardizing the welfare and productivity of multiple generations. The time to act is now. Jaime Saavedra Global Director for Education, The World Bank 5 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This report was prepared under the overall guidance of Jaime Saavedra and Halil Dundar by a team led by Alonso Sánchez, Laura Gregory, and Michael Crawford and including Maria Eugenia Oviedo, Ryan Shawn Herman, Ellinore Ahlgren, and Emily Tenenbom. The report considerably benefited from insightful comments and suggestions provided by Hanna Katriina Alasuutari, Sophia Marie D’Angelo, Juan Baron, Marina Bassi, Luis Benveniste, Tara Beteille, Anna Boni, Marguerite Clarke, Elizabeth Ninan Dulvy, Alison Marie Grimsland, Richard Skinner Ingram, Keiko Inoue, Aisha Garba Mohammed, Ezequiel Molina, Ben Piper, Shwetlena Sabarwal, Alina Sava, Samer Al-Samarrai, Lynne Sherburne-Benz, Lars Sondergaard, Venkatesh Sundararaman, Nobuyuki Tanaka, and Waly Wane. The team would like to extend its apology for any inadvertent omissions and wishes to express its deepest gratitude to all individuals, whether acknowledged explicitly here or not, who provided their time and support to this report. The team is particularly grateful to the individuals who generously agreed to be interviewed, sometimes more than once, for this report. Their thoughtful insights, candid perspectives, and valuable contributions provided the team with a host of rich insights for this report. These individuals are the following: Dina Abu-Ghaida, Enrique Alasino, Rula Al-Jundi, Horacio Alvarez Marinelli, Kokou Sefako Amelewonou, Ciro Avitabile, Simeth Beng, Jorge Celis, Sophie Cerbelle, Pedro Cerdan-Infantes, Ruth Karimi Charo, Jane Courtney, Bogdan Cristescu, Ligia Deca, Ganbat Lkhagvasuren, Pagma Genden, Marzieh Goudarzi, Katia Marina Herrera Sosa, Sarah Iype, Yves Jantzem, Leonce Kazumba, Ildo Lautharte, Deborah N. Mikesell, Wuraola Mosuro, Mupuwaliywa Mupuwaliywa, Anca Nedelcu, Fata No, Shinsaku Nomura, Noviandri Nurlaili Khairina, Joan Osa Oviawe, Monica Ospina, Liliana Preoteasa, Oyunaa Purevdorj, Helena Rovner, Alina Sava, Akiko Sawamoto, Martin Elias De Simone, Shabnam Sinha, Simona Tanase, Nyam-Ochir Tumur-Ochir, Maria Jose Vargas Mancera, Girma Woldetsadik, and Dana Yanis. The support provided by Kristyn Schrader, Stefano De Cupis, and the wider communications team is also deeply valued and gratefully acknowledged. This report was edited by Alicia Hetzner and designed by Alejandro Scaff. 6 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION ABBREVIATIONS ABEP Accelerated Basic Education Programme (Nigeria) ADB Asian Development Bank ADEA Association for the Development of Education in Africa AEP accelerated education program AEWG Accelerated Education Working Group AI artificial intelligence ALEKS Plataforma Adaptativa de Matemática (formerly PAM) APHRC African Population and Health Research Center ARED Associates in Research and Education for Development ASER Annual Status Education Report/Pakistan AU/CIEFFA African Union’s International Center for Girls’ and Women’s Education in Africa BE2 Building Evidence in Education (UK) BEEP Basic Education Equivalency Program (Cambodia) CAR Central African Republic CBT cognitive behavioral therapy CCT conditional cash transfer CON BASE National Building the Foundations for Learning Program (Dominican Republic) Conférence des ministres de l’Éducation des États et gouvernements de la CONFEMEN Francophonie COVID-19 coronavirus disease of 2019 CTP cash transfer program CWD children with disabilities DBE Department of Basic Education (South Africa) DMS Data Must Speak (UNICEF) ECE early childhood education EGMA early grade mathematics assessment EGRA early grade reading assessment EMIS education management information system EpB Educar para el Bienestar, Mexico EWM Early Warning Mechanism (Romania) EWS early warning system 4T’s Track, Trace, Talk and reTurn (Kenya) FCDO Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (UK) 7 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION FCV fragile, conflict, or violence affected FLS Foundational Learning Study (India) GEMR Global Education Monitoring Report GOAL Gujarat Outcomes for Accelerated Learning (India) GPE Global Partnership for Education GST Good School Toolkit (Uganda) INEE Inter-agency Network for Education in Emergencies J-PAL Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab JUNAEB National Board for Student Aid and Scholarships (Chile) KAPE Kampuchea Action to Promote Education (Cambodia) LaNA Literacy and Numeracy Assessment LLECE Laboratorio Latinoamericano de Evaluación de la Calidad de la Educación LRP Learning Recovery Plan (India) LSCE Life Skills and Citizenship Education M&E monitoring and evaluation MELC Most Essential Learning Competencies (The Philippines) MHPSS mental health and psychosocial support MIC middle-income countries MINEDUC Ministry of Education (Chile) MOE ministry of education MOGE Ministry of General Education (Zambia) MOEYS Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport (Cambodia) MPSS mental health and psychosocial support services n.d. no date NGEU Next Generation European Union NGSA Next Generation Science Assessment for grades 5, 8, and 11  National Initiative for Proficiency in Reading with Understanding and Numeracy Nipun Bharat (Bharat, India) NIDS-CRAM National Income Dynamics Study Coronavirus Rapid Mobile Survey (South Africa) NLAS national learning assessment system(s) NSGA National Grade Six Assessment (Guyana) OOS out-of-school ORF Observer Research Foundation (India) PAM Plataforma Adaptativa de Matemática (now ALEKS) PAPSE Projet d’Amélioration des Prestations de Services Educatifs (Côte d’Ivoire) 8 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION PASEC Program for the Analysis of Educational Systems of CONFEMEN PEC Programme d’Enseignement Ciblé PIRLS Progress in International Reading Literacy Study PISA Programme for International Student Assessment PPP purchasing power parity PROF Romania MOE project PTA Programa Todos a Aprender Recovering for Academic Achievement by Improving Instruction through RAISE Sustainable Evidence-Based Learning Programs (The Philippines) RAMP Early Grade Reading and Mathematics Initiatives (Jordan/USAID) Framework for Learning Recovery and Acceleration (Reach, Assess, Prioritize, RAPID Increase, and Develop) (World Bank) RELIT Renforcement de la Lecture Initiale Pour Tous (Senegal) RIMA Recopilación de Información para la Mejora de los Aprendizajes (Mexico) ROSE Romania Secondary Education Project SACMEQ Southern and Eastern Africa Consortium for Monitoring Educational Quality SD standard deviation SDG Sustainable Development Goal (United Nations) SEA-PLM Southeast Asia Primary Learning Metrics SED District Education Secretariat (Colombia) SEL socioemotional learning SHIIIR Integrated Information System for Education in Romania SIMCE Sistema de Medicion de Calidad de la Educacion (Chile)  STARS Strengthening Teaching-Learning and Results for States (World Bank) STEPCam Strengthening Teacher Education Program in Cambodia TaRL Teaching at the Right Level TES Transforming Education Summit (UN) TIMSS Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study TNTP The New Teacher Project (US) UDL Universal Design for Learning UNESCO United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization UNESCO-UIS UNESCO Institute for Statistics UNICEF United Nations Children’s Fund USA United States of America VSK Vidya Samiksha Kendra (India MOE centralized data systems) WCECCE World Conference on Early Childhood Care and Education (UNESCO) 9 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION OVERVIEW Before the COVID-19 pandemic, global learning The pandemic is likely to have a lasting and unequal levels were unacceptably low. In 2019, learning impact on global learning levels. Learning losses have poverty — the share of children unable to read and been documented in countries of all income levels understand a simple text by age 10 — had reached 57 (World Bank, UNICEF, and UNESCO 2021). Simulated percent in low- and middle-income countries (World estimates suggest that the learning poverty rate Bank and others 2022b). This constituted a global has risen, on average, to 70 percent across low- and learning crisis. Despite significant expansion in access middle-income countries (World Bank and others to schooling in most low- and middle-income countries 2022b). The long-term effect is likely to be substantial. over the past 50 years to near-universal levels for This generation of students could lose an estimated primary school, progress in improving global learning US$21 trillion in future earnings due to lost schooling levels had stalled. and learning — equivalent to 17 percent of today’s GDP (World Bank and others 2022b). The most Extended school closures during the pandemic vulnerable students will take the greatest hit. From considerably disrupted schooling and learning. The early childhood to young adults, the impacts of the COVID-19 crisis resulted in an unprecedented global pandemic disproportionately hurt people from poorer disruption of schooling and learning. At the peak of backgrounds (Schady and others 2023). lockdowns, 1.6 billion children in 188 countries were out of school (World Bank 2021c). Between February The RAPID Framework for Learning Recovery and 2020 and February 2022, on average, education Acceleration organizes a menu of policy options for systems were fully closed for in-person schooling countries to return students to school and combat for 141 days (World Bank and others 2022a). The learning losses (World Bank and others 2022a). length of the interruptions varied significantly by The framework was developed in response to the region. Schools in high-income countries managed to COVID-19 pandemic-related school disruptions, but reopen faster than those in low- and middle-income it is also applicable to other shocks to education countries, in which nearly 1 billion children missed out systems. The framework outlines five key policy on at least 1 full year of in-person schooling (Schady areas: (1) Reach every child and keep them in school; and others 2023). (2) Assess learning levels regularly; (3) Prioritize teaching the fundamentals; (4) Increase the efficiency Remote learning efforts during school closures were of instruction, including through catch-up learning; uneven and ineffective. Nearly every country offered and (5) Develop psychosocial health and wellbeing remote learning options (World Bank, UNICEF, and (figure 0.1). UNESCO 2021). In some countries, governments rolled out measures to continue learning at an unprecedented pace, using various channels, from online learning and take-home packages to radio and TV lessons to texting or tele-tutoring. In low- and middle-income countries, limited capacity to deliver education services under stress, a wide digital divide, and poorly constructed remote learning systems undermined the effectiveness of remote learning (Cobo, Munoz- Najra, and Ciarrusta 2021). These three factors aggravated existing inequalities in learning outcomes and disproportionately affected students from disadvantaged backgrounds (Schady and others 2023). 10 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION Figure 0.1 RAPID Framework for learning recovery and acceleration R A P I D Reach every Assess Prioritize Increase the Develop child and keep learning levels teaching the efficiency of psychosocial them in school regularly fundamentals instruction, health and including wellbeing through catch- up learning To ensure no To meet every To ensure To accelerate To ensure every one is left child where he/ learning of and progress child is ready to behind she is essential missed beyond what learn content was lost Source: World Bank and others 2022b. The RAPID Framework applies to countries’ efforts to (1) recover learning losses in the short term and (2) accelerate learning beyond pre-pandemic levels in the medium to long term. “Learning recovery” refers to countries’ efforts, during and after the pandemic-related disruptions to education, to help schools get their student cohorts back on track by recovering essential lost learning due to limited or no instructional time and less effective modes of learning during that period. “Learning acceleration” refers to efforts to ensure that schools can efficiently and effectively support each student to acquire essential core skills and knowledge. Many countries across the world already were making investments to improve education quality and accelerate learning before the COVID-19 pandemic. Other countries may consider recovery and acceleration as one effort with the idea that pre-pandemic levels are not a sufficient goal. Figure 0.2 illustrates the trajectories represented by recovery and acceleration. 11 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION Figure 0.2 Illustration of learning recovery and acceleration trajectories ion at e ler c Ac Learning progression Length of 19 VID school closure e-CO tory pr c raje ng t Learni ery re cov Full No recovery Schools closed Schools opened Time Source: World bank. This report examines what countries are doing research; analysis of the report database; existing to recover and accelerate learning, and how they survey data; and semi-structured interviews with are doing it. The report aims to identify effective government officials, development partners and or promising at-scale interventions and policies World Bank staff (appendix A). to recover and accelerate learning, and to distill implementation lessons. The focus is on primary Most countries did not fully comprehend the and secondary education and on the responses necessity for learning recovery and acceleration. employed once schools reopened after pandemic- The report database of policy responses, and the related disruptions. A database was developed for joint survey, found that relatively few countries had this report that contains the details of the learning implemented fully evidenced-based policy measures recovery and acceleration efforts of a sample of 60 to address learning recovery and acceleration. For low- and middle-income countries for which sufficient example, from the report database, only 27 percent information was available.1 This report database of countries had implemented targeted instruction enabled a landscape review of policy responses. programs, and only 15 percent supported teacher From this sample of 60 countries, 7 were examined performance through structured pedagogy programs. further as comprehensive case studies: Cambodia, However, some countries are investing in learning Colombia, Côte d’Ivoire, India, Mongolia, Romania, recovery and acceleration interventions that move and Zambia. The comprehensive case studies were them toward a new and improved status quo. selected based on their policy responses being (1) evidence-based, (2) government-led, (3) implemented at scale or with scale in mind, and (4) ongoing. A mixed-methods approach was used, relying on desk 1 The list of the 60 sampled countries is provided in appendix A. This database is referred to as the “report database.” 12 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION 0.1 REACH EVERY CHILD AND Efforts to re-enroll students relied on multidisciplinary teams, investments in data- KEEP THEM IN SCHOOL gathering and management systems, and personalized support that address children’s Steady worldwide progress in education access barriers to schooling. Other countries have targeted and enrollment was halted by the pandemic. The OOS or chronically absent children with home visits. COVID-19 pandemic interrupted decades of progress In Guyana, home visits targeted children who had on increasing educational access and raising school been continuously absent since the beginning of the enrollment. In some education systems, not all 2022 school year or who had missed the National students returned once schools reopened (Schady Grade Six Assessment. The Ministry of Education and others 2023). After the onset of COVID-19, many reported reinstating 75 percent of these students in countries saw increased rates of children and youth school within weeks (Guyana, Department of Public dropping out of school: 6 of 9 countries in a meta- Information 2022). In Brazil, the Busca Ativa Escolar analysis saw higher rates of dropout (Moscoviz and (Student Active Search) program is a non-formal Evans 2022). Levels of dropout are higher in low- strategy and technology-enabled tool to identify and income countries and disproportionately affect poor monitor OOS and at-risk children and youth through and vulnerable children and youth, and those in older high-quality data. City- or municipal-level supervisors cohorts (Schady and others 2023). In South Africa, receive alerts through an app about OOS children, who the highest rates of dropout were found among low- in turn receive in-person family visits by community income households and in rural areas or informal agents who work to ensure re-enrollment (UNICEF n.d.). settlements (NIDS-CRAM 2021). In Pakistan, the proportion of children who dropped out during the Some countries are expanding or strengthening pandemic increased with level of education (Idara-e second chance programs. Accelerated education Taleem-o-Aagahi 2021). In addition, many students programs (AEPs), bridge programs, and other who returned to school are at a heightened risk second chance programs offer vulnerable children of dropout because pandemic-related disruptions a pathway into the formal school systems. These exacerbated risk factors associated with dropout, flexible programs provide access to education for such as learning levels, children’s psychosocial disadvantaged and/or over-aged OOS children through wellbeing, and families’ financial stability. which they can achieve a certified, equivalent level of education in a shortened time; or which serve as a Countries identified and re-enrolled out-of-school bridge to guide students back into the formal system (OOS) children through direct outreach. Several (AEWG INEE 2022). Girls and women especially benefit countries employed home visits and door-to-door from accelerated education programs. For example, surveys to encourage children’s return to school, with the VAS-Y-Fille! Project in the Democratic Republic of positive results. In 2021, India’s Ministry of Education the Congo helped over-aged OOS children (including (MOE) asked states to identify OOS children aged 6 those who had never been to school) complete a to 18 and to prepare action plans for their enrollment. primary education degree in three years. A subsequent This federal action prompted several states to roll out evaluation found a positive impact on girls’ enrollment comprehensive surveys in collaboration with teachers, through the end of the last school year (Randall, school management, and counselors. Through these O’Donnell, and Botha 2020). Other countries including surveys, states gathered information on barriers to Ethiopia and Nigeria are taking steps to expand schooling and used the information to target support and strengthen AEPs. Through its 2022 Accelerated to children and families, including through counseling, Basic Education Programme (ABEP), Nigeria produced financial support, and housing (Vijayakumar 2022). national guidelines, teacher guides, and a standard, Karnataka reported reinstating 80 percent of OOS condensed curriculum to be used in AEPs across children identified through home surveys in 2022 different states. (EdexLive 2022). 13 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION Countries increasingly are investing in early warning To boost attendance and learning outcomes, systems for identifying and tracking students at countries are engaging parents, families, and risk of dropout. Early warning systems (EWS) aim to communities through school activities or SMS calls. reduce school dropout by identifying students who Family and community engagement has been a exhibit behaviors or academic performance that put critical tool to improve educational participation and them at risk for dropout. EWS then support them to prevent dropout. Global evidence shows the strong and stay in school through strategies that meet their needs long-lasting effects of parental involvement with their (UNICEF 2018; US Department of Education 2016). children’s education on a host of improved educational EWS collect student data on predictors of early school outcomes: school attendance and attainment, leaving, such as attendance, behavior, and academic academic performance, cognitive and non-cognitive performance, to allocate resources toward students skills, and motivation. Parental involvement in with the highest risk of dropout (OECD 2021a). In children’s schooling also positively influences 2021 an estimated 43 percent of countries had an attendance and graduation rates (Nguyen, Havard, EWS in place. Several countries have ramped up EWS and Otto 2022; Paul, Rashmi, and Srivastava 2021; investments since the onset of the pandemic. Since Ross 2015). A recent longitudinal study in rural India 2020, El Salvador, Honduras, Peru, Romania, and found that students whose parents were involved in Tanzania have invested to create or scale up these their schooling during the 2018–19 academic year programs. In 2022 Romania adopted an Early Warning were less likely to drop out during the 2020–21 school Mechanism (EWM) at the national level to identify, year. Approximately 6.6 percent of children whose support, and track the progress of students at risk of parents visited their school prior to the pandemic dropping out of school. The EWM includes prevention, dropped out after schools reopened, compared to 9.6 intervention, and compensation measures targeted at percent of children whose parents did not visit (Sarkar students at risk of dropping out (World Bank 2019a). and Sabates 2022). Some countries are using cash transfers and grants 0.2 ASSESS LEARNING LEVELS to tackle financial barriers to schooling. Of the 60 national education responses analyzed for this report, REGULARLY 50 percent have invested in evidence-based strategies to reduce barriers to schooling. Cash transfer The COVID-19 pandemic negatively impacted programs (CTP) are the most common. Alleviating countries’ ability to collect timely student learning financial constraints through cash transfers or waiving data. Limited data collection capacity and a lack of school and examination fees has proved effective learning data have long prevented teachers, school in enabling marginalized learners — including girls, leaders, and principals from obtaining a full picture learners with disabilities, and those from families of student learning levels. Globally, 97 countries (of living in poverty — to attend school. In Türkiye, the 195), or 50 percent, do not have data to measure government expanded a program targeting refugees, educational achievement (UNESCO, UNICEF, and increasing the beneficiaries by 19 percent between World Bank 2021). Even when data are collected, the December 2019 and December 2020 and providing a comparability and validity of the data and the capacity one-time top-up to support families facing increased to use data for decision-making remain challenging economic challenges during the pandemic (UNICEF (UNESCO, UNICEF, World Bank 2021). The COVID-19 Türkiye 2021). The program gives cash transfers to pandemic further impacted countries’ ability to eligible families, contingent on children attending collect timely learning data. During periods of remote school. An impact evaluation found that the program learning, teachers had limited capacity to undertake improved children’s attendance rates by five assessments due to the lack of guidelines and percentage points between the 2017-18 and 2018-19 procedures. These issues led to assessment practices school years (Ring and others 2020). that were ill coordinated, lacked feedback mechanisms, and were unable to reach all students (ADEA, AU/ CIEFFA, and APHRC 2022). In 2020 and 2021, many countries postponed or cancelled large-scale national 14 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION assessments, leading to a dearth of timely data functions through a framework of assessment for necessary to understand the magnitude and nature of learning recovery and acceleration efforts. learning losses at a system level (ADEA, AU/CIEFFA, and APHRC 2022; Tejada and others 2022). Assessments are critical to measure learning losses and plan a response, but only 22 countries in the Investing in effective student assessment has been sample of 60 low- and middle-income countries critical for learning recovery and acceleration. report using them. Several countries implemented Information on student learning is needed at several national assessments to understand the extent of levels. Teachers need daily information on student learning losses and inform learning recovery plans. In learning to plan their lessons and to identify struggling September 2020, once its schools partially reopened, students. School leaders need information on student Kenya applied a national census-based assessment learning to arrange additional support for students. for grades 4, 8, and 12. The assessment, for which Authorities need information to allocate resources teachers administered, scored, and uploaded results to and design strategies for learning recovery and a central assessment portal, covered several subjects acceleration. Students and parents need learning in the curriculum and was used to inform policies information for feedback and to help keep systems to mitigate the pandemic’s impact on learning. In accountable for results. Figure 0.3 illustrates these Mongolia, results from a sample-based assessment Figure 0.3 Framework to assess learning recovery and acceleration For learning recovery and acceleration efforts: Who needs student learning data? System-level Schools Teachers Parents/students administrations • To monitor learning • For school-level • For daily instructional • For feedback on areas levels planning decisions of strength and areas needing further work • For decisions on • For district-level • To identify struggling allocating resources decisions on resource students needing • To keep systems for learning recovery allocation additional support accountable and acceleration For example: Questioning, Sample-based national District/School observation, Student report cards assessments level tests class tests Census-based national assessments Source: World Bank. 15 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION conducted in September 2021 were used to inform the applying assessments with support from a new cadre three-year learning recovery plan and to adjust the of assessment specialists in each province. curriculum and teacher training. In India, assessment results are being used in long-term planning for Investing in the availability, reporting, and use of learning improvements. The 2022 Foundational data are critical. Barriers such as poor-quality data, Learning Study (FLS), which assessed the reading a lack of data management protocols and systems, fluency of 83,000 grade 3 students, helped set and failure to optimize report formats for usability reading benchmarks for a national reading strategy. often prevent their effective use in decision-making. India’s states received funding to create action plans A few countries are investing in school report cards aligned with national targets (India, MOE n.d.b) and dashboards to streamline the flow of information to schools and other stakeholders. In Mendoza, A few countries are using results from assessments Argentina, assessment information from the new to inform school-level improvement planning beyond Census on Oral Reading Fluency is shared in easy-to- the pandemic-related school closures. In Chile, use formats that enable directors and school cluster the SIMCE national learning outcome assessments supervisors to identify schools in need of teacher (Sistema de Medicion de Calidad de la Educacion) were training and students in need of support. In Gujarat, not implemented in 2020 or 2021 due to schooling India, the recently improved Vidya Samiksha Kendra disruptions. Instead, the government put forth the is an education management information system Diagnóstico Integral de Aprendizajes, a set of voluntary (at (EMIS) and dashboard that enables teachers and the school level), low-stakes assessment tools to identify policymakers to view learning data from different specific learning gaps, assess socioemotional wellbeing, types of assessments at the student, cluster, and inform teacher and school leader planning. The block, district, and state levels (India, Education Diagnóstico was administered in March 2021 and used Department, Government of Gujarat n.d.). Countries to understand trends in student proficiency levels are complementing such efforts with communications across subjects. Since then, the assessment has been strategies that clearly convey results to different applied three times a year as a mechanism to supply audiences. continuous feedback on student results to teachers and policymakers. In Mendoza, Argentina, once schools 0.3 PRIORITIZE TEACHING THE reopened, results from the Census on Oral Reading Fluency were embedded in schools’ annual improvement FUNDAMENTALS plans for supplemental remediation, targeted Overburdened, imbalanced curricula are hampering instruction, and small group tutoring. learning recovery and acceleration. Overburdened In learning recovery efforts, building teachers’ curricula threaten students’ opportunities to master capacity for assessment-informed instruction the fundamentals. This long-standing problem in is essential. Formative assessments, such as education is especially urgent after instructional questioning, observation, and class tests, help time has been lost to prolonged school closures. Once teachers to pace the lesson at the right level for the students came back to in-person schooling, missed class. In the report database, 58 percent of countries in-person school time was found to have pushed had invested in improving the continuous use of them further behind curricular expectations, and to classroom assessment practices. A few countries varying degrees. When the expected pace of learning are incorporating training on classroom assessment in the curriculum is misaligned with the actual pace practices in the pre-service and in-service professional of learning, students may fall multiple grade levels development of teachers, school leaders, and coaches. short of curriculum expectations (Pritchett and For example, in Colombia, a partnership between Beatty 2012). The challenge of having wide-ranging two key education programs provided assessment- student achievement levels in a classroom with too specific training to thousands of teacher coaches and much content for the instructional time available can tutors. In Mongolia, teachers and school leaders are be considered an extreme case of the challenge that receiving continuous professional development on ordinarily affects education systems (figure 0.4) 16 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION Figure 0.4 Common classroom challenges affecting student learning Little flexibility Classes start is given to Grade curricula Minimal relevant with students teachers to reflect training, guidance, having varied adjust the unrealistic or materials are prior knowledge, pace of their expectations for provided to help skills, family instruction to student progress teachers know support, and match their how to: experiences students’ levels Provide learning Manage their Assess their experiences that classrooms students’ appropiately to maximize learning needs engage all their learning and students wellbeing Source: World Bank. With less time in schools during closures, and students in schools using the simplified curriculum subsequent learning losses, countries have had to outperformed their peers in literacy and numeracy, determine which core content and key skills in each respectively. The Indonesian government is rolling out grade are essential. Foundational skills, which include the revised curriculum for national use to expedite literacy, numeracy, and basic socioemotional skills, learning recovery and improve learning levels are the bases for developing higher level knowledge (Aditomo 2022). and skills and, therefore, are a key goal across primary and secondary education. Chile and the Philippines have adjusted the quantity and distribution of instructional time to reinforce Bhutan, Ecuador, and Indonesia have focused their curricular priorities. Student mastery of foundational curricula to ensure the development of foundational skills can be promoted by adjusting school timetables skills. Reducing the scope and quantity of subjects and calendars. When the quality of instruction is to allow sufficient time for the development of high, extending the school or extending the school foundational skills has been a response to the calendar (by even 10 days) can positively impact disruptions to schooling and learning caused by student learning (Holland, Alfaro, and Evans 2015; COVID-19. Twenty-two percent of countries in Hincapie 2016; Novicoff and Kraft 2022; OECD the report database had adjusted their curricula 2020b; Parinduri 2014; Patall, Cooper, and Allen to focus on core content for at least 2 academic 2010). Countries have taken several approaches to years. Bhutan, Ecuador, and Indonesia condensed increase overall instructional time and build more the content of their curricula after the onset of the space for prioritized subjects or content. These pandemic. Perhaps counterintuitively, slowing the approaches have included reallocating instructional pace of curriculum to align with the pace of student time among subjects, reducing school holidays, learning can lead to learning gains. Learning could condensing recess blocks or breaks between classes, go faster if curricula were built around the learning shifting instructional time among tasks within subject pace of students (Kaffenberger 2020). In Indonesia, periods, and hosting additional classes before or after the national curriculum was revised in 2020, reducing school for targeted student groups. As part of their the content of each subject by 30 to 50 percent. learning recovery efforts, some countries, including Approximately 30 percent of schools adopted the Chile and the Philippines, combined curricular streamlined curriculum. A year later, grades 1–3 modifications with adjustments to instructional time. 17 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION Both countries condensed their curricula and adjusted Education systems are using many approaches to the instructional time dedicated to priority subjects advance learning. For efficient and effective learning, by reducing instructional time in other subjects or teachers need the right tools and training, and schools increasing overall learning time. need to be empowered to appropriately respond to learning gaps. Figure 0.5 provides a framework of Côte d’Ivoire and Indonesia have strengthened approaches to support all students with effective curricular adjustments by aligning teaching and teaching, while providing additional and alternative learning materials. In curriculum reform efforts, supports for struggling students. teaching and learning materials need to be aligned. An important element of Côte d’Ivoire’s early grade » For classes to move through the curriculum at the reading program implementation was the new expected rate, regular teaching needs to include textbook that focused on phonics instruction. This a set of elements that work together to enable new textbook was more explicit and better structured learning for all. These include instruction that is (Zafeirakou 2020). Changes to curriculum also can be carefully planned, systematic, and engaging for all reinforced through revised teacher training. In Côte students. Sufficient time is needed for instruction, d’Ivoire, teachers were trained in using phonics: a and for students to practice and reinforce their cumulative, step-by-step model of instruction with skills and knowledge. A comprehensive suite ample student practice. Curricular changes require of teacher-facing and learner-facing materials associated changes to existing assessments. With should be well aligned to the learning objectives. Indonesia’s “Emancipated Curriculum,” the outdated Teachers’ continuous assessment during lessons national high-stakes examinations were eliminated enables them to understand how well students and a new National Assessment was introduced. are grasping the content and how ready they are to move on. Structured pedagogy packages can Commitments to foundational skills also have been help scaffold regular teaching (Angrist and others advanced without curricular reforms. Reforms to 2020; Piper and Dubeck n.d.; Snilstveit and others curricula, big or small, tend to be intensive, drawn 2015). out, and politically entrenched (Gouëdard and others 2020). Countries will face context-specific challenges » Where groups of students or individuals have not in making curricular adjustments and will need to been able to keep up with the content, schools can develop their unique path toward prioritizing teaching arrange a variety of additional supports such as the fundamentals. Chile and Indonesia offered targeted instruction, supplemental remediation, modified curricula as optional tools for schools. Some or small group tutoring. In the report database, states in India used versions of learning materials only 58 percent of countries had invested in such that offered many opportunities to practice key skills. practices. Such investments also are important Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, and Saudi Arabia implemented in the context of disability inclusion in education, smaller interventions, such as teacher guides, that whereby additional support and adaptation of temporarily shift classroom curricular priorities and teaching and learning aim to meet the diverse gradually may introduce larger curricular adjustments. needs of all learners. » When children have missed enough content to 0.4 INCREASE THE EFFICIENCY make it impossible for them to stay within their approximate age-based grade level, second OF INSTRUCTION, INCLUDING chance or reintegration programs, including THROUGH CATCH-UP LEARNING bridge and AEPs, are often provided. Cambodia’s Basic Education Equivalency Program (BEEP) and Existing inefficiencies in education were exacerbated Ethiopia’s Speed Schools are two examples. by the pandemic. School systems have had to become more efficient and effective to enable student learning within expected times, with catch-up opportunities to help keep all children on track. 18 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION Figure 0.5 Framework of approaches to support all students with effective teaching while providing additional and alternative supports for struggling students Content Effective at around teaching of Planned, systematic, and Comprehensive, aligned age-based engaging instruction with resources for teaching and heterogenous interactive dialogue learning Inclusive of all, including those with disabilities and other marginalized groups grade level classes includes: Sufficient time for instruction, Continuous assessment and practice, and reinforcement follow-up including adapting lessons Facilitated by structured pedagogy packages Student proficiency Additional supports that schools can Targeted instruction Supplemental remediation arrange: Adaptive/self-guided Small group tutoring instructional programs Specialist learning Alternative Teaching assistants support staff options that Content national or below local education age-based authorities Second chance or reintegration programs, including grade level can offer: bridge and accelerated learning programs Source: World Bank. Note: The approaches shown in the framework are neither mutually exclusive nor sufficient on their own. Repeating a grade is not included in this framework because doing so may be appropriate for only a very small number of students. To recover and accelerate learning, countries are teaching. Many education systems have provided providing inputs to scaffold teaching. Teaching is scaffolds to help teachers move toward more effective a complex and challenging job. School closures and practices. Scaffolding teaching means providing learning losses further complicated teachers’ roles. support, guidance, and resources to better plan and Greater heterogeneity of student proficiency within deliver effective teaching. In the 2021-22 school year, classrooms and wider learning gaps due to the 73 percent of respondent countries in fourth round pandemic have highlighted the critical role of effective of the Survey on National Education Responses 19 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION to COVID-19 School Closures2 (hereafter, “joint integrated curriculum experience that continued to be survey”) reported implementing programs to improve useful once schools reopened (UNICEF Jordan 2022). instruction either through teaching materials, learning resources, or teacher training. A similar proportion Targeted instruction provides additional support expect to continue these programs post-pandemic for struggling students. For students who fall behind, (UNESCO-UIS and others 2022). a range of additional and alternative supports such as supplemental remediation, small group tutoring, Structured pedagogy packages are designed adaptive/self-guided instructional programs, teaching to scaffold teaching and accelerate learning by assistants, and specialist learning support staff can maximizing instructional time and effectiveness. help these students get back on track as quickly as These are packages of coherent investments possible. Where there is large heterogeneity within that work synergistically to improve classroom classes, periods of targeted instruction in which teaching (RTI International 2021). They provide a students are grouped and regrouped according to clear framework for teachers to follow, with varying achievement levels for all or part of the school day degrees of scaffolding: from fully scripted lesson or year, has been found to be cost-effective across plans for contexts for which most teachers have little different contexts (World Bank and others 2020). training to lists of suggested classroom activities for A particular model of targeted instruction has been contexts in which teachers are well trained. Structured implemented in Ghana, India, and Zambia with pedagogy programs have been supporting effective moderate success (J-PAL 2018). The Teaching at teaching at scale in Benin, Jordan, and Timor-Leste. the Right Level (TaRL) model supports students to In the report database, only 15 percent of countries catch up their foundational learning competencies had implemented structured pedagogy programs by grouping students by proficiency level, not by during or after the pandemic-related school closures. grade or age. When in groups, students participate in Studies of the use of structured pedagogy packages, instructional, play-based activities tailored to their such as in the Gambia and Guinea-Bissau, indicate learning levels. The model can be distilled into three that these packages are particularly impactful in steps: assessing student learning levels, grouping contexts in which initial teaching levels are low (Eble them by their level of proficiency (rather than by age and others 2021; Fazzio and others 2021). or grade), and tailoring instruction to the level of the group. Among the many approaches to targeted Structured pedagogy programs are cost effective instruction, in Brazil, it is conducted during infrequent and are the intervention with the largest and most but intensive sessions by trained supervisors. In consistent impacts on student learning in low- and Botswana, daily instructional time is used for shorter middle-income countries (Angrist and others 2020; sessions of targeted instruction. Snilstveit and others 2015). In Jordan, the Learning Bridges program is in its third year of national Supplemental remediation has been used by some adoption. The program was designed as an emergency education systems in India and the Philippines response to the pandemic to enable Jordan’s 500,000 to support struggling learners. Another support grades 4–9 students to continue learning Arabic, option to support them is adding learning time English, mathematics, and science. Each week, the to supplemental remedial classes. This additional package delivered printed activity packs to students time can be particularly important to learners with that were aligned with the curriculum, with guidance disabilities.3 Tamil-Nadu, India implemented a state- to parents on how they could support their children, wide evening remediation program using community a QR code to further web-based resources, and volunteers. Illam Thedi Kalvi (Education at Doorstep) training for teachers. The activities introduced new started as a pilot in 2021 and in 2022 was rolled out ways of learning, building core foundational skills in the state for 3.3 million students in grades 1-8. through studying their application, thus generating an During the 60–90-minute sessions, students were put 2 Coordinated by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), UNESCO, UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), UNICEF and the World Bank. 3 If such support utilizes the principles of Universal Design for Learning, all learners can benefit. For background on the principles of Universal Design for Learning, see Murphy 2021. 20 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION in groups of 15–20 and provided with instruction by Adaptive and self-guided learning tools have enabled local volunteers. The remedial classes took place on students to tailor their own learning experiences. school or preschool premises and in volunteers’ homes. Such tools are particularly beneficial for education A study of the results concluded that this program systems that (1) need to target specialized supports contributed to accelerating recovery of learning losses for a subset of students who have fallen behind, or within a few months of schools reopening, raising (2) are unable to provide enough instructional time mathematics scores by 0.17SD and Tamil scores by for all students due, for example, to shortages of 0.09SD (Singh, Romero, and Muralidharan 2022). qualified teachers or prolonged school closures. In 2022 Uruguay launched the computerized ALEKS Assessments have helped identify students in program for primary and secondary mathematics. most need of remedial support. In the Bicol region Teachers work with students to establish learning of the Philippines, a 3-year learning scheme was goals. Then the artificial intelligence algorithm conceptualized to help the selected learners catch up designs personalized learning paths for each student. and accelerate their education after 2 years of school Students work independently through the program, closures (Calipay 2022). Under the 8-week Learning and teachers monitor detailed information about the Recovery Curriculum program, approximately use and achievement of their students through an 400,000 learners participated in a series of catch-up online portal. Self-guided learning also can be used and remedial learning opportunities designed around a to accelerate learning for children with disabilities. condensed curriculum. Learners were identified using a In Ghana, 3,000 tablets were distributed nationally rapid literacy and numeracy assessment. The program to children with special learning needs. These tablets increased grade-ready learners in grades 2 and 3 by were preloaded with digital versions of the curriculum 18 percentage points each (Calipay 2022). and were designed to suit the needs of children with hearing or visual impairments. Now reaching Small-group tutoring has helped support students over 7,000 students with disabilities, the tablets, in the Dominican Republic and Bangladesh. Less programmed for self-paced learning, can help all than one-third of respondent countries in the joint children catch-up on lost learning (World Bank 2022b). survey reported implementing or supporting tutoring programs in the 2021–22 academic year (UNESCO-UIS and others 2022). The high costs of these programs 0.5 DEVELOP PSYCHOSOCIAL may be one reason why more countries did not employ HEALTH AND WELLBEING them. However, there are some promising models. The Dominican Republic kept costs down by leveraging The pandemic had a detrimental impact on university partnerships to source high-performing psychosocial health and wellbeing, with anxiety and motivated students as instructors for an online tutoring depression cases increasing over 25 percent in the program. The “Tutoring Online Program” had 200 pandemic’s first year (figure 0.6). Young people were volunteer university students and provided personalized hardest hit, as were women and girls. The pandemic’s tutoring to 300 students from disadvantaged impacts on children and youth stretch far beyond backgrounds in public secondary schools (J-PAL lost learning. During school closures, many children 2020b). During school closures, in Bangladesh, tele- and young people experienced heightened stress tutoring has proved an effective and low-cost option and periods of isolation, while missing opportunities for primary school children and their mothers. Children to connect with peers in school and develop exposed to tele-tutoring scored 35 percent higher on socioemotional skills. Risk factors that contribute to a standardized test, and the involvement of mothers poor psychosocial health increased, including poverty in their children’s education increased by 22 minutes and domestic violence. Mental health and psychosocial per day (26 percent). The impacts on learning gains support (MHPSS) were the most disrupted among all and mothers’ involvement persisted a year after the essential health services during much of the pandemic. intervention. Academically weaker children benefited Improving children’s psychosocial health and wellbeing the most from the intervention, which cost $20 per is central to learning recovery and acceleration child (Hassan and others 2022). because they have significant implications for school 21 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION Figure 0.6 Global cases of anxiety and depression, before and during the pandemic, 2020-21 (millions) 374 400 350 350 298 246 300 193 Millions 200 150 100 50 0 Depression Anxiety 2020 2021 Source: World Bank, based on data from Santomauro and others 2021. attendance and learning. on reducing educator stress transitioned into a virtual program focused on restorative practices (Davis and Countries are investing in socioemotional Payna-Luna 2022). learning for students — and teachers — to foster psychosocial health. A meta-analysis of 82 school- Schools can play a preventive role by screening based socioemotional learning (SEL) programs students for psychosocial health issues and found that participants faired significantly better strengthening referral systems. Given the significant on outcomes measuring the development of amount of time students spend in school, staff are socioemotional skills, attitudes, and wellbeing uniquely placed to detect whether a student is struggling 6–18 months after the intervention (Taylor and with psychosocial health issues and to refer the student others 2017). Several countries are supporting for help. Many countries have referral systems in place: the psychosocial wellbeing of students and made 57 percent of countries responding to the joint survey investments in SEL during the pandemic. Ecuador reported offering referrals for students in need of prioritized curricula for the 2022–23 school year that specialized services (UNESCO-UIS 2022). In Romania, emphasized socioemotional competencies. Other the government recommends that all schools screen countries built on pre-pandemic success. In Colombia, students 11 years and above for wellbeing. The results the program Emotions for Life (Emociones para la are used as part of the EWM to prevent student dropout, Vida) was piloted in 4,500 schools serving roughly 2.0 which launched at scale in 2022. At the school level, an million primary students and helped students build education services plan for students at risk of dropout empathy and self-regulation (World Bank 2019b). is established, outlining the type of support services and The program was scaled nationally in 2021. Teacher benefits the student should receive (World Bank 2019a). wellbeing matters as well. Early data from multiple Another example of comprehensive screening of students’ countries, although limited, suggests rising levels of psychosocial functioning is under Chile’s Skills for Life teacher burnout, stress, and depression (Alqassim and program, which includes an assessment of students’ others 2022; Bartosiewicz and others 2022; Pellerone social-emotional status. The government disseminated 2021). Countries are investing in teacher wellbeing, resources for students and families and distributed resilience, and socioemotional learning. In Honduras, a workbooks to help teachers develop their own social- pre-pandemic teacher wellbeing program that focused emotional skills and foster SEL skills in their classes. 22 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION Countries are building MHPSS capacity at the countries returned to “business-as-usual,” including school level by bringing in qualified professionals resuming packed curricula and inefficient instructional or by training school staff to provide support. practices. While the negative impacts that prolonged Schools are promising settings for mental health school closures have had on student learning are clear, and psychosocial support interventions (Kocher and not everyone has accepted their significance and long- others 2021). They also are cost effective: every US$1 term consequences. invested in scaled-up treatment for common mental health disorders leads to a return of US$5 in improved Some countries have committed to recover and health and productivity (World Health Organization accelerate learning with comprehensive actions. 2022c). In Mongolia, the government has invested in a These governments realized the imperative of acting multipronged strategy to improve adolescent mental and rose to the challenge by pursuing the steps health, including deploying mobile psychologists who described in section 0.4. cover several schools in an area. However, for many countries, such initiatives are too costly. Training Political commitment to improve educational teachers or school staff to provide basic MHPSS opportunities for all promotes a comprehensive services is a low-cost alternative, which an estimated strategy that recognizes a complex set of new and old 60 percent of respondent countries in the above challenges and articulates a multifaceted solution to survey reported using. One example is Mozambique, in directly address learning recovery and acceleration. which 83,000 primary school teachers in 6 provinces Countries with such political commitment were able were trained in using an MHPSS training manual to direct and sustain coherent responses toward (UNESCO-UIS 2022; UNICEF 2021a). Another low-cost a shared vision that prioritized learning. National way to support psychosocial wellbeing is through tele- strategies or comprehensive packages for learning counselling, which many countries scaled during the recovery and acceleration tend to have followed most pandemic (World Bank and others 2022). of the steps outlined in figure 0.7. Countries that are implementing comprehensive 0.6 PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER packages often have fostered political commitment and public support behind a plan for learning The urgency of the learning crisis is not yet reflected recovery and acceleration. A key element was to in country actions. According to the joint survey of have learning data about the magnitude of the a sample of 34 Sub-Saharan African countries, only learning crisis either before or during the pandemic. 3 were implementing long-term remedial measures The origin of many of the robust learning recovery to protect learning (Acasus 2022; UNESCO-UIS and and acceleration programs was the recognition others 2022). After safely reopening schools, too many of the learning crisis. The learning acceleration Figure 0.7 Steps for learning recovery and acceleration Learning recovery and acceleration: From design to implementation Build support By fostering political and public commitment behind a long-term vision and plan Prepare By identifying opportunities and constraints in resources and capacity  Develop an enabling By aligning the education system toward learning recovery and acceleration environment Source: World Bank. 23 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION efforts of Edo, Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire, and Zambia programs. India scheduled an assessment of teacher preceded the pandemic. Their efforts were motivated training needs into the fifth month of their National by shockingly low pre-pandemic learning results. Learning Recovery Plan. In the third phase of The efforts of Mendoza, Argentina and Mongolia, Mongolia’s Comprehensive Learning Recovery Plan, were bolstered once pandemic-related learning substantial resources were dedicated to build capacity losses were better understood and publicized.  In for schools to independently devise and monitor Mendoza, Argentina and India, formal learning student support programs. assessments of foundational learning found children to be lagging compared to previous cohorts. These Some countries recognized the need to engage findings motivated the governments’ comprehensive a diverse set of partners toward a shared goal. responses. Also showing what can be done are Partners such as other government ministries, Romania’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan, development agencies, and civil society organizations which contained substantial reforms and investments (CSOs) played a crucial role in supporting the planning for the education sector; Guyana’s rollout of a three- of faster and more robust education responses. year prioritized curriculum; and Brazil’s legal action During the height of the pandemic, actors in the that solidified a national prioritization of learning education landscape prioritized quick, frequent, and recovery and acceleration. unstructured partnerships to investigate, share, and envisage what needed to be done. Early in the Investments to expand implementation and pandemic, Kenya convened a new coordination management capacity were an important feature of unit, the COVID-19 National Education Response comprehensive learning recovery and acceleration Committee, to engage a range of constituencies in packages. The ambitious goals of learning recovery the decision-making for and development of the and acceleration likely will fail if governments do not education response (Gichuhi and Kalista 2022). Prior first consider whether the ministry of education and to the Philippines’ Learning Recovery Plan’s launch, other education stakeholders have the institutional, the Department of Education hosted the National organizational, technical, and operational capacities Planning Conference, which gathered government to execute with fidelity. Armed with a greater representatives to develop multiyear learning recovery understanding of the challenge ahead and the tools and acceleration programs (Philippines, DepEd 2022b). required, countries with promising learning recovery and acceleration plans have invested in building Commitment often was built through consultation capacity and fostering strong education ecosystems. with education stakeholders to create a shared Feedback channels and robust assessments have vision and build support behind plans for learning proved instrumental in countries’ responses by recovery and acceleration. Broad stakeholder assessing capacity gaps, assets and identifying consensus around a problem can reduce the political system bottlenecks. Edo, Nigeria conducted a costs to change. A clear understanding of the learning capacity assessment of its education system and crisis through global metrics such as learning poverty found major roadblocks to improving learning or assessments of learning losses can unite public outcomes. These roadblocks included teacher interests and heighten pressure on government absenteeism and poor teacher capacity, insights that actors. Côte d’Ivoire and Zambia took active roles informed their EdoBEST and EdoSTAR programs. The in guiding and streamlining the efforts of education needs of Zambia’s Ministry of Education are being partners, ensuring that all the sector’s resources were evaluated to identify areas of future capacity-building, committed to learning recovery and acceleration. including in project management and monitoring and evaluation (M&E). From training in interdisciplinary Chile, India, and Romania have invested in efforts to content creation in Jordan to psychometrics in align the education system toward learning recovery Mendoza, Argentina, building up specialized expertise and acceleration. The resulting responses must be in education ministries and related entities equips compatible with and reinforced by other components countries with the skills to pursue ambitious and of the education system. Given the need for coherence innovative learning recovery and acceleration among the parts of an education system, careful 24 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION consideration should be given when applying policies supported countries in building political commitment. that were successful in other countries. During the Assessments of learning losses and system strengths pandemic, many countries supported innovative and weaknesses have guided country efforts toward education programs by ensuring that they were targeting capacity-building efforts and capitalizing supported by subsequent modifications elsewhere in on interventions with the greatest potential and the sector. Both Chile and Indonesia modified national feasibility. Strong country visions have ensured that learning assessment programs to complement their education partners operate synchronously toward a prioritized curricula. Romania ensured that teachers focused set of learning objectives. Such visions can were encouraged to devote time to remediation by be seen in education systems in Brazil, Cambodia, counting time for catch-up learning toward their Gujarat, India, Indonesia, and Sierra Leone, and mandated weekly hours of instruction. Programs also other countries in which national leadership and had to be adapted for (1) teacher and system capacity; other government leaders, such as those in the (2) political dynamics around education service ministry of finance, have clearly supported long-term delivery; (3) relevance to country and regional culture; commitments toward recovering and accelerating and (4) considerations for vulnerable groups. In Brazil, learning. Various mechanisms for feedback have been Colombia, India, and Indonesia, federal education leveraged to support successful implementation of units sought to discover how to influence classroom- complex and multifaceted responses. level practices appropriately. Efforts to address the learning crisis have not been Different approaches to monitoring, iterating, enough; nevertheless, more opportunities exist. and adapting have strengthened policy alignment The learning crisis, exacerbated by the pandemic, toward learning in Botswana, Indonesia, and Edo, was a global phenomenon, but international action Nigeria. Countries with resilient plans for learning toward addressing it has remained inconsistent, recovery and acceleration anticipated and responded heterogeneous, and somewhat limited. This less-than- to implementation challenges and changes in the ideal response is attributed largely to governments’ external environment; and used feedback loops to underestimation of the severity of the learning crisis determine what was working. Such countries have and the extent to which countries must change how focused their monitoring on outcomes of learning, education is delivered. The future productivity and alongside a select number of process indicators. wellbeing of the current student generation, and those Côte d’Ivoire’s Projet d’Amélioration des Prestations to come, depend on how governments act now. On de Services Educatifs (PAPSE) program and Edo, the positive side, and as documented in this report, Nigeria’s EdoBEST programs systematically gathered education stakeholders can build on encouraging feedback through regular tablet-enabled assessments country responses to recover learning losses, focus and classroom observations. Indonesia launched its on acceleration, and ultimately improve learning and prioritized curriculum among volunteering schools (30 reduce inequalities. percent of all primary schools). Before scaling up, the country garnered feedback from school surveys and student assessment data and allowed for adjustments (Aditomo 2022). In Botswana, teacher-led targeted instruction is being implemented at scale, while select schools experiment with targeted instruction practices to identify and share best practices with greater agility. Political commitment to a comprehensive strategy that aligns actors has driven strong learning recovery and acceleration responses in Brazil, Cambodia, and other contexts. Evidence of successful interventions and education champions have 25 LEARNING LEARNING RECOVERY RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION TO ACCELERATION 1. INTRODUCTION © Vincent Tremeau / World Bank 26 26 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION 1. INTRODUCTION This report examines what low- and middle-income Concerningly, progress in the quality of education had countries are doing to recover and accelerate stalled prior to the pandemic (World Bank and others learning and how they are doing it. As students have 2022b). returned to in-person schooling after the COVID-19 pandemic, it is useful to examine what countries are The COVID-19 crisis caused an unprecedented doing and how they can move from learning recovery global disruption of schooling and learning. At the to acceleration and build resilience to cope with peak of lockdowns, 1.6 billion children in 188 countries future shocks. This report documents and analyzes were out of school (World Bank 2021c). For the first individual countries’ promising and effective at-scale 2 years of the pandemic, education systems, on interventions and policies to recover and accelerate average, were fully closed for in-person schooling learning, with a focus on primary and secondary for 141 days (World Bank and others 2022b). Figure education. Building on the RAPID Framework for 1.1 shows the considerable heterogeneity in the Learning Recovery and Acceleration, the report length of school closures across regions, with South distills lessons on how countries have piloted efforts Asia and Latin America and the Caribbean tending to (1) Reach every child and keep them in school; (2) to have the lengthiest closures, and high-income Assess learning levels regularly; (3) Prioritize teaching economies managing to open faster. Nearly 1 billion the fundamentals; (4) Increase the efficiency of children missed out on at least 1 full year of in-person instruction, including through catch-up learning; and schooling (Schady and others 2023). (5) Develop psychosocial health and wellbeing (World Bank and others 2022a). Efforts to continue learning during prolonged school closures were uneven and largely ineffective. Nearly every country offered remote learning options (World 1.1 URGENT NEED TO RECOVER Bank, UNESCO, and UNICEF 2021). In some countries, AND ACCELERATE LEARNING governments rolled out measures to continue learning at an unprecedented pace to provide learning Over the past 50 years, access to schooling in continuity. Governments used various channels for almost all low- and middle-income countries has remote learning, from online learning and take-home expanded significantly. Near-universal primary school packages to radio and TV lessons to texting or tele- enrollment has been achieved. However, in 2021, an tutoring (Cobo, Munoz-Najar, and Sanchez Ciarrusta estimated 244 million children and youth were still out 2021). Student achievement data confirm that remote of school: 67 million children of primary school age, 57 learning was a poor substitute for in-person schooling million of lower secondary school age, and 121 million (Patrinos, Vegas, and Carter-Rau 2022). Limitations of upper secondary age (World Bank and UNESCO of remote learning were particularly felt by learners 2022a). with disabilities, many unable to access solutions such as radio- or tele-learning.4 In many countries, The quality of education has not improved with particularly low- and middle-income countries, limited increased access. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, capacity to deliver education services under stress, learning poverty — being unable to read and a wide digital divide, and poorly constructed remote understand a simple text — affected 57 percent learning systems undermined remote learning (Cobo, of 10-year-old children across low- and middle- Munoz-Najra, and Ciarrusta 2021). These conditions income countries (World Bank and others 2022b). 4 Disability is both a cause and a consequence of poverty. Learners with disabilities and their families were less likely to be able to afford necessary equipment, such as radios or televisions. 27 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION aggravated the existing inequalities in schooling and students from disadvantaged backgrounds (Schady learning outcomes, and disproportionately affected and others 2023). Figure 1.1 Duration of school closures, March 2020 — March 2022 Number of weeks of full and partial closure By country income classification Average (unweighted mean) Lowest Highest 100 93 91 90 89 87 80 70 60 50 Weeks 50 42 40 37 32 30 20 10 0 0 0 0 0 Low-income Lower-middle income Upper-middle income High-income countries countries countries countries By region Average (unweighted mean) Lowest Highest 100 93 91 92 90 89 80 79 77 70 70 63 60 56 55 Weeks 48 50 40 39 37 32 29 30 27 20 13 11 10 0 0 0 0 South Latin America North Middle East and East Asia Sub-Saharan Europe and Asia and the America North Africa and Pacific Africa Central Asia Caribbean Source: Based on data from the UNESCO Global Dataset on the Duration of School Closures. 28 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION Shocks to education systems resulting from much as US$21 trillion in future earnings — the COVID-19 pandemic have exacerbated equivalent to 17 percent of today’s GDP (World the learning crisis and may have lasting Bank and others 2022b). The most vulnerable effects. Learning losses have been documented students will take the greatest hit: from early in countries of all income levels (World Bank, childhood to young adults, the impacts of UNESCO, and UNICEF 2021). Simulated the pandemic disproportionately hurt people estimates suggest that the average learning from poorer backgrounds (Schady and others poverty rate across low- and middle-income 2023). Marginalized groups, such as learners countries rose to 70 percent in 2022 (figure 1.2). with disabilities, girls, displaced people, and This rise means an additional 1 in 8 children in ethnic minorities; or those facing discrimination low- and middle-income countries has reached because of their gender, beliefs, or language, age 10 without being able to read and understand also have been disproportionately affected by a simple text. The long-term effect is likely the pandemic. Even prior to school closures, to be substantial. Due to lost schooling, this these groups faced high rates of exclusion. The generation of students is estimated to lose as COVID-19 crisis only widened pre-existing gaps. Figure 1.2 Learning poverty rates by region, 2015, 2019, and 2022* 100 Sub-Saharan 90 86 89 Africa 87 Latin America 80 79 and Caribbean 78 South Asia Global 70 (LICs + MICs) 63 70 Middle East and North Africa 63 60 60 58 57 53 52 Weeks 50 51 East Asia 45 and Pacific 40 52 30 20 21 Europe and 13 10 14 Central Asia 10 0 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022* Source: Based on World Bank and others 2022b. Note: *2022 rates are simulations. The global figure is for all low- and middle-income countries. Regional and global figures are population-weighted averages. For the East Asia and Pacific region, the 2015 and 2019 averages are not directly comparable due to major improvements in data quality and availability and the recently available new assessments for the two years. 29 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION 1.2 RAPID: FRAMEWORK OF after pandemic-related disruptions by recovering essential learning lost to limited or no instructional EDUCATION PRIORITIES DURING time and less effective modes of learning during that THE PANDEMIC AND BEYOND period (figure 1.4). The RAPID Framework for Learning Recovery and The RAPID Framework also applies to countries’ Acceleration organizes a menu of policy options for efforts to accelerate learning in the medium-to-long countries to return students to school and combat term. “Learning acceleration” refers to efforts to ensure learning losses (World Bank and others 2022a). that schools can efficiently and effectively support Although the framework was developed in response each student to acquire essential core skills and to COVID-19, it is applicable to other shocks to knowledge. Many countries across the world already education systems. The framework outlines five key were making investments to improve education quality areas (figure 1.3). and accelerate learning before the pandemic. Others may consider recovery and acceleration as one effort The RAPID Framework applies to countries’ efforts with the idea that pre-pandemic levels are not a to recover learning losses in the short term. “Learning sufficient goal. Table 1.1 distinguishes between the two recovery” refers to countries’ efforts to help schools complementary concepts. get their student cohorts back on track during and Figure 1.3 RAPID Framework for Learning Recovery and Acceleration R A P I D Reach every Assess Prioritize Increase the Develop child and keep learning levels teaching the efficiency of psychosocial them in school regularly fundamentals instruction, health and including wellbeing through catch- up learning To ensure no To meet every To ensure To accelerate To ensure every one is left child where he/ learning of and progress child is ready to behind she is essential missed beyond what learn content was lost Source: World Bank and others 2022a. 30 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION Table 1.1 Learning recovery and acceleration definitions Recovery Acceleration Address COVID-19 learning losses Address the learning and COVID-19 and other education challenges by crises to surpass pre-pandemic learning Objective returning to pre-pandemic learning levels and sustaining learning gains by levels and expectations improving overall quality Time horizon Short- to medium-term Medium- and long-term Coordinated policy responses that focus Discrete policy actions in the form of Scope on structural reforms of the education interventions and strategies system and are part of a strategic plan Reach: Early warning systems Reach: Re-enrollment campaigns Assess: Support to teachers to improve Assess: One-off learning assessments their skills in checking for understanding Prioritize: Short-term curricular Example Prioritize: Increased instructional time to adjustments policy develop foundational skills responses Increase: Remedial learning sessions Increase: Improved teacher guides and upon school re-openings training Develop: Mental health screenings Develop: Embedding socioemotional upon school re-openings learning in curricula Source: World Bank. The RAPID Framework is relevant to future shocks required to make education systems more resilient to education. Such shocks have occurred in many — to enable continuity of education through shocks — countries before and since the onset of the COVID-19 vary by country, depending on factors such as level of pandemic. These shocks have closed schools due to, resourcing, key constraints to quality education, and for example, natural or climate change disasters, countries’ education priorities. The RAPID Framework humanitarian crises, or teacher strikes. In many cases, can support planning for building education system these shocks have had significant effects. The efforts resilience. 31 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION Figure 1.4 Illustration of learning recovery and acceleration definitions ion at e ler c Ac Learning progression Length of 19 VID school closure e-CO tor y pr c raje ng t Le arni ery re cov Full No recovery Schools closed Schools opened Time Source: World bank. 1.3 OBJECTIVES, SCOPE, AND » How can countries implement policies and initiatives to recover and accelerate learning in METHODOLOGY: THE WHAT AND ways that raise learning and reduce inequalities at THE HOW scale? This report examines what countries are doing A mixed-methods research approach was used to to recover and accelerate learning, and how they analyze the education policies and interventions in are doing it. The report aims to identify effective 60 low- and middle-income countries. A database or promising at-scale interventions and policies was developed for this report containing details of the to recover and accelerate learning and to distill learning recovery and acceleration efforts of a sample implementation lessons. The focus is on primary and of 60 low- and middle-income countries for which secondary education and on the responses employed sufficient information was available (figure 1.5).5 The once schools reopened after pandemic-related report database included information from a review of disruptions. available evidence and research, enabling a landscape review of policy responses. From this sample of 60 The research questions were: countries, 7 were examined further as comprehensive case studies: Cambodia, Colombia, Côte d’Ivoire, » What types of policies and interventions have India, Mongolia, Romania, and Zambia. The countries employed to recover and accelerate comprehensive case studies were selected based on learning and reduce inequalities? their policy responses and initiatives being (a) evidence based; (b) government led; (c) implemented at scale or » What opportunities and constraints have with scale in mind; and (d) ongoing. A mixed-methods countries experienced in their efforts to raise approach was used, which relied on desk research; learning and reduce inequalities? 5 The list of 60 non-random sampled countries is provided in appendix A. This database is referred to as the “report database.” 32 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION Figure 1.5 Map of comprehensive case studies and other analyzed countries Comprehensive case studies Countries analyzed High-income countries (ineligible for report database) No data Source: World Bank. See appendix A for a full list of countries. analysis of the report database; existing survey data; attempts have worked. The analyses and examples and semi-structured interviews with government provided in this report will be updated once additional officials, development partners, and World Bank staff information on results and evaluations is available. (appendix A). 1.4 SUMMARY OF EFFORTS TO Most countries did not fully comprehend the need for learning recovery and acceleration. The report RECOVER AND ACCELERATE database and joint survey indicate that relatively few LEARNING countries had implemented fully evidenced based policy measures to address learning recovery and Many of the 60 sampled countries did not undertake acceleration. For example, only 27 percent of countries comprehensive learning recovery and acceleration in the report database used targeted instruction efforts. Return to business-as-usual was common. programs, and only 15 percent supported teacher Relatively few countries in the sample had coordinated performance through structured pedagogy programs. a policy response or implemented evidence-based However, some countries are investing in learning initiatives. For example, only 27 percent had recovery and acceleration interventions that move implemented targeted instruction — one of the most them toward a new and improved status quo. cost-effective tools for improving learning — as a national policy (World Bank, FCDO, and Building The availability of outcome data from countries’ Evidence in Education 2020) (box 1.1). This business- policies and interventions is a key limitation of the as-usual approach is likely to lead to the “no recovery” analyses. Outcome data are lacking due in part to the trajectory presented in the lower line of figure 1.4. relatively short periods of implementation but also to a general lack of robust monitoring and evaluating capacities. As a result, although this report provides an update on what countries are doing in their attempts to recover and accelerate learning and how they are doing it, it does not analyze how well these 33 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION Box 1.1 National efforts to recover and accelerate learning: Selected findings Countries have implemented a range of policies and interventions within each of the RAPID Framework areas. However, relatively few have implemented evidence-based policies and interventions. Table B1.1 highlights selected findings from the report database of 60 low- and middle-income countries. Table B1.1 Selected findings on national efforts to recover and accelerate learning in low- and middle-income countries (%) Results from report database RAPID category (% of countries} • REACH every child and • 25 percent expanded social protection services keep them in school • 37 percent conducted assessments of the extent of learning losses • ASSESS learning levels regularly • 35 percent sought to make classroom-based formative assessment more regular • PRIORITIZE teaching • 22 percent focused curricula on the essential knowledge and skills the fundamentals for subjects/grades for at least 2 academic years • 27 percent implemented targeted instruction programs • 25 percent implemented tutoring programs • 20 percent implemented individualized self-guided learning • INCREASE the efficiency of programs instruction, including through catch-up learning • 25 percent supported teacher performance through continuous classroom-based coaching • 15 percent supported teacher performance through structured pedagogy programs • 57 percent increased school-based MPHSS services for students • DEVELOP psychosocial • 27 percent strengthened or expanded school feeding programs health and wellbeing • 33 percent invested in school safety measures Source: World Bank, based on the report database. Learning recovery and acceleration efforts were A number of countries already have embarked on constrained by underfinanced education. The comprehensive agendas toward learning recovery COVID-19 pandemic strained education budgets and acceleration. Now, more than three years since across many countries, threatening the feasibility of the start of the pandemic, countries are faced with launching and maintaining at-scale interventions. the dual task of addressing its impacts on enrollment Approximately 40 percent of low- and middle-income and learning while tackling deep-rooted systemic countries reduced their spending on education, with an education issues. The pandemic has revealed average decline in real spending of 13.5 percent (World weaknesses in education systems and highlighted Bank and UNESCO 2022a). Political commitment to urgent needs to accelerate learning and reduce accelerate learning past pre-pandemic levels also has inequalities. On the positive side, some countries been driven by decreasing education budgets (World are investing in learning recovery and acceleration Bank and UNESCO 2022a). interventions that move them toward a new and improved status quo. 34 LEARNING LEARNING RECOVERY RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION TO ACCELERATION 2. REACH every child and keep them © Scott Wallace / World Bank in school 35 35 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION 2. REACH every child and keep them in school The problem • Steady worldwide progress in education access and enrollment was halted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Many students — particularly those from low-income households and older students — failed to return to school. Meanwhile, many students who did return to school are now at greater risk of dropping out. Policy responses • Identifying and re-enrolling out-of-school (OOS) children through direct outreach, including home visits, house-to-house surveys, and technologies aimed at identifying out-of-school children and providing support to integrate them in school. • Providing second chance and reintegration education opportunities for over-aged children and youth, including by strengthening and expanding accelerated education programs and bridging programs that provide an alternative path to certification or integration in formal schooling for chronically OOS, vulnerable populations. • Identifying and tracking at-risk students through early warning systems (EWS) and investing in education management information systems (EMIS) that make EWS possible. Building schools’ capacity to use data for targeted interventions to prevent dropout. • Using cash transfers and grants to tackle financial barriers to schooling and improve retention, including conditional and unconditional cash transfers targeted at families with students at greatest risk of dropout. • Engaging parents, families, and communities through mobile technologies or in-school events aimed at improving their involvement in children’s education, a positive predictor of educational attendance, attainment, and achievement. Countries used direct outreach, technologies, and to counter the problem and how these policies have personal support to reach and keep children in been operationalized (table 2.1). To bring OOS children school after school closures. The COVID-19 pandemic to school, countries have used direct outreach (home interrupted decades of progress in increasing visits, door-to-door surveys) and technologies to educational access and raising school enrollment. identify and bring children to school and have expanded In several countries, dropout rates increased during second chance education programs. To prevent the pandemic, and many students failed to return to dropout, countries have identified at-risk students school. The increased risk of dropout was greater in through EWS, provided personalized supports, used low-income countries, and disproportionately affected cash transfers and grants, and engaged families students from low-income or vulnerable families and and communities. Successful efforts have involved students in higher grades. Chapter 2 reviews which intersectoral coordination, efficient data management, policies and interventions countries have employed and targeting the most vulnerable students. 36 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION Table 2.1 Select policies for reaching and retaining every child in school Bringing out-of-school children to school Keeping all children in school and preventing dropout Use cash transfers Identify and Identify and Provide second chance and grants to Engage parents, re-enroll OOS track at-risk opportunities for over-aged address financial families, and children through students children and youth  barriers to communities direct outreach through EWS schooling Source: World Bank. 2.1 HALTED PROGRESS IN 1. Some students failed to return to school. In several countries, enrollment levels were lower EDUCATION ACCESS AND after schools reopened compared to pre-pandemic ENROLLMENT levels, with largest impacts in low-income countries. In a meta-analysis, 6 of 9 countries The pandemic halted worldwide progress in access in the sample exhibited increases in the rate of to schooling. Prior to the pandemic, countries were dropout after the onset of COVID-19: ranging making slow yet steady improvements in expanding from -46 percent in Uganda to 258 percent in access to schooling at all levels of education. The Malawi (Moscoviz and Evans 2022). In Mexico, global share of children and youth who were out of because of the pandemic, 97,000 primary school school declined significantly from 2000 to 2021; the students (0.7 percent of the student body) and global OOS rate had declined from 19 percent to 9 173,000 secondary school students (2.7 percent percent in primary, from 25 percent to 14 percent in of the student body) did not return to school by lower secondary, and from 48 percent to 30 percent early 2022 (Gaceta del Senado de México 2022). in upper secondary (UNESCO-UIS 2022). However, In India, the dropout rate in primary education improving enrollment in primary, lower secondary, and increased from 0.8 percent to 1.5 percent between especially upper secondary continues to be a challenge 2021 and 2022 (India, MOE 2022b). Similarly, in for low- and lower-middle-income countries (figure 2.1). Colombia, from 2020 to 2021, the rate of intra- annual dropout (students leaving school before The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted these trends. completing a school year) increased from 2.4 Prolonged school closures and unequal access to percent to 3.6 percent (Colombia, Ministerio de remote learning opportunities have had four negative Educación 2021). effects on school access. Figure 2.1 Out-of-school rate, by country income group, 2000–21 Primary age Lower secondary age Upper secondary age Source: Based on data from UNESCO-UIS OOS database. 37 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION 2. Low-income and older students were the least 3. The trend of progress toward universal likely to return to school. Disruptions have led enrollment was set back. Even in countries whose to higher dropout rates for low-income students. enrollment levels did not decrease because of the In Indonesia, Mexico, and Pakistan, decreases pandemic, trends toward universal enrollment in school enrollment after schools reopened were flattened. In other words, some countries failed larger among children whose parents had lower to stay on pace to provide access to all school- levels of educational attainment (Schady and aged children. This loss of progress on enrollment others 2023). In South Africa, the highest rates was larger in low- and middle-income countries. A of dropout were found among low-income and study showing the difference between countries’ rural households (NIDS-CRAM 2021). Studies also predicted school enrollment and actual school show the pronounced impacts of the pandemic on enrollment in primary education after schools attendance for older students. In Pakistan, the reopened showed small impacts in 5 MICs and proportion of out-of-school children and youth larger impacts in the 2 low-income countries. In who dropped out during the pandemic was highest Ethiopia and Pakistan, enrollment dropped by 4 for secondary school students. Fourteen percent and 6 percentage points, respectively, for children of primary-aged children who dropped out did aged 6-14 (figure 2.2) (Schady and others 2023). so during the pandemic. This proportion rises to The same study found even larger gaps in pre- 24 percent and 38 percent for lower and upper primary education, for which enrollment was lower secondary students (Idara-e-Taleem-o-Aagahi than predicted levels by 15 percent in Pakistan 2021). In a study of three rural districts in Malawi, and 13 percent in Brazil. the share of youth who did not return to school was higher among youth aged 17-19 (54 percent) compared to 13-16 year-olds (20 percent) (Kidman and others 2022). Figure 2.2 Difference between predicted school enrollment and actual student enrollment after schools reopened, for children aged 6-14 in selected countries* 1.0 0.0 0.2 0.0 -1.0 -0.5 -0.4 -1.0 -1.0 -2.0 -1.3 -3.0 -4.0 -4.0 -5.0 -6.0 -6.0 -70 Ethiopia Pakistan Indonesia South Colombia Brazil Mexico Argentina Uruguay Africa Source: Based on data from Schady and others 2023. Note: *The figure shows the difference between predicted school enrollment and observed school enrollment after schools reopened. L-r, countries are in ascending order of lowest to highest gross domestic product per capita. 38 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION 4. Many students who returned to school are Targeted home visits reached the chronically absent. at greater risk of dropping out. Disruptions Other countries have targeted home visits only to OOS exacerbated three key risk factors correlated with or chronically absent children. In Guyana, Operation dropout: levels of academic learning, psychosocial Recovery was an initiative to reach the children who wellbeing, and families’ financial stability. In the had been continuously absent since the beginning of post-pandemic era, disengagement with learning, the 2022 school year or who had missed the National a dropout risk factor characterized by students’ Grade Six Assessment (NSGA). Education officials lack of interaction, interest, or investment with and community activists located these students and learning, has emerged as a concern. The pandemic provided targeted supports. As a result, more than saw students’ levels of engagement plunge. During 75 percent of students who had failed to appear for closures, the number of hours students spent the NSGA were back in school within weeks (Guyana, on schoolwork and accessing remote learning Department of Public Information 2022). In Jamaica, dropped (Acevedo and others, 2021; Engzell and the Ministry of Education implemented the Yard to others 2021; Wu and Teets 2021). Since schools Yard: Find the Child initiative, an outreach strategy re-opened, several reports have noted higher carried out prior to the return to in-person schooling levels of student disengagement than before the that targeted students who were not showing up pandemic, particularly among older students online during remote instruction. Deploying almost (Young 2022; McMurtrie 2022; Hare 2022). 2,000 guidance counselors, social workers, and others at a cost of $103 million, MOE reported re-engaging 2.2 BRINGING ALL CHILDREN 72 percent of the 120,000 students who had been unaccounted for during remote learning (Anderson BACK TO SCHOOL 2023). Globally, many successful efforts were carried out with multidisciplinary teams involving civil society Two main sets of policies have been employed to bring and community leaders, teachers, and counselors; and students to school: (a) direct outreach efforts to re- were accompanied by investments in data-gathering enroll OOS children and youth and (b) second chance and management systems. These efforts also were programs for overaged children and youth. complemented by supports for re-enrollment that addressed specific barriers to schooling. Finally, many Re-enroll out-of-school children through direct outreach efforts targeted specific vulnerable groups, outreach efforts such as girls who had become pregnant or become Home visits and other direct outreach activities young mothers (box 2.1). have been effective. Home visits and door-to-door Technology can facilitate the identification and surveys were employed widely to identify OOS tracking of out-of-school children and youth. To children and bring them to school, including in Brazil, identify and re-enroll OOS children, countries also Guyana, India, Jamaica, and Brazil. In India in 2021, have invested in easy-to-use technologies. From the the Education Ministry asked states to identify OOS report database, 17 percent of countries had initiated children ages 6-18 through door-to-door surveys tracking systems for OOS children. In Brazil, the Busca and to prepare action plans for their enrollment Ativa Escolar (Student Active Search), a civil society led (Vijayakumar 2022). Through surveys, states gathered initiative conducted in partnership with municipalities, information on children and families including barriers includes tools to help identify and monitor OOS and to schooling. The states then provided targeted at-risk children and youth. City- or municipal-level supports such as counseling for parents and students, supervisors receive alerts about OOS children, who financial support, housing, and direct enrollment. in turn receive in-person family visits by community Some states succeeded in re-enrolling children: in agents (UNICEF Brazil n.d.). In India in 2021, the Karnataka, 80 percent of the nearly 19,000 OOS Ministry of Education launched an online module to children identified through the survey were brought track and return OOS children. School blocks uploaded back within months. This comprehensive canvassing data into a portal, which helped assign children also was critical to locate children who had not had to bridging courses, track their participation, and prior formal schooling (EdexLive 2022). 39 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION monitor their transition to formal schooling (India, level to support schools and 12 different agencies MOE n.d.a; The Economic Times 2021). to regularly analyze data, pursue re-entry efforts, communicate challenges, and find solutions (Namfa Intersectoral collaboration is critical to identify OOS 2022). In the 2021–22 academic year, Thailand re- children and bring them to school. In 2022 Thailand’s enrolled over 85 percent of students who had dropped Ministry of Education established the Dropout out. In 2021, Zambia piloted a Case Management Recovery Center, which housed a collaboration center System to identify OOS girls and those at risk of for a cross-sectoral, multilevel project to track OOS dropout. Multisector referral networks met monthly students and bring them back to school. A national to link at-risk girls to needed services (World tracking system was managed at the provincial Education n.d.). Box 2.1 Equity Highlight: Re-enrolling pregnant girls and young mothers in Kenya Pandemic-related lockdowns precipitated a surge in teenage pregnancies in several countries, particularly in in Sub-Saharan Africa. Studies from countries including Kenya, Peru, South Africa, and Uganda point to elevated rates of teenage pregnancy compared to pre-pandemic cohorts (Zulaika and others 2022; Musinguzi and others 2022; Barron and others 2022; UNFPA in Peru 2022). In Kenya, the Ministry of Education and Population Council in Homa Bay and Narok provinces supported girls’ re-entry in school through the Track, Trace, Talk and reTurn (4Ts) campaign, implemented between May and August 2021. The initiative comprised: 1. Identifying pregnant/parenting girls who dropped out of school by liaising with school leads 2. Tracing girls to the household level through house visits in collaboration with village chiefs 3. Talking to these girls and families about Kenya’s re-entry policy and the benefits of education 4. Supporting girls’ re-enrollment in school. Thirty percent of girls re-entered school during the project period, and another 54 percent indicated their intention to return to school. Program leaders credit the intervention’s success to (a) the use of clear, simple messaging and sensitization materials on schools’ re-entry policies, the importance of returning to school, and the supports available to girls — delivered directly to families during visits; and (b) the reliance on existing MOE structures (rather than parallel structures) for implementation and monitoring (Odwe and others 2021). For instance, 4Ts activities were incorporated in MOE- organized activities such as school-based teacher coaching and training and school-parent meetings, offering additional avenues to reach stakeholders with messaging. Sources: Odwe and others 2021; Global Education Cooperation Mechanism 2022. 40 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION Provide second chance and reintegration 2 million out-of-school children (Muskin and Kaper- programs for over-aged children and youth Barcelata 2021). In Nigeria, in 2022 the federal government launched the Accelerated Basic Education Second chance education programs can help OOS Programme (ABEP) to expand accelerated education and overaged children and youth complete school. (USAID 2022b; Education.org n.d.). For children and youth who have been out of school for extended periods or who have never attended Other second chance education models increasingly school, second chance education programs offer them are used as tools to improve out-of-school children’s pathways to integrate in the formal school system, access to education. In Madagascar, Catch-up vocational training, or employment. These programs Classes provide children and youth who have dropped have existed for decades, but the impacts of the out of lower-secondary school for fewer than 2 years pandemic on dropout levels and the recent surge in an accelerated 2-month summer catch-up program conflict and violence in several countries have renewed that teaches the foundational skills. The program’s interest in strengthening education options for the rates of transition into formal schooling are as high chronically OOS. as 99 percent, but student retention continues to be a challenge. The program is being scaled up as part Accelerated education programs can facilitate of the national education plan (Valenza and Dreesen enrollment in the formal education system. Some 2022). In 2019, Cambodia’s Ministry of Education studies point to high levels of transition from launched the Basic Education Equivalency Program to accelerated education programs (AEPs) to formal give grades 7–9 dropouts the chance to complete an education systems. In the Democratic Republic of accredited, grade 9 education certificate through a Congo (DRC)’s VAS-Y Fille program targeted toward 3-month online program. The certificate enables them girls, 88 percent of girls who completed the final year to pursue vocational or general secondary education. in the program enrolled in secondary education the In 2022, the government announced its intention following year. An evaluation found a positive impact to expand the program through a national rollout on girls’ enrollment through the end of the last school (Rinith 2022). As of 2023, there are 26 centers in 15 year (AEWG INEE 2022; (Randall, O’Donnell, and (of the 24) provinces in which students can receive Botha 2020). In Liberia, the 10-month Second Chance counseling and support for their online studies, which Program (Luminos Fund) transitions approximately they can complete on their own schedules (UNESCO 90 percent of students (aged 8-14) to mainstream 2023). schooling and reported significant gains in oral reading fluency for the 2020-21 school year (Luminos Fund 2.3 KEEPING CHILDREN 2021). IN SCHOOL Countries are taking steps to strengthen AEP systems and expand their scale. Several countries Re-enrolled students must engage and remain in are taking steps to strengthen and expand AEPs school. Getting students re-enrolled is just a first by integrating them in national education plans step in serving their educational needs. They also and programs, providing funding, and investing in need to re-engage with their studies, persevere, and monitoring systems. Beginning in 2017, in Ethiopia, remain in school until they graduate. However, many influenced by the success of NGO-run Speed Schools, face a greater probability of leaving school early for many regional education bureaus opted to fund their reasons discussed earlier. To address heightened own Speed School classes. By the 2021-22 school risks of dropout, systems also have invested in year, the government was funding 65 percent of all keeping children in school and preventing dropout. Speed School classes and incorporating them in its Three common policy tools are EWS and other data annual plans and budgets (Geneva Global 2021). In tools that identify at-risk students; cash transfers 2021, the MOE launched a new Speed School Unit and grants to tackle financial barriers to schooling; within the Alternative Education Program Directorate and strengthening parent, family, and community to support expanding Speed School classes to reach engagement. 41 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION Identify and track at-risk students through common. In the 2021 school year, 43 percent of early warning systems responding countries in the joint survey reported having an EWS to identify students at risk of dropout EWS are an effective policy tool to prevent early (in primary through upper secondary) (UNESCO- school leaving. EWS are mechanisms that identify UIS and others 2022). In the 2021 school year, 67 students who exhibit behaviors or academic percent of upper-middle-income countries reported performance that puts them at risk for dropout and implementing these systems in primary through support them to stay in school (UNICEF 2018; US upper secondary whereas only 27 percent of low- and Department of Education 2016). To more efficiently lower-middle-income countries reported the same. allocate resources toward students who exhibit the In Romania, an Early Warning Mechanism (EWM) highest risk of dropout, EWS collect student data embedded in the country’s education management on predictors of early school leaving under a single information system (EMIS) uses observation sheets system (OECD 2021b). Most EWS collect data on and self-reported screening tools to identify students at least three main early warning indicators that at risk and tracks targeted activities and progress research has found to be predictive of dropout. Known through student case files (box 2.2). In El Salvador, as the “ABC’s of school dropout,” they are: attendance, an EWS that uses predictive technologies is being behavior, and academic performance (US Department developed to analyze a series of risk factors for of Education 2016). dropout – attendance, performance, early marriage, pregnancy, child labor, and disability, among others – EWS systems increasingly are used to track at- and produce risk scores (0-100) mapped to 1 of 3 risk risk students as part of learning recovery plans. In levels. A dashboard embedded in the country’s EMIS many countries, EWS have been in place for years; enables stakeholders to see lists of at-risk students by in others, the pandemic served as a catalyst for their risk level and by variable (Rodriguez 2020; UNICEF El development. Table 2.2 shows a selection of countries Salvador 2021; Villacorta 2020). that recently launched an EWS. These systems are 42 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION Box 2.2 Romania’s Early Warning Mechanism to prevent early school leaving Romania has adopted a national EWM to identify, support, and track progress of students at risk of dropout. The EWM aims to decrease early school leaving, one of the most significant challenges in Ro- mania’s education system. It scales up a pilot implemented by the World Bank between 2019 and 2022 in a group of secondary schools with funding from the European Union’s Technical Support Instrument and with the support and partnership of the European Commission. The EWM includes prevention, in- tervention, and compensation measures at the school level to target students at risk of dropping out: OOS children ages 6–17, early leavers ages 18–24, and migrant children. The EWM is embedded in Romania’s education management information system: Integrated Informa- tion System for Education in Romania (SIIIR). Students fill out a questionnaire that collects informa- tion on socioemotional and academic support from families, school belonging, classroom environment, among others, and an Observation sheet used by teachers to identify at-risk students based on atten- dance, grades, repetition, and behavior. Once at-risk students are identified, a case file is automatically generated, and a teacher fills out an in-depth assessment, which generates a risk score, and develops an educational services plan tailored to the student’s needs and risk levels. Progress reports are devel- oped at the student, school, county, and national levels. Since the 2022 scale-up in secondary schools, over 40,000 school staff have been trained to use the EMW module in Romania’s SIIIR, and the mech- anism is being adapted for use in primary education. The EWM is complemented by the provision of school grants for 2,500 priority secondary schools with the highest dropout risk levels. These three-year grants provide approximately $200,000 to schools to take preventative measures aimed at reducing the risk of dropout for all students, as well as targeted interventions for at-risk students. Activities include remedial education, tutoring, extracurricular ac- tivities, school meals, digital infrastructure, and socioemotional support. The EWM and school grants are both an integral part of Romania’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan 2022-26 and financed through a robust funding mechanism supported by the European Commission. Source: Interviews with Ministry of Education of Romania 2023. Investments in education management information data; and the mechanisms for utilizing indicators systems provide student-level information. to identify students at risk of dropout. Several Education management information systems countries are investing in strengthening their EMIS (EMIS) that collect information at the level of the and other data systems for monitoring schooling individual student are considered key for the design indicators and harmonizing them with other existing and implementation of effective EWS (UNESCO databases. Brazil, for instance, is strengthening 2022a). In many systems, EMIS collects relevant Sistema Presença, a platform that hosts attendance and dropout-predictive indicators, making it possible information for more than 22 million students from to integrate EWS into existing EMIS. However, families in the social protection program, Bolsa it is important to strengthen EMIS to ensure the Familia, by integrating information from the school availability of relevant indicators, the timeliness of census, Brazil’s EWS, and other data sets. 43 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION Table 2.2 Countries implementing new early warning systems as a dropout prevention tool Country Launch Description EWM uses data from El Salvador’s EMIS and machine learning to predict students’ El Salvador 2020 risk of dropout. Teachers can see students’ risk categories through a dashboard. The Ministry of Education integrated the NGO-led Dropout Early Warning System Tanzania 2021 in its EMIS. EWS enables teachers to identify students at risk of dropout through questionnaires Honduras 2021 that produce risk scores and recommendations for action. A series of in-person and virtual webinars have trained teachers on strategies to prevent dropout. EWM was developed between 2019 and 2020 and piloted shortly afterward. EWM uses questionnaires and observation sheets to help identify students at risk of drop- Romania 2022 out. In the 2,500 schools with the highest dropout risk, school grants are helping to finance school learning activities to prevent dropout. Alerta Escuela uses data from Peru’s education data system to produce a risk assess- Peru 2020 ment for every student by using three risk levels (green, orange, yellow). The dash- board is used by directors and teachers to plan interventions for at-risk students. Sources: Based on Information from Rodríguez 2020; UNICEF Salvador 2021; Villacorta 2022; World Education 2021, World Education 2022b; Swiss Confederation 2021; Honduras, Secretaría de Educación; Gobierno de Perú 2020; Peru, Ministerio de Educación 2020. Use cash transfers and grants to tackle and Garcia 2012). Unconditional cash transfers also financial barriers to schooling have produced significant improvements in schooling outcomes in Malawi, South Africa, and Zambia Post-pandemic, cash transfer programs (CTPs) (Seidenfeld and others 2015; Handa and others 2016; are more relevant than ever. Alleviating financial Kilburn and others 2017; Mostert and Castello 2020), constraints by providing cash transfers and/or in many cases with education outcomes comparable waiving school and examination fees has proved to those of CCTs (Baird and others 2013). effective in enabling marginalized learners, such as girls or learners with disabilities, to attend school. Social assistance was a major tool to mitigate the CTPs are highly effective and widely used policy pandemic’s effects. CTPs reached an unprecedented tools for reducing poverty and improving social scale during the COVID-19 pandemic. Low- and outcomes including school enrollment, attendance, middle-income countries governments expanded and performance. CTPs generally fall into 1 of 2 social protection programs as the chief policy categories: conditional and unconditional. Conditional measure to mitigate COVID-19’s socioeconomic cash transfer (CCT) programs provide cash assistance impacts. Globally, coverage increased by more than contingent upon behaviors such as children’s regular 230 percent, reaching 1.36 billion individuals, or 1 in school attendance or regular health check-ups. The 6 persons (Schady and others 2023; Gentilini 2022). success of pioneer CCT programs such as Bolsa In addition to creating new programs, countries Familia in Brazil and Oportunidades in Mexico paved expanded their scope both vertically (providing larger the way for the rapid expansion of these programs benefits to existing beneficiaries) and horizontally in low- and middle-income countries. CCT programs (adding new beneficiaries) (Schady and others 2023). have been shown to produce significant improvements From the report database, 35 percent of countries had in children’s enrollment and attendance with the operated cash transfer programs to keep children in larger effects in secondary education (Saavedra school. 44 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION Cash transfers can be conditioned on improved beneficiary households also receive school bursaries or enrollment and attendance. In Lebanon, a new CTP scholarships that cover the direct costs of schooling will provide approximately 680,000 individuals living (such as fees). Nevertheless, the additional lump-sum in extreme poverty with monthly transfers. To support payments eliminate the barrier to schooling posed by retention in school, the project also will provide almost indirect expenses (World Bank 2020). 70 percent of all students aged 13-18 years with top-up cash transfers: 1 paid directly to the school to Engage parents, families, and communities cover school fees, and 1 paid to the household to cover related expenses (uniforms, textbooks). Disbursements Family and community engagement is a proven are conditional on monthly school attendance. dropout prevention strategy. Global research proves However, students who fall behind on attendance will the strong and long-lasting effects of parental receive intensive support and follow-up from a social involvement with their children’s education on a host worker before any disbursements are discontinued. of educational outcomes: school attendance and attainment, academic performance, cognitive and Refugees have benefitted from cash transfer non-cognitive skills, and motivation. Specifically, programs. In Türkiye, the government expanded the parental involvement in their children’s schooling scale of the Conditional Cash Transfer for Education is a positive factor that influences attendance and Program for Refugees, increasing its cumulative graduation rates (Nguyen, Havard, and Otto 2022; number of beneficiaries by 19 percent from December Paul, Rashmi, and Srivastava 2021; Ross 2015). A 2019 to December 2020 and providing a 1-time top- recent longitudinal study in rural India finds that up to support families facing increased economic students whose parents were involved in their challenges during the pandemic (UNICEF Türkiye schooling during the 2018-19 academic year were 2021). The program gives cash transfers to eligible less likely to drop out during the 2020–21 school year. families, contingent on children attending school at Approximately 6.6 percent of children whose parents least 80 percent of school days in the month and visited their schools prior to the pandemic dropped out provides child support home visits to households after the schools reopened, compared to 9.6 percent in which school attendance was at risk. An impact of children whose parents did not visit their schools evaluation found that the program improved children’s (Sarkar and Sabates 2022). This evidence underscores attendance rates by 5 percentage points between the importance of working with parents, families, the 2017-18 and 2018-19 school years, with stronger and communities as a policy tool to counter low results in the provinces in which home visits had taken attendance issues and dropout. place, highlighting the complementarity of the 2 (Ring and others 2020). Text messages to parents provide low-cost nudges for retention. One low-cost mechanism to tackle Unconditional cash transfers can be structured to dropout involves sending “nudges” to parents by text promote enrollment and retention. Other countries message (Winthrop and others 2021). In the United have aimed to increase levels of enrollment and States, for instance, an evaluation of a 2017 adaptive attendance through unconditional cash transfers that SMS intervention found that sending parents text are designed to incentivize families’ investments in messages on their children’s attendance reduced their children’s education. Zambia’s flagship Social chronic absence rates by 3.5 to 7.3 percentage points Cash Transfer program, which has operated since for students with a prior history of chronic absences 2003, expanded its coverage during the pandemic (Heppen, Kurki, and Brown 2020). Similar approaches and incorporated an additional lump-sum payment were used during the pandemic at an experimental to eligible households with adolescent girls in select scale. In Ghana, a study sent parents SMS texts beneficiary households. The payments are disbursed with messaging aimed to improve rates of return to at the start of the school year, when households in-person schooling and attendance rates (Wolf and have additional school-related expenses (such as Aurino 2021). In Pakistan, an intervention studied the uniforms and school supplies), to increase girls’ effects of SMS and voice messages sent 3-4 times enrollment in secondary education. Girls in these a week to parents of female students with facts 45 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION about the importance of schooling, among others. efforts to find and re-enroll students, using in-person The messages had a positive and significant effect techniques, data tools, and intersectoral cooperation. on enrollment outcomes after schools reopened, AEPs tailored learning paths for the hardest to reach. particularly for girls at greater risk of dropout (Geven Girls and young women benefitted from programs 2023). designed to meet their unique needs. Simultaneously, efforts were increased to identify those in school 2.4 CONCLUSION but at risk of dropping out. Countries used EWS and data, SMS nudges, CTPs, and family and community Policies to re-enroll students and keep them in school involvement to decrease dropout. can mitigate disengagement and dropout. Pandemic school closures disrupted students’ daily school Additional efforts are needed by governments to attendance habits. Stress from social isolation and reach and keep students in school. Countries have an distancing, reduced contact with peers, and inefficient opportunity to expand the use of these tools and use remote learning decreased students’ engagement with them to target learners’ needs. The historical trend school. Enrollments dropped; dropout increased; and toward universal access to education comes from overall student risk of dropout increased for many persistent efforts to enroll and retain all school-aged students. Learners with disabilities were particularly children. Adopting the successful measures presented at risk because school closures widened existing gaps in this chapter will help countries reestablish the in society. Many governments responded with robust positive trend toward education for all. 46 LEARNING LEARNING RECOVERY RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION TO ACCELERATION 3. ASSESS © Bill Lyons / World Bank learning levels regularly 47 47 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION 3. ASSESS learning levels regularly The problem • The lack of regular and reliable student learning data is a long-standing challenge that hinders learning recovery and acceleration. The pandemic’s disruptions to in-person schooling further impaired countries’ abilities to collect timely learning data while heightening the need to invest in effective, resilient assessment systems. Policy responses • Implementing regular assessments to monitor learning at the system level and using data to plan recovery and acceleration strategies and allocate resources. • Providing learning data to schools optimized for usability, such as learning dashboards and school report cards, and assessment tools to measure learning. • Supporting teachers’ use of continuous classroom assessment practices to provide feedback to all students and inform instruction through professional development. • Investing in data systems to improve availability, reporting, and use of learning data by strengthening data portals, communicating learning data tailored to different audiences, and maintaining clarity on the purpose of assessments. Responding to the pandemic’s impacts on learning practices, and where countries have invested in the requires effective, resilient assessment systems. effective use of learning data for decision-making. Pandemic-related schooling interruptions have had large, enduring impacts on students’ learning levels, 3.1. LACK OF REGULAR AND exacerbating inequalities among and within schools. Regular assessment is critical to inform learning RELIABLE LEARNING DATA recovery and acceleration responses and monitor HINDERS LEARNING RECOVERY progress. Without assessment, policymakers and teachers are in the dark about what learning was AND ACCELERATION lost, and who was most affected. Chapter 3 reviews Many low- and middle-income countries have long countries’ experiences in using student assessment struggled with a lack of regular and reliable data to to recover and accelerate learning in the aftermath inform decision-making in education. Limited data of school closures. At the system level, countries have collection capacity and a lack of learning data have used assessments to understand learning levels across prevented teachers, school leaders, and principals grades. At the classroom level, countries have provided from obtaining a full picture of student learning levels. tools and teacher professional development to enable In many low- and middle-income countries, large- teachers to use continuous assessment practices to scale student achievement data are seldom, if ever, adapt their instruction to students’ knowledge gaps. collected (figure 3.1). In Sub-Saharan Africa, data Assessments have been most successful where they on student reading proficiency are not available for have been embedded in data systems and classroom 48 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION more than half of school-aged children. Globally, 97 and others 2022). Similarly, in the 2020-21 school countries (of 195), or 50 percent, do not have data to year, more than 50 percent of countries modified, measure educational achievement (UNESCO, UNICEF, postponed or cancelled high-stakes examinations and World Bank 2021). Even when data are collected, (for certification, graduation, and access to further the comparability and validity of the data and the education or employment) at the lower and upper capacity to use data for decision-making remain secondary levels. Alternative approaches included challenging (UNESCO, UNICEF, World Bank 2021). teacher-estimated grades (Ireland), alternative Without regular data to measure learning, countries assessments (Bangladesh, Norway), reduced have no way to monitor progress and determine content in the examination (Germany), and online whether their investments and policies are geared examinations with artificial intelligence (AI) technology toward success. (Saudi Arabia). However, in 2022 and 2023, most countries reverted to pre-pandemic examinations The COVID-19 pandemic negatively impacted practices (Clarke 2021; Al-Qataee and others 2020; countries’ ability to collect timely learning data. Huong and Markus 2022). The disruptions to in-person schooling impacted teachers’ assessment practices as well as large- Information on student learning is needed at scale assessments. During periods of remote several levels and by several stakeholders for learning, teachers had limited capacity to undertake different reasons. Figure 3.2 provides an assessment assessments due to the lack of guidelines and framework for learning recovery and acceleration procedures. These issues led to assessment efforts. Teachers need daily information on student practices that were ill coordinated, lacked feedback learning to plan their lessons and to identify struggling mechanisms, and were unable to reach all students students. Schools need information on student (ADEA, AU/CIEFFA, and APHRC 2022). In 2020 and learning to arrange additional supports for students 2021, many countries postponed or cancelled large- such as small group tutoring or remedial classes. scale national assessments. These actions led to a Central and local authorities need information dearth of timely data necessary to understand the to allocate resources, to monitor, and to design magnitude and nature of learning losses at a system strategies to lead learning recovery and acceleration. level (ADEA, AU/CIEFFA, and APHRC 2022; Tejada Students and parents need learning information Figure 3.1 Global map of the number of assessments of student achievement NUMBER OF ASSESSMENTS 0 19 Source: World Bank, based on data from 1995 to 2022. 49 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION Figure 3.2 Framework of assessment for learning recovery and acceleration For learning recovery and acceleration efforts: Who needs student learning data? System-level Schools Teachers Parents/students administrations • To monitor learning • For school-level • For daily instructional • For feedback on areas levels planning decisions of strength and areas needing further work • For decisions on • For district-level • To identify struggling allocating resources decisions on resource students needing • To keep systems for learning recovery allocation additional support accountable and acceleration For example: Questioning, Sample-based national District/School observation, Student report cards assessments level tests class tests Census-based national assessments Source: World Bank. for feedback and to help keep systems accountable person schooling, were used to inform the 3-year for results. In some countries, new assessments learning recovery plan, make small adjustments implemented during the pandemic recovery period to the curriculum, and design new teacher training were able to provide information on student learning modules. In India, assessment results are being used data relevant to multiple stakeholder groups. for long-term planning of learning improvements. The 2022 Foundational Learning Study (FLS), which 3.2 IMPLEMENTING REGULAR assessed the reading fluency of 3rd grade students of 83,000 students in 20 languages, helped set reading ASSESSMENTS TO MONITOR benchmarks as part of the NIPUN Bharat Mission — a LEARNING AT THE SYSTEM national reading strategy launched in 2021 to reach universal literacy by 2025. Through a five-tier plan LEVEL involving schools, blocks, districts, states, and the federal government, states are using FLS results to Assessments helped countries to develop learning create contextualized, multiyear action plans aligned recovery and acceleration plans and strategies. In with national targets (India, MOE n.d.b). The FLS also several systems, assessment results have directly was embedded in India’s 2022-23 Learning Recovery informed policy planning for learning recovery and Plan, which provided states with funding to conduct acceleration. In Mongolia, results from a small, the study. sample-based assessment conducted in September 2021, just days after students returned to in- 50 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION By regularly testing multiple grades, some countries specific supports such as managing state-level gained a comprehensive understanding of learning implementation of assessments. From the report levels across the school system. In Kenya, a large- database, only 18 percent of countries had invested scale assessment was administered in October in technical capacity building for central level staff in 2020 for students in grades 4, 8, and 12, shortly assessment. after schools partially reopened for those grades; and in March 2021 for other grades following the 3.3 PROVIDING LEARNING DATA January full school reopening. The assessments covered several subjects in the curriculum and were TO SCHOOLS used to inform policies to mitigate the pandemic’s The pandemic forced a greater focus on providing impact on learning. These assessments differed from useful information to schools. In reopening after previous national assessments in that they were prolonged closures, schools were faced with considered low stakes assessments for the purpose myriad challenges, including needing to quickly of understanding student learning rather than higher understand students’ learning gaps so these gaps stakes for purposes such as accountability or ranking could be addressed as a priority. Education system (The Star 2020). authorities were eager to both provide assessment Other countries are investing in improving technical data in forms that schools could use and to enable capacity for system-level assessment. Poor local monitoring trends at the national, subnational, and technical capacity, insufficient staff, and limited local levels. time to devote to assessment are known common One model was an optional, low-stakes assessment challenges in the design and implementation of for schools to identify learning gaps. From the report national assessments (UNESCO-UIS 2017). With database, 38 percent of countries had conducted a heightened need for effective assessment in the low-stakes assessments to gauge learning gaps. In post-COVID context, education systems increasingly Chile, where the regular national assessments were are investing in technical capacity. This role is not implemented in 2020 or 2021, the government sometimes within ministries of education (as in instead put forth the Diagnóstico Integral de India and Mongolia) or autonomous entities (as in Aprendizajes (Comprehensive Learning Diagnosis): Colombia and Saudi Arabia). Building a pipeline a set of evaluation tools that schools could choose of technical expertise for the various stages of to administer to gain information on students’ developing and implementing a national assessment proficiency in key subject content and socioemotional — psychometricians, statisticians, item writers, wellbeing. The assessment was administered in March test administrators, and communications experts, 2021 and reached 81 percent of basic education among others (Clarke and Luna-Bazaldua 2021) students. The assessment since has been applied — is a challenge for most countries. Often, this three times a year as a mechanism for continuous expertise is sought from international organizations, feedback for teachers and policymakers. Reports consultants, and universities, and through regional detailing student achievement were given to schools knowledge exchanges. For example, the Measurement in time for the new academic year, allowing schools Center at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de to focus strategies and resources on the most crucial Chile is a specialized unit known for its research learning gaps (Chile MINEDUC 2021). and training to support assessment entities across Chile and the Latin America and Caribbean region Another model is a nimble assessment of key (Clarke and Luna-Bazaldua 2021). In India, a new foundational skills. Prior to the pandemic, quick National Assessment Centre was created in 2022 screening checks of all students to make sure they to set norms, standards, and guidelines for student were progressing in key foundational skills such as assessment and promote collaboration across states phonics (understanding the relationship between in India. States will be supported in setting up or letters and sounds) were implemented regularly in strengthening State Assessment Cells and offered countries including Australia, England, and Singapore. 51 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION In Mendoza, Argentina, the pandemic prompted the in March 2021 to support schools in responding to development and implementation of a Census on Oral students’ needs after prolonged closures (box 3.1). Reading Fluency, a quick assessment first applied Box 3.1 Multiple uses of an oral reading fluency assessment in Mendoza, Argentina In Mendoza, Argentina, the Census on Oral Reading Fluency (Censo de Fluidez Lectora) is a new state-wide classroom assessment for basic education that measures how well and how quickly students can read a short passage. The assessment is a quick, oral test that measures the number of words read aloud per minute as well as students’ speech cadence. It was introduced in response to a perceived need by education stakeholders to quickly understand reading levels to inform in- struction and remedial activities during the school year. It was first implemented in March 2021 shortly after schools in the province reopened following prolonged school closures. The results of the March 2021 Census were used for the following purposes: 1. To provide a school-level report for school principals and supervisors containing (a) the school’s average results on the assessment against the median for the province and (b) a list of stu- dents who scored at the lowest level of proficiency (the “critically low” level). 2. To embed results in schools’ annual improvement plans — an instrument used throughout the country — as indicators to monitor targets. 3. To design a new after-school program that trained 200 young adults (mostly youth pursuing education studies) to lead tutoring sessions in the 400 lowest-performing schools, targeting students in them who scored at the lowest proficiency level. These students received eight hours of additional instruction per week in the form of tutoring. 4. To target teacher professional development at the teachers who had students who scored at the lowest proficiency level. Specifically, teachers were trained to use the new structured lesson plans developed to improve reading instruction. When the assessment was applied again five months later, results showed vast improvements in oral reading fluency, particularly among those who had initially scored at the lowest level. In 4th and 7th grades, the percentage of children scoring at the “critically low” level decreased from 23 percent to 13 percent and from 36 percent to 20 percent, respectively. Since then, the assessment has been applied three times a year to monitor students’ progress ongoing. Figure B3.1 Results from Mendoza’s Census on Oral Reading Fluency, March and October 2021 (%) Grade 4 Grade 7 100 8 Above average 80 31 Average 47 43 56 Critical 60 Percent 46 40 36 40 20 36 23 20 13 0 March October March October Source: Argentina, Province of Mondoza, General Directorate for Schools 2022. 52 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION Key to the success of efforts to provide learning data to schools is to consider usability and follow-up Box 3.2 Diagnostic assessments as a guidance. National assessments were implemented tool to implement targeted instruction in in Jordan in March 2022 reaching nearly all 1 Brazil million students in grades 4 to 11. The paper-based assessments were administered in schools by teachers. In October 2021, Brazil’s Ministry of Results were made available to schools through an Education launched new Diagnostic and online dashboard indicating whether each student Formative Assessments as part of Brasil was off track (red), at risk (amber), or on track (green) Na Escola (Brazil at School), a learning in key areas of the curriculum. The assessments were recovery and acceleration strategy. These accompanied by guidance to schools and teachers on assessments are applied in four cycles how to support students (UNESCO n.d.). In Indonesia, throughout the school year and are given in 2022 the Ministry of Education launched an online to students in each grade of primary and platform—the Rapor Pendidikan Education Report secondary school. Card—to help school principals and district officials Assessments are a key tool in the develop annual improvement plans. Learning scores are implementation of Brazil’s new targeted shown alongside schools’ scores across different input instruction program — Acompanhamento and process-level indicators to help identify specific Personalizado da Aprendizagem — which is areas for investment (Antara News 2022a; Antara available to schools with large proportions News 2022b). In addition, the platform provides data- of students from low-income families. based planning recommendations (Aditomo 2022). In Through the program, using clear scoring Colombia, results from the new, online Evaluar para thresholds, school facilitators or monitors Avanzar evaluations are available in a dashboard that group students into 1 of 4 levels (A through provides useful analytics to aid teachers’ interpretation D) based on their scores on the assessment. of students’ learning needs. By linking individual The facilitators are trained and provided questions to specific learning competencies, teachers with structured teaching and learning can see “alerts” for competencies that were answered materials specific to the level of each group. correctly by fewer than 20 percent, or by more than 80 percent (that is, those that students have mastered). The assessments are accompanied by an Teachers also are provided with video tutorials, guides, app and portal that automatically correct and rubrics to aid their analysis of results and are answers in the written tests, upload results supported by coaches to use the assessment results to to a central portal, and produce a score improve instruction (section 3.4). that can be used for student grouping. These innovations have been cited as Assessment tools are at the heart of targeted improving teachers’ reception to the new instruction programs. In targeted instruction models, assessment scheme. By synchronizing students are regrouped by proficiency level during a the administration of these assessments part of the school day to provide instruction suitable across schools, policymakers can monitor to each target group (chapter 5). Regular assessment system trends and adjust the program guides the continuous grouping and regrouping of accordingly. students as they progress. In Brazil, Cambodia, Source: Brazil, Ministry of Education 2021b. Ghana, and Sri Lanka, new assessment practices have arisen to facilitate targeted instruction. For example, in Brazil, a new technology-enabled diagnostic assessment is applied in schools with high proportions of students from low-income families to construct student groupings for targeted instruction (box 3.2). 53 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION 3.4 SUPPORTING TEACHERS’ flagship teacher coaching program Programa Todos a Aprender (PTA) (All to Learn Program) — provided USE OF CONTINUOUS assessment-specific training to thousands of teacher CLASSROOM ASSESSMENT coaches and tutors, who in turn supported teachers to implement the assessments, and interpret and use PRACTICES TO INFORM results. The partnership also produced new guides INSTRUCTION that mapped specific question items to specific sections/exercises in the teacher guides and student Continuous classroom assessment practices help workbooks, thus helping teachers reinforce learning teachers understand the right level of instruction. in the specific content areas in which students The use of questioning during instruction, observing performed poorly. Similarly, in Mongolia, efforts student work, and short quizzes or tests provide to improve assessment capacity and an enabling teachers with indications of what students have environment included understood, enabling teachers to make informed decisions about reteaching or making time for a. Producing methodological guides for teachers additional practice. Accelerating learning rests on how to develop tasks and tests aligned with on two capabilities: (a) teachers’ ability to gather assessment criteria and process this type of assessment information; b. Implementing a continuous professional and (b) the system’s ability to provide an enabling development program to improve the skills of environment for teachers to reflect and respond to the staff, school leaders, and teachers to apply information with appropriate instructional decisions. assessments (by subjects and grades) From the report database, 35 percent of countries had embedded assessment practices in their classroom c. Training a cadre of 130 national trainers in teaching. assessment d. Deploying assessment specialists to each province Tests are not the only source of information for to support teachers and school leaders in applying recovery and acceleration programs. Sri Lanka reading and mathematics assessments. pioneered a learning recovery initiative in Uva and Central provinces that later was scaled up across five other provinces. The initiative aimed to recover 3.5 INVESTING IN DATA learning through a remedial program that integrated SYSTEMS TO IMPROVE THE task-based assessments to check that students were learning at the expected pace. Teachers assigned a AVAILABILITY AND USE OF task to help students achieve a certain competency. LEARNING DATA If a student did not demonstrate the competency through completing the task, the teacher modified Investments in student assessments are useful only her or his approach by providing alternative tasks if the data are made available and used. Over the targeting the same competency and matching the past decades, many countries’ attempts to provide level of the student, until the student attained the learning data at the school and system levels have competency (UNICEF 2021b). not informed policies and practices. The reasons include poor quality of data, lack of data management In learning acceleration efforts, building capacity protocols and systems, frequent changes in for assessment-informed instruction is essential. assessment design, and failure to consult data users Several countries are incorporating training on to understand how data reporting formats could be classroom assessment practices in the preservice optimized for usability and usefulness. and in-service professional development of teachers, school leaders, and coaches. For example, in Colombia, School report cards or dashboards are streamlining a partnership between two education programs — the the flow of information to schools and other Evaluar para Avanzar assessment program and the stakeholders. These investments are common in 54 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION high-performing education systems, but low- and Communications strategies pay off. To impact middle-income countries increasingly are making such policymaking and national dialogue, results of national investments. When student assessment information assessments must be communicated clearly in a way is embedded in easy-to-use formats designed that is relevant and easily understood by a range of specifically for each type of user, stakeholders audiences, including policymakers, teachers, parents, have ready access to the information they need. In and students. Different channels can be used, such Mendoza, Argentina, school directors and school as tailored briefs and reports, TV, radio, and internet cluster supervisors can identify schools in need of (Clarke and Luna-Bazaldua 2021). In Guanajuato, teacher training and students in need of additional Mexico, plans were developed to communicate supports such as tutoring. Schools can see in their assessment information through reports and briefs report cards the proportions of students at the to schools and teachers, and an app though which critical, basic, and proficient competency levels (box parents could see their child’s results. Guidance on 3.1). In Gujarat, India, the state’s Vidya Samiksha how to interpret results helps build “assessment Kendra is an innovative EMIS and online dashboard literacy” among stakeholders (US, National Academy for real-time tracking of education indicators and of Education 2021). outcomes, including student assessment data for every student in the state. The dashboard enables teachers and policymakers to view learning data from national and state assessments (box 3.3). Box 3.3 Vidya Samiksha Kendra in Gujarat, India: A state-of-the art education management information system and data analytics cell Gujarat’s Vidya Samiksha Kendra is an online platform for real-time monitoring of schooling activities and learning outcomes. It is an integrated dashboard for tracking the enrollment, attendance, and learning outcomes of over 7 million students in Gujarat down to the individual student level — the first of its kind in India. Through this platform, teachers and other stakeholders can view learning assessment data – from different state and national assessments—by grade, subject, and student for every school, cluster, block, and district in the state. Other features of the dashboard include tracking school vehicles and school officer site visits through geotagging; receiving feedback and complaints from teachers, students and parents; monitoring indicators of school quality; and communicating alerts and news to school staff. Big data and machine learning technologies are used to generate actionable insights and ensure that important metrics stand out and are easy to access. Gujarat’s data platform is grounded in the MOE’s broader Vidya Samiksha Kendra (VSK) national initiative, an effort to support states in developing centralized data systems to track schooling indicators, and integrating various data systems, which often operate in silos (India, Press Information Bureau 2022). The dashboard shows how students scored on specific test answers, each mapped to a learning outcome. This function enabled Gujarat to produce learning outcomes- based report cards for every student in all subjects across grades 3–8. Gujarat’s Vidya Samiksha Kendra, the first in the country, inspired the development of VSKs in other states, including Maharashtra and Uttarakhand (Smart 2022; India, ET Government 2022). Sources: India, Education Department, Government of Gujarat n.d.; India, Public Information Bureau 2022; Agrawal 2023. 55 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION 3.6 CONCLUSION Assessments of student learning are key tools for learning recovery and acceleration. Pandemic-related schooling interruptions have had large, enduring impacts on student learning levels, exacerbating inequalities among and within schools. Student assessments are being used in many countries to measure the magnitude of learning losses; identify schools and students in need of support and resources; inform learning recovery and acceleration strategies; and continuously monitor the effectiveness of policies. More can be done to improve learning assessment strategies and programs across low- and middle- income countries. In many low- and middle-income countries, large-scale student achievement data are collected only irregularly or not at all. To better use assessment data for policy planning and classroom instruction, countries cite the need for greater technical expertise on assessment within ministries of education, subnational education entities, and the teaching workforce. Countries will benefit greatly from investments to bolster learning assessment systems and embed assessment in education plans and programs. 56 LEARNING LEARNING RECOVERY RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION TO ACCELERATION 4. PRIORITIZE © Khasar Sandag / World Bank teaching the fundamentals 57 57 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION 4. PRIORITIZE teaching the fundamentals The problem • Overburdened and imbalanced curricula are hampering learning recovery and acceleration efforts. With the pandemic further reducing instructional time due to prolonged school closures and the need for catch-up learning, ensuring that every child and youth gains a sufficient foundation for additional learning is a challenge. Policy responses • Ensuring sufficient time for core content and foundational skills. Curricula can be adjusted to ensure that adequate instructional time is devoted to build the foundational skills to develop higher level knowledge and skills. • Aligning teaching and learning materials with expected learning outcomes. Adjustments to curricula to bolster foundational skills are strengthened when reinforced in teaching and learning materials, teacher training, and assessment practices. COVID-19 pandemic-related learning losses and 4.1 OVERBURDENED AND recovery efforts raised a key curricula question: what is most important to learn when time is IMBALANCED CURRICULA limited? Instructional time was lost during school ARE HAMPERING LEARNING closures. The need to master the same curricula in less time has spurred reflections about what is RECOVERY AND ACCELERATION most important to learn and brought attention to Interruptions to in-person schooling led to an urgent foundational learning. Chapter 4 reviews countries’ need to revisit curricula. Around the world, schools experiences in revisiting curricula to prioritize had to prioritize what to teach during reduced learning the fundamentals. Foundational skills — literacy, time and, once schools reopened, what missed numeracy, and socioemotional skills, among others material was essential to cover. — are the bases for developing higher level knowledge and skills. Therefore, achieving solid foundational skills Challenging questions arose around how to get has been a key goal of primary education. Developing cohorts of students back on track. Mitigation curricula has been most successful when taking measures and alternative education modes, such as account of assessments of student achievement; remote learning, could not provide the same learning reflecting curricula priorities in the use of school time; experiences or cover the usual amount of curriculum and aligning teaching and learning materials. content, and were not equitably available to all 58 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION students. Once students came back to in-person pressure to cover the curriculum rather than help schooling, their schools had to determine which key students to master the fundamentals. According to knowledge and skills they had gained and missed. a simulation model that demonstrated the impact The lost months and, in some cases, years broke the of curricular pace on grade 8 results from a subset expected trajectory of learning in each country. When of internationally comparable assessments, overly the expected pace of learning in the curriculum is ambitious curricula could explain all differences in misaligned with the actual pace of learning, students the learning outcomes between poor-performing and can fall multiple grade levels short of curriculum OECD countries (Pritchett and Beatty 2012). expectations (Pritchett and Beatty 2012). Curriculum overload leads to insufficient time for A reflection of long-standing challenges the development of foundational skills — literacy, numeracy, and socioemotional skills. A study of The COVID-19 pandemic brought to the forefront Uganda’s pre-COVID-19 national curriculum found a long-standing and common challenge: inflexible that very little attention and instructional time was and overambitious curricula. The challenge of having given to the mastery of foundational literacy skills a broad range of student achievement levels in a before expecting students to master higher order skills classroom with too much content for the instructional (Atuhurra and Alinda 2018). This finding revealed that time is not new (Pritchett and Beatty 2012; OECD “it may not be the students who are falling behind, 2020a). It is an extreme case of the challenge that but rather the curriculum advancing beyond students’ ordinarily affects education systems (figure 4.1): current skills” (Preshad, Comba, and Bergmann 2020, curricula seek to cover more material than the typical 6). After the onset of the pandemic, the Ugandan student can learn in the time available. Ministry of Education and Sports developed an abridged curriculum for all education levels based on a In many countries, curricula have tended to be selection of priority competencies, emphasizing literacy overburdened and imbalanced, crowding out and numeracy at the primary level (Mukalele 2022). foundational skills. Education systems must decide what students should know and be able to do and how Adjusting the curriculum to account for students’ time in schools should be used. A common tendency achievement levels and realistic progress expectations is to add more content without creating space in the can accelerate learning. In most contexts, teachers curriculum, which leads to curriculum overload and are expected to move through curricula faster imbalance (OECD 2020a). Teachers often are under than most of their students are learning. Figure 4.1 Common classroom challenges affecting student learning Little flexibility Classes start is given to Grade curricula Minimal relevant with students teachers to reflect training, guidance, having varied adjust the unrealistic or materials are prior knowledge, pace of their expectations provided to help skills, family instruction to for student teachers know support, and match their progress how to: experiences students’ levels Provide learning Manage their Assess their experiences that classrooms students’ appropiately to maximize learning needs engage all their learning and students wellbeing Source: World Bank. 59 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION Figure 4.2 Modeling long-term learning loss from school closures and mitigation strategies Equivalent years of learning behind/ahead in grade 3 compared to no shock 1.5 1.28 1 0.5 No. of years 0 -0.5 -0.54 -1 -1.03 -1.5 Shock reduces grade 3 Shock reduces grade 3 Shock reduces grade 3 learning by 1/3 learning by 1/3 + learning by 1/3 + remediation + remediation instruction reorientation Source: Based on data from Kaffenberger 2020. Note: This figure uses a calibrated “pedagogical production function” model to estimate the potential long-term losses to children’s learning from the temporary shock of COVID-19 related school closures and the gains possible from 2 mitigation strategies. In Rajasthan, India, an evaluation of a computer- better align curricula with students’ levels also are not aided personalized instruction program found that new. Examples abound from many contexts such as the curriculum was misaligned with the learning British Columbia’s Curriculum Redesign, Hong Kong’s levels of all except the most advanced students! After Learning to Learn Reform, Tanzania’s 3R Curricular aligning instruction with children’s needs, the program Reform, and Liberia’s and Sierra Leone’s curricular improved learning outcomes (Muralidharan and Singh adaptation during the Ebola outbreak. Likewise, 2019). A simulation model (figure 4.2) illustrates the curricular changes were not an uncommon response to benefit of adjusting the pace of curriculum to align COVID-induced school closures. According to the joint with the pace of student learning (Kaffenberger survey, 55 percent of responding low- and middle- 2020). The simulation models more than 1 full year’s income countries had plans to adjust the scope of the worth of learning losses resulting from a 3-month curriculum content to be covered in the 2022-2023 school closure with no remedial interventions. While school year in any subject or grade (UNESCO-UIS and remediation alone can reduce long-term learning others 2022). The COVID-19 pandemic provided a loss by half, remediation combined with long-term window of opportunity to make quick adjustments to reorientation of instruction to align with children’s curricula, avoiding typically burdensome and politically learning levels increases learning by more than 1 full charged full-scale curriculum reforms (OECD 2020a). year (Kaffenberger 2020). 4.2 ENSURING SUFFICIENT A response to a crisis or a longer term plan to accelerate learning TIME FOR CORE CONTENT AND FOUNDATIONAL SKILLS The need to adjust curricula to account for constrained time is not unique to the COVID-19 Foundational skills are the basis for developing pandemic. Shortened programs often are made higher level knowledge and skills and are important available to support learners who drop out of the drivers of the well-documented benefits of education education system or who are not able to complete (World Bank 2019b). The critical importance of basic education. Shortening programs usually involves achieving foundational skills is reflected in the selecting key knowledge and skills that will be the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) target to most useful to the student (AEWG 2020). Efforts to achieve minimum proficiencies in reading and 60 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION mathematics.6 The necessity to invest in foundational some countries, helping these children to catch up by learning to transform education also was the focus boosting regular reading programs that optimize the of a Commitment to Action launched at the UN use of class time has been a focus. In Côte d’Ivoire, Secretary-General’s Transforming Education Summit a new early grade reading program is designed in 2022.7 to optimize learning time by introducing phonics instruction. Letter sounds are taught explicitly, along Literacy and language with blending letters to form syllables, words, Literacy skills remain a key learning goal for school and short sentences, with practice to increase systems. Language is both a core subject in school automaticity and fluency (Zafeirakou 2020). Expected curricula and a medium of instruction. Understanding learning outcomes were redefined, and weekly school language enables access to the whole curriculum and calendars were adjusted to allow for daily individual is the cornerstone for success in all subject areas. read-aloud practice. With early success emerging Definitions of literacy vary and evolve but have at from this program in grades 1 and 2, the National Early their core reading, understanding, using, and reflecting Learning Support Strategy is scaling up this reform to on texts (Keefe and Copeland 2011). Literacy drives all primary school grades. better nutrition and health outcomes, leads to greater participation in the labor market, reduces poverty, To accelerate foundational learning, some countries and enables greater life outcomes for girls and women are enacting policies related to mother tongue (Berkman and others 2004; Lal 2015; World Literacy instruction. Research supports learning to read in Foundation 2018). Reading is one of the most crucial the mother tongue, which aligns with findings on the “gateway skills.” It enables children to gain knowledge importance of oral language fluency and vocabulary and develop complex cognitive and socioemotional knowledge in the development of skilled reading (World skills throughout their lives. Reading is highly Bank 2021b).10 However, using multiple languages correlated with skills in areas such as mathematics in curricula and procuring teaching and learning and science (Akbaşlı, Sahin, and Yaykiran 2016). materials in local languages has proved difficult. Even so, efforts have persisted to optimize student learning The literacy policy package outlined in box 4.1 through language policies. In 2022, Mauritania passed summarizes the set of interventions that have a law requiring all primary school classes to be taught successfully improved foundational literacy at in local languages, including Arabic, Poular, Soninke, scale. Findings from research on how children learn to and Wolof. To support the implementation of this read, and on effective teaching strategies to support policy, the government’s national reading program will reading, stress the importance of (a) sufficient time for issue revised teaching and learning materials in each of reading instruction and practice8; (2) a curriculum that these languages. Senegal’s strategy for a harmonized systematically sequences the key subskills to become bilingual education is built on almost 20 years of an independent reader; and (3) explicit and direct experimentation in mother tongue instruction (Benson instruction.9 2020). The Renforcement de la Lecture Initiale Pour Tous (RELIT) Program is expanding efforts to improve Lost learning time for children in the early grades early grade instruction and reading outcomes by has been a considerable concern given that this is a introducing additional local languages of instruction — crucial time for the development of reading skills. For Mandinka, Soninke, and Diola — across 9 regions, with unesco.org/. 6 See SDG target 4.1 at https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal4 and the Global Proficiency Framework at https://gaml.uis.‌ 7 See https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/education/brief/commitment-to-action-on-foundational-learning. 8 The first 3 years of formal education may require a minimum of 600 hours of optimal reading instruction for children to become fluent readers: for example, 90 minutes a day for 135 days. Some experts recommend up to 150 minutes per day (World Bank 2022c). 9 See, for example, the World Bank’s “Tools for Improving Reading” series (World Bank 2022a, 2022c, and 2022d). 10 When children are first taught in a language that they speak and understand well, they learn more, are better placed to learn other lan- guages, are more likely to stay in school, and enjoy a school experience appropriate to their culture and local circumstances. However, 37 percent of students in low- and middle-income countries are not being taught in the language that they speak and understand best (World Bank 2021b). 61 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION plans for future expansion. In the Philippines, mother- in grades 1–3, with evidence of positive impacts on tongue-based multilingual education was introduced students’ numeracy skills (Englis and Boholano 2021; in kindergarten and for early grade mathematics Falguera 2022). Box 4.1 Policy package to promote literacy for all children Source: World Bank 2021a. 62 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION Comprehensive efforts to bolster reading have and immunity to misinformation about health risks benefited from high-level support and coordination. (Baten 2021). For example, in September 2022, Jordan launched a National Literacy Strategy, which established Learning losses in numeracy have been equal to, an action plan to improve students’ Arabic literacy if not greater than, learning losses in literacy. As skills over five years. The strategy, which includes with reading development, the COVID-19 pandemic teacher training in literacy instruction and a reading school disruptions and efforts to continue teaching via recovery program, seeks to ensure concerted and remote learning modalities significantly challenged integrated national efforts toward a shared vision of students’ numeracy development. For example, a literate nation (Jordan Times 2022). The strategy primary school children in Ethiopia learned only builds on the success of Jordan’s Early Grade Reading 30–40 percent as much in mathematics as they and Mathematics Initiatives (RAMP), an example would have during a normal year (Kim and others of a structured pedagogy program, which provides 2021). Results from Brazil, the United States, and two students in kindergarten 2 to grade 3 with instruction states in Mexico estimated greater learning losses in in foundational skills.11 RAMP relies on high-quality mathematics than in reading (Hevia and others 2022; teaching and learning materials, parent and Kuhfield, Soland, and Moron 2022; Brazil, Secretaria community participation, differentiated instruction, de Educação 2021). and administrative classroom management. The proportion of grade 3 students who can read and Some countries have adjusted numeracy and understand grade-level text has increased from 29 mathematics curricula to improve learning and percent in 2015 to 33 percent in 2019. The proportion support remediation. Some mathematics curricula of grade 2 students who meet benchmarks for have been criticized as being too complicated with reading and understanding grade-level text almost overly ambitious goals too early in the curriculum doubled, from 8 percent to 14 percent between 2015 (Bethell 2016). Mathematics teacher training efforts and 2019 (RTI International 2022). Teachers are in some parts of Africa have been found to focus more systematically teaching phonics and phonemic too much on teacher knowledge and not enough on awareness, thus helping children expand their pedagogical practice (Pryor and others 2012). To vocabularies and improving their reading fluency and build teachers’ content knowledge and numeracy- comprehension. RAMP also equipped teachers with specific pedagogical skills, Cambodia has upgraded rapid reading and mathematics tests to help them its mathematics curriculum for initial teacher identify their students’ needs so that they can adjust education (VVOB 2021b). The country has increased their lessons accordingly. instructional time and implemented mathematics- specific remedial learning programming for grades Numeracy and mathematics 2–6. The remedial education program identified 5 core numeracy competencies per grade as the foci Numeracy and mathematical knowledge are also during sessions (4 hours per day, 3 days per month), important for children’s school and life outcomes developed assessment tools for teachers to record and are a core priority for schools. Studies in high- students’ progress on core competencies, and income countries have shown that early mathematics organized in-depth teacher workshops focused on knowledge and skills are at least as predictive of core competencies for which assessment data showed later academic achievement as is reading (Duncan poor mastery (VVOB 2021a). In 2020, Cambodia also and others 2007). There also is significant evidence launched the national early grade learning program, of the importance of foundational mathematics Komar Rien Komar Cheh, a mathematics package for skills on secondary school completion rates and grades 1–2 learners (Kabita and Ji 2017). As part of career pathways. Evidence shows that a population’s the program, a set of interactive, play-based teaching numerical abilities have a positive impact on and learning materials were developed to make economic growth, and positively predict other life learning mathematics more fun and accessible (GPE outcomes such as the economic success of migrants 2022). These interventions were aided by Cambodia’s 11 RAMP is discussed further in chapter 5. 63 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION prioritization of its primary curriculum, which gave requires all states to prepare an implementation plan focus to both Khmer and mathematics from grades for universal attainment of foundational literacy and 2 to 6, increasing instructional time and reducing numeracy. The NIPUN Bharat included the extension cognitive overload to support foundational learning.12 of a national teacher training program focused on foundational literacy and numeracy instruction and Other foundational skills the development of a national online platform. The platform offers teachers, students, and parents Given their importance for psychosocial health engaging materials to support early learning. and wellbeing, fostering socioemotional skills is Based on the large-scale Foundational Learning important (chapter 6). In many cases, socioemotional Study, benchmarks for oral reading fluency and skills were fostered across subject areas through comprehension, as well as for numeracy, have been maximizing interdisciplinary opportunities (section set for 20 languages. 4.3). Opportunities to learn other foundational skills have proved particularly impactful for marginalized groups, like in Zambia (box 4.2). 4.3 LEARNING WITHIN A LIMITED TIME Given the importance of gaining foundational skills on time, some countries focused investments on Within limited teaching time, a focused curriculum the kindergarten to early primary school stage. In is intended to focus on priority learning outcomes India, a new National Curriculum Framework was (AEWG 2020).14 Evidence from before and after the published in October 2022, paving the way for 3-year- pandemic suggests that focused curricula can have old children to be brought into the formal schooling positive impacts on learning (box 4.3). Curricula can system for the first time.13 Introduced in 2021, the be focused by (a) removing or reducing the depth of National Initiative for Proficiency in Reading with content within subjects; (b) reducing repetition of Understanding and Numeracy (NIPUN) Bharat topics that appear across different subjects; and/or Box 4.2 Equity Highlight: Zambia’s “The Ultimate Virtuous Cycle of Girls’ Education” project Life skills education can be particularly impactful to support girls’ education and empowerment. Zambia has implemented a life skills curriculum, “The Ultimate Virtuous Cycle of Girls’ Education” project, for approximately 4,950 girls across 3 provinces. The project is developed specifically for young women in Africa with the “My Better World” curriculum. Targeting girls in their transition from primary to secondary school, the program provides learning support and skills development; and builds self-knowledge, confidence, and problem-solving abilities. The curriculum is delivered through a community-based model, in which recent female school graduates from the region are trained to facilitate sessions on life skills development. The program’s content was adapted to integrate COVID-19 messaging and extended sexual and reproductive health and rights sessions due to the increasing rates of gender-based violence during school closures. To better reach OOS girls, the “My Better World” curriculum is aired on national radio, with plans to expand dissemination through mobile phone applications and TV. Source: Based on Girls’ Education Challenge 2021. 12 Cambodia has also prioritized mother-tongue instruction in primary schools. 13 The framework covers the essential years for foundational learning from ages 3 to 8 (National Steering Committee for National Curricu- lum Frameworks, India 2022). 14 A condensed curriculum involves prioritizing content. In contrast, prioritizing foundational skills in the curricula (discussed in the previous section) does not necessarily involve condensing curriculum. 64 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION (c) removing subjects. Bhutan omitted less essential 1 academic year (figure 4.3). Chile’s Ministry of information, such as the history of concepts, while Education provided guidance to primary and secondary also finding opportunities to cover multiple topics schools on how to prioritize learning content. The with common themes in 1 or 2 lessons (Bhutan, MOE guidance included advice on curricular prioritization for 2020). Armenia mandated four subjects that had to every subject, lists of prioritized learning objectives by be taught across all education levels and let schools subject and grade, and guides on learning progressions decide which other subjects from a provided list would for each subject. Motivated by the positive results of be included (Manukyan 2020). The methods used an extensive evaluation, Chile has extended its use to focus curricula, and whether such adjustments of the modified curriculum to 2025. The modified are mandated or made optional, depend on country curriculum has given educators the flexibility and time context. to make connections among subjects, deepen learning, and improve learning experiences (Chile, MINEDUC Since the onset of the pandemic, many countries 2023). Cambodia offered a focused curriculum only for instituted a focused curriculum that emphasizes the academic year immediately following school re- foundational skills. From the report database, openings. Other countries replaced curricula for longer 37 percent of countries had instituted prioritized periods, including Vietnam (2 years), Guyana (3 years), curricula focused on foundational skills for at least and Bhutan (permanently).15 Box 4.3 Selected examples of curricular prioritization for foundational skills Tanzania: Prior to 2015, Tanzania’s grade 1 and 2 curriculum was overloaded, with each grade comprising 9 subjects. Motivated to improve foundational learning outcomes, Tanzania’s 3R curricular reform focused on what has been deemed the “3R’s: Reading, wRiting, and aRithmetic.” The reform increased weekly instructional time for Kiswahili and mathematics from 6.2 to 8.6 hours, resulting in 80 percent of grade 1 and 2 instructional time being devoted to foundational literacy and numeracy, which improved student achievement. This length of instructional time aligns with expert estimates that suggest that the first 3 years of formal education may require 50–60 minutes per day of reading instruction, with 90 minutes commonly considered as a reasonable goal (World Bank 2022d). Indonesia: Between January 2020 and April 2021, learning progress in grades 1–2 literacy and numeracy declined. As part of the Merdeka Belajar (Emancipated Learning) movement, the national curriculum framework was revised, reducing 30–50 percent of content in each subject. Approximately 30 percent of schools adopted the streamlined curriculum. One year later, a survey of grade 1–3 students found that those in schools using the simplified curriculum outperformed other students in literacy and numeracy, adding 4 months of learning in each. Based on these positive results, the government developed and is rolling out the Emancipated Curriculum for both primary and secondary levels to reverse pre-pandemic declines in learning levels and expedite learning recovery. A set of guiding principles supports the selection of prioritized learning outcomes. Source: Rodriguez-Segura and Mbiti 2022; Aditomo 2022. 15 Some countries have attempted to recoup instructional time in the short term by transferring some curricular content from the current academic year to the following academic year. Unless education officials intend to expand instructional time for the following academic year, this tactic can provide only short-term relief and will exacerbate the already overburdened and imbalanced curricula the following year (Amin and Mahabeer 2021). 65 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION Figure 4.3 Examples of countries that introduced both short-term and long-term efforts to focus curricula on the fundamentals Armenia Mongolia Vietnam Guyana* Cambodia Nicaragua India (Mutiple Philippines Panama States) Côte D’Ivoire Ecuador Uganda Brazil (Mutiple States) Bhutan Indonesia Chile Benin Ghana Primary education Primary and secondary No data Source: World Bank. Note: Guyana prioritized its primary and lower secondary curricula only after the onset of COVID-19. 66 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION Selecting priority content for focusing 2. Learners can use across multiple subject areas. Understanding texts and identifying important Selecting priority content when there is less time to information helps learners in science and social cover the curriculum has required guiding principles. studies as well as in language arts. The Accelerated Education Working Group (AEWG 2020) has defined three principles to prioritize a 3. Learners need to be successful in the next level of focused curriculum. instruction and do well on required examinations. Priority is given to learning outcomes that focus on Some countries, such as Bhutan (box 4.5), pursued the knowledge and skills that curriculum prioritization using a variation of these guiding principles. 1. Learners will need throughout their lives: reading comprehension, writing, mathematics, and critical thinking (section 4.2). Box 4.5 Lessons from focusing curricula that led to long-term decisions: The case of Bhutan Focusing the curriculum to respond to COVID-related school closures often has led countries to more permanent decisions on streamlining and prioritizing it. In Bhutan, efforts to focus the primary and secondary curricula due to COVID-19 school closures inspired the development of a “New Normal Curriculum.” Implemented in the 2021–22 school year as a learning recovery mechanism, it capitalized on lessons learned from reducing content in previous years. At the start of the pandemic, the Royal Education Council of Bhutan developed and released the “Adapted Curriculum,” which comprised 35 percent–40 percent of the regular school curriculum and emphasized numeracy, literacy, and life skills. This curriculum was theme based, in that some learning areas such as science and social sciences were combined in common themes. This focused curriculum was developed to be delivered remotely through video lessons, online platforms, and self-instruction manuals. In line with experiences in many other countries, Bhutan’s remote education offering was less than effective. For the return to in-person schooling in August 2020, Bhutan’s Royal Education Council developed the “Prioritized Curriculum,” comprising approximately 65 percent of the regular school curriculum, to accelerate learning. In this curriculum, grade- and subject-specific learning competencies were selected using the R.E.A.L Model of Prioritization of Learning Standards below. The competency- based curriculum was built on selected themes (see section 4.3 for other examples). The most essential learning objectives, fundamental for students’ continuity of learning and development, were selected: • Readiness: This standard provides students with essential knowledge and skills necessary for success in the next class, course, or grade level. • Endurance: This standard provides students with knowledge and skills that are useful beyond a single test or unit of study. • Assessed: This standard will be assessed on upcoming state and national examinations. • Leverage: This standard will provide students with the knowledge and skills that will be of value in multiple disciplines Source: Bhutan, MOE 2021. 67 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION The selected priority outcomes should be those that holidays, condensing recess blocks or breaks between are required for subsequent learning and to prevent classes, shifting instructional time among tasks within falling further behind. These are organized coherently subject periods, and hosting additional classes before into a learning sequence that ensures the frontloading or after school for targeted student groups. of antecedents, focuses instruction on the attainment of priority outcomes, and includes revision of Instructional time was increased by extending the prerequisite knowledge and skills. Teachers also will school day and calendar as well as by protecting greatly benefit from the development of pacing guides, time for specific subjects or skills. Upon reopening, which include the suggested number of lessons for schools in Rwanda started one hour earlier to support each part of the learning sequence (AEWG 2020). vulnerable students who had experienced significant learning losses. In Côte d’Ivoire, scripted lesson plans Student assessments have been used to inform in grades 1 and 2 now ensure time for daily individual curricular adjustments. Curricular adjustments read-aloud practice. Because Chile welcomed prove most beneficial to students when aligned with students back to school on a reduced timetable, current learning levels. Assessments of student under the modified curriculum, instructional time was achievement (as described in chapter 5) can provide dedicated solely to mathematics and language arts. essential information to inform curricular adjustments Additional subjects were phased in gradually as overall by identifying what students can and cannot do. instructional time increased. Under the Philippines’ Evidence shows that detrimental effects arise learning recovery plan, daily instructional time is from asking students to complete a learning task planned to be extended (Republic of Philippines, DepED for which they lack sufficient prior learning (Hwa, 2022a). In Armenia, under the new General Education Kaffenberger, and Silberstein 2020). These negative Standard, schools are given the flexibility and funding, effects include students (1) failing to complete within a range provided by the government, to decide the task, (2) completing the task superficially and the amount of instructional time to dedicate to remembering the new content inaccurately, or (3) individual subjects to respond to their students’ needs completing the task superficially and not remembering (Manukyan 2020). any of the new content. In prioritizing curriculum, students’ assessments can be used to better identify Previous extensions to the school day and school weaknesses in priority learning outcomes and calendar have proved valuable to student learning. ideal curricular paces for different student cohorts. When the quality of instruction remains high, evidence Assessments in both Chile and Guyana informed shows that extending the school day (by even 90 the implementation of adjusted curricula to reflect minutes) and extending the school calendar (by students’ current learning levels. Jordan, which even 10 days) can have positive (although possibly assessed students in both their current and previous diminishing) impacts on student learning (Holland, grade levels to better understand how far back Alfaro, and Evans 2015; Hincapie 2016; Novicoff and learning gaps appear, is now better positioned to Kraft 2022; OECD 2020b; Parinduri 2014; Patall, adjust curricula to match student learning needs. Cooper, and Allen 2010). The global evidence for early childhood education also suggests that advances in Using school time to reflect curricular priorities the subsector are investments toward building early foundational learning (box 4.6). The quantity and distribution of instructional time must reinforce curricular priorities. Student mastery of the fundamentals also can be promoted by adjusting school timetables to reflect curricular priorities. Countries have taken several approaches to increase overall instructional time and build more space in the school day for prioritized subjects or content. These steps included reallocating instructional time among subjects, reducing school 68 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION Box 4.6 Maximizing instructional time for foundational learning in early childhood education (ECE) Instructional time in early childhood also can be leveraged for foundational learning. Global progress in pre-primary enrolment has been slow and uneven. Many countries have yet to reorient the ECE programs they do have toward ambitious learning objectives. High quality ECE can jumpstart literacy and numeracy skill development and set up children to succeed in later schooling and learning. As evidenced by India’s new National Education Policy, foundational learning does not need to wait for primary schooling. Early learning programs can be bolstered with strong literacy and numeracy curricula to provide a stronger foundation for foundational skills. The new National Curriculum Framework contains a newly added Foundational Stage, which includes, for the first time, children aged 3 to 5 years and seeks to build the foundation for basic literacy and numeracy skills (Chari 2020). Sierra Leone is advancing toward a more holistic early childhood development program in 4 ways: by adding a minimum of 1 year of preprimary education to the formal school system, constructing more classrooms, training teachers in play-based methodology, and developing picture books for early learning with accompanying training on how to use them (Sachdeva 2022). Foundational learning programs designed for the primary level can be adapted and extended to include preschool learners. Jordan’s Early Grade Reading and Mathematics Initiative (RAMP), Nepal’s early grade reading program, and Colombia’s Programa Todos a Aprender all seek to improve the reading and mathematics outcomes of kindergarten and primary school children. Following a greater call by the World Conference on Early Childhood Care and Education (WCECCE) for ECE financing, and building on Transforming Education Summit’s (TES’s) momentum on foundational learning, countries must balance efforts to expand access to early childhood programming with efforts to improve the quality of ECE instruction on the fundamentals. Source: Chari 2020; Sachdeva 2022. Despite its benefits, expanding instructional time 4.4 ALIGNING TEACHING must be approached with caution. Changes to instructional time may face practical and political AND LEARNING MATERIALS barriers and has the potential to stress teacher and WITH EXPECTED LEARNING student wellbeing. Extensions to the school day, week, or year alone will not guarantee improved learning, OUTCOMES especially if school staff are not adequately supported or staffed to use such time effectively. Efforts to Teaching and learning materials, and assessments, increase instructional time must be accompanied by were revised to ensure alignment with curricular concrete methods to ensure that additional time is priorities. An important element of Côte d’Ivoire’s used for high-quality instruction and learning (TNTP early grade reading program implementation was 2018; Karamperidou and others 2020). the new textbook. The textbook was explicit and well 69 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION structured. It progressively introduced new knowledge 4.5 CONCLUSION accompanied by opportunities for daily practice in reading aloud for fluency and comprehension. Focusing the curriculum to ensure sufficient Having one such textbook per student enabled the development of foundational skills is critical. learning to continue at home (Zafeirakou 2020). The Overburdened curricula crowd out the development of program also restructured how teachers approached foundational skills and do not align with the pace of literacy instruction by introducing and training student learning. Some governments have streamlined teachers in “explicit instruction”: a cumulative, curricula to focus on developing foundational skills. step-by-step model of instruction introducing very Assessments of student learning have supported few learning items at a time, coupled with ample curriculum redesign and implementation at both individual student practice. Indonesia’s “Emancipated national and local levels. Curricular adjustments have Curriculum” was complemented with concurrent been reinforced by complementary changes in other adjustments to the country’s national assessment aspects of the education system, such as revisions to system and implementation supports for both instructional time, teaching and learning materials, teachers and schools. As part of the implementation teacher training, and assessment practices. of the “Emancipated Curriculum,” Indonesia replaced outdated national high-stakes examinations with a More can be done to prioritize the fundamentals. new national assessment (Aditomo 2022). Ensuring the development of fundamental learning requires decisions and tradeoffs between curricular Changes to curricula were reinforced by revised content and use of time. Some countries have teacher trainings and teacher-facing materials. leveraged curricula to reflect a commitment to When aligned with the curriculum and delivered in universal literacy and numeracy; and to develop tandem, teacher trainings and detailed teaching independent, resilient, and creative students. and learning materials are more successful in supporting desired changes in classroom instruction (Popova and others 2018; Nayuk and Sachdev 2023). Implementation of Nicaragua’s prioritized curriculum for the primary level was facilitated by the creation of didactic workbooks for both students and teachers, supplemented by additional teacher trainings on prioritized curriculum delivery (World Bank 2023a). Teachers in Indonesia also were equipped with a new digital platform that hosted a range of resources, and tools for understanding the new curriculum. To support implementation, questionnaires were distributed to help schools measure their readiness to implement the new curriculum. Online platforms and tools also have been used to support focused curriculum in high-income contexts. In France, learning after the pandemic was guided by an official online curriculum platform, Les Fondamentaux, focused on the fundamentals. For each level of education, priority educational objectives were identified and made available to educational teams through the website, which now is equipped with tools to assess and monitor student progress toward mastery of foundational learning outcomes (McKinsey 2020). 70 LEARNING LEARNING RECOVERY RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION TO ACCELERATION 5. INCREASE the efficiency of instruction, including © Arne Hoel / World Bank through catch-up learning 71 71 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION 5. INCREASE the efficiency of instruction, including through catch-up learning The problem • Learning recovery and acceleration are unattainable in inefficient and ineffective education systems. Prolonged school closures have widened gaps in already heterogenous classrooms, disproportionately affecting the most vulnerable and increasing the challenge of supporting all children and youth in their learning. Policy responses • Scaffold teaching with coordinated supports to educators such as aligned guides, teaching and learning materials, and training. As part of a structured pedagogy package, these can help teachers to plan systematic and engaging instruction, to make the best use of instructional time, and to continually assess with appropriate follow-up. • Providing a range of additional and alternative supports to help struggling students or groups of students to catch up. Supports include targeted instruction, supplemental remediation, and small group tutoring. An efficient and effective school system will 5.1 RECOVERY AND facilitate student learning within expected amounts of time, with catch-up opportunities to help keep ACCELERATION ARE all children on track. Widespread school closures UNATTAINABLE IN INEFFICIENT exacerbated inefficiencies in schooling systems around the world. In low-performing school systems, AND INEFFECTIVE EDUCATION highly structured support can help to overcome a SYSTEMS lack of adequate teacher preparation and training. For students who fall behind, a range of supports Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, inefficiencies such as remedial classes and tutoring will help them in education were prevalent. The poor quality of get back on track as quickly as possible. All efforts schooling means that schooling was not leading to the to improve classroom practices and raise student expected levels of learning (World Bank 2018). This learning outcomes require continuous support to poor quality is apparent in the learning-adjusted years teachers through quality and relevant professional of school indicator (figure 5.1). The expected years development. of school are adjusted for the quality of education (estimated by harmonized test scores in relation to a high-achieving standard) (Filmer and others 2018). 72 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION Few countries successfully delivered the commonly Learning losses were not even across and within expected 12 years of learning, while low- and lower- countries. Learning losses were especially large in middle-income countries fell behind (figure 5.1). These South Asia and in Latin America and the Caribbean, failures were due to (1) fewer years of schooling and where school closures were the longest (World (2) relatively low levels of learning in those years. Even Bank and others 2022a). Within countries, children when children were in school, the instruction was and youth from low-income backgrounds were not effective for learning. Children from low-income disproportionately more affected by school closures, countries suffered the most from poor quality of often because they were not able to access alternative education. remote education due to limited availability of electricity, connectivity, devices, or accessible The poor quality of education before and during technologies (Ahlgren and others 2022). Remote COVID-19 has left many children needing to catch education was accessed by less than 50 percent of up on foundational skills. At a minimum, schooling the student population in the countries in which it should enable all children to achieve basic levels was offered and monitored (Azevedo 2020). Studies of proficiency in literacy and numeracy. However, in many countries, including Ghana, the Netherlands, learning poverty rates — the percentage of 10-year- Mexico, and Pakistan, confirm larger learning gaps olds unable to read and understand a simple text in disadvantaged groups, due primarily to uneven — indicate that instruction in these basic skills is access to remote education during prolonged school unacceptably inadequate (figure 1.2). Poor instruction closures (Haelermans and others 2022; Hevia and has prevented gains in schooling from translating others 2022; Idara-e-Taleem-o-Aagahi 2021; Wolf into gains in learning, with some systems struggling and others 2021). Younger students were doubly to equip children with basic skills despite their having disadvantaged, being less likely to benefit from remote spent years in school. education and prioritized in school reopening plans. These disadvantages are especially concerning given that they are at the pivotal stage for learning and development (Ahlgren and others 2022). Figure 5.1 Learning-adjusted years of school by country income classification, 2020 LIC LMIC UMIC HIC Source: World Bank, based on data from the World Bank Human Capital Index (HCI) database 2022. Note: Each dot represents a country. LIC=low-income countries; LMIC=lower-middle-income countries; UMIC=upper-middle- income countries; HIC=high-income countries. 73 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION Efforts to recover learning losses have shone a light 2023). A lack of clarity and alignment across and on the challenge of teaching heterogenous classes within curricula, teaching, learning materials, and effectively and efficiently so that students can assessments, along with unclear expectations, often progress through school as expected. In the context creates confusion for teachers and learners and can of existing inefficiencies in education, learning losses lead to inconsistent quality of instruction across have intensified the need to increase the efficiency schools. The pandemic and other disruptions have of instruction. COVID-19 pandemic-related learning forced education systems to look closely at the tools losses have left countries with an urgent necessity to they provide for teaching and learning. help students to catch up on lost learning (recovery) while improving the overall quality of instruction and Education systems and schools have taken an learning (acceleration). In some education systems array of approaches to recover and accelerate that are not well equipped to respond to students’ learning. Figure 5.2 provides a framework for learning needs, approaches have emerged to help organizing approaches to teaching regular classes. It make steady progress toward efficient and effective also illustrates a range of additional and alternative learning. supports that schools and school systems have provided to struggling students and those with significant learning gaps. This framework is used to 5.2 FRAMEWORK OF organize the discussion of the efforts that have been, APPROACHES TO ENABLE and can be, taken to recover and accelerate learning. EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE For classes to move through the curriculum at the LEARNING FOR ALL expected rate, working with content at age-based grade level, regular teaching needs to include a set of Teaching is a complex and challenging job, elements that work together to enable learning. These exacerbated by disruptions to schooling. In addition elements include instruction that is carefully planned, to planning and delivering engaging lessons that systematic (sequential and cumulative), and engaging meet the needs of students with diverse backgrounds for students, with sufficient quantity and quality of and prior achievement, teachers need to assess interactive student-teacher dialogue. Particularly and evaluate their students’ progress; have a in literacy instruction, direct and explicit teaching deep understanding of the content; manage the of concepts best enables all children to progress. classroom to maintain a safe and productive learning Sufficient time is needed for instruction, and for environment; support and guide students who are students to practice and reinforce their skills and struggling with social, emotional, and academic knowledge. A comprehensive suite of teaching and issues; and keep up-to-date with changes in teaching learning resources, interconnected and well aligned to practices, curriculum, research, and technology. the learning objectives, are the tools. These resources School closures and learning losses add serious include teacher-facing and learner-facing materials, complexity to teachers’ roles. such as teacher guides, lesson plans, textbooks, workbooks, reading books, and manipulatives. Poor quality and insufficient teaching and learning Teachers’ continuous assessment during lessons resources restrict teachers’ ability to perform their enables them to understand how well students are tasks. For example, learning to read requires access grasping the content and supports teachers’ decisions to books; yet students in many low- and middle- on how to follow up, including by adapting the income countries do not have sufficient access to planned lesson. quality reading material (Robledo and Gove 2018). Teachers require a rich set of tools to successfully Given the complexities of teaching, and the lack balance their multiple classroom responsibilities, but of teacher preparation in many poor-performing in many contexts, the only instructional material they countries, supports are needed to scaffold teaching. are provided are textbooks, which do not offer any Scaffolding teaching can improve teacher performance instructional guidance (Nayak, Kaur, and Sachdev and student learning outcomes (World Bank, FCDO, 74 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION and BE2 2020; World Bank 2018; RTI International in the recovery efforts, schools across the world have 2021). Around the world, countries are scaffolding ramped up supplemental remediation, small group teaching, including through structured pedagogy tutoring, and adaptive or self-guided instructional packages, which consist of student materials, teacher programs. In some countries, schools have additional guides, lesson plans, teacher training, and ongoing resources such as teaching assistants and specialist support to teachers. learning support staff to help struggling students to keep up with their classes. Where groups of students or individuals have not been able to keep up with the content, schools can arrange Where children and youth have missed enough content additional supports. Students can be regrouped to make it impossible for them to stay in their age- temporarily for targeted instruction by level in based grade level, alternative options such as second various ways, such as the Teaching at the Right Level chance programs, including bridge and accelerated (TaRL) programs.16 During the COVID-19 pandemic and learning programs, often are provided (chapter 2). Figure 5.2 Framework of approaches to support all students with effective teaching Content Effective at around teaching of Planned, systematic, and Comprehensive, aligned age-based engaging instruction with resources for teaching and heterogenous interactive dialogue learning Inclusive of all, including those with disabilities and other marginalized groups grade level classes includes: Sufficient time for instruction, Continuous assessment and practice, and reinforcement follow-up including adapting lessons Facilitated by structured pedagogy packages Student proficiency Additional supports that schools can Targeted instruction Supplemental remediation arrange: Adaptive/self-guided Small group tutoring instructional programs Specialist learning Alternative Teaching assistants support staff options that Content national or below local education age-based authorities Second chance or reintegration programs, including grade level can offer: bridge and accelerated learning programs Source: World Bank. Note: The approaches shown in the framework are neither mutually exclusive nor sufficient on their own. Repeating a grade is not included in this framework because doing so may be appropriate for only a very small number of students. 16 See, for example, TaRL Africa: https://www.teachingattherightlevel.org/tarl-in-action/. 75 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION Most countries have sought to address learning Effective teaching of heterogenous classes losses through short-term learning acceleration programs. More than 50 percent of countries Comprehensive, aligned resources for teaching and surveyed in 2022 have increased instruction time learning have been part of the scaffolds that some and introduced accelerated learning programs countries have put in place to help teachers actively as remedial strategies (alongside second chance engage students with learning. Teachers’ jobs become or reintegration programs). Significantly fewer easier when the available resources are easy to countries have launched tutoring schemes or follow and clearly aligned with the learning objectives adaptive, self-guided learning programs (Acasus, and one another. Since the onset of the pandemic, forthcoming).17 Furthermore, low- and lower- various countries have invested in revising teaching middle-income countries were 42 percent less and learning materials to ensure that instruction is likely than upper-middle-income and high-income effectively sequenced, engaging, and aligned with countries to implement at least 1 intervention priority learning outcomes. for remediation (Acasus, forthcoming). Although many countries sought supports to strengthen Teacher-facing materials, such as teacher guides, classroom instruction, such as training are accelerating learning by enhancing instructional teachers how to target instruction to learning quality. To support teacher decision-making in the levels, few countries ensured that such efforts classroom, helpful teacher-facing materials can were comprehensive and nationwide (Acasus, include (a) scope and sequence that inform the forthcoming). teacher what and when to teach, (b) structured daily lesson plans with explicit directions, and (c) instructions on how to use the materials (Nayak 5.3 SCAFFOLDING TEACHING and others 2023).18 Cambodia’s efforts to bolster TO IMPROVE EDUCATION remedial learning for mathematics was supported by teacher packages that contained user-friendly, OUTCOMES detailed, and contextualized lesson guides that Many education systems have provided scaffolds offered low-cost, learner-centered activities. Efforts to help teachers in their complex roles and to move to quickly shift curricula during the pandemic also toward more effective practices. Scaffolding teaching sparked improvements in teacher-facing materials, can be defined as providing support, guidance, and as seen in Gujarat, India. There, teachers were resources to better plan and deliver effective teaching supported with chapter- and subject-focused weekly and learning. In the 2021-22 school year, 73 percent of schedules; structured summaries of key content responding countries reported implementing programs areas; and lesson plans to lead co-curricular activities to improve instruction through either teaching including drawing, storytelling, and poetry. In the materials, learning resources, or teacher training, with Dominican Republic’s CON BASE (National Building a similar proportion expecting to continue this in the the Foundations for Learning) Program, teacher guides 2022-23 school year (UNESCO-UIS and others 2022). contained six teaching sequences developed for early In some cases, to maximize instructional time and grade Spanish and mathematics, complemented by effectiveness, efforts to coordinate and package these theoretical guides that explained how the models were types of scaffolds and align them with the evidence on created (UNICEF 2023a). teaching and learning have been made. These types of Learner-facing materials for each student, such as packages are known as structured pedagogy. storybooks and workbooks, are essential elements to improve learning. A key factor in the success of the Tusome project in Kenya (“Let’s Read” in Swahili), a national literacy program for grades 1–3, was that every child had a high-quality, age-appropriate 17 Based on data from UNESCO-UIS and others 2022. 18 These materials also can add ideas for reasonable accommodations and differentiation. 76 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION textbook for early grade literacy (Wilichowski and review student learning data and discuss appropriate others 2020). Both Benin and Côte d’Ivoire upgraded instructional responses (Zafeirakou 2022). In South student-facing materials, introducing “decodable” Africa, teachers were trained in “assessment for textbooks with engaging visuals and large text that learning” by using informal, short-item assessments helped students read using phonics (World Education to identify students’ misconceptions and adjust 2022a; Zaferiukou 2022). In Indonesia, to support the instruction (South Africa, DBE 2020). Teachers in learning of indigenous youth in more remote areas, Mongolia were trained and provided guides on how to contextualized reading books and student worksheets develop and adjust tasks and other learning activities were developed for different reading abilities (UNICEF in response to checks for student understanding. Indonesia 2022). Aligning scaffolds for teaching through For students to stay on track, they require sufficient structured pedagogy packages time for instruction, practice, and reinforcement. These requirements mean building this time into Structured pedagogy is being used to accelerate lessons. Some countries have revisited curricula and learning by scaffolding teaching and maximizing extended instructional time to add sufficient time in instructional time. From the report database, during lessons for instruction, practice, and reinforcement or after the pandemic-related school closures, only (chapter 4). Many countries saw the dedication of 15 percent of countries had implemented structured instructional time for recapping and reinforcement pedagogy programs to accelerate learning. These as an emergency recovery response so allocated only coherent packages of investments work together to the first few weeks of school re-openings as the only improve classroom teaching (RTI International 2021). opportunity for catch-up learning. Other countries They provide a clear framework to guide teachers in have added regular instructional time for practice knowing what to teach; how to teach it, how to link to and reinforcement. By embedding changes in school previous learning; how to check that the class has the timetables, Edo, Nigeria’s EdoBEST Program reserved prerequisite knowledge and skills; how to determine 15 minutes daily for reinforcement and remediation whether most or only a few of the students have across all primary schools. Similarly, Brazil’s understood the new content and are ready to move on; Acompanhamento Personalizado de Aprendizagem and what to do next (box 5.1). protected daily instructional time for regular reinforcement. In Côte d’Ivoire’s PAPSE program and Senegal’s Lecture Pour Tous program, daily instructional time is reserved for individual reading practice (USAID 2022a; Zaferiukou 2022). Teachers’ continuous assessment of students and follow-up, including adapting lessons, has been a focus of some learning recovery and acceleration efforts. Supporting teachers to continuously assess as part of the instructional process through questioning, observation, checklists, and testing (chapter 2) helps to determine the appropriate level of instruction. As a part of Jordan’s accelerated learning program, the lesson plans prompt teachers to include brief checks for understanding every 20 minutes. For example, students hold up mini whiteboards with their answers, helping teachers to judge whether the class is ready to move on. In Benin’s early grade learning program, teachers receive regular coaching sessions with pedagogical advisors and school directors to 77 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION Box 5.1 Range of elements in structured pedagogy packages Structured pedagogy packages scaffold teaching and often include the following elements: Teacher-facing resources » Teacher guides: • Aligned with curriculum scope and sequence • Connecting all teacher and student-facing material • Including lesson plans at varying levels of specificity » Training and ongoing support on the teacher guide and its strategies Student-facing resources » Textbooks and workbooks/worksheets (for each student) » Reading books » Manipulatives » Informational posters Progress monitoring » Checks for understanding included in lesson plans, with guidance on how to modify instruction » Screening checks to identify those expected to perform adequately in a key learning outcome as well as those at risk of failing so that additional supports can be provided » Assessments to evaluate student knowledge and skills; to inform instruction at the classroom level; and to be aggregated and reported at school, district, and national levels Technology » Digital technologies sometimes are harnessed to support elements such as videoconferencing and text messaging for teacher coaching, and tablets for teacher guides Source: Based on Piper and Dubeck n.d.; Nayak, Kaur, and Sachdev 2023; Perie and others 2007. Evidence of the effectiveness of structured pedagogy contexts, effective structured pedagogy programs is accumulating. Prior to COVID-19, several low- and were supplemented with supports such as teacher middle-income countries had implemented large-scale aides, frequent classroom observations, and smaller structured pedagogy programs for early grade literacy class sizes (Eble and others 2021; Fazzio and others and numeracy. Many of these were showing evidence 2021). These programs are cost effective, and research of impact (figure 5.3). Studies on the use of structured shows that they have the largest and most consistent pedagogy, such as in the Gambia and Guinea-Bissau, impact on student learning among all education indicate that such programs are particularly impactful interventions in low- and middle-income countries in contexts in which teaching levels are relatively low (Angrist and others 2020; Snilstveit and others 2015). (Eble and others 2021; Fazzio and others 2021). In such 78 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION Figure 5.3 Examples of large-scale structured pedagogy programs in low- and middle-income countries Jordan - Learning Bridges - RAMP Senegal Lecture pour Tous Timor-Leste Apoiu Lideransa liuhosi Mentoria no Aprendizajen (ALMA) program Côte d’Ivoire PAPSE program Kenya Tusome National Literacy Program Benin GPE3 Project Edo, Nigeria Edo Basic Education Sector Transformation Program (EdoBEST) Source: World Bank. 79 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION Structured pedagogy packages are not an The need for remote education during the pandemic alternative to teacher decision-making but a guide. led to innovations, including a blended structured They support teachers to conduct effective lessons pedagogy package that has now become embedded and manage classrooms by providing the planning in the curriculum. In recent years, Jordan has and systematic structure, with ideas for instructional launched two structured pedagogy programs: the activities that engage students along with cues that pre-pandemic RAMP program (chapter 4), launched in promote interactive classroom dialogue and check for 2015 and the more recent Learning Bridges program, understanding. They also build teachers’ knowledge launched in 2020. Learning Bridges is in its third year and understanding of expected instructional practices of national adoption, well after schools reopened. and professional standards. Depending on the context, Learning Bridges was designed as an emergency the amount of support and teacher autonomy can response to the pandemic to enable Jordan’s 500,000 differ across structured pedagogy packages. Figure grades 4 to 9 students to continue learning Arabic, 5.4 illustrates where structured pedagogy approaches English, mathematics, and science. The package fit within the continuum of teacher skills and delivered printed activity packs to students each experience, and the corresponding types of teacher- week aligned with the curriculum expected for that facing resources that can be used alongside training week. The activities introduced new ways of learning, within a structured pedagogy approach. A 2018 making the most of time by building core foundational analysis of structured pedagogy programs across skills through studying their application, thus making 13 countries found that the largest gains in student for an integrated curriculum experience. An impact learning were associated with simpler teacher guides study indicated that Learning Bridges helped to build with helpful details and less scripted lesson plans, not capacity in cross-curricula design, teacher innovation, those with word-for-word scripts (Mejía and others and digital skills (UNICEF Jordan 2022). 2018; Evans and Piper 2020). The level of scripting in lesson plans can be gradually minimized over time Key to implementing a structured pedagogy package as teachers gain confidence in their instructional is to keep the materials simple. In Kenya, the Tusome practices (Ding 2021). project improved early grade literacy skills with Figure 5.4 Continuum of teacher-facing resources by level of teacher skills Structured pedagogy approaches Predominantly Predominantly low-skilled highly-skilled teachers teachers Fully Lesson Sample Suggested Teachers scripted plans lesson activities source or lesson showing plans with based on develop plans steps suggested the curri- their own activities culum* activities* and steps Source: Adapted from Piper and Dubeck n.d. Note:* Based on the curriculum, which outlines what students should know and be able to do (referred to as “curriculum standards” in some countries). 80 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION impacts of 0.6–1.0 standard deviations on Kiswahili by efforts to engage stakeholders from across the and English learning outcomes (Piper and others country’s 47 counties through clear communication 2018).19 A key feature of the inputs to the program of the national benchmarks and expectations for was the simplicity of the materials, such as the implementation. These communications took place structured lesson plans, and the consistency of via workshops, trainings, and sensitization meetings instructional approach, making it easy for teachers to (Piper and others 2018). In addition, making use of understand and use (Wilichowski and others 2020). pre-existing government systems and assets, such as a classroom observational feedback system, helped Technology is being harnessed to link elements embed the improvements expected in instructional of structured pedagogy packages. In Edo State, quality across the system. Nigeria, the EdoBEST program leverages digital technologies to bridge various aspects of the 5.4 PROVIDING A RANGE OF education sector to support learning. Low-cost tablets equip teachers with scripted lesson plans and tools ADDITIONAL AND ALTERNATIVE to check for undersanding, while enabling centralized, SUPPORTS FOR STRUGGLING real-time data collection and monitoring of lesson completion; teacher and student attendance; and STUDENTS learning outcomes. Data collected from tablets is Additional and alternative supports for struggling used to inform pedagogical coaches on how and students have strengthened the recovery and where to target additional supports. An initial study acceleration phases. For any situation in which of 30 EdoBEST pilot schools showed that pupils learning gaps arise among individual or groups of learned more, spent more time learning, worked students, a range of additional school supports harder, and experienced a more positive classroom is needed. These include targeted instruction, environment (Cantrell and others 2019). The program supplemental remedial classes, tutoring, self-guided is reaching 936 primary schools, more than 95 instructional programs, and accelerated education percent of the primary school population. Similarly, a programs. dashboard compiled from tablet-enabled classroom observations in Kenya’s Tusome program enhanced Supporting learning in heterogenous the accountability structures within the MOE and classrooms through targeted instruction established greater links between subnational and national levels of government (Hennessey and others Where there is large heterogeneity within classes, 2022). periods of targeted instruction through regrouping proves effective. In targeted instruction, students Structured pedagogy packages can have substantial are grouped and regrouped according to achievement impact at scale. Although many education levels for all or part of the school day or year. In interventions have proved difficult to scale up, an 2020 the Global Education Evidence Advisory increasing number of large-scale programs featuring Panel identified targeted instruction as a “good structured pedagogy packages are apparent (figure buy,” that is, as having good evidence of being both 5.3). Evidence from Senegal’s Lecture Pour Tous successful and highly cost effective across a variety program suggests that the impact of structured of contexts (World Bank, FCDO, and BE2 2020). In pedagogy programs improves over time, suggesting 2022 the joint survey indicated that 16 percent of that, if implementation is to translate into learning responding countries were implementing targeted gains, structured pedagogy programs should be instruction at the national level (examples are shown seen as long-term investments (Zafeirakou 2022). in figure 5.5). An additional 14 percent of countries Following several successful pilot programs dating responded that it was a decision for the local level back to 2011, by 2021, Kenya’s Tusome was brought (UNESCO-UIS and others 2022). A particular model to a national scale reaching over 7 million students. of targeted instruction has been implemented and Scaling up the Tusome program was facilitated tested in Ghana, India, and Zambia with moderate 19 For more information, go to https://www.rti.org/impact/tusome-improving-early-grade-learning-kenya. 81 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION success (J-PAL 2018). The Teaching at the Right » Teacher training to assess the learning level of Level (TaRL) model, pioneered and evolved over 15 students for grouping purposes and to track years by Pratham, supports students to catch up learners’ progress. in foundational competencies by grouping students by proficiency level, not grade or age.20 In groups, Age-appropriate and effective teaching strategies students participate in (daily) instructional, play- are requirements of targeted instruction approaches. based activities tailored to their learning levels. In Zambia, within 5 years, in 2020, over 20 percent of Regular and simple assessments are key to targeted primary schools were employing targeted instruction instruction methodologies. The former enable teachers and reaching approximately 240,00 students (Oba to assess learning progress. Then, as students 2022). Zambia’s targeted instruction program is gradually master the required skills, the teachers working to improve learning by embedding age- adjust the groupings. The model can be distilled appropriate and learner-centered teaching and into three steps: assessing student learning levels, learning practices in the targeted instruction grouping them by their level of proficiency (rather than methodology to ensure that group-based activities are their age or grade), and tailoring instruction to the both engaging and impactful. Learning materials are group. being translated into multiple local languages to enable their use across all provinces.22 Scale-up is being Targeted instruction in crucial grades helps catch- prioritized in provinces that are grappling with poor up and prevents dropout. In Zambia in 2018, a learner performance (Oba 2022). Targeted instruction UNICEF targeted instruction program based on TaRL, supports educators in shifting away from traditional known as the Catch-Up program, was rolled out, first, teacher-centered instructional practices, helping to to address the high learning poverty rate: 99 percent enhance their pedagogical skills, and emphasizing the in 2019 (World Bank and others 2022a). Second, use of assessments and checks for understanding to Catch-Up helped grades 3 to 5 students to build provide greater insight into learners’ progress (Oba foundational skills after a new language of instruction 2022). In Zambia, Catch-Up has enabled more effective was introduced. As demonstrated by national teaching plans that concentrate on the phonemic assessments, large, heterogeneous classrooms awareness, phonics, and fluency that learners may mean that students who lack basic skills never have have missed in grades 1 and 2. The focus on engaging, the chance to catch up to grade-level expectations, student-centered instruction has encouraged teachers leading to their demotivation and dropout.21 The to make use of visual and practical teaching aids from genesis of the Catch-Up program was a 2016 pilot resources found locally, often at little to no cost (Oba project across 4 districts in the country’s eastern 2022). In Indonesia, shifts toward more student- and southern provinces. In 3 short years, the share centered teaching were supported by developing locally of pupils who could read a simple story in 1 province contextualized learning materials to supplement increased from 22 percent to 41 percent. The Catch- small-group or individual instruction (UNICEF Indonesia Up program was designed around three pillars: 2022b). » Capacity development to train, mentor, and coach Schools have many options for approaches to teachers on the targeted instruction approach, implement targeted instruction. Across low- and and to train mentors and school leaders to middle-income countries, targeted instruction support teachers during implementation interventions have been designed and delivered in myriad ways: » Continuous professional development trajectories for teachers to become skilled in using the 1. By teachers, volunteers, and teaching targeted instruction methodology assistants 20 For details, go to https://www.pratham.org/about/teaching-at-the-right-level/. 21 For details, go to https://www.vvob.org/en/programmes/zambia-catch-pilot-0. 22 For details, go to https://www.vvob.org/en/programmes/zambia-playfully-catching-lusaka. 82 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION 2. During school, after school, and during school instruction programs have proved valuable for holidays countries seeking to build more equitable education systems (box 5.2). 3. In 1-hour, 3-hour, and whole-day sessions 4. Through pen and paper, SMS texts and phone calls, and computer-adaptive software. In Brazil, targeted instruction sessions are conducted in infrequent but intensive sessions by trained monitors. The monitors are teachers or trained university students or volunteers. To avoid falling back into usual methods when in front of regular students, schools are discouraged from assigning teachers from the same school to serve as monitors. Conversely, Botswana reserves daily instructional time for targeted instruction but keeps the sessions to one hour maximum. In Nepal, teachers and volunteers implementing the targeted instruction pilot were mentored by trained local professionals with knowledge of the Nepali education system and curriculum, some of whom were retired teachers. Mentors supported the teachers and volunteers by providing support on data collection and interpretation and providing real-time feedback. Periodic one-to-one assessments were followed by regular monitoring and mentoring (Radhakrishnan and others 2022). In Zambia, Catch-Up is implemented using the MOE’s existing teacher professional development and monitoring structures (Oba 2022). Targeted instruction has been a key tool for some countries’ responses to learning losses. From the report database, 27 percent of countries had implemented targeted instruction programs. In Botswana’s second largest region, the Northeast, the Ministry of Basic Education implemented targeted instruction for all students immediately as schools reopened in 2020 and updated staff’s roles and responsibilities to formalize this expectation. Teachers were trained and expected to report weekly on progress. Although no formal evaluation has yet been conducted, early data on learning outcomes suggest that learning levels in the Northeast region may be improving faster than in other regions. The table in appendix C summarizes some of the pilot and at-scale examples of targeted instruction programs that countries used to address low learning levels before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Targeted 83 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION Figure 5.5 Examples of targeted instruction programs Nepal Cambodia Morocco Côte D’Ivoire Programme d’Enseignement Ciblé (PEC) Indonesia Early Grade Brazil Literacy Program Brasil Na Escola’s Acompanhamento Botswana Personalizado da Teaching at the Right Aprendizagem Level (TaRL) Botswana Zambia Catch Up Source: World Bank. Note: See table C1 for the details of these targeted instruction programs. 84 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION Supporting all schools to use targeted instruction Universal Design for Learning, all learners can approaches has been a challenge. The promise of benefit.23 These classes may be held during the school targeted instruction pilots in Morocco and Nepal day or before or after school or over school breaks. have generated enough political support to scale Examples from low- and middle-income countries the initiatives nationally. However, the experience of supplemental remedial classes being initiated of Botswana and Côte d’Ivoire have shown the due to COVID-19 pandemic learning losses, which challenges with scaling targeted instruction do not fall under the targeted instruction or small programs. Support for Côte d’Ivoire’s Programme group tutoring categories, are few. The reason may d’Enseignement Ciblé (PEC) program has been be due to the recent evidence of success of these attributed to its simplicity, alignment with principles other interventions, making them more appealing, in the teacher education curriculum, government or due to lower reporting as a more traditional delivery, and convincing results. However, the long- response at the local level as opposed to a major term scaling of the program depends on its ability to government intervention. However, several national resonate with local education stakeholders (namely, and subnational education systems have been able teachers and community members). Two of the to design, staff, and obtain space for supplemental common constraints to embed targeted instruction in remedial classes for vulnerable student populations to every teaching and learning practice are student (and combat learning losses. teacher) absenteeism and lack of instructional time, both of which must be adequately planned for and Off-hours remediation classes with volunteer addressed prior to scale-up. In Indonesia, scale-up of leaders, linked closely with regular schooling, proved the Early Grade Literacy program is being supported effective in COVID learning recovery. A state-wide by a series of capacity building workshops to help local evening remediation program was implemented in governments (1) build a scalability roadmap and (2) Tamil-Nadu, India. Illam Thedi Kalvi (Education at determine how to plan and budget for program costs. Doorstep) started as a pilot in November 2021 and Costs include learning assessments, teacher training, was rolled out in the state in January 2022. The and establishing reading corners in every classroom program reached 3.3 million students in grades 1–8. (UNICEF Indonesia 2022). During the 60–90-minute sessions, students were put in groups of 15-20 and provided with instruction One key to ensure the success of targeted by local volunteers. The volunteers were paid a small instruction programs is to minimize the additional monthly stipend to cover incidental expenses. The workload placed on teachers. In Pakistan, the remedial classes took place on school or preschool deployment of a targeted instruction program was premises and in volunteers’ homes. The focus of supported by a low-cost software that eased the the curriculum was on play-based activities to administrative burden on teachers by automating build basic literacy and numeracy to re-introduce activities such as grading, sorting, and tracking students to education and remediate learning students. The software could be used on smartphones losses. A detailed curriculum manual assisted the and tablets. It centralized all training resources, volunteers, directing them to specific teaching and assessment tools, and teaching and learning materials learning materials. A key feature of the program was related to the program. To ensure its use, teachers the close link and alignment with the regular school were trained in how to effectively use the software. system. The program raised mathematics scores by 0.17SD and Tamil scores by 0.09SD (Singh, Romero, Recovering forgotten and forgone learning and Muralidharan 2022). Lessons included that through supplemental remediation compensating for learning losses is possible at scale. Time in supplemental remedial classes is another After-school remedial learning clubs have been option to support struggling learners. This time can used to target girls and students at risk of dropout. be particularly important for learners with disabilities. In Rwanda, the learning clubs aim to improve basic However, if such support uses the principles of literacy outcomes by providing teachers with tablets 23 For background on the principles of Universal Design for Learning, see Murphy 2021. 85 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION preloaded with remedial lessons plans and learning India, a 12-week after-school remedial education materials. The program operates based on an adjusted program was implemented for 20 percent of the remediation curriculum (Getachew 2021). Reports state’s 9th grade students, selected based on indicate that participating teachers acquire additional their performance in a baseline assessment.24 New remedial teaching skills that then, unintentionally, workbooks were designed that mapped content to bolster regular classroom instruction. Since January desired learning outcomes, and teachers were given 2018, more than 150 schools and 5 youth centers workshops on how to use the material (UNESCO have benefitted from learning clubs, and more than 2022). 11,500 girls have been reached (Getachew 2021). In Senegal, the Ndaw Wune remediation program targets Assessments can help identify students in most children who have reached second or third grade but need of remedial support. In the Bicol region of have not yet learned to read. Within each session, a the Philippines, a learning recovery plan known as group of 20 students is divided in 3 groups depending Recovering for Academic Achievement by Improving on learning levels. While 1 group receives tailored Instruction through Sustainable Evidence-Based instruction from a teacher (who rotates among Learning Programs (RAISE) was a 3-year learning groups), the other 2 work independently on workbooks scheme to help the selected learners catch up and with the assistance of a teacher’s aide (ARED 2022). accelerate their education after 2 years of school Sierra Leone expanded the use of “Learning Circles,” closures (Calipay 2022). Under the 8-week Learning a remedial learning program that long has been used Recovery Curriculum program, approximately in the country by Street Child of Sierra Leone (Wurie, 400,000 learners participated in a series of catch-up Mondiwa, and Kargbo 2023). Since 2020, across and remedial learning opportunities designed around 16 districts, the Learning Circles program was used a condensed curriculum. The state Department to advance the foundational literacy and numeracy of Education identified learners based on the skills of nearly 35,000 children through targeted results of the end-of-the-school-year rapid literacy instruction. An assessment of their learning outcomes and numeracy assessment (Calipay 2022). An from 2020 to 2022 found significant improvements initial assessment and evaluation of the program in literacy and numeracy performance (Wurie, was conducted using the national Department Mondiwa, and Kargbo 2023). The learning circles have of Education’s Comprehensive Rapid Literacy been adopted as a “non-emergency period” method Assessment. A post-assessment in October of 2022 for remedial learning for least performing students showed that the number of grade-ready learners in nationwide. grades 2 and 3 had increased by 18 percentage points each (Calipay 2022). Teachers have benefited from additional supports to ensure that remedial sessions are tailored to the Tailoring catch-up learning through small-group needs of struggling students. Remedial sessions do tutoring not lead to greater learning when they repeat the same classroom experience for learners who were Tutoring rose in prominence during the COVID-19 unable to grasp concepts the first time. Governments pandemic. There is evidence of the effectiveness of have provided teachers additional supports, trainings, high-dosage, small-group (2–6 students) tutoring, and incentives to ensure that remedial sessions are but the evidence depends greatly on the program’s more effective learning experiences for students with design and implementation (Education Endowment significant learning gaps. Romania implemented a Foundation n.d.; J-PAL 2020a). Preferably, tutoring national program that was prefaced by intensive programs are (1) embedded in the school day; trainings with teachers on remedial teaching. The (2) facilitated by a teacher, paraprofessional, or government also encouraged teachers to build trained volunteer; (3) targeted to smaller groups opportunities for remediation by enabling them to (of 6 or fewer); and (4) offered at least 3 times a count remedial sessions toward their mandated week for 50 hours a semester. However, meeting weekly instructional hours. In the state of Gujarat, all these recommendations may not be financially 24 For more information, see program website: http://samagrashiksha.ssagujarat.org/‌en/Remedial-Program-for-Secondary. 86 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION or operationally feasible in all contexts (Education of tutors and the adequacy of training and other Endowment Foundation n.d.; Fryer 2017). supports. While volunteers can be beneficial, teachers and paraprofessionals with training, coaching, and The high costs of tutoring programs may have compensation yield the greatest improvements curtailed their use as a COVID-19 recovery approach. in learning (Nickow, Oreopoulos, and Quan 2020). Of the 60 national education responses since the Countries that choose qualified teachers to serve as onset of the pandemic analyzed for this report, 25 tutors have seen positive results but also had to bear percent implemented small group tutoring programs greater compensation costs compared to programs to combat learning losses. The high costs of these that utilize volunteers; and ensure that the additional programs and staffing shortages may be one reason tutoring responsibilities on such teachers did not why more countries did not initiate them during the lead to burnout. In Spain, a secondary mathematics COVID-19 school closures and immediately on return tutoring program targeting disadvantaged students in to school. In some countries such as Mozambique and the regions of Catalonia and Madrid, called Menπores, Romania, tutoring was reserved for students with selected qualified mathematics teachers as tutors. the largest learning losses. Similarly, in Mendoza, Unlike for Italy’s Tutoring Online Program, there Argentina, an additional eight hours of tutoring was not enough demand from university students was provided per week to students with the poorest to serve as volunteer tutors. Tutoring sessions were performance on the aforementioned Reading Fluency delivered online in groups of 2 students per tutor for Census. three 50-minute sessions per week over 8 weeks. Mathematics performance of participating students Innovative ways to keep down the costs of tutoring improved by 0.26SDs (Gortazar, Hupkau, and Roldán programs emerged during the pandemic. The 2023). Dominican Republic kept down costs by partnering with universities for a program based on a successful Individualizing learning through adaptive and model implemented in Italy. In the pilot phase, the self-guided instructional programs Tutoring Online Program recruited 200 volunteer university students and randomly matched them Self-guided learning programs provide students with 300 students from disadvantaged backgrounds with more tailored learning independent of extensive in public secondary schools for personalized tutoring teacher interventions. Some countries had begun (J-PAL 2020b). Plans are underway to extend the exploring technology-supported self-guided and program following the first implementation phase and adaptive approaches prior to the pandemic and to develop an open-access platform with resources invested additional efforts in them during school for other interested agencies and governments. In closures. An example is Uruguay’s Plataforma Bangladesh, costs were minimized by using telephone Adaptativa de Matemática (PAM) now named tutoring. The program involved primary school ALEKS). To ensure that all students could access children and their mothers during COVID-19 school these materials, other countries, such as Cambodia closures. Children exposed to telephone tutoring and the Dominican Republic, developed home scored 35 percent higher on a standardized test, learning packages focused on paper-and-pen-based and the homeschooling involvement of mothers approaches. From the report database, 20 percent increased by 22 minutes per day (an increase of of countries had implemented adaptive and self- 26 percent compared to a control group). Evidence guided learning programs. Adaptive and self-guided from 1 year later shows that impacts on learning instructional programs also have shown promise in and homeschooling persisted. Academically weaker supporting vulnerable student groups (box 5.2). children benefited the most from the intervention, which cost $20 per child (Hassan and others 2022). Self-guided instructional programs using adaptive technologies can target learning activities to The identification, training, and continuous students’ levels. A review of 67 experimental or support for tutors matters. The success of tutoring quasi-experimental studies to date on edtech in programs depends on the appropriate selection developing countries found self-led learning software 87 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION programs have consistent medium-to-large effects program, and teachers monitor the achievement of on learning (Rodriguez-Segura and Crawfurd 2020). their students through an online portal. The comparative advantage of technology-enabled adaptive learning programs is their ability to modify Data from adaptive learning technologies has learning material in response to individual student motivated student learning. In 2019 the Dominican performance (Muralidharan, Singh, and Ganimian Republic launched the Prográmate (in English, Educate 2017). In Nicaragua, rural multi-grade classrooms are Yourself) program, an adaptive learning technology receiving more age- and grade-appropriate instruction for secondary-level mathematics. The platform was through an adaptive learning program, delivered adapted for the national curriculum, and teachers via Mobile Digital Classrooms, which customizes were provided various pedagogical supports. Reaching content for students based on their current learning nearly 12,000 high school students, Programáte level (World Bank 2023a). In Uruguay, the digital adapted its content and lessons to the learning level ALEKS program, launched in 2022 for primary and of each student. Although various implementation secondary mathematics, has been availed to all challenges arose due to issues with digital literacy and secondary school classes and the Universidad del broadband access, Programáte equipped teachers Trabajo del Uruguay, with resources for teachers on and students with beneficial learning data. Data from how to integrate its use into everyday instruction. The the adaptive learning program enabled teachers to program’s artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm designs monitor their students’ progress. Moreover, students personalized learning paths for each student. ALEKS reported that such information also motivated them uses adaptive questioning to determine a student’s to keep learning and identify their own strengths and current learning level and construct a tailored set of weaknesses (D’Angelo, Baron, and Polanco Santos activities, periodically assessing comprehension and 2023). progress. Students work independently through the Box 5.2 Equity Highlight: Self-paced learning for children with disabilities in Ghana and the Dominican Republic In Ghana, approximately 1 in every 5 children between the ages of 2 and 17 years has a form of disability or functional difficulty. Ghana’s initial remote learning systems, including radio and television programs, were not accessible to children with disabilities (Agbe and Sefa-Nyarko 2020). However, later efforts to support children with disabilities included the national distribution of 3,000 tablets to children with special learning needs. These tablets were pre-loaded with digital versions of the curriculum and were designed to suit the needs of children with hearing or visual impairments. Now reaching over 7,000 students with disabilities, the tablets, programmed for self-paced learning, are ensuring that all children are able to catch up on lost learning (World Bank 2022b). In the Dominican Republic, a single, integrated, and accessible set of home-based, low-technology learning materials was created and distributed during prolonged school closures to ensure accessibility to children with disabilities beyond audio-visual impairment, such as those with autism and intellectual disabilities (UNICEF 2022a). Two accessible education kits for students from pre- primary through secondary included easy-to-use guides for both teachers and parents. Furthermore, a national study on teacher training needs regarding inclusive education was conducted and subsequent inclusive pedagogical plans and resources developed (UNICEF 2022a). Source: World Bank 2022b, UNICEF 2022a. 88 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION Production of self-guided learning materials ramped up during the pandemic and, in some cases, are still being used. In Zambia, teachers were trained on how to prepare materials that learners could use without a teacher present (World Bank 2020b). The goal of the training was to produce low-cost, self-instructional materials that could be distributed to schools to share with students (USAID 2021). In Papua New Guinea, solar-powered Spark Kit tablets are being used to catch up students on lost learning through learning software programs and resources. The latter include short stories, textbooks, encyclopedias, educational games, and up-to-date lesson plans designed by the students’ teachers (Kana 2022). The tablet program helps tailor learning to individual student needs and has been a positive supplement to both traditional classroom instruction and at-home learning. 5.5 CONCLUSION Various policy options are available to countries to increase the efficiency of instruction and reduce learning inequalities that have widened during the pandemic. Many countries have used various approaches to combat learning losses and accelerate the pace of learning beyond pre-pandemic levels. Interventions to increase the efficiency of instruction by bolstering effective classroom teaching and providing additional supports or alternative options for struggling students depend greatly on country context. Changes to instruction and education supports require concurrent changes in the most crucial input for student learning: how education systems train and support teachers. The low and slow pace of learning can be expected to continue unless teaching and learning approaches change to better match how children and youth learn. Current instruction methods tend to target higher performing students and are inflexible vis-a- vis accommodating students’ needs. If such methods remain unaltered, learning will continue to be out of reach for millions of students around the world. 89 LEARNING LEARNING RECOVERY RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION TO ACCELERATION 6. DEVELOP psychosocial health © Charlotte Kesl / World Bank and wellbeing 90 90 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION 6. DEVELOP psychosocial health and wellbeing The problem • The pandemic detrimentally impacted the psychosocial health and wellbeing of children and young people, increasing their levels of anxiety and depression. Many children and youth also report suffering psychosocial distress, including feeling worried, depressed, or having little interest in doing things. Policy responses • Fostering psychosocial health to prevent problems. Schools can play a vital role in youth’s psychosocial health. They can prevent issues from escalating by (a) reducing the stigma around psychosocial health, (b) communicating about available resources, and (c) fostering students’ socioemotional skills. • Screening for early detection of psychosocial health issues. By regularly screening to detect whether a student is struggling with psychosocial health issues, schools can help prevent these issues from escalating. • Intervening to help students with psychosocial health issues. Education systems can help students who are dealing with psychosocial health issues by (a) building mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) capacity at the school level, (b) putting in place referral systems, and (c) investing in teachers’ socioemotional competencies. Addressing the deteriorating psychosocial health psychosocial support (MHPSS). Improving children’s and wellbeing of students is necessary for learning psychosocial health and wellbeing is central for recovery. The pandemic’s impacts on children and learning recovery and acceleration because they young people stretch beyond lost learning. During have profound implications for school attendance school closures, many children and young people and learning. Schools cannot foster psychosocial experienced heightened stress and periods of isolation health and wellbeing on their own. They need to due to missing opportunities to connect with peers strengthen partnerships with health and social and develop socioemotional skills. Risk factors that protection institutions to meet the more complex contribute to poor psychosocial health increased, needs of young people and engage with parents and including poverty and domestic violence. The most the wider community. However, schools can promote disrupted among all essential health services during student wellbeing by building students’ and teachers’ much of the pandemic were mental health and socioemotional skills. They also can help students 91 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION who are struggling with psychosocial issues through from 2019 suggested that 1 in 7 adolescents aged screening and early detection, referrals, and offering 10–19 lived with a psychosocial health condition, the MHPSS services. Chapter 6 reviews countries’ most common being anxiety and depression (UNICEF education policy responses to develop psychosocial 2021c). These estimates are based on limited data, health and wellbeing of students and teachers. particularly in low- and middle-income countries (Carvajal, Requejo, and Irwin 2021). Many of these 6.1 PANDEMIC’S DETRIMENTAL conditions went undiagnosed and untreated due to significant gaps in MHPSS (WHO 2021). IMPACT ON PSYCHOSOCIAL HEALTH AND WELLBEING Beyond diagnosed disorders, many children also reported frequently experiencing psychosocial The pandemic exacerbated the problem of poor distress. In a recent survey of 21 countries, 1 in psychosocial health by causing severe spikes in the 5 15–24-year-olds self-reported often feeling global prevalence of anxiety and depression. Poor depressed or having little interest in doing things psychosocial health can interfere with children and (figure 6.1). Over a third said they frequently youth staying in school and learning. experienced worry, anxiety, or nervousness (see figure 6.2) (UNICEF 2021c). Psychosocial distress Rising global challenge of psychosocial health issues is a normal part of life, and in the face of a global experienced by children and youth disaster that caused stress and isolation, spikes in distress are to be expected. Nevertheless, the Children and youth were struggling with high prevalence of psychosocial distress in young psychosocial health issues before the COVID-19 people was and is concerning because it can pandemic. Psychosocial health exists on a continuum. harm their development. Most people experience periods of wellbeing and distress. However, even before the pandemic, The pandemic triggered an increase in the a significant share of youth experienced often prevalence of anxiety and depression (figure overlooked psychosocial health issues. Estimates 6.3). Early evidence paints a concerning picture of Figure 6.1 Self-reported feelings of depression in youth Share of 15–24 year-olds self-reporting often feeling depressed or having little interest in doing things (%) 35 32 31 30 29 27 25 24 24 24 22 21 20 18 19 20 16 14 14 14 14 15 12 11 10 10 10 5 0 n do li Zi esia e ce d ny es Le zil Ki on Ar om a a ng ru sh a Ni o Uk ia e Et in ia n bw in a c in ny di oo pa r op a e at a an oc de M an a ge ra nt In Sp d P Br er Un erm Ke Ja n ba hi ng St or la Fr b ge m m M Ca G In ite Ba d ite Un Source: Based on UNICEF 2021c. Note: The data are based on phone interviews with 21,000 people in 21 countries. The samples are probability based and nationally representative of 2 distinct population groups in each country: people aged 15–24 and people aged 40 and older. These are self-reported feelings. Note that a loss of interest in doing things is a common symptom of depression. 92 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION Figure 6.2 Attitudes and beliefs about psychosocial health Share of people who agree with the statement, by age group (%) 15-24 +40 59 Believe children today face more pressure to succeed 56 36 Often feel worried, nervous, or anxious 30 Often feel depressed or have little 19 interest in doing things 15 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 Source: Based on data from UNICEF 2021c. Note: The data are based on phone interviews with 21,000 people in 21 countries. The samples are probability based and nationally representative of 2 distinct population groups in each country: people aged 15–24 and people aged 40 and older. worsening psychosocial health issues among children Women and girls and youth were the hardest and youth. The World Health Organization (WHO) hit. In the first year of the pandemic, global cases estimates that the pandemic triggered at least a 25 of depression and anxiety are estimated to have percent increase in the global prevalence of anxiety increased by 53 million and 76 million, respectively and depression in the first year of the pandemic, (COVID-19 Mental Disorders Collaborators 2021). with young people disproportionately affected (WHO Women and girls, who already were overrepresented 2022b). The negative impact of the pandemic on in the global mental health disease burden, saw the children and youth’s psychosocial health and wellbeing greatest increases. Youth also were disproportionally is linked to several factors: isolation due to social affected, with the age group 20–25 experiencing distancing; experiencing violence; death and illness the largest increases in anxiety and depression. among family members; and concerns for family Services linked to mental, neurological and substance income loss and health. Estimates suggest that at use conditions were the most disrupted among all least 7.5 million children were orphaned due to the essential health services (WHO 2022b). To prepare for pandemic (Hillis and others 2022). Children living in future shocks, these three areas are those for which poverty were found to be at greater risk of stress and greater resilience and continuation of services are depressive syndromes, and there has been an increase most crucial. in poverty during the pandemic, which pushed an additional 70 million people into extreme poverty in 2020 alone (Sharma and others 2021; World Bank 2022e). 93 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION Figure 6.3 Global cases of anxiety and depression before and during the pandemic, 2020–2021 (millions) 374 400 350 350 298 246 300 193 Millions 200 150 100 50 0 Depression Anxiety 2020 2021 Source: Based on data from COVID-19 Mental Disorders Collaborators 2021. Link among psychosocial health, learning, and acceleration plans, education systems include schooling activities to safeguard children’s psychosocial health and wellbeing. Responses to the joint survey suggest Addressing the psychosocial needs of children and that 62 percent of responding countries provide youth matters in its own right – and for learning. psychosocial and mental health support to students A growing body of evidence shows that psychosocial (UNESCO-UIS and others 2022). The following section wellbeing is strongly related to better academic reviews education policy responses to develop the performance whereas poor psychosocial health psychosocial health and wellbeing of children and negatively impacts a child’s ability to concentrate and youth. learn (Murphy and others 2015; Agnafors, Barmark, and Sydsjö 2021; Bas 2020; Woolf and Digby n.d.). 6.2 FOSTERING PSYCHOSOCIAL Robust longitudinal evidence also exists that wellbeing is associated with positive student outcomes such HEALTH AND WELLBEING as education engagement and success (Woolf and Digby n.d.). Poor psychosocial health is associated Schools can play an important role in improving with aggressive and other disruptive behaviors, which children and youth’s psychosocial health and wellbeing can negatively impact the learning environment and prevent issues from escalating in three ways: and the amount of learning that takes effect in by reducing the stigma around psychosocial health, the classroom (Carrell, Hoekstra, and Kuka 2016). communicating about available resources, and Furthermore, psychosocial health problems increase fostering students’ socioemotional skills. the risk of repeating a grade as well as dropping out of school (Schulte-Körne 2016). Given these strong links between psychosocial health, learning, and schooling, it is important that, in their learning recovery and 94 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION Reduce the stigma around psychosocial health implementing subnational plans and mandating schools issues to develop their own psychosocial response plans. In addition, in October 2022, the School Mental Health Schools can reduce the stigma around psychosocial Literacy program was launched to train 500 school health issues. Despite the worldwide prevalence of staff, including the educators, school nurses, and psychosocial issues and the increasing awareness of guidance counselors in Jamaica’s 177 secondary schools. the importance of psychosocial health, the stigma The intended beneficiaries are the country’s 21,000 persists. Stigma can lower individuals’ self-esteem, grade 9 students. The aim of the training is to increase lead to shame, and prevent children and young people staff and student awareness and competencies in four from speaking out and seeking treatment for fear of areas: how to maintain mental health, understand rejection (UNICEF 2021c). Education systems can play mental disorders and their treatments, decrease stigma, an important role in preventing stigma and thereby and enhance knowledge of available resources and when reducing its negative consequences. Communications and where to get help (Jamaica, Ministry of Health and campaigns around psychosocial health can help raise Wellness 2022). In Ethiopia, the Speed Schools program awareness about available resources and reduce incorporates activities to support the psychosocial stigma. Psychosocial health should be an integral part health and wellbeing of students and teachers affected of wellbeing, enabling children and youth to think, by conflict-related trauma (see box 6.1) learn, work, cope with stress, connect with others, and participate in society (UNICEF 2021c). Prevent mental health issues by fostering socioemotional skills In Jamaica, the Ministry of Education has taken steps to mainstream MHPSS throughout the system, School-based socioemotional learning (SEL) developing a System of Care to help children at risk of programs have successfully improved student emotional, and behavioral challenges. Student support wellbeing. Social skills enable interaction and teams develop intervention plans and collaborate with connection with other people, while emotional skills general counsellors or teachers to implement, manage, enable people to deal with emotions. SEL can be evaluate, and refer students (World Bank and others defined as “the process through which all young 2022). During COVID-19, Jamaica built out this system, people and adults acquire and apply the knowledge, Box 6.1 Equity Highlight: Addressing trauma and destigmatizing psychosocial health in Ethiopia In Ethiopia, started in 2011, the Speed Schools model being implemented nationally is an accelerated learning program for children aged 9-14 that delivers the first 3 years of the Ethiopian government’s primary school curriculum in just 10 months (Muskin and Kaper-Barcleta 2021). In Northern Ethiopia, conflict broke out in 2021 and continues to affect the population, including through a displacement and refugee crisis. As a result, teachers, families, and students were, and are, coping with loss, stress, and trauma. Many children have missed schooling. Therefore, in the northern state of Amhara, the Speed School program was adjusted to provide remediation and incorporate activities to develop the psychosocial health and wellbeing of teachers and students. Before training the students, teachers were given specific activities to help them recover. These activities included expressing deep sympathy for one another, having a moment of silence and tears for the war-time losses they experienced, a moment of hope to regain resilience, and a moment of outspoken emotions during which teachers could speak freely. Teachers then were trained in MHPSS on how to support students through activity- based learning drills focused on healing and how to make school a safe space. Source: Wollie 2023. 95 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION skills, and attitudes to develop healthy identities, have a positive effect on mental health, including manage emotions and achieve personal and collective through reducing stress (Durlak and others 2011). goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish It can be a helpful tool in managing symptoms of and maintain supportive relationships, and make mental disorders. SEL also can help create safe and responsible and caring decisions” (Collaborative supportive environments for all children, help students for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning n.d.). build relationships, reduce the stigma of mental health Research has consistently demonstrated the value difficulties, and encourage children to seek help when of SEL (Durlak and others 2011; Taylor and others they need it. Investing in school-based socioemotional 2017). A meta-analysis of 82 school-based SEL programming can help children and youth build these programs found that participants faired significantly critical SEL skills, improve their own wellbeing, prevent better on outcomes measuring the development of issues from developing, and help them manage them socioemotional skills, attitudes, and wellbeing 6–18 if they arise. For example, for the 2022-23 school months after the intervention (Taylor and others 2017). year, Ecuador unveiled a new prioritized curriculum that emphasizes socioemotional competencies as Socioemotional skills can prevent mental health an essential component. In Colombia, a successful issues from escalating and help students manage program (box 6.2) helped primary school students them. It is important to emphasize that SEL is not a build empathy, providinglessons for other SEL substitute for treatment for mental health disorders. programs. Of the 60 national education responses in For example, children and youth struggling with this study’s sample, 25 percent increased the amount depression should be treated. However, SEL can of instructional time given to socio-emotional learning. Box 6.2 Colombia: Investing in school-based programming for socioemotional skills The program Emotions for Life (Emociones para la Vida) has been implemented in 4,500 schools in Colombia, serving approximately 2.0 million primary students. The overall objective of the program is to strengthen students’ socioemotional skills. The key program strategies are to raise teachers’ awareness of socioemotional skills, strengthen teachers’ capacities to build students’ socioemotional skills, and motivate teachers to teach socioemotional skills in the classroom. The program prioritizes three dimensions: (a) knowing and managing one’s own emotions, (b) understanding the points of view of others, and (c) resolving conflicts through creative and peaceful means. Designed in 2017 by the District Education Secretariat (SED), the program was piloted and evaluated in 2 phases in a group of official schools in Bogotá. In the first phase, implemented in August 2018, a group of SED officials received training and subsequently trained, accompanied, and provided feedback to program teachers. The teachers were trained on program objectives, managing sessions, and using materials while utilizing positive discipline and managing student behavior in line with SEL principles. According to surveys, teachers found the program to be highly relevant. It sensitized them to the importance of SEL and increased their SEL skills. Challenges to implementation included insufficient program materials and lack of school time in the calendar to implement the program. The second phase in 2019 incorporated teacher feedback, added schools, extended the implementation period to a full school year, brought school counselors into the program, and provided additional materials. An impact evaluation of the pilot program showed that that the program had positive effects on empathy among the student body and increased the frequency with which students reported witnessing bullying. Among students who self-reported generating bullying in 2018, the program significantly improved their emotional regulation. The findings of the impact evaluation revealed the following key lessons: (a) continue with socioemotional development strategies throughout the educational trajectory; (b) develop the SEL of teachers and their capacity to develop students’ SEL; (c) make socioemotional development a whole- school strategy; (d) include the participation of families; and (e) strengthen attention to vulnerable populations. The program was scaled nationally in 2021. Source: World Bank 2019c. 96 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION 6.3 SCREENING FOR EARLY Some countries stand out for strong psychosocial screening practices. In Romania, the government DETECTION OF PSYCHOSOCIAL recommends that all schools screen students aged HEALTH ISSUES 11 years and above using the SASAT.ro, a robust questionnaire to screen for student wellbeing, adapted Given the great deal of time children and youth to the Romanian context. Schools are recommended spend in school, teachers and other adults in school by the government to use SASAT.ro biannually, at are uniquely placed to detect whether a student is the beginning of each semester (World Bank 2019a). struggling with psychosocial health issues. Regular Each student fills out the form in the company of a screenings can help systemize detections and help trusted supervisor such as the school counselor. The school staff pick up any warning signs and thereby questionnaire takes approximately 15 minutes and prevent students from falling through the cracks. has 3 sections: you and your family; at school; and your future plans and aspirations. The 3 sections Importance of regular screening and early cover 9 characteristics linked to dropout and early- detection school-leaving such as parental engagement and students’ sense of belonging at school. Research Many children and adolescents suffering with has shown that, for vulnerable schools in Romania mental health issues never receive treatment. Due to (often with a high share of Roma students), not limited access to MHPSS services, there is a great gap perceiving school as a place where one enjoys going between those who need help and care available (WHO is one of the strongest predictors of school dropout n.d.). In 2020 governments around the world spent and school performance (Jasińska-Maciążeka and on average just over 2 percent of their health budgets Tomaszewska-Pękała 2017). The results from this on mental health (WHO 2022a). Many low-income screening are used along with other analytics as part countries have fewer than 1 mental health worker of the EWM (chapter 2) to prevent dropout. At the per 100,000 people. Given the large gaps in services, school level, an education services plan for a student schools can play a crucial role in identifying students at risk of dropout is established, that outlines the struggling with their mental health and providing them type of support services and benefits the student with appropriate resources. should receive. Measures include tutoring, after-school programming, school supplies, and special needs Schools can identify students in need of help, but support or counselling (World Bank 2019a). Another most countries do not screen for psychosocial example of comprehensive screening of students’ issues. Compared to hospitals and medical offices, psychosocial functioning is under Chile’s Skills for Life schools can be a less threatening environment for program (box 6.3). students in need of help. The support can take various shapes; for example, offering mental health and psychosocial support from a health practitioner or trained professional such as a school counsellor; establishing a process for teachers, students, and staff concerned about the mental health of a school peer (a care network for a specific peer); and having readily available information about in-person or telecounselling services. Perhaps one of the most important roles schools can play is through early detection: identifying students at risk of developing psychosocial health problems. However, the joint survey indicates that fewer than half of responding countries reported assessing the pandemic’s impact on students’ psychosocial health and wellbeing (UNESCO-UIS and others 2022). 97 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION Box 6.3 Chile’s approach to students’ psychosocial wellbeing As part of the comprehensive plan for learning recovery, “Let’s Be Community” (Seamos Comunidad), Chile’s Ministry of Education is providing specialized teacher training in the 60 priority districts (comunas) that are experiencing the highest levels of school violence to empower teachers to support mental wellbeing and socioemotional learning. MOE also is expanding the school-based mental health program, Skills for Life (Habilidades para la Vida), which provides mental health support to at-risk students through programming that fosters wellbeing and socioemotional skills development. Skills for Life includes mental health screenings and interventions for elementary, middle, and high-school students in the participating schools. Each year, some 676,000 students participate at the 3 levels. The program includes a screening of students’ psychosocial functioning completed by teachers and parents. Students whose psychosocial wellbeing was identified as “at-risk” by these instruments are referred to a 10-session workshop-based intervention. In addition, the interventionist held 3 workshops with the students’ parents, and 2 with their teacher. Led by a psychologist, these workshops take 1.5–2.0 hours of regular class time and center on discussions and activities that promote self-esteem and develop skills for coexisting with others. Research has shown that participation in workshops for at-risk students in second grade improved behavioral and academic outcomes, including classroom adaptation, mental health, and school attendance. Workshop attendance in sixth grade correlated significantly with improvements in school attendance and peer relationships in eighth grade. During 2023, the program is expected to grow by 25 percent, to reach 3,250 schools in the country. Source: Avitable and others 2022; Chile, Ministerio de Educación 2022; Chile Attiende 2023; Canenguez and others 2022; Guzmán and others 2015. 6.4 INTERVENING TO SUPPORT settings for mental health interventions and psychosocial support (Kocher and others 2021). PSYCHOSOCIAL HEALTH Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) interventions have improved socioemotional skills and mental health in Schools can intervene to help students who are low-income countries (Barker and others 2022). dealing with psychosocial health issues by building MHPSS capacity at the school level, investing School-based mental health programs are cost in referral systems and building teachers’ SEL effective (UNICEF 2021c; Kocher and others 2021). competencies. Beyond the devastation to individuals of untreated mental health disorders, they are a large cost to School-based MHPSS interventions can be cost countries’ economies. The annual loss of human effective capital due to mental health conditions is estimated at US$387 billion (PPP) (UNICEF 2021c; McDaid and School-based MHPSS interventions can effectively Evans-Lacko 2021). Every US$1 invested in scaled-up treat children for psychosocial health issues. Schools treatment for common mental health issues leads to can be places for support, care, and connectedness a return of US$5 in improved health and productivity in a child’s life. Schools are important platforms (WHO 2022c). The returns to a country’s economy to reach students who have mental disorders and over time are significant, especially in MICs, in which increase access to services that otherwise would every US$1 spent on mental health care in schools be inaccessible to many adolescents from low- and can generate up to US$89 in returns over 80 years middle-income countries. Schools are promising (Kocher and others 2021). Figure 6.4 shows an 98 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION estimate of the long-term return on investment over launched a program aimed at 5,100 public schools time in school-based mental health interventions in the state’s 645 municipalities. One thousand focused on the prevention of anxiety, depression, and psychologists are available to support students, suicide. teachers, and other workers of the state educational network. The program provides a 40,000 weekly- Build capacity at the school level and establish hours counseling package. Depending on the school’s referral systems demand, each school has 2 to 20 weekly hours of counseling, (Avitabile and others 2022). In Mongolia, Some education systems brought in professional the government has deployed mobile psychologists MHPSS staff at the school or district levels. At the to schools (box 6.4). Similarly, Romania has invested school level, MHPSS professional staff may include in approximately 1,200 additional school counsellors, school psychologists, school counselors, or other bringing the ratio of school counsellors to students to qualified service providers. Bringing in relevant 1:800. Systems also prioritized sending professionals professionals was not a common response, likely to schools with the highest need. In Ecuador, once due to resource constraints. In the 2021-2022 schools reopened, school administrators were required school year, only an estimated 27 percent of low- to complete a SEL evaluation of their student body. and middle-income countries reported recruiting Schools with high rates of SEL issues gained access to specific personnel such as counselors to support a district-level psychologist. students’ wellbeing (figure 6.5). In the state of São Paulo in Brazil, the Secretary of Education Figure 6.4 Return on investment in school-based mental health interventions (US$) Estimated return on each US$1 invested in school-based mental health over 80 years, by country income level Low income 68 Lower-middle income 89 Upper-middle income 86 High income 16 0 20 40 60 80 100 US$ Source: Based on data from Kocher and others 2021. Note: The figure shows an estimated long-term return on countries’ investments in school-based mental health interventions focused on preventing anxiety, depression, and suicide in adolescents over 80 years. For each US$1 invested in low-income countries, the economy could see returns of US$68. 99 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION Figure 6.5 Low- and middle-income countries’ MHPSS policy responses, 2021–22 Share of LMICs reporting offering specific MHPSS services (%) Psychosocial support to teachers’ wellbeing (training, peer support groups) 60 Teacher training on how to support students’ mental health and wellbeing 60 Psychosocial and mental health support to students (such a counseling) 57 Referral systems for students in need of specialized services 57 Recruited specific personnel to support students’ mental health and wellbeing (psychologists, counselors) 27 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 Percent Source: Based on data from the joint survey (UNESCO-UIS and others 2022). Note: Results are based on responses from ministries of education. For each question, only low- and middle-income countries with valid responses are included (this varies from 45 to 48 countries depending on the survey question). Box 6.4 Mongolia: Comprehensive response to improve adolescent mental health and wellbeing The Government of Mongolia has invested in a multipronged approach to improve adolescent mental health and wellbeing. The approach involves students, teachers, school staff, and parents. The government also has invested in training and deploying school psychologists. After Mongolia closed schools in response to COVID-19, the Ministry of Education and Science organized virtual trainings for education professionals on how to support the mental health and psychosocial wellbeing of students. Mental health counselling was introduced in secondary schools in two provinces. Capacity building for school doctors and social workers also was introduced. The national teacher in-service training now includes some counselling training. In total, 1,130 school social workers, doctors, and teachers have participated in training on school counselling. As part of their learning recovery response, the Government of Mongolia deployed mobile psychologists to schools to help provide MHPSS services. There is now 1 psychologist for every 3 schools in Mongolia. Hiring these mobile psychologists has been a significant investment for the country, and one that is understood to have been welcomed by teachers and school leaders. In addition, 57,000 adolescents in 7 provinces have benefitted from the life skills programs My Family for ages 10–14 and My World for ages 15–18. The programs focus on practical life skills and promote communication with families, peers, and teachers. The efforts include parents and caregivers through parents’ evenings in school communities and education modules for parents that seek to reduce stigma around mental health. Source: UNICEF 2022e. 100 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION Training teachers to give basic MHPSS services and Teachers experienced increased stress during the offering tele-counselling are low-cost alternatives. pandemic and are at increased risk of burnout. If, due to capacity and resource constraints, bringing Because of personal stress, uncertainty surrounding in professional staff is not feasible, schools may school closures, and increasing job demands, teachers train teachers or other staff to provide a baseline of experienced additional stress during the pandemic. support. For example, in Mozambique, since 2021, Overnight, teachers were tasked with delivering 83,000 primary school teachers in 6 provinces have remote learning through new modalities, often with been trained to use an MHPSS training manual inadequate training, preparation, and infrastructure. (UNICEF 2021a). The MOE has integrated this manual Many teachers needed to provide additional in on-the-job teacher training. To the extent that socioemotional and psychosocial support to students. services are available at the national or regional level, Although limited, early data from multiple countries schools can implement referral systems for students suggests rising levels of teacher burnout, stress, and who need additional support beyond what schools depression (Alqassim and others 2022; Bartosiewicz can offer. Estimates suggest that approximately 57 and others 2022; Pellerone 2021). Burnout can result percent of LMICs indicated implementing such referral in absenteeism and even lead teachers to leave their systems (UNESCO-UIS and others 2022). jobs (Pellerone 2021). There is some indication that the problem with teacher absence grew during the Another low-cost way to support psychosocial pandemic (2020–2022): in the joint survey, about 50 wellbeing is through tele-counselling, which many percent of responding countries reported increased countries scaled during the pandemic. In India, the teacher absences (UNESCO-UIS and others 2022). Ministry of Education launched a toll-free national helpline that students can call to seek counseling Teachers’ wellbeing matters, including for students’ support, and a web portal that since has been social, emotional, and cognitive development. expanded to include a range of psychosocial health There is a strong relationship between teacher resources, as well as an interactive chat system wellbeing and student development. Jennings and that students can use to receive support from Greenberg (2009) developed a prosocial model of the trained first responders. In Jamaica, the Ministry of classroom that highlights the impact of teachers’ Education deployed a tele-counselling service in which socioemotional wellbeing on students’ academic and 36 psychosocial helplines were made available for behavioral outcomes. Teachers with higher levels of parents throughout the country, and more recently, socioemotional competence create more supportive ParentText, a mobile texting service that provides relationships with students, more effectively parenting advice. In the Dominican Republic, the manage classrooms, and more effectively teach Contigo Family Hotline is a tool for psychosocial socioemotional skills to students (Jennings 2016). support for children, adolescents, and their families to Teachers with higher levels of emotional intelligence mitigate the mental health impacts of the pandemic. are better able to constructively manage conflict in This free hotline is offered via landline, WhatsApp the classroom (Valente and Lourenço 2020). These calls, WhatsApp chats, web chat, and videocalls higher levels of emotional intelligence feed back into (World Bank and others 2022). teachers’ relationships with students, stress, and socioemotional skills; and can help establish a positive Invest in teachers’ socioemotional competencies cycle. However, the relationship between teachers’ and resilience wellbeing and socio-emotional skills and the classroom climate can also turn negative—what authors call “ Research shows that teaching is one of the most a “burnout cascade” — a deteriorating classroom stressful occupations; moreover, stress in the “ classroom is contagious—simply put, stressed-out climate that leads to increased burnout as the teacher tries to manage it (Jennings and Greenberg teachers tend to have stressed-out students. 2009). Given teachers’ crucial role in recovering and accelerating learning, supporting teachers and —Kimberly Schonert-Reichl, developmental investing in their socioemotional competency and psychologist (Schonert-Reichl 2017). resilience are paramount. 101 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION There are promising initiatives to reduce teacher Honduras, in which a pre-pandemic teacher wellbeing stress and build their socioemotional skills. Despite program, initially focused on reducing educator stress documentation of teacher stress and burnout during that was negatively affecting students’ motivation, the pandemic, the evidence available on interventions wellbeing, and academic performance, transitioned to reduce it and build teacher resilience is nascent. into a virtual program that prioritized restorative However, education systems around the world practices. These included peer circles for educators innovated during the pandemic, and several new and promising self-care and resilience training programs are showing potential. According to the (Davis and Páyan-Luna 2022). Nongovernmental joint survey, an estimated 60 percent of low- and organizations, including in India, Mexico, and Uganda, middle-income countries responded that they offered also have provided programming for teachers with psychosocial support to teachers to support their promising results (see box 6.5 for details on an wellbeing through training and peer support groups intervention in Mexico). (UNESCO-UIS and others 2022). One example was Box 6.5 Mexico: Promising socioemotional learning program for educators Educating for Wellbeing, or Educar para el Bienestar (EpB), is a socioemotional learning program training educational professionals to promote the wellbeing of early childhood and preschool children. Developed and implemented by AtentaMente Consultores, the program trains teachers and managers to (a) develop their own socioemotional competencies to improve their own wellbeing, performance in the classroom, relationships with students, and classroom climate; (b) implement strategies to promote students’ SEL in the classroom; and (c) implement strategies to systemically integrate SEL into school culture. Specifically, the program consists of four training stages, a classroom curriculum designed to develop and model socioemotional competencies in the student body, and a mobile application. Additionally, a leadership group is formed to plan and implement strategies to systematically promote SEL in the school and community. Throughout the process, teachers receive tools, strategies, and ongoing support from tutors and mentors. A randomized controlled trial evaluated the impacts of EpB programming on educators and students. Results found that the program improves emotional regulation, prosociality, self-efficacy, and self- knowledge among educators; and yields increases in prosocial behavior and emotional regulation among students. Results were stronger for students of educators who implemented more of the recommended strategies and classroom accompaniments. Between 2018 and 2022, EpB has been implemented in 14 states in Mexico, and the program has benefitted over 15,000 educators and managers and 450,000 preschool, primary, and secondary school students. Source: Chernicoff-Minsberg, forthcoming. 102 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION 6.5 CONCLUSION Investing in children and youth’s psychosocial health is crucial to recover and accelerate learning. The pandemic and related school closures worsened the psychosocial health of children and youth. To successfully recover and accelerate learning, countries are incorporating activities in their policy responses to develop the psychosocial health and wellbeing of students and teachers. Schools are using preventive socioemotional programming to safeguard students’ psychosocial health. Some countries have invested in school counsellors and psychologists. Others mainstreamed MHPSS services across the education system. These countries also are building awareness about psychosocial health in schools to reduce stigma and training staff to strengthen competencies at the school level. Promising initiatives are underway to support the socioemotional competence and resilience of teachers to enable them to support students. Despite promising individual initiatives, in the sample of 60 low-and-middle income countries explored, MHPSS capacity in many schools remains low, and screenings for psychosocial health issues are rare. Providing teachers with basic training to help identify and support students who are struggling is an important first step in building school-level capacity to improve student wellbeing. More education systems should consider investing in low-cost mental health programming at the school level, which has proved effective in improving students’ wellbeing and can bring great returns to students over their lifetimes. It is especially important for countries to build students’ and teachers’ resilience to better prepare for potential future shocks and interruptions to education. 103 LEARNING LEARNING RECOVERY RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION TO ACCELERATION 7. Putting it all together and concluding remarks © World Bank 104 104 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION 7. Putting it all together and concluding remarks The problem • The urgency of the learning crisis is not yet reflected in country actions. With education budgets falling in low- and lower-middle-income countries and the systematic underestimation of the learning crisis, government actions are not measuring up to its severity. Policy responses • Fostering political and public commitment behind a long-term vision and plan. Political commitment to combat the learning crisis after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic has been shown through broad recognition of the severity of the learning crisis and the development of a multiyear, multi-initiative response. • Identifying opportunities and constraints in resources and capacity. Once they had developed their plans for learning recovery and acceleration, countries assessed the unique needs of their education systems, alongside their resources and capacity, and acted to fill gaps. • Aligning the education system toward learning recovery and acceleration. Efforts to pull education systems out of the learning crisis exist within broader systems that, typically, are poorly aligned with learning. Sustainable recovery and acceleration programs have been built around a coalition of aligned actors, coherent with other components of the education system, and have enabled continuous iteration during implementation. Chapter 7 has 2 distinct parts: quick evidence-based ideas with a budget and a handful of committed actors who can implement a. Putting it all together. Outlines the key steps them. The complexity of improving learning requires countries have taken to design, build support for, a comprehensive, multi-pronged approach: a package and implement learning recovery and acceleration of coherent learning recovery and acceleration plans, in addition to efforts made to ensure that policies. To generate public support and political education systems build resilience toward future commitment, these plans usually start with building shocks (sections 7.1 to 7.4). awareness of the severity of the learning losses b. Conclusion. Offers concluding remarks and and the multifaceted nature of the problem facing recommendations for countries as they advance children and youth. Given their available resources and toward recovering and accelerating learning capacity, countries that had a clear understanding (section 7.5). of their opportunities and constraints acted quickly. Their understanding enabled them to quickly select Learning recovery and acceleration require a feasible policy responses and mobilize their assets package of mutually reinforcing policies driven by and capacities, including partnerships when needed. committed governments and unified coalitions. The characteristics of successful learning recovery Recovering learning losses and accelerating learning and acceleration plans have been (a) understanding in an education system require more than a few the severity of the crisis and their opportunities and 105 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION constraints, (b) coordinating a diverse set of actors, (c) A decline in education budgets indicates a lack of ensuring that the various policy responses are aligned, governments’ commitment to combat the learning and (d) continually iterating to improve. crisis. After the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, 40 percent of low- and lower-middle-income countries 7.1 URGENCY OF THE LEARNING reduced their spending on education by an average of 13.5 percent. Whereas most spending for education CRISIS NOT YET REFLECTED IN was recovered in higher income countries, in 2022 COUNTRY ACTIONS education budgets in low- and lower-middle incomes countries continued to decline (World Bank and Some countries have yet to internalize the UNESCO 2022). An adequate response to the situation magnitude of the learning crisis and the depth requires public awareness of the severity of the learning and complexity of the response required. A 2020 crisis and a political commitment to address it. survey of 35 low- and middle-income countries found that education officials tended to underestimate Narrow, short-term activities will not lead to the severity of the learning crisis and the education learning recovery and acceleration sector’s role in addressing it (figure 7.1). An analysis of national commitments resulting from the 2022 The magnitude of change required to combat Transforming Education Summit reveals that the learning crisis has not been realized by many foundational learning and the learning crisis were countries. Governments in many countries have remarkably absent from national education priorities attempted to move past the pandemic without fully (Crawfurd, Hares, and Oyewande 2022). From the addressing its repercussions. Of a sample of 34 Sub- report database, only 18 percent of countries had an Saharan African countries, only 3 had implemented explicit strategy, plan, and program for recovering and long-term remedial measures to protect learning accelerating learning. during the pandemic (Acasus, forthcoming). Eleven countries did not implement any remedial learning Figure 7.1 Officials underestimate the severity of the programs, as of 2022 (figure 7.2). After reopening learning crisis schools safely, many education systems returned to “business-as-usual.” Failing to appreciate the Bureaucrats’ estimated share of students in their country magnitude of learning losses, their long-term who could read by age 10, compared to actual share consequences, and the changes required obstruct governments’ ability to recover and accelerate Bureaucrat estimates of % at expected level learning. 100 80 60 40 20 Note: Across 35 countries, 900 officials were asked to estimate the share of students in their countries who could read by age 10. Compared to estimates of the actual 0 shares of students who could read by age 10, calculated 0 20 40 60 80 100 using the World Bank Learning Poverty indicator, Actual % at expected level officials systematically, and in some cases dramatically, Source: Crawfurd, Hares, and Sandefur 2021. overestimated the share of pupils who could read. 106 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION Figure 7.2 Remedial learning measures reported by 34 Sub-Saharan African countries 25 Numbers of countries 40 15 10 5 0 Not implementing Implementing Implementing remedial measures short-term remedial long-term remedial measures measures Source: Based on data from Acasus, forthcoming; UNESCO-UIS and others 2022. If unaddressed, the long-term impacts of current learning. Governments that recognize the severity learning losses could be substantial. Available of the learning crisis have accepted the necessity to evidence suggests pandemic-related learning losses make significant changes. These governments have likely will affect current students throughout their implemented a set of well-coordinated policies and lives unless significant preventive actions are taken. interventions, such as adding instructional time, Students marginalized prior to the pandemic have focusing the curricula on the most crucial content, been disproportionately affected by school closures and introducing remedial programs. Successful and likely will feel the effects of the crisis more keenly responses often have developed multistage plans throughout their lives. Without sustained policy to recover learning over a longer period. They often action, today’s students could lose as much as 25 were supported by a coalition of stakeholders who percent of their potential lifetime earnings due to recognized the many facets of the learning crisis COVID-related learning losses (Schady and others and committed themselves to a multidimensional 2023). This percentage could amount to US$21 trillion response. Countries with such strategies could direct in present value, equivalent to 17 percent of today’s a coherent package of programs toward a shared global GDP (World Bank and others 2022b). vision in which learning was prioritized. Although such learning recovery and acceleration packages discussed Some countries have implemented comprehensive in this report are still perfectible, successful countries and multiyear initiatives to recover and accelerate followed most of the steps outlined in figure 7.3. Figure 7.3 Steps for learning recovery and acceleration, from design to implementation Learning recovery and acceleration: From design to implementation Build support By fostering political and public commitment behind a long-term vision and plan Prepare By identifying opportunities and constraints in resources and capacity  Develop an enabling By aligning the education system toward learning recovery and acceleration environment Source: World Bank. 107 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION The COVID-19 pandemic and other disruptions have Recognizing the learning crisis as a severe and highlighted the need to build resilient education multifaceted problem systems. The September 2022 Pakistani floods and the February 2023 earthquakes that struck For countries with prolonged school closures, the Türkiye and Syria are devastating reminders of the education-related challenges of the pandemic were vulnerability of today’s global education systems to numerous. After remote learning systems proved shocks. The increasing frequency and intensity of untenable, governments needed to ensure student shocks around the globe have strengthened the case and teacher safety before reopening schools. After for building resilience in education systems. As defined prolonged school closures, some students and parents by USAID, resilience is “…the ability of... systems to required encouragement and holistic support to return mitigate, adapt to, and recover from shocks and to school. Some students coming from disadvantaged stresses in a manner that reduces chronic vulnerability backgrounds also required novel approaches to and facilitates inclusive growth” (Shah 2019). Central curricula, teaching and learning practices, and to building resilience is seizing the opportunity to assessment to address learning gaps. Such changes learn from prior disruptions and understand why required substantial motivation and skills from certain system elements are less or more affected by teachers, school leaders, and officials. All these disruptions (Shah 2019). The steps outlined in figure efforts could be jeopardized if the rising prevalence 7.3 are not specific to recovery from the COVID-19 and severity of student psychosocial health are not pandemic. They also can support countries in adequately addressed. navigating and overcoming disruptions resulting from other shocks. Even prior to the pandemic, the origin of many learning recovery and acceleration programs was the recognition of the learning crisis. Countries 7.2 FOSTERING POLITICAL AND that committed resources to recover and accelerate PUBLIC COMMITMENT BEHIND A learning first had recognized the low and slow pace LONG-TERM VISION AND PLAN of learning prior to the pandemic and, for those who experienced prolonged school closures, the severity of Political commitment to an ambitious learning vision the pandemic’s impact on students. Côte d’Ivoire’s, is vital to sustain at-scale learning recovery and Edo, Nigeria’s, and Zambia’s learning acceleration acceleration efforts. The extent of the learning crisis efforts preceded the pandemic. They were motivated requires substantial reform in education. Countries by shockingly low learning assessment results. Other aiming to recover and accelerate learning beyond pre- learning recovery and acceleration efforts, such as pandemic levels require specific, concrete actions from those of Mendoza, Argentina, and Mongolia, were political actors. Politicians need to commit precious bolstered once pandemic-related learning losses were time, resources, and political capital; take risks; better understood and publicized. Some countries and incur opportunity costs to challenge engrained took particular care to focus on the most vulnerable practices and better align education systems for students in their learning recovery and acceleration learning (Manor 2004). Overcoming the learning efforts (see box 7.1). crisis requires substantial political commitment: the Large-scale assessments of student achievement collective will of actors to take actions to achieve a set helped illuminate the magnitude of the learning crisis, of objectives and to sustain the costs of these actions both before and after the onset of the pandemic. over time (Brinkerhoff 2010). During the pandemic, In past successful education reforms, education some countries demonstrated political commitment to data helped drive an initial “wake-up” shock for the improve education through comprehensive strategies, system and public while also serving as a baseline to based on consultations with stakeholders, that benchmark progress (Crouch 2020). Effective learning recognize a complex mix of new and old challenges and recovery and acceleration strategies were founded on articulate a multifaceted solution to directly address solid evidence of how the learning crisis in a particular learning recovery. national context had evolved during the pandemic 108 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION Box 7.1 Equity Highlight: Achieving equitable outcomes in learning acceleration packages The learning crisis exacerbates the urgency to support the most vulnerable students. The pandemic’s inequitable impact on student learning, and its resultant widening of learning gaps, presented countries with an opportunity to address the necessity to support the most vulnerable. In Romania, the pandemic’s impact on vulnerable students catalyzed specific interventions for Roma, poor, and refugee children. During the pandemic, Mongolia undertook a series of activities to improve educational opportunities for children with disabilities and other vulnerable student groups, specifically, revising the curriculum, teaching practices, and school facilities to be more representative, inclusive, and accessible. In Kenya, the disaggregation of learning data, attendance monitoring, and the production of school-based assessment reports enabled closer monitoring of vulnerable students. Few learning recovery and acceleration programs were designed with strategies tailored specifically for the most vulnerable students. Instead, most countries attempted to reach the most vulnerable by targeting education programs in regions with historically poor learning outcomes or significant poverty levels. Over two-thirds of low- and lower-middle-income countries surveyed in 2022 were implementing remedial measures regionally. Notable exceptions to this finding include the various programs highlighted in the report, which were not relying only on broad regional targeting but were designed with the specific needs of vulnerable student subgroups at their center. Source: Acasus, forthcoming. and which student groups had been most affected. Developing a comprehensive plan toward a Post-pandemic, India’s National Achievement Survey’s vision findings of large learning gaps motivated greater learning recovery and acceleration responses. In Beyond the recognition of the challenge, countries Guanajuato, Mexico, the results of large learning losses are well advised to respond with comprehensive, from the RIMA large-scale learning evaluation became multiyear programs. The severity and multifaceted the basis for a new learning recovery plan and advocacy nature of the learning crisis requires robust, long- effort. Such assessments helped build public awareness term packages of policy responses. Countries that of these learning crises, target response efforts, recognized the severity of the learning losses were contribute to identifying student groups who required less likely to minimize learning recovery responses to support, and benchmark progress toward recovery. once-off, short-term activities and instead invested in multiyear (or even permanent) learning responses that In other cases, external actors helped highlight the reflected the challenge. These cases include Romania’s costs of the crisis. In Romania, strong coordination National Recovery and Resilience Plan (box 7.2), with the European Union, including guidelines that Guyana’s immediate rollout of a three-year prioritized schools should be among the last institutions in curriculum, and Brazil’s legal action that solidified society to close when faced with a spike in cases, the national prioritization of learning recovery and helped galvanize the learning recovery response. acceleration. 109 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION © Dominic Chavez / World Bank Box 7.2 Romania’s national recovery and resilience plan Description A general plan for socioeconomic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic with an ambitious agenda of substantial reforms and investments for the education sector (comprising 12.4 percent of the plan’s financing). The plan is to be implemented in full by 2026. School-based grants were a major delivery tool to support implementation of the plan. Main activities 1. Implementing mechanisms to reduce dropout, including an early warning mechanism 2. Upgrading infrastructure and procuring classroom equipment for digital learning 3. Implementing a large-scale national computerized learning assessment for grade 9 students and a learning loss assessment 4. Piloting an adapted classroom observation tool 5. Targeting remedial education and tutoring to vulnerable students 6. Providing mentoring and counseling services Structure Romania received funding from the European Commission under the Recovery and Resilience Facility, the largest component of Next Generation EU (NGEU), the EU’s landmark instrument for recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of the facility is to support the EU Member States in recovering from common European challenges exacerbated by the pandemic. Romania prioritized education in its plan, allocating significant funding for learning recovery activities. Existing external financing and projects were restructured and used for activities to support learning recovery. For example, the World-Bank-financed ROSE project was restructured quickly to roll out activities such as mentoring for teachers to help them cope with the new realities of the pandemic. Source: Mileusnic 2023; Sava, Vincelette, and Almeida 2023. Strategies for learning recovery and acceleration plans were comprehensive and contained multiple, were articulated through multiyear, multi-initiative complementary policy responses. Evidence suggests plans. Once countries recognized the severity of that multiple, complementary responses would be the learning crisis, comprehensive strategies for more likely to overcome the multifaceted learning learning recovery and acceleration were developed crisis than single-strategy approaches (Sarwar and into plans, such as India’s National Learning Recovery others 2021). Ecuador’s Aprender a Tiempo program Plan (box 7.3). Learning recovery and acceleration supported learning recovery and acceleration through 110 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION © World Bank Box 7.3 India’s national learning recovery plan Description A national plan that delineates the actions to be undertaken by each stakeholder in the education sector, including an annual calendar of activities and an outline of additional funding. The plan seeks to maintain the goal of India’s National Education Policy of achieving universal foundational literacy and numeracy in primary school by 2025. Main activities 1. Identifying and tracking out-of-school children 2. Ensuring implementation of bridge courses and school readiness modules for secondary schools 3. Conducting oral reading and fluency tests 4. Developing a remedial learning program with a teacher resource package 5. Strengthening information and communication technology facilities at school and region level Structure The plan emphasizes preparing district-level strategies based on the results of the National Achievement Survey carried out in November 2021 (Express News Service 2022). It outlines the roles and expectations of states and union territories (UTs), such as implementing teacher resource packages and an oral reading fluency study, supported by a one-time provision of additional funds. The plan suggests that every student up to the secondary level be provided Rs 500 and every primary teacher be provided Rs 10,000 to buy tablets (Express News Service 2022). Source: India, MOE 2022a. a five-pronged approach, including a prioritized actors to articulate a plan that operationalized the curriculum, pedagogical tutors, and socioemotional vision through multiple years of programming. In support for students. The Philippines’ Learning Bangladesh, Mongolia (box 7.4), Papua New Guinea, Recovery Plan extended learning time, established and Zambia, such plans organized the response in learning support centers in schools and community- phases. They included a sustained learning recovery based learning spaces, hired additional learning period and a stage focused on making strategic long- support aides, and trained teachers in student- term investments to strengthen resilience, accelerate centered instructional practices. the rate of learning, or both. Previous successful efforts to improve education also have sequenced Long-term strategies approached learning recovery different education strategies, introducing more and acceleration by organizing interventions in complex programs with greater support and fidelity stages. Countries with a shared vision for learning after the success of more simple interventions (Sarwar could further leverage political commitment among and others 2021; Shrestha and others 2019). 111 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION © Khasar Sandag / World Bank Box 7.4 Mongolia’s Comprehensive Learning Recovery Plan Description: Mongolia’s Comprehensive Learning Recovery Plan highlights learning losses during COVID-19; lists the international best practices for learning recovery; lays out principles to implement the plan, including goals, strategies, and actions; and provides a budget and a strategy for monitoring and evaluation. The plan has 10 strategies within 3 objectives based on a 3-phase “3R” model. Main activities 1. Assessment of students learning levels and wellbeing 2. Revised curriculum focused on foundational skills 3. Deployment of support teachers and psychologists to schools Structure The three phases of the plan are: 1. Reconnection: Defining the needs of school communities and re-engaging with learning 2. Recovery: Implementing an inclusive learning support system and reversing learning losses 3. Resilience: Sustaining learning gains moving forward and enabling schools to implement support systems independently. The plan has been implemented since 2021. A review of implementation suggests two successes. Segmenting response strategies has helped Mongolia plan and allocate resources and group activities by priority. Segmenting also has built sustainable learning acceleration by committing to a multiyear response. The plan has used regularly scheduled learning assessments to measure progress and assess readiness to move between the plan’s three stages. An external national evaluation will be conducted in 2024. The evaluation will analyze content recovery, changes in average student performance, and schools’ ability to independently implement support systems. Source: Mongolia, Ministry of Education, Culture and Science 2021. Building commitment by reducing the political recognition of the problem does not guarantee action costs of action (Gomendio 2023). Even if reforms are known to produce a net benefit to society, politicians may hold The political costs of taking actions toward back on committing to action out of fear of taking learning recovery and acceleration can be high. As on political costs or being penalized at the ballot box the flatness of many Programme for International by opponents to reform (Ciminelli and others 2019). Student Assessment (PISA) results has demonstrated, Government decision-makers face substantial political 112 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION costs when efforts to improve learning conflict with Political transitions can threaten the sustainability stakeholders’ vested interest. Sierra Leone’s president of education programs, but some countries have Julius Maada Bio acknowledged that his decision to found ways to protect learning recovery and spend almost 25 percent of the national budget on acceleration. Political commitment to robust education was a “definite risk for a politician” (Collins learning recovery and acceleration programs can be 2022). Countries have had to take on such costs and inconsistent or short lived. Politics may present a buffer education actors from political fallout. common threat to sustaining long-term education strategies. For example, election cycles can result in Broad stakeholder consensus around the problem replacing entire sectoral ministries and significantly can reduce the political costs of change. A common modify or eliminate ongoing programs. Analysis of element of successful education reforms has been World Bank education programs between 2000 evidence-driven messaging that uses learning metrics and 2017 showed that higher ministerial turnover is to justify necessary changes and establishes public related to poorer project performance (Bedasso 2023). accountability through a more informed citizenry Some countries have devised strategies to maintain (Shrestha and others 2019). A clear understanding programs past the lifespan of their politicians’ time of the learning crisis through global metrics such as in office. Some countries used legislation to solidify learning poverty or assessments of learning losses recovery and accelerate learning. In Brazil, the can unite public interests and heighten pressure Brasil na Escola Program was established through an on government actors. It is important to uncover ordinance in the Constitution (Brazil, MOE 2021a). unsatisfactory learning data to enable governments Other education systems built program ownership and the public to recognize the poor quality of by increasing support among stakeholders, including education, especially for the disadvantaged. However, teachers and school communities. For instance, the for data on learning to spur action, those who receive Municipal Secretary of Education of Rio de Janeiro information must understand it, see it as actionable, built support for its prioritized curriculum by holding and believe their actions will improve outcomes (World public consultations with teachers (Avitabile and Bank 2018). Learning data are more likely to lead to others 2022). action when presented in an easily digestible way and accompanied by clear steps on how parties can act. Securing funding for comprehensive and long- term solutions to the learning crisis » Commitment to learning recovery and acceleration was built by consulting with COVID-19 shifted funding priorities farther from education stakeholders and communities. the education sector. The pandemic presented near Some governments leveraged the urgency of the unprecedented shocks to the world’s economies and learning crisis to gain support for comprehensive had devastating and, at the time, unclear risks to plans from various stakeholders with whom they human health and wellbeing. This tumultuous period may not have yet found such rapid agreement. spawned some of the largest spending programs that To develop its 19-point learning recovery plan, the world has ever seen, to protect and stabilize firms, Chile launched a rigorous participatory process households, and individuals. As economic activities including a citizen consultation. The consultation suddenly dropped, government budgets were placed obtained more than 14,000 responses and under extreme pressure to launch national responses reached more than 300 town meetings held in to unpredictable social, economic, and health crises. all regions of the country (Chile, Gob.cl 2021). National governments and development partners Côte d’Ivoire, Kenya, and Romania developed reprioritized extraordinary amounts of resources to long-term education response plans with prevent a global and national health disaster and, several external partners. By ensuring a shared subsequently, an economic disaster. However, data recognition of the urgency of the learning crisis, suggest that these actors have not yet spent the unity was built among stakeholders toward a money required to prevent an ever-present and single vision for learning recovery and acceleration growing education disaster. The GEM Report recently plans. estimated a combined annual financing gap of US$97 113 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION billion on average in 79 low- and lower-middle-income Figure 7.4 Share of education in total government countries between 2023 and 2030 to reach national budgets, 2019-22 (%) Sustainable Development Goal number 4 (SDG4) Low- and lower- Upper-middle targets by 2030 (GEMR 2023). middle income and high-income 20 countries countries The pandemic has exacerbated the chronic under- 18 financing of education, hurting marginalized students the most. Only 1 in 10 countries allocate 16 14.6 14.3 14 at least 15–20 percent of their total public budget to 13.8 14 education, the benchmark established by the Incheon 12 13.2 commitment (UNICEF 2022b).  Emerging evidence 12.4 12.4 12.4 Percent suggests that after falling in 2020, the share of 10 education in national budgets of low- and middle- 8 income countries recovered but remained below their 6 2019 pre-pandemic level (figure 7.4). Meanwhile, many high-income countries protected education shares 4 since the onset of the pandemic, and some even 2 increased resources specifically for learning recovery (Arias and Kheyfets 2023). At the same time, 0 2019 2020 2021 2022 education aid declined in share, with direct bilateral aid to education falling by US$359 million in 2020 Source: World Bank and UNESCO 2022. (UNESCO 2021). Less than 1 percent of COVID-19 Note: Fifty-four countries that had information for each year stimulus packages went to the education sector in were used. Low- and lower-middle-income countries = 28; low- and lower-middle-income countries (UNICEF, upper-middle- and high-income countries = 26. UNESCO, and World Bank 2022). Marginalized student populations suffer the most from the current Due to the multiyear and multi-initiative nature of state of education financing, both within and across learning recovery and acceleration plans, estimated countries. For countries whose data are available, costs are high. Although few countries have made 30 percent spend less than 15 percent of public costed learning recovery and acceleration plans education resources on students from the poorest publicly accessible, budget information from four quintile of households (UNICEF 2023b). Spending countries has been analyzed. For over a minimum of 3 per school-age child averages $US53 in low-income years, budgets for learning recovery and acceleration countries, $US 318 in lower-middle-income countries, in these 4 countries have spanned US$21 million to $US980 in upper-middle-income countries, and US$4.6 billion, or 0.1 percent to 1.6 percent of the $US7,800 in high-income countries (Al-Samarrai and national GDP. Country budgets for learning recovery Benveniste 2022). and acceleration vary significantly depending on the context (figure 7.5). Bangladesh, Marshall Islands, Papua New Guinea, and Zambia invested more in Reach policy actions, presumably due to their relatively large out-of-school rates. Mongolia invested more in building technology-enabled instructional supports and psychosocial services. Although a smaller share of the budget, the country secured its funding for monitoring and evaluation (M&E) and capacity development. 114 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION Figure 7.5 Division of exemplar COVID-19 and learning recovery program budgets 22.9 35.9 Reach 2.5 31.9 22.8 6.5 1.9 Asses 0.9 2.2 12.2 0.0 4.4 Prioritize 0.0 0.0 0.6 20.4 12.6 Increase 36.3 5.8 3.9 12.7 6.0 Develop 38.0 26.3 18.1 13.0 0.0 Capacity Development 1.9 2.6 0.1 0.5 2.7 Monitoring & Development 0.3 3.2 0.0 0.0 5.0 10.0 15.0 20.0 25.0 30.0 35.0 40.0 Percent share of learning recovery budget Zambia Papua New Guinea Mongolia Marshall Islands Bangladesh Source: Based on data from Bangladesh, Ministry of Primary and Mass Education and MOE 2020, Marshall Islands, MOE 2020, Mongolia Ministry of Education, Culture and Science 2021, PNG National Department of Education 2020, and Zambia, Ministry of General Education, forthcoming. Note: Zambia budget information is proposed, and funding sources still are being identified and secured. Although Mongolia has outlined activities related to “prioritizing teaching of the fundamentals,” these activities are not significant line budget items. The Bangladeshi budget is for only the 2021–22 academic year. 115 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION Since the onset of the pandemic, some countries 7.3 IDENTIFYING have managed to significantly increase education spending. Not all countries have responded to OPPORTUNITIES AND the fiscal constraints of the pandemic by cutting CONSTRAINTS IN RESOURCES education sector spending. In 2022 Sierra Leone’s education budget constituted 22 percent of all AND CAPACITY public spending — double the percentage allocation Learning recovery and acceleration plans in 2016 (Collins 2022). Increases in funding are were better positioned when supported by being dedicated to improving girls’ education and explicit investments to understand and expand onboarding and paying new teachers. In its 2022-23 implementation and management capacity. Learning fiscal year, Rwanda increased the education budget by recovery and acceleration programs are challenging nearly 20 percent (UNICEF 2022b). The funds enabled and resource intensive. Long-term, comprehensive the recruitment of over 52,000 new teachers. The learning recovery and acceleration plans will face majority received professional development training questions similar to those that education sector for digital education, mathematics and science subject plans encountered for decades. For example, how knowledge and pedagogy, and English language do ambitious plans translate into concrete actions proficiency. The funds also met school infrastructure and better learning outcomes for all students? The needs in primary and lower secondary education. ambitious goals of learning recovery and acceleration plans likely will fail if each country does not first Efficient spending for education is a priority. Greater consider whether its ministry of education and spending on education does not necessarily lead its coalition of education stakeholders have the to better education outcomes. Increases in public institutional, technical, and operational capacities education spending in the past decade have been to effectively implement such plans. Armed with a associated with relatively small improvements in greater understanding of the challenges ahead and education outcomes (World Bank 2023b). Inefficient the tools required, countries with promising learning spending does not have immediate consequences recovery and acceleration plans have invested in only for the education sector and its students. In fact, building capacity and fostering a strong education a history of such spending practices can reduce the ecosystem. likelihood that requests for larger budget allocations will be considered seriously by governments. Assessing the education system’s capacity and Therefore, one avenue to increase the fiscal space needs to combat the learning crisis for learning recovery and acceleration would be to increase the efficiency of education spending. Some Strong and evidence-based plans for education countries, including Côte d’Ivoire, have pursued improvements can be hindered by weak this route by utilizing outcomes-based financing to implementation capacity. In a recent regional survey strengthen monitoring, iterative adaptation, and of education officials from East Asia and the Pacific, 4 accountability for results. Other education systems, of 5 countries reported that implementation capacity such as Edo, Nigeria, have used audits and restoration is the most significant barrier to learning (Yarrow projects to ensure that all available education and others, forthcoming).. A failure to identify and resources are correctly accounted for. Cambodia and plan around system bottlenecks in service delivery others invested significantly in the education sector’s may thwart well-intentioned plans to overcome the most valuable resource: teachers. These nations learning crisis. Figure 7.6 shows the needs and assets revitalized teacher management practices to ensure for capacity development across these three levels. that high-performing educators are brought into the sector and are thoroughly supported, equitably deployed, and justly compensated. 116 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION Figure 7.6 Education system capacity can be developed across multiple levels Supported by: INSTITUTIONS Institutional capacities include the rules, regulations, and practices that set the overarching contextual environment. E.g.: Decentralizing education decision-making Diverse and ORGANIZATIONS capable partners Organizational capacities describe the arrangements of the ministry and stakeholder organizations operating within the institutional rules and context E.g.: Improving data usage in policy planning INDIVIDUALS Individual capacities can take a variety of skills, Operational tools such as technical, functional, and leadership. and resources E.g.: Training teachers to improve instructional practices Source: Adapted from UNESCO 2013 and European Commission 2020. Understanding the education system’s strengths assessment of its education system. It identified and weaknesses will lead to more practical learning major roadblocks to improving learning outcomes recovery and acceleration programs. Formal and including teacher absenteeism and poor teacher informal channels of feedback, and even more robust capacity — insights that informed their EdoBEST assessments, have proved instrumental in countries’ program. In Zambia, a comprehensive needs analysis journeys to learning recovery and acceleration by report was conducted to understand the impact of the assessing capacity gaps and assets and identifying pandemic on the education system and chart the way system bottlenecks. Such knowledge can empower forward (see box 7.5). decision-makers to select and identify possible policy responses that actively tap strengths while carefully mitigating limitations (Yan and Saguin 2021). In 2020 in Papua New Guinea, a rapid needs assessment of the COVID-19 situation in the National Education System was conducted by inspectors and guidance officers via telephone interviews with the headteachers of schools and education institutions (Papua New Guinea, Department of National Education 2020). Edo, Nigeria conducted a capacity 117 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION © Kelvin N’gandu / World Bank Box 7.5 Zambia’s education sector report on COVID-19 recovery needs assessment Description A comprehensive needs analysis that details the impact of COVID-19 on Zambia’s education sector; outlines the emergency education response; and offers a costed three-phase plan for recovery in the short, medium, and long-term (still in development). The purpose of the report was to develop a baseline assessment of the education system, which could be later used to track progress toward learning recovery and acceleration. Main activities The education sector report outlined a plan for learning recovery and identified the following policy response options: 1. Training teachers in continuous assessment 2. Disseminating digital devices 3. Sustaining the campaign to re-enroll pregnant girls 4. Carrying out large-scale assessments of learning continuity and gaps 5. Providing school feeding that targets the districts with the worst economic shocks. Structure The report pursued a mixed methods approach to understand the education-related impacts of the pandemic, relying on telephone surveys, external reports, and key informant interviews. The needs assessment provided information on trends in dropout rates, learning time across regions, and gender disparities in learning and access. It included an analysis of the learning recovery responses at the time, such as the school fee suspension program and a package of remote learning modalities. The needs assessment supported Zambia’s three-phase plan for learning recovery, including identifying and costing specific policy options. Each impact of the pandemic identified in the report was paired with an appropriate policy response and delegated to education stakeholders. A set of indicators was identified to monitor progress, including national assessment outcomes, gender parity of enrollment, and the presence of school-based WASH and digital infrastructure. Source: Zambia, Ministry of General Education, forthcoming. In some countries, decentralized educational acceleration efforts. In Tonga, a shared responsibility decision-making has empowered bottom-up model between the Ministry of Education and school solutions for learning recovery and acceleration. communities has built collective ownership of school Localizing education responses in certain contexts maintenance and resource management (World Bank has led to a more active role for school communities 2022f). Transitions to more decentralized decision- and frontline implementers in learning recovery and making have led to greater teacher innovation in 118 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION the classroom and online, such as Saudi Arabia’s to develop tailored education plans. Strengths of development of a virtual school model (Boni and Kenya’s education response to the pandemic were its Gregory 2022). Global interest in learning how local county governance structures, existing central-to- innovations can lead to success has spurred UNICEF’s school communication channels, and strong national Data Must Speak (DMS) initiative, in which 14 oversight (Gichuhi and Kalista 2022). countries are conducting positive deviance research (UNICEF 2022f).25 Some learning recovery and acceleration efforts were driven by early and frequent communication A trend toward decentralization requires greater with frontline implementers. The success of delegation of authority and resources to subnational education reforms depends on how those on the entities and schools. Some countries, such as frontline understand and interpret reform efforts Cambodia, Romania, and Zambia, have expanded (Aiyar and others 2021). Learning recovery and school-based grant programs, resources provided acceleration plans cannot tackle systemic problems to school leaders, and flexibility in decision-making without substantial support from stakeholders at to tailor their educational support according to all levels (Pritchett, Newman, and Silberstein 2022). local needs and demands. A shift toward more Effective communication campaigns targeted at decentralized decision-making for learning recovery the public, bureaucrats, managers, and education and acceleration has attempted to increase the practitioners can help justify reform efforts and localization of policy responses and accountability for garner support for action. In Indonesia, subnational results. However, delegating greater responsibilities education ministries are required to share their to subnational and local education agencies must be learning plans continuously while gaining and accompanied by the authority and resources to pursue responding to stakeholder inputs (Indriani 2023). opportunities and overcome challenges as they occur In Timor-Leste, a communications strategy was (World Bank 2018). deployed to help teachers, parents, and students understand and accept digital education’s central role More localized programming requires stronger in expanding learning opportunities (UNICEF Timor and more effective partnerships among central, Leste 2020). Insights from education reform efforts in regional, and school-level officials. Countries that Delhi, India suggest that the communication of large- restored or maintained the balance among local, scale changes must be prioritized and not crowded out regional, and central decision-makers expedited by other directives (Aiyar and others 2021). progress toward learning recovery: well-intentioned, top-down programs offered supportive structures and Building technical and leadership capacity for resources for local decision-makers and practitioners education actors at all levels to tackle learning needs specific to their contexts. Romania’s school-based grant program enables Learning recovery and acceleration plans require schools to tailor their learning recovery responses a highly skilled cadre of officials and practitioners to their unique needs — if they abide by a set of across all levels of the education system. The government initiatives, such as its EWS. In Benin, challenge of effectively overcoming the learning crisis is Ecuador, and Mongolia, the creation of new positions unmatched for many countries. Technical and leadership for regional pedagogical advisors helped government- capacities at all levels are essential to develop and led initiatives for new teaching and learning practices manage such a comprehensive, multifaceted, and long- change classroom instruction. Côte d’Ivoire is shifting term plan to address the learning crisis exacerbated the work culture between central and regional by the pandemic. Technical and leadership capacity directorates to allow for greater communication development has three features: (a) teacher professional and collaboration. Although central-level officials development, (b) technical skills for ministerial staff, and receive training in results-based management and (c) leadership skills. monitoring, regional departments are supported 25 The countries participating in the Data Must Speak positive deviance initiative are Brazil, Burkina Faso, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Ghana, Lao PDR, Madagascar, Mali, Nepal, Niger, Tanzania, Togo, and Zambia. 119 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION In some countries, the pandemic has highlighted received extensive training in early grade literacy the need for stronger preservice and in-service and mathematics teaching (Zafeirakou 2022). The teacher training systems. The already complex role of capacity-building and engagement of school-level teachers expanded with the challenges of pandemic- actors also helped ensure that program elements related learning losses. The shift to more innovative were relevant to the classroom. In Edo, Nigeria and and student-centered pedagogical practices, such as Zambia, teachers developed learning content for targeted instruction and competency-based learning, self-instructed learning and structured pedagogy required significant teacher upskilling. Such practice programs due to their familiarity with the classroom is particularly important for learners with disabilities environment. or diverse needs. Teacher training was a central element of many countries’ education responses to As the demands of school leaders shifted in some the pandemic. Over 42 of the 60 sample countries contexts so did their supports and resources. The were implementing efforts to extend or strengthen COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for preservice or in-service training systems. For example, schools to (a) reconsider how teaching and learning after the onset of the pandemic, Colombia expanded is provided, (b) facilitate stronger relationships its Programa Todos a Aprender program. Benin and with the community, (c) reposition themselves for Côte d’Ivoire chose to strengthen their continuous student wellbeing, (d) provide safe and welcoming professional development systems and expanded environments for all students, with an emphasis on their cadre of teacher coaches. Côte d’Ivoire also reducing inequalities, and (e) become more agile and revised the preservice teacher training curricula to resilient in the face of future disruptions (box 7.6). introduce targeted instruction earlier in a teacher’s Such demands have required fundamental shifts in career. Teacher training institutes also helped how school leaders manage and guide their schools, overcome staffing shortages in learning recovery staff, and students. Strong school leadership is and acceleration plans, supplying content developers also a predictor of school resilience, as shown by in Jordan’s Learning Bridges program. To play an evidence in Haiti (World Bank 2017). Therefore, effective role in learning recovery and acceleration some countries have invested in school leadership by providing immediate human resources and better capacity-building programs. Instead of focusing only preparing the teacher workforce, these institutions on traditional administrative processes, as in in most require greater resourcing and technical expertise. contexts, Haiti emphasizes instructional leadership, encourages school leaders to take risks, and provides Technical skill-building was embedded in program a shared learning environment (Sampat and others designs. Many countries ensured that education 2022). Through a series of workshops through the actors were supported with technical skill-building Escuela de Liderazgo program in Colombia and in during the design and implementation phases. Zambia, school principals are being trained to become Technical capacity-building for ministerial staff is better stewards for instructional excellence. Under crucial to improve program sustainability and country the regional Learning Recovery and Enhancement ownership. From training in interdisciplinary content Programme (Let’s REAP) in the Caribbean, principals creation in Jordan to psychometrics in Mendoza, are receiving dedicated training and resources to Argentina, building up specialized expertise in drive learning recovery locally, with an emphasis on education ministries equips countries with the skills coordinating actors (Caribbean Development Bank to pursue more ambitious and innovative learning and others 2021).26 recovery and acceleration programs. In Côte d’Ivoire, all curricular components of the PAPSE program were designed and implemented by a National Technical Team comprising inspectors, pedagogical advisors, and teacher trainers. Described as an informal master’s-level program, the National Technical Team 26 Countries involved in the Let’s REAP program are the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, the Cayman Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Turks and Caicos. 120 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION Box 7.6 Building resilient education systems Targeted professional development can seek to increase the responsiveness capacity and resilience of a ministry of education’s and subnational governments’ staff. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of building resilient education systems that can adapt to unexpected disruptions while continuing to provide quality education. Some common elements of a resilient education system include being (a) flexible and adaptable to changing circumstances, (b) sustainable (equipped with sufficient resources and capacity to meet the needs of current and future generations), and (c) able to provide equitable and high-quality education that meets the needs of all learners. There is no one-size-fits-all definition of a resilient education system. The concept will be interpreted and operationalized in different ways depending on country context. In some systems, investing in resilience may entail substantial infrastructure investments that close the digital divide, ensuring that the future application of distance learning methods are more equitable. In other contexts, resilience may require strengthening the core capacities of the ministry of education, including data systems, resource management, and coordination mechanisms. Other countries may find it most beneficial to invest in crisis management systems and developing a long-term emergency preparedness policy framework. Mongolia seeks to build resilience in the education sector by developing a digital transformation scheme that would significantly expand the country’s digital infrastructure (even establishing a new ministry in charge of digital development and communications). The island nation of Tonga is investing in emergency EWS and climate- resilient school infrastructure projects. Burkina Faso updated its existing multi-risk strategy, and accompanying three-year costed action plan to include measures to prevent potential health risks and crises. Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, countries have taken six approaches to build the resilience and inclusiveness of their education systems: » Investing in digital infrastructure to strengthen distance and blended learning approaches. Access to reliable and affordable internet and devices is essential to deliver distance education. Research has shown that, when implemented with fidelity, blended learning can help schools cope with unexpected disruptions. Such has also entailed shifting curricula to enable more individualized learning and parental engagement. » Strengthening teacher training and support. Teachers play a critical role in ensuring the continuity of education during crises. Providing teachers with training and support on how to use technology effectively; how to provide instruction in different formats; and how to include and support all learners have helped them adapt to changing circumstances. » Prioritizing student wellbeing. Education disruptions have significant impacts on students’ mental health and wellbeing. If student wellbeing is not supported continuously and properly, disruptions can be major hindrances to learning. Some countries have invested in cross-sector collaboration between education, health, social and protection services, as well as building up a school-based workforce for MHPSS. Schools have also been equipped with the proper infrastructure, WASH facilities, and other services to promote the physical health of students and staff as well. 121 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION » Investing in data and information systems. Strengthening the education system’s access to timely and accurate data, such as through EMIS, can ensure students, particularly those most vulnerable, are accounted for, accessible, and prioritized during times of educational disruption. Data related to environmental and health risks, social services, and digital access can also build resilience in education systems. » Fostering collaboration and partnerships. Collaboration among schools, government agencies, and other stakeholders can help build more resilient education systems, such as by diversifying resources and providing expertise to support innovation. In many countries, the COVID-19 pandemic has advanced partnerships between education and health systems. » Building in redundancy. Some education systems have developed contingency plans to ensure that learning can continue even if traditional methods are disrupted. Redundancy has involved creating backup systems for online learning or alternative delivery models for instruction. Efforts to build resilient education systems are investments toward student learning and wellbeing in the long term but entail shifting resources from short-term priorities. In the short time between the announcement of a global pandemic and the closing of schools in the Marshall Islands and Tonga, both governments piloted distance learning systems to make any necessary improvements before such systems needed to take effect. By investing in these areas, education systems have better prepared for future disruptions and ensured that all students will have access to quality education, no matter what challenges arise. Source: ASEAN 2022; OECD 2021a; Tarricone and others 2021; UNESCO and UNESCO IIEP 2020; UNICEF ECA 2020; Shah 2019; World Bank 2022f. Supporting implementation by securing and connectivity for learning. In Romania, Tanzania, advancing operational resources and Vietnam, interministerial coalitions and private-public partnerships (PPP) built during Greater resources were devoted to support the development of remote learning materials the implementation capacities of ministries of were leveraged to advance digital access and education to execute at-scale learning recovery infrastructure in schools. Other countries made and acceleration programs. To implement learning efforts to digitize aspects of their education recovery and acceleration programs effectively and management information systems. Sierra Leone at scale, adequate capacity of MOEs and schools is developed Africa’s first digital school census and essential. A review of country programs shows that is using geospatial data to better inform school the following core functions received the greatest construction projects. Zambia shifted its EMIS attention to support the implementation capacities of online and is training specialized committees at MOEs and schools. the school and province levels in effective data management (Sengeh and Game 2021). 1. Countries invested in digital infrastructure to build more resilient education systems. 2. Several countries invested to improve their The COVID-19 pandemic emphasized the key capacity for textbook procurement management. importance of digital learning methods in For example, in Côte d’Ivoire, Kenya, and Zambia, continuing learning during crises. However, the in-country textbook development, procurement, pandemic also exposed many countries’ inability and distribution were revised and accelerated, to reach all children equitably through digital drastically improving the availability of textbooks means. Of the 60 countries sampled, 28 percent for foundational subjects in early grades. The invested in expanding digital infrastructure and Marshall Islands conducted an analysis to 122 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION identify bottlenecks in the book supply chain that purpose of learning and are aligned with one another prevented timely access to materials for hard-to- (Pritchett 2015). Currently, many education systems reach homes (BlueTree Group 2021). are aligned around several goals other than learning (Pritchett, Newman, and Silberstein 2022). Internal 3. Investments were made to strengthen ministries misalignment of system components and competing of education resource management systems. stakeholder agendas are major roadblocks to improve In Nicaragua, an infrastructure management learning at scale. Such misalignment pulls the system was developed to better monitor activities essential elements of the education system in different under the COVID-19 education response plan. In directions, away from the core objective of learning the Republic of the Congo, an interministerial (figure 7.7). Efforts to recover and accelerate learning working group has been convened to bolster the recovery are embedded in larger systems. Therefore, education sector’s personnel management system. learning recovery and acceleration necessitate that The working group’s four pillars are to build staff’s operating at the systems level is not only about the capacities, track teacher mobility, develop a digital scale of the desired change. It also is about unpacking school map, and assess the current incentive complex issues to focus on bottlenecks and competing system for teacher placements. priorities, checking on system components for interdependencies and alignment, and identifying 4. A significant number of education systems levers and opportunities for change. invested in their national learning assessment systems (NLAS). Since the onset of the pandemic, Convening partners to align the education 40 percent of the 60 countries sampled undertook ecosystem for learning activities to build or strengthen their NLAS (chapter 3). For example, in Mozambique, the NLAS is being Misaligned agendas and incoherent relationships expanded to include assessments for all levels of among stakeholders will hinder learning recovery education, and monolingual and bilingual modalities and acceleration. In most countries, their education are being developed for primary level assessments. systems are among the largest and most complex Additional activities are building more consistent government institutions. They comprise a large feedback loops between schools and the central level civil service, a mix of national and subnational and using NLAS results to guide education policy, bureaucratic actors, and sometimes involvement including specific actions related to girls’ education. from other sectors (Education Commission 2021). This plethora of stakeholders can be a major roadblock to 5. Some countries also supported operational improvements. Reforms to improve education may capacity at the school level. For example, during not be politically advantageous, and priorities of major school closures, Rwanda constructed school stakeholder groups may not align with learning for all kitchens in every school to bolster its school (Shrestha and others 2019). feeding program, now operationalized through a comprehensive, multiyear financing plan (Burbano Partners — from other government ministries to de Lara 2023). Democratic Republic of the Congo development agencies to civil society organizations and Vietnam invested to strengthen school-based — played a crucial role in education responses. health services. Planning education responses to the COVID-19 pandemic varied significantly across countries. 7.4 ALIGNING THE EDUCATION Planning largely depended on the length of school closures and the strength of the education systems’ SYSTEM TOWARD LEARNING network of partners (figure 7.8). Countries with RECOVERY AND ACCELERATION longer school closures (defined as greater than 20 weeks) were approximately twice as likely to have Education systems often are poorly aligned with a nationwide learning recovery strategy compared learning goals. Education systems deliver learning to countries with school closures of fewer than 20 when all their components are aligned with the weeks (Acasus, forthcoming). Some countries that 123 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION Figure 7.7 An education system poorly aligned for learning Nongovernmental organizations National Private ministries of sector education businesses s Le er a ch rn a e Te rs Labor Subnational unions directorates Learning m pu ol Sc age an in cho ho me ts ol nt S Parents and Development communities partners Higher Other education government institutes agencies Source: Adapted from World Bank 2018. attempted to return to in-person learning earlier recovery plans, designed at the beginning of the were forced to expedite the implementation of their pandemic, transitioned into longer term learning learning recovery and acceleration plans. In those acceleration agendas. Because quicker responses countries, the ability to convene the right partners led to more immediate learning recovery programs, was crucial to ensure that such speedy planning led to quicker responses required greater iteration during an effective education response. Strong coordination implementation to shift program objectives from mechanisms continued to prove beneficial to country learning recovery to acceleration. governments and partners as emergency learning 124 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION Figure 7.8 Matrix of different country planning processes for learning recovery and acceleration Speed of response Delayed and Rapid and collaborative collaborative response response Planning was more consultative and led to Prior programming and greater iteration more aligned and innovative programming was usually required Examples: Ecuador’s Aprender a Examples: Romania National Recovery and Level of coordination Tiempo, the Philippines’ Learning Resilience Program, India National Learning Recovery Plan Recovery Program Rapid and isolated response Delayed and isolated Fragmented programming among response partners, mostly focused on coping and recovery, will prove harder to shift to acceleration strategies Source: World Bank. Active coordinating bodies supported more Recovery Plan launch, the Department of Education robust (and rapid) educational responses to the hosted the National Planning Conference. It convened pandemic. Centralized coordinating and monitoring central departmental staff, regional field offices, units reduce duplication, confusion, and inefficiency and select government representatives to develop among partners (Gichuhi and Kalista 2022). multiyear learning recovery and acceleration programs Countries that had active coordinating mechanisms (Philippines, DepEd 2022b). prior to the pandemic or that prioritized creating new ones early during the pandemic were able to Some countries took a more significant role convene a set of relevant education actors to gather in guiding the efforts of external partners. information on learning outcomes, assess what Despite some programs being heavily influenced policy options existed, and chart a path forward to by external partners, governments have played recover learning losses. Early in the pandemic, Kenya crucial roles in promulgating learning recovery and convened a new coordination unit, the COVID-19 acceleration visions. Côte d’Ivoire’s National Early National Education Response Committee, to engage Learning Support Strategy, a commitment to an different constituencies in the decision-making and empowered and literate future, has ensured that development of the education response (Gichuhi and all learning programs in the primary sector, and Kalista 2022). Prior to the Philippines’ Learning their implementing partners, are not distracted by competing agendas. The plan seeks to institutionalize 125 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION targeted instruction and structured pedagogy in Promising policy responses for learning recovery its education system while streamlining ministerial and acceleration were aligned with the various efforts and reducing distractions from well- components of the education system. During the intentioned, but tangential projects and initiatives. In pandemic, many countries supported innovative the future, all prospective partners in Côte d’Ivoire’s education programs by taking a systems approach to education landscape will need to first consult with the design and implementation, ensuring that programs MOE. These prospective partners can either choose were supported by subsequent modifications to support ongoing programs in the strategy; or, if elsewhere in the sector. Both Chile and Indonesia proposing unrelated projects, must keep the scope modified national learning assessment programs of their involvement minimal. The Zambian Ministry to complement their prioritized curricula. Romania of Education also is developing systems to better ensured that teachers were encouraged to devote coordinate its efforts with development partners time toward remediation by counting time for catch- who are aligned with the sector’s strategic priorities. up learning toward their mandated weekly hours of In both cases, country governments took active instruction. Structured pedagogy programs (chapter measures to prioritize efforts for the ministry and its 5) inherently enable system coherence by ensuring partners around a long-term learning vision. In the that changes made in classroom instruction also Caribbean Let’s REAP program, actions to better are reflected in the curriculum, teacher training, and coordinate actors across various levels and agencies assessment practices. Although resource-intensive, were embedded in the design. aligning each part of the education system toward the same objective reinforces the changes that countries Build coherence with other components of the wish to see in learning. education system Alignment was built across policy responses to The various components of the education system streamline country efforts toward learning recovery usually are not aligned with one another or and acceleration. This alignment required greater toward learning. In applying systems thinking to coordination among implementing partners (if education reform, the relationships among system not centralized under the government) and strong components require as much attention and change feedback mechanisms among programs. Data from as do the components themselves (Stroh 2015). Colombia’s Evaluar para Avanzar national assessment Internal alignment among all the education system’s program were used in the Programa Todos a Aprender components, commonly termed system coherence, teacher training program to help inform the content typically is low in low- and middle-income countries of training and targeting of coaching supports. In contexts due to a plethora of subsystems (curricula, Zambia, and some conflict-afflicted contexts as assessment, teacher training). Again typically, system in the Central African Republic and South Sudan, coherence is overseen by different agencies with interventions to support student re-enrollment and varying priorities and varying degrees of success in retention, including girls’ re-enrollment campaigns coordination (Crouch 2020). For example, in a coherent and mentorship programs, were embedded with system, curricula, teaching, and examinations should program elements that simultaneously fostered cover topics at similar depths of mastery. However, greater socioemotional and physical wellbeing. In research from Nepal, Tanzania, and Uganda shows Bhutan, Chile, Ecuador, and Guyana, the prioritized that similar depth of mastery is not the case because curriculum, primarily aimed at increasing mastery curricula and examination “expectations” are far from of the foundations, was also used to increase classroom realities (Atuhurra and Kaffenberger 2020; instructional time for socioemotional learning and Atuhurra and others 2023). This system incoherence wellbeing. Such complementarity prevents national reduces the effectiveness of education reforms that efforts and resources from being spread thin across focus on learning recovery and acceleration. Coherent too many policy objectives, with minimal success. policy responses are compatible and coherent with one another and with other components of the education system, including its political context. 126 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION Iterate and adapt policy responses to context results was that teachers and school leaders did through flexible implementation not necessarily have the capacity to manage the evaluation process, analyze results, and respond to Effective reforms are focused on a clear set of them. The Education Evaluation Center trained and goals but are flexible to changes in their external deployed 90 teachers across the country to guide environment. Countries with resilient learning teachers on assessment. In addition, the ministry aims recovery and acceleration plans anticipated and to dedicate time and resources in 2023 to build the adequately responded to challenges in implementation capacity of school leaders. and changes in the external environment. While some elements of programs are best kept centralized and prescriptive, implementers need to be enabled to respond to feedback and changing conditions in their specific contexts (Pritchett, Newman, and Silberstein 2022). A study of education reforms indicates that successful reform agendas do not adhere inflexibly to master implementation plans but are both focused and flexible: aligned toward a common goal but adaptive when necessary (Shrestha and others 2019; Pritchett, Newman, and Silberstein 2021). Separate from adapting program design to context, learning recovery programs benefit from designs that enable iteration, to ensure that emerging implementation challenges are detected and addressed early. Differentiating delivery can enable simultaneous innovation and scaling. In Botswana, targeted instruction is being implemented via two service delivery models: government-led and direct. Under the government-led model, youth volunteers and government teachers are implementing a standard targeted instruction program at an increasingly large scale. Under the direct model, the delivery of targeted instruction is continuously experimented on, assessed, and refined in a small number of schools by a trained set of facilitators. Once validated and socialized, lessons collected from these schools are used to inform the design of the national approach to targeted instruction currently being scaled. Mongolia phased its learning recovery design to monitor progress toward learning objective goals at regular periods and to adjust according to what the evidence revealed. In September 2021, when schools reopened, a national assessment found significant learning gaps and subsequently was used as the basis for the recovery plan. In May 2022, a follow-up assessment showed a 7–10 percentage point improvement in mathematics, language, and science since the September assessment. However, a challenge faced in implementing the assessments and using their 127 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION 7.5 CONCLUSION 1. Reach every child and keep them in school. Efforts to recover and accelerate learning must Global progress toward improving access to education be RAPID. In many countries, the learning crisis is has been hampered by the COVID-19 pandemic. The deepening, causing damaging economic and social return to school of many students, especially older repercussions to both individual students and or more marginalized students and those from lower society. As demonstrated by the learning recovery income backgrounds, has been impeded. Meanwhile, and acceleration efforts detailed above, education others who managed to return to school are at a responses to combat the learning crisis must be higher risk of dropping out than they were before. coordinated, comprehensive, and multi-modal; that is, address all five policy areas of the RAPID framework » For countries seeking to expand educational as described below. Before designing learning recovery access, out-of-school children can be reached and acceleration policies, governments would directly through home visits, house-to-house benefit from first assessing the current state of their surveys, and digital tools that identify OOS education system, asking: children and support re-integration. Additionally, strengthening or expanding second chance » Are all children and youth accessing high-quality education opportunities for over-aged children learning opportunities? For children in school, are can provide an alternative path to certification or they likely to finish their required number of years? integration in formal schooling. » Are all relevant actors being equipped with, and » For countries seeking to reduce dropout, at-risk able to appropriately react to, data on student students can be identified and tracked through learning? EWS. Such systems may require investing in » Are educators given enough instructional time, education management information systems resources, and guidance to prioritize teaching (EMIS) and equipping schools with the capacity the fundamentals? What constraints could be to use data to implement targeted interventions preventing the development of foundational skills? that prevent dropout. Financial barriers and other opportunity costs to schooling can be addressed by » Is instruction efficient? If not, what supports do providing cash transfers and grants. teachers and students require to catch up to curricular expectations? » Finally, countries can engage parents, families, and communities through mobile technologies » Are the students’ current levels of mental, or in-school events to deepen their involvement emotional, and physical wellbeing prohibiting in children’s education. Interest and attention effective learning? from these groups positively impacts students’ After such an assessment, some countries identify attendance, attainment, and performance. priorities within the RAPID framework that require immediate attention. However, unless substantial 2. Assess learning levels regularly. efforts already are underway in specific policy areas or such challenges are minimal, the learning recovery In many countries, the lack of reliable and consistent and acceleration needs of most countries will require data on student learning is an ongoing issue that actions across all five policy areas. Within each policy hinders efforts to recover and accelerate learning. The area, there are various policy options depending COVID-19 pandemic further disrupted the collection of on countries’ contexts and capacities. Countries timely learning data so emphasized the need to invest should first prioritize policy actions that are both in effective assessment systems. easy to implement and have a high likelihood of success. However, simultaneously, efforts will need » At the systems level, countries should prioritize to be invested in longer term and resource-intensive implementing regular assessments to monitor interventions. learning. Countries can use the resulting data 128 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION to plan and adjust recovery and acceleration major disruptions, children require additional supports strategies and allocate resources accordingly. to catch up. In parallel, education systems must become better at advancing learning efficiently and » At the school level, countries can target remedial equitably. interventions and monitor progress by providing learning data, such as through classroom-level » Countries can increase the efficiency of whole- assessment tools, learning dashboards, and school classroom teaching by coordinating supports report cards. To ensure that teachers can make that help teachers plan systematic and engaging use of assessment data to inform instruction, instruction, make the best use of instructional investment in assessment-specific professional time, create and use aligned teaching and learning development and resources is crucial. materials, and continually assess student learning with appropriate follow-up. Structured pedagogy » Countries should take steps to enhance data packages are an effective tool to rollout the above availability, reporting, and use by strengthening scaffolds for whole-classroom teaching. data portals and communication channels that cater to different stakeholders; and by presenting » For students or groups of students who have learning data in a clear and accessible manner. fallen behind, countries should provide a range of additional and alternative supports designed 3. Prioritize teaching the fundamentals. to catch up learning. Evidence-based strategies include targeted instruction, supplemental Too many students in low- and middle-income remediation, small group tutoring, and adaptive or countries are not acquiring the fundamental skills and self-guided learning programs. For students with knowledge required to positively impact individual significant learning gaps or additional challenges, and societal outcomes. The instructional time lost to second chance or re-integration programs should the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the pre-existing be considered. issue of overburdened and imbalanced curricula, which crowded out foundational skills. Countries can » With expectations of instruction and student take different approaches to focus instruction on the support shifting both in and out of the classroom, fundamentals, particularly on literacy and language, countries need to curate continuous classroom- and numeracy and mathematics. focused training of teachers. Continuous coaching is an evidence-based method to sustain » Countries can reinforce the fundamentals by improvements in teaching. adjusting curricula to provide sufficient instructional time for foundational skills and knowledge. If curricular adjustments are made, teaching and 5. Develop psychosocial health and wellbeing. learning materials, assessments systems, and teacher training must be adequately aligned. Learning after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic was hindered by declines in or threats to the » If curricular adjustments prove difficult, countries psychosocial health and wellbeing of children. Schools can bolster the development of foundational skills can be central points to prevent issues and support by increasing instructional time by changing the the psychosocial health and wellbeing of students and school calendar or timetable. teachers. 4. Increase the efficiency of instruction, including » Countries should invest in preventive measures to avoid psychosocial health issues and provide through catch-up learning. immediate relief and build toward long-term resilience. Governments can guide schools in In most contexts, inefficient teaching and learning reducing the stigma around psychosocial health, practices have prevented schooling from resulting making resources easily accessible, and fostering in learning. After prolonged school closures or other students’ socioemotional skills. 129 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION » Countries also should invest in the capacity of institutional, organizational, and operational schools and teachers to detect and respond to capacity of education actors, both inside and psychosocial issues. Screening tools should be outside the public education sector. deployed to enable early detection of psychosocial health issues. School systems can be better » Countries must consider that learning recovery and equipped to support struggling students if acceleration efforts occur within a broader system. investments are made in MHPSS capacity, Various education actors can be aligned around referral systems, and teachers’ socioemotional the same goals through unwavering country competencies. visions for learning and strong coordination mechanisms. Nevertheless, upfront investments Learning recovery and acceleration requires public will need to be made to ensure that learning and political commitment to a comprehensive, recovery and acceleration programs cohere with multiyear strategy that aligns the core components other components of the education system. of the education system toward learning. The Implementation will need iterative feedback severity and multi-faceted nature of the learning mechanisms. crisis requires a long-term, multi-initiative response. Nevertheless, politicians almost always face Not enough is being done to address the learning significant political costs when trying to implement crisis. Nevertheless, encouraging and effective these responses. Furthermore, most education programs are already being implemented in some systems will struggle to afford; operationalize and countries. The learning crisis is a global phenomenon, manage; and align the education system around such but actions to address it have remained inconsistent responses. and heterogeneous. These responses are attributed largely to governments’ underestimation of the » Today, commitment to combat the learning crisis learning crisis and the extent to which countries must can be built through developing and implementing change how education is approached and delivered. long-term, multi-initiative, and funded learning Protecting the future productivity and wellbeing of recovery and acceleration plans. For many the current student generation, and those to come, countries, the emphasis in these plans may no requires immediate action by countries and education longer be on recovery, which is more short term, partners. Nevertheless, as highlighted and examined in but on acceleration. Many countries now choose this report, hugely encouraging and effective programs to focus on medium- to long-term structural already are underway in some countries. This report reforms to surpass pre-pandemic learning levels exists so that governments and educators worldwide and sustain learning gains by improving the overall can learn from and build on these successful individual quality of the education system. The political country innovations to combat learning losses, costs of such plans can be reduced by generating improve learning, and reduce inequalities—and then awareness of the severe learning crisis and building share their own successes. public consensus around addressing it. Public consensus can be built by leveraging in-country evidence, fostering interministerial support for education champions, and planning for political turnover. » To address the learning crisis, an understanding of what resources and gaps exist can be revealed through both formal and informal assessments of system strengths and weaknesses. Capacity- building efforts, including toward resilience, should focus not solely on individual technical capacity. These efforts also should target advancing the 130 LEARNING LEARNING RECOVERY RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION TO ACCELERATION © World Bank 131 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION APPENDICES A. METHODOLOGY and consultation with World Bank regional staff for promising learning recovery and acceleration This report presents operational insights on learning efforts. Data were informed by a review of five leading recovery and acceleration. A mixed-methods journals in global and international education using research approach was used for the analyses, whereby keyword searches related to pandemic-related qualitative and quantitative data was collected and learning recovery and acceleration. Data also were analyzed to distill trends and lessons from promising collected from national and subnational government efforts to recover and accelerate learning.. Concurrently, websites, national education sector COVID-19 this approach allowed for key insights and transferable response plans, development partner publications, lessons to be shared across World Bank regional teams program evaluations, news articles, press releases, and with the larger global education community. and other research fora. Additional documentation Flexibility was embedded in the approach to allow for and information were garnered through interviews the emergence of unanticipated aspects. with World Bank staff and, in some cases, staff from government and nongovernmental organizations. In Landscape review methodology total, interviews were held with approximately 40 individuals. All interventions were categorized by the A landscape review determined what countries five policy actions of the RAPID framework (figure 1.3), were doing to recover and accelerate learning. which were further disaggregated to compile a menu Through desk research, national interventions aimed of policy responses to recover and accelerate learning. at recovering and accelerating learning since the Using these data, a learning recovery and acceleration onset of the COVID-19 pandemic were chronicled. policy responses database (the “report database”) The nonrandom sample of 60 countries across the was constructed to capture the actions taken by 7 World Bank regions comprised over 65 percent various low- and middle-income countries education of the total population aged 17 years and younger systems to recover and accelerate learning and used in low- and middle-income countries (table A1.2). to approximate the prevalence of different policy These countries were identified through the literature interventions across this sample of countries. Table A1.2 List of national learning recovery and acceleration interventions analyzed Argentina (Mendoza)* Egypt, Arab Rep. Malawi São Tomé and Principe Armenia Ethiopia Marshall Islands Sierra Leone Bangladesh Ghana Mongolia Senegal Benin Guyana Morocco South Africa Bhutan Haiti Mozambique South Sudan Botswana India Nepal Syrian Arab Republic Brazil* Indonesia* Nicaragua Tajikistan Cambodia Jamaica Nigeria (Edo)* Tanzania Cameroon Jordan* North Macedonia Timor-Leste Central African Rep. Kenya* Pakistan Tonga Chile* Kosovo Panama Türkiye Colombia Kyrgyz Republic Papua New Guinea Uzbekistan Congo, Dem. Rep.* Lao PDR Philippines Vietnam Côte d’Ivoire Lebanon Romania West Bank and Gaza Dominican Republic Madagascar Rwanda Zambia Ecuador* Note: * = Policy action case studies. Comprehensive case studies are in bold. 132 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION Insights from the landscape review were used to policy action can be drawn. An example of a policy support the report’s findings. However, operational action case study is Jordan, and its Learning insights from a select group of countries with Bridges self-guided learning program (chapter promising policy responses related to learning 5). Policy action case studies were strengthened recovery and acceleration also have been included. through at least one interview with World Bank These include Chile, El Salvador, Honduras, Liberia, staff or other stakeholders to distill operational Mauritania, Mexico, Spain, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Togo, insights for the report. Uganda, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, and Uruguay. 3. Historical and broader policy action case studies. Some of the most useful lessons on Comparative case study methodology how to recover and accelerate learning come from historical cases of national responses to Three types of case studies were leveraged to education disruptions such as the COVID-19 illuminate operational insights about learning pandemic. Additional COVID-19-related cases recovery and acceleration. Country case studies were offered valuable lessons on key policy actions developed to showcase effective and promising actions but did not involve an interview. An advantage to comprehensively recover and accelerate learning, of historical cases is that they are more likely particularly for the most vulnerable and marginalized. to have evidence of effectiveness and impact on The case studies detailed country experiences using learning and other dimensions of student success. an operational viewpoint: from the planning stage to An example is Tanzania’s 2015 3R Curricular the design, implementation, and results stages. Case Reform, which sought to improve foundational studies focused on learning recovery and acceleration learning (chapter 4). efforts in the K−12 education sector, in both countries with ongoing education-related World Bank projects Case study selection was based on a set of as well as countries in which the World Bank is not predetermined criteria. Comprehensive and policy currently engaged. Three types of country case action case studies were selected through desk studies were used in this report: research and wide consultation of the 60 national education responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. 1. Comprehensive case studies. These included Seven comprehensive cases were selected (box A1.1). countries that have implemented (or are Selection was based on objective criteria (as outlined implementing) comprehensive strategies in appendix B), and validated through consultation to recover and/or to accelerate learning by with World Bank staff. addressing at least three of the policy actions under the RAPID Framework. An example of a main case study is India and the policy interventions that took place both across states and at the federal level, such as those under the Learning Recovery Plan. All selected comprehensive case studies are outlined in box A1.1. Comprehensive case studies were strengthened through interviews with World Bank staff and other stakeholders to distill operational insights for the report. 2. Policy action case studies. These included specific cases in which countries or education systems have implemented an initiative or program addressing one of the RAPID Framework policy actions and from which relevant lessons for that 133 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION Box A1.1 Selected successful comprehensive case studies Cambodia. The Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport (MOEYS) acted on learning recovery and acceleration across 4 of the 5 RAPID Framework policy areas. The government organized a Joint Technical Working Group, which analyzed the results of a grade 6 National Learning Assessment conducted in March 2021 and supported a comprehensive policy package. The package sought to (1) expand and strengthen the help provided to students to catch up and (2) target the most disadvantaged students who had suffered the greatest learning losses. Specific attention was given to advancing technology- enabled learning supports, such as the BEEP Platform, which was leveraged to support out-of-school children and girls. In addition, in partnership with VVOB and Cambodian NGO Kampuchea Action to Promote Education (KAPE), Cambodia launched several pedagogical programs that lean on evidence-based practices, such as targeted instruction and adaptive self-guided learning. MOEYS has also implemented the Strengthening Teacher Education Program in Cambodia (STEPCam); with support from UNESCO and GPE, the initiative aims to improve the quality of teaching and learning in the early grades through introducing new pedagogical methods and providing in-service training to enhance teacher competencies. There is a clear focus on the foundational subjects of Khmer and mathematics, with an Early Grade Reading and Mathematics program being rolled out in 12 provinces. » Reach: Early warning system; data-informed remediation » Assess: Application of disaggregated assessment data » Prioritize: Condensed curriculum with focus on literacy and numeracy » Increase: Adaptive learning and targeted instruction program Colombia. The Government of Colombia developed a COVID recovery plan for the education sector that embodies 3 of the 5 RAPID Framework policy areas. The plan includes a nationwide program for classroom assessments, a Leadership School (Escuela de Liderazgo) to mentor and train school principals, and the adaptation of the Programa Todos a Aprender to improve pedagogical practices and teaching competencies in preschool and primary education. The plan also includes the Emotions for Life (Emociones para la Vida) Program, a large-scale socioemotional learning program in 4,500 schools funded by the World Bank. » Assess: Strengthened classroom assessment practices » Prioritize: Teacher coaching prioritizing foundational skills » Develop: In-class socioemotional skills program at scale Côte d’Ivoire. Making use of 3 of the Rapid Framework policy areas, Côte d’Ivoire improved foundational learning outcomes at the primary level through 2 long-standing programs. The Programme d’Enseignement Ciblé is a remedial learning program for grades 3–6 reading and mathematics, adapted from the Teaching at the Right Level (TaRL) model with technical support from TARL Africa. The Enseignement Ciblé program has an impressive history of scaling up and plans to continue scaling to the national level. It is being implemented in approximately 1,000 schools in the southwest and relies heavily on improved teacher support and targeted instruction. The My Child Learns Better in School (PAPSE) is an early grade (grades 1–3) reading and mathematics program being implemented in approximately 700 high-need and fragile schools. Financed by the GPE with the World Bank as supervising entity, PAPSE has improved Côte d’Ivoire’s curricula, assessment, and teacher training, and has employed the large-scale use of structured pedagogy. 134 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION » Assess: Strengthened classroom assessment practices » Prioritize: Early grade (foundational) learning program » Increase: Targeted instruction structured pedagogy programs India. India has developed and advanced strategies to recover and accelerate learning across four of the RAPID policy actions. According to the 2020 National Education Policy, universal attainment of foundational literacy and numeracy skills is India’s highest priority for education. To this end, in 2021 the Ministry of Education launched the National Initiative for Proficiency in Reading with Understanding and Numeracy (NIPUN Bharat), which requires all states to prepare an implementation plan to achieve this goal by 2025. In 2023 the MOE introduced a new National Learning Recovery Plan (LRP), which outlines stakeholder responsibilities and additional funding. The LRP includes a learning enhancement program, teacher resource package, and oral reading fluency study. Additionally, Samagra Shiksha is an overarching program for the education sector to improve quality and inclusion in education through equitable schooling opportunities and learning outcomes. Several components are supported at the national level by the World Bank’s Strengthening Teaching-Learning and Results for States (STARS) project, which also invests in national- and state-level capacities to assess learning and enhance teacher development. Last, the World-Bank-funded Gujarat Outcomes for Accelerated Learning (GOAL) project supports the government of Gujarat’s decentralized educational management system, the Gyansetu remedial learning program, and other capacity-building initiatives in the state. » Assess: Tablet-enabled assessment for remediation » Prioritize: National Observer Research Foundation (ORF) study; new curriculum for foundational skills » Increase: Remedial programs (Gujarat); expanded teacher training » Develop: National telecounseling initiative Mongolia. Efforts to recover and accelerate learning have been led by the Ministry of Education and Science (MES) through its Comprehensive Plan for Learning Loss Recovery in Primary and Secondary Education. This three-year national remedial education plan was launched by MES and approved by Parliament to build a more resilient education system during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Complementary projects are the (1) Support for Inclusive Education and (2) Education Quality Reform Project. Mongolia also is developing a robust set of mental health and psychosocial support services for adolescents. These services are both cross-sectoral and supportive of parental and community engagement. In-classroom assessment practices are being improved as well as national assessment systems to inform the deployment of catch-up learning programs. The Asian Development Bank (ADB), World Bank, and UNICEF provide support for these projects. Mongolia’s restructuring of teacher training and the national curriculum to incorporate Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles demonstrate the country’s commitment to equity. Mongolia is implementing 4 of the 5 RAPID Framework policy areas: » Reach: Comprehensive inclusivity efforts for girls and children with disabilities (CWDs) » Assess: Teacher trainings/capacity building in assessments » Prioritize: Curriculum focused on literacy and numeracy » Develop: Multilevel, cross-sectoral mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) programming 135 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION Romania. Education is a high priority in Romania’s 2021 National Recovery and Resilience Plan. Reforms and investments are tackling the main challenges in the education system in four areas of the RAPID Framework. The Ministry of Education is the key player in policy formation, but the response is cross-sectoral, and entities across levels implement interventions. MOE has scaled up a successful early warning mechanism to the national level to decrease early school leaving through identifying, supporting, and monitoring the progress of at-risk students. The Romania Secondary Education Project (ROSE) is increasing Romania’s participation in international assessments and implementing national large-scale mathematics, reading, and language assessments for the 9th grade. Additionally, MOE’s project PROF provided widespread mentoring support to teachers during the pandemic. Moreover, the TEACH classroom observation tool is being used in an impact evaluation across the country with 1,000 teachers to assess the quality of instruction and learning with technical assistance from the World Bank. Romania also is providing remedial education and tutoring, with a focus on poor, rural, and Roma students. These projects have adapted to meet the challenges of post-pandemic recovery through upgraded curriculum and pedagogies and a renewed commitment to prevent school dropout and to address inequity in education. » Reach: Earmarked funding to prevent dropout » Assess: Scaling up assessments; assessing ICT skills » Increase: Strengthened digital education for blended learning » Develop: Parental support and engagement program Zambia. Since before the pandemic, Zambia has demonstrated strong political commitment to address learning poverty. With the Ministry of General Education (MOGE) in the lead, Zambia has implemented multiple programs and is developing long-term solutions. Catch-Up, a remedial program addressing early grade literacy and numeracy based on the TaRL methodology and supported by UNICEF, has been scaled up. Since the onset of the pandemic, Zambia has rolled out Catch-Up in another two provinces, incorporated “learning through play” principles, and translated materials into local languages. The government is focused on supporting and raising standards for teachers. The Zambia Education Enhancement Project strengthens the teacher training system and, with World Bank support, increases access to learning materials. MOGE also extended the Education for All free primary schooling policy to early childhood and secondary education. Key stakeholders and donors convene in Joint Annual Review meetings and the Cooperating Partners Group. Moreover, MOGE is finalizing a strategic plan expected to be approved in 2023. » Reach: Expanded social cash transfer program; free schooling » Increase: Targeted instruction; teacher capacity building » Develop: Life skills and learning support program for girls 136 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION Table A1.3 Themes and subthemes that guided case study interviews Theme Subtheme Explicit Strategy, Plan, or Program for Learning Recovery System Alignment Policy Coherence Strategy and Planning Scalability Planning Evidence Use Across Gender Across Socioeconomic Status Equity Promotion Across Dis/ability Status (Inclusive Education) Across Regions (Urban vs. Rural) Across Levels of Education Teacher Skills and Resilience Teacher Performance Teacher Ownership Workforce Operational and Managerial Capacity (Ministerial Capacity) School Leadership and Management Data, Monitoring and Evaluation Iterative Adaptation Service Delivery Accountability Use of Technology Flexible Spending Financing Diverse and Coordinated Funding Long-Term Spending Duration of Political Commitment Country Ownership of Learning Recovery Activities Political Commitment Leadership Financial Commitment Source: World Bank. Case study data were collected through primary representatives, nongovernmental actors, and World and secondary means. For each comprehensive Bank staff. An interview protocol, which was used case study, insights were gathered from thorough as an unofficial guide, was developed based on a desk research into the country’s national education conceptual framework for recovering and accelerating responses since the onset of the COVID-19 learning developed from a review of the literature on pandemic. Information was collected from news education disruptions, scaling, and transformation articles, press releases, education sector plans and (table A1.3). The framework leaned heavily on the strategies, impact evaluations, and other program Brookings Institution’s Millions Learning Framework documents. Primary research was conducted and the World Bank’s “Learning to Realize Education’s through semi-structured interviews with government Promise” flagship report.27 27 For more information on the Brookings Institution’s Millions Learning Framework, see Robinson, Winthrop, and McGivney 2016. 137 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION Limitations The main limitation of the methodology for this report is the lack of evaluations and results on key outcomes for most of the country cases reviewed here. Systematic data on learning outcomes or impact evaluations of efforts to recover and accelerate learning due to the pandemic were rare at the time the study began and largely remain so today. Importantly, case studies and qualitative reviews can offer valuable insights into the design and implementation of promising programs and actions. Additionally, given the limited outcome data on what were or still are relatively recent national efforts, the team had to use process and activity indicators, such as evidence- based activities conducted as planned, to help identify countries to be studied. Further investigation will be needed to pursue remaining knowledge gaps on learning recovery and acceleration. The report database is limited. Information on national education responses since the onset of the pandemic was used to construct a report database. The report database was based on a nonrandom sample of low- and middle-income countries that were investigated through desk research. Countries included in the report database were identified from the literature and through recommendations, based on their relatively robust efforts to recover and accelerate learning at scale. Therefore, it could be assumed that calculations based on this sample are overestimates of what is occurring globally. Furthermore, since the report database was constructed based on desk research and select semi-structured interviews, it is possible that not all national education interventions to recover and accelerate learning were captured if not made publicly available. 138 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION APPENDIX B. CRITERIA FOR B. Specific criteria SELECTION OF CASE STUDIES The following criteria will apply specifically to each of the main, supplemental, and historical case studies. A. General criteria for all case studies For comprehensive case studies: The following six criteria will apply across the 3 types of case studies: main, supplemental, and historical. 1. Cover at least 3 policy actions. The country has taken action to address COVID-related impacts 1. Aligned with evidence. The programs or strategies on learning by putting into action at least 3 key are aligned with the evidence on best practices to actions, strategies, or programs that cover improve student learning. at least 3 of the policy actions in the RAPID Framework. 2. Country-led or country-supported. The programs or strategies should be largely owned, led, or 2. Responses focused on the learning acceleration supported by the country or state government phase. Country policy responses that will be education agency or agencies. This guideline will be considered should be aligned with the “Improving applied flexibly for countries classified as fragile, and Accelerating” phase of the World Bank’s “The conflict, or violence affected (FCV). COVID-19 Pandemic: Shocks to Education and Policy Responses,” aiming beyond coping to return 3. At scale or with scale in mind. The programs or to the pre-pandemic status quo, to systems strategies are being implemented at a regional or transformation within the education sector. national scale or, in the case of a pilot intervention, are explicitly intended to be scaled. Preference will be given to cases that have the following: 4. Implementation broadly underway. The programs or strategies not only were planned but also have 1. Explicit strategy, plan, or program. Countries been implemented to a reasonable extent so that that have an explicit strategy, plan, or program for operational insights regarding implementation, recovering (and accelerating) learning as a response monitoring, and iteration can be elicited. to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. 5. Low-, lower-middle-, and upper-middle-income 2. Monitoring efforts and evidence generation. countries. The country must be classified as low- Countries that have monitored efforts toward or middle- (either lower-middle- or upper-middle-) learning recovery and acceleration, and are income, according to the World Bank country evaluating the use of inputs, the quality income classification for Fiscal Year 2021. Two of processes and implementation, and the exceptions were made for the analysis of high- effectiveness (and cost-effectiveness) of strategies income countries: Panama and Romania, both and programs. of which were classified as upper-middle-income countries during the first year of the pandemic. 3. Equity. Countries that host initiatives that specifically prioritize equitable outcomes for all children, with 6. Representation of regions and income targeting or consideration of, for example, girls, classification. The country selection will reflect children from rural areas or poorer backgrounds, regional and income-level diversity, covering at children with disabilities or special learning needs, and least three of the World Bank’s recognized regions minority language or ethnic groups. and with countries in different income levels. 4. Long-term vision. Countries that implement initiatives designed to produce long-term, sustainable impacts and are a part of a broader educational strategy of structural reforms over the long term. 139 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION For policy area case studies: 1. Alignment with at least one RAPID policy action. The country will have implemented a program or strategy, either pre- or post-pandemic, in 1 of the 5 RAPID policy actions of consideration (Reaching every child, Assessing students regularly, Prioritizing teaching the fundamentals, Increase the efficiency of instruction, or Develop psychosocial health and wellbeing). 2. Available impact data on short-term learning outcomes. Priority will be given to policy action cases with available impact data on the development of foundational skills and other metrics of interest. For historical and other COVID-19 case studies: 1. Response to a shock or disruption to education. These case studies will look at countries that have responded to a past shock to, or disruption of, schooling and learning. Examples include natural disasters, war or conflict, or disease outbreaks. 2. Alignment with at least one RAPID policy action. The country will have implemented a program or strategy in at least one RAPID policy action (point 1 in policy area case studies above). 3. Available impact data on learning outcomes. Priority will be given to cases with impact data available on the development of foundational skills and other metrics of interest. 140 LEARNING RECOVERY TO ACCELERATION APPENDIX C. EXAMPLES OF TARGETED INSTRUCTION PROGRAMS Table C1. Examples of targeted instruction programs Country Scale Implementation information Available evidence Program name Sessions were facilitated for 30 days for 1 hour a day Botswana Eighty percent of students progressed at least one level of competency in during the last school hour. Sessions were facilitated Teaching at the All primary schools foundational learning skills. Proportion of students who could not do any basic by independently hired and trained facilitators but Right Level (by 2025) mathematical operations dropped from 25% to 4%. Those who can now add, gradually are being embedded in traditional classroom Botswana subtract, multiply, and divide increased from 7% to 53%. instruction. Brazil Program devotes 1.5 hours of the school day during All Brasil Na Escola Brasil Na Escola’s 2-week intensive periods (4 times a year) to regroup schools (those with Not yet available. Acompanhamento students based on their learning levels and implement at least 70% vul- Personalizado de instruction aimed at those level, led by trained monitors nerable students) Aprendizagem (teachers, trained university students or volunteers). 10 pilot schools, Ten pilot schools devote 12 hours (3 days for 4 hours Cambodia but guidance avail- each) per month to address learning gaps through tar- Not yet available. able nationwide geted exercises in Khmer and mathematics. Côte d’Ivoire Teachers facilitate targeted instruction activities in During pilot, proportion of children able to read a simple paragraph increased Programme French and mathematics for 1.5 hours every day for 3,000 schools from 14% to 51%. Proportion of children able to do simple subtraction increased d’Enseignement grade 3–6 students in formal public schools and com- from 12% to 63%. Ciblé (PEC)6 munity schools. Indonesia Approx. 27,221 Sessions are facilitated by teachers; student prog- From 2015 to 2018, proportion of non-readers in lower-performing schools Early Grade grade 2–3 ress is continually assessed and teaching is adjusted decreased from 62% to 26%, while the proportion of adequate readers in target Literacy program students accordingly. schools increased from 6% to 18%. Thirty-eight% of tested students were able to do a subtraction, against 26% ini- 12,000 grade 3–5 tially. Twenty-five% of tested students were able to read a paragraph in French, Morocco students against 16% initially. Forty-three% of tested students were able to read a small paragraph in Arabic, against 38% initially. For 10 weeks, grade 4–5 learners were grouped by Proportion of children reading a story without making more than 3 mistakes 2,163 grade 4–5 performance ability and given targeted instructional has doubled in the endline from 29% to 60%. 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