What counts as robust evidence for #AI in education? It depends on where a product is in its development lifecycle. This new Global Coalition for Foundational Learning blog outlines a four-level evaluation framework for AI in education. www.globalpartnership.org/blog/getting... #EducationData #AI

Getting the evidence right: What quality looks like for AI in education | Global Partnership for Education

What counts as quality evidence when the development of artificial intelligence moves faster than the trials can measure it? Discover why rigorous studies alone aren't enough and what the sector needs...

globalpartnership.org

1 in 4 sub-Saharan school children is older than expected for their grade, according to new data from @unicef.org MICS6. We must adapt teaching to meet students where they are, not where they are expected to be. Explore the data story below: public.flourish.studio/story/3677216/

Getting children into school is not enough

A Flourish story by UNICEF OSE D&A Education

public.flourish.studio

New research from @brookings.edu reveals a blind spot in edtech: the total, long-term cost of ownership is often 3-7x higher than initial upfront costs. Insightful data in this report, highlighting the factors influencing how governments adopt and scale edtech. www.brookings.edu/articles/sca...

From access to impact | Brookings

Molly Curtiss Wyss and Brad Olsen analyze government decisionmaking on EdTech in South and Southeast Asia and offer recommendations for scaling impact.

brookings.edu

Foundational learning is about more than just getting children into classrooms, but making sure they’re actually learning. New research from @hpatrinos.bsky.social and George Psacharopoulos provides proof that learning quality matters over quantity. harryapatrinos.substack.com/p/learning-p...

Learning Pays More Than Schooling

For decades, the economics of education has delivered a remarkably consistent finding: more education leads to higher earnings.

harryapatrinos.substack.com

This recent piece in @theatlantic.com on educational chatbots drives home an essential lesson for #EdTech: the power of #AI is promising, but not promised. Strong teachers who can motivate students are irreplaceable, and investing in their success is key. www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/0...

AI Can’t Fix the Student-Motivation Problem

It turns out bots aren’t great teachers.

theatlantic.com

If we are serious about preparing Africa's youth for an AI-driven economy, we must have a conversation about language. Mamadou Amadou Ly and I write about how we can adapt Senegal’s success with #bilingualeducation to the rest of the continent. afrimag.net/tribune-expl...

Tribune | : Exploiter l’atout linguistique de l'Afrique pour accélérer son développement économique à l'ère de l'IA [Par Ben Piper (Fondation Gates) et Mamadou Amadou Ly (ARED]

L'intelligence artificielle a le potentiel de transformer l'avenir économique de l'Afrique, mais un obstacle subsiste : cette technologie reste largement inexploitée dans les langues les plus parlées ...

afrimag.net

Excited to share that FLIGHT was officially launched at #FLEX2026 — a powerful step toward building durable, government-led foundational learning reform at scale. FLIGHT empowers governments with catalytic funding, helping them unlock the bottlenecks that slow progress. Learn more: flightafrica.org

Next week, I’ll be in Malawi for the third Africa Foundational Learning Exchange #AFRICAFLEX2026. We're focused on continuing the momentum from political declarations to country-led implementation. Looking forward to the conversations ahead—let's connect if you'll be there.

We can't improve learning in the dark. The World Bank’s latest GEPD report connects classroom practices, policies, and the system to guide real solutions. Read it here: openknowledge.worldbank.org/entities/pub... #FoundationalLearning

Foundational learning is a moral imperative. But it is also the invisible infrastructure that underpins a country’s economic growth and prosperity. This article highlights why foundational learning is a national economic priority for India: thecsruniverse.com/articles/ind...

India's Most Important Infrastructure Isn't Physical: Why Foundational Learning Will Shape the Next Growth Story

Explore why Foundational Literacy and Numeracy is critical to India's workforce, productivity, employability and long-term economic growth

thecsruniverse.com

I’m heading to Dakar next week for the inaugural Yidan Prize Conference in Africa. I’m looking forward to connecting with colleagues from across the sector about a foundational truth: to unlock Africa’s demographic dividend, we must start with language. If you'll be there, let's connect!

The #WorldCup is a showcase of talent and human potential, and it’s powerful to also see footballing countries on the global stage that are also making #foundationalearning a national priority — like Morocco, co-host of the next World Cup. Check out this case story: www.worldbank.org/en/news/feat...

Morocco’s Pioneer Schools: Advancing Improved Student Learning

Morocco has taken decisive action steps to improve its education system and better prepare its future generations. Guided by the Strategic Vision for Reform 2015–2030, the country is undertaking a far...

worldbank.org

Today is International #DayoftheAfricanChild, and I’m reflecting on the reality that the workforce of tomorrow is sitting in African classrooms today. I am encouraged by the powerful progress we’re seeing. Together, we can ensure every child has the foundation to thrive.

We’re eager to see how AI can move the needle for education reform. But it’s not a silver bullet. This @gpforeducation.bsky.social provides an important roadmap for implementing AI in global education: www.globalpartnership.org/blog/edtech-...

EdTech and AI: an opportunity to accelerate foundational learning for all children - if we get it right | Global Partnership for Education

What if the right use of AI could finally unlock learning for every child? Discover how smart, safe, and equitable EdTech choices can transform education systems—and why the decisions made today matte...

globalpartnership.org

Not all evidence is measured equally. An insightful new paper from @cgdev.org on how standard deviations can distort learning gains, and how we can make #education data more actionable. www.cgdev.org/blog/standar...

A Standard Deviation of What? Rethinking How We Report Learning Gains

As education measurement becomes more fragmented, the temptation to rely on single summary metrics will only grow. But the field should move in the opposite direction: toward more transparency, more c...

cgdev.org

Exciting to see the launch of STEP-AI, a new partnership between the Gates Foundation and @renphil21.bsky.social to explore how AI-enabled coaching can support teachers across Sub-Saharan Africa and improve #FoundationalLearning outcomes. Learn more: www.renaissancephilanthropy.org/insights/ren...

Renaissance Philanthropy Launches STEP-AI To Explore AI-Enabled Teacher Coaching In Sub-Saharan Africa — Renaissance Philanthropy – A brighter future for all through science, technology, and innovatio...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

renaissancephilanthropy.org

Governments across SSA and India are proving that system-led gains in FLN are possible at scale. Read our new co-authored piece with the Global Coalition on Foundational Learning on how political ownership, instructional core, and classroom data drive these results: bit.ly/4utv2m1

Governments are solving the learning challenge: Here is what we are learning from them | Global Partnership for Education

Governments worldwide are increasingly achieving large-scale gains in foundational literacy and numeracy through sustained, system-led reforms. While approaches vary, some shared ingredients underpin ...

bit.ly

Making AI an effective tool for teaching and learning requires shared infrastructure and our new partnership with Anthropic will build just that. Our work with the Turn.io accelerator is a first step to support learners and educators via WhatsApp. #EdTech Read more: bit.ly/4dLHiIr

Making AI work for more people

A new partnership with Anthropic to build AI tools in global health, education and agriculture.

bit.ly

Looking forward to the #EWF & #GlobalPartnershipsConference in London this week. My focus is on how cross-sector collaboration—connecting education with health and tech—can drive economic development. It all starts with foundational learning. Eager to connect with partners!

The latest #FLANA report makes the economic case for education equity clear. When a child's chance to learn is tied to family resources, we lose out on human potential. Closing the gap isn't just the right thing to do it's an investment in our future. Read more: bit.ly/4n4i2jJ #FoundationalLearning

The FLANA Report 2026 - Usawa Agenda

2nd Foundational Literacy and Numeracy Assessment Report | 2026

bit.ly

To improve learning outcomes, we must understand the intersection of education and gender. The #BrinkFoundation’s Gender and Learning Evidence Fund is seeking researchers and implementers in Africa to help build the evidence and measurement to close the gap. Apply by June 5th: bit.ly/4w8D5WI

Our call of proposals for the Gender and Learning Evidence Fund is now open - apply by 5th June 2026. - Brink Foundation

Foundational learning changes lives. A one standard deviation improvement in literacy can raise individual earnings by 25-30%.

bit.ly

To achieve lasting change, education reforms must move from a series of standalone solutions to a coherent, system-wide strategy. Great reflection on the #FoundationalLearning strategy underway in South Africa's Western Cape: mg.co.za/thought-lead... #GlobalEducation

From commitment to coherence: Reflections on the Western Cape’s reading and literacy strategy

At the launch of the Reading and Literacy Strategy 2026–30, reading was framed as fundamental to the entire schooling experience. The notion that reading is the air that we breathe captures this succi...

mg.co.za

The inaugural report on #FoundationalLearning from the Zambian Parliament’s Committee on Education, Science, and Technology is a powerful commitment to accountability — and helps builds the political will needed to turn evidence and strategy into action.

Zambian parliament publishes report of inquiry into foundational learning — International Parliamentary Network for Education

A first-of-its-kind parliamentary inquiry into foundational learning has published its report in Zambia. The Committee’s report calls on the government to accelerate the implementation of evidence-...

ipned.org

Sustainable change rarely happens overnight — more often it is the product of steady perseverance. We can learn from the reform journey in Brazil’s education system in this video from Global Schools Forum. www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yn3F... #EducationReform

Brazil's bold bet: A national curriculum for every child

YouTube video by Global Schools Forum

youtube.com

Great to see @wwhglobaled.bsky.social research cited in a recent @science.org article. While investing in foundational learning is one of the most powerful engines for global prosperity, this potential is at odds with spending patterns. Read more: www.science.org/doi/10.1126/... #GlobalEducation

The great education contradiction

Education is a universal public good that can shape individual lives and societies as a whole. It underpins income, health, productivity, equality, social cohesion, and the capacity to adapt and remai...

science.org

Missed it? 📢 On @voxdev.bsky.social Talks, @talknormal.co.uk & @geeap.bsky.social panelist @benlpiper.bsky.social discuss how to solve the global reading crisis - and what evidence-based instruction can achieve. 🎧 voxdev.org/topic/educat... Read the GEEAP-endorsed literacy report: bit.ly/4pVfIw9

How to solve the global reading crisis

Millions of children in low- and middle-income countries attend school without learning to read, with ineffective teaching methods driving a global learning crisis. New global evidence demonstrates th...

voxdev.org

This #IDE2026, a new insight note from Mettalytics, @wwhglobaled.bsky.social & the Gates Foundation shows what’s at stake: if 90% of children could read by age 10, universal #FoundationalLearning could add an estimated $196T to global GDP between 2031–2050. That’s trillions, not billions.

📢 New 🎙️ @benlpiper.bsky.social, @geeap.bsky.social panellist - explains why ineffective reading instruction is at the heart of the learning crisis, & how evidence-based approaches can transform outcomes @voxdev.bsky.social on the global reading crisis 🎧 Listen here: bit.ly/3YELmC4

How to solve the global reading crisis

Millions of children in low- and middle-income countries attend school without learning to read, with ineffective teaching methods driving a global learning crisis. New global evidence demonstrates th...

bit.ly

🆕 How to solve the global reading crisis 📢 Today on #VoxDevTalks, @benlpiper.bsky.social (Gates Foundation) discusses how effective reading instruction can transform learning outcomes in developing countries: voxdev.org/topic/educat...

Today, ADQ and the Gates Foundation launched a new US$40M partnership to advance responsible #AI & #EdTech for #FoundationalLearning. Learn more: www.gatesfoundation.org/ideas/media-...

ADQ and Gates Foundation Announce Groundbreaking Partnership to Leverage Responsible AI and EdTech to Transform Foundational Learning Outcomes

A landmark partnership will deploy responsible AI and proven EdTech solutions to help strengthen early-grade literacy and numeracy across sub-Saharan Africa.

gatesfoundation.org