Improving Foundational Learning Outcomes in Kenya, Nigeria, Mozambique and Sierra Leone - Lessons from Ceará State in Brazil Knowledge exchange and peer learning activities were carried out for education officials from Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria (Edo state & national government) and Sierra Leone seeking to learn from the Ceará state in Brazil. Despite representing different continents and national contexts, the participating governments are encountering similar…

Skilled Teachers, Skilled Nation The objective of this programmatic South-South knowledge exchange, “Skilled Teachers, Skilled Nation”, was to support governments in Central Asia (CA) in improving the effectiveness of their investments in teachers. The program organized five knowledge exchange (KE) events from October 2021 to September 2023, where national researchers from the…

Developing Early Childhood Education in Djibouti and Morocco A knowledge exchange and peer learning activities were carried out for delegations from Djibouti and Morocco seeking to learn from Mauritius. Despite different national contexts, Djibouti and Morocco are facing similar challenges that Mauritius faced in the mid-1980s, relating a largely informal Early Childhood Development (ECD) sector and…

Learning About School Leadership in Latin America and the Caribbean In the ongoing reforms of the education sector in Guatemala and Dominican Republic (DR), there have been challenges in achieving clarity and consensus on the role and responsibilities of school principals. Both Guatemala and DR also face challenges with capacity and technical knowledge needed to professionally develop school principals and school…

Building a skilled workforce in Tunisia Typically, attaining high education is expected to increase one’s probability of joining the labor force. In Tunisia, people with high education face a high probability of being unemployed. More than half of the Tunisian working-age population remains outside the labor force. Reconsidering the role of TVET is critical in bridging gaps in the…

Coding Bootcamps for Women in Pakistan Employing women in the digital economy is a significant step in ensuring inclusiveness. In Pakistan, according to the Global Gender Gap Report 2017, women make 25.7% of the whole labor force, but this number is much lower in the tech sector, only 14%, as per a study conducted by P@SHA1 in 2012. P@SHA or Pakistan Software Houses Association for IT…

St. Lucia and the Caribbean Collaborate to Support “At-Risk” Boys St. Lucia and many of its Caribbean neighbors face a growing problem with keeping boys out of trouble. From leaving school, turning to crime, and abusing drugs and alcohol, the risky behaviors caused by unemployment and poverty contribute to social tensions and threaten tourist industry growth, which is so vital to Caribbean island economies.…

Improving technical and vocational education in Sri Lanka The Government of Sri Lanka sought to develop a national skills development strategy and improve technical and vocational education (TVET). The World Bank helped organize an exchange with Malaysia, which had developed successful TVET programs. As part of a broader technical assistance program, the exchange raised the awareness of officials about…

Enhancing Capacity to Improve Social Protection Strategies in Delhi The Mission Convergence (MC) or “Samajik Suvidha Sangam” in Hindi is an initiative by the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCTD) that aims to alleviate poverty and improve government social programs. GNCTD officials needed help and information on how to incorporate multiple poverty reduction programs into an improved program…

Learning to Build National Research and Education Networks (NRENs) in South Asia The Internet has become an integral part of the delivery of quality education nearly worldwide, except in countries such as Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Nepal that lack easy, cost-effective Internet access. Wanting to address this academic isolation and improve higher education, these four countries approached the World Bank for help. In…

Rural Education Reform: Peru Learns from the Escuela Nueva Model in Colombia In 2011, the new administration of the Peruvian Government re-prioritized the need to improve the quality of education and services in rural areas. In order to enhance both knowledge and skills of key officials to build a more effective rural education model for Peru, the World Bank organized a knowledge exchange that focused on one of the most…

Belize, Honduras, Jamaica, and Mexico Work Together to Strengthen Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) Programs Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) programs in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) have improved the lives of millions of poor households across the region by improving children’s education and health (human capital), reducing poverty, and ensuring a minimum income for the poorest households. Implementing CCT programs requires significant…

Enhancing Capacity to Build ICT-sector Skills in Africa Growth in the Information Technology and Business Process Outsourcing sector (IT-BPO) can transform a country’s economy and improve the lives of its citizens. No country is a better example than India, which has achieved phenomenal growth in this sector. As of 2010, India could boast of a 64 percent share of globally off-shored IT services and a…

Improving Teacher Quality in Moldova When Moldova decided to reform the quality of its teaching force as part of measures to address poor student learning results, it wanted to learn from other countries that have successfully dealt with a similar situation. It therefore turned to Chile and Brazil, countries among those that have shown important improvements in international…

Jamaica Learns from Malaysia to Develop Education Leaders When Jamaica needed to reform how it built capacity for different levels of leadership in delivering education services, it turned to Malaysia. Specifically, Jamaica was interested in how to design and implement competency-based leadership development to increase the effectiveness of its education system leaders. Drawing on Malaysia’s experience,…

Moldova and Romania: Sharing Experience on School Graduation Examinations To modernize its baccalaureate exams and make its outcomes assessment system of student learning more transparent and reliable, the Government of Moldova participated in a learning exchange with Romania. As a result of the exchange, Moldova significantly increased its knowledge and ability to develop a modernized and more comprehensive, robust…

Improving accounting education in Moldova: Learning from the Romanian experience Moldova recognized a need to modernize its accounting and auditing education curriculum and professional development as part of a national effort to improve corporate reporting and macro-economic stability. Moldovan accounting experts participated in an exchange with Romania from whom they learned modern curricula development and teaching…

Improved Early Childhood Care and Development Action Plans in La Paz and El Alto, Bolivia Bolivia’s National Development Plan and Country Partnership Strategy identify the improvement of basic social services as one of the four development pillars for sustained economic growth. New Education and Popular Participation laws call for education services that consider the nation’s rich cultural diversity.  The same laws assign control of…

Improving Education through Information and Communication Technologies in Armenia and Tatarstan, Russia The Governments of the Republic of Armenia and Tatarstan shared a similar aim: to improve the quality of their respective education system through the use of information and communications technology (ICT). Uruguay and Argentina were identified as the appropriate knowledge providers in helping Armenia and Tatarstan achieve better outcomes in…