The Education World Forum (EWF) is the largest annual gathering of education and skills ministers in the world, held in London each year. It brings together Ministers of Education, Higher Education and Skills, their advisors, and delegations from across the world. Together, they address key issues and share the education system challenges they face, the solutions they have found, the learning that has occurred, and the successes they have achieved.

As MannionDaniels, we attended the event to support the Global Education Evidence Advisory Panel (GEEAP) and the panel's partnership with the What Works Hub for Global Education. We currently manage the GEEAP secretariat, and several of the panel attended EWF to discuss the importance of evidence use to inform policy, smart buys and recommendations for foundational learning at scale. Much of the basis of the panels advice, alongside their wealth of person and career experience, was connected to the recently launched ‘2023 Smart Buys: Cost-Effective Approaches to Improve Global Learning’ report.

Numerous side meetings took place as part of the conference, including discussions with education delegations from Sierra Leone, Pakistan, Tanzania, Rwanda, Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya and Bangladesh. Panellists in attendance included:

Tahir Andrabi - Inaugural Dean, LUMS School of Education, and Professor of Economics, Pomona College Researcher on education and advisor to Government in Pakistan. Co-founder of the Centre for Economic Research in Pakistan CERP.

Kwame Akyeampong - Co-chair of the GEEAP panel. Professor of International Education and Development, The Open University. Expert in education systems in Africa, including on political economy of reform, teacher training and complementary basic education.

Sally Grantham-McGregor - Emeritus Professor of Child Health and Nutrition, UCL GOS Institute of Global Health Pioneer in the rigorous study of Early Childhood Development in developing countries with a focus on parental engagement. An Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE).

The content of each meeting was tailored to the successes and challenges facing each individual country, but some topics came up on numerous occasions. These included the importance of using data to inform decision making when scaling up interventions, the need to first focus on foundational learning, ensuring all students can read, write and do basic numeracy at the appropriate level and also how to recover learning loss following natural disasters or conflict. It’s clear that every country has differing needs and challenges, and that it is important to tailor approaches based on an understanding of what works, but that first focusing on getting the basics skills in place for children can have a big impact.

Find out more about the GEEAP.

The Education World Forum is supported by the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), the Department for Education, the Department for International Trade, and the British Council.