Peoples Action for Learning

Stakeholders shaping the future of education in Africa meet to discuss emerging issues in foundational literacy and numeracy, identify opportunities and promote innovative solutions that can drive growth in early childhood literacy levels in Africa. 

The Peoples Action for Learning (PAL) Network will host a high-level regional policy dialogue on 28 – 29 March 2023, in Nairobi. The forum is set to convene key stakeholders in the education sector alongside Regional Economic Communities (RECs) in Africa to deliberate on gaps in education policies and discuss available solutions to improve foundational literacy and numeracy (FLN) at scale. The session will also be an opportunity to benchmark successful solutions that have worked in other countries and review the kind of data required to inform equitable and inclusive responses to education.  

Currently, the world is facing a learning crisis because children, despite being in school for several years, are learning very little. Millions of students complete primary school education without acquiring basic competencies and according to the World Bank, “nine in ten children cannot read with comprehension by their tenth birthday in Sub-Saharan Africa.” This means they are effectively illiterate.

The Policy Dialogue will have keynote addresses and will host a series of panel discussions that will deliberate key emerging issues in the education sector with specific emphasis on foundational literacy and numeracy. The list of the key speakers in attendance includes: 

• Armando Ali: Chief Executive, PAL Network
• Dr. Sara Ruto: Former CAS Ministry of Education and a mentor of Citizen Led Assessment and Actions in Africa. 
• Dr. Ben Piper: Director, Global Education – Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
• Dr. Rukmini Banerji:  Chief Executive Officer – Pratham Education Foundation.
• Madame Graça Machel: Women’s and children’s rights advocate; former freedom fighter and first Education Minister of Mozambique; co-founder and Deputy Chair of the Elders.

Key themes set to be deliberated during the panel discussions include: What data is required to inform equitable and inclusive responses to education? What has worked in other countries, for example, India? How can we promote girl child education? and what works to improve foundational literacy and numeracy at scale? 

Lastly, there will be a field visit on the first day 28^th March 2023 from 1:00 pm-6:00 pm which will give the media an opportunity to interact with children, teachers, parents, and community leaders. The visit will also give first-hand practical exposure to the assessment of children’s foundational literacy and numeracy skills through the use of assessment tools (PAL-ELANA) and participation in citizen-led accelerated interventions.

DETAILS OF THE EVENT 

WHAT: The PAL Regional Policy Dialogue 

WHEN: 28- 29^th March 2023

WHERE: Forum (Radisson Blu, Upper Hill) Field visit (TBC)

Note: Media will have full access to the panelists after the policy dialogue session.