KIX Observatory

This report synthesizes available evidence on the policies and practices of 40 sub-Saharan African (SSA) partner countries of the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) with respect to teacher training and support during the COVID-19 pandemic. The synthesis was conducted using rapid scoping reviews, evidence mapping, and the team’s expert knowledge of health and education issues in Africa.

To examine potential long-term impacts of COVID-19 on educational systems, the KIX Observatory analyzed stakeholder perspectives from seven countries in Africa: Burkina Faso, Kenya, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Niger, and Nigeria. The stakeholders comprised 45 senior Ministry of Education officials related to programs and planning at headquarters and regional levels, as well as 28 non-state actors that work closely with ministries of education, in the seven countries.

In education, assessment is an important tool for tracking the academic performance and learning progress of students. The assessment also helps determine the effectiveness of teaching and the various needs of an education system. Learning assessments provide schools and teachers with an understanding of what the students are learning, and how to adopt measures that promote effective teaching (Education Endowment Foundation, 2020; Liberman, Levin, & Luna-Bazaldua, 2020).

The COVID-19 pandemic caused major disruptions to education in Africa and worldwide, and in African countries, due to school closures. Many countries have made great strides in ensuring safe reopening of schools to stem the erosion of the gains made in access to equitable and quality education, escalation of risks to children’s mental and physical health and the long-term impact of loss of learning associated with school closures. This policy brief highlights the evidence of the policy and practice responses on school reopening.