Education can change the world. The outcomes can be transformative for an individual, a community, and society as a whole by expanding access to high-quality education. The value of investing in education is indisputable: it reduces inequality between women and men, improves economic development, promotes peace, and lifts people out of poverty.
Reducing poverty and education are inextricably linked: the more educated individuals are, the more chances they will have higher incomes and break the cycle of poverty. Statistics show that 420 million people would be lifted out of poverty with a secondary education. Additionally, research indicates that women’s earnings can increase by up to 20% with an additional school year. Early childhood care and education, or ECCE, gives children the tools they need to succeed in school and in life. What’s more, it’s a smart investment: US$1 invested in early education for the most disadvantaged children can generate up to US$17 in returns.
GPE has made investments totaling US$180 million to support early learning in more than 30 partner nations. Partner nations have launched initiatives aimed at improving early learning in recognition of the benefits of ECCE: Through the construction of preschools and teacher education, Cambodia increased access to early childhood education with assistance from a GPE grant. In some districts, the number of 5-year-olds enrolled rose from 56 percent in 2016 to 68 percent in 2018. Nicaragua increased access to early childhood education by designing a unified curriculum that covers three levels of preschool education, by training teachers on the new curriculum, and by providing nearly 9,000 preschools with textbooks, school supplies and learning toys, with support from GPE. These efforts contributed to an increase in the number of children enrolled in preschool from 40% in 2013 to 50% in 2017.
2. Educate teachers. We are all aware that teachers play a crucial role in enhancing learning outcomes; however, less than 75% of teachers in one third of all countries are trained in accordance with national standards. For GPE, supporting teachers and their professional development is a high priority: In 2017, 100% of grants to partner countries included support for teachers.
The government of Kenya has trained 117,000 teachers and given them early grade math teaching guides with the help of GPE. Additionally, by tracking classroom performance, professional knowledge, and attendance, an online tool for teacher evaluations has raised teaching standards. GPE helped Zimbabwe strengthen teacher performance through the establishment of teacher professional standards, which identify what teachers should know and be able to do in the classroom. Also, GPE helped fund a teacher development information system database, to help the ministry get an accurate picture on the skill gaps in the teaching force.
