2023-07-03 05:48:57
The effectiveness of the investment of the resources that the countries allocate to the education it is under constant review by the World Bank, which this time provides guidance for governments and other partners in low- and middle-income countries on what works to improve learning and educational outcomes.
“Cost-effective interventions to improve Global learning, Report 2023”, defines what are the smart purchases to improve learning in those countries.
The report groups different types of educational policies and programs into categories ranging from “Great Buys” to “Bad Buys” and other qualities it explains.
It was prepared by the Global Advisory Panel on Evidence in Education (GEEAP), an independent interdisciplinary group of global experts in evidence and implementation of educational interventions.
“Great buys” are defined by the study as highly cost-effective, and are backed by solid scientific evidence.
Quotes as part of these purchases provide information on the benefits, costs and quality of the educationsupport teachers with structured pedagogy (a package that includes structured lesson plans, teaching materials and ongoing support for teachers).
Also, structure teaching based on the student’s learning level, not the school year (in or out of school).
Within the “good purchases” it stands out that early stimulation programs (from 0 to 36 months) aimed at parents should be developed; provide education quality preschool (ages 3-5) and reduce travel time to schools.
Also, award merit-based scholarships to disadvantaged children and youth and administer mass deworming in schools where worm incidence rates are high.
bad purchases
According to the survey, consistent evidence shows that these interventions have not worked in the past in many situations or are not cost-effective, citing among them investing solely in devices such as computers, tablets, and mobile phones.
He also questions the fact that only additional materials are financed, when other issues are not addressed, which include textbooks, additional teachers to reduce class sizes, more educational centers, scholarships and salaries.
effective interventions
They note that these interventions have been shown to be effective, but they are a relatively expensive way to achieve good learning outcomes and might be appropriate for school systems with larger budgets or to meet non-educational goals.
These are Transfer of funds to educational centers (as a tool to improve learning) and food in primary schools
promising interventions
It is suggested that, for these interventions, there are some rigorous studies showing high levels of efficacy, but cost-effectiveness evidence or large-scale implementation examples are lacking.
Within this intervention, he cites the use of computer programs that allow personalized learning and adapt to the learning level of the child (when the devices already exist in schools), increase the teaching teams with personnel hired by the community, and provide massive treatments for health conditions. such as free glasses, multiple micronutrients and preventative treatment against malaria.
Likewise, promote mobile phones as a learning aid, protect students from violence, teach socio-emotional and life skills, involve communities in school management and direct interventions towards girls.
The document emphasizes that context, political economy, and implementation details are critical factors for the effectiveness of each of these interventions. “We encourage education policymakers to examine both contextual factors and evidence on cost-effectiveness when contemplating implementing or scaling up these interventions,” the analysis concludes.
Studies support the suggestions
With this report, the Panel aims to summarize the best and most up-to-date evidence on cost-effective and scalable interventions for education policy makers. For this update to the previous report, the Panel conducted a systematic search spanning more than 13,000 studies, identifying more than 250 high-quality impact evaluation studies.
The added studies bring the total number of evaluations referenced and categorized in the “Smart Buys” to more than 400. They also expand the categories of interventions evaluated to new areas such as health, nutrition and socio-emotional development.
These 400 evaluations were reviewed based on various criteria, most notably their cost-effectiveness in improving learning and other outcomes, as well as their success when applied on a large scale.
Journalist with extensive investigative experience.
#guides #education