Observatory on COVID-19 responses in educational systems in Africa

Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, education systems around the world have been seeking evidence and solutions to support children’s learning, address the negative consequences of school closures, and prepare for school re-opening. This project will collect, synthesize, and mobilize evidence about COVID-19 responses in primary and secondary education in Africa, where the pandemic is expected to roll back recent gains in education access and quality and compound existing educational inequalities.

In the short term, the project will collect and share evidence about the policy responses of selected African countries on issues pertaining to the operation of education systems and the well-being of children. This will support policymakers and other educational stakeholders who can use it to inform their decisions. It will also track other emerging research. In the longer term, the observatory will examine promising practices and develop recommendations to improve future crisis preparedness. In sum, the project will collect and mobilize evidence and use it to strengthen education system resilience on the African continent.

Selected through a competitive call process, the project is part of the Knowledge and Innovation Exchange, a joint endeavour between IDRC and the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) to strengthen national educational systems in GPE member countries.