Learning

Read guidance, learning summaries, evidence trends, and country reflections from USAID and its partners.

Featured
Charles Makamo, a participant of the Innovation Scholars Program, and his design team test their innovation at Standard Bank in Lilongwe, Malawi with end-users.
Higher Education

The Resilience of Higher Education Institutions During COVID-19: Lessons from Malawi, Philippines, and Senegal

Higher education institutions must continually adapt to mitigate the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. These three case studies show how three universities served as central actors in crisis response and in locally-led development.
February 11, 2021
Manija practices reading in Braille with her teacher Roziya during a home visit.
Disability Inclusive Education

Accessible to All: Creating Learning Materials for Children with Disabilities in Cambodia, Kenya, Rwanda, and Tajikistan

Here are some examples from Cambodia, Kenya, Rwanda, and Tajikistan that show how good practices in the provision of accessible learning materials are being put into practice during COVID-19.
December 15, 2020
A student reading a book. Photo by Eric Onyiego/USAID Kenya
Disability Inclusive Education
December 1, 2020

USAID Studies Explore Current Trends in Disability Inclusive Education in Sub-Saharan Africa

A literature review found that children with disabilities are less likely to get to school and, even when they do attend, less likely to stay in school. Learn more notable findings from the literature review in this blog post.
In Haut-Katanga, a mother ensures access to the best signal on her phone while her children listen to a radio lesson
Reading & Literacy
November 20, 2020

The DRC’s Accelere!1 Pilots Remote Reading Program During COVID-19

In the DRC, ACCELERE!1 (A!1), a USAID and UKAID funded project implemented by Chemonics, has launched “Lecture pour la vie,” a local language interactive audio instruction radio pilot program in response to COVID-19 school closures.
USAID Youth Summit 2019
Youth Workforce Development
October 23, 2020

Studies Explore Taking Risks to Innovate and Increase Impact Through Cash Benchmarking

USAID and its partners recently experimented with cash benchmarking to better understand the cost-effectiveness of its investments. There are currently five cash benchmarking studies underway, each with a different research design.
LEGRA Student
Reading & Literacy
October 21, 2020

Early Grade Reading: What Does ‘Good’ Look Like and How Do We Measure It?

Learn how the USAID Soma Umenye project collaborated with the Rwanda Education Board to develop both.
eKitabu’s signed Digital Story Time included in Kenya Ministry of Education’s distance learning program.
Disability Inclusive Education
September 11, 2020

Pivoting in a Pandemic: eKitabu Provides Sign Language Video Content For Students in Kenya

After Kenya closed schools in response to the pandemic, the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development requested that eKitabu support students who are deaf by developing sign language videos that support early grade literacy for deaf children.
Photo: A photo of youth in DRC sewing face masks.
Youth Workforce Development
August 19, 2020

Pivoting in a Pandemic: Congolese Youth Produce Masks and Hygiene Products to Fight Spread of COVID-19

In the Democratic Republic of Congo, participants in the USAID DRC Integrated Youth Development Activity, implemented by the Education Development Center, have worked diligently to combat the spread of COVID-19 within the community. 
Photo: Non-formal RISE preschool students listen to a lesson on the radio.
Information and Communication Technology
July 1, 2020

6 Important Lessons Can Be Learned From Zanzibar’s Distance Learning Efforts

As education actors scramble during and post COVID-19 to reimagine teaching and learning beyond the classroom, here are six important lessons we can learn from Zanzibar’s distance learning efforts.
Photo: Primary 1 students practice reading with their Kinyarwanda textbooks during a Kinyarwanda Reading Camp 2019, Burera District.
Disability Inclusive Education
April 14, 2020

The Case for Practical Techniques for Inclusive Classrooms: Experiences from Rwanda and Tajikistan

Classroom teachers, principals, and specialists are embracing an understanding that they do not need to wait for diagnosis or identification of a child’s disability to teach responsively. And, they are putting that understanding to work.