Learning

USAID has made significant progress in establishing an approach to linking country-level learning assessments to global proficiency expectations so countries can set appropriate targets for achieving outcomes in early grade literacy and math.

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.

While some youth report struggling in leadership roles due to a perceived lack of experience, SafePlan Uganda and KCEO are showing that programs led by youth are successful not in spite of their leadership but because of it.

USAID and its partners have used different methods to set performance benchmarks for primary school students over the years, with the vast majority of benchmarking exercises relying on student reading assessment data to identify proficiency levels.

Until recently, Vietnam had an agricultural-based economy, with a higher education system catering to a small percentage of the population. Engineering soon emerged as a field which could play a key role in supporting further growth and development. 

Workers with higher education and in-demand technical skills are more likely to thrive and contribute to their country’s journey to self-reliance and resilience. But economic growth doesn’t always go hand in hand with a skilled workforce.

In Morocco, it’s often the more educated people that are most likely to be un- or under-employed. In fact, the unemployment rate among those with degrees is 17.1%. 

Many providers now run programs to bridge the gap between young jobseekers and paychecks. Initiatives range from small, local efforts to bold, worldwide initiatives. One of the more ambitious youth workforce development initiatives is Generation.