March 2023 Foundational Literacy and Numeracy Roundup 

Written by

Brett Harris, Sheba George

Published on

March 21, 2023

Marked by the ECW High-Level Pledging Conference and the International Day of Education, the first quarter of 2023 continued the trend of increasing awareness and visibility of FLN. As donors and decisionmakers turn toward achieving the lofty goals of the 2022 Transforming Education Summit, this March 2023 Foundational Literacy and Numeracy Roundup tracks key policy developments and commitments among DAC donors, multilaterals, and other actors through December 2022- March 2023.

Key developments

On January 24, 2023, the International Day of Education, the UNESCO and UNICEF released a joint statement urging Eastern and Southern African governments to actualize the commitments made at TES in September 2022, with a “primary focus” on FLN.
The ECW High-Level Pledging Conference was held on February 16-17, 2023, and received US$826 million from DAC donors, a little over half of the organization’s US$1.5 billion request for its 2023-2026 Strategic Plan, which prioritizes FLN under the heading “Holistic Learning Outcomes.”

DAC Donor Updates 

Japan signed a US$76 million loan to Senegal for shoring up basic arithmetic education for primary school-aged children on January 4, 2023.
On January 26, 2023, the EU and AU launched a US$107 million Regional Teachers Initiative, which aims to increase the capacity of educators to provide basic, green, and digital skills to students.
The EU pledged US$50 million on February 7, 2023, for Nepal’s new School education sector plan 2022-2032, which emphasizes foundational learning as one of its key priorities.
Canada provided US$88 million for KIX, a program run by GPE, on February 10, 2023. The initiative supports the development of quality education in partner countries, with a focus on raising FLN through rigorous and level-oriented pedagogy.
On March 8, 2023, the UK released its International Women and Girls Strategy 2020-2030, which includes a governing principle focusing on FLN.

Multilateral Developments 

On January 16, 2023, UNICEF released a report outlining unequal outcomes for public education spending, and urged countries worldwide to prioritize public spending for FLN.
On February 18, 2023, the AU and UNESCO published a report urging governments to take action to strengthen education systems’ resilience to shock, with a particular focus on developing legal frameworks to support FLN objectives.
On February 28, 2023, UNESCO and INEE announced the development of a Learning in Humanitarian Action Policy Brief, which will facilitate knowledge-sharing on topics such as FLN solutions in emergencies.
On March 2, 2023, GPE endorsed the Commitment to Action on Foundational Learning, which was launched at TES in September 2022.