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Effective Reading Instruction in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: What the Evidence Shows
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What is the Global Education Evidence Advisory Panel?
The Global Education Evidence Advisory Panel (GEEAP) is an independent body of renowned researchers who strengthen evidence-informed policymaking in education. The Panel is co-convened by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and the World Bank to fill a need in the education sector.
GEEAP Mission: Strengthening Evidence-informed Policymaking in Education
The Global Education Evidence Advisory Panel (GEEAP) is a cross-disciplinary body composed of leading evidence experts. Backed by multiple institutions, GEEAP distills key policy lessons with a focus on cost-effectiveness at scale, disseminates evidence-based recommendations, and collaborates with key stakeholders to strengthen evidence-informed policymaking in education.
Leaflet: Global Education Evidence Advisory Panel (May 2023)
Panelists
Because the international panel consists of leading researchers and practitioners who have contributed to and applied the burgeoning evidence base in education, its recommendations have a sound evidentiary basis, and it is well positioned to inform policymaking in the way that other bodies do.
Panelists have been selected for their expertise in generating and using good evidence in education. Membership is drawn from among economists, educationalists, psychologists, and policymakers. The panelists already participate in many other networks and panels, including domestic advisory panels and topic-based panels. The GEEAP has knit together that expertise into a global group that can provide guidance on education broadly, primarily for low- and middle-income countries.
The panel produces high quality evidence that guides policy including reports, papers and resources.
A full list of panel members can be found below.
Smart Buys in Education: Cost-effective Ways to Improve Learning in Low- and Middle-income Countries
The Panel regularly releases recommendations on the Smart Buys in education for low- and middle-income countries. To inform countries’ decisions about where to allocate their budget and reform efforts, the report groups education programs into the following tiers of cost-effectiveness:
- “Great buys”— these interventions are highly cost-effective and are supported by a strong body of evidence.
- “Good buys” — where there is good evidence that these interventions are cost-effective.
- “Promising but limited evidence”—for these approaches, there are some rigorous studies that show high levels of effectiveness, but evidence on cost-effectiveness or examples of implementation at scale are lacking.
- “Effective but Relatively Expensive” – interventions with good evidence that they are effective, but they are a relatively expensive way to deliver learning outcomes. They might be appropriate for school systems with larger budgets or to achieve non-education objectives.
- “Bad buys”—cases where strong, repeated evidence shows that these programs have not worked in the past in many situations or are not cost-effective.
The 2023 GEEAP “Smart Buys” report identifies the most cost-effective ways to improve learning in low- and middle-income countries—highlighting teacher support, targeted instruction, and early childhood programs as top interventions—while warning against costly, low-impact investments like hardware alone. It identifies key “Great Buys” such as structured pedagogy support for teachers, teaching at the right level, and early childhood stimulation and pre-primary programs, urging policymakers to focus on scalable interventions with proven learning impact
Helping Countries Recover from Pandemic-related Learning Losses
The GEEAP report Prioritizing Learning During COVID-19(2022) provides evidence-based guidance to help countries recover from pandemic-related learning losses. It emphasizes reopening schools, supporting teachers, and focusing on foundational skills to ensure education systems emerge stronger and more equitable.
Panel Members
- Professor of International Education and Development, The Open University
- Expert in education systems in Africa, including on political economy of reform, teacher training and complementary basic education.
- Inaugural Dean, LUMS School of Education, and Professor of Economics, Pomona College
- Researcher on education and advisor to Government in Pakistan. Co-founder of the Center for Economic Research in Pakistan (CERP).
- Professor of Economics, MIT
- Nobel prize-winning economist celebrated for experimental approach to alleviating global poverty.
- CEO, Pratham Education Foundation
- Award winner of the Yidan Prize for Educational Development Innovator in new pedagogical approaches and assessment, leader of large movement to transform education in India and beyond.
- Professor of Education, Harvard Graduate School of Education
- Researcher at the forefront of understanding and reducing inequalities in education, including for college access, financial aid design, labour market outcomes, and high school reforms.
- Associate Professor, Division of the Social Sciences and the College, University of Chicago; former Chief Economist at FCDO
- Expert on assessing cost-effectiveness of alternative interventions to reduce poverty, including in education. Researcher and policy advisor.
- Emeritus Professor of Child Health and Nutrition, UCL GOS Institute of Global Health
- Pioneer in the rigorous study of Early Childhood Development in developing countries with a focus on parental engagement. Recently made an Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE).
- Professor of Economics, University of California San Diego
- Global co-chair of education at JPAL. Lead Principal Investigator in India for Research on Improving Systems of Education (RISE) program.
- Benjamin Piper Director, Global Education, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Education expert who supports grantees that work to improve foundational literacy and numeracy outcomes in low-income countries
- Previously supported largescale education programs across SubSaharan Africa, the Middle East, and Asia.
- Former Chief Administrative Secretary, Ministry of Education, Kenya
- Experienced researcher; served as director/CEO of the PAL Network since its inception in 2015; former Regional Manager of Uwezo East Africa using evidence to draw public attention to children’s learning.
- Former Minister of Education of Peru, currently Director of Human Development for Latin America and the Caribbean at the World Bank. Previously, he led the the World Bank's Global Education Practice.
- Researcher and policymaker with extensive expertise on education, inequality and poverty reduction.
- Professor of Globalization and Education, NYU Steinhardt
- Community and developmental psychologist; has done extensive research across the U.S., LICs and MICs, with a particular focus on early childhood and inequality.
Resources
Report: Effective Reading Instruction in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: What the Evidence Shows
Executive Summary: Effective Reading Instruction in Low- and Middle-Income Countries : What the Evidence Shows |
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Press Release: New report offers evidence-based solutions to address global literacy crisis among children
Website: Global Education Evidence Advisory Panel
Feature Story: The critical importance of an education landscape driven by evidence
Press Release (May 9, 2023): Education “Smart Buys” report outlines how cost-effectively supporting teachers and parents can lead to significant learning improvements
Press Release: Learning Loss Must be Recovered to Avoid Long-term Damage to Children’s Wellbeing and Productivity, New Report Says
Building Evidence in Education
Background Paper: How to Improve Education Outcomes Most Efficiently?
Publication: Impact Evaluations for Education Policy
Investing in implementation science, so ‘what works’ actually works in practice