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Effective Reading Instruction in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: What the Evidence Shows [PDF]
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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.
