Confronting the Learning Crisis – Lessons from World Bank Support for Basic Education - Board report and committee lessons

Jul 19, 2026

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Report to the Board from the Committee on Development Effectiveness (September 4, 2024) reviews an Independent Evaluation on confronting the learning crisis, covering World Bank basic education support from 2012–22. Members welcome the assessment and support findings and recommendations, emphasizing country-specific education engagement plans, continuity of support, and systems-based improvements to the teaching framework. The committee also highlights closing data gaps on learning outcomes, tracking progress to end learning poverty, and adopting a holistic approach focused on resilient infrastructure and the digital access divide. Attention is given to digital literacy, education–jobs links, capacity building at provincial or district levels, and shifting from output tracking to outcome measurement, including incentives for staff.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages1

Reading Time3 min

Committee Considerations

Support for the Evaluation Findings and Recommendations

Focus Areas: Systems, Data Gaps, and Learning Outcomes

Infrastructure, Digital Divide, and Digital Literacy

Education–Jobs Nexus and Capacity Building

Moving From Outputs to Outcomes and Staff Incentives

Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized Confronting the Learning Crisis – Lessons from World Bank Support for Basic Education, 2012–22 An Independent Evaluation Report to the Board from the Committee on Development Effectiveness ∗ (Meeting of September 4, 2024) The Committee on Development Effectiveness met to consider the IEG’s report Confronting the Learning Crisis –Lessons from World Bank Support for Basic Education, 2012–22: An Independent Evaluation (CODE2024- 0018 ; /3) and the World Bank Draft Management Response (CODE2024-0026 ; /2) . The Committee welcomed the evaluation and commended IEG for a comprehensive and timely assessment. They expressed support for the Report’s findings and IEG recommendations which call for the WB to develop country-specific education engagement plans that promote continuity in WB support, include systems-based improvements to the teaching framework in order to improve learning outcomes, to collaborate with global and country partners to close the data gaps on learning outcomes, and track progress towards ending learning poverty. While EDs recognized the WB’s efforts in the education sector, they noted the increasing learning poverty rate in low-and middle-income countries and reiterated that the institution is well placed to lead to deliver a more strategic and accelerated response to the learning crisis. Members urged Management to take a more holistic system-based approach to address the issue of basic education, including focusing on resilient infrastructure and the digital access divide. Members encouraged Management to support the development of digital literacy as part of its human capital programs in Africa. They also underscored the importance of focusing on the nexus between education and jobs and economic transformation (JET) and on strengthening capacity building, including at the provincial or district levels for successful implementation of education reforms. In line with IEG’s findings, members urged Management to move beyond delivering and monitoring of outputs to tracking and measuring outcomes, such as improvements in learning poverty and asked about Management’s plans to incentivize staff to promote the measurement and targeting of outcomes versus outputs in Bank engagements. ∗ This report is not an approved record.

FAQs

What evaluation and responses did the committee consider on September 4, 2024?

The committee considered the IEG independent evaluation report on confronting the learning crisis (2012–22) and the World Bank draft management response.

What key actions does the evaluation recommend for the World Bank?

The evaluation calls for country-specific education engagement plans, continuity in World Bank support, systems-based teaching framework improvements to raise learning outcomes, collaboration with partners to close learning-outcome data gaps, and tracking progress toward ending learning poverty.

How did committee members suggest the Bank should monitor progress going forward?

Members urged a move beyond delivering and monitoring outputs toward tracking and measuring outcomes, such as reductions in learning poverty, including plans to incentivize staff to emphasize outcome measurement and targeting.

Jul 19, 2026

Upload by Miles