Country Briefs

Country briefs provide data and references to the literature on issues that matter for education in the countries. They are part of a series that provides a brief introduction to the state of education systems in Africa. The work was prepared in part for a digital repository of resources at the country, sub-regional, and continental level. The brief series also informs work conducted in the context of (i) the European Union’s Africa Regional Teachers’ Initiative and (ii) the KIX (Knowledge and Innovation exchange) Africa 19 Hub for anglophone countries that promotes the use of evidence for policy making and benefits from funding from the Global Partnership for Education and Canada’s International Development Research Center. The briefs and associated webpages are meant to be updated as new information becomes available, at least on a yearly basis. 

The briefs aim to provide the following resources: 

  • Educational outcomes (depending on data availability): Estimates are provided for learning poverty (the share of 10-year-old children not able to read and understand a simple text), educational attainment and/or enrollment rates at various levels of education, the components of the human capital index, and human capital wealth as a share of national wealth. 
  • Selected literature: Links are provided to selected publications at the global, regional, and country levels with a focus on six themes: (i) learning assessment systems; (ii) early childhood education; (iii) teaching and learning; (iv) the data challenge; (v) gender equality; and (vi) equity and inclusion. 
  • Country policies: Links are provided to key institutions (including Ministries) managing the education system, selected policy and planning documents, and websites that aim to provide comparative data on policies across countries.
  • Knowledge repositories and other resources: Links are provided to a dozen digital repositories that collate publications and resources on education issues in Africa. 
  • Data: Links are provided to data sources that can help inform education policy.

In 2024, we will also add a section to country briefs on IICBA’s work in each country.

Please do not hesitate to provide feedback on country briefs or suggest corrections as needed.