Innovative Finance
August 1, 2024
Context and Issue
Despite increased school enrollment worldwide, millions of children in developing countries spend years in school without gaining foundational skills. This learning crisis is exacerbated by inadequate resources, poorly aligned education systems, and insufficient support for teachers. The Research on Improving Systems of Education (RISE) program addresses these issues by investigating how education systems can overcome this crisis and improve learning outcomes for all students.
Solution
RISE is a global research programme was initiated on January 17, 2014 with Country Research Teams generating original scholarship in seven countries: Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Tanzania, and Vietnam. The programme aims to understand education systems' coherence and effectiveness in these contexts to improve learning outcomes. The key components of the RISE programme include Country Research Teams (CRTs), Political Economy Teams (PETs), an Intellectual Leadership Team (ILT), RISE Fellows, and the Directorate. CRTs, led by world-renowned Principal Investigators, generate original scholarship on education systems in the seven RISE countries: Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Tanzania, and Vietnam. PETs analyze local institutions and politics within education systems, examining their impact on the adoption and implementation of education reforms. The ILT, a multi-disciplinary team of renowned scholars and practitioners, provides thought leadership, research advice, and scholarly assessment, producing working papers and insights into education systems research. RISE Fellows, a group of invited, non-resident academic researchers, augment RISE's research by working on themes with additional country focus or methods. The Directorate, through a partnership between Oxford Policy Management and the Blavatnik School of Government at the University of Oxford, leads, manages, and implements the research programme, synthesizing ideas and research into policy recommendations and outputs for global audiences. These components collaboratively conduct rigorous research, engage with stakeholders, and influence education policy and practice at various levels.
Impact
The implementation of the RISE project has profoundly impacted education systems in developing countries, with a primary focus on enhancing foundational learning outcomes. With a total budget of £37,660,842, the programme has effectively utilized £37,268,448 (98.96%) to conduct extensive research and provide strategic recommendations. As, per the 2023 report, over the past eight years, RISE has produced nearly 500 written outputs, including 110 original research papers, 87 synthesis products, and 301 other written works such as insight notes and blogs, which have garnered over 600 academic citations. Furthermore, RISE has engaged with national and international stakeholders 776 times since 2015 and organized 92 events, including seven in-person and one remote conference, as well as 15 public webinars. This extensive outreach has built a robust Community of Practice comprising 100 organizations from 30 countries and six continents. RISE's research has highlighted critical issues such as the long-term decline in education quality in some countries, significant gaps in learning outcomes between socioeconomic groups, and the effectiveness of tailored interventions like computer-aided instruction. By aligning instruction with children's learning needs and addressing systemic incoherences, RISE is fostering a paradigm shift in how education systems are understood and improved, ultimately benefiting millions of students in developing countries.