Social and behavior change communication (SBCC) represents the culmination of decades of research and practice in the public health field, where communication has been a critical element of efforts to encourage positive health behaviors. A basic tenet of SBCC is that information is necessary but seldom sufficient to sustainably change behavior (C-Change, 2012). The methodology bridges the gap between awareness and action by influencing the beliefs that can block or enable needed behavior change.

To reinforce school-based education efforts, increased attention is being paid to what happens when children are not in school, especially when they are at home. This report presents the key findings from a survey conducted in two regions of Senegal in April 2015 to determine the reading support that children receive at home. The survey sample was drawn from schools in which the Associates in Research and Education for Development (ARED), a Senegalese nongovernmental organization (NGO), is implementing a bilingual (French/Wolof) curriculum in grade 1 (designated as “CI” in Senegal) and grade 3 (CE1). Schools were selected from two zones in Senegal: (1) Kaolack, which serves as the intervention area; and (2) Rufisque, which serves as the control area.

From December 2014 to June 2015, the Nigeria Reading and Access Research Activity (RARA) evaluated the effectiveness of an instructional approach to improving Hausa early grade reading outcomes among Primary 2 pupils in the Northern Nigerian states of Bauchi and Sokoto. The approach was designed and implemented by RTI International, in collaboration with Nigerian education authorities, in particular the State Universal Basic Education Boards (SUBEBs) of Bauchi and Sokoto, as well as Colleges of Education (COEs) in these states. It was funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through the Education Data for Decision Making (EdData II) mechanism (www.eddataglobal.org). This report presents the results of the reading approach evaluation on teacher practices, children's reading outcomes, and instructional leadership.

This report summarizes main findings and lessons learned from the piloting of lot quality assurance sampling (LQAS) in the education sector in Ghana. It also suggests next steps for applying LQAS more broadly for education program monitoring.

This reports summarizes a process to improve performance management and accountability that emphasized participatory data collection and use in Northern Nigeria. Private sector actors at State, LG and school and community level were encouraged to collect data and use it for purposes of advocacy, capacity building, and accountability. At the local government level, community participation was encouraged through a series of forums in which representatives from school staff, parents, business and religious leaders collectively reviewed data on the performance of their primary school education system, established areas for support, and assigned responsibilities. Although successful with support from project funds, it was unclear if the process would survive after the project. This report summarizes a survey of forum participants and is divided into three sections: (i) a short discussion of the data collection process; (ii) a summary review of survey results; and (iii) recommendation for three key areas of sustainability – roles and responsibilities; financing and formalization of the process.

In March 2011, a research team evaluated the skills of 420 P4 and 420 P64 students with an Early Grade Mathematics Assessment (EGMA) instrument adapted to the Rwandan curriculum and context. An English-language Early Grade Reading Assessment (EGRA) instrument was adapted to the Rwandan context, while a Kinyarwanda-language instrument was developed based on the linguistic structure of the Kinyarwanda language.5 We gathered a diverse range of information using the Snapshot of School Management Effectiveness (SSME) instruments developed by the EdData II project and customized for the Rwandan context. A random selection of districts and non-private schools in Rwanda were included in the survey, and therefore students from a range of socioeconomic backgrounds are represented.

This document is based on the structure of previous education profiles that traditionally use Demographic and Household Survey (DHS) data to characterize children’s participation in primary and secondary schooling and adults’ schooling attainment and literacy. Previously, these standardized profiles were used for cross-country comparisons. However, in the context of Nigeria, past DHS data, combined with the 2015 NEDS, allows a longitudinal perspective of the same indicators. The 2015 NEDS profile also provides more information than previous profiles on the mechanisms used to sample, collect, and analyze the household data and should be used as a reference for the national and 37 state/Federal Capital Territory reports that provide graphical representation of the data.

This early grade reading material is made possible by the support of the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) under the Nigeria Reading and Access Research Activity (EdData Task Order Number 26, EHC-E-00-04-00004-00) implemented by RTI International.

Between February 2014 and November 2015, RTI International implemented the Reading and Access Research Activity (RARA). Funding was provided by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)/Nigeria through the Education Data for Decision Making (EdData) II task order (http://www.eddataglobal.org). The purpose of RARA was to provide data to better inform the Nigerian government, donor partners, civil society, and others about issues related to education access and reading outcomes, issues related to Goal 1 and Goal 3, respectively, of USAID’s Education Strategy. Specifically, the research RARA conducted in Bauchi, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, and Sokoto states is intended to inform future interventions aimed at increasing access to education (in both formal government and non-formal religious schools) and improving children’s literacy skills, specifically in Hausa. This report summarizes activities and outcomes.

This early grade reading material is made possible through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) under the Nigeria Reading and Access Research Activity (EdData Task Order Number 26, EHC-E-00-04-00004-00) implemented by RTI International. It was tested in a controlled experiment that demonstrated effectiveness of the approach on improving reading skills.