Benjamin Piper

“Build the basement first': Gates Foundation's Benjamin Piper on solving Africa's learning poverty by 2035 As African governments confront declining donor funding and a persistent learning crisis, the Gates Foundation has made foundational learning its top education priority. Benjamin Piper, Director of Gl...

It was great to talk with Ecofin Agency at the #ADEATriennale2025.

Read to learn more about how countries are making real progress through political commitment, domestic budget allocation, and clear learning targets: www.ecofinagency.com/insights/191...

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When the new evidence on reading from diverse contexts points in the same direction, we should pay attention. The new GEEAP report synthesizes ~150 studies on effective reading instruction from LMICs covering 165+ languages.
Join the launch webinar on Dec 4 at 9am ET bit.ly/3Khlhp8

Historic news from #G20SouthAfrica: #IBSALeaders (India, Brazil, South Africa) commit to establish the IBSA Network for Quality #FoundationalLearning – centering learning outcomes for every child. Excited to see momentum grow under SA’s IBSA Presidency next year. acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:...

ADEA is seeking a Founding Executive Director to shape and lead FLIGHT, a new catalytic funding initiative to support African governments to implement proven foundational learning interventions at scale.

Learn more: adeanet.org/en/call-appl...

Addressing Literacy Challenges in Africa through Evidence-based Solutions | ADEA

Honored to join ADEA at the #ADEATriennale2025 to discuss the new GEEAP endorsed report and its implications not just for literacy outcomes, but the potential for economic development if implemented properly. Listen to the podcast here: www.adeanet.org/en/podcasts/...

#foundationallearning #adeatriennale2025 | Benjamin Piper I’m back home after an intense week in Accra with Association for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA), partners and leaders in African education. It was an honor to take part in the #Foundat...

Just back from an intense week in Accra with ADEA, partners, and leaders in global education from across Africa. Don’t miss my takeaways and where we can go with the commitments shared at the #ADEATriennale2025. www.linkedin.com/posts/benjam...

FLIGHT, the Foundational Learning Initiative for Government-led Transformation, empowers African Ministers of Education with tools and networks to strengthen their efforts to improve #FoundationalLearning – centering local leadership for lasting impact. media.licdn.com/dms/document...

Effective Reading Instruction in Low- and Middle-Income Countries : What the Evidence Shows This report is grounded in the Science of reading, a vast, multidisciplinary body of research on how children learn to read and how best to teach reading. Drawing from .

#OutNow: The new report on effective reading instruction from GEEAP provides compelling guidance on how children learn to read and how to teach them most effectively. Evidence-based teaching matters. documents.worldbank.org/en/publicati...

The Gates Foundation Global Education team is off to Accra for the ADEA #Triennale2025. Join us and partners at the following sessions to hear about #FoundationalLearning progress and the programs that are improving learning outcomes across the continent.

How bilingual instruction is boosting learning in Senegal Senegal’s experiment with bilingual education is showing how teaching children in the languages they speak at home can boost learning.

Glad to see Mamadou Amadou Ly and ARED recognized in @devex.com. We’re proud to partner on their work in bilingual education so more kids get high-quality instruction in a language they understand. www.devex.com/news/how-bil...

Last month, I joined a partners visit to India and learned how the national education mission has led to measurable improvements in learning outcomes. With strong political will, prioritization and accountability, large-scale reform is an achievable goal.

At the #UNGA80 #DisruptToDeliver event, it was clear that there is strong commitment to improve learning outcomes. Smarter spending and a laser focus on foundational skills are the way forward.

knowledgehub.adeanet.org/en/elibrary/...

Since USAID’s closure @datafirst.bsky.social's AFLEARN data hub has worked to preserve essential education data from over 43 countries, representing over 20 years of evidence. Great to see partners working together to address challenges imposed by aid cuts: www.datafirst.uct.ac.za/aflearn/data...

Congratulations to Mamadou Amadou Ly, ARED's Executive Director, for being awarded the Yidan Prize for education development. ARED’s work highlights the critical role of mother tongue instruction in equitably driving foundational learning outcomes yidanprize.org/laureates/ma...

Smart solutions needed to finance foundational learning - New African Magazine It is time to refashion finance and strategy to equip every child with the foundational skills to learn, earn, and lead, because the future for all of us depends on it. Across many low- and middle-inc...

It's time to rethink how we fund global education. Flexible, strategic donor investments designed to align with local priorities leads to impact. Let’s invest in what works. Read more from a recent op-ed written by myself and Hon. Madalitso Kambauwa Wirima: newafricanmagazine.com/31035/

Thanks ADEA for having me on their podcast series. I am inspired by education colleagues and ministers that have decided to prioritize learning and dedicate domestic funding to ensure students gain foundational skills. Listen here: creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/...

The Precarity of Aid for Basic Education and What To Do About It Global aid is entering a period of retrenchment. After a decade of expansion, budget announcements for 2025 point to cuts across major donors, driven by fiscal tightening and competing domestic and in...

A new analysis underscores the threat of shrinking education aid. We must pivot existing resources toward evidence-based foundational learning programs that unlock millions in GDP growth, higher earnings, and employment opportunities. Learn more: www.cgdev.org/blog/precari...

I’m joining Gates colleagues, as well as grantees and partners this week at #UKFIET2025.

This event offers a great opportunity for knowledge sharing that builds on the momentum we’re seeing from African governments prioritizing #FoundationalLearning given its huge returns.

Pleased to share the new communications toolkit on #FoundationalLearning, packed with practical, evidence-based strategies to help governments, educators, and partners engage new audiences.

Explore it here: www.imidibaniso.co.za/wp-content/u...

Doing more with less: Why foreign aid should prioritise foundational learning now Cuts to global education funding will forgo at least $100 billion in lifetime earnings. Supporting national governments to leverage domestic financing to improve foundational learning should be a prio...

New in @voxdev.bsky.social, I joined @noamangrist.bsky.social, Pia Britto, @gamblingondev.bsky.social, Michelle Kaffenberger, and @deankarlan.bsky.social on the impact of funding cuts and what we can do to continue progress despite them.
voxdev.org/topic/educat...

This week, the Global Coalition for Foundational Learning, joined by African partners such as Human Capital Africa (HCA) and ADEA, is in India to learn from India’s reforms and strengthen… | Human Ca... This week, the Global Coalition for Foundational Learning, joined by African partners such as Human Capital Africa (HCA) and ADEA, is in India to learn from India’s reforms and strengthen South–South...

Just wrapped a powerful week in India with the Global Coalition for Foundational Learning. Grateful to hear from the experts implementing #FoundationalLearning programs and to see the effects of strong government leadership. More from Human Capital Africa: www.linkedin.com/posts/human-...

Doing more with less: Why foreign aid should prioritise foundational learning now Cuts to global education funding will forgo at least $100 billion in lifetime earnings. Supporting national governments to leverage domestic financing to improve foundational learning should be a prio...

🆕 Doing more with less: Why foreign aid should prioritise foundational learning now

By @noamangrist.bsky.social @blavatnikschool.bsky.social, Pia Britto @unicef.org, @gamblingondev.bsky.social, Michelle Kaffenberger @wwhglobaled.bsky.social, @deankarlan.bsky.social & @benlpiper.bsky.social ⤵️

When teachers are supported and engaged in #FoundationalLearning, children’s learning outcomes notably improve. Looking forward to the discussions at @unesco.org’s World Summit on Teachers and the commitments that emerge.

In the wake of reduced development aid, we must support domestic resource mobilization, make #FoundationalLearning skills a top priority, and use data to fund what works. Coordinated global education financing ensures that students get the quality education they deserve.

Children Who Can Read and Count at Age Ten Earn More Later in Life: New Evidence from Indonesia Children with stronger foundational reading and math skills go on to earn about 11 percent more as adults, even after accounting for family background and years of schooling. These skills offer value ...

New data from @cgdev.org shows that investing in #FoundationalLearning provides major economic returns for #LMICs. Kudos to the many governments, donors, and education leaders who prioritize investment in foundational skills for prosperous futures. Read more: www.cgdev.org/blog/childre...

Gates Foundation doubles down on education as other donors scale back Gates Foundation's Global Education Director Benjamin Piper lays out the what, why, and how of the philanthropic organization's approach to supporting foundational learning in sub-Saharan Africa and I...

I was honored to speak with @devex.com on why #FoundationalLearning is one of the smartest investments governments can make for economic growth – and how the Gates Foundation is committed to supporting their path to scale-up. Read the article here: www.devex.com/news/gates-f...

📚📊 NEW @cgdev.org RESEARCH: Children who master basic reading and math in primary school earn significantly more as adults. Evidence that foundational literacy and numeracy skills have real economic returns throughout life.

Kids who gain reading and math skills stay in school longer, have more job opportunities, earn more, and live healthier lives. This #WorldYouthSkillsDay, let’s implement proven solutions to ensure every child gets the best possible start in life. #WYSD2025

Statement to FFD4 on financing education for development: Building the future: A renewed global compact for sustainable financing of education | Global Partnership for Education Statement from representatives of governments, public development banks, philanthropic organizations, international institutions, civil society, and the business sector on the occasion of the 4th Inte...

Education is the foundation of sustainable development, but we need better financing systems to create impact on the national level. A new joint statement shares steps to help every dollar spent on education financing strengthen education systems. www.globalpartnership.org/news/stateme...

The African Union's new CESA strategy includes #FoundationalLearning for the first time. We have extensive evidence on how to improve learning and an opportunity to align efforts across the continent. Together we can build a future-ready generation in Africa: au.int/sites/defaul...