GPE’s Knowledge and Innovation Exchange (KIX) Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) Hub, led by the Research and Innovation Laboratory in Education for Latin America and the Caribbean (SUMMA) and the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), is a space for knowledge exchange and mobilization, learning, synthesis and collaboration among educational leaders from Dominica, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Nicaragua, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and St. Lucia.

One of the ways in which SUMMA and the OECS support these countries is through the implementation of regional learning visits as an exchange mechanism to transform education systems.

Bridges to new opportunities and knowledge

Learning visits, where key education stakeholders from one country visit another country to observe and personally experience the implementation of innovative policies and practice in education, are more than academic trips.

This hands-on exposure provides a profound and contextualized understanding of how and why different education systems work, and is a powerful mechanism for knowledge sharing, innovation and strengthening ministries' capacities for evidence-based decision making.

During the preparation phase, participants and the host country team identify essential learning needs and challenges. Joint objectives are set, and priorities are defined. The KIX LAC Hub ensures that each participant has a counterpart in the country visited, fostering a deeper and more personalized knowledge exchange.

Participants visit educational facilities and observe the practical implementation of policies, meeting with policy implementers and interacting directly with beneficiaries, such as teachers and families. Exchange sessions are organized with experts and researchers in the field, where evidence is discussed, and key challenges are addressed.

From learning exchange to policy change: Implementation of EMIS in the region

In December 2023, the KIX LAC Hub facilitated a learning visit to Guyana by a delegation of representatives from Eastern Caribbean countries and OECS members to strengthen the capacities of the participating countries in the implementation of Education Management Information Systems (EMIS).

Guyana had just launched EMIS nationwide in October 2023 and shared valuable experiences and best practices, including the importance of policy and regulatory support, building partnerships, raising awareness and providing ongoing teacher training to implement EMIS.

The visit also emphasized Guyana’s commitment to fostering knowledge sharing, collaboration and mutual learning to strengthen EMIS implementation across the region.

In June 2024, representatives from the Ministries of Education of Guyana and Grenada were received by officials from the Ministry of Education of The Bahamas to acquire knowledge on integrating OpenEMIS and explore additional modules used in The Bahamas not currently implemented in Guyana.

Davhis Caldeira, Senior Statistician from the Ministry of Education of Guyana, emphasized the importance of the knowledge exchange: “We went through the implementation of EMIS not in isolation, but with insights from other countries, which helped us avoid many challenges.”

This example illustrates how practical lessons drawn from the experiences of other countries provide participants with new strategies to address their specific challenges, reinforcing the value of regional collaboration. Upon their return, educational professionals apply the knowledge acquired to promote continuous improvement in their educational systems.

From learning exchange to policy change: Supporting education reform in El Salvador

In December 2022, a delegation from the Ministry of Education of El Salvador was received by the State of Chile and KIX LAC Hub. El Salvador has been focused on expanding access for vulnerable groups and was in the process of strengthening its policies to ensure quality and equity in early learning environments. Chile, with its well-established frameworks for early childhood education, offered valuable experience in areas such as quality assurance, gender-focused approaches and intersectoral collaboration.

The visit enabled both countries to exchange knowledge on addressing key issues, such as identifying priority groups and ensuring effective coordination across sectors. By learning from Chile’s successes and challenges, El Salvador aimed to adapt and implement similar strategies to enhance its early childhood education system.

With the continued collaboration and support of the KIX LAC Hub, and in continuous coordination with local and international organizations working with the country, El Salvador launched the "Mi Nueva Escuela" reform.

From May 2023 to March 2024, various units within the Ministry of Education worked to consolidate the reform conceptually, basing it on both experience and evidence. The reform includes early childhood as one of the six pillars and focuses on renovating school infrastructure and strengthening pedagogical practices.

Further connecting academia and research to policy makers

Evidence is fundamental to the process of transforming education as it directly influences the formulation of public policies. Learning visits are key opportunities to expose policy makers to evidence from academic research.

In September 2023, a Honduran delegation, chaired by the Minister of Education, aimed to learn more about how to provide leadership programs for in-service teachers. The KIX LAC Hub facilitated a meeting between researchers from Fundación Educación 2020, a civil society organization, and the Honduran Ministry of Education.

Fundación Educación 2020 shared learnings from their GPE KIX research project on adapting and scaling up Peer Tutoring for teachers and school leaders. The researchers presented the Peer Tutoring methodology as an effective teacher professional development program, adaptable to teachers' own teaching processes, which can transform traditional power dynamics in the classroom into more equal interactions, by showcasing the enjoyment of learning in a tutoring relationship.

These discussions with the Honduran Ministry of Education were crucial for the scalability of this innovative model.

For those committed to educational transformation in your regions, we encourage you to consider learning visits as a fundamental strategy to drive educational innovation and strengthen collaborative networks. If you are part of one of the KIX LAC countries, express your interest in participating in these enriching visits to contribute to improving education in your context.

Learn more about learning visits.

We would like to thank Rosa Maria Moncada, Country Support Officer; Magali Peréz Ryzio, Communications Officer; and Raul Chacón, Program Director at KIX LAC HUB, for their valuable contributions in developing this blog.