The largest platform for country-to-country exchange around education on the continent, the Africa Foundational Learning Exchange 2024, will bring together policy makers, thought leaders, development partners, implementers, and other education actors from across sub-Saharan Africa to catalyze the scaling of successful interventions that enhance foundational learning.

Countries will exchange progress made on commitments in foundational learning at various for a, including the 2023 FLEX gathering in Sierra Leone, the 2023 Heads of State Human Capital Exchange in Dar es Salam, and the 2024 ADEA High Level Policy Dialogue in Zambia.

Through a series of presentations, panels, round table discussions, formal and informal dialogue over three days in Kigali, participants will share knowledge derived from foundational learning efforts on the continent and jointly plan the way forward towards meeting targets.

The three-day Foundational Learning Exchange consists of:

• Day 1. Technical Sessions on Foundational Learning
• Day 2. Event Opening, Ministerial Round Table, and Country to Country Technical Exchange
• Day 3. School Visits, Ministerial Reflections, Resolutions for the Way Forward.

GPE is taking an active role in discussions on critical cross-cutting issues to address the challenges and innovative approaches to tackling the learning crisis facing the continent.

GPE will participate in the panels and events listed below. See the full agenda and details. All events will take place at the Kigali Convention Center, Kigali, Rwanda.

Monday, November 11, 2024

Scaling Foundational Learning: Insights, Approaches and Perspectives from the Ground

• Time: 09:00-10:00
• Location: Main Hall 3
• Overview: This session will bring together technical representatives from the Global Coalition for Foundational Learning, partner and donor organizations, and governments who are involved in the successful scaling of foundational learning programs and interventions. The session will compare different approaches to scaling foundational learning, highlighting successes and challenges from diverse experiences. The interactive discussion will provide a platform for participants to share their lessons learned, identify common principles, and explore what works and what doesn’t in various contexts, fostering collaboration among technical experts, government, and implementers.

Tuesday, November 12, 2024

Scaling Foundational Learning: What it takes and what works to end the learning crisis in Africa (Education Leadership Panel)

• Time: 11:00-12:30
• Location: Auditorium
• Overview: This session will explore how evidence-based, scalable, and sustainable solutions are turning commitments into transformative actions to address Africa's learning crisis. Drawing on both country-level and development partner experiences, this session will highlight the critical role of strong data, political will, and strategic partnerships in advancing foundational learning outcomes to achieve broader education and development goals. Through an interactive discussion, participants will gain insights into what it takes to successfully scale interventions, institutionalize sustainable programs, and ensure all learners gain foundational learning skills across the continent. The session will also emphasize the importance of monitoring progress with high-quality data to ensure that no learner is left behind.

Applying a holistic lens to Foundational Learning: Focus on School Feeding, Health and Hygiene

• Time: 15:40-17:00
• Location: Main Hall 3
• Overview: School feeding programs have been recognized as a strategic tool to enhance educational outcomes and are crucial interventions aimed at ensuring that children receive nutritious meals during school hours especially at the foundational learning stage. School feeding programs and their complementary activities represent a vital investment in the future of children and communities worldwide. These programs are designed to combat malnutrition, improve concentration and academic performance, and increase school enrolment and attendance rates. As Member States continue to invest in foundational learning, integrating school feeding initiatives and complementary activities into educational policies and programs is vital. The Africa Foundational Learning Exchange in the Year of Education 2024 (FLEX) Conference on Foundational Learning provides an opportune platform to discuss and advocate for comprehensive, sustainable, and scalable school feeding programs across the continent. This discussion aims to bring together diverse perspectives to create comprehensive strategies that ensure the success and sustainability of school feeding programs and their complementary activities.