Rise programme

RISE Programme: Overcoming the Learning Crisis in Developing Countries

RISE Programme is a global research endeavour that seeks to understand how education systems in developing countries can overcome the learning crisis. The programme is funded by the UK Department for International Development (DFID) and the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), and it brings together a team of researchers from around the world to study education systems in low- and middle-income countries.

The learning crisis refers to the fact that many children in developing countries are not learning basic skills like reading, writing, and arithmetic despite attending school. This is a major challenge for these countries because education is key to economic growth, poverty reduction, and social development. RISE Programme aims to address this challenge by conducting rigorous research on education systems in developing countries.

RISE Programme has three main objectives:

1. To generate new evidence on how education systems can be improved in low- and middle-income countries.

2. To build capacity for research on education systems in these countries.

3. To engage with policymakers, practitioners, and other stakeholders to ensure that research findings are used to inform policy decisions.

To achieve these objectives, RISE Programme conducts a range of activities including:

1. Longitudinal studies: These studies follow cohorts of students over time to understand how their educational outcomes change as they progress through school.

2. Randomized controlled trials: These trials test interventions designed to improve educational outcomes such as teacher training or curriculum reform.

3. Case studies: These studies provide detailed insights into specific aspects of education systems such as teacher motivation or community involvement.

RISE Programme focuses on six core themes:

1. Early childhood development

2. School management

3. Teacher professional development

4. Curriculum reform

5. Accountability mechanisms

6. Education financing

By studying these themes across multiple contexts, RISE Programme aims to generate insights into what works (and what doesn't) when it comes to improving education systems in developing countries.

RISE Programme has already produced a wealth of research findings that are helping to inform policy decisions in countries like India, Tanzania, and Vietnam. For example, RISE researchers found that providing teachers with performance-based incentives can improve student learning outcomes in India. In Tanzania, RISE researchers found that community involvement in school management can lead to better educational outcomes for students.

RISE Programme is committed to ensuring that its research findings are accessible and useful for policymakers and practitioners. To this end, the programme has developed a range of resources including policy briefs, working papers, and data visualizations.

In conclusion, RISE Programme is an important initiative that is helping to address the learning crisis in developing countries. By conducting rigorous research on education systems across multiple contexts, RISE Programme is generating new insights into what works (and what doesn't) when it comes to improving educational outcomes for children. Policymakers and practitioners around the world can benefit from the programme's research findings as they work towards building more effective education systems in their own countries.