High-fidelity implementation at low cost
Global education is at a crossroads. For decades, a learning crisis has persisted, with students unable to read or operate basic numbers. This has now been compounded by a fiscal crunch, with over $1 billion lost in development aid to education and many governments grappling with growing debt.
This situation necessitates a rethink. We need efficient and sustainable solutions to improve learning and to ensure scarce education funds are being used in the most effective way possible.
- By efficiency, we mean maintaining a laser-focus on effective, low-cost implementation.
- By sustainability, we mean doubling down on government partnerships and empowering local leaders.
To support our sector in achieving the efficiency goal of high-fidelity implementation at low cost, we’ve built a set of resources and examples on this topic, which you can browse below. To learn more, see our clarion call for efficient and sustainable solutions to achieve foundational learning.
If you would like to contribute to the compendium, please email wwhge.proposals@bsg.ox.ac.uk with your proposed contribution. All submissions will be reviewed by a committee prior to inclusion in the compendium.
Resources
Six insights on implementation challenges at scale – and how to fix them
Noam Angrist, Ben Piper, Rukmini Banerji, Hafsatu Hamza, Laura Poswell and Yue-Yi Hwa
Researchers share insights from the panel titled ‘Implementation Matters: Where Do Things Break Down at Scale?’ held during the fifth anniversary of Teaching at the Right Level (TaRL) Africa Conference on 14-15 November 2024 in Nairobi, Kenya.
A/B testing in education: rapid experimentation to optimise programme cost-effectiveness
Noam Angrist, Amanda Beatty, Claire Cullen and Moitshepi Matsheng
This insight note explores the practical benefits of A/B testing in education, highlighting its ability to optimise interventions quickly and at a low cost in low- and middle-income countries.
Implementation matters: Generalising treatment effects in education
Noam Angrist and Rachael Meager
Targeted instruction (that is, teaching to the level of a child’s understanding, rather than the prescribed level for their age) is one of the most effective educational interventions in low- and middle-income countries, yet reported impacts vary by an order of magnitude. What explains the difference?
The need for more and better cost-effectiveness data to inform government delivery of foundational learning programmes
Christine H. Beggs, Clio Dintilhac and Michelle Kaffenberger
More cost-effectiveness data on scaled-up foundational learning programmes is needed. Learn how barriers to this evidence can be reduced.
A simple text message intervention can help improve the effectiveness of government programmes
James Habyarimana and Jacobus Cilliers
Well-designed programmes with prior evidence of success often fail when scaled up by government. In this blog we identify and test for a low-cost way to improve the implementation of a school governance reform programme in Tanzania, which was rolled out nationwide to over 20,000 schools between 2017 and 2019.
Related content
A clarion call for efficient and sustainable solutions to achieve foundational learning
To improve learning with limited funds, global education needs resources on efficiency and sustainability. Read our call for contributions.
Compendiums
A collection of compendiums related to improving education outcomes.
Embeddedness in government systems at all levels
Read resources about improving education initiatives’ sustainability through strengthening government partnerships and empowering local leaders.