Delivering Quality Education During Emergencies: Evidence and Potential for Scale

Group Submission Type: Formal Panel Session

Proposal

The aftermath of COVID-19 has amplified the call for resilient education systems that provide ongoing education in the wake of disruptions. Learning loss resulting from the pandemic has made clear that school closures of any length risk exacerbating an ongoing learning crisis. Millions of children experience disruptions to learning every year. The most recent Global Education Monitoring (GEM) Report found an estimated 250 million children in 2023 were forced out of school, a figure equal to pre-pandemic levels (UNESCO, 2023). Uncovering the best methods to reach these students during such disruptions would represent a significant step towards improving learning for the most marginalized on a global level.

Evidence on the most successful approaches is rare. Although over 90% of countries utilized some form of emergency interventions at the peak of the pandemic, few were subject to the type of impact evaluation necessary to generate data-driven insights on delivery (GEEAP, 2022). Studies examining specific mechanisms that produce impact at scale can therefore provide a valuable blueprint for optimized solutions for education in emergency settings.

Panelists will present promising education interventions that have been shown to improve learning across several contexts. Each presentation will detail a specific emergency context, how education is being delivered to affected students, and lessons that can inform future initiatives.

Sub Unit

• General Pool

Organizer

• Colin Crossley, Youth Impact

Chair

• Verna Lynn Lalbeharie, EdTech Hub

Individual Presentations

• The Tutor is Calling: Using Remote Phone-Based Tutoring to Build Resilient Education Systems - Colin Crossley, Youth Impact

• Impact Evaluations in Emergency Settings: Lessons and Insights - Silvia Diazgranados, International Rescue Committee

Discussants

• Dana Burde, New York University

• Noam Angrist, Youth Impact; What Works Hub for Global Education, University of Oxford

• Baela R Jamil, Idara-e-Taleem-o-Aagahi ITA

• Linda Jones, UNICEF