Early Learning from The MasterCard Foundation Scholars Program

• In Event: New models and partnerships in higher education

Abstract

Developing countries have made remarkable strides in expanding access to primary education, but youth in these nations continue to face significant barriers to accessing secondary, post-secondary, and high quality education. This is particularly true in Africa and among marginalized groups—such as young women and youth who are disabled, displaced, or in rural and remote areas. Of particular concern is the alignment of education with the demands of the labor market (or 21st century skills) and the movement of skilled workers to higher income countries (or brain drain)—both of which need to be addressed to prepare a workforce that can support the unfolding process of economic growth in Africa and help transform their societies.

This presentation will report on the early results of ongoing monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL) activities of a unique, multi-country, and decade-long educational intervention that seeks to foster social transformation and economic growth by creating an educated and skilled workforce. The MasterCard Foundation Scholars Program provides scholarships for secondary school and university students covering tuition and other educational expenses, as well as a wide range of student support and enrichment services including tutoring, leadership training, career counseling, and internship opportunities. Successful applicants to the Scholars Program are students, mainly from Africa, who exhibit academic promise, economic disadvantage, leadership potential, and a commitment to giving back to society. Over 15,000 Scholars will be supported during the 10-year project period. The Program is implemented through 21 institutional grantees or partners—mostly nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and universities—across 3 continents to select and provide support and enrichment services to the Scholars.

MEL activities for the Scholars Program are designed to answer the following research questions about program implementation, impacts and scale up:

1. How is the Scholars Program being implemented? How are strategies implemented, how does implementation vary across partners, and what factors facilitate or inhibit Program implementation?

2. Does the Scholars Program lead to developing a new cohort of leaders? In particular, what is the impact of the Program on educational and employment outcomes, giving back and returning to Africa?

3. Is the Scholars Program a catalyst for broader change within and beyond implementing institutions to foster the education of leaders among disadvantaged youth in developing countries?

To answer these questions, we use a mixed-methods approach, relying on both qualitative and quantitative methods to understand how various Program elements are implemented, to identify Program successes and challenges, and to understand how the Program may be a catalyst for broader change. Data sources include grant proposals submitted by NGOs and universities participating in the Scholars Program, surveys of Scholars and other similar students selected for the comparison group, telephone interviews with grantees implementing the Scholars Program, and in-depth interviews with institutional staff and Scholars conducted during site visits.

This presentation will focus on early formative learning to inform potential revisions to programmatic efforts, highlight best practices, and share emerging innovations to (1) improve student selection for the Scholars Program, (2) support Scholars in their studies, and (3) help Scholars transition to education and job opportunities after graduation. For example, interviews with staff at grantee institutions revealed common barriers to effective recruitment and selection of qualified Scholars, as well as two innovative models of emerging collaborations across secondary education and university partners designed to address these barriers in different implementation settings (within country and across countries). Also during interviews, Scholars who graduated in 2014 identified support services provided by their host universities that helped them adapt to the rigor of their new programs of studies and transition successfully to life in a new culture and away from home. These Scholars—all studying abroad—planned to return to Africa and highlighted the need to adapt career services offered by grantee institutions to focus on preparing for, and accessing, opportunities in Africa. In this presentation, we will share these learnings arising from early implementation and MEL activities, and draw their implications for the Scholars Program and the broader field of secondary and post-secondary education of students from developing nations, especially Africa.

Authors

• Barry Burciul, The MasterCard Foundation

• Clemencia Cosentino de Cohen, Mathematica Policy Research