Evidence for System Transformation Brief: Foundational Learning

According to the Commitment to Action on Foundational Learning, a global initiative launched at the 2022 Transforming Education Summit, foundational learning refers to "basic literacy, numeracy, and transferable skills such as socio-emotional skills" (World Bank 2023). This holistic vision of learning outcomes aligns with the Global Partnership for Education's (GPE) prioritization of learning in GPE 2025, which includes strong attention to foundational skills, namely literacy, numeracy, and social-emotional skills. Foundational learning is essential because it serves as the basis for all later learning. Without basic literacy and numeracy skills, the knowledge and skills of other school subjects and higher school levels will be largely inaccessible. Foundational transferable skills, including social-emotional skills, likewise, set an important groundwork for children's positive development throughout their school lives and beyond. Global interest in foundational learning has been fueled by growing attention to the learning crisis, which was exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and ensuing school closures. Since there is a growing interest of this topic, this report reviews the evidence of key factors that can foster foundational learning and raises considerations for GPE and partner countries in thinking about how to support and engage with foundational learning.