The Kenya Spotlight country report on leadership and foundational learning was launched this week in Nairobi at the first international conference organized by the Kenya Education Management Institute (KEMI). A partnership between the Kenya Ministry of Education and the GEM Report, the report shows that the efforts being made to lever school and system leadership to drive improvements in foundational learning.

As in the other four focus countries (Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Morocco and Zimbabwe) in the third cycle of the Spotlight series on foundational learning in Africa, which focused on leadership, the Spotlight report on Kenya combined qualitative with quantitative data collected from 60 public primary schools in Bungoma, Nairobi, Mombasa and Tharaka Nithi counties. Responses were gathered from heads of institutions, early grade teachers, Boards of Management and education officials to inform a comprehensive and well-rounded analysis of the system.

Progress in access and remaining challenges

The country report echoes findings from the 2026 Global Education Monitoring Report, Countdown to 2030. Kenya has improved access to education, with completion rates rising significantly between 2000 and 2024, from 54% to 87% in primary education and from 24% to 41% in upper secondary education. Many learners complete their education later than expected. In Kenya, while 60% of students complete lower secondary education on time (i.e. within three to five years of the official graduation age), a significant 24% do so after even more years of delay.

National and international assessments highlight that Kenya is one of just four countries in Africa where more than 30% of students achieve minimum proficiency in reading at the end of primary school. Further improvements will require more targeted support.

Instructional leadership at the heart of learning

School leaders (known in Kenya as heads of institutions) have clearly defined roles spanning instructional leadership, accountability, mentorship and implementation of the competency-based curriculum introduced in 2019. While foundational learning is not always framed as an explicit responsibility in national policy, school leaders in practice show strong awareness of learning expectations for grades 1 to 3. Of all countries examined in the 2025 Spotlight series, Kenyan school leaders spent the most time on instructional leadership, with nearly all conducting classroom observations at least once a week — assessing classroom conditions (98%), giving teacher feedback (80%), and evaluating student learning (76%).

However, gaps remain between policy intent and practice. Tools such as the Teacher Performance and Appraisal Development (TPAD) framework and KEMI training emphasize that school leaders are expected to improve foundational learning, yet only 21% have received formal instructional leadership training. Many, particularly in rural areas, also carry heavy teaching loads that limit time for pedagogical support. The breadth of school leader responsibilities means that targeted leadership training is needed to help them manage competing demands effectively.

The appointment and deployment of school leaders in Kenya is guided by policies developed by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to ensure that they meet professional, academic and experiential standards. However, while the guidelines require competitive, merit-based promotion, only 64% of school leaders were appointed through advertised positions, while 32% reported appointments without advertisement, often via internal promotions or transfers.

Training gaps also undermine leadership effectiveness. Although 96% of school leaders reported having received training, only 18% received it before appointment, contrary to TSC guidelines emphasizing pre-service preparation. Kenya is moving to address this through the establishment of the Kenya School of Teacher and Education Management and the Kenya Teachers Training College, which aim to coordinate and professionalize school leader development.

The report highlights the critical roles of middle-tier leaders such as Sub-County Quality Assurance Standards Officers and Curriculum Support Officers in supporting teaching and learning. For example, the quality assurance officers dedicate 28% of their time to instructional tasks and 27% to school visits, with 60% conducting school visits more than once a week. Although this time allocation reflects a strong connection to classroom oversight in line with their mandate, the proportion still falls short of the sustained pedagogical leadership needed to drive teacher development and improved learning outcomes.

In addition, Sub-County Directors of Education show relatively limited engagement in pedagogical support tasks (to which they dedicate just 17% of their time), revealing a gap between their expected supervisory role and a reality dominated by bureaucratic functions.

Community engagement can play a key role in supporting learning outcomes, but its impact depends on the conditions under which it occurs. The development of guidelines on parental empowerment and engagement by the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development, within the rollout of the competency-based curriculum, illustrate a growing recognition of the role of community. However, in practice, this role remains inconsistent.

Recommendations

The following recommendations emphasize the importance of investing in school leadership, strengthening system-level support, and deepening community engagement.

1. Kenya’s ongoing shift to competency-based education calls for a renewed focus on school leadership at every level. This requires strengthening the capacity of heads of institutions with a particular emphasis on instructional leadership for foundational learning. Accountability mechanisms should also be reinforced by linking Teacher Performance Appraisal and Development data (that assess teacher performance) with observation data (collected by officers at the sub-county level) and learning assessment results, to build a more complete picture of performance.
2. The sub-county level workforce should be empowered to lead for learning. It should be signalled to curriculum support and quality assurance officers, as well as to education directors that they need to shift from administrative roles toward hands-on pedagogical support, including regular classroom observation, coaching and targeted feedback to schools. Reporting and observation tools should also be streamlined between the Ministry of Education and the Teachers Service Commission to reduce duplication and improve consistency of support. In clusters of schools, continuous professional development sessions should be co-led by curriculum support officers and school leaders, covering pedagogy, remediation strategies and the creation of teaching aids. These cluster structures should also expand beyond mathematics to cover English and Kiswahili. Equitable access for teachers in rural and marginalized communities, including through virtual sessions, should be ensured.
3. Strengthening community engagement is essential to sustaining reform. Boards of Management, which oversee individual schools alongside parent associations, should be regularly oriented on their roles in supporting children’s foundational learning. User-friendly guides can help parents understand practical ways to support learning at home, while assessment data should be used to foster joint accountability between schools and communities.
4. Education officers should be supported to use data. Simple, real-time tools to report and respond to instructional challenges during school visits need to be developed. At the same time, schools should build their capacity to track and act on learner progress data.

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By Aanchal Kapur, Education Policy and Systems Researcher

In humanitarian and conflict-affected contexts, early childhood education is often among the first areas to be cut or postponed when education budgets are constrained.

These decisions are typically framed as temporary compromises made under pressure, a way to prioritise ‘core’ schooling until systems stabilize. Evidence suggests, however, that their effects are neither short-lived nor marginal. Learning gaps that emerge before children enter primary school tend to persist across later grades and shape how education systems perform and recover.

Weak school readiness, widening learning gaps in the early grades, rising remediation and repetition costs, and slow post-crisis recovery are not unintended side effects. They are predictable outcomes of early underinvestment, particularly in fragile systems with limited institutional and fiscal capacity.

This matters because education systems rarely fail all at once, as the 2026 GEM Report just released emphasized. They weaken gradually, as pressures accumulate across different parts of the system. Early childhood education sits at the foundation of this process, shaping how systems absorb shocks and how equitably they recover.

Learning gaps begin before children enter school

Underinvestment matters. Global data consistently show that inequalities in learning largely reflect unequal access to organized early childhood learning opportunities, rather than differences in primary schooling alone.

In crisis-affected settings, these risks are magnified. Displacement, prolonged stress, disrupted caregiving, and food insecurity undermine early development, while access to structured early learning environments is often limited or inconsistent. When early childhood education is underfunded, many children enter grade 1 already behind. This immediately reshapes classroom dynamics: teachers slow instruction to accommodate uneven readiness, learning gaps widen, and early grades become sites of compensation rather than progression.

The scale of this challenge is visible in global learning data. Only 41% of children in low- and middle-income countries reach minimum proficiency in reading by the end of primary school. While this figure is often discussed as a failure of primary education quality, evidence shows that weak school readiness and early learning gaps are closely associated with it, particularly in crisis-affected contexts.

From a systems perspective, this distinction is critical. Learning gaps established before school entry trigger reinforcing feedback loops: remediation increases, repetition rises, teacher workloads intensify and inequalities widen. Once these dynamics are in motion, they become difficult, and costly, to reverse.

Short-term funding choices create long-term system costs

Despite this evidence, early childhood education in emergencies is still commonly financed through short-term, siloed funding mechanisms. Early learning is treated as optional — something to be addressed once enrolment has been restored and primary schooling stabilised.

At first glance, this approach appears fiscally prudent. In practice, it shifts costs forward. System-level analysis of education recovery following conflict, displacement and the COVID-19 pandemic, for example, shows that systems with weak early foundations recover more slowly and less equitably from shocks.

This increases per-pupil costs, stretches teacher capacity, and diverts scarce resources away from system strengthening, particularly in contexts with limited administrative bandwidth.

These costs are not evenly distributed. They are borne disproportionately by overstretched teachers, under-resourced schools, and households least able to compensate for early learning gaps.  In effect, early underinvestment creates a predictable trajectory: weak school readiness leads to remediation and repetition; remediation raises system costs; rising costs constrain future investment, including in early childhood education itself.

Early childhood education as system infrastructure

Early childhood education functions as system infrastructure. It stabilizes routines for young children, strengthens caregiver engagement, and maintains links between households and education services during periods of disruption.

When early learning is embedded alongside caregiver support, health and child protection services, it strengthens coordination across system components rather than operating in isolation. By sustaining engagement with families and communities, early childhood education helps preserve the institutional linkages that primary education systems rely on during recovery.

Importantly, long-term benefits depend on early childhood education being adequately resourced, developmentally appropriate, and meaningfully linked to primary education systems, not merely expanded in name.

What SDG target 4.2 reveals about current priorities

SDG target 4.2 commits governments to ensuring that all children have access to quality early childhood development, care, and pre-primary education by 2030. SDG target 4.2 recognizes that access alone is insufficient: it measures not only participation in organised learning, but whether children are developmentally on track at the start of primary education.

Monitoring of progress towards SDG target 4.2 shows that participation in pre-primary education remains far from universal, with the largest gaps concentrated in low-income and crisis-affected contexts. In many of these settings, fewer than half of children are enrolled in pre-primary education, and access is particularly limited for children affected by conflict, displacement, and poverty. These gaps reflect wider inequalities in early childhood development and shape learning trajectories well before children enter formal schooling.

The GEM Report indicates that early learning gaps established before primary school act as a structural constraint on progress across later SDG 4 targets related to learning outcomes and education quality. When children begin school without foundational cognitive, language, and socio-emotional skills, subsequent investments in curriculum reform, teacher training and assessment are less likely to translate into equitable learning gains. As a result, early childhood education has emerged as a critical bottleneck for progress across the broader SDG 4 agenda, particularly in fragile and crisis-affected education systems.

Repositioning early childhood education in crisis responses

Taken together, the evidence points to three necessary shifts.

• Early childhood education must be treated as a core component of education response and recovery, not as an optional add-on funded through short-term humanitarian windows.
• Financing decisions must account for system-wide costs, recognising that early investment reduces later spending on remediation and learning recovery.
• Early childhood education must be approached as system infrastructure – embedded in planning, governance, and service delivery – rather than delivered in isolation.

For governments and donors, this implies aligning humanitarian and development financing so that early childhood education is sustained across emergency, recovery and longer-term system strengthening phases.

As countries enter the final stretch of the 2030 Agenda, decisions about early childhood education will shape whether progress on SDG 4 accelerates or stalls. In crisis-affected contexts especially, early childhood education is not a luxury to be postponed. It is a foundational investment, without which recovery, equity, and learning quality remain out of reach.

The post The real cost of underfunding early childhood education in crisis settings appeared first on World Education Blog.

A new report placing a spotlight on school leadership for foundational literacy and numeracy in Côte d’Ivoire was published and launched today at an event in Abidjan in the presence of the African Union Commissioner for Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, Gaspard Banyankimbona, and the Minister of Education, Literacy and Vocational Training of Cote d’Ivoire, Koffi N’Guessan.

The Spotlight report on Côte d’Ivoire is a partnership between the GEM Report and the Ministry of National Education, Literacy and Vocational Training of Côte d’Ivoire highlighting the country’s remarkable progress in expanding access to education and its commitment to strengthen school leadership for improved learning for all Ivoirian children. It is one of the five focus country reports that were part of the third cycle of the Spotlight report series, alongside those published  on Cameroon, Kenya, Morocco and Zimbabwe and the continental report, entitled Lead for foundational learning (now also available in French) and launched in October.

Cote d’Ivoire has achieved major progress in improving access to education

The 2026 GEM Report, Access and equity: Countdown to 2030, released two weeks ago, shows that Côte d’Ivoire has made significant improvement in helping children access education, with 93% of children now enrolled in primary school. Across all three age groups from pre-primary to upper secondary, out-of-school rates are overall estimated to have halved in a quarter of a century. An in-depth case study on the reasons for this success in the Report highlights, among other factors, significant investment by the government to triple the number of public secondary schools, the 2015 Education Law making education free, the provision of bridging classes to help excluded children re-enter school.

Significant reforms are also underway to improve learning outcomes

The Spotlight country report on Côte d’Ivoire shows the accompanying reforms that have focused on improving foundational learning. These include the Ten-Year Education and Training Plan (2021–2030), which sets out a clear vision for equitable and quality education for all; the Competency-Based Curriculum that places learners at the center of the educational process; the scaling-up of the structured pedagogy approach through the National Programme for the Improvement of Early Learning (PNAPAS). The 2019 PASEC assessment shows that Ivorian teachers outperform their peers in other francophone African countries. The Spotlight report, which also draws on a survey of 60 primary schools, found that children in grades 1 to 3 had almost universal access to textbooks, an achievement that few African countries can match.

Produced in partnership with the Ministry for National Education, Literacy and Professional Training, the Spotlight report on Côte d’Ivoire celebrates these significant efforts, and highlights areas remaining to drive further improvements in learning outcomes.

A call to strengthen school leadership

The report calls for a comprehensive reform of school leadership in Côte d’Ivoire: from how principals are recruited to how they are supported once in post. This means establishing a transparent, merit-based selection process, investing in leadership training throughout principals’ careers, and freeing them from excessive teaching loads so they can focus on their core instructional role.

Beyond the principal, the report also urges a more collaborative model of governance, strengthening the role of school committees and local education authorities as genuine partners in improving learning outcomes.

Two good practices are highlighted as strong bases upon which to build further improvements:

• Performance contracts (contrats d’objectifs et de performance, COPs) encourage shared accountability among school leaders, teachers, parents and communities.
• Structured pedagogy through PNAPAS provides teachers with evidence-based lesson plans and tools to develop literacy and numeracy skills.

“The progress our country has made over the past decade is a testament to the commitment of our government, our teachers and our communities,” said Koffi N’Guessan, Minister of National Education, Literacy and Professional Training. “Every child is born to learn, yet we know that access alone is not enough. The findings of today’s new reports give us a clear roadmap for ensuring all Ivoirian children leave school with the knowledge and skills to build a better future: stronger school leadership, better-supported teachers, and a shared accountability that reaches from the classroom to the community. We are ready to act on it”.

Watch the Côte d’Ivoire Spotlight Report launch live on Facebook from 10 AM GMT

The post The Ministry of Education in Côte d’Ivoire renews its focus on school leadership to boost learning outcomes appeared first on World Education Blog.

By Julia Stanton and Steve Diop, British Council

With limited electricity, poor internet connectivity, and inadequate funding, it can be challenging for teachers across Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) to integrate technology into their classrooms. However, the British Council’s publication Teaching and learning with technology: Case studies of practice provides insights into how teachers use everyday technologies to overcome these barriers.

The publication brings together 20 case studies selected from 119 teachers and teacher educators across 20 countries, and highlights approaches from urban and rural schools, tertiary institutions, teacher development programmes and community-based or after-school initiatives. It demonstrates how teachers across SSA are adapting low-tech and digital tools to meet local needs in a context in which, as GSMA data for SSA show, only around 27% of the population actively uses mobile internet.

Making use of what is available

Teachers use what is already available to them, such as messenger apps like WhatsApp and Telegram. Although these tools were not designed for educational purposes, they have proven ideal because of availability and low bandwidth requirements.

This mirrors the teacher policy recommendations from the UN Transforming Education Summit 2022, which stress that ‘strategies that make use of already available technologies, including low-tech solutions, should be considered in order to ensure rapid impact and high inclusion’.

In addition to the messenger apps, many teachers have found ways to integrate standard smartphone tools into their teaching. Elsie Enanga from Cameroon uses her phone and a Bluetooth speaker to record student speaking samples and introduce a variety of listening activities so they can practise their communication skills. As Elsie notes, ‘This use of a low ed-tech device has sparked a lot of interest in my English language lessons. Learners all want to have their voices heard’.

Making use of AI to localise materials

Online content and tools can help teachers to localise learning materials and the availability of generative AI tools on smartphones has further enabled this process. Geoffrey Makau Mutungi from Kenya makes use of ChatGPT to produce poems and narratives that are contextualised with familiar names, places and topics and address relevant social issues like drug abuse and teenage pregnancy. He notes that his students are more engaged with the content and better able to reflect on community challenges. He encourages his students to embrace critical thinking, since they ‘need to confirm the content they get from AI’.

Umar Suraka from Ghana began experimenting with ChatGPT to help him with lesson planning. This encouraged him to run hands-on sessions for his colleagues and for teachers from other schools on how they can use AI to facilitate lesson planning and materials creation. So far, he has reached over 300 teachers, who report that AI saves time and makes them feel more confident. They find their lessons are more engaging, practical, creative and interactive, going beyond what is offered by the textbook. Importantly, teachers are encouraged to critically evaluate any outputs for accuracy before using them.

‘AI is just a helper. Treat the results as a starting point not the final answer.’

Using technology for inclusivity

Teachers find that using technology helps them solve problems in their classrooms, such as how to make their lessons more inclusive and to continue teaching when faced with interrupted learning caused by crises.

Mame Couna Diaw from Senegal turned to technology to ensure that the visually impaired students in her class were not excluded. She records short audio messages on her phone before class to help students familiarise themselves with instructions, vocabulary and lesson content. She shares these through WhatsApp and Google Classroom. The visually impaired students can listen to the recordings in advance and can use screen readers or text-to-speech functions to follow the classes more easily. This results in them being more confident when participating in class:

‘This is extra work, of course, but just to make all my students the same level […] it’s really necessary [to do this] outside the classroom or before the class’.

Mohammed Saif, a visually impaired teacher educator from Sudan, uses technology to train other teachers in inclusive digital practices, demonstrating the role that assistive technology like screen readers, AI narration tools and digital platforms can play in making teaching and learning accessible. Teachers have begun to see accessibility as an integral part of teaching. This is particularly relevant in Sudan, where the ongoing conflict has disrupted education and pushed learning online.

‘The technical skills were important; the greater change was in how teachers began to see their role: as designers of learning that includes every learner.’

Nijiki Grace from Cameroon created WhatsApp groups for each of her classes to stay connected when schools closed due to a socio-political crisis. The groups also allow her to share lesson materials and other learning resources, and to encourage peer feedback on writing tasks.

‘Digital skills are a survival kit for today’s disruptive education landscape […] When ghost towns shut schools, learning doesn’t stop – our WhatsApp groups become classrooms.’

Extending learning beyond the classroom

According to the 2023 GEM Report, technology can be a cost-effective tool to reach students and their families and improve learning outcomes.

This was found to be a common practice in the British Council’s case studies on how teachers use technology. Teachers described using their smartphones and encouraging students to use their own to offer flipped learning before and after class. Smartphones also provide an opportunity for students to continue learning and practising on their own outside the classroom.

Dr Teshome Bekele Sime from Ethiopia turned to technology to help his students continue practising English outside the classroom, as time and resources were limited. Through Google Classroom and Google Docs, students work on drafting descriptive paragraphs, take part in collaborative discussion forums and provide peer feedback. This has improved their language skills and given them confidence. Dr Teshome recommends that teachers:

‘Start small and choose simple, free tools – blended learning should complement, not replace teaching’.

Blessing Epum from Nigeria runs a free virtual reading club with seven volunteer teachers across Africa to provide weekend reading sessions with activities for children in multiple countries. Younger learners join on Zoom, while older ones use WhatsApp for interactive reading, texting and voice notes. Participants develop stronger reading and listening skills, greater confidence, improved digital literacy, and new international friendships.

‘WhatsApp and Zoom have opened a window for children across Africa and [elsewhere] to learn together.’

Overcoming the ‘usage gap’

The case studies in the report highlight how teachers and teacher educators in challenging, low-resource contexts are using technology in creative and practical ways. Teachers are demonstrating innovation, resilience and a shared commitment to supporting learner progress by adapting low-cost tools such as messaging apps and low-bandwidth platforms. We hope that by reading these case studies, more teachers will be inspired to make use of the technology around them to improve the quality of teaching. This approach could also be a cost-effective, scalable model to be considered in many educational contexts.

Read the report: ‘Teaching and learning with technology: Case studies of practice’

The post Using everyday technology to transform learning appeared first on World Education Blog.

By: Anna Cristina d’Addio and Daniel April

Since 2020, the Global Education Monitoring Report’s Profiles Enhancing Education Reviews (PEER) website has provided a platform for understanding how countries design education systems through legislation and policy. With the launch of this year’s 2026 GEM Report, the platform has moved from a repository of country ‘snapshots’ into a dynamic tool tracking policy change over time, starting with two areas critical for equitable access to education: inclusion and equitable finance.

This change marks more than a redesign. It reflects a conceptual shift in how to monitor, interpret and ultimately use information on global education policy.

The original PEER: a global policy snapshot

When the PEER platform was initially developed, it was designed to systematically document national education legislation and policies. This was for two key reasons:

• To ensure every country was covered in the annual GEM Report thematic focus and strengthen the analysis on inclusion (2020), private actor regulation (2021/2), technology (2023) and school leadership (2024/5).
• To provide structured evidence base for policy dialogue and peer learning in these and future themes.

The platform was intentionally descriptive, providing a detailed picture of what policies existed at a given moment, rather than how they evolved. But in a global policy environment increasingly focused on results and accountability, this limitation became more visible.

Policies also need to be monitored, not just outputs and outcomes

The need for a redesign emerges at a critical juncture. As the world approaches the 2030 deadline for Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4), there is growing demand to take stock of progress over time, not just document the current existence of a policy.

To contribute to the shape of a post-2030 agenda, the next three GEM Report editions form part of the Countdown to 2030 seriesThe 2026 GEM Report, which was launched last week, tracks global trends in expanding access to education and examines why some countries have advanced faster than others. Drawing on 35 country case studies, it explores the policies that drive progress and the barriers that still leave millions of learners behind.

Combining both quantitative data on trends, case study material and policy analysis, the GEM Report makes the point that policymakers need to understand what matters in the long-term not just what works in the short term. It emphasizes that progress takes time. While indicators may take several years to show change, there is much to be learnt from the institutional change countries are making in the background in the form of their policies.

The redesigned PEER platform responds directly to this need, providing information that is longitudinal, analytical and actionable.

The new PEER moves toward:

1. Policy evolution

Instead of isolated country snapshots, the new platform provides time-series policy analysis over the past 20+ years, beginning with two themes: inclusion and equitable education finance on pre-primary, primary, secondary and post-secondary education. This helps users observe reform trajectories and turning points.

2. Indicator-based analysis

The new platform introduces indicator-driven insights, linking legislation and policy changes to measurable dimensions of progress, as has been done this year with a new index on equitable finance. This enables cross-country comparison grounded in data and stronger alignment with the SDG 4 monitoring framework.

3. Continuous monitoring

Unlike its legacy site, the new PEER website is designed as a living platform reflecting a move from periodic to continuous reporting.

The decision to begin by mapping changes over time in inclusion and finance is deliberate. The 2020 GEM Report on inclusion and education emphasized that exclusion persists due to fragmented policies, weak implementation and insufficient financing alignment. Similarly, recent GEM Report work on equity and financing highlights how resource allocation and policy frameworks shape outcomes across education systems. By focusing on these themes first, the new PEER platform demonstrates how legislation translates (or fails to translate) into progress and connects policy frameworks with equity outcomes.

A tool for the post-2030 agenda

Perhaps the most important dimension of this redesign is strategic. As global education stakeholders begin to define priorities beyond 2030, the need is no longer just to ask What policies exist? but rather What progress has been made—and how?

The new PEER platform directly supports this shift by highlighting long-term reform trajectories, enabling evidence-based policy learning, and supporting forward-looking agenda setting.

The post From snapshots to trajectories: the evolution of the GEM Report PEER website appeared first on World Education Blog.

By Svein Oesttveit, Director a.i. of the UNESCO Institute for Statistics, and Manos Antoninis, Director of the Global Education Monitoring Report 

The latest update of the UIS and GEM Report model shows that, in 2024, an estimated 273 million children, adolescents and youth were out of school. That figure breaks down into 79 million children of primary school age, 64 million adolescents of lower secondary school age, and 130 million youth of upper secondary school age. At the same time, according to the latest UIS data release shown in the 2026 GEM Report released yesterday, 1,433 million were attending primary or secondary school globally. The two numbers together tell a story that is both about progress and about its limits. 

The headline figure has been rising since 2017, but it is easy to misread what that means. The out-of-school rate, the share of school-age children, adolescents and youth who are not in school, has actually remained broadly stable at around 17% since 2015 – or one in six of the school-age population. The world hasn’t so much been going backwards, as not managing to go forwards, as populations have continued to grow.

The post The out-of-school population has risen for a seventh year in a row appeared first on World Education Blog.

The 2026 GEM Report was launched today at a full-day event at UNESCO headquarters in Paris. It calls on countries to commit to equity in order to improve access to education. It emphasizes the need to learn from different countries’ historical experiences and to understand what sustains change at scale, rather than opting for quick fixes. And central to that argument is a call for greater national ownership of the international education agenda: countries setting their own ambitious but achievable targets, grounded in their own contexts, and accountable first and foremost to their own citizens. The report is the first of the three-part Countdown to 2030 series, which will also look at quality and learning in 2027and the relevance of education in 2028. 

Despite repeated targets calling for universal access, ambitions have consistently outstripped the pace of expansion. A new GEM Report and UIS update shows that 273 million children, adolescents and youth are out of school, a rise for the seventh consecutive year. This means one in six children, adolescents and youth worldwide are currently excluded from education. Progress has slowed across almost every region since 2015, with a sharp deceleration in sub-Saharan Africa. 

The post The 2026 GEM Report calls for a focus on equity to improve access to education appeared first on World Education Blog.

If you’ve ever wondered how far $1,000 USD can actually go around the world, the answer is: far more than you might expect—depending on where you live.

In some places, that amount barely covers rent. In others, it can support a full lifestyle—housing, food, transportation, and even some room for leisure.

Here’s a realistic look at what $1,000 per month can look like in countries where people are quietly building lives abroad.

Thailand

The “comfortable but simple” lifestyle

• Rent: $250–$500 (studio or small apartment)
• Food: $150–$250 (mostly local meals)
• Transport: $30–$60
• Extras: $100–$200

What it feels like:
You’re not living luxuriously, but you’re comfortable—eating well, living in a decent apartment, and still having some flexibility for travel or social life.

Teach in Thailand

Vietnam

The “you can actually save money” option

• Rent: $300–$600
• Food: $100–$200
• Transport: $20–$50
• Extras: $150+

What it feels like:
Vietnam is one of the few places where $1,000 can cover your lifestyle and still leave room to save. Cities like Ho Chi Minh City remain relatively affordable compared to Western standards.

Teach in Vietnam

Mexico

The “balanced lifestyle” destination

• Rent: $300–$700
• Food: $150–$300
• Transport: $40–$80
• Extras: $100–$200

What it feels like:
You get a mix of affordability and familiarity, especially in mid-sized cities. There’s a strong café culture, vibrant social life, and a more relaxed pace.

Teach in Mexico

Costa Rica

The “nature-first” lifestyle

• Rent: $400–$800
• Food: $200–$350
• Transport: $50–$100
• Extras: $100

What it feels like:
Your money doesn’t stretch quite as far here, but you’re trading that for access to beaches, rainforests, and a slower, outdoor-focused lifestyle.

Teach in Costa Rica

South Korea

The “structured and modern” experience

• Rent: Often covered (a major advantage)
• Food: $200–$400
• Transport: $50–$100
• Extras: $200

What it feels like:
Without rent to worry about, $1,000 goes a long way. You can live comfortably in a highly developed country with strong infrastructure and still have disposable income.

Teach in South Korea

Spain

The “lifestyle over savings” choice

• Rent: $500–$900
• Food: $200–$350
• Transport: $50–$100
• Extras: Limited

What it feels like:
You may not save much, but you gain quality of life—walkable cities, social culture, and a lifestyle centered around balance rather than work.

Teach in Spain

Taiwan

The underrated middle ground

• Rent: $400–$700
• Food: $150–$300
• Transport: $30–$70
• Extras: $150

What it feels like:
Taiwan offers a strong balance between affordability and modern convenience, with clean cities, reliable infrastructure, and a welcoming environment for foreigners.

Teach in Taiwan

What This Actually Means

In places like North America or the UK, $1,000 a month often covers only the basics. In many parts of Asia and Latin America, it can support a full and comfortable lifestyle.

That difference is why more people are choosing to live abroad—not just travel.

The Subtle Shift

Many people who end up living in these countries don’t begin with a long-term plan. They start by trying something new—taking a course, moving abroad for a year, or simply looking for a change.

And then they stay.

The post What $1,000 a Month Looks Like in Different Countries (2026 Edition) appeared first on myTEFL.

Spoiler: it’s equal parts chaos, caffeine, and surprisingly wholesome moments.

7:00 AM – The Alarm (and mild regret)
My alarm goes off way too early, and for a split second, I forget I live in South Korea. Then it hits me: I’m halfway across the world… and I have 25 energetic kids waiting for me in a few hours because I’m a TEFL instructor.

I roll out of bed, throw on some comfy clothes, and head to the kitchen. Breakfast is usually quick—toast, eggs, maybe a banana—but if I’m feeling ambitious (or just really hungry), I’ll grab a kimbap from the convenience store downstairs. Korea does convenience stores right.

8:00 AM – Commute Mode
I hop on the bus or subway, coffee in hand (essential), and mentally prepare for the day. Commuting here is super easy, and honestly, kind of peaceful. Everyone’s quiet, glued to their phones, and I use this time to quickly glance over my lesson plan.

Pro tip: even if you’ve planned, be ready to improvise. Always.

8:30 AM – Arrival & Prep Time
I get to my school—usually a private academy (hagwon)—and check in with the other teachers. There’s a mix of locals and fellow foreigners, and we all bond over one universal truth: kids are unpredictable.

I print worksheets, set up games, and maybe tweak my lesson plan last-minute. Sometimes I feel super prepared. Other times? We’re winging it with confidence.

9:00 AM – First Class: Tiny Humans, Big Energy
My first class is usually younger students—think kindergarten or early elementary. They walk in half-asleep but somehow still bursting with energy.

We start with simple greetings:
“Good morning!”
“How are you?”
Cue a chorus of “I’m fine thank you, and you?” (even when they are clearly not fine).

Lessons are super interactive—songs, flashcards, games, and a lot of exaggerated facial expressions. You will feel like a performer. And honestly? That’s part of the fun.

10:30 AM – Snack Break & Survival Mode
Between classes, I grab a quick snack—usually something from my desk stash (every TEFL teacher has one). Think granola bars, instant coffee, maybe some questionable candy a student gave me.

This is also when I reset mentally. Teaching back-to-back can be exhausting, especially when you’re constantly “on.”

11:00 AM – Mid-Morning Classes: Slightly More Chaos
These classes are a mix of levels. Some students are super eager and chatty, others are shy and need encouragement. You quickly learn how to balance patience, energy, and classroom control.

This is where games become your best friend. Vocabulary bingo, role-playing, even simple competitions—anything to keep them engaged.

Also, expect the unexpected:

• A student barking randomly (yes, really)
• Someone asking if you know their cousin in Canada
• A heated debate about whether pineapple belongs on pizza

12:30 PM – Lunch Break (Finally)
Lunch is sacred.

Lunch is usually rice, soup, and a bunch of side dishes I’m still learning the names of. Korean food is way more diverse than most people expect (seriously—there’s a whole world beyond BBQ)

It’s also when you start to feel that sense of community. Teaching abroad can feel overwhelming at first, but your coworkers quickly become your support system.

1:30 PM – Lesson Planning & Admin Time
Afternoons are a bit calmer (depending on your schedule). I use this time to:

• Plan future lessons
• Grade worksheets
• Enter student feedback
• Drink more coffee

This is also when you start getting creative. TEFL teaching isn’t just following a textbook—you’re constantly finding ways to make learning fun and memorable.

3:00 PM – Afternoon Classes: Big Kids, Big Personalities
Older students = more conversation, more opinions, and sometimes… more attitude.

We focus on speaking, reading, and writing. These classes feel more like actual discussions:
“What did you do this weekend?”
“What do you want to be in the future?”

Some students are incredibly motivated, while others would rather be anywhere else. Your job? Meet them where they’re at and keep things engaging.

5:00 PM – The Final Stretch
Energy is running low (for both you and the students), but you push through. These last classes can be tough, but they’re also where you see the most progress.

When a student finally uses a full sentence confidently or understands something they struggled with before—it’s a win.

6:00 PM – Freedom (aka You Made It)
Classes are done, and it’s time to head home—or out.

Some days I go straight back, throw on Netflix, and recharge. Other days, I meet friends for dinner, explore a new neighborhood, or try a random restaurant I found on Instagram.

Living in Korea means there’s always something to do:

• Late-night street food
• Karaoke (noraebang)
• Cafés that look like they belong in a Pinterest board

8:00 PM – Dinner & Chill
Dinner might be Korean BBQ, ramen, fried chicken, or something quick at home. Food here is a huge part of the experience, and honestly, it never gets old.

This is also when I reflect on the day—what worked, what didn’t, and what I’ll do differently tomorrow.

10:30 PM – Wind Down
I scroll a bit, maybe message friends and family back home (time zones are fun), and start getting ready for bed.

Teaching abroad can be exhausting, but it’s the kind of tired that feels earned.

The Reality Check (aka What It’s Really Like)
Not every day is perfect. There are moments of frustration, language barriers, cultural differences, and days where nothing goes according to plan.

But there are also moments that make it all worth it:

• A student remembering something you taught weeks ago
• Kids excited to see you
• Feeling like you’re actually making an impact

Final Thoughts

Being a TEFL teacher in South Korea isn’t just a job—it’s an experience. You grow, adapt, and learn just as much as your students do.

One day you’re struggling to manage a classroom, the next you’re confidently leading lessons like a pro. And somewhere in between, you build memories you’ll carry long after you leave.

Would I do it again?
Absolutely.

The post A Day in the Life of a TEFL Teacher in South Korea appeared first on myTEFL.

Moving abroad to teach English is one of the most exciting ways to travel long-term. You get to experience a new culture, explore incredible cities, and build a life somewhere completely different from home. But there’s one challenge almost every new teacher faces during their first few weeks abroad: food.

Whether you’re trying to save money, navigate unfamiliar grocery stores, or just avoid eating convenience store ramen every night, figuring out how to eat well in a new country can take some time. The good news? A few simple “food hacks” can make eating abroad easier, cheaper, and way more fun.

If you’re planning to teach abroad through myTEFL in places like China, Japan, or South Korea, these food tips will help you survive (and thrive) during your extended stay.

1. Learn the “Local Lunch Special” Trick

One of the easiest ways to save money abroad is by taking advantage of lunch specials. In many Asian countries, restaurants offer much cheaper lunch sets compared to dinner menus.

In Japan, for example, many restaurants offer a “teishoku” lunch set. These typically include rice, soup, pickles, and a main dish like grilled fish or pork cutlet for a very reasonable price. You’ll often pay half of what you would for the same meal at dinner.

In South Korea, look for “set menu” lunches at Korean BBQ restaurants or small neighborhood eateries. These often come with multiple banchan (side dishes), soup, rice, and a main dish like bulgogi or pork stew.

In China, lunchtime combos are everywhere. Small restaurants near schools and offices often offer quick rice bowl meals with vegetables and meat for a fraction of dinner prices.

If you’re teaching English abroad, this works perfectly with a teacher’s schedule. Many teachers finish classes mid-afternoon, making lunchtime the perfect opportunity to eat out cheaply.

2. Convenience Stores Are Your Secret Weapon

Convenience stores in East Asia are on a completely different level compared to what many people are used to back home. They’re not just for snacks—they’re often a reliable source of affordable, surprisingly good meals.

In Japan, chains like 7-Eleven, Lawson, and FamilyMart sell fresh meals like sushi, rice bowls, sandwiches, and hot noodles. Teachers in Japan quickly learn that a convenience store dinner can be both cheap and high quality.

In South Korea, convenience stores are famous for instant ramen stations, microwaveable meals, and triangle kimbap (rice wrapped in seaweed). These make perfect quick meals if you’re busy planning lessons or grading assignments.

In China, convenience stores and small street vendors often sell dumplings, buns (baozi), noodles, and rice dishes that cost just a few dollars.

While you probably won’t want to rely on convenience stores forever, they’re incredibly helpful during your first few weeks when you’re still adjusting to your new surroundings.

3. Shop at Local Markets Instead of Western Grocery Stores

One mistake many new teachers make abroad is looking for Western-style grocery stores right away. Imported foods can be surprisingly expensive.

Instead, head to local markets and neighborhood grocery stores.

In China, wet markets and small produce stalls sell fresh vegetables, tofu, noodles, and meats at much lower prices than international supermarkets. Shopping this way also gives you a chance to experience daily life in your new city.

In Japan, neighborhood grocery stores often discount fresh food in the evening. If you go shopping around 7–8 PM, you can often find sushi, bentos, and prepared meals marked down.

In South Korea, traditional markets sell fresh produce, kimchi, seafood, and street food at great prices. Many teachers find these markets much cheaper than large supermarket chains.

Even if you’re not an expert cook, buying fresh ingredients and learning a few simple meals can save you a lot of money over a long stay abroad.

4. Master a Few Simple Local Dishes

You don’t need to become a professional chef to cook abroad. Learning just three or four simple local meals can make a huge difference for your budget and comfort.

For example:

• In China, simple stir-fries with rice are easy to make and require only a few ingredients like garlic, soy sauce, and vegetables.
• In Japan, dishes like udon noodles, fried rice, or miso soup are quick and beginner-friendly.
• In South Korea, many teachers learn to make kimchi fried rice (kimchi bokkeumbap), which only requires rice, kimchi, and a few extra ingredients.

Once you know a couple of local recipes, grocery shopping becomes much easier and cooking stops feeling intimidating.

5. Use Translation Apps for Grocery Shopping

Walking into a foreign grocery store for the first time can be overwhelming. Labels might be in a language you can’t read, and ingredients might look unfamiliar.

This is where translation apps can save the day.

Apps like Google Translate allow you to use your phone camera to translate labels instantly. This makes it much easier to identify sauces, spices, and packaged foods.

This trick is especially useful in places like China and Japan, where many products may not include English labels. Within a few weeks, you’ll start recognizing your favorite ingredients without needing the app.

6. Follow the Office Worker Rule

Here’s a simple rule that works almost everywhere in the world: eat where the locals eat.

If you’re looking for affordable, high-quality food, pay attention to where office workers go during lunch.

In South Korea, small restaurants packed with local workers are usually serving authentic, affordable Korean meals.

In Japan, tiny ramen shops or curry restaurants filled with salarymen are often the best places for quick, delicious meals.

In China, busy noodle shops or dumpling spots near schools and office buildings are usually reliable and inexpensive.

If a restaurant is full of locals during lunchtime, that’s almost always a good sign.

7. Embrace Street Food (Safely)

Street food is one of the best parts of living abroad, especially in Asia. It’s affordable, quick, and often incredibly delicious. Street food is one of the best parts of living abroad, especially in Asia. Cities across China, Japan, and South Korea are famous for their vibrant street food scenes, which have been highlighted in global food guides from outlets like CNN Travel.

In China, you’ll find street vendors selling jianbing (savory crepes), skewers, dumplings, and noodles.

In South Korea, popular street snacks include tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes), hotteok (sweet pancakes), and fish-shaped pastries filled with red bean paste.

In Japan, street food varies by region but often includes takoyaki (octopus balls), yakitori skewers, and festival foods.

A simple tip: choose vendors that have high turnover and lots of customers. Fresh food and busy stalls usually mean better quality and safer meals.

8. Balance Eating Out and Cooking

When you first arrive in a new country, it’s tempting to eat out all the time. After all, everything is new and exciting.

But for long-term stays, the best strategy is balance.

Try cooking a few meals at home each week while still exploring local restaurants and street food. This keeps your budget under control while still letting you experience the food culture of your new home.

Many teachers abroad find that cooking occasionally also helps when they start missing familiar flavors from home.

Teaching Abroad Means Discovering Food Too

One of the best parts of teaching English abroad is experiencing a new culture every day—and food is a huge part of that experience. From late-night ramen in Japan to dumplings in China or Korean BBQ with new friends, food quickly becomes one of the highlights of living abroad.

With a few simple food hacks, you can eat well, save money, and make the most of your time overseas.

If you’re considering teaching abroad in China, Japan, or South Korea, programs through myTEFL can help you get there and start your journey. Once you arrive, these small food strategies will help make your transition smoother—and much more delicious.

The post Food Hacks for Long-Term Travel: How to Eat Well (and Cheap) While Teaching Abroad appeared first on myTEFL.