Addressing the Learning Crisis in Central and Southern Asia: EAA’s PBL Initiative through IFERB
While strides have been made towards universal primary enrollment, a global learning crisis continues to impact over 617 million children and adolescents, particularly in Central and Southern Asian countries like India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Nepal. Shockingly, 81% of children aged 6-14 in this region fall short of achieving their learning targets.
Despite a high enrollment rate, only 19% of primary and lower secondary school children attain minimum proficiency levels in reading and mathematics. The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted progress in essential reading and math in India observed between 2014 and 2018, with only 20.5% of Grade 3 students reaching the appropriate level in reading and 25.95% in numeracy. By 2022, only one-fourth of Grade 3 students performed at grade level in math, and approximately 20% had grade-appropriate skills in reading.
The poor quality of education in Central and Southern Asia contributes to low achievement and high dropout rates in the region, according to UNICEF and the World Bank. Even after completing secondary school, many students lack essential life skills. This educational challenge stems from factors such as inadequate infrastructure, a shortage of qualified teachers, and the persistence of teacher-centered pedagogy.
Recognizing the need for change, student-centred teaching and learning approaches have demonstrated success in improving achievement and motivation. Project-based learning (PBL), emphasizing “student autonomy, constructive investigations, goal-setting, collaboration, communication, and reflection in real-world context” has proven effective across various domains and educational levels). Notably, PBL has been successful in programs with learners of low socioeconomic status (and has improved leadership skills among Palestinian refugee students.
Enter EAA’s IFERB
Education Above All Foundation’s (EAA) Internet Free Education Resource Bank (IFERB) is a dynamic collection of open-source teaching and learning resources. Leveraging various experiential learning approaches, including PBL, IFERB aims to provide access to quality education to millions of children around the world. Initially designed as an emergency response to sustain learning during the COVID-19-induced school closures, IFERB has evolved into a solution enhancing teaching and learning in diverse, resource-constrained environments.
To date, the EAA Foundation has implemented over 30 IFERB programs in 13 countries globally, reporting an average growth in learning of up to 54%. IFERB PBL resources have garnered acclaim from educators, with 98% of participating teachers and facilitators expressing satisfaction and finding the resources engaging.
Partner organizations have also utilized these resources to promote 21st century skills, reporting an average increase of 13% in critical thinking, creativity, and communication.
A standout feature of IFERB PBL resources is their accessibility. Designed to be simple yet effective, these resources contain activities with clear instructions, enabling novice teachers and parents to facilitate learning using readily available and inexpensive supplies. As a result, several organizations implementing IFERB have witnessed increased parental engagement, marking a significant step forward in addressing the learning crisis in Central and Southern Asia.
