Mapping education research in sub-Saharan Africa
Project summary
To address the gap of being able to locate, and to increase the visibility and impact of, African education research, the REAL Centre is partnering with Education Sub-Saharan Africa (ESSA) on a project to catalogue, review and synthesise policy-relevant education research from Africa.
The first phase of this work resulted in the establishment of a searchable database of education research published by researchers based in sub-Saharan Africa: the African Education Research Database. This database continues to be updated on an annual basis. Information in the database has been used to analyse trends in research published by African scholars in general, as well as with respect to specific issues, such as in relation to disability.
The second phase of the work has extended to provide a more specific focus on early childhood development, and foundational literacy and numeracy. In addition to mapping of research across sub-Saharan African countries, this work includes a more in-depth focus on research from different sources available in selected countries, notably Ghana, Kenya, Mozambique, Tanzania and Uganda for early childhood development; and Ghana, Kenya, Senegal and Tanzania for foundational literacy and numeracy. The work also explores ways to ensure greater inclusion of research in French and Portuguese in the database.
Overall, the research aims to:
- Improve the visibility and accessibility of research on early childhood development and foundational literacy and numeracy undertaken by researchers based in sub-Saharan Africa, by mapping the researchers and their research
- Establish a community of practice, understand the research and funding needs of this network, and connect them to relevant support
- Engage in advocacy, communication and dissemination on early childhood development and foundational literacy and numeracy in the focus countries and across the region.
Research team
Principal Investigator: Professor Pauline Rose
Research Associates: Dr Eunice Mueni Williams; Dr Hélène Binesse
Research Assistant: Daniel Hawkins Iddrisu
Research Associates for the development of the original database: Dr Samuel Asare; Dr Rafael Mitchell; Dr Phoebe Downing
Partners: Education Sub Saharan Africa (ESSA)
Duration
June 2017 – June 2019 for the work on the original database
2022 - 2024 for the focus on early childhood development and foundational literacy and numeracy
Funder
The development of the database was supported by the Robert Bosch Stiftung and the Jacobs Foundation
The work on early childhood development is funded by the Conrad N Hilton Foundation
The work on foundational literacy and numeracy is funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Publications - focus on early childhood development
Analysis from international databases
Mapping early childhood development publications in sub-Saharan Africa: Report on analysis from international databases
Iddrisu, D.H., Adrupio, S. and Rose, P. October 2024, REAL Centre, University of Cambridge and ESSA
Full report
Summary report
Mapping education publications in Portuguese in sub-Saharan Africa: Report on analysis from international databases
da Silva, R. October 2024, ESSA and REAL Centre, University of Cambridge
English report
Portuguese report
Country reports
Mapping early childhood development research outputs in sub-Saharan Africa:
Acquah, S., Asare, S. and Essah, P. October 2024, REAL Centre, University of Cambridge and ESSA
Ghana Country Report
Williams, E.N., Apio, J. and Rose, P. October 2024, REAL Centre, University of Cambridge and ESSA
Kenya country report
Williams, E.M. and Rose, P. October 2024, REAL Centre, University of Cambridge and ESSA
Tanzania country report
Apio J., Williams, E.M., Adrupio, S., Acquah S. and Lawson, L. October 2024, REAL Centre, University of Cambridge and ESSA
Uganda country report
Cross-country mapping
Mapping early childhood development outputs in sub-Saharan Africa: Cross-country mapping
Williams, E.M. and Rose, P. October 2024, REAL Centre, University of Cambridge and ESSA
Full report
Summary report
Literature search protocols
Literature search protocol: Mapping early childhood development publications in international databases by researchers located in sub-Saharan Africa
Iddrisu, D.H., Williams, E.M. and Rose, P. July 2024
REAL Centre and ESSA Protocol Document
Literature search protocol: Mapping country-based early childhood development research outputs by researchers located in sub-Saharan Africa
Williams, E.M., Iddrisu, D.H. and Rose, P. July 2024
REAL Centre and ESSA Protocol Document
Publications - focus on foundational literacy and numeracy
Mapping foundational literacy and numeracy publications in sub-Saharan Africa: Report on analysis from international databases
Binesse, H., and Rose, P. September 2024, REAL Centre, University of Cambridge and ESSA
Full report
Summary report
Summary report in French
Poster summary
Poster summary in French
Country reports
Mapping foundational literacy and numeracy research in sub-Saharan Africa
Acquah, S., Laté, L. A., Asare, S., and Essah, P. November 2024. ESSA and REAL Centre, University of Cambridge
Ghana country report
Lawson L., Oudjim W., Asare, S., and Essah, P. November 2024. ESSA and REAL Centre, University of Cambridge
Kenya country report
Diallo, T. M., Lawson, L., Asare, S., and Essah, P. November 2024. ESSA and REAL Centre, University of Cambridge
Senegal country report
Senegal country report in French
Diallo, T.M., Lawson, L., Oudjim, W., Asare, S., and Essah, P. November 2024. ESSA and REAL Centre, University of Cambridge
Tanzania country report
Mapping foundational literacy and numeracy research in four sub-Saharan African countries – Lessons from country-level searches
Lawson, L., Acquah, S., Diallo, T., Asare, S., and Essah, P. November 2024. ESSA and REAL Centre, University of Cambridge
English report
French report
Literature search protocol: Mapping African-led Foundational Literacy and Numeracy publications in English, French and Portuguese
Binesse, H., Rose, P. and Silva, R. 2023
REAL Centre and ESSA Protocol Report
Publications - focus on ECD and FLN
Identifying and addressing professional development needs of early childhood development and foundational learning researchers in sub-Saharan Africa: Summary report for action
Asare, S., Tichagwa, L., Samson, K., Acquah, S., Diallo, T., and Essah, P. November 2024. ESSA and REAL Centre, University of Cambridge
English report
French report
Portuguese report
Grants proposal writing, in-person training workshop 24-28 June 2024
African Population and Health Research Center (APRC)
Enhancing Africa-Led research on early childhood development and foundational learning
Samson, K., Asare, S. and Essah, P. November 2023
ESSA and REAL Centre Workshop Report
Enhancing Africa-led research on early childhood development and foundational learning: Recommendations for action
Asare, S., Samson, K., Essah, P. and Acquah, S. July 2023
ESSA and REAL Centre Workshop Report
Other publications
Primary schooling for children with disabilities: A review of African scholarship
Singal, N., Spencer, C. and Mitchell, R. 2021
Cambridge Network for Disability and Education Research (CaNDER) Research Report, Executive Summary and Slides
Action on funding for African-led education research: Conference summary and key recommendations for funders, policy makers, universities and researchers
Asare, S., Essah, P., Rose, P., Baxter S., Samson, K. C., Tachie-Mensah, E. and Heady, L. July 2021 ESSA
(plus speaker presentations available to download)
How accessible are journal articles on education written by sub‐Saharan Africa‐based researchers?
Asare, S., Mitchell, R. and Rose, P. 2021
Development and Change
How equitable are South-North partnerships in education research? Evidence from sub-Saharan Africa
Asare, S., Mitchel, R. and Rose, P. 2020
Compare: A Journal of Comparative and International Education
Education research in sub-Saharan Africa: Quality, visibility and agendas
Mitchell, R., Rose, P. and Asare, S. 2020
Comparative Education Review 64 (3): 363-383
Equity in international research partnerships in education: evidence from sub-Saharan Africa
Asare, S., Mitchell, R. and Rose, P. 2020
Compare: A Journal of Comparative and International Education
Mapping the landscape of education research by scholars based in sub-Saharan Africa: Insights from the African Education Research Database
Rose, P., Downing, P., Asare, S. and Mitchell, R. 2019
Synthesis report
Literature search protocol for the Evidence hub: Education partnerships between the state and non-state sector
Downing, P. and Rose, P. 2019
Methodological note
Literature search protocol for the African Education Research Database
Mitchell, R. and Rose, P. 2018
Methodological Note
Blogs
Foundational literacy and numeracy research in sub-Saharan Africa – collaboration, impact and publishing inequalities
Hélène Binesse, Norrag, 23 December 2024
Recherche en apprentissage fondamental en Afrique subsaharienne – collaboration, impact et inégalités en matière de publication
Hélène Binesse, Norrag, 23 December 2024
Scoping of African organisations providing capacity strengthening opportunities for researchers
Stephen Acquah, Samuel Asare and Lucy Heady, UKFIET, 16 December 2024
Early Childhood Development outputs by researchers in sub-Saharan Africa: Focus, funding and collaboration
Daniel Hawkins Iddrisu and Eunice Mueni Williams, UKFIET, 30 September 2024
Prioritising early learning research in sub-Saharan Africa for equitable learning outcomes
Samuel Asare, Priscilla Bretuo, Ronald Omuthe and Basirat Razaq-Shuaib, UKFIET, 24 July 2024
Understanding research priorities and professional development needs of early years researchers in Africa
Samuel Asare and Pauline Essah, UKFIET, 14 December 2023
Cartographie de la recherche africaine sur l’apprentissage fondamental en Afrique subsaharienne – où trouve-t-on les publications?
Hélène Binesse and Rui da Silva, NORRAG, 23 November 2023
Mapping research on Foundational Literacy and Numeracy in sub-Saharan Africa contexts – where are the publications?
Hélène Binesse and Rui da Silva, UKFIET, 9 November 2023
Mapping early childhood development research for local knowledge and global development: Evidence from sub-Saharan African-based researchers
Daniel Hawkins Iddrisu, UKFIET, 24 October 2023
The place of locally published and unpublished early childhood development research in sub-Saharan Africa
Eunice Mueni Williams, UKFIET, 3 October 2023
Evidence on education in the early years needs greater prioritisation in sub-Saharan Africa
David Chukwuma Izuogu, Priscilla Bretuo, Ronald Omuthe and Samuel Asare, Association for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA), 11 November 2022
Listening to African researchers: Making sure evidence informs education policy and practice
Samuel Asare, Pauline Rose, Pauline Essah, Sandra Baxter and Izel Kipruto, Association for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA), 14 October 2021 (Also published in French)
Potential solutions for addressing challenges faced by African academics in obtaining funding for education research
ESSA and REAL Centre, ESSA, 25 August 2021
More and better research needed on education in sub-Saharan Africa
Jack Rossiter and Joseph Ishaku, Center for Global Development, 30 July 2019
The involvement of non-academic stakeholders in education research: perspectives from sub-Saharan Africa
Rafael Mitchell, The Impact Initiative, 3 October 2018
New database puts African education research at the heart of policy and practice
Rafael Mitchell, Pauline Rose and Samuel Asare, The Conversation, 22 August 2018
What does the African Education Research Database tell us about research in West Africa?
Pauline Rose and Rafael Mitchell, ADEA, December 2017
A new database to raise the visibility and impact of African education research
Pauline Rose and Rafael Mitchell, ADEA, September 2017
“Learning, if you use it, increases”: a database of African education research to inform policy and practice
Rafael Mitchell and Pauline Rose, NORRAG, August 2017
Other media
Shaping Africa’s research agenda: Insights from Professor Kwame Acheampong’s Keynote at the grant proposal writing workshop for Africa-based foundational learning researchers
Stephen Acquah and Samuel Asare, LinkedIn, July 2024
Calls to increase research funding in Africa louder than ever
Clemence Manyukwe and Edwin Naidu, University World News, 14 December 2023
Enhancing African-led research on early childhood development and foundational learning
Nangamso Mtsatse, LinkedIn, 25 October 2023
New effort to 'decolonise' African education research
Devex, 10 October 2023
Raising the profile of African education research and researchers: Foundational literacy and numeracy
ESSA, February 2023
New project announced to identify and connect Africa-based education researchers in improving foundational learning
ESSA, 13 December 2022
Joint Press Release: Education Sub Saharan Africa Welcomes Partnership with Conrad N. Hilton Foundation Towards Improving African Research Evidence
ESSA, 3 June 2022
African Education Research Database featured in the Financial Times
ESSA, 14 October 2021
Study highlights concern about publishing practices
Wachira Kigotho, University World News Africa Edition, 20 April 2021
‘Substantial gaps’ in African education research
Times Higher Education, August 2019
Plan S: how important is open access publishing?
Times Higher Education, January 2019
Africa’s first online database on education research
SciDevNet, July 2018
Database of African research on education launched
IIEP-UNESCO, June 2018
Open access database to raise education research visibility
University World News, June 2018
Conference presentations
Equity in international research collaborations: evidence from the African Education Research Database
Mitchell, R., Asare, S. and Rose, P. 2018
Cambridge Global Challenges Annual Conference 2018
Open access research and policy impact: experiences from developing the African Education Research Database.
Mitchell, R., Rose, P. and Asare, S. 2018
Is Open Research really changing the world? Cambridge Festival of Ideas
Introducing the Impact Initiative and the African Education Research Database
Mitchell, R., Rose, P. and Asare, S. 2018
Raising Learning Outcomes in Education Systems: Africa Symposium, Johannesburg, South Africa
Global policy agendas and the Education Sustainable Development Goal: Perspectives from sub-Saharan African research and researchers
Asare, S., Mitchell, R. and Rose, P. 2018
BAICE Conference, York 2018
Research in African universities to inform the Sustainable Development Goal for Education: visibility, gaps and future priorities
Mitchell, R., Rose, P. and Asare, S. 2018
Centre for Education and International Development (CEID) Annual Conference, Institute of Education, London
Launch of the African Education Research Database
Rose, P., Mitchell, R. and Asare, S. 2018
French Development Agency, Paris
Mapping the African research evidence base for educational policy and practice
Mitchell, R. and Rose, P. 2018
CIES Conference, Mexico City 2018
Report on the African Education Research Database
Mitchell, R. 2017
L’Atelier de recherche sur l’éducation au Burkina Faso (AREB) Conference, Ouagadougou 2017
Further information
For further information see the searchable database of education research published by researchers in sub-Saharan Africa: ESSA African Research Database
