‘Investing in Girls' Education - Insights from Africa’: Talk by Quentin Wodon
In a session hosted by the Centre for Public Policy, the Director of the International Institute for Capacity Building in Africa, UNESCO, explains role of education in reducing gender inequalities in societies
27 February, 2025, Bengaluru: “Once learning is improved, fewer students at primary and secondary levels would drop out of schools and a larger cohort would go for higher education”, observed Quentin Wodon, Director of the International Institute for Capacity Building in Africa, UNESCO, while delivering a talk on, ‘Investing in Girls' Education - Insights from Africa’, during a seminar hosted by the Centre for Public Policy (CPP), earlier today.
The premise of his talk was the first report of the Africa Teachers Reports Series. In Sub-Saharan Africa, he explained, just over two-thirds of girls complete their primary education and four in ten complete lower secondary education. “A lot more needs to be done to improve educational opportunities for girls, which would help end child marriage and boost countries’ economic development. The first part of the study updates and expands for a much larger number of countries a previous investment case on the benefits of educating girls and ending child marriage. The second part looks at the role of teachers and school leaders in improving learning outcomes and educational attainment for girls”, Quentin Wodon said.
Providing data on primary education completion, lower secondary completion and tertiary education enrolment rates in African countries, he listed the key findings on the benefits from educating girls and ending child marriage, mentioned in the first part of the report. “There will be gains in earnings and boost in standards of living. Secondary education could reduce the risk of early marriage and early childbirth. Universal secondary education and ending child marriage will reduce population growth, enabling countries to benefit from the demographic dividend. It will also have beneficial outcomes relating to health, nutrition and general wellbeing. It would enhance agency of women and their decision-making power in the household. Reducing gender inequality will contribute to social capital.”
“Although this can achieve important intermediary benefits related to aspiration, self-esteem, confidence and reproductive health knowledge, additional interventions like livelihood training opportunities, incentives for schooling are necessary as well”, he pointed out.
He also stated that programs focusing on schooling are most likely to delay marriage and childbearing. "There is a need to have schools nearby or to provide transportation, need for water, sanitation and hygiene facilities for girls, need to reduce harassment/violence in schools, and the need to actually learn in school.”
Moving on to the second part of the report, he said, the flagship report covers two main areas - teachers as a solution to the problem and teacher policy issues. “The role of teachers and school leaders is key to improve foundational learning. While the literature emphasizes economic incentives for adolescent girls to remain in school, it is also important to note that lack of learning is a key factor leading to drop-out in primary and lower-secondary schools. Social norms, inaccessibility and cost are other factors. Although teachers and school leaders are key to improving learning, new approaches are needed for pedagogy in the classroom and for training teachers and school leaders. Nationally, professional standards and competencies for teachers and school leaders are also required. These facts call for investing in teachers and school leaders, especially women, to improve education for girls and end child marriage. Improving learning could be as, or more, important as targeted intervention. If you improve learning, fewer students will drop out and a larger cohort will opt for higher education. And this will rid societies of learning poverty.”
His talk was followed by an interaction with members of the audience. Dr. Gopal Naik, Senior Fellow, Chairperson and Jal Jeevan Mission Chair Professor at the Centre for Public Policy, pointed out that in the Indian context, there was a gap between policy and implementation when it came to governmental intervention relating to education, especially in rural areas. “In most cases, investment is low, midday meals have low nutritional value, then there are hygiene and sanitation related issues as well. These are some of the deficiencies needing urgent focus.” Quentin Wodon observed that policies should aim for inclusive education. “The UN has many such measures in place, for example, it has designed programs for children with disability.” Regarding interventions for better outcomes to be made in India - a country where he shared he has done similar work - he listed structured pedagogy, female leadership and teacher training. “But be realistic about results”, he cautioned.
About the speaker: Quentin Wodon is Director of the International Institute for Capacity Building in Africa, a Category 1 UNESCO Institute on teachers and education policy. Previously, he worked at the World Bank, including as Lead Economist, Lead Poverty Specialist, and manager of the unit on values and development. Before that, he taught with tenure at the University of Namur. He has also taught at Addis Ababa University, American University and Georgetown University. A business engineering graduate, after an assignment in Asia as Laureate of a prize, he worked in brand management for Procter & Gamble. He then shifted focus to join a nonprofit, working with the extreme poor. This led him to pursue a career in international development. He holds four PhDs, has over 700 publications and has worked on policy across sectors in over 60 countries. As part of his volunteer work, Quentin Wodon has held multiple leadership positions with nonprofits. His research has been covered by leading news media globally.
Please click here for photo gallery.
‘Investing in Girls' Education - Insights from Africa’: Talk by Quentin Wodon
In a session hosted by the Centre for Public Policy, the Director of the International Institute for Capacity Building in Africa, UNESCO, explains role of education in reducing gender inequalities in societies
27 February, 2025, Bengaluru: “Once learning is improved, fewer students at primary and secondary levels would drop out of schools and a larger cohort would go for higher education”, observed Quentin Wodon, Director of the International Institute for Capacity Building in Africa, UNESCO, while delivering a talk on, ‘Investing in Girls' Education - Insights from Africa’, during a seminar hosted by the Centre for Public Policy (CPP), earlier today.
The premise of his talk was the first report of the Africa Teachers Reports Series. In Sub-Saharan Africa, he explained, just over two-thirds of girls complete their primary education and four in ten complete lower secondary education. “A lot more needs to be done to improve educational opportunities for girls, which would help end child marriage and boost countries’ economic development. The first part of the study updates and expands for a much larger number of countries a previous investment case on the benefits of educating girls and ending child marriage. The second part looks at the role of teachers and school leaders in improving learning outcomes and educational attainment for girls”, Quentin Wodon said.
Providing data on primary education completion, lower secondary completion and tertiary education enrolment rates in African countries, he listed the key findings on the benefits from educating girls and ending child marriage, mentioned in the first part of the report. “There will be gains in earnings and boost in standards of living. Secondary education could reduce the risk of early marriage and early childbirth. Universal secondary education and ending child marriage will reduce population growth, enabling countries to benefit from the demographic dividend. It will also have beneficial outcomes relating to health, nutrition and general wellbeing. It would enhance agency of women and their decision-making power in the household. Reducing gender inequality will contribute to social capital.”
“Although this can achieve important intermediary benefits related to aspiration, self-esteem, confidence and reproductive health knowledge, additional interventions like livelihood training opportunities, incentives for schooling are necessary as well”, he pointed out.
He also stated that programs focusing on schooling are most likely to delay marriage and childbearing. "There is a need to have schools nearby or to provide transportation, need for water, sanitation and hygiene facilities for girls, need to reduce harassment/violence in schools, and the need to actually learn in school.”
Moving on to the second part of the report, he said, the flagship report covers two main areas - teachers as a solution to the problem and teacher policy issues. “The role of teachers and school leaders is key to improve foundational learning. While the literature emphasizes economic incentives for adolescent girls to remain in school, it is also important to note that lack of learning is a key factor leading to drop-out in primary and lower-secondary schools. Social norms, inaccessibility and cost are other factors. Although teachers and school leaders are key to improving learning, new approaches are needed for pedagogy in the classroom and for training teachers and school leaders. Nationally, professional standards and competencies for teachers and school leaders are also required. These facts call for investing in teachers and school leaders, especially women, to improve education for girls and end child marriage. Improving learning could be as, or more, important as targeted intervention. If you improve learning, fewer students will drop out and a larger cohort will opt for higher education. And this will rid societies of learning poverty.”
His talk was followed by an interaction with members of the audience. Dr. Gopal Naik, Senior Fellow, Chairperson and Jal Jeevan Mission Chair Professor at the Centre for Public Policy, pointed out that in the Indian context, there was a gap between policy and implementation when it came to governmental intervention relating to education, especially in rural areas. “In most cases, investment is low, midday meals have low nutritional value, then there are hygiene and sanitation related issues as well. These are some of the deficiencies needing urgent focus.” Quentin Wodon observed that policies should aim for inclusive education. “The UN has many such measures in place, for example, it has designed programs for children with disability.” Regarding interventions for better outcomes to be made in India - a country where he shared he has done similar work - he listed structured pedagogy, female leadership and teacher training. “But be realistic about results”, he cautioned.
About the speaker: Quentin Wodon is Director of the International Institute for Capacity Building in Africa, a Category 1 UNESCO Institute on teachers and education policy. Previously, he worked at the World Bank, including as Lead Economist, Lead Poverty Specialist, and manager of the unit on values and development. Before that, he taught with tenure at the University of Namur. He has also taught at Addis Ababa University, American University and Georgetown University. A business engineering graduate, after an assignment in Asia as Laureate of a prize, he worked in brand management for Procter & Gamble. He then shifted focus to join a nonprofit, working with the extreme poor. This led him to pursue a career in international development. He holds four PhDs, has over 700 publications and has worked on policy across sectors in over 60 countries. As part of his volunteer work, Quentin Wodon has held multiple leadership positions with nonprofits. His research has been covered by leading news media globally.
Please click here for photo gallery.