Meet Learning Partner: National Foundation for Educational Research

National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) has a strong legacy of evidence-based research and expertise in gender equality and social inclusion in education in fragile and conflict-affected contexts. As global learning partner, NFER is bringing research expertise to support grantees in tackling marginalisation and strengthening advocacy through data and practical tools.

As one of Education Out Loud’s current group of Global Learning Partners, NFER, brings more than 75 years of experience in education research and a mission to improve outcomes for future generations. As a charitable organisation based in the UK, NFER works to support positive change across education systems by creating and sharing research evidence that informs policy and strengthens classroom practice.

“Our work spans developing assessments, evaluating programmes, and producing publications that influence educational practices and policies,” says Paola De Munari, Senior Education and International Development Specialist with NFER.

Recent projects include technical assistance for the establishment of the Educational Assessment Research Centre (EARC) in Kenya, which promotes best practices and shares resources with stakeholders across Eastern Africa. In Burundi, NFER has recently supported the adaptation of a classroom observation tool to enhance teacher professional development, with a focus on playful learning for children affected by poverty, conflict, and displacement. And in the UK, NFER has studied ethnic disparities in the teaching workforce, identifying barriers at key progression points and proposing approaches to support recruitment and advancement for people of colour.

“Our role as researchers is to uncover, synthesise and share learning, good practice, and challenges that can help unlock the transformative potential of education,” says Paola De Munari.

Supporting Inclusion in Fragile Contexts

NFER’s partnership with Education Out Loud runs through 2026 and will support the strategic research theme of gender equality and social inclusion (GESI), with a particular focus on fragile and conflict-affected contexts. Their work will contribute to generating learnings that inform the advocacy and accountability activities of grantees and the broader international education community.

“It is our hope that NFER’s work will inspire new ways of thinking and doing, especially in contexts where inclusion is most at risk,” says Paola De Munari, adding that this inspiration also extends to how we understand and respond to global challenges.

“There are some current global trends that affect the work of organisations on the ground—and if we look at them with fresh eyes, they can also reveal new opportunities for learning, collaboration and transformation,” she says.

Among these trends are the increasingly difficult funding environment and shrinking civil space, which pose challenges for organisations advocating for inclusive education. Meanwhile, the localisation agenda is prompting important reflections on power dynamics and colonial legacies in international education and development work.

“The reprioritisation of aid will likely generate new opportunities for organisations that can be creative, adapt and transform. At the same time, the localisation agenda is likely to renew the impetus on learning and collaboration initiatives initiated from the countries in the Global South for countries in the Global South, opening up alternative ways of doing things,” says Paola De Munari.

Insights from the Synthesis Report

As a first assignment as Education Out Loud learning partner, NFER has produced a Synthesis Report that unpacks the factors of marginalisation in education, how organisations supported by Education Out Loud address them in their work, and how they limit access to and participation in education for different groups.

Three key findings from the report include:

• Socioeconomic status is the most significant driver of marginalisation in education in the programme’s target countries, followed by rurality and disability.
• Data availability remains a major challenge, limiting efforts to monitor progress or design targeted interventions.
• Encouragingly, grantees are collecting their own data to influence policy and advocate for gender and social inclusion.

“These findings help raise the profile of civil society’s advocacy work and show how evidence on marginalised groups can contribute to policy change. They also highlight important gaps in the available evidence, which Education Out Loud grantees can help bridge through bottom-up data collection,” says Paola De Munari.

The report recommends strengthening mechanisms for monitoring multiple forms of marginalisation and reinforcing the collection and use of data—topics and themes that NFER is now engaging directly with grantees on through interactive learning events and follow-up sessions aimed at equipping grantees with practical tools and approaches to strengthen their advocacy work.

“We are excited to support Education Out Loud grantees and help them use evidence to drive change,” says Paola De Munari.