Why Education Out Loud

Policy engagement by civil society organizations is crucial to ensuring that education systems reflect community voices and their needs. We are the largest and almost sole fund in the world supporting local, regional and global civil society advocacy and accountability for education.

With a funding envelope of US$133 million and working in more than 60 countries, Education Out Loud strengthens civil society organizations undertaking many innovative interventions for change in education. In a world contending with the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic and multiple crises that risk deprioritizing investing in education, tireless civil society engagement is essential to bring evidence from communities and channel the voices of the marginalized as a way for them to claim and defend their right to education.
Acknowledging the critical role civil society organizations (CSOs) play in the education policy landscape to strengthen mutual accountability between key actors, GPE expanded funding support for civil society by approving Education Out Loud in 2019.
Now in its fifth year of implementation by Oxfam Denmark, Education Out Loud stands as not only the largest but almost sole fund dedicated to local, regional and global civil society advocacy for education. Examples of our work:

• The past 25 years have seen remarkable success by civil society: the achievement of a global consensus that all children, everywhere, have the right to go to school.
• Education Out Loud has been an essential element in GPE’s support to Mongolia as the country has nearly doubled the proportion of children with disabilities in the school system to over 80% compared with just 44% in 2010,
• In Eswatini, the Ministry of Education and Training nominated the Swaziland Network Campaign for Education for All (SWANCEFA) to become the coordinating agency for the first local education group in the country.

We contribute to inclusive policy dialogue

Most of our grantees are national education coalitions who act as platforms for civil society member organizations working for education. They participate in national decision making spaces which bring key education stakeholders together to discuss important strategies for education advocacy. National Education Coalitions are members of Regional Education Coalitions as well as the Global Campaign for Education. Examples of our work:

• 51 national education coalitions participated in local education groups in 2023.
• In less than a year, partners from civil society organizations, representing diverse groups from marginalized regions within GPE partner countries, have contributed to 46 significant policy reforms. These reforms span a broad spectrum of strategic areas, including the allocation of resources for education, gender equality and inclusive policy development.
• Campaign for Popular Education (CAMPE) has almost 1,000 member organizations with education as a cross-cutting focus alongside gender equality, inclusion, child rights, indigenous people and youth rights groups.

We strengthen civic engagement

Education Out Loud supports civil society groups to undertake strategic multilevel monitoring of education policy and budget implementation, and to use evidence to act on policy solutions. Examples of our work:

• In 2023, 31 social accountability mechanisms for education were expanded with support from Education Out Loud.
• In Senegal, a rural women’s group started school-level monitoring to strengthen accountability of stakeholders, especially policymakers and administrators.
• In Tajikistan and Malawi, community monitoring is paving the way for children with special needs to access formal education systems, leveraging the power of a youth-led movement that resulted in multiple policy actions in the Philippines.

We offer support for advocates in the world’s most fragile places

Education Out Loud supports unheard voices in fragile communities so they can engage in advocacy in emergencies. Additionally, we support learning exchange, focused on advocacy for education, in emergencies among civil society organizations. Examples of our work:

• In Yemen and Somalia, learning activities have helped the national education coalitions to improve their capacities.
• In Burkina Faso, radio broadcasts in local languages were organized by civil society organizations that are part of the education coalition to raise community awareness on education in emergencies.
• In Cabo Verde, music is traditionally appreciated in all spheres of life. Realizing its effectiveness, the coalition combined music with organized events and campaigns to engage people in education advocacy.

We promote aid alignment by complementing the work of GPE’s Knowledge and Innovation Exchange (KIX)

Policy Advocates equipped with locally owned evidence are key to transform education systems. GPE’s Knowledge and Innovation Exchange (KIX) and Education Out Loud collaborate to ensure the best quality when improving education systems worldwide. Examples of our work:

• The National Education Coalitions in Cameroon and Senegal take part in evidence discussions on digital learning organized by KIX Afrique 21 hub.
• In Burkina Faso, the Coalition Nationale pour l’Education Pour Tous, designed a digital solution to education that works with solar powered electricity and enables up to 200 individuals to use it at once. The Woubibox was awarded an innovation prize in a competition organized by KIX’s Africa 21 hub.
• In Latin America, civil society organizations leveraged KIX research to support the shift of cultural norms about gender-based violence.