Benjamin Piper

Director, Global Education
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

[ADEA @ADEAnet]

🇸🇱 This Wednesday, the Government of #SierraLeone/@MOBSSE_SL & @GoogleDeepMind present a landmark study on AI & mathematics learning outcomes — at an exclusive breakfast meeting at @Google's London office during @TheEWF.

#AIinEducation #FoundationalLearning #EdTech #Education

[Noam Angrist @angrist_noam]

📣 Join us for practical how-tos on A/B testing on March 11 w/ @WWHGlobalEd @youthimpactorg @poverty_action @gatesfoundation @AgencyFund @DBE_SA: https://t.co/7IozgFLUso

[VoxDev @vox_dev]

How to solve the global reading crisis 📢

Last month on VoxDevTalks w/ @timsvengali, @benlpiper (@gatesfoundation) discussed how effective reading instruction can transform learning outcomes in developing countries: https://t.co/cqT6n5Eglu

[Benjamin Piper @benlpiper]

@DhirJhingran @LLF_edu Evidence shows these skills have real payoffs: lower child mortality, better maternal health, and stronger economic growth. Children are capable – and the right investment can set them up for better futures. Hear more: https://t.co/lhXfxJPR7D

[Benjamin Piper @benlpiper]

Thanks to @DhirJhingran and @LLF_edu for having me on the LLF Speaks podcast to discuss why #FoundationalLearning must be a priority. If children can’t read with understanding or do basic math early on, everything else in school gets harder.

[Global Education Evidence Advisory Panel (GEEAP) @GEEAP_]

📣 New @GEEAP_ op-ed: Africa’s Moment, If We Get Reading Right

By @benlpiper and @Mpumi_NLM

Why evidence-based reading, grounded in African languages, is critical for Africa’s future

Full report: https://t.co/cIoLY6QItG

🔗 https://t.co/6tpsDgoVW6

#GEEAP #Education #Evidence

[Benjamin Piper @benlpiper]

At seven, a child’s ability to read can define their future. We know what works — now it’s about supporting leaders on the path to scale. Read my reflections on how we can unlock the potential of #FoundationalLearning in 2026: https://t.co/dNrHo2dtHU

[Benjamin Piper @benlpiper]

International cooperation in #GlobalEducation isn’t optional if we want to improve learning at scale. It’s time for members of Parliament, donors, and partners to align around government-led education interventions to close the learning gap. @IPNEducation https://t.co/eU2KLm2zcB

[Benjamin Piper @benlpiper]

Africa’s future will be shaped by how governments allocate their resources. @ObyEzeks and I explore the benefits of properly funding and scaling #FoundationalLearning and the societal cost that comes with inaction. Read it here: https://t.co/8pV7mEnT3A

[Benjamin Piper @benlpiper]

Great to join the UK Generative #AI for Education Summit. AI must align with curriculum, evidence-based teaching, and rigorous evaluation. Done right, it can help teachers, strengthen learning, and expand access to foundational reading and math.

[Benjamin Piper @benlpiper]

@WWHGlobalEd @gatesfoundation The insight note makes the choice clear for governments: put core literacy and numeracy at the center of education plans and budgets, and the payoff is huge for young people, economies, and societies. Read more: https://t.co/r18voo6TUd

[Benjamin Piper @benlpiper]

This #IDE2026, a new insight note from Mettalytics, @WWHGlobalEd & @GatesFoundation shows what’s at stake: if 90% of children could read by age 10, universal #FoundationalLearning could add an estimated $196T to global GDP between 2031–2050. That’s trillions, not billions.

[Benjamin Piper @benlpiper]

The ability to read in early grades shapes everything that follows in a child’s life. The new @GEEAP_ endorsed report shows what works to get children reading – and why it matters for Africa’s economic future. Hear more from my conversation with @VoxDev: https://t.co/ETm6swMXPT

[Benjamin Piper @benlpiper]

AI could accelerate #FoundationalLearning solutions at scale, but only if we build it right. When we work together and ensure that AI is designed for the realities of LMICs, we can make incredible progress.

Read more: https://t.co/IXqcYISBgK

[Benjamin Piper @benlpiper]

#Senegal’s Ministry of Education didn’t import foreign education solutions; they built a bilingual reform rooted in their context.
Great to hear from the @OngAred team at the Gates-Ministry of Education partner meeting on the importance of contextually relevant education reform.

[African Voices @African_voices1]

In Africa, Education Is in Crisis — and It Is an Economic Threat

Every morning, millions of African children go to school. Yet many leave the classroom unable to read a simple sentence or solve basic math problems. Nine out of ten children cannot read properly by the age of ten.

This is no longer just an education crisis, it is an economic threat. Without basic skills, there can be no growth, no productivity, and no sustainable development.

According to Dr. Obiageli Ezekwesili, former Minister of Education of Nigeria, the real problem is not only the school system itself. The real issue is the lack of political will. Governments invest in school buildings, but not in real learning.

Education systems move forward without reliable data or accountability. Without measurement, there can be no improvement. And even when data exists, it is rarely used to guide decision-making.

To change course, three elements are essential: political will, accountability, and strong partnerships. Leaders must understand that education is both an economic and moral choice. Learning outcomes must be integrated into national budgets, monitored consistently, and evaluated beyond political promises.

Schools should not be symbolic institutions — they must be engines of transformation.

There are, however, signs of hope. In Kenya, the Tusome program has improved literacy through teacher training and data-driven instruction. In Rwanda, learning assessments are integrated into the national education system. In Sierra Leone, data-based reforms are gradually improving outcomes.

These examples show that progress is possible when leadership is serious and committed.

To move forward, Africa must move beyond short-term projects and build strong, transparent education systems that are monitored year after year. The continent’s future depends on its ability to provide children with an education that truly builds skills.

The challenge is not only educational, it is political. And it will define our collective future.

@slinzberry @MakanMoo @xxdeathshot12xx @AdamaSi84374726 @ohabata @LEADPartyZim @thomasdietrich0

#AfricanVoices #Education #Africa #AfricanChildren

[Benjamin Piper @benlpiper]

The Attention Shift toolkit on #FoundationalLearning is now available in French. A great resource to help leaders and advocates communicate the importance of core reading and math skills across Africa.

Découvrez la version française du toolkit ici: https://t.co/nvDqbiL3XS

[ADEA @ADEAnet]

Apply for the 2026 Rebecca H. Rhodes African Inclusive Literacy Research Grant (US$5,000).

Supports research on literacy for children & youth with disabilities in Africa: https://t.co/ZgUOF6i3zI

🗓️ Deadline: 27 Feb 2026 (midnight PT)
📩 [email protected]

[Benjamin Piper @benlpiper]

Today, @Adq_Official and the @GatesFoundation launched a new US$40M partnership to advance responsible #AI & #EdTech for #FoundationalLearning.

Learn more: https://t.co/Y6xhnLyKax

[Benjamin Piper @benlpiper]

Most #AI tools don’t yet work in the languages millions of African children actually speak – risking progress on learning outcomes. I spoke with @Devex about what needs to change and how the @GatesFoundation and partners are making that happen: https://t.co/pFEkanFtut