Building effective education systems for scaling: frameworks, ingredients, and implementation

These persistent challenges, compounded by recent developments in global politics, widening inequality, and cuts in aid funding, have revived discussions on doing development differently. Mimicry and siloed interventions that deliver short-term, small-scale results have been deprioritised for evidence-informed solutions that adopt a system lens approach to education reform, with the aim of delivering scalable, lasting change. 

The principle of system strengthening in education reform is not new. There is extensive literature on the key ‘ingredients’ required for an education system to deliver improved learning outcomes, leading all practitioners to assert that their education solutions incorporate system-strengthening principles. Yet the challenges to improved learning outcomes remain. Similarly, there is a considerable body of literature on pathways to scaling; however, relatively few evidence-informed solutions have been successfully scaled across diverse contexts. 

Based on our research and programme delivery, we recognise that successful system strengthening initiatives leading to the scaling of education solutions are not determined by the “ingredients” alone; their practical application in complex political environments is equally critical. In particular, the approach used to embed these elements during the implementation or rollout of interventions can significantly influence whether outcomes are short-term or lead to sustained, scalable impact. 

In this brief, we reflect on decades of experience in system strengthening to support evidence-informed solutions, highlighting the six core principles of our approach that have contributed to strengthened systems and the delivery of education solutions at scale. These include viewing solution design through a systems lens, leveraging domestic resources, and being driven by outcomes. However, these principles remain just that – principles – until they are applied effectively. When operationalised with skill, and guided by a steadfast commitment to local expertise, they can make sustainable, scaled education reform a reality.