Ending Learning Poverty

The HP Futures Council on Ending Learning Poverty

Even before the Covid-19 pandemic shuttered schools and universities for more than 1.5 billion learners, the UN was warning of missed SDG 4 targets. Extended lockdowns exacerbated problems and left a painful legacy, seeing the rate of learning poverty soar by a third in low and middle-income countries. To put this into sharp review: In early 2020, around 57% of 10-year-olds in developing countries were unable to understand a simple written text. Today that figure stands at a shocking 70%.

Unless strategies actively addressing this situation are implemented, generations will lose the opportunity to advance.

This HP Futures Council will:

Examine how the public and private sector can collaborate to actively tackle learning poverty. The scope of conversation will span government intervention, NGO programmes, and contribution from enterprise.
Review and analyse the most effective methods of ending learning poverty - and explore potential novel solutions.
Focus on how and where technology can play a core role in addressing this issue.