A few weeks ago, CLEF partners were honored to join Professor Mariatou Koné, Minister of National Education and Literacy in Côte d’Ivoire, on a visit to Guémon – one of six regions where the CLEF program is being implemented. You can view the highlights of this joint visit in the video below.
The CLEF coalition brings together the Government of Côte d’Ivoire, 16 cocoa and chocolate companies, and two philanthropic foundations. They have jointly pledged 78.6 million Swiss francs and aim to make a difference in the lives of more than 4 million children by the end of 2027.
The visit to Guémon provided an important opportunity to assess progress and connect with regional and district stakeholders working to improve education delivery.
At the heart of CLEF’s approach is a strong belief in the power of the middle tier, the education professionals who operate between the central ministry and individual schools. As Minister Koné emphasized when addressing them in Duékoué, ” your unwavering commitment is essential to translating education reform into real change for children at the classroom level.”
Education authorities at the intermediate level often face significant capacity and resource limitations. Many are underprepared for instructional leadership, particularly in areas such as pedagogy, data use, and change management. They frequently operate with insufficient staffing, encounter logistical challenges, and lack the tools and reliable data needed to effectively support and guide schools.
CLEF partners are making several strategic investments to address these challenges and empower middle-tier education authorities. “To support your work as change agents, the Government and its private partners, united under the CLEF coalition, are funding professional development for pedagogical advisors and other education professionals”, declared Minister Koné. “We’re also equipping you with motorbikes to facilitate school visits and boost teacher support and supervision, especially in hard-to-reach areas”. These investments are part of CLEF’s broader support to improve the quality of education and reduce the risk of child labor in Côte d’Ivoire.
Several leading education organizations have brought global attention to the middle tier in education systems – also referred to as the “missing middle”, as educational policy has often overlooked this intermediate level. The selection reports referenced below explore how this pivotal layer of actors can drive effective reform, support teachers, scale innovations, and enhance the delivery of education.
Change Agents: Emerging evidence on instructional leadership a the middle tier. (2022)
Education Development Trust, UNESCO/International Institute for Education Planning, the Education Commission
The Messy Middle: Implementing Education Innovations at Scale. (2023), HundrEd
The Power of Public Policy to Transform Education. World Bank Group, World Development Report 2018
CLEF is a commitment to:
- get more children into school.
- make sure children learn at school.
- Achieve impact at scale; we want to make a difference in the lives of more than 4 million children by 2027.
CLEF funds school infrastructure and childcare facilities, supports teacher training in evidence-based pedagogical techniques, promotes behavior change so parents engage in their children’s education and apply good parenting practices to boost early childhood development, and tests a cutting-edge school nutrition program.
CLEF welcomes new partners: contact us to learn more about the initiative and to get involved.
