Forty-two African governments have pledged fresh funding and stronger policy commitments to tackle learning poverty across the continent by 2035, placing foundational education at the centre of national development and long-term economic growth.

The commitment was made at the close of the third Africa Foundational Learning Exchange (FLEX2026) in Lilongwe, Malawi, where ministers, permanent secretaries and senior education officials agreed on a coordinated strategy to improve literacy, numeracy and critical thinking among children.

The three-day summit, hosted by the Government of Malawi in partnership with the Association for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA), concluded with participating countries committing to increase domestic investment in foundational learning while aligning donor support with national education priorities.

A major outcome of the conference was the launch of the Foundational Learning Initiative for Government-Led Transformation (FLIGHT), a new philanthropic financing platform that will mobilise US$35 million to support government-led education reforms across Africa.

The Global Partnership for Education (GPE) also announced an additional US$37 million in funding for countries including Lesotho, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe, while the World Bank reaffirmed support through its US$1.5 billion AIM4Learning programme, part of its broader US$16 billion education portfolio across Africa.

Speaking at the event, Executive Secretary of ADEA, Albert Nsengiyumva, said improving education outcomes requires not only increased funding but also more efficient use of available resources.

“Countries are going through very tough fiscal pressure, but it is not just about getting resources. It is how we use those resources that matters,” he said, stressing the need for accountability and continuity in education reforms.

The participating governments adopted six priority areas to drive implementation over the next decade. These include strengthening political leadership, increasing financing for foundational learning, improving data and accountability systems, scaling evidence-based teaching practices—including the use of artificial intelligence and education technology—enhancing coordination among development partners, and improving access to quality education for vulnerable and hard-to-reach children.

Delegates cited successful education reforms already underway in several countries. Tanzania’s MEWAKA coaching programme improved reading proficiency from 64 per cent in 2021 to 90 per cent in 2025, while Nigeria has expanded its Teaching at the Right Level initiative to approximately 12,000 schools. Malawi’s Building Education Foundations through Innovation and Technology (BEFIT) programme has reached nearly 890,000 pupils and trained about 17,900 teachers.

Malawi’s Minister of Education, Science and Technology, Bright Msaka, said the focus must now shift from commitments to implementation.

He noted that African governments were no longer seeking additional declarations but were determined to return home and execute agreed reforms that would improve learning outcomes.

Participants also heard directly from pupils of Nkwiji Primary School in Malawi, who appealed for better learning materials in local languages, qualified teachers, climate-resilient schools and inclusive education for children with disabilities.

Across much of Africa, as many as nine in every 10 children aged 10 years are unable to read a simple sentence or perform basic mathematics with understanding, a challenge experts warn could undermine future productivity, workforce competitiveness and economic development if left unaddressed.

The next edition of the Africa Foundational Learning Exchange will be hosted by Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, in 2028, where governments are expected to report progress on the commitments made in Malawi.