Colombia program

Colombia is a middle-income country with a strong education ecosystem, yet large gaps in foundational skills and socio-emotional learning persist, made worse by the COVID-19 pandemic. Our work in Colombia focuses on strengthening learning ecosystems at both national and regional levels, addressing these gaps and improving educational practices to be more inclusive, effective, and equitable.

Colombia Evidencia Potencial en Educación (CEPE)

The Colombia Evidencia Potencial en Educación (CEPE) initiative was presented in March 2024 at an event attended by key political figures from across Colombia. CEPE is a collaborative effort designed to enhance the public education system by connecting researchers, policymakers, and educators to improve pedagogical practices and support children’s learning and development.

CEPE is composed of three interrelated components:

Communities of Change: Supporting local communities to implement evidence-based policies that enhance the quality of education at the regional level.

Education Evidence Lab (EdLab): Ensuring that education strategies are backed by sound evidence to improve learning outcomes.

Co-Funding Mechanism: Engaging the government, philanthropic organizations, and industry funders to create a sustainable funding model that supports both Communities of Change and the EdLab.

Communities of Change (CoCs)

We are committed to supporting Communities of Change in diverse regions of Colombia. These communities implement evidence-based policies and practices that improve the quality of education, tailored to the unique needs of each territory. The Communities of Change initiative is co-developing a Learning Agenda with local partners to align priorities and strategies for sustainable educational impact. Through local collaboration and ownership, we aim to improve educational outcomes for children across the country.

Education Evidence Lab (EdLab)

The Education Evidence Lab (EdLab) brings together Colombia’s leading research institutions in a multi-stakeholder partnership. The lab will strengthen research rigor, ensuring that education strategies are based on solid evidence. The EdLab is also setting research priorities to address pressing educational challenges, ensuring that findings translate into actionable insights for educators and policymakers. This collaboration will enhance decision-making at all levels of the education system, leading to more sustainable and impactful learning outcomes for children.

Co-Funding Mechanism (cFMx)

To achieve sustainable, systemic change, we are working alongside the Colombian government, philanthropic organizations, and industry funders to establish a Co-Funding Mechanism. This mechanism will provide essential financial resources to support both the Communities of Change and the EdLab, ensuring evidence-informed impact across the country. In Colombia, our co-funding mechanism brings together UBS, Fundación Santo Domingo, Fundación Bancolombia, and others to drive systemic education improvements.

By fostering collaboration between key stakeholders, CEPE aims to create an inclusive and equitable education system where every child has the opportunity to succeed.