WASHINGTON, JUNE 10, 2025 - The World Bank Board has approved financing for the Excellence in Learning in Liberia (EXCEL) Project, which includes a $60 million credit from the International Development Association (IDA) and a $28.7 million grant from the Global Partnership for Education (GPE). The project is designed to improve foundational learning and access in public primary schools, as well as strengthening the education sector. This marks the first project financed by the World Bank under the new 2025-2030 WBG Country Partnership Framework (CPF), which focuses on building foundations for more and better jobs in Liberia.
"The Excellence in Learning Project breaks new ground as the most far-reaching project financed by the World Bank in the education sector in Liberia. It supports the ambitions of the ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development (AAID) to transform the education sector, laying the building blocks for a strong and resilient education system," said Georgia Wallen, World Bank Liberia Country Manager.
The project will focus on delivering foundational literacy and numeracy skills through a structured pedagogy approach in targeted schools, covering the final year of Early Childhood Education (ECE) and all six grades of primary education nationwide. A Foundational Learning Program (FLP) will be developed with coordinated plans that cover three elements: prioritization of curriculum; development and distribution of aligned teaching and learning materials; and delivering foundational learning instruction in classrooms. Schools will be chosen for the project based on their readiness to implement the FLP.
"During project implementation, we will focus on improving the learning environment, raising awareness of school-related gender-based violence, enhancing the quality and frequency of education sector data updates, strengthening school supervision through district officers, and fostering stronger community engagement to benefit the entire school community," said Co-Task Team Leaders Namrata Raman Tognatta, Binta Beatrice Massaquoi and Alonso Sanchez. "About 48% of the direct project beneficiaries will be female. In addition, approximately 14,000 school management committee members, along with Ministry of Education staff at both the central and county levels, will receive capacity-building support."
The Project will be implemented across Liberia's 15 counties and will reach 2,337 public primary schools. About 362,000 students, teachers, and staff are expected to benefit directly from project interventions, while 350,000 students in the last grade of ECE and all six grades of primary education will receive improved teaching and learning materials and instruction in foundational literacy and numeracy over the project period. About 12,000 teachers, including principals, will benefit from training in foundational learning, receive teacher guides and teaching materials, and receive training on instructional leadership, teacher mentoring, education data management, and overall school management.
