The World Bank Board has approved financing for the Excellence in Learning in Liberia (EXCEL) Project, aimed at enhancing foundational learning and access in public primary schools. The project includes a $60 million credit from the International Development Association (IDA) and a $28.7 million grant from the Global Partnership for Education (GPE). This initiative is part of the new 2025-2030 WBG Country Partnership Framework (CPF), which aims to build foundations for more and better jobs in Liberia.
Georgia Wallen, World Bank Liberia Country Manager, stated, “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.”
The project will focus on delivering foundational literacy and numeracy skills through a structured pedagogy approach in targeted schools. It will cover 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 include curriculum prioritization, development and distribution of aligned teaching materials, and delivery of foundational learning instruction.
Co-Task Team Leaders Namrata Raman Tognatta, Binta Beatrice Massaquoi, and Alonso Sanchez highlighted various aspects of project implementation: “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.” They noted that about 48% of direct project beneficiaries will be female. Additionally, approximately 14,000 school management committee members and Ministry of Education staff at both central and county levels will receive capacity-building support.
The EXCEL Project will be implemented across Liberia’s 15 counties, reaching 2,337 public primary schools. An estimated 362,000 students, teachers, and staff are expected to benefit directly from project interventions. About 350,000 students in ECE's last grade and all six grades of primary education will receive improved teaching materials over the project's duration. Approximately 12,000 teachers will gain training in foundational learning alongside instructional leadership and overall school management.