New RCT Evaluation Underscores Rising’s Best-in-Class Results

The final results of the Sierra Leone Education Innovation Challenge (SLEIC) have now been released, reaffirming Rising Academies’ reputation for delivering best-in-class learning gains in public education systems.

SLEIC is a flagship outcomes-funded programme of the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education and the Education Outcomes Fund (EOF). The external evaluation, led by Oxford Policy Management, found that students in Rising-supported public primary schools significantly outperformed those in comparison schools, with an effect size of 0.38 standard deviations in mathematics and 0.29 standard deviations in English. These gains are substantially above the programme average and benchmarks from comparable interventions. Consistent with previous evaluations of Rising’s work, the largest improvements in both literacy and numeracy were achieved by girls.

Across the three-year programme, Rising refined and strengthened its approach with support from Bridges Outcomes Partnerships. Key enhancements included:

• Differentiated programme design: Using real-time data and field insights, Rising tailored support to the specific needs of different schools, enabling more targeted and responsive delivery.
• Curriculum strengthening: Teacher guides and student learning materials were redesigned and tested with teachers to ensure clearer, more structured guidance in the classroom.
• Community-driven support: Rising Coaches worked closely with school and community stakeholders, reviewing data together and co-creating solutions – including local by-laws to improve daily attendance.

EOF’s report notes that strengthening school systems requires long-term commitment, iteration and learning. Rising is applying the lessons from SLEIC to the scale-up of RisingFaster, its structured pedagogy approach designed to accelerate foundational literacy and numeracy. Backed by Prevail Fund, Rising aims to reach up to 400 schools in Sierra Leone this year—ensuring that the impact of SLEIC extends far beyond the programme itself.

Rising Academies is grateful to Hon. Conrad Sackey and the Ministry, the Education Outcomes Fund, Bridges Outcomes Partnerships, and all implementing partners for the opportunity to contribute to this first-of-its-kind initiative on the continent. The organisation looks forward to continuing its work with school communities and expanding its reach and impact across Sierra Leone.

You can read EOF’s official report here: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/the-education-outcomes-fund_challenge-accepted-activity-7403720002006274048-E-W0/