ASIA
Enabling educational innovation across Asia
Education systems across Asia are changing rapidly, with different priorities in every country. We help governments and partners find practical solutions to their biggest challenges – from established networks in Southeast Asia to emerging reform opportunities in Central Asia.
A legacy of excellence in bilingual education systems
Since 1984, our partnership with the Ministry of Education in Brunei Darussalam has supported teachers and learners to thrive in a bilingual system which teaches science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) subjects in English from Year 1. Through CfBT Education Services, we recruit and develop teachers to improve learning outcomes, and support national education priorities through reading and literacy initiatives. This work has promoted effective learning in English across over 80 per cent of Brunei government schools.
We are proud that between 2018 and 2022, Bruneian students' attainment in the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) dramatically improved in science, mathematics, and reading literacy, and the improvement in reading literacy was the largest of all participating countries worldwide.
Learning and leading together across the region
Alongside our country-level partnerships, we contribute to regional conversations about the future of education. Through networks such as the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO), we help education leaders share learning, address common challenges, and identify opportunities to improve outcomes across Southeast Asia.
We've partnered with
Where we work in the Asia
Southeast Asia
Supporting Brunei’s bilingual education system in partnership with the Ministry of Education and working with SEAMEO to share the best evidence on education reform.
Central Asia
Informing recommendations for future education support across Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan through the SCALE programme.
Across the region
We support international schools in countries including Malaysia, Vietnam, and Hong Kong to achieve and maintain high standards through inspection and accreditation.
Raising student achievement through teacher coaching
In 2016-19, Brunei’s Ministry of Education piloted the Literacy and Numeracy Coaching Programme (LNCP), with technical assistance from EDT. The LNCP built local teaching capacity through classroom-based coaching. Brunei’s results in the following Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) were impressive: they showed that Brunei’s improvement in reading literacy – in a test conducted in English – was the best of all 81 participating countries worldwide. We are incredibly proud to have supported this success story through our work. The LNCP is now fully embedded in Brunei’s Ministry of Education, and has had long-term positive impacts on teaching standards and the education system overall.
Click below to read the full case study.
Our programmes
Our work in Sub-Saharan Africa delivers impact at scale while strengthening the systems that sustain improvement. This includes developing teachers and leaders, supporting ministries to implement reform, and embedding approaches such as professional learning communities and inclusive education.
Latest insights and research
All of our work is driven and informed by evidence. We invest in research, generate deep insights, and apply evidence to shape better decisions in policy and practice, drive impact, and improve outcomes globally. We combine our respected research with real-world experience and extensive programme and impact evaluations to share insights on what works and to contribute to the dialogue on improving education and skills provision worldwide.