Bill Gates Calls For More Global Education Assessments Data

Bill Gates is rallying behind school quality in developing nations with a push for more assessment data, a new initiative that links the Microsoft co-founders signature U.S. education priorities with his more prominent global philanthropy work.

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation as the world’s largest philanthropy issued its latest “Goalkeepers” report on Tuesday, urging for more comparable student assessment data worldwide and help getting girls through their schooling.

The majority of the Gates foundation’s resources are dedicated to global health and development, with much of that work rooted in deep poverty issues in Africa, from tackling malaria, HIV and contraceptives to boosting crop production and financial services. In the U.S., Gates and his wife focus on reshaping America’s struggling school systems.

This year marks new intertwining priorities for Gates’ domestic and international work as it focuses on global education quality while also broadening its U.S. agenda to look at overarching poverty issues. In June, Gates announced a new initiative that would focus on “global education learning,” committing $68 million over the next four years to help improve primary and secondary education in India and African countries. And in May, the foundation also committed to delving deeper into systemic poverty in the U.S. by looking at both defined and abstract challenges such as racism and housing.