In Peru, a local effort boosts reading skills
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In Ascope, a coastal province in Peru’s La Libertad region, officials launched an educational initiative in 2024 to improve children’s reading comprehension in early primary school.
The Ascope project, a collaboration between the Ascope UGEL, Enseña Perú, and McKinsey & Company, currently works with 40 schools and 2,676 students. It trains 148 school principals and teachers in reading and pedagogical leadership strategies, focusing on whether students are actually learning to read and understand text.
The program draws inspiration from Sobral, a city in the Brazilian state of Ceará, which successfully improved its education system by setting clear goals, regularly evaluating students, and supporting teachers. Instead of solely focusing on education spending, Sobral prioritized student learning outcomes and became a leading example in Latin America. Early results from Ascope show promise.
Within ten months, the percentage of students reaching a satisfactory reading level increased from 18% to 44%, while the number of students at beginning levels decreased from 66% to 39%. The initiative is now expanding to Virú, where second-grade students improved their reading comprehension from 9% to 31% between March and December 2025. Regional authorities signed an agreement to extend the model throughout the La Libertad region, hoping Ascope can serve as a model for wider educational reform in Peru.
