This is the first of two annual reports to be submitted during the three-year prospective evaluation of the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) in Mali – one of eight country prospective evaluations that will be complemented by a total of 22 summative country evaluations, to be carried out between 2018 and 2020. It follows a baseline report on Mali that was submitted in May 2018, and reproduces some of the education data that were included in that report.

In addition, it also presents the findings of the first prospective evaluation mission to the country, which took place in April 2018, and offers some initial, tentative conclusions on the basis of the limited data collection, monitoring and assessment undertaken to date.