October 2024 marked a significant milestone in the foundational teaching and learning of math in Malawi.

The Ministry of Education, with support from the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), rolled out a new curriculum for grades 1 and 2. This means all students in these grades will benefit from a revised, modern math curriculum, trained teachers and high-quality workbooks.

This investment complements the literacy-structured pedagogy initiatives by the education ministry, supported by USAID, targeting grades 1 and 2. Indeed, the stars are aligning for improved learning outcomes.

These investments are expected to shift the trajectory from the current one: of 7- to 14-year-olds in Malawi, only 19% and 13% attain foundational literacy and numeracy skills respectively.

Do these investments complete the foundational learning puzzle?

An evaluation of the pilot math curriculum showed that children learned the equivalent of an additional half-year of schooling. Similar results have been noted at scale.

Nevertheless, the evaluation revealed limited impact on the lowest-performing students. Absenteeism, lack of targeted support due to large class sizes, and teachers still requiring ongoing training and mentorship are some of the causes.

A few pieces are still needed to complete this puzzle

In the recent Global Partnership for Education (GPE) programming, with the World Bank as grant agent, Malawi has prioritized remediation to support learners who are falling behind.

To implement this, the education ministry, with FCDO support, is piloting a proven curriculum integrated remediation approach.

The learning environment is also crucial. GPE/World Bank support to construct about 10,900 classrooms will reduce congestion; however, over 35,000 additional classrooms are required to have at least 1 classroom for every 90 pupils in lower grades. The hiring of auxiliary teachers also helps reduce pupil-teacher ratios.

In addition, strong accountability and efficiency are essential. The World Bank's Governance to Enable Service Delivery program complements education interventions by incentivizing local councils’ education delivery.

This entails deploying teachers based on need, ensuring teachers are present as assigned, and timely disbursements of financial resources for teaching and learning materials, among others.

This piece still requires refinement to achieve optimal efficiency, including enhanced collaboration between the central education ministry and local government.

With all these pieces, have we solved the puzzle?

Not quite. Teacher motivation remains central to the teaching and learning agenda. Data shows that most teachers are in urban or peri-urban schools, leaving remote schools understaffed. This situation is even more pronounced for female teachers, adversely affecting girls.

Remote schools face unique challenges, including lack of reliable roads, electricity, healthcare and adequate housing. Some local councils are addressing this challenge by targeting teacher recruitment for specific schools, allowing teachers to know in advance where they will be assigned.

However, certain basic needs are universal, necessitating cross-sectoral collaboration and programming. Investments in safe water, electricity and road infrastructure at the council level should be informed by a mapping of basic services.

The recent efforts by the World Bank funded electrification project, targeting schools and health centers, are commendable.

A further piece of the puzzle

Another critical piece is the impact of hunger due to effects of climate change. During the lean season (in between harvests), many learners are absent as families assess the opportunity costs of education.

A government-led school feeding program is necessary, but the challenge lies in sustaining it. The ministry's concept of mobilizing communities to stock food for learners is worth pursuing.

World Food Programme (WFP) support in modeling school feeding programs will inform sustainable practices. It is essential that cross-sectoral programming for social protection continues to incentivize households to invest in their children's education. Education and climate change are inextricably linked; learners can be agents of change in climate mitigation, not mere victims.

Malawi’s national climate plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and limit global warming lack a clear definition for education.

This again requires improved cross-sectoral collaboration.

The bigger picture

In this discussion, the focus has been on primary school education, however, it is important for development practitioners to keep an eye on the whole sector.

In Malawi, the number of students as a percentage of the total primary school age population is over 129%. This drops significantly at post-primary levels, to 27% for secondary and 3% for tertiary, indicating access challenges.

All learners should enter primary school ready to learn, having benefited from quality early childhood education.

They should be motivated to complete their primary education, knowing that opportunities exist for them at the secondary school level. Thereafter, potential career pathways should be established through skills development and tertiary education for better social economic livelihood.

Malawi is at a pivotal moment

The education puzzle includes all these components, and it is essential for government and development practitioners to focus on each level to ensure complementarities.

Malawi is a country to watch, as it possesses key pieces to implement the foundational learning puzzle at scale. With strong collaboration and synergies, and openness to learning, we should see significant improvements in learning outcomes over the coming years.