Malawi Save the Children and Malawi's Ministry of Education Collaborate to Enhance Inclusive Education and Literacy
In a groundbreaking effort to address the concerning low literacy and numeracy rates for early-grade children in Malawi, Save the Children has, since 2019, collaborated with the Ministry of Education to revolutionize teacher support and enhance inclusive education in the country. This collaborative approach includes partnering with local organisations - Livingstonia Synod, Community Action for Sustainable Development (CASDO) and Blantyre Synod - with the shared goal of creating sustainable and impactful solutions.
The initiative is aligned with the National Education Sector Implementation Plan (NESIP) 2020-2030, which emphasizes the need to review and digitize the teacher education curriculum to prepare Malawi's youth for the challenges of the 21st century.
Malawi's National Reading Programme Assessment in 2017 revealed disheartening statistics, with a stark lack of special needs teachers in 94% of schools, hindering inclusive education efforts. Save the Children recognized the urgency of the situation and embarked on a transformative journey to empower teachers and elevate the quality of education, thanks to support from NORAD.
Traditionally, teacher support was provided through one-time training sessions, but the program shifted towards Teacher Professional Development (TPD), involving ongoing short workshops and extended practice periods. This innovative approach emphasizes self-directed and peer learning activities, fostering collaborative relationships among educators. Save the Children collaborated with the Ministry of Education's Directorate of Teacher Education to develop nine modules, focusing on Inclusive Pedagogy, Reading Fluency, and Multiple Pathways to Learning.
By June 2023, the program successfully rolled out four modules, encompassing Reading Fluency and Inclusive Pedagogy, in targeted districts of Mwanza, Neno, Lilongwe Urban, and Mzimba South. These modules reached an impressive total of 1,061 teachers, comprising 575 males and 486 females.
Classroom observations following the TPD program implementation highlighted significant improvements in teacher capacities to effectively employ inclusive pedagogy and deliver reading skills and fluency lessons. Furthermore, teachers reported that the TPD program had a positive impact on their professional relationships, enhancing the overall learning environment.
Recognizing the importance of sustainability, Save the Children and its partners, in collaboration with the Directorate of Teacher Education, have made the modules accessible to educators even after the SCREP program phases out. These modules will be uploaded to the national Continuous Professional Development (CPD) platform, extending their reach to teachers in SCREP-targeted districts and beyond.
On 20th October 2021, the Ministry of Education hosted a validation workshop, bringing together management and staff from various departments. Speaking at the event, a representative for the Principle Secretary, Steven Chikopa, emphasized the necessity of embracing digitization in Malawi's educational system. He stated, "We are compelled to use digitization in our educational system. If we keep on teaching our children the way we taught them yesterday, we would deprive them of their tomorrow. Our old educational system lacks the capability to stand a chance in the 21st century."
Save the Children's collaboration with the Ministry of Education in Malawi is a shining example of how innovative approaches to teacher development and inclusive education can transform the educational landscape, providing hope and a brighter future for the nation's youth.
