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This blog was written by Foster Gondwe, Lecturer at the School of Education, University of Malawi, and currently a PhD student at Hiroshima University, Japan.  Preamble To join global efforts in curbing the spread of COVID-19, the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MoEST) in Malawi closed all schools, colleges and universities from Monday, 23rd […]

In this study, we examined the effectiveness of an innovative approach to literacy instruction in Malawi on teachers' perceptions, attitudes, and instructional practices. Two groups participated in the study: Treatment teachers received complementary teaching and learning materials, workshops, and directive coaching, and control teachers received no intervention. After this five-month intervention, treatment teachers were significantly more comfortable with their languages of instruction and...

Want to know more about the lessons we learnt from our sandbox with onebillion? Read our blog, Scaling personalized learning technology in Malawi.

The latest economic analysis of Malawi says the country has an opportunity to kickstart digital transformation by enabling the growth of a robust digital economy ecosystem

In the aftermath of the introduction of free primary education in Malawi, 17 000 untrained teachers were recruited to meet the new demand for schooling. This article reports a study carried out to investigate how the new recruits were coping and how far the schools were able to provide informal on-the-job training. It also describes how action research was introduced to help heads and both qualified and unqualified teachers to improve their own practice. Conclusions are drawn about the feasibility of school-based training in Malawi.

The Lilongwe High Court in Malawi has granted Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HDRC) an order blocking the government from effecting a 21-day lockdown meant to curb the spread of Covid-19.

How Can Participatory Methods Centre Teachers Within Education Policy? [Learning Brief]

Koomar, S. - 2024 - EdTech Hub

This Learning Brief is part of the EdTech Hub Learning Brief Series, providing practical resources for people working to improve the use of technology in education. In this brief, we look at the potential for participatory methods to bring teachers closer to the decision-making table. Insights from those closest to the work shed light on the daily contextual realities that can determine the mechanisms for optimal success or failure of a programme. However, these voices are often neglected...

Our 8-month randomized controlled trial (RCT) in government primary schools in Malawi shows significant positive effects for learners in overall literacy and in key early math skills, with similarly positive results for both girls and boys.

Malawi’s primary education system has been challenged to provide quality learning in the face of expanding enrollment. To address poor learning outcomes, the Ministry of Education piloted use of onebillion’s onecourse software in about 100 schools. Initial studies of onecourse conducted over 8 weeks to 8 months produced significant effect sizes in math and literacy, although absolute gains were modest. To measure longer-term impacts, Imagine Worldwide conducted a 2-year efficacy randomized...

The World Bank today approved $100 million in financing from the International Development Association (IDA)* for Malawi to support increased access, particularly for female students, to skills development programs in priority areas of the economy that are most relevant to the labor market— now and in the future.

The World Bank today approved $100 million in financing from the International Development Association (IDA)* for Malawi to support increased access, particularly for female students, to skills development programs in priority areas of the economy that are most relevant to the labor market— now and in the future.

The World Bank today approved $100 million in financing from the International Development Association (IDA)* for Malawi to support increased access, particularly for female students, to skills development programs in priority areas of the economy that are most relevant to the labor market— now and in the future.

Only one in ten people in Malawi have access to information and communications technology (as of 2016). This is due to the high cost and complexity of developing the infrastructure and end-user service offering. However, the government plans to improve access to, and the affordability of, broadband connections. It is initiating projects to reach out to the most disadvantaged groups in society.

Recent macroeconomic and financial developments Growth in Malawi’s economy decelerated in 2020 to 1.7% from 5.7 % in 2019. The slowdown in GDP growth was driven by the outbreak of COVID–19, which necessitated a partial lockdown of the economy, resulting in subdued economic activities—mainly in tourism, the accommodation and food subsectors, transportation, and agriculture. Other sectors affected by disruptions from the COVID–19 pandemic disruptions were manufacturing and mining and quarrying.

Malawi can be understood as a microcosm of institutional reform approaches in developing countries more broadly. A common feature of such approaches, whether implemented by government or donors, is reform initiatives that yield institutions that "look like" those found in higher-performing countries but rarely acquire the same underlying functionality. This paper presents a retrospective analysis of previous institutional reform projects in Malawi, as well as interviews with Malawi-based...

This Helpdesk report was created in response to a request from the World Bank Malawi Education Team for a curated list of resources on examples of EdTech interventions targeting out-of-school children and adolescents to inform an ASA (Advisory Services and Analytics) output. The ASA output will provide policy options to improve second-chance learning and foundational skills for out-of-school children (OOSC). To provide the World Bank Malawi team with adequate information on the above. This...

Given the narrow scope and conceptualisation of inclusion for young children with disabilities in research within low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) contexts, we draw on a bioecological systems perspective to propose the parameters for a broader unit of analysis. This perspective situates human development within a specific cultural context in which family, peers and schooling are regarded as key in responding to young children with disabilities in a given setting. We outline a new...

Oculocutaneous albinism is an inherited condition with significant health and social impact on the lives of those affected throughout sub-Saharan, including in Malawi. Myths and superstitions surrounding the condition lead to stigmatisation, rejection and misconceptions. In a participatory study, consultations with educational professionals, children with albinism and their families documented the barriers to full educational access and revealed low-cost strategies that could be implemented...

During the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, almost all countries implemented school closures to prevent disease transmission. However, prolonged closures can put children at risk of leaving school permanently, a decision that can reduce their long-term potential and income. This study investigated the extent to which the COVID-19 pandemic and associated school closures reduced school attendance in Malawi, a low-income African country. We used longitudinal data from a cohort of...