Minister of Education, Madalitso Wirima Kambauwa has said that Malawi is taking a holistic approach to policy making that prioritises foundational learning and is making significant advancements in the education sector.
She was at the Human Capital Africa (HCA) Foundational Learning Roundtable on the learning crisis in Africa which was hosted by The Harvard Club New York.
It was held alongside the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
The Foundational Learning Roundtablehe which brought together Heads of State, Ministers of Education, business leaders, civil society organizations, and distinguished African intellectuals from different sectors, aims was to discuss the crucial role of foundational learning in enhancing education for the future of Africa and to highlight the leadership being demonstrated across the continent to tackle this issue.
“We recognise that the teacher is the most important part of the learning process, and we are improving the training and deployment of teachers – ensuring that they are equipped to teach, and are deployed to the areas that need them most – especially rural areas.
“We are enhancing school feeding programmes so that children have food in their stomachs when they learn, targeting an expansion from 2200 schools today, to the 6900 primary schools in the country. Finally, we recognise the importance of an integrated assessment framework to help guide us, and we have begun the process to harmonise our assessment tools, including the use of the HCA scorecard.
“Malawi launched its first pilot in Lilongwe City in July 2023 to gather information on HCA’s Micro-Learning Indicators. We tested for literacy and numeracy skills. The Ministry and HCA teams worked closely together to tailor the data collection tools to the specific context of Malawi. We also conducted brief surveys to grasp the experiences of teachers and students within the education system.
“We are determined to continue this journey, in partnership with HCA, as we champion the need to collect data and use it to enhance transparency and accountability at all levels. Foundational learning is the backbone of future learning, and together we can chart a better future for our children,” she wa quoted as saying by HCA.
Founder and CEO of Human Capital Africa, Dr Obiageli Ezekwesili highlighted the need and the urgency to address the fact that 9 out of 10 children in Africa are unable to read with understanding by the age of ten.
She celebrated the leadership demonstrated across the continent to take ownership of the challenge.
She added: “Education is a key catalyst to resolve many of the challenges faced by our continent. Every child deserves quality education and this can only be achieved if we all take responsibility and invest in foundational literacy and numeracy wherever we are. If we do not, then the ripple effect will extend beyond Africa, to the economies of big nations. Setting the right foundations for learning during the early years, before the child ends grades 2 and 3, is fundamental. This is a challenge we can solve, and we can change the situation faster than we imagine if we are all coordinated. I am inspired by the leadership being demonstrated by African governments.”
Speaking at the event, the CEO of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Mark Suzman added: “We’re all here because we believe every child deserves quality education which is essential for a healthy future for all. Unlocking that potential starts with our children and young people, especially in Africa.
He said by 2050, one in every four people on the planet will be African. Fifty per cent of the African population will be under 25.
“Many of the people who will transform the continent—and find solutions to some of the world’s greatest challenges are children now. These are the people who will start businesses that lift up their communities, who will tackle climate change and build food security, and who will make discoveries that can help reduce maternal mortality and eradicate malaria. The time to act is now. It’s valuable to make these commitments here in New York – but the real work is being done by talented teachers and school leaders in classrooms and communities across Africa.”
The statement said the work to improve education in Africa is being led by committed governments across the continent who are taking ownership of the need to develop solutions that will address the learning crisis.
The work of Human Capital Africa was recognised by partners from across the development, private sector and philanthropic ecosystems, including the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the World Bank, the Global Partnership for Education, USAID, FCDO, Equity Bank, the Aliko Dangote Foundation and the Tony Elumelu Foundation. Each organisation is committed to working together to resolve the learning crisis.
The Human Capital Africa scorecard will be launched in a number of new countries and subregions over the coming months, and as we approach the African Year of Education in 2024, the African Ministerial Coalition on Foundational Learning, convened by HCA and ADEA will continue to share knowledge and showcase success to the rest of the continent, and the world.
