VSO and the Ministry of Education in Malawi, are pleased to announce the transition of the Unlocking Talent – e-learning for primary project to the Malawian Education system. The event marks a significant milestone, towards the continued delivery of Education Technology for improving foundation literacy and numeracy learning in Malawi.
A legacy of educational transformation
Initiated in August 2019, the Unlocking Talent Project, a collaborative effort between VSO and onebillion, has been at the forefront of transforming the Education sector in Malawi. This innovative initiative, funded by the Federal Republic of Germany, represented by the Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development through the Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW), addresses the persistent educational challenges faced by Malawian children.
VSO's Unlocking Talent project, co-funded by the Education Sector Joint Investment Funds (ESJF), has been a beacon of positive transformation, focusing on enhancing foundation education for all early grade learners using Digital Technology.
The project has supported learners to access digital learning in 338 schools, constructed 178 learning centre blocks across 15 education districts, and benefited 217,379 early-grade learners, including the training and capacity building of 5,988 primary school teachers.
Consensus from the head teachers of the various schools implementing the Unlocking Talent project, expressed enthusiasm about the project's achievements, stating:
The Unlocking Talent project is a ground-breaking intervention for digital education in Malawi, leveraging the power of international collaboration in addressing the educational challenges faced by Malawian children. We are proud to have embraced this transformative initiative and remain committed to scaling up the intervention countrywide."
Correspondingly, VSO Project Implementation Lead, Mr Moffat Njatiyamphongo, extolled the importance of partnership between the ministry of education and partners such as KFW and VSO. He indicated:
"As we hand over the wheel of the Unlocking Talent Project, we celebrate the achievements as well as the impact of education technology on the lives of Malawian children. The collaboration with the German Embassy and the Ministry of Education has been instrumental, and we are confident that the legacy of improving literacy and numeracy skills will be maintained through continued joint efforts."
The handover ceremony marks a new beginning, as the project transitions, VSO will continue supporting schools through the building educational foundations through innovation and technology (BEFIT) grant until September 2024, focusing on transitioning the 338 schools into the government-led BEFIT model.
The goal is to reduce learning poverty in Malawi from 87% to 21% by 2030. The handover ceremony symbolizes the beginning of a sustained educational legacy for Malawian children.
About VSO
VSO is a development agency that works using a Volunteering for Development (VfD) method to support the most vulnerable and marginalized to achieve their rights and bring about lasting change.
For media inquiries, please contact: Amina.Abdirashid@vsoint.org.
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