Africa- Asia Dialogue Reflective Meeting

1. Africa- Asia Dialogue Reflective Meeting Malawi Presentation

2. An investigation into the relationship between selected donor educational inputs and rates of achievement at the basic educational level in the South West Educational Division in Malawi A Reserch proposal By Demis Kunje Dorothy Khonje Nellie Mbano

3. Outline of presentation • Introduction • Methodology • Progress so far • Pilot work • Cooperation with Kobe University • Challenges • Plan

4. Introduction • Background • Statement of the problem • Research questions • Significance of the study • Limitations

6. Indicators Indicator 2002 GDP per capita MK10, 500.00 Literacy rate 58% Literacy rate male 66% Literacy rate female 44%

7. Infant mortality rate (per 1000 children) 104 Maternal mortality rate (per 100000 live births) 1120 Under 5mortality rate (per1000 live births 189 % Children under weight 30% Fertility rate 6.1 Life expectancy 39

8. Basic Education Number of teachers 45,784 Pupil to qualified teacher ratio 118 Dropout rate 12% Repetition rate 15% Female enrollment 48% Pupil to specialist teacher ratio (visually impaired) 48 Number of Adults enrolled in ALC 37,500

9. Basic education • Expand concept of Basic Education • Decentralisation • Increase Basic Education Budget • Reduce Drop out and Repetition Rates • Increase Community Participation • Reform Assessment System Improve Special Needs Education

10. Free Primary Education 1994+ • More children are in school following the introduction of Free Primary Education (FPE) in 1994. Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) is 132% (2004). Net Enrolment Ratio (NER) of the 6-13 year olds is, however, below 80%, but much higher than before FPE. • Disparities in enrolment rates between regions, districts and income groups have narrowed since introducing FPE.

11. FPE has made education popular amongst all stakeholders, the communities, CSOs, development partners, parents and Government. There is collective commitment • Gender disparities in enrolment rates at primary level have narrowed since introducing FPE. Up to 1990s boys’ NERs were much higher than those of girls. Now the NERs for boys and girls are almost the same.

12. Challenges • High drop out rates (12%) • High repetition rate (15%) • Low completion rate (30%) • In adequate teaching and learning materials • Poor learning environment (Some classes still being held under trees, inadequate furniture inadequate water and sanitary facilities • High pupil-class ratio (70:1) • High Qualified-pupil ratio (72:1)

13. Challenges (contd) • The impact of HIV/AIDS • Very high absenteeism • Limited access and facilities to persons with disabilities • Mobilisation of Funding for the sectors programmes

14. Statement of the problem • Basic education is seen as a necessary condition for development. In addition, it is seen as a right for every child. In Malawi the introduction of free primary education in 1994 resulted in increased enrollments without accompanying improvements in quality. The issue of quality is being addressed in a piecemeal way, in trickles and in an uncoordinated manner. Thus it is not known which inputs or combinations of inputs have impact on the quality of education

15. Research Questions • What are the relationships between inputs namely infrastructure, in-service, school feeding, teaching and learning materials, community sensitization and advisory services on the one hand and the quality of basic education in terms of levels of pupil achievement on the other hand? • What combinations of inputs are associated with pupil achievement in mathematics, Chichewa and English in std 5 and std 7?

16. Research questions cont. • How are the donor - sponsored inputs in schools utilized to improve the quality of basic education?

17. Significance of the study • Understand relationships • Show appropriateness • Indicate Minimum levels of resources • Describe usage and management • Complement other studies

18. Limitations of the study • Inputs may age • Limitations in collecting information • Limited sample • Limited time

19. Some research findings • SACMEQinvestigated pupil, teacher and school factors and how they related to the achievement of minimum levels of literacy and numeracy. The main findings were that the majority of the pupils in Malawi primary schools are performing below minimum and desirable levels of reading and mathematical skills

20. Some research findings • A similar study by MIE(2005) in 12 districts shows that learner achievement in four subjects at the primary school level was below expected levels and that less than 10% of the learners were adequately prepared for the next higher class they were to move into.

21. Some research findings • NIPDEP(2003) showed that there were slight increases in performance in mathematics and English after JICA introduced some interventions such as infrastructure, teacher in – service and teacher support in schools

22. Some research findings • PLAN(2005) report of some increases in the percentages of pupils gaining mastery in Chichewa after teachers in two districts had undergone some specific training

23. Prospects • This shows that there is some hope that achievement can be influenced in some ways and this provides a basis for further enquiry into what best represents positive influences on achievement in the Malawian context.

24. Methodology • Quantitative -Using existing Raw Data e.g SACMEQ -Collect data on educational inputs and achievement • Qualitative Study utilisation of resources and inputs in schools

25. DIVISION (1) Rural(160 schools) Unsupported Donor supported Urban(20 schools) Unsupported Donor supported Phase 1: Relationship between inputs and achievement

26. Instruments • School Profile • Achievement tests • Class 5 and 7 • Mathematics, English and Chichewa

27. Data ananlysis • Descriptive statistics • Multi level analysis

28. Rural Supported Successful Not successful Unsupported Successful Not successful Urban Supported Successful Not successful Unsupported Successful Not successful Phase 2: How inputs are utilised

29. Focus Methods Community participation Interviews and Focus group discussion Management Interviews and Focus group discussion Teaching and learning Observations, Interviews and Focus group discussion In-service training Interviews with teachers Use of resources Observations, Interviews and Focus group discussion Instruments and target participants :

30. Data analysis • Themes • Triangulation • Activity profiles

31. Progress Report • Briefing Ministry of Education • Proposals to UNESCO and JICA • Seminars: MOE, Higher Education, School Community • Pilot Study • Refining Instruments

32. Class 5 Results

33. Class 5: Girls and boys

34. Class 5: Correlation

35. Class 5: by school

36. Class 7 results

37. Class 7: Girls and boys

38. Correlation

39. Class7: by school

40. Schools

41. Cooperation with Kobe University • Revision of Proposal • Testing and revision of instruments • Collecting data • Analysis of existing raw data ( training) • Collection and data analysis • Planning for qualitative study

42. Challenges • Funding

43. Plans • Collect data in South West Education Division • Analyse SACMEQ data • Do qualitative Study • Disseminate information to stakeholders