High learning poverty worries CSEC

The 87 percent rate of learning poverty in Malawi has worried the Civil Society Education Coalition (CSEC), prompting it to reiterate its call for investment in education technology (EdTech) as a solution to the problem.

CSEC, which engaged Parliamentarians and other key stakeholders on Friday in Lilongwe, said EdTech can provide solutions for addressing learning poverty through, among others, capacity building of teachers and ensuring that learners easily access education materials made readily available online.

The meeting, which brought together parliamentarians and officials from ministries of education, gender and finance, focused on the alarming learning poverty and how foundational learning through EdTech can help improve learning outcomes.

Learning poverty means learners go to school, but spend most of their time there without learning.

CSEC Board Chairperson, Dr. Limbani Nsapato, bemoaned poor quality of teachers and unavailability of resources, saying these are some of the major factors exacerbating learning poverty in Malawi, which need to be addressed.

“There is, therefore, the need for a good investment in EdTech, especially ensuring that teachers are trained to ensure quality learning and learners having access to data and resources readily and efficiently made available digitally.

“There are fewer printed books. So, there is the need for thousands of books to facilitate learning, which teachers and learners can access online within a short time. These will be easy to replace for they can just be uploaded.

“Gadgets need to be made available to teachers and learners for use. It is for this reason that we made parliamentarians a part of this engagement meeting to be able to help lobby for support towards EdTech investment”.

The Government of Malawi is reportedly working towards reducing learning poverty to 21 percent by 2030, with the overarching understanding that investment in EdTech would make learning continue even amidst adverse challenges.

Vice Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Education, Ephraim Nayeja, described the high percentage of learning poverty in Malawi as a national crisis requiring the nation’s decisive solutions.

“On our part, as a committee, we will push for relevant legislation which will provide a conducive environment for investment in EdTech. We will also lobby for increased budgetary allocation to EdTech”.

CSEC organized the meeting in partnership with Oxfam, Forum for African Women Educationalists–Malawi (FAWEMA) and Girls Activist Youth Organization.

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