Annual Progress Report - FY 2019: Reading for All Malawi (REFAM)

The activity builds upon USAID Malawi's work in teaching children to read by expanding support to Malawi's National Reading Program (NRP) to address the needs of children with disabilities (CWD) in 146 primary schools with resource centers across the country. The REFAM activity focuses on young children, especially girls, in Standards 1 to 4 with visual, hearing, or intellectual disabilities by developing protocols for identifying learners with disabilities and their learning needs, connecting them to appropriate teaching and learning resources, monitoring and assessing their learning progress, and increasing parental and community support for their success. The activity's Theory of Change (TOC) posits that if Malawian learners with disabilities benefit from services provided by an engaged and informed ministry, reading instruction and materials targeted to their needs and abilities, and tutoring and support from their families and communities, then they will better learn how to read and prosper in school. The main outcomes of REFAM include strengthened MoEST capacity to deliver reading instruction to children with disabilities, achieved through an updated policy framework, implementation of early detection protocols, activated resource networks, and improved evaluation and reporting. Additionally, REFAM aims to improve reading instruction and learning assessment for children with disabilities by developing disability-specific reading materials, improving teachers' utilization of disability-specific materials, and enhancing student assessment and practices. To achieve these outcomes, REFAM has established partnerships with key stakeholders, including the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Montfort Special Needs Education College, Federation of Disability Organizations in Malawi (FEDOMA), Malawi National Association of the Deaf (MANAD), and Malawi Union of the Blind (MUB). The activity has also established a resource center network across the country, with a focus on 146 primary schools with resource centers. The REFAM activity has made significant progress in its first reporting period, from February 1, 2019 to September 30, 2019. Key accomplishments include the development of a policy framework to support the inclusion of children with disabilities in the National Reading Program, the implementation of early detection protocols, and the activation of resource networks. Additionally, REFAM has made progress in developing disability-specific reading materials and improving teachers' utilization of these materials. However, the activity has also faced several challenges, including limited resources and capacity constraints. Despite these challenges, REFAM remains committed to its goal of improving reading instruction and learning assessment for children with disabilities in Malawi. The activity will continue to work with its partners to strengthen MoEST capacity, improve reading instruction, and increase parental and community support for children with disabilities. In terms of geographic coverage, REFAM is being implemented in all 34 districts of Malawi, with a focus on young children, especially girls, in Standards 1 to 4 with visual, hearing, or intellectual disabilities. The activity's reporting period is from February 1, 2019 to September 30, 2019, and the contract number is AID-OAA-I-14-00058, Task Order #: 7206121F00001.