Comprehensive evaluation of quality education through supporting teaching (QUEST), (project no. 612-0267)

No evaluation period is provided. Overall, SC/US has achieved its central aim -- to decentralize action to improve the quality of education at the zone, cluster, and school level -- and has for the most part achieved its targets for enhancing the access, quality, and efficiency of primary education in the three target districts. QUEST has also contributed substantially to the Mission's strategic objective (SO) 4 strategy and its two intermediate results, and to the goals of the Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology's (MOEST's) revised sector strategy as presented in the Policy Investment Framework (PIF). Specific results are noted below. (1) MOEST officials at all levels are keenly aware of QUEST and strongly support it. At non-central levels, education officials are directly involved in implementation by advising and monitoring activities and by administering the QUEST Fund. (2) Thirty-three new community schools have been established with enrollments of 11,387 pupils, 69% of the target of 16,500. Construction is 64% complete. (3) QUEST-trained teachers practice what they learn in classrooms. Teaching in QUEST schools is characteristically more interactive and more creative than in non-QUEST schools. Teachers value QUEST training enormously, have more confidence as a result, and would like to participate in even more training. (4) The teaching of literacy and numeracy, though improved, does not maximize pupils' opportunities to apply new skills and concepts and rarely provides opportunities for creative thinking, self-initiated learning, and problem-solving. Exploring novel and effective ways to enhance the teaching and learning of literacy and numeracy in primary classrooms is critical. (5) It should not be assumed that teachers can develop adequate learning environments simply as a result of training. Some materials are required over and beyond those that can be produced locally, particularly for literacy enhancement. (6) Avenues for supplying materials that can be used for teaching need to be explored further. (7) Teachers are knowledgeable about continuous assessment, but their ability to use such information to guide their day-to-day practices and to engage pupil responsibility in learning needs to be strengthened. (8) The School Cluster System (SCS) and Mentor Teacher Program (MTP) are among QUEST's most successful components and should be institutionalized. (9) Community training has been successful, though community involvement in school improvement varies. More systematic support, facilitation, and monitoring of community practices in school involvement is required for this result to be sustained. (10) The target of 20% gain in pupil performance was met in the first 2 years of the project for the majority of subjects in standards 1-4. This should be taken as, overall, successful achievement of the performance indicator for school quality. With the exception of standard 4 Chichewa, after 2 years, pupils in QUEST schools outperformed those in non-QUEST schools in mathematics, Chichewa (words in passages), and English (words in passages). (11) The rate of pupil dropout decreased in all QUEST districts for standards 1-4 over the first 2 years of the project, with the targeted 10% reduction in pupil dropout approximated in standard 1 and 2 for Balaka and Blantyre Rural. Results for the final year of QUEST will not be obtainable until 2003. (12) The integrated curriculum pilot study showed that this method effected a performance advantage for Chichewa and mathematics, but not English. (13) QUEST's partnership with the Malawi Institute of Education (MIE) and the Improving Education Quality (IEQ) project/Malawi has been extremely productive. Encouragement of these partnerships to enhance literacy and numeracy teaching strategies in junior primary schools is advised. (13) QUEST accomplishments are not considered sustainable at this time. It would be premature to discontinue the support to the districts until more sustainable reform is achieved. Two avenues for effecting sustained change include: (a) enhancing and institutionalizing the SCS and MTP and linking these system to Malawi's current and future teacher education programs; and (b) further enhancing community participation until a measure of sustained involvement is achieved. A total of 28 lessons learned are detailed in five areas: the sensitization and orientation of stakeholders; the training of teachers, parents, and local leaders; the supervision of teachers; the QUEST Term Plan/Initiative program; and the construction of village-based schools and housing for teachers.