Malawi Teacher Professional Development Support (MTPDS) Program Monthly Newsletter August 2012 Issue

The program is being implemented by Creative Associates International, RTI International, and Seward Inc. in close collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology. The MTPDS program focuses on improving early grade reading instruction, with a particular emphasis on the Maziko a Kuwerenga (Foundations of Reading) literacy intervention. This intervention aims to promote early grade literacy and lay a strong foundation for learners to be successful throughout their school years and in everyday life. The intervention is being conducted in seven education districts, including Ntchisi, and has been implemented in over 8,000 schools. One of the key components of the Maziko a Kuwerenga intervention is the provision of structured lesson plans for the entire school year. These plans guide teachers through letter introduction, letter sounds, syllable development, and reading, ensuring that teachers spend enough time on pre-reading instructions before actual reading. The intervention also includes regular learner assessments, using an instrument based on the standard Early Grade Reading Assessment (EGRA), to evaluate literacy acquisition and offer extra support to underperforming learners. Teachers participating in the Maziko a Kuwerenga intervention have reported significant breakthroughs in reading among their learners. For example, Mita Kamende, a Standard 1 teacher at Chazimbobo Primary School in Ntchisi, reported that her learners are making significant breakthroughs in reading while in the first grade, reading syllables, words, basic sentences, and short paragraphs. Similarly, Fortune Waneka, a teacher at Ekwendeni CCAP Primary School in Mzimba District, reported that her learners are able to read words like "ana," "mame," "ika," "uka," "ikani," "mame," "ukani," and basic Chichewa sentences like "mame akamuka." The MTPDS program has also facilitated a consultative process to clarify the roles and responsibilities of the Ministry's departments and institutions involved in initial training, continuous professional development, and management of primary school teachers. The process involved the development of a paper that was discussed during various stakeholder meetings, and the final document of clarified roles and responsibilities was approved by the Ministry in May 2012. The presentation of the roles and responsibilities was made by the Director of the Distance and Independent Studies (DIAS), Mr. Raphael Agabu, who emphasized the need for the participants to understand the roles and responsibilities to avoid confusion and duplication of efforts aimed at improving the provision of education and management of primary school teachers. The MTPDS program has made significant progress in improving early grade reading instruction in Malawi. The program's focus on providing structured lesson plans, regular learner assessments, and in-service coaching has led to significant breakthroughs in reading among learners. The program's efforts to clarify the roles and responsibilities of the Ministry's departments and institutions have also improved coordination between the various departments and institutions involved in the provision of education and management of primary school teachers.