Malawi Teacher Professional Development Support Program: A Study on the Quality of Primary School Curriculum Materials for Standards 3 and 4

The study aimed to collect and analyze data from primary school teachers to inform the review of Standards 1 to 4 instructional materials. The specific objectives of the study were to explore strengths and weaknesses of Standards 1, 2, 3, and 4 instructional materials and solicit teachers' views on how the instructional materials could be improved. The study drew information from Standards 1 to 4 teachers across the country, with data collected from all six education divisions. In each division, five districts participated in the study, and in each district, one zone was sampled and four schools participated in the study. From each school, four teachers, one from each Standard (1 to 4), formed part of the sample. This resulted in a total of 480 teachers from 120 schools and 30 zones from 30 districts participating in the study. The study used two instruments to collect both qualitative and quantitative data: teachers' questionnaires and focus group discussion guides. The teachers' questionnaire was completed by a pair of teachers teaching the same Standard, while the focus group discussion was facilitated by a researcher and consisted of four teachers teaching the same Standard. The major findings of the study for Standard 3 include the strengths of the instructional materials. Teachers reported that the syllabuses provide guidelines on the work to be covered and suggested teaching methods. Additionally, the teachers' guides are considered useful for planning lessons, and the learners' books are seen as a valuable resource for students. However, the study also identified weaknesses in the instructional materials, including a lack of relevance and usability, particularly in the areas of expressive arts and life skills. The study also found that the instructional materials for Standard 3 are not well-suited for teaching and learning in Malawi's primary schools. Teachers reported that the materials are not relevant to the local context and do not take into account the country's cultural and social realities. Furthermore, the materials are not user-friendly, and the language used is often too complex for students to understand. The study's findings for Standard 4 are similar to those for Standard 3, with teachers reporting that the instructional materials are not well-suited for teaching and learning in Malawi's primary schools. The teachers' guides are considered useful for planning lessons, but the learners' books are seen as lacking in relevance and usability. The study also identified weaknesses in the areas of agriculture, science, and technology, as well as life skills and social and environmental sciences. The study's conclusions and recommendations are based on the findings for Standards 3 and 4. The study recommends that the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology review the instructional materials for Standards 1 to 4 and make necessary revisions to ensure that they are relevant and usable for teaching and learning in Malawi's primary schools. The study also recommends that the Ministry provide training and support to teachers to help them use the instructional materials effectively. The study's findings and recommendations have implications for the development of instructional materials for primary schools in Malawi. The study highlights the need for instructional materials that are relevant and usable for teaching and learning in Malawi's primary schools. The study also emphasizes the importance of providing training and support to teachers to help them use the instructional materials effectively.