ATTACHMENT_J.2_MERIT.pdf

Assistance to Basic Education:

All Children Reading (ABE ACR) Malawi Early Grade Reading Improvement Activity

(MERIT)

Comprehensive Gender Plan

December 28, 2015 This publication was prepared for review by the United States Agency for International Development. It was prepared by

Version 2 June 13, 2016 This publication was prepared for review by the United States Agency for International Development. It was prepared by RTI International.

ATTACHMENT J.2

USAID’s Malawi Early Grade Reading Improvement Activity (MERIT) Comprehensive Gender Plan

ABE-ACR IDIQ No.: AID-OAAA-1-14-00044 Task Order No.: AID-612-TO-15-00001

Prepared for Chikondi Maleta Contracting Officer’s Representative USAID|Malawi The Education Office NICO House – Ground Floor PO Box 30455 Lilongwe 3, Malawi Telephone: +265994962567 E-mail: cmaleta@usaid.gov

Prepared by Miske Witte and Associates, Inc.

On behalf of RTI International 3040 East Cornwallis Road PO Box 12194 Research Triangle Park, NC 27709-2194 Telephone: +265994479181 E-mail: tgiles@rti.org

The authors’ views expressed in this report do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government.

mailto:tgiles@rti.org

Malawi Early Grade Reading Improvement Activity (MERIT), Comprehensive Gender Plan iii

Table of Contents List of Tables .......................................................................................................................... iii

List of Abbreviations .............................................................................................................. iv

1. Comprehensive Gender Plan for MERIT

1.1 Introduction

1.2 Background: Gender and Education in Malawi

1.3 Overview of MWAI’s Approach to Gender and Gender Integration

1.3.1 Objective 1: Improved reading instruction for primary grade reading outcomes

1.3.2 Objective 2: Increased parental and community engagement in supporting reading

1.3.3 Objective 3: Safer learning environments for reading created

1.3.4 Objective 4: Pathways for sustainability instituted

1.3.5 Objective 5: CDCS priorities for integration advanced

1.3.6 Cross-cutting theme: ME&L

1.3.7 Gender-related support across all components

List of Tables Table 1. Five-year Overview of Gender Plans by Cross-cutting Themes and Objectives (2015–2020)

Table 2. Year 1 MERIT Gender Plan iv Malawi Early Grade Reading Improvement Activity (MERIT), Comprehensive Gender Plan

List of Abbreviations CDCS Country Development Cooperation Strategy CER community engagement for reading CMSSO Community Mobilization and Safe Spaces Officer CSO civil society organization EGRA Early Grade Reading Activity GABLE Girls’ Attainment in Basic Literacy and Education HIV human immunodeficiency virus LCDM Link Community Development Malawi M&E monitoring and evaluation ME&L monitoring, evaluation, and learning MERIT Malawi Early Grade Reading Improvement Activity MIE Malawi Institute of Education MoEST Ministry of Education, Science and Technology MTTA Malawi Teacher Training Activity MWAI Miske Witt and Associates, Inc.

NGO nongovernmental organization NPR National Reading Programme PEA Primary Education Advisor PSSP: SFP Primary School Support Program: A School Fees Pilot SBCC social and behavior change communication SL Safe Learning TLM teaching and learning material USAID United States Agency for International Development

Malawi Early Grade Reading Improvement Activity (MERIT), Comprehensive Gender Plan 1

1. Comprehensive Gender Plan for MERIT

1.1 Introduction

The Malawi Early Grade Reading Improvement Activity (MERIT) is a five-year, United States Agency for International Development (USAID) project designed to provide technical assistance to the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MoEST) to improve the reading performance of Malawian learners in Standards 1–4 nationwide. The award period is from September 29, 2015, to September 28, 2020. The main goal of MERIT is to increase the reading skills of Malawian students in Standards 1–4, defined as students achieving reading fluency as determined by MoEST reading skills benchmarks.

MERIT has five main objectives, served through five corresponding components:

1. Objective 1: Improved reading instruction for primary grade reading outcomes;

2. Objective 2: Increased parental and community engagement in supporting student reading;

3. Objective 3: Safer learning environments for reading created;

4. Objective 4: Pathways for sustainability instituted; and

5. Objective 5: Country Development Cooperation Strategy (CDCS) priorities for integration advanced.

This MERIT Comprehensive Gender Plan describes how Miske Witt & Associates, Inc. (MWAI) will (1) lead efforts to ensure that gender as a cross-cutting theme is integrated into all aspects of MERIT activities and (2) lead Objective 3 activities, which aim to create and foster safe, gender-responsive learning environments for children’s reading in Malawi within both schools and communities.

MWAI will provide long-term technical assistance in two ways: (1) through the MWAI Safe Spaces and Gender Specialist, who is also a member of the RTI team in the Lilongwe office, and (2) by providing periodic short-term technical assistance from the MWAI MERIT team based in North America.

This plan first describes the project’s context by highlighting key gender issues related to education in Malawi. It then provides an overview of MWAI’s approach to gender and gender integration within the MERIT project, including descriptions of each of the gender integration activities. It concludes with two tables. Table 1 reviews the gender activities for the life of the project (2015–2020), and Table 2 presents MWAI’s Year 1 Work Plan.

1.2 Background: Gender and Education in Malawi

Differing forms of gender bias in Malawi hinder or prevent children’s— particularly girls’—opportunities to go to school, to gain basic skills and knowledge in school, and to stay in school. Gender bias is present in most aspects of daily life, and it often intensifies in times of family or community need. Most families in rural Malawi depend on rain-fed agriculture for their

2 Malawi Early Grade Reading Improvement Activity (MERIT), Comprehensive Gender Plan survival. During the last two years, many households—particularly those in the Southern region—have faced weather disruptions that have limited their agricultural production. Environmental degradation has further exacerbated rural household workloads, including the time needed to collect water and firewood. In addition, learners miss school days and adults miss workdays because of high levels of disease and low levels of access to health services.

Although life in rural areas poses challenges to most family members, girls face disproportionate demands to support the family and generally receive less in return. In some households facing food shortages, parents favor boys’ nourishment over girls’. Unlike boys, girls are commonly responsible for many hours of household labor daily, which usually include fetching water, searching for and collecting firewood, and preparing food.1 When parents or caregivers are farming and, thus, absent from the household, school-age children, especially girls, often must stay home from school to care for younger siblings. It is also common for older school-age girls within a household to care for an ill or elderly relative and miss school as a result. If only very young children are present in a household, some parents or caregivers enroll their underage children in school so that they do not need a caregiver at home during school hours.

Many parents and guardians expect their daughters to marry at a young age and may encourage them to drop out of school to do so. Research indicates that these pressures are particularly strong for orphaned girls living with relatives or in child-headed homes. On average, one of every two Malawian girls will be married by her 18th birthday. Child marriage occurs in both rural and urban areas, and in Malawi, its rate exceeds the regional average for sub- Saharan Africa (37 percent).2 Although Malawi's Parliament passed the Marriage, Divorce and Family Relations Bill in February 2015 that prohibits marriage for anyone younger than 18, Malawi’s Constitution still allows marriage below the age of 18 if the parents agree to the marriage. The practices of lobola (bride price), initiation, and forced marriage disrupt girls’ education and their lives and increase the likelihood of these girls being infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) because young wives have little bargaining power to negotiate safe sex with older husbands.3 Although some research has indicated that schools are generally more gender sensitive than communities, children encounter several gender-related factors at school and/or on their way to and from school that negatively affect their academic achievement and overall social-emotional development.

Textbooks and supplementary learning materials that contain gender bias in the form of negative stereotypes of girls’ and women’s capabilities and roles in society strongly influence a child’s perception of who she is, how she should behave both inside and outside of school, and her place in the world. For example, if male characters in stories and illustrations are always portrayed

1 In some areas of the country, boys miss days or weeks of school to care for animals or to work in tobacco fields.

2 “In 2010, half of the women (50 percent) aged 20–24 years were married or in a union before age 18 (compared to 6.4 percent of boys), while 12 percent of women married before they were 15, compared to 1.2 percent of men.” Human Rights Watch. (2014). "I have never experienced happiness": Child marriage in Malawi. p. 15. https://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/reports/malawi0314_ForUpload.pdf 3 girlsedmalawi@googlegroups.com

Malawi Early Grade Reading Improvement Activity (MERIT), Comprehensive Gender Plan 3 as active leaders and female characters as passive followers, then girls and boys grow up thinking they must follow these gendered norms to fit into the world. If girls and boys only see male doctors and female nurses in their textbooks, they will not believe or understand that women can be doctors and that men can be nurses.

Gender bias in the distribution and use of school resources can also significantly affect children’s learning. For example, if a classroom has 60 children and 30 textbooks, it would not be unusual to find all 30 textbooks in boys’ hands. Other aspects of school infrastructure can also negatively influence girls’ comfort while at school. Poor sanitary and hygiene conditions impact all girls. Girls who are menstruating face particular barriers if clean, private latrines and hand-washing facilities are not available for their use.

Similarly, if boys always claim the insufficient number of seats in a classroom, girls will have to sit on the floor during lessons. This arrangement is especially uncomfortable for girls if boys harass them when they stand to answer questions or when girls try to use the desks because they are claiming resources that the boys consider to be rightfully theirs.

In their classroom teaching, teachers can also reinforce gendered norms that hinder some children from learning to the best of their ability. For example, a teacher may call on boys more often than girls in class, wait longer for boys to answer questions, or reinforce the gendered norm that girls should be quiet rather than ask questions. These practices enable boys to receive more academic support than girls. Girls who are told that they are supposed to be quiet (because they are girls) are far less likely to ask questions in class than girls who are encouraged to ask questions.

Children’s ability to learn is also greatly affected by the violence they may experience at school and/or on their way to and from school. A child experiences violence when a teacher and/or class monitor uses corporal punishment or when another child bullies or beats him or her. Gender-based violence, which refers to acts or threats of sexual, physical, or psychological violence based on gender norms and unequal power dynamics between males and females, can make school, the schoolyard, and/or the walk to and from school very unsafe spaces for children, especially girls.

Children’s ability to develop their reading skills and enjoyment of reading is greatly limited when they lack opportunities to read outside of school. Many children in Malawi, especially those living in rural areas, only see books and other reading materials when in school. Shortages of textbooks in many school further reduce children’s chances to engage meaningfully with text.

Because 84 percent of Malawi’s population lives in rural areas,4 many children have very limited exposure to print materials outside of school. To help children acquire and develop their reading skills and enjoyment of reading, it is important that they have opportunities to read at home and in the community. Community-based reading centers with safe, gender-sensitive learning environments provide children with invaluable opportunities to practice what they are learning in school. In turn, children who spend time

4 World Bank. (2016). http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.RUR.TOTL.ZS

4 Malawi Early Grade Reading Improvement Activity (MERIT), Comprehensive Gender Plan reading at home and in the community will improve their academic achievement in school.

1.3 Overview of MWAI’s Approach to Gender and Gender Integration Because MWAI will lead the effort to ensure that gender as a cross-cutting theme is integrated into all aspects of MERIT activities, MWAI’s approach to gender integration is discussed below in relation to each Objective and to the cross-cutting theme of monitoring, evaluation and learning (ME&L) activities.

1.3.1 Objective 1: Improved reading instruction for primary grade reading outcomes To achieve gender-responsive, improved reading instruction, MWAI will provide support to address three main sources of potential gender inequity in reading-improvement efforts: gender bias in teaching and learning materials (TLMs); quality of instruction (including the use of gender-responsive pedagogies and the equitable distribution of learning materials); and gender-responsive training.

To address issues of gender bias in TLM and to ensure that all MERIT TLMs are gender sensitive, MWAI will work with MERIT partners to develop or adapt TLMs, including Learner’s Books, Teacher’s Guides, and supplementary materials. MWAI will draft instrument guides and/or checklists for curriculum developers to use when reviewing and revising existing materials and/or developing new materials. MWAI will provide support to materials developers during TLM development workshops and ongoing support to MERIT partners on all issues related to gender bias and TLMs.

To improve the quality of reading instruction for early grade learners, MERIT will train teachers, head teachers, Primary Education Advisors (PEAs), and other education managers on effective reading instruction. MWAI will work collaboratively with MERIT partners to develop the teacher training course and materials to ensure that the training promotes gender-sensitive and equitable teaching-learning practices. This training will include how to create and maintain Safe Learning (SL) environments in the classroom, including teachers’ increased use of positive reinforcement with their learners (Objective 3). During this training, teachers will learn about and understand the characteristics and core elements of SL environments, why SL environments are so important for children’s learning and overall development, and how to create and maintain SL environments in classrooms and schools. For example, although the focus of the training will be reading instruction, reinforcing equitable teaching practices is also critical. These practices include ensuring that girls and boys have equal opportunities to serve as leaders during small group activities, have equal opportunities to use TLMs, and are equally encouraged to participate in activities to develop their reading skills and abilities.

MWAI will also work collaboratively with the MERIT partners facilitating the training sessions to ensure that gender-related issues are considered when planning and conducting the training sessions. For example, during the development of the training guides, MWAI will ensure that trainers will receive guidance on how to respond effectively to gender-related issues during the training.

Malawi Early Grade Reading Improvement Activity (MERIT), Comprehensive Gender Plan 5

1.3.2 Objective 2: Increased parental and community engagement in supporting reading

MWAI will support Link Community Development Malawi (LCDM) during the planning, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation (M&E) phases of Objective 2 activities to ensure that all aspects of these processes are gender sensitive and responsive. Objective 2 activities include establishing and supporting National Reading Programme (NPR) Reading Centers and implementing strategies to effectively disseminate social and behavior change communication (SBCC) messages development by the USAID Early Grade Reading Activity (EGRA) project.

MWAI will discuss with LCDM the gender implications of key planning decisions for the community-based NPR Reading Centers (e.g., the locations of reading centers, the times when activities will be conducted, who will perform leadership roles, who will handle what learning materials and for how long, and which materials will be most commonly used and what topics they should cover) and how to ensure that training materials are gender sensitive.

MWAI will also work collaboratively with LCDM during the implementation phase of the Reading Centers to ensure that the training activities enable community members to identify actions they can take to support girls’ and boys’ learning both at school and within the Reading Centers and that these actions are included in their plans.

To support consistent ME&L from ongoing activities, MWAI will work with Infonex and MoEST partners at various levels to ensure that gender issues are incorporated into ongoing monitoring activities. MWAI will also support the creation of efficient learning processes to feed these data back into activity improvement (e.g., sex-disaggregated data will be collected at the beginning and end of Reading Center activities; gender-related interview and observation questions will be proposed as project indicators; and protocols will be developed for monitoring the data of extracurricular spaces).

MWAI will support LCDM to develop gender-responsive strategies to disseminate messages developed under the EGRA project through a SBCC campaign. MWAI will also work collaboratively with LCDM and Infonex to develop a tool for the community to use to assess school performance. As for all other Objective 2 activities, MWAI will provide gender-related guidance to LCDM during the planning, implementation, and evaluation of these activities.

1.3.3 Objective 3: Safer learning environments for reading created MWAI will develop the MERIT SL approach, an approach that will enable teachers, head teachers, community members, and other key stakeholders to achieve the following:

• understand the characteristics and core elements of SL environments;

• explore why SL environments are so important for children’s learning and overall development; and

• learn how to create and maintain SL environments in classrooms, schools, and communities so that children have more opportunities to develop their reading skills in safe and supportive school, community, and home environments.

6 Malawi Early Grade Reading Improvement Activity (MERIT), Comprehensive Gender Plan

Based on this approach, MWAI will develop SL guides and instruments to be used within school and community contexts. MWAI understands the importance of learning from and building upon the structures, materials, and lessons learned from previous education projects implemented in Malawi, such as Girls’ Attainment in Basic Literacy and Education (GABLE), the Primary School Support Program: A School Fees Pilot (PSSP: SFP), the Malawi Teacher Training Activity (MTTA), and the Safe Schools project in Malawi. MWAI’s participation in many of these previous efforts will help ensure that best practices and lessons learned are consistently incorporated in the SL model.

1.3.4 Objective 4: Pathways for sustainability instituted

To create sustainable pathways, RTI, the MERIT partner leading Objective 4 activities, will develop and implement a national communications campaign to promote children’s reading. This campaign will be developed to inform not only teachers and school administrators but also the general public.

MWAI will work with the MERIT Communications Officer to ensure that the campaign messages and materials are gender sensitive. MWAI will provide the Communications Officer, campaign developers, and implementers with the appropriate MERIT guides or instruments already developed, review draft campaign materials and implementation plans, and provide gender-related feedback regarding the campaign process, messages, and materials.

Particular attention will be paid to the gender norms and representations included in the messages and materials and to the integration of gender within the campaign process itself.

1.3.5 Objective 5: CDCS priorities for integration advanced

As the MERIT partner leading Objective 5 activities, RTI will lead a multisectoral technical working group to develop materials integrating messages relevant to work in other sectors with those that promote parental and community support for children to learn to read. MWAI will support RTI in this work by providing materials developers with appropriate MERIT gender integration materials developed for the project and by reviewing and providing gender-related feedback on draft materials.

1.3.6 Cross-cutting theme: ME&L

The purpose of the ME&L framework and tools is to better understand how MERIT activities are functioning daily, how MERIT materials are being used, how activities and materials can be improved, and what outcomes are being achieved, particularly those related to academic achievement in reading. The overall goal of MWAI’s support in this area is to develop gender-responsive tools that enable partners to effectively and efficiently monitor, evaluate, and learn from MERIT activities. MWAI will work with the M&E partners to ensure a gender-responsive ME&L framework to guide the development of user-friendly, gender-responsive tools. Findings from the ME&L process will inform subsequent work planning activities.

1.3.7 Gender-related support across all components

MWAI is dedicated to enhancing gender equity in school environments (including among teachers and school administrators) in support of girls’ and

Malawi Early Grade Reading Improvement Activity (MERIT), Comprehensive Gender Plan 7 boys’ improved reading skills and academic achievement. To that end, MWAI aims to provide project partners with the support they need to ensure gender-responsiveness across all components. Gender-responsive planning will help guarantee that MERIT products and practices reflect a gender-integrated approach to all activities. MWAI will train MERIT staff on how to conduct gender-responsive planning (e.g., by listing tasks/activities, by considering and identifying the role that gender plays in each task/activity, and by effectively addressing gender equitable planning and M&E).

MWAI will develop a Gender Integration Guide and comprehensive checklist, a set of simple, user-friendly tools that will enable MERIT staff and partners to effectively and efficiently use a gender-responsive approach when planning, evaluating, and reporting on all aspects of the project, including its organizational structure and program activities (e.g., curriculum and materials development, training, and personnel). During each planning and reporting cycle, MWAI will consult with MERIT partners to discuss gender-related questions and concerns as they arise. MWAI will also call attention to gender issues that MERIT staff and partners may not have considered.

Tables 1 and 2 below detail the MERIT gender plans according to cross-cutting themes and objectives (2015–2020) and that for Year 1, respectively.

8 Malawi Early Grade Reading Improvement Activity (MERIT), Comprehensive Gender Plan

Table 1. Five-year Overview of Gender Plans by Cross-cutting Themes and Objectives (2015–2020) Cross-cutting Theme (XC) 6. Gender Integration

No. MWAI as Lead How MWAI will carry out each activity When

Key activities

XC-6.1 Train all MERIT staff and partners on gender-responsive programming.

• Conduct an interactive training session to build the capacity of MERIT staff and partners regarding gender and education broadly and gender-responsive programming specifically.

During Year 1 (and whenever new staff are hired).

XC-6.2

Develop a Gender Integration Guide and comprehensive checklist for assessing all relevant gender aspects of MERIT.

(This guide and checklist will be written for use by MERIT staff and partners and external users, such as other nongovernmental organizations [NGOs].)

• Review MERIT project documents.

• Work with MERIT team to develop a simple, effective process to integrate gender into all aspects of the project.

• Draft a guide and checklist.

• Share with appropriate MERIT team members for feedback.

• Revise the guide and checklist based on the feedback.

Guide and checklist developed in Year 1. After two months of use, MWAI will collect feedback from MERIT staff and revise the guide and checklist based on the feedback.

XC-6.3

Work collaboratively with MERIT staff and partners to systematically assess all relevant gender aspects of MERIT using the Gender Integration Guide and checklist. This process will include examining gender bias and responsiveness in organizational, programmatic (e.g., curriculum and materials, personnel, and ME&L, and program-focused dimensions of gender and learning. For ME&L, this means ensuring that indicators addressing gender parity and gender equity are regularly monitored, reports prepared, and evidence disseminated to stakeholders at all levels.

• With MERIT staff and partners, develop a process to enable them to 1) identify gender considerations within all elements of the project and 2) ensure gender-equitable responsiveness using the Gender Integration Guide and checklist.

• Ensure that MERIT staff report monthly on the above-mentioned process to enable greater gender-equitable practices throughout the project.

During Year 1 and in subsequent years.

Malawi Early Grade Reading Improvement Activity (MERIT), Comprehensive Gender Plan 9

Gender Integrated into Objective 1: Improved reading instruction for primary grade reading outcomes

No. RTI as Lead How MWAI will support RTI When

Key activities

1.1 Learner’s Book development and revision Teacher’s Guide revision

• Develop teaching and learning material (TLM) gender-review guidelines (or checklists) for reviewing all materials.

• Develop TLM gender-review reporting format to share with RTI and project partners (including Lerner’s Book and Teacher’s Guide developers).

• Train materials developers on how to develop gender-sensitive materials (Learner’s Books and Teacher’s Guides).

During Year 1

1.2 Teacher professional development

• Develop TLM gender-review guidelines to ensure that the training and training materials are gender sensitive.

• Ensure that gender issues are appropriately integrated into the training.

During Year 1

1.3 Teacher supervision and support

• Work with the training developers to ensure that gender issues are appropriately integrated into the training.

• Review the training and training materials and provide feedback.

In alignment with yearly work plan

1.4 TLMs

• Develop guidelines to support the development of gender-sensitive materials.

• Review drafts and provide feedback on gender sensitivity.

Develop guidelines at the start of the project and give to the Malawi Institute of Education (MIE). Review drafts in alignment with yearly work plan.

1.5 Supplementary materials

• Review/evaluate existing materials to determine whether they are appropriate for use in terms of gender sensitivity.

• If new supplementary materials are to be developed under MERIT, provide material developers with TLM gender-review guidelines and training to ensure that the resulting materials are gender sensitive.

In alignment with yearly work plan

10 Malawi Early Grade Reading Improvement Activity (MERIT), Comprehensive Gender Plan

Gender Integrated into Objective 2: Increased parental and community engagement in supporting student reading

No. LCDM as Lead How MWAI will support LCDM When

Key activities

2.1 Establish and support community-based NRP Reading Centers run by locally recruited volunteers/Reading Center mentors.

Work with LCDM to ensure that all aspects are gender sensitive by discussing gender issues and how to address them effectively.

Integrate aspects of the newly developed Gender Integration Guide into the training materials

Ongoing throughout the project

2.2 Create reading radio programs.

Ensure reading radio programs are gender sensitive by providing program developers with appropriate, previously developed MERIT guides or instruments. If possible, review draft program scripts and provide gender-related feedback.

In alignment with yearly work plan

2.3 Training and supporting reading clubs to host

reading fairs.

Ensure that the training and support provided to reading clubs is gender sensitive.

Ongoing throughout the project

2.4 Volunteer teaching assistants to assist

teachers in Chichewa and English classes.

Support LCDM to ensure that all elements of this activity consider and address gender issues effectively.

In alignment with yearly work plan

2.5 Conduct community assessment of school

performance to produce school report card.

Support LCDM to develop a gender-sensitive community assessment of school performance by providing guidance to assessment developers, reviewing draft assessments, and providing gender-related feedback.

In alignment with yearly work plan

2.6 Develop effective strategies to implement a SBCC campaign using messages developed under the EGRA project.

Support LCDM to develop effective gender-sensitive strategies to implement the SBCC campaign. June–August, 2016

Malawi Early Grade Reading Improvement Activity (MERIT), Comprehensive Gender Plan 11

MWAI responsible for Objective 3: Safer learning environments for reading created

No. MWAI as Lead How MWAI collaborate with LCDM When

Key activities

3.1

Create awareness among stakeholders (including students, teachers, administrators, parents, and the community) about MERIT activities, including fostering gender-equitable processes and structures.

Ensure attention is given to fostering gender-equitable processes and structures across MERIT activities (e.g., through Gender Integration Guide)

In alignment with yearly work plan

3.2

Build capacity of local NGO partners to do the following:

• establish and support Safe School Clubs at schools;

• train club members; and

• develop guides/training materials for local NGOs.

Draft guides and training materials for Safe School clubs for LCDM to review and pilot test with local NGO partners. These materials will be revised based on feedback from the pilot test.

Assist with the development of guides/training materials for local NGOs.

In alignment with yearly work plan

3.3 Develop training materials for Safe School

Village Committees.

Draft Safe School Village Committee training materials that LCDM will review and pilot test. These training materials will be revised based on feedback from the pilot test.

In alignment with yearly work plan

3.4 Develop materials on how to create and foster

safe environments at school.

Draft materials on how to create and foster safe school environments that LCDM will review and pilot test. These training materials will be revised based on feedback from the pilot test.

12 Malawi Early Grade Reading Improvement Activity (MERIT), Comprehensive Gender Plan

Gender Integrated into Objective 4: Pathways for sustainability instituted

RTI as LEAD How MWAI will support RTI When

Key activities 4.1

Develop and implement a national communications campaign (for teachers, administrators, and the general public).

Ensure that the developed materials are gender sensitive by providing the MERIT Communications Officer and campaign developers with appropriate, previously developed MERIT guides or instruments and by reviewing and providing gender-related feedback on draft campaign materials.

Gender Integrated into Objective 5: CDCS priorities for integration advanced

RTI as Lead How MWAI will support RTI When

Key activities 5.1

Lead a multisectoral technical working group to develop materials that integrate messages relevant to work in other sectors with those promoting parental and community support for children to learn.

Ensure that the developed materials are gender sensitive by providing materials developers with appropriate, previously developed MERIT guides or instruments and by reviewing and providing gender-related feedback on draft materials.

Malawi Early Grade Reading Improvement Activity (MERIT), Comprehensive Gender Plan 13

Table 2. Year 1 MERIT Gender Plan

No. Key Activities 2015 2016

O ct

N ov

D ec

Ja n

Fe b

M ar

A pr ay

Ju

Ju l ug

Se p

MWAI responsible for XC.6: Gender integration

XC.6.1 Train MERIT staff and partners on how to implement gender-responsive programming throughout the project (Apr) (Training to be conducted periodically whenever new MERIT staff are hired).

XC.6.2 Develop a Gender Integration Guide and comprehensive checklist.

XC.6.3 Work with MERIT staff to assess relevant gender aspects of the project using the Gender Integration Guide and comprehensive checklist to examine gender considerations and responsiveness throughout the project. A section on gender integration will be part of the monthly reporting process.

MWAI responsible for Component 3: Safer learning environments for reading created

Task 3.1 Learning spaces with reduced physical harm and mental abuse provided

3.1.1 Develop Gender Plan (Dec) and SL approach framework, guides, and instruments (March–July)

3.1.3 In collaboration with LCDM, train LCDM Community Mobilization and Safe Spaces Officers (CMSSOs) on SL spaces, including gender sensitivity and responsiveness.

Task 3.2 Positive reinforcement in the teaching of reading increased

3.2.1 Integrate SL classroom approaches into teacher training (part of Tasks 1.2.1 and 1.2.4).

3.2.2 Ensure MERIT TLMs are gender sensitive (part of Task 1.1.2 and 1.1.3).

14 Malawi Early Grade Reading Improvement Activity (MERIT), Comprehensive Gender Plan

No. Key Activities 2015 2016

Fe b

Ju l

MWAI support for Component 2: Increased parental and community engagement in supporting reading

Task 2.1: Support community- and family-based reading programs

2.1.1 Support LCDM to develop gender-sensitive community engagement for reading (CER) approach, framework, guides, and instruments.

2.1.5 Support LCDM to conduct gender-sensitive training.

Task 2.2 Conduct SBCC strategy

2.2.1 Support LCDM to develop gender-sensitive strategies for SBCC campaign in collaboration with the MERIT Communications Officer

MWAI support for Component 4: Pathways for sustainability instituted

Task 4.1 Organizational performance assessments

4.1.1 Support RTI to develop gender-sensitive organizational performance assessment instruments to use with civil society organizations (CSOs).

MWAI support for XC.3: ME&L

XC.3.1.2 Support Infonex in designing gender-sensitive ME&L systems, instruments, and trainings.

Malawi Early Grade Reading Improvement Activity (MERIT) Annual Work Plan (October 1, 2015, – September 30, 2016)

November 18, 2015

This publication was prepared for review by the United States Agency for International Development. It was prepared by Terry Giles.

USAID’s Malawi Early Grade Reading Improvement Activity (MERIT) Year 1 Work Plan - October 1, 2015, to September 30, 2016

ABE-ACR IDIQ No.: AID-OAAA-1-14-00044 Task Order No.: AID-612-TO-15-00001

Prepared for Chikondi Maleta Contracting Officer’s Representative USAID|Malawi The Education Office NICO House – Ground Floor PO Box 30455 Lilongwe 3, Malawi Telephone: +2651772455 Ext 5313 E-mail: cmaleta@usaid.gov

Prepared by Terry Giles RTI International 3040 East Cornwallis Road PO Box 12194 Research Triangle Park, NC 27709-2194 Telephone: +265994479181 E-mail: tgilesl@rti.org

The authors’ views expressed in this report do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government.

mailto:tgilesl@rti.org

ABE ACR – Malawi Early Grade Reading Improvement Activity (MERIT) Work Plan iii

Table of Contents Page List of Tables .......................................................................................................................................... iv

1. Project and Work Plan Executive Summary

1.1 EGRA Management Deliverables

1.2 Integration

2. Program Components

2.1 Component 1: Provide Quality Reading Instruction for Early Grade Students

Introduction

Task 1.1 Develop high quality TLMs for reading

Task 1.2 Teacher training to improve instructional practice for early grade reading in Chichewa, Standards 1 and 2

Task 1.3 Establish classroom-level support for teaching reading

Task 1.4 Increase access to teaching and learning materials

2.2 Component 2 Increased Parental and Community Engagement in Supporting Reading

Introduction

Task 2.1: Support community- and family-based reading programs

Task 2.2 Social and behavior change campaign (SBCC) to motivate parents to take action in supporting reading

2.3 Component 3: Safer Learning Environments for Reading Created

Introduction

Task 3.1 Learning spaces with reduced physical harm and mental abuse provided

Task 3.2 Positive reinforcement in the teaching of reading increased

2.4 Component 4: Pathways for Sustainability Instituted

Introduction

Task 4.1 Organizational performance assessments conducted

Task 4.2 Operational training of government partners and local organizations

Task 4.3 Sources of additional financial and technical support leveraged

2.5 Component 5: CDCS Priorities for Integration Advanced

Introduction

Task 5.1 Participate in CDCS integration processes, particularly in CDCS focus districts

2.6 Cross-Cutting Themes

X.C.1 USAID Global Education Strategy

XC.2 Windows of opportunity

XC.3 Monitoring, evaluation, and learning

XC.4 Coordination and collaboration iv ABE ACR – Malawi Early Grade Reading Improvement Activity (MERIT) Work Plan

XC.5 Using local systems

XC.6 Incorporating gender

XC.7 Environmental compliance

XC.8 Public-private partnerships

XC.9 Students with special needs/learning disabilities

XC.10 General management approach

XC10.1 Management tasks and reporting schedule

Annex A. Key Program Indicators and Targets

Annex B. Current Organizational Chart

Annex C. Subcontractors

Annex D. Geographic Coverage

Annex E. International Travel

Annex F. Year 1 Work Plan Budget

List of Tables Table 1. Task 1.1 Develop High Quality Teaching and Learning Materials for Reading

Table 2. Training Schedule for Year 1 Teacher Training

Table 3. Task 1.2 Teacher Training to Improve Instructional Practice for Early Grade Reading in Chichewa, Standards 1 and 2

Table 4. Training Schedule for Coaching

Table 5. Task 1.3 Establish Classroom-Level Support for Teaching Reading

Table 6. Task 1.4 Increase Access to Teaching and Learning Materials

Table 7. Task 2.1 Support Community- and Family-Based Reading Programs

Table 8. Task 2.2 Conduct Social and Behavior Change Campaign

Table 9. Task 3.1 Learning Spaces with Reduced Physical Harm and Mental Abuse Provided

Table 10. Task 3.2 Positive Reinforcement in the Teaching of Reading Increased

Table 11. Task 4.1 Organizational Performance Assessments Conducted

Table 12. Task 4.2 Operational Training of Government Counterparts and Local CSOs

Table 13. Task 4.3 Sources of Additional Financial and Technical Support Leveraged

Table 14. Task 5.1 Participate in CDCS Integration Processes, Particularly in CDCS Focus Districts

Table 15. Subtasks Related to Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (XC-03.1 to XC-03.4)

Table 16. Management Subtasks and Reporting Schedule

Table 17. Anticipated Team Travel v ABE ACR – Malawi Early Grade Reading Improvement Activity (MERIT) Work Plan

Acronyms AMEP Activity Monitoring and Evaluation Plan bTG blueTree Group

CDA community development assistant

CDCS Country Development Cooperation Strategy

CMO community mobilization officer

CPD continuous professional development

CSO civil society organization

DEM District Education Manager

DEMIS District Education Management Information System

DEO District Education Office

DIAS Department of Inspectorate and Advisory Services

EGRA Early Grade Reading Activity

EMIS education management information systems

GMTLM Guidelines for the Management of Teaching and Learning Materials

GOM Government of Malawi

LCDM Link Community Development Malawi

M&E monitoring and evaluation

ME&L monitoring, evaluation, and learning

MERIT Malawi Early Grade Reading Improvement Activity

MGCDSW Ministry of Gender, Children, Disability and Social Welfare

MIE Malawi Institute of Education

MoEST Ministry of Education, Science and Technology

MWAI Miske Witt and Associates, Inc.

NGO nongovernmental organization

NRP National Reading Program

NRS National Reading Strategy

PEA primary education advisor

PPP public-private partnership

PTA parent-teacher association

RTI RTI International

S Standard (1, 2, 3, 4)

SBCC social and behavior change campaign SEGREM Strengthening Early Grade Reading in Malawi

SLP scripted lesson plan vi ABE ACR – Malawi Early Grade Reading Improvement Activity (MERIT) Work Plan

SMC school management committee

STEPS Supporting the Efforts of Partners Project

TLM teaching and learning material

TTC teacher training college

TWG technical working group

USAID United States Agency for International Development

ABE ACR – Malawi Early Grade Reading Improvement Activity (MERIT) Work Plan

1. Project and Work Plan Executive Summary The Malawi Early Grade Reading Improvement Activity (MERIT) is a five-year, United States Agency for International Development (USAID) activity designed to provide technical assistance to the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MoEST) in improving the reading performance of Malawian learners in Standards 1– 4, nationwide. The award period is from September 29, 2015, to September 28, 2020.

The main goal of MERIT is to increase the reading skills of Malawian students in Standards 1–4, defined as students’ achieving reading fluency as determined by the MoEST reading skills benchmarks.

The five main objectives of MERIT are:

1. Improved reading instruction for primary grade reading outcomes in Standards 1–4;

2. Increased parental and community engagement in supporting student reading;

3. Safer learning environments for reading created;

4. Pathways for sustainability instituted; and

5. Country Development Cooperation Strategy (CDCS) priority of integration advanced.

The major expected outcomes at the end of this fiscal year are as follows:

• Training manuals and teacher’s guides for Standard 1 and 2 Chichewa developed

• All required teaching and learning materials (TLMs) and supplementary readers to support Standard 1–2 Chichewa procured and distributed to schools

• Standard 1 and 2 teachers of Chichewa received five days of training

1.1 EGRA Management Deliverables

The following deliverables and reporting requirements are contractual stipulations that apply to the 12-month period from October 1, 2015, to September 30, 2016.

• Annual Work Plan (November 18, 2015)1

• Five-Year Implementation Plan (November 28, 2015)

• Quarterly progress reports (January 30, April 30, July 30, October 302)

• Monthly progress reports (last working day of every calendar month, when no quarterly report is due)

• Gender Plan (December 28, 2015)

• Activity Monitoring and Evaluation Plan (December 28, 2015)

• Environmental Mitigation and Monitoring Plan (December 28, 2015)

1 Attached to this Year 1 Annual Work Plan are five annexes that provide key supplemental information: Annex A: Key Program Indicators and Targets; Annex B: Current Organizational Chart; Annex C: Subcontractors;

Annex D: Geographic Coverage; Annex E: International Travel; Annex F: Year 1 Work Plan Budget.

2 The last of these will count as the MERIT Annual Report.

2 ABE ACR – Malawi Early Grade Reading Improvement Activity (MERIT) Work Plan

• Consultant and short-term technical assistance reports

1.2 Integration

While all MERIT goals and activities should align with and be enhanced by the CDCS, special emphasis is placed on the CDCS priorities for integration. Component 5 of MERIT focuses explicitly on integration. Furthermore, since MERIT has a national scope, all activities will be implanted in the CDCS focus districts of Balaka, Machinga, and Lilongwe Rural.

2. Program Components

2.1 Component 1: Provide Quality Reading Instruction for Early Grade

Students Introduction The focus of this component is to enable teachers to increase their abilities to teach reading, assess student learning, and support student reading practice in both Chichewa and English in Standards 1–4.

USAID/Malawi is currently working with MoEST to finalize a National Reading Strategy (NRS), which includes an improved curriculum and instructional approach for teaching reading in Standards 1–4. The NRS together with RTI’s growing body of evidence, from Malawi and other countries, of what works to improve reading instruction will guide the provision of the supports teachers need to effectively teach students in early grades to read. This includes: (1) training for teachers on reading instruction; (2) ensuring access to high quality teaching and learning materials, including scripted lesson plans (SLPs); and (3) providing in-service teacher support and mentoring.

In conjunction with the Malawi Institute of Education (MIE), MERIT will finalize the training programs, train the expert trainers and primary education advisors (PEAs), and plan and manage the delivery of all training. Using materials developed under the Malawi Early Grade Reading Activity (EGRA) and Strengthening Early Grade Reading in Malawi (SEGREM) as a starting point, MERIT will revise all training manuals and teacher support materials. RTI will take the lead on this component, while Perkins International and Miske Witt and Associates (MWAI) will ensure that all materials developed integrate issues related to disability and gender, respectively.

Since MERIT supports the implementation of the Malawi National Reading Program (NRP), the activity will be implemented using existing government systems. The MIE and MoEST will lead policy and curriculum and materials development in support of reading, and the trainings will be delivered through the decentralized education structures at the district and zonal levels.

The TLMs that will be available include teacher’s guides with SLPs and supplementary materials such as leveled readers, decodable books, story cards, and letter cards. The activity will be responsible for procuring all TLMs, not including student textbooks, in sufficient quantities for nationwide distribution.

Finally, MERIT will train PEAs and head teachers on how to provide quality instructional support to teachers during the school year.

ABE ACR – Malawi Early Grade Reading Improvement Activity (MERIT) Work Plan 3

The training targets all teachers of Chichewa and English in Standards 1–43 across all public schools nationwide. Teachers will participate in 10 days of training spread over the school year.

Task 1.1 Develop high quality TLMs for reading MERIT will support the procurement/printing of teacher’s guides and other support teacher materials for Chichewa and English for Standards 1–4 and supplementary reading materials for children.

Supplemental materials: USAID has long supported the development of supplemental reading materials in Malawi, and there currently are many additional reading materials available that are suitable for Standards 1–4, both in Chichewa and English. In Year 1, we will emphasize studying those materials to determine whether they are being used in ways that enrich the reading skills and experiences of students in early grades. We will evaluate how decodable stories and leveled books are being introduced into classrooms, communities, and homes and how teachers currently are able to incorporate such materials into their lessons. The study will inform MoEST, MIE, MERIT, and other partners about how to best provide supplementary materials and how to better train and equip teachers and schools to make use of them. The Activity will also perform a survey of TLMs that will allow for an accurate prediction of all TLMs needed for project. The outcome of these studies will be a Supplementary TLM Planning Framework.

During the TLM Planning process MERIT will also consult with other development partners and USAID implementers to identify thematic areas (health, agriculture etc.)

that can be introduced into the supplementary materials.

MERIT will be responsible for procuring and distributing all TLM, with the exception of student textbooks.

Table 1 below outlines the subtasks, timeline, partner responsible and key outputs for Task 1.1. It also highlights links to CDCS Cross-Cutting Sub-Intermediate Results (SIRs) and whether it is an integrated activity.

3 This training schedule is still under discussion with MoEST

4 ABE ACR – Malawi Early Grade Reading Improvement Activity (MERIT) Work Plan

Table 1. Task 1.1 Develop High Quality Teaching and Learning Materials for Reading

No. Key Activities

2015 2016

Key Outputs Partner

Re-sponsible

Activity Amount

Link to

CDCS

Cross- Cutting

SIRs

Integrated Activity?

Activity in Balaka (B), Machinga

(M), or Lilongwe Rural (L)

Fe b

Ju l

Component 1: Provide Quality Reading Instruction for Students in Early Grades

Task 1.1 Develop high quality teaching and learning materials for reading

1.1.1

Survey existing supplementary TLM and develop Planning…