Inclusive and Equitable Quality Education for the Rural Poor in four Sub-Saharan Countries

Congo, DR, Guinea-Bissau, Malawi, Mozambique

The project aimed to enhance access to quality education to underserved rural populations in Congo DR, Guinea-Bissau, Malawi, and Mozambique, through teacher training. The teacher training program has provided students with the knowledge, skills and abilities to lead sustainable teaching careers. Student teachers in Guinea-Bissau, Malawi, and Mozambique have been able to expand their knowledge base during study/travel tours, learning about teaching and cultural practices from other regions or countries. Upon completion of the program, a total of 164 students have been successfully trained and graduated as primary school teachers, meeting the target completion rate at 109 percent. The number of trained teachers in each country is as follows: DRC (35 – graduated in year two), Guinea- Bissau (15) Malawi (65), and Mozambique (49). The female to male ratio is well-balanced, with the majority (54%) female. Furthering this success, many of these newly trained teachers have already been hired and placed in rural areas. Over the course of this three-year initiative, the student teachers were projected to teach approximately 45,000 pupils through internships/student-teaching opportunities, equivalent to an average of 15,000 pupils per year. These expectations were exceeded during all three years, as the student teachers reached 27,142 students in year one, 18,894 students in year two, and 20,295 in year three, totaling 66,331 students throughout the entire course of the program (exceeding projections by more than 21,000 students). The children directly impacted by the program have received, and will continue to receive, a better education as a direct result of the program. This will improve long-term results, as the children will not only be positively impacted, but will effectively and positively influence the community, ensuring sustainability. This project indirectly reached a total of 344,537 community members across the four countries, exceeding the target of 263,440 by over 81,097 indirect beneficiaries. Overall, the teacher-training program has proven to be successful, exceeding expectations throughout the entirety of the project. More teachers were trained than anticipated, leading to more children benefiting from their teachers and an even higher impact on the community. This cadre of credentialed teachers will continue to improve student learning outcomes and strengthen the quality of primary education in rural areas as they begin employment in their government school placements. They will inspire a cultural shift, placing high value on the benefits of education, while fostering widespread local development by mobilizing communities to improve basic living situations. Furthermore, the project continues to prove itself sustainable, as facilities will last for decades, funding is multi-sourced, and it is fully recognized and supported by national governments.