Africa- Asia Dialogue Africa- Asia Dialogue Reflective MeetingReflective Meeting

Malawi Presentation

An investigation into the relationship An investigation into the relationship between selected donor educational inputs between selected donor educational inputs

and rates of achievement at the basic and rates of achievement at the basic educational level in the South West educational level in the South West

Educational Division in MalawiEducational Division in Malawi

A Reserch proposal

By

Demis Kunje

Dorothy Khonje

Nellie Mbano

Outline of presentationOutline of presentation

IntroductionMethodologyProgress so farPilot workCooperation with Kobe UniversityChallengesPlan

IntroductionIntroduction

BackgroundStatement of the problemResearch questionsSignificance of the studyLimitations

Indicator 2002

GDP per capita MK10, 500.00

Literacy rate 58%

Literacy rate male 66%

Literacy rate female

44%

IndicatorsIndicators

Infant mortality rate (per 1000 children) 104

Maternal mortality rate (per 100000 live births)

1120

Under 5mortality rate (per1000 live births 189

% Children under weight 30%

Fertility rate 6.1

Life expectancy 39

Basic Education  

Number of teachers 45,784

Pupil to qualified teacher ratio 118

Dropout rate 12%

Repetition rate 15%

Female enrollment 48%

Pupil to specialist teacher ratio (visually impaired)

48

Number of Adults enrolled in ALC 37,500

Basic education Basic education

1. Expand concept of Basic Education

2. Decentralisation

3. Increase Basic Education Budget

4. Reduce Drop out and Repetition Rates

5. Increase Community Participation

6. Reform Assessment System

Improve Special Needs Education

Free Primary Education 1994+Free Primary Education 1994+

• More children are in school following the introduction of Free Primary Education (FPE) in 1994. Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) is 132% (2004). Net Enrolment Ratio (NER) of the 6-13 year olds is, however, below 80%, but much higher than before FPE.

• Disparities in enrolment rates between regions, districts and income groups have narrowed since introducing FPE.

FPE has made education popular amongst all stakeholders, the communities, CSOs, development partners, parents and Government. There is collective commitment

Gender disparities in enrolment rates at primary level have narrowed since introducing FPE. Up to 1990s boys’ NERs were much higher than those of girls. Now the NERs for boys and girls are almost the same.

Challenges Challenges High drop out rates (12%)High repetition rate (15%)Low completion rate (30%)In adequate teaching and learning materialsPoor learning environment (Some classes still

being held under trees, inadequate furniture inadequate water and sanitary facilities

High pupil-class ratio (70:1)High Qualified-pupil ratio (72:1)

Challenges (contd)Challenges (contd)

The impact of HIV/AIDSVery high absenteeism Limited access and facilities to persons with

disabilitiesMobilisation of Funding for the sectors

programmes

Statement of the problem Statement of the problem

Basic education is seen as a necessary condition for development. In addition, it is seen as a right for every child. In Malawi the introduction of free primary education in 1994 resulted in increased enrollments without accompanying improvements in quality. The issue of quality is being addressed in a piecemeal way, in trickles and in an uncoordinated manner. Thus it is not known which inputs or combinations of inputs have impact on the quality of education

Research QuestionsResearch Questions

• What are the relationships between inputs namely infrastructure, in-service, school feeding, teaching and learning materials, community sensitization and advisory services on the one hand and the quality of basic education in terms of levels of pupil achievement on the other hand?

• What combinations of inputs are associated with pupil achievement in mathematics, Chichewa and English in std 5 and std 7?

Research questions cont.Research questions cont.

1. How are the donor - sponsored inputs in schools utilized to improve the quality of basic education?

Significance of the studySignificance of the study

Understand relationshipsShow appropriatenessIndicate Minimum levels of resourcesDescribe usage and managementComplement other studies

Limitations of the studyLimitations of the study

Inputs may ageLimitations in collecting informationLimited sampleLimited time

Some research findingsSome research findings

SACMEQinvestigated pupil, teacher and school factors and how they related to the achievement of minimum levels of literacy and numeracy. The main findings were that the majority of the pupils in Malawi primary schools are performing below minimum and desirable levels of reading and mathematical skills

Some research findingsSome research findings

A similar study by MIE(2005) in 12 districts shows that learner achievement in four subjects at the primary school level was below expected levels and that less than 10% of the learners were adequately prepared for the next higher class they were to move into.

Some research findingsSome research findings

NIPDEP(2003) showed that there were slight increases in performance in mathematics and English after JICA introduced some interventions such as infrastructure, teacher in – service and teacher support in schools

Some research findingsSome research findings

PLAN(2005) report of some increases in the percentages of pupils gaining mastery in Chichewa after teachers in two districts had undergone some specific training

ProspectsProspects

This shows that there is some hope that achievement can be influenced in some ways and this provides a basis for further enquiry into what best represents positive influences on achievement in the Malawian context.

MethodologyMethodology

Quantitative-Using existing Raw Data e.g SACMEQ-Collect data on educational inputs and

achievement

• QualitativeStudy utilisation of resources and inputs in

schools

Phase 1: Relationship Phase 1: Relationship between inputs and between inputs and

achievementachievement  DIVISION (1)

Rural(160 schools)

Unsupported

Donor supported

Urban(20 schools)

Unsupported

Donor supported

InstrumentsInstruments

School ProfileAchievement testsClass 5 and 7Mathematics, English and Chichewa

Data ananlysisData ananlysis

Descriptive statisticsMulti level analysis

Phase 2: How inputs are Phase 2: How inputs are utilisedutilised

 

Rural Supported Successful

Not successful

Unsupported Successful

Not successful

Urban Supported Successful

Not successful

Unsupported Successful

Not successful

Instruments and target participants:  

Focus Methods

Community participation

Interviews and Focus group discussion

Management Interviews and Focus group discussion

Teaching and learning

Observations, Interviews and Focus group discussion

In-service training Interviews with teachers

Use of resources Observations, Interviews and Focus group discussion

Data analysisData analysis

ThemesTriangulationActivity profiles

Progress ReportProgress Report

Briefing Ministry of EducationProposals to UNESCO and JICASeminars: MOE, Higher Education, School

CommunityPilot StudyRefining Instruments

Class 5 ResultsClass 5 Results

C la s s 5

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

1 to 5 6 to 10 11 to 15 16 to 20 21 to 25 26 to 30

m a rks

nu

mb

er

of

pu

pil

s

M aths 30/30

E ng30/30

Chic 30/30

Class 5: Girls and boysClass 5: Girls and boys

Maths English Chiichewa

Overal 13.5(4.2) 18.2(6.1) 22.9(3.3)

Girls 13.6(4.4) 18.2(5.9) 23.1(3.4)

Boys 13.5(4.0) 18.2(6.3) 22.8 (3.2)

Class 5: CorrelationClass 5: Correlation

Maths English

English 0.53

Chichewa 0.22 0.33

Class 5: by schoolClass 5: by school

Maths Eng Chic

Dyeratu 12 18.4 21.5

Dinde 12.5 18.5 22.8

Mphande 13.6 15.6 24.6

Likulu 13.3 14.3 24.2

Chichiri 18.3 24.2 22.9

Class 7 resultsClass 7 results

C lass 7

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

1 to5

6 to10

11 to15

16 to20

21 to25

26 to30

31 to35

36 to40

M a rks

nu

mb

er

of

pu

pil

s

m athem at ic s 28/28

E nglis h40/40

Chic hewa39/39

Class 7: Girls and boysClass 7: Girls and boys

MATHS ENG CHIC

Overal 9.5(3.4) 17.8(8.1) 20.6(4.1)

Girls 9.3(3.8) 17.0(8.2) 20.1(3.8)

Boys 9.7(3.0) 18.6(8.0) 21.1(4.4)

CorrelationCorrelation

MATHS ENGLISH

ENGLISH 0.66

CHICHEWA 0.34 0.35

Class7: by schoolClass7: by school

Maths Eng Chic

Dyeratu 7.6 12.8 19.7

Mphande 7.6 12.8 18.4

Likulu 8.6 15.8 20.9

Chichiri 12.8 28.9 21.7

SchoolsSchools

Location Owner Support

Dyeratu Rural Govt several

Dinde Rural Govt several

Mphande Peri Urban Mission several

Iikulu Peri urban Mission several

Chichiri Urban Govt none

Cooperation with Kobe Cooperation with Kobe UniversityUniversity

Revision of ProposalTesting and revision of instrumentsCollecting dataAnalysis of existing raw data ( training)Collection and data analysisPlanning for qualitative study

ChallengesChallenges

Funding

PlansPlans

Collect data in South West Education Division

Analyse SACMEQ dataDo qualitative StudyDisseminate information to stakeholders