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Helping to Improve Education in Malawi
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A
Malawian student answers questions using a mobile
audio computer-assisted self-interviewing (ACASI) device.
Research suggests that the privacy afforded by the
computerized interview encourages more honest answers than
are obtained in other types of interviews. |
Despite being one of the world’s poorest countries, Malawi was a pioneer
in eliminating primary-school fees in 1994. Since then, the country’s
school system has experienced an enormous increase in primary-school
enrollment—a resounding success in providing access to basic education,
but also a tremendous challenge. With limited resources and undertrained
teachers, school quality has apparently suffered, and students in
primary school are not acquiring the basic skills and competencies they
need. The Ministry of Education and other education specialists are
seeking information and guidance that will allow them to improve school
quality within an exceptionally resource-poor environment. They
recognize that without improvements in the quality of schooling, the
promises implicit in the achievement of universal schooling are not
likely to be met.To aid leaders in developing effective educational policies and
programs, researchers from the Council and Chancellor College at the
University of Malawi have completed the first part of a three-year study
of primary-school students aged 14 to 16, interviewing more than 2,600
adolescents and 330 teachers in 60 primary schools. To maximize the
policy relevance of the project for both Malawi and other sub-Saharan
countries, the researchers selected districts in the country that have
the highest rates of HIV, early marriage, and teenage childbearing. The
objective of the study is to identify critical aspects of school quality
that enhance students’ learning, educational attainment, reproductive
health, and employment outcomes. The researchers will re-interview the
adolescents in 2008 and 2009, following them as they progress through
school, develop relationships, marry, start families, and enter the
labor force. Analysis of data gathered through this multiyear study will
support policymakers in making evidence-based decisions to improve
school quality and students’ educational experiences and, in turn,
increase the likelihood that adolescents follow a safer, healthier, and
more productive path to adulthood.
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