PAL Network Response to COVID-19: Help Children Learn Foundational Skills
The global pandemic caused by the spread of COVID-19 has resulted in school closures around the world. Billions of children will not access schools in the immediate future. That is why PAL is responding to the pandemic by (i) ensuring the safety of our people and children, (ii) putting mechanisms for effective operations in these trying times, (iii) innovating to strengthen ourselves to help children learn foundational skills that make them more resilient and (iv) supporting and amplifying member organisations contributions to national education response to COVID-19 pandemic. Read more.
PAL Network Among the Selected GPE KIX Grantees to Strengthen Learning Assessment Systems
PAL Network is among the 12 grantees of the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) Knowledge and Innovation Exchange (KIX) to scale proven innovations in over 40 GPE partner countries for three and a half years. The grant awarded to a three-member consortium of PAL Network, Pratham Education Foundation, and the Australian Council for Education Research (ACER), will be used to conduct a common-scale assessment of early and foundational math learning across the Global South. Read more.
PAL Set to Release Comparable Data from the Citizen-Led Assessment of Numeracy
Implemented in 13 PAL Network member countries, the Citizen-Led Assessment of Numeracy (CLAN) aims to generate robust and comparable data on children’s learning levels. Having completed data collection between November 2019 and February 2020, and currently finalising the report writing, the network is gearing up for the release of the findings. Connect with us, @palnetworkHQ, for more developments.
ASER India Early Years Report Launched
The Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) 2019 dubbed ‘Early Years’ was launched on January 14th in India. The report shows that nearly all children aged 4-8 are enrolled in educational institutions and learning progress is strongly correlated to age, with older children doing better than younger ones. The survey covered 30,425 households and focused on the children’s cognitive development, early literacy, numeracy, and social-emotional development. Access the report here.
ASER Pakistan 2019 Report: A Long Way Away from the Promise of the Constitution and SDG 4
ASER Pakistan launched the 2019 report on February 10th, 2020. The report shows positive gains in Grade 5. However, learning levels are still low at Grade 3, with only 18% of the pupils demonstrating grade 2 competencies. Even at Grade eight, 14% of children do not demonstrate Grade 2 competencies. This report reveals that the learning crisis persists in Pakistan, dimming the hope for the promise of the Constitution and Sustainable Development Goal 4. Access the report here.
OMAES Conducts Reading Competition
To improve learning in South Central Mali, OMAES (PAL Network member) carried out a reading a loud competition on January 25th 2020. The competition held in Segou brought together 39 schools and involved learners from grades 2 to 6. The declining levels of literacy among learners prompted this competition. The competition aims to re-cultivate a reading culture.
TEP Centre, Nigeria Moves to Strengthen Teachers Research Capacity
The Education Partnership (TEP) Centre carried out the third cycle of the Integrated Teacher Capacity Development Programme (ITCDP) in Kaduna State. The programme supported by the Oxford University trained teachers on collecting and using data to improve the teaching process. Teachers were trained on analysing the performance of their pupils and using the results to diagnose areas of difficulty in learning, and then develop strategies to counter these difficulties.
2020 Marks the Third Year of Young 1ove Implementation of TARL in Botswana
Young 1ove spent the 3rd year of implementing Teaching at Right Level (TaRL) with focus on expansion and strengthening government ownership of TaRL. This year about 65% of implementation will be entirely government led. They have added a new region and have now reached about 12% of all primary schools in Botswana. On January 30th to 31st, Young 1ove also hosted Dr. Rukmini Banerji (CEO, Pratham), Dr. Madhav Chavan (Founder, Pratham), and other TaRL Africa Board members who were in Chobe region to observe TaRL implementation.
Wiixutta Nithweelaka in Mozambique Targets 20 Schools in 2020
Wiixutta Nithweelaka, an approach of learning reading and numeracy while playing, entered its third year in 2020 in Mozambique. With a target of 20 schools in 2020, implementation of the programme is supported by nine facilitators, 24 teachers, the District Education Services, and the District Administrators. So far, seven schools have started implementing the activities. Already, 1,640 children in the 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades in the district of Larde, Nampula province are enrolled in the programme.
Policy Dialogues Advisory Group Inaugurated
On January 31st 2020, Policy Dialogues Advisory Group held an inaugural meeting. The 11-member group drawn from the Ministry of Education, Civil Society Organisations, Academia and Media discussed ways of shaping the policies within the current education reforms from an inclusion perspective.
2nd Annual General Meeting Held in March
On March 16th 2020, PAL Network held its second Annual General Meeting (AGM). Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic that resulted in the cancellation of international travel, the network conducted its meeting virtually. Members deliberated on and approved the annual report and the audited financial statements for the year ended December 31st 2019.
Regional Hubs Conduct Virtual Meetings
On March 19th 2020, two PAL Network Regional hubs (The South Asia and Eastern and Southern Africa hubs) held their first meetings for 2020. These virtual meetings deliberated on the 2019 achievements and planned the 2020 activities. Members adopted regular and short virtual meetings approach to strengthen regional collaboration.
Uwezo Spun Off into Three Independent and Autonomous Country Entities in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania
Early this year, Usawa Agenda (formerly Uwezo Kenya), Uwezo Uganda and Uwezo Tanzania formed three new independent educational institutions in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania respectively. With a focus on learning outcomes and inequalities in education, these organisations are set to take forward more than ten years of experience in working in education as part of Twaweza East Africa.
MIA Mexico Supports Learning at Home During COVID-19 Pandemic
MIA Mexico has developed a series of suggestions for support at home during the COVID-19 pandemic. The well-being and safety of children and employees is MIA’s priority. Through the school and out of school innovations, MIA will continue to develop children’s reading and math skills. Access the resources here.
Uwezo Tanzania Joins Other Partners to Discuss Early Learning
On sixth and 7th March, Uwezo Tanzania participated in the Building Brains conference that brought together diverse stakeholders in early childhood development to kick start a new movement that puts early learning at the forefront of the development conversation in Tanzania and across Africa. Read more.
Zizi Afrique Foundation Kenya Holds Annual Learning Forum
On March 11th, the Accelerated Learning Programme of Zizi Afrique Foundation brought together stakeholders from the Ministry of Education, implementing partners, civil society actors and funders to learn, reflect and share experiences on improving children’s foundational skills. The Accelerated Learning Programme currently reaches over 9,000 learners in 120 schools. Read more.
Call for Papers for RISE Annual Conference Deadline Extended
The deadline for the Call for Papers for the Research on Improving Systems of Education (RISE) Programme Annual Conference that was due on March 27th 2020 has been extended to April 17th 2020. The RISE Programme invites you to submit a paper, particularly on the teaching practice and instructional practice. Read more.
Call for Papers for the Africa Knows Conference
The deadline for the call for papers for the Africa Knows conference has been extended to April 30th, 2020. Themed ‘Decolonising Minds’ the conference scheduled for 2nd-4th December 2020 aims to take stock, describe and analyze dynamics about the making of knowledge in and of Africa. Read more.
