Andrew Mlenga, a hardworking eight-year-old Standard 4 learner at Kaseye Primary School, hails from a remote and mountainous village called Vumbo, in the area of Traditional Authority (T/A) Mwaulambia in Chitipa district.
Andrew is among the many primary school learners in Malawi who have experienced a remarkable positive impact on their learning abilities with the introduction of the Building Educational Foundations through Innovation and Technology (BEFIT) Programme.
Andrew shared that he never expected to easily learn how to write. He explained that he has been having issues with letters and mixing them to build up a word.
“While I was struggling to write, my friends were making progress, and I used to think that I was too dumb to learn. However, the tablet learning sessions made learning easier, and I am able to write words which even my seniors regard as challenging,” explained Andrew.
Andrew further expressed his love for mathematics. He added that the tablet learning sessions have enabled him to practice more, which has resulted in improved aptitude in the subject.
Looking ahead, Andrew hopes to continue learning through technology to enhance his knowledge and be able to achieve his dream of becoming a banker.
Teachers at Kaseye Primary School acknowledged the role which the BEFIT Programme has played in transforming the literacy and numerical learning abilities of learners.
“The tablet learning sessions played a significant role in Andrew and many students’ successful transition from one class to the next,” alluded Andrew’s class teacher.
The BEFIT is a government of Malawi-led programme enhancing literacy and numeracy skills for learners in Standards 1-4 across all public primary schools through supplemental, individualised, self-paced instruction through an Android tablet-based app.
#EdTech | #FLN | #Literacy | #Numeracy
