Chitipa is one of the districts in Malawi where Building Education Foundations through Innovation and Technology (#BEFIT) Programme is being implemented to improve the foundational literacy and numeracy skills of primary school learners.
Through the #BEFIT Programme, a lot of children in Chitipa have been motivated to go back to school after staying at home for several academic years. Significantly, the programme has contributed to a substantial reduction in dropout rates in the targeted schools.
Thomas Mulungu is a 12-year-old Standard 4 learner at Meru Primary School in the district. Thomas hails from Vongonyo Village, in the area of Traditional Authority (T/A) Mwaulambia. Thomas comes from a financially disadvantaged family and more often than not, he goes to school on an empty stomach. Thomas is just one of the many learners in the area whose parents do not have reliable means of earning income to fully provide the necessary support to their children.
Before the introduction of tablet learning under the #BEFIT Programme, Thomas was a perpetual absentee due to poverty. Consequently, this reflected badly on his academic performance.
The introduction of tablet lessons at Meru Primary School has invigorated Thomas, who has not missed a single class in this academic term.
One of the teachers alluded to the fact that Thomas’ performance has greatly improved, and he is enjoying his studies despite the other socioeconomic challenges that are there.
#educationforallchildren | #educationforall | #educational
