Lilongwe. Tanzania has highlighted significant progress in foundational learning, attributing improved pupil performance and higher enrolment to innovative early childhood education programmes.
The country presented its experience alongside South Africa, Ghana and Zambia at the third Foundational Learning Exchange (FLEX) conference in Malawi, where participants shared successful approaches to improving the quality of early learning.
Tanzania's National Coordinator for Pre-Primary Education and Foundational Learning at the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Mr Julius Swila, said enrolment in pre-primary education had risen to about 77 percent from 47 percent a decade ago, reflecting improvements in teaching and learning.
He said the government had invested in innovation, including the rollout of digital learning resources and the implementation of the Quality Early Learning Package (QELP), a learner-centred programme supported by the World Bank.
Speaking at the conference, Mr Swila said the programme encourages children to learn at their own pace through play-based teaching, helping them build literacy and numeracy skills.
"Play-based learning allows children to explore, imagine and develop essential skills naturally," he said. He said the approach integrates local and modern games, stories, songs and dances to create an engaging learning environment, while teachers receive continuous training to strengthen play-based teaching methods and move away from rote learning.
The government has also supplied schools with teaching manuals, storybooks in Kiswahili and English, educational toys and visual learning materials to support classroom instruction and children's cognitive development.
According to Mr Swila, the initiative has improved children's readiness for primary school and strengthened the foundation for better performance throughout their education. However, he said sustained progress would require increased investment in foundational learning to ensure more children enrol, remain in school and achieve better learning outcomes.
The three-day conference, organised by the Government of Malawi in collaboration with the Association for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA), brought together education ministers, senior government officials, researchers, development partners and other stakeholders.
It is supported by the World Bank, the Gates Foundation, the Hempel Foundation, the UK's Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and Human Capital Africa.
