Our Spotlight series research shows that foundational learning is a critical building block for all children to be able to fulfil their potential, however, at most one in five on the continent who complete primary school will have achieved minimum proficiency levels in reading and mathematics.
We are following the learning journey of 4 children alongside the research in our Spotlight report series, aiming to demonstrate through their stories the love that they have for learning and what we have to lose if we don’t invest in their education.
Godfred is in Basic 2 and has 4 more years before finishing primary school. In order to pass from primary into secondary in Ghana, children have to take a Basic Education Certificate Examination. At present, the Ghana Spotlight Report showed that three in four children pass mathematics in that exam.
The Spotlight Report, Learning Counts, looks at how children are taught mathematics in primary school in Africa. It shows that, while curricula explain what children should learn, they do not always show how they should be taught by teachers.
How learning takes place in the classroom is critical. Often, children may be in school but not leaving with basic literacy or numeracy. At present, over half of children who cannot read with understanding in sub-Saharan Africa have completed primary school.
Most children who do not learn have completed primary education
This example illustrates the importance of there being alignment across the vision that a country may have for improving foundational learning, its curriculum and the teaching and learning materials that help teachers implement the vision in the classroom.
The Spotlight report found that the biggest gap in overall teacher knowledge, which comprises curriculum, subject and pedagogic knowledge, was in curriculum knowledge. Due to the lack of teacher training, teachers were unaware of the content of the syllabus, did not know what subject matter should be taught to which grade level and were unclear how textbooks related to the curriculum they were required to teach.
In Learning Counts, we recommend:
1. Give all children a textbook – and all teachers a guide.
Ensure that all children and teachers have teaching and learning materials that are research-based, aligned with the curriculum, and locally developed.
2. Make a clear plan to improve learning.
a. Ensure learning is not abstract; children need full understanding before moving to advanced concepts.
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