By Manasse Nyirenda

Rumphi, May 28, Mana: Director of Education and Sports for Rumphi District Council, Fides Msowoya has said that community participation in Building Education Foundations Through Innovation and Technology (BEFIT) Programme is crucial for its sustainability in the district.  

Msowoya was speaking on Tuesday during the council’s review meeting of the programme with primary education advisors (PEAs) among other stakeholders.

She said the programme has improved learner enrollment, enthusiasm, and interest of the learner in education.

“Community participation is very important for the sustainability of any programme. So far we have already witnessed community members contributing resources toward wage payment of security guards in schools.

“We are also considering incorporating activities from the programme into our council-level budget as a way of sustaining the gains achieved through the intervention,” she explained.

Coordinator for BEFIT in Rumphi, George Mlowoka said the project has improved reading and numerical skills besides reducing absenteeism among learners.

He added that he was optimistic that the programme will be sustained due to the involvement of various stakeholders at both council and community levels.

A head teacher of Lwatizi Primary School, Alice Mkanadango said the learners who have been benefiting from the programme in the last two years have developed an increased interest in learning.  

Learners under the programme use tablets to learn numerical and reading skills at their own pace of comprehension.

BEFIT is a government of Malawi owned and led programme aimed at enhancing foundational literacy and numeracy skills among learners in standard 1 to 4 across all public primary schools in Malawi using specialized applications on android tablets.