Improving access and quality of education for girls in Malawi

Kwakwarhi Mwanamai, Clara Chindime, Grace Mulima & Pickmore Swira

Primary School: Statistics at a glance!

# of children enrolled is 4.6 million Net enrollment 103 over 100 because of

averaged/under-aged children (No formal birth registration system in the country)

Survival rate to Std 5 -65%; Survival rate to Std 8-32%; Completion rate 45.7% Transition to secondary school 36% Secondary net enrollment rate 15.5%

Defining the problem – multiple threats to girls education

Poor food and nutrition

Inadequate protection

Poor Quality Schooling

Violation of girls’ sexual

and reproductive health rights

Cultural Practices and

gender inequalities

Girl unfriendly environment

Defining the solution

Improved Access and

Quality Education for girls

1. Girls and boys in

targeted schools are

well nourished and able to

stay in school

2. Increased access to

second chance education for both in and

out of school girls

3. Integrated youth friendly services,

resources and structures,

addressing CSE, SRHR, HIV/AIDS and

GBV in place for both in and out of

school

4. Reduction of violence against girls in targeted

schools and communities and effective referral

pathways in place

5. Teacher attitudes and skills are

improved/enhanced to effectively deliver life

skills based and gender responsive

methodologies

6. Adolescent girls are informed and empowered to

participate and take on leadership

7. Empowered and committed communities

who value quality education for all

children, especially girls

Overall objective and primary outcomes Overall objective: improve access and quality of education for girls

Primary outcomes:

1. Girls and boys in targeted schools are well nourished and able to stay in school

2. Increased access to second chance education for both in and out of school girls

3. Quality integrated youth friendly services, resources and structures, addressing CSE, SRHR, HIV/AIDS and GBV in place for both in and out of school girls

4. Reduction of violence against girls in targeted schools and communities and effective referral pathways in place

5. Teacher attitudes and skills are improved/enhanced to effectively deliver life skills based and gender responsive methodologies

6. Adolescent girls are informed and empowered to demand SRHR services, participate and take on leadership positions within the school and the

community

7. Empowered and committed communities will value quality education for all children, especially girls

Geographical coverage

District selection criteria:

- low educational performance

- gender disparity

- existence of SRH barriers to girls education

- food insecurity and vulnerability to natural hazards 81 primary schools in Salima, Mangochi and Dedza districts

- 14 in Dedza

- 35 in Salima

- 32 in Mangochi

Two traditional authorities in Mangochi and Chikwawa

Beneficiaries

Specific focus on girls from standard 5 to 8 (adolescent girls)

Whole school approach Out of school youth in the targeted districts

Innovations Joint programming

Cash transfers

Real-time monitoring

Teaching and learning

Home-grown school feeding

Comprehensive sexuality education

Programme participants;

Parents and caregivers/family members;

Boys and girls;

Community members;

Stakeholders/duty bearers;

Theory of Change & Outcomes

The fundamental premise of this proposal is that there are multiple threats to girls’ education;

Without a comprehensive approach which simultaneously addresses key known threats girls will avoid one threat only to succumb to another;

Girls’ education in Malawi may be compared to a bucket with many holes;

Unless all the holes are sealed, girls will continue to leak out of the system;

This programme therefore aims to ring-fence targeted schools for girls’ education ensuring that known threats are mitigated again;

Opportunities

Girls Education Network-Government, CSO, Media, Academia partners; Girl Child Mapping Study-zeroed in on reasons behind girl child drop out

cases Participatory Communication Manual-to facilitate community based behaviour and

social change activities; Girls Education Strategy;

Girls Education Communication Strategy (with Socio-Ecological Model as driving force)

Baseline survey report & Assessment report from Joint Programme on Adolescent Girls (JPAG);

Baseline Survey for the United Nations Joint Programme on Girls Education (UNJPGE)

Communication for Development (C4D)Socio-Ecological Model- with activities implemented to attend to a host of challenges standing in the way of adolescent girls

C4D Approach Supporting Activity

ADVOCACY Visibility activities; billboards and discussion with donors and development partners, fundraising for scholarship programme

Social Advocacy Lobbying for action on social norms with traditional leaders; social dialogue sessions for action plans and changes in by-laws

Social Mobilization A network of schools, community based school structures, CBOs; using campaigns and community meetings

Behaviour Change Communication

Supporting IEC materials ( Posters, Comic books, docu-dramas, radio programmes and jingles); Sports for Development; Inter Personal Communication-formulation of Girls Only Clubs/Listeners Groups-community radios;

Results (successes/constraints and concrete qualitative and/or quantitative results)

Baseline and end of project evaluation done for UN - JPAG – results of which informed development of new programme-United Nations Joint Programme on Girls Education (UNJPGE)

Increase in proportion of girls who are attending school compared to situation at baseline & improved literacy rates;

High knowledge on SRHR and where to get service (90.4%) (89.8% in MH and 91.1% in CK)

Reduction of drop out cases in school (35.4% reported ever dropping out of school, while at baseline 93% did)

More awareness on Violence and reduction of cases of violence against girls and women;

Challenges/Constraints

Long distance to critical services-schools, health centres;

Much as the programme promoted a lot of dialogue and discussion on factors that pre-dispose girls to start engaging in sexual intercourse-there is still more work on harmful cultural beliefs;

Lack of confidentiality at HTC centres affecting the numbers of people accessing the services;

Sustaining the momentum after programme winds up in 2015 is a challenge;

Lessons Learnt

C4D and programmes should start programmes at same time for better alignment of activities and great results;

While working with other UN partners brings a diverse of experiences, the daunting challenge of delays in coming up with joint action can not be overemphasized;

Against a background of limited media networks, radio remains a powerful tool for dissemination of messages to communities;

Community cinema has proven a good tool to stimulate debate and dialogue;

Socio-cultural issues require more time to address;

Most Significant Change-A way forward!

In partnership with district team and NGO, to roll out MSC process in the three programme locations

To monitor activities;

Dig deeper into deep-seated socio-cultural beliefs that are refusing to go;

Identify strong best practices from programme that can guide a new UN Joint Programme on Girls Education (UNJPGE)