A local non-governmental organisation, Rays of Hope Malawi has donated 48 tablets to 48 primary schools in Blantyre Rural to enhance the assessment of learners’ literacy and numeracy skills under the Teaching at the Right Level (TaRL) programme.
The donation was made during a handover ceremony held at Lunzu Catholic and Lirangwe Catholic primary schools, where officials said the digital devices will support teachers in monitoring pupils’ academic progress more efficiently.
Daniel Mtenje, Programmes Associate Officer for Rays of Hope Malawi, said, “These tablets are meant to help teachers assess learners during TaRL sessions by providing digital tools to track their performance in both literacy and numeracy.”
He explained that the initiative is part of the organisation’s broader collaboration with the Ministry of Education to promote tailored teaching strategies that respond to individual learner needs. The TaRL approach focuses on identifying learners who are falling behind and helping them catch up through targeted support.
Mtenje added that the donation only applies to schools in education zones where Rays of Hope Malawi is implementing its projects. The programme, which began three years ago in two schools, has now expanded to 48 schools.
Chief Education Officer for Blantyre Rural, Alfred Chidiwa, hailed the intervention as a timely shift from manual to digital tracking of learning progress, particularly for learners in Standards 3 to 5.
Chidiwa said, “This digital approach is vital as it replaces outdated manual systems, where teachers used to record learners’ results in hardcover books, making it difficult to track performance over time.”
He urged teachers to use the tablets responsibly and strictly for their intended purpose to improve education outcomes.
Rays of Hope Malawi has also trained teachers from the beneficiary schools on the proper use of the tablets and data management tools to ensure the effectiveness of the intervention.
The supported schools are located in Lunzu, Lirangwe, Mpemba, Madziabango, Chigumukile, Chinamvuu, Dzunga, Namwanje and Mpemba education zones in Blantyre Rural.
The TaRL model, originally developed in India, has gained traction across sub-Saharan Africa for its impact on foundational learning, particularly in under-resourced schools.
