Deputy Minister Hails BEFIT’s Impact on Learning

Deputy Minister of Education, Science and Technology Francis Folley and Mulanje District Commissioner Chriss Nawata join learners in a tablet-based learning session at Chibanthe Primary School.

The Deputy Minister of Education, Science and Technology, Francis Folley, has visited Chibanthe Primary School in Mulanje District to appreciate learners' experiences and progress under the Building Education Foundations through Innovation and Technology (BEFIT) programme.

During the visit, Folley interacted with learners and education stakeholders to appreciate how the integration of technology is transforming the teaching and learning of foundational literacy and numeracy in lower primary classes.

Speaking during the visit, Folley reaffirmed the Government of Malawi’s commitment to strengthening foundational learning, emphasising the importance of BEFIT in improving the quality of primary education.

“Government is committed to ensuring that every child in Malawi acquires strong foundational literacy and numeracy skills. Through programmes such as BEFIT, we are harnessing technology to improve learning outcomes and ensure that every learner has a strong educational foundation upon which to build their future,” said Folley.

The visit brought together the BEFIT National Programme Lead, Dr Victor Katchika-Jere, officials from the Programme Implementation Unit (PIMU), Mulanje District Commissioner Chriss Nawata, district education officials and CRECCOM, led by Executive Director Alinafe Ireen Chibwana.

Learners at Chibanthe Primary School deeply engaged in a tablet-based learning session under the BEFIT programme.

As the BEFIT Implementing Support Partner in Mulanje, CRECCOM plays a key role in strengthening programme implementation through institutional capacity-building, stakeholder coordination, leadership engagement and community mobilisation.

Through these efforts, BEFIT is increasingly being integrated into school structures, with district and zonal education leaders, teachers, school management committees and communities taking greater ownership of the programme and supporting its sustainability.

In Mulanje, BEFIT is currently being implemented in 35 of the district's 169 public primary schools, reaching 29,775 learners in Standards 1–4. The programme has contributed to improved learner attendance and retention, increased access to digital learning devices and strengthened foundational literacy and numeracy skills.

The visit provided an opportunity to appreciate these gains, hear from learners and stakeholders, and reflect on opportunities to strengthen implementation and expand access to technology-supported foundational learning.

BEFIT is a Government of Malawi-owned and led programme aimed at enhancing foundational literacy and numeracy skills among learners in Standards 1–4 across all public primary schools in Malawi through supplemental, individualised, self-paced instruction delivered via specialised applications on Android tablets.

A group photograph of the Deputy Minister and key stakeholders involved in the implementation of the BEFIT programme in Mulanje.