TaRL Africa

𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐧 𝐘𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝟏 𝐋𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐒 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐘𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝟐 From 27–29 July 2026, representatives of Chad’s Ministry of National Education and Civic Promotion (MENPC), the World Bank, Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS), TaRL Africa and education actors from the field came together in N’Djamena for the annual review of the Programme d’Appui à la Réussite Scolaire (PARS). The three-day review brought stakeholders together to reflect on the first year of implementation, identify what needs to be strengthened and set priorities for Year 2. 𝟏. 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐘𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝟏 The first year showed that effective classroom implementation requires more than initial teacher training: teachers need continued support, mentoring and access to the right materials. The review also highlighted the importance of using learning data more consistently to guide decisions and strengthen support at different levels of the education system. 𝟐. 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 Building on these lessons, Year 2 will focus on strengthening coaching and mentoring, improving the use of learning data, ensuring timely availability of teaching materials, and reinforcing the capacities and coordination of education actors. 3. 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐬𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐬𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐞 Discussions also looked beyond expansion to how PARS can become more embedded in the education system. This means making greater use of existing structures and staff for training, mentoring and supervision, while strengthening governance, coordination, financing and resourcing for long-term sustainability. PARS is expected to expand from 50 schools in 2025–2026 to 200–250 schools in 2026–2027, reaching at least 40,000 learners. #PARS #FoundationalLearning #Education #Chad

Two recent Center for Global Development (CDG) blogs asked which education investments are proven, scalable, and ready for real capital right now. Both blogs named Teaching at the Right Level among the highest-leverage bets. In one piece, CGD Senior Research Fellow Lee Crawfurd named TaRL Africa 3rd on a list of 34 organizations globally. We are inspired, humbled and honored to receive this recognition. TaRL Africa’s vision is for all children in Sub Saharan Africa to build foundational reading and math skills for a better future. But none of this happened by accident, and none of it happened alone. Ten years of government partnerships across 21 countries, and more than 13 million children reached alongside the ministries of education and partners have made this possible. We have benefited from governments’ willingness to invest in this work, and funders willing to back systems change and long lasting impact for children. This recognition is not only an affirmation of what has been achieved so far; it is also a vote of confidence in the potential of Teaching at the Right Level to drive even greater impact. It motivates us to continuously strengthen our approach, deepen our learning, and invest in innovations so that we can better support governments in delivering foundational learning at scale and progressively reduce the children that need remediation. We remain committed to working closely with our government partners, and other partners, learning from implementation, and adapting and improving TaRL to meet the evolving needs of children and education systems across Africa. Read more here - https://lnkd.in/eBYCK-DF

𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗻𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗺. Across schools in Nigeria, teachers are using assessment to understand what learners can do, identify where they need support, and help them adapt instruction to meet those needs. But good assessment goes beyond collecting data. Through ongoing mentoring and assessment verification, teachers are supported to administer assessments consistently, strengthen data quality, and use the findings to make informed instructional decisions. Because when we know where learners are, we can better support them to get where they need to be. #TeachingAtTheRightLevel #FoundationalLearning #Assessment

𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗮𝗻’𝘁 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲. In Teaching at the Right Level, assessment provides that starting point. By identifying what learners can do in foundational reading and numeracy, teachers can group learners according to their learning needs and tailor instruction accordingly. This simple but powerful approach makes teaching more targeted and helps give every learner the support they need to progress. ▶️ Watch the full video on our YouTube channel to learn more about how assessment is conducted in TaRL and how it helps children catch up in class -https://hubs.li/Q04snbVN0 Ministry of Education Zambia || VVOB || UNICEF Zambia || World Vision Zambia ||

𝐓𝐚𝐑𝐋 𝐀𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐠𝐧𝐞 𝐥𝐚 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐮𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐬 𝐝'𝐞́𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐀𝐒𝐄𝐑 Les 30 et 31 juillet 2026, TaRL Africa a accueilli à Abidjan un atelier de deux jours consacré à la revue des outils d'évaluation ASER. Cette initiative fait suite à la décision du Ministère de l'Education Nationale (MENAET) d'organiser désormais les évaluations ASER sur deux jours, nécessitant une adaptation des outils ainsi que le protocole utilisés depuis l'année scolaire 2023-2024. L'atelier a réuni 28 participants, dont des représentants de Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA) et 17 représentants du MENAET issus de la DVSP, de la DPFC, de la DESPS et de la CONFEMEN. La participation du Directeur de la DVSP, du Sous-Directeur de la DESPS et du Correspondant national de la CONFEMEN témoigne de l'importance accordée à cette revue. Au terme des travaux, six outils d'évaluation ASER en français et en mathématiques ont été élaborés et validés. Parmi eux, cinq seront présentés aux enseignants lors de la formation PNAPAS CE2 prévue du 16 au 30 août 2026, en préambule de leur déploiement dans les écoles primaires dès la rentrée scolaire 2026-2027. Cette collaboration illustre l'engagement de TaRL Africa et de ses partenaires à soutenir l'amélioration des apprentissages fondamentaux des enfants en Côte d'Ivoire. #TaRLAfrica #ASER #PNAPAS #Éducation #CôteDIvoire

Evidence is one of the most powerful tools for transforming education. We are honoured to see Teaching at the Right Level (TaRL) recognised as one of the approaches that can help strengthen foundational literacy and numeracy in the long term. As countries across Africa work to ensure every child acquires foundational skills, evidence-driven planning and targeted interventions will continue to be essential. #FoundationalLearning #TaRL #EvidenceBasedEducation #EducationData #Nigeria #LearningForAll

Last week, our team in Nigeria met with the Honourable Minister of State for Education, Professor Suwaiba Sa'id Ahmad, in Abuja, to reaffirm the shared commitment to improving foundational literacy and numeracy through government-led and evidence-based reforms. Discussions focused on strengthening collaboration, advancing teacher professional development, and supporting the Federal Ministry of Education's efforts to develop a harmonised national framework for foundational learning. They explored how evidence-based approaches can help strengthen education systems and ensure every child in Nigeria acquires the foundational skills they need to thrive. What stood up is the Ministry's commitment to coordinating national efforts and driving sustainable reforms that improve learning outcomes across the country. #TaRLAfrica #Nigeria

In Guinea, teachers are creating learning environments where children are encouraged to think aloud, solve problems together, and participate without fear of getting it wrong. These everyday interactions are helping learners build confidence alongside essential maths skills. Through the Fundamental Skills Improvement Programme (PACF), teachers are equipped with practical, learner-centred approaches that make learning more interactive, engaging, and accessible for every child. Because meaningful learning doesn't happen when children simply memorise answers. It happens when they are given the opportunity to explore, participate, and discover that they are capable of solving problems on their own. #TaRLAfrica #PACF #Guinea #UNICEF #FoundationalLearning

What we are learning and how we are innovating in TaRL on the African continent At TaRL Africa, we believe that impactful education programs are built on a foundation of continuous learning, reflection, and improvement. We are committed not only to scaling what works, but also to rigorously examining our approaches, listening to evidence, and adapting our methodologies to better serve children across diverse contexts. Over the past year, we have undertaken a deliberate process of reviewing and strengthening key elements of the TaRL approach. Drawing on implementation experience from across Africa, research findings, including 2 Randomized Control Trials, and insights from both internal and external experts, we have been exploring how to enhance the quality, effectiveness, and contextual relevance of TaRL. While the evidence continues to show that TaRL can significantly improve learning outcomes at scale, we recognize that there is always room to learn and do better. The reflections below highlight why this work matters and the steps we are taking to further strengthen our pedagogical model so that more children can build the foundational skills they need to succeed. A major focus has been the literacy instructional model. We chose to prioritise literacy, as we consistently see low literacy improvements than numeracy. Internal and external experts examined the progression of literacy skills, the appropriateness of instructional activities / methodologies, and major gaps to the program, when compared to evidence-based instructional recommendations. The revised approach builds on the strengths of the core TaRL approach while strengthening the instructional sequence that supports children in learning to read. The revisions preserve TaRL's core principles of teaching learners at their current level through active, engaging instruction, while introducing a more coherent and systematic progression of foundational literacy skills. Click the link below to have deeper insights into the key pedagogical improvements: #FoundationalLiteracy #LiteracyInstruction #EarlyLiteracy #EvidenceBasedEducation #EducationResearch #RCT #ImpactEvaluation #FLNAfrica

For the TaRL Africa team, FLEX2026 was more than a conference, it was an opportunity to learn from governments, partners and educators who are driving change in foundational learning across Africa. From stronger government leadership and system-wide reform to multilingual education, each reflection captures a different lesson from this edition’s conversations. Together, these voices tell a shared story: lasting progress happens when governments lead. Swipe through to discover what inspired our team at FLEX2026. #FLEX2026 #FoundationalLearning #TaRLAfrica Titus Syengo | Anna Carmen Murru | Amos DEMBELE | Hafsatu Hamza | Dorothy Matiti | Chanda Chisenga