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Background
Readers may recall that in the SAIDE Newsletter, Vol.15
Number 1 of 2009, we reported on a ground-breaking
pilot study that was under way in Malawi and Lesotho
on supporting vulnerable learners in attaining school
achievement. This study, formally known as the SOFIE
project was jointly funded by the Economic and Social
Research Council (ESRC) – UK and the Department
for International Development (DFID). The aim of the
study was to increase access to education and learning
for young people affected by HIV and AIDS in Malawi
and Lesotho by developing, trialing and evaluating an
expanded model of schooling which used open, distance
and flexible learning (ODFL) to complement conventional
schooling. Ephraim Mhlanga provides an update on the
emerging findings and possible impact of the study on
implementation of inclusive education policies in sub-Saharan
Africa.
However, at this stage the analysis of results is still
incomplete, and the findings given in this article are
neither comprehensive nor final. Before giving the results
of the study, it is worthwhile reminding readers on
what the study was meant to achieve and how the intervention
was structured.
Focus of the study
The study was motivated by the growing numbers of orphaned
and vulnerable learners in the two countries of Lesotho
and Malawi in particular, and in the Sub-Saharan African
region in general. The phenomenon of vulnerable learners
is closely linked to high HIV and AIDS prevalence in
the region which has resulted in learners having to
stay in the home and take care of their sick parents
or relatives, or losing one or both parents and leaving
them with the burden of taking care of the younger family
members. This overwhelming situation puts many of these
learners at high risk of dropping out of formal schooling
as the opportunity costs of attending school become
too high. Schools are being continually called upon
to be innovative and develop strategies that enable
them to cope with this growing problem. In these circumstances,
the need to find more flexible ways of helping such
vulnerable learners remain in school and realise academic
success cannot be overemphasised. The SOFIE project
sought to attain this aim.
The project also explored the following questions:
- What factors influence access to conventional schooling
for young people affected by HIV and AIDS?
- What open and flexible support structures and networks
are in place to deliver education to young people?
- To what extent can these support structures be strengthened?
- How can these barriers be addressed through strengthening
and expanding existing structures and networks to
complement conventional schooling and upgrade the
knowledge, skills and empowerment of affected young
people?
The final team workshop
The third and final team workshop for the SOFIE project
was held in Maseru, Lesotho form 1st – 4th February
2010. The purpose of the workshop was to:
- Report and discuss the implementation of the intervention
studies in Lesotho and Malawi including details of
the elements that were included in the support package
for the intervention.
- Report on data collection for monitoring and evaluation
of the intervention.
- Carry out further analysis of the quantitative evaluation
data to determine the impact of the intervention on
drop-out and repetition rates in the intervention
classes.
- Discuss how the qualitative data collected can be
used to illuminate the process by which any impact
has been achieved.
- Visit intervention schools to learn more about the
intervention ‘package’ and the experiences
of the teachers, pupils, youth leaders and School
Management Committee members involved.
- Participate in a half day seminar to share with
a broader research and development community knowledge
of the SOFIE Project and its findings.
- Make an action plan for SOFIE publications.
- Make an action plan for final reporting and for
action over the next year to assess and report on
the influence/impact of the SOFIE Project.
Implementation models
Of significance to note was how the context influenced
the models that were eventually used in the two countries.
The original model of circles of support built around
identified vulnerable learners was implemented with
adaptations that suited each of the two contexts (see
attached diagrams a and b). The overall design was
however similar in both countries, and this included
an experimental group where the SOFIE intervention was
implemented and the control group where the intervention
was not implemented. In Malawi a combination of factors
was used as criteria for selecting learners for the
experimental group. The criteria included learners whose
parents were still alive, but for whom they were caregivers
as well as vulnerable learners that were at risk of
dropping out or repeating the grade. In Lesotho the
main criterion used for selecting learners for the experimental
group was double orphanage.
Impact of intervention
The key question participants were interested in was
whether or not the intervention had an impact on the
target learners. Although the design of the study attempted
to take into account the challenges of intervening variables,
this is not always possible, particularly when human
subjects are involved. The project team was fully aware
of this limitation in their interpretation of the results.
The success of the intervention was based on whether
or not there was significant:
- Improvement of targeted learners’ academic
performance as judged by their achievement scores
in Maths and English.
- Reduction in the drop-out rate of targeted learners.
- Promotion of vulnerable learners in the experimental
group to the next grade.
Based on the analysis of both quantitative and qualitative
data analysed to date, indications were that the intervention
yielded positive results, especially in Malawi where
more data has been analysed. Generally, research data
suggests that dropouts were less in SOFIE schools than
in the control schools. This was particularly true of
girls. The dropout rate was greatly reduced amongst
the ‘at risk’ learners. This decrease can
be attributed to the amount of support vulnerable learners
enjoyed from their club leaders, their buddies, teachers,
and club meetings. It was found out that due to increased
support, learners were encouraged to work hard and provision
of extra study guides provided opportunities for extra
learning support outside normal school hours. In Malawi,
monitoring of SOFIE learners revealed that they improved
their reading, writing and solving mathematical problems.
Most club members showed substantial improvement in
their class tests and in the end of term tests.
Another positive impact noted is that SOFIE learners
adopted better reading culture and study in their own
times, thus increasing time-on-task. The Malawi report
also shows that most SOFIE learners did not only display
more confidence and increased participation during lessons,
they also showed increased interest in school. This
could be attributed to social activities that were introduced
in the club meetings where learners enjoyed playing
games, drama, and radio. Such activities added flavour
to the school life of vulnerable children so that they
forgot about their problems; something which is hard
to come by in their deprived homes. Contrary to findings
in some contexts where vulnerable learners have been
stigmatised by their peers, it was reported that in
Malawi there was no stigmatisation of the club members.
In fact, a lot of non-SOFIE learners opted to join the
after-school clubs as well. By remaining in clubs after
school, and sometimes during weekends, learners avoided
risky behaviours.
The SOFIE intervention raised awareness amongst schools
and teachers to provide more support to vulnerable learners
under their care. Kate Moleni, the Malawian project
partner pointed out that the project also improved teachers’
skills in monitoring and keeping records for vulnerable
learners. Interestingly, in Malawi, data seems to show
that learners that are at greatest risk of dropping
out of school are repeaters, rather than orphans. The
SOFIE project had greater impact on such repeaters than
on orphans. This aspect needs further analysis in the
study.
In conclusion, preliminary results indicate that the
SOFIE intervention had a positive impact on the target
group. This position however, is yet to be confirmed
by more data analysis, especially from Lesotho. It is
necessary in this type of research that we should come
up with clear evidence on what aspects of the intervention
(the school-in-the-bag, the club, the buddy, or the
school-in-a-box) yielded the most positive results on
the target group of learners.
Lastly, it needs to be pointed out that the notion of
vulnerable learners is highly complex; is it repeaters,
new pupils in a school, orphans, or learners from poor
home backgrounds? In undertaking similar studies and
implementing policies that support vulnerable learners,
careful considerations should be made of the criteria
that should be used in identifying such learners.
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