BEFIT Program Aims to Revolutionize Education in Malawi

By Michael Martin//Malawi

The Building Education Foundation Through Innovation and Technology (BEFIT) program, under the Ministry of Education, recently conducted a media engagement meeting in Mzuzu.

The meeting aimed to brief members of the press on the program’s overview, impact, and benefits.

Speaking during the engagement meeting, Mphatso Nkuonera, Public Relations Officer for the Ministry of Education, the BEFIT program seeks to address learning poverty in lower grade classes and improve the foundational literacy and numeracy skills of all learners in Standards 1-4.

He said this is achieved through a tablet-based learning platform that empowers learners and teachers through innovative technology.

The program has already distributed over 80,000 tablets to about 681 primary schools across the country, serving over 410,000 learners. By 2029, all primary schools in Malawi will have benefited from this program.

The BEFIT program is part of the Malawi Government’s efforts to improve education outcomes and achieve its vision of becoming an inclusively wealthy, self-reliant, upper-middle-income country by 2063.

The media engagement meeting was an opportunity for the Ministry of Education to collaborate with the media and raise awareness about the BEFIT program. The program has organized training workshops for various media outlets, with upcoming sessions scheduled for Lilongwe, Liwonde, and Blantyre.

District Information Officer for Nkhata Bay, Chisomo Kambandanga, noted that the meeting provided journalists with direct access to key information about the BEFIT program, enabling them to report accurately and comprehensively.

The program is expected to have a positive impact on the community, improving education outcomes and providing opportunities for learners to excel in their education.