The Malawi Institute of Education (MIE) has commenced a pre-pilot of a new pre-primary curriculum in selected districts as part of efforts to strengthen early childhood education in the country. The pre-pilot is being conducted in Salima, Nsanje, and Dedza, targeting approximately 15 government primary schools in each district that have established pre-primary sections. This pre-piloting is being supported by United Nations International Children’s Emegerncy Fund (UNICEF), which has provided funding for all the implementation activities and the essential learning resources.
This phase is designed to test and refine the curriculum ahead of a full national pilot scheduled for September, which will run for one year. The curriculum focuses on key developmental areas, including Creative Arts, Chichewa, Numeracy, and English, with a strong emphasis on oral language development and early literacy. To prepare for implementation, teachers recently underwent orientation sessions conducted in clusters across the three districts.
Each learning area is supported by a structured set of materials, including a syllabus, a teacher’s guide, a learner’s book, and a workbook designed to enhance learner engagement.
The pre-pilot phase provides an opportunity for MIE to gather practical insights, assess the effectiveness of the materials, and refine implementation strategies before scaling up. The upcoming national pilot will be supported by the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) through the World Bank, alongside growing interest from other partners in the early childhood development sector.
At this stage, all materials remain in draft form and are not yet available for public distribution.