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MID-TERM PERFORMANCE REPORT: 
SUCCESSES, CHALLENGES AND THE WAY FORWARD 
MALAWI TEACHER TRAINING ACTIVITY (MTTA) 
March 30, 2006 
This Report was produced for review by the United States Agency for International Development Contract 
No: GS 10F-0112J Order No: 690-M-04-00260-00. It was prepared by the American Institutes for Research 
with Malawi Institute for Education, Miske Witt & Associates, and SAVE the Children, US.
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LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS 
AIDS Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome 
AIR American Institutes for Research 
CA Continuous Assessment 
DIO District Information Officer 
DO Desk Officer 
DEM District Education Manager 
EQUIP Education Quality Improvement Program 
HIV Human Immune Virus 
IBB International Book Bank 
MESA Malawi Education Support Activity 
MBC Malawi Broadcasting Corporation 
MIE Malawi Institute of Education 
MOE Ministry of Education 
MSCE Malawi School Certificate of Education 
MTTA Malawi Teacher Training Activity 
MTR Mid-Term Review 
PCAR Primary Curriculum and Assessment Reform 
PSSP:SFP Primary School Support Program : School Fees Pilot 
PEA Primary Education Advisor 
PSLCE Primary School Leaving Certificate of Education 
TALULAR Teaching and Learning Using Locally Available Resources 
TDCs Teacher Development Centers 
TTC Teacher Training College 
USAID United States Agency for International Development 
ZINFA Zonal In-service Facilitator 
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TABLE OF CONTENTS 
1.0 Preamble ...........................................................................................................................4 
2.0 Program description..........................................................................................................5 
3.0 Introduction.......................................................................................................................6 
3.1 Objective and scope of the mid-term technical report..........................................6 
3.2 MTTA/MESA Critical review retreat...................................................................6 
3.3 Mid-term review survey........................................................................................7 
4.0 Summary of key accomplishments and challenges of MTTA’s first half and way 
forward for the second half of its life ...............................................................................7 
4.1 Teacher professional skills improved ...................................................................7 
4.2 Life Skills education for HIV and AIDS ..............................................................9 
5.0 Lessons learned.................................................................................................................9 
6.0 Conclusion ........................................................................................................................9 
Figure
Figure 1 Map of Malawi showing MTTA’s impact districts ....................................................5 
Attachments 
Attachment 1: MTTA Mid-term internal review report ....................................................... 11-15 
Attachment 2: MTTA/MESA Critical review retreat report................................................. 16-48 
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1.0 PREAMBLE 
Project Title: Malawi Teacher Training Activity (MTTA) 
Grantee: American Institutes for Research 
Award No: GS 10F-0112J Order No: 690-M-04-00260-00 
Reporting Dates: September 2004 – February 2006 
Project Start Date: September 01, 2004 
Project End Date: August 31, 2007 
Grantee’s Contact Official: 
Person responsible for compiling the report: 
Simeon B. Mawindo 
Chief of Party 
P.O. Box 222 
Zomba 
Malawi. 
Tel: +(265) 1 527 955 
Fax: +(265) 1 524 388 
Email: mtta@globemw.net
 
Project Manager 
Heather Simpson 
1000 Thomas Jefferson St NW 
Washington, DC 20007 
Tel: (202) 403-5980 
Fax: (202) 403-5979 
Email: hsimpson@air.org
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2.0 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION 
The Government of Malawi is faced with a declining quality of teaching and learning in 
its primary schools. Since it began its policy of free primary education in 1994, the 
Government has seen enrollment skyrocket from 1.9 million to 2.9 million pupils. It has 
not been possible to provide trained teachers for the overcrowded classrooms both at 
primary and secondary school levels. As a result, teachers who are not adequately 
qualified for their jobs now teach many pupils. Although the MOE has worked 
laboriously to provide pre-service and in-service training to teachers, the training has 
only met a part of the need. 
Malawi Teacher Training Activity (MTTA) is a three-year initiative funded by 
USAID/Malawi in collaboration with the Malawi Government in response to the need to 
improve the quality of education in Malawi. AIR in its lead role implementing the 
MTTA is improving the quality of education in Malawi through improving the 
professional skills of primary school teachers at the pre-service and in-service levels. 
MTTA is jointly implemented with Save the Children (U.S), Malawi Institute of 
Education (MIE), and Miske Witt and Associates. 
In four target districts (Kasungu, Machinga, Mzimba South and Phalombe: See Figure 
1.), MTTA is strengthening teachers’ content knowledge in mathematics, science and 
English by building on AIR’s other initiative in Malawi, Malawi Education Support 
Activity (MESA), which included in-service training on pupil-centered, gender-fair, and 
active-learning teaching methods. 
Figure 1: Map of Malawi showing MTTA’s impact districts 
Mzimba 
South 
Kasungu 
Machinga 
Phalombe
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By the end of Year 3, MTTA will
• Train approximately 6,300 teachers in every primary school in each target district; 
• Develop and disseminate learning resources to every teacher and school; and 
• Train more than 800 head teachers, approximately 50 PEAs, and 300 mentor 
teachers to support these classroom teachers through field- based supervision. 
Continuing to support in-service training, MTTA will also 
• Conduct a nation wide orientation of teachers in the new social studies 
curriculum for the lower primary, reaching a total of 20,000 teachers. 
• Train 5,500 teachers in the new social studies curriculum and 8,000 
teachers in the Life Skills for HIV/AIDS Education curriculum as part 
of the pre-service training in the Teacher Training Colleges (TTCs). 
• Introduce, as one of the innovative strategies, is the use of DVD 
technology to produce an effective tool for interactive teaching and 
build capacity within the TTCs that will be accessed and sustainable 
after MTTA is completed. The creation of a DVD with best practice 
teaching models and supporting resources is an effective tool for 
interactive teacher training for both HIV/AIDS and Civic Education. 
• Improve school effectiveness through the provision of new resources 
such as books and radios at the Teacher Development Centers (TDCs), 
and learning materials and DVD players Teacher Training Colleges 
(TTCs). In addition, a weekly radio program will address all the themes 
of the project. 
In line with USAID/Malawi, MTTA will also contribute towards three 
USAID’ s Key Result Areas: 
• KRA 1: Improving teachers’ professional skills, 
• KRA 2: Making schools more effective, and 
• KRA 3: Mitigating the impact of HIV/AIDS in the education sector. 
3.0 INTRODUCTION 
3.1 The Objectives and Scope of the Mid-term Technical Report 
This report aims to document the key successes of MTTA and how best they can 
be sustained/extended, and the major challenges of the project and suggested 
remedial measures. The information will help the project technical team 
strategize its operations in a manner that is responsive to reality on the ground in a 
bid to improve upon the project impact over the second half of the project life. 
To achieve this, two major activities were conducted, a mid-term review survey 
and a critical review retreat. 
3.2 Mid-term review survey 
The survey sought to collect the views of the project beneficiaries and 
stakeholders from the four impact districts regarding the two objectives of the 
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mid-term report. A random sampling method was used to interview 61 
respondents that included: pupils, teachers, mentor teachers, ZINFAs, PEAs, 
DEMs, TTC life skills lecturers and TDC Management Committee members. A 
questionnaire was used to collect qualitative data. The data were analyzed by 
categorizing the responses according to themes: teacher professional skills, and 
Life Skills education for HIV and AIDS. The results were highly illuminative 
(See Attachment 1).
3.3 MTTA/MESA Critical review retreat 
MTTA and MESA project teams held a joint three-day critical review retreat in 
December 2005 just before MESA closed to 
• Document the main achievements and challenges of the two projects as well 
as the suggested solutions to the challenges. 
• Share knowledge and experience on some key project areas that included 
- How to integrate HIV and AIDS messages with other subjects 
- Conditions conducive to achieving project goals 
- Facilitation and supervision skills 
Attachment 2 outlines the major outcomes of the retreat. The analysis provides 
the MTTA team with the necessary hints to guide its operations over the second 
half of the project’s life. 
 
The information from the two activities (the survey and the retreat) is summarized 
in Section 4.0 of this report. 
4.0 SUMMARY OF KEY ACCOMPLISHMENTS, CHALLENGES AND THE 
WAY FORWARD 
Key Accomplishments Main Challenges Way Forward 
4.1 Most of the teachers 
observed teaching 
demonstrated the following 
things: 
4.1.1 Increased mastery of 
subject content 
knowledge of English, 
mathematics and 
science. 
4.1.2 Greater understanding 
and application of a 
wide range of teaching 
techniques/methods 
that constitute 
"participatory 
teaching/learning 
methodologies” 
including use of locally 
available resources and 
continuous assessment. 
(i) Critical understaffing in 
schools undermined project 
 achievement potential. 
(ii) Acute food shortages as well 
 as school teaching/learning 
 resources such as exercise 
 books aggravated pupil 
 absenteeism/dropouts and 
 demotivated many teachers. 
(iii) Very high illiteracy levels 
 among local community 
 members militated against 
 meaningful community 
 support to schools. 
(iv) Limited creative “critical 
 thinking” among both 
 teachers and pupils. 
(i) MTTA will intensify the 
application of the very best of 
its practices, for example, 
• Its school-based 
needs-based in-service 
trainings. 
• It will endeavor to 
promote and 
consolidate the fact 
that - school-based 
INSETS are 
 ongoing processes of 
 “living” schools. 
- Exchange visits between and 
 among teachers 
• The second half of 
MTTA will see 
teachers visiting and 
learning from one 
another more in order 
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4.1.3 Positive attitude to 
teaching as a 
profession as 
evidenced by such 
behaviors/conduct as: 
- more and more 
school-based in￾service trainings 
organized by the 
teachers themselves. 
- Improved classroom 
teacher attendance 
- Better class and 
classroom 
organization and 
management 
- Acceptance of local 
communities as 
partners in education 
- Increased self￾confidence as 
“professional” 
teachers. 
4.1.4 Produced and distributed 
 to schools a wide range 
 of training materials such 
 as Teaching English in 
 Malawian Primary Schools: 
 Reading and Writing.
(v) The early closure of MESA 
 adversely affected effective 
 implementation of MTTA 
 interventions as the two 
 projects were interwoven 
 operationally. 
(vi) High mobility of teachers 
 within and across districts 
 (This undermines the 
 development of a 
sustainable `conducive 
school culture). 
(vii) Large infant and standard 
8 classes impact negatively 
on the extent to which 
 innovative classroom 
 practices can be used. 
 
to maximize the 
multiplier effect of 
best practices. This 
will include mounting 
Headteachers seminars 
to build their capacity 
so they are able to 
create conditions that 
are conducive to 
learning vis-à-vis the 
prevailing challenges. 
• Supply of subject 
content reference 
materials: Intensify 
training on the proper 
use and care of IBB 
books supplied to 
TDCs. In exceptional 
situations MTTA will 
develop and distribute 
supplementary 
reference materials 
(modules). 
• Encourage schools to 
continue organizing 
and mounting regular 
“School Open Days” 
to sustain the support 
provided to the 
schools by the general 
public. 
• Consolidate the 
working partnership 
between the project 
team and existing 
government and 
traditional structures 
for sustainability of the 
project interventions. 
(ii) MTTA will, in the second 
half of its life, mount the 
Mobile Teacher Training 
Troupes initiative which will 
take trained exemplary 
classroom practitioners 
(recently retired) to selected 
schools in an effort to mould 
“Centers of Excellence” other 
schools can emulate. This 
initiative will complement 
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MTTA’s ongoing teacher￾support system provided by 
PEAs, ZINFAs, Mentor 
teachers, Trainer heads and 
indeed MTTA’s own technical 
staff. 
(iii) MTTA will collaborate very 
closely with PSSP: SFP in 
Dowa to capture some of the 
best practices that will improve 
MTTA’s performance 
particularly in the field of 
literacy teaching. 
Key Accomplishments Main challenges Way forward 
4.2 Life Skills Education for 
HIV and AIDS. 
4.2.1 Trained all the teacher 
training college Life Skills 
education lecturers in the 
country. 
4.2.2 Produced two DVDs to 
strengthen teaching and 
learning 
The delay in implementing the 
“One + One” teacher training 
program adversely affected 
MTTA’s activity 
implementation plan. 
(i)MTTA’s second half will be 
characterized by intensive 
follow-up visits to TTCs to 
determine the impact of the 
earlier interventions. 
(ii) There will be a second 
training for the college tutors 
to build on experiences learned 
and to extend their knowledge 
and skills. 
(iii) The DVDs will be 
distributed together with 
operational guidelines, and 
lessons learned will inform 
subsequent productions. 
5.0 LESSONS LEARNED 
• Both the mid-term review survey and the staff critical review retreat proved 
extremely invaluable in providing deeper insight into the project implementation 
processes which, until then, had gone without question. 
• The identification and support for selected model schools that neighboring 
schools can emulate is an effective way of accelerating ripple/multiplier effect 
thus helping to consolidate and replicate good practices. 
• The best project schools are those schools that are led by good and progressive 
headteachers. Efforts will be made to promote more knowledge sharing among 
headteachers in their own right. 
• Electronic teaching innovations like MTTA’s DVDs are both powerful and 
highly motivating. MTTA will capitalize this discovery further in its last half. 
6.0 CONCLUSION 
The outcomes of the mid-term internal and the MTTA staff critical reviews show 
that MTTA is on track and achieved its objectives over the first half of its life. 
All the stakeholders interviewed spoke highly of the project. The project team 
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was generally happy with its performance except in the Social and Environmental 
Studies area where activities were totally dependent on PCAR roll-out by MOE 
(which never happened). Everybody agreed that MTTA was improving teachers’ 
content knowledge and pedagogy. However its efforts were compromised by a 
number of challenges: school staffing shortfalls, absenteeism and drop outs rates 
mainly arising from food shortages, inadequate teaching/learning materials 
particularly textbooks just to illustrate the point. The challenges, however, 
provided MTTA with the opportunity to learn and re-strategize its priorities for 
maximum benefits by the end of the projects’ second half of its life. 
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Attachment 1 
3.0 Mid-Term Report Survey Findings and Recommendations 
The findings and recommendations made by respondents during MTR data collection are 
summarized below. 
3.1 Successes and how they can be maintained (Teacher Professional Skills 
Improved) 
3.1.1 Increased teachers’ content knowledge in English, mathematics and science 
In order for teachers to keep increasing their content in the three subject areas, 
the respondents said that MTTA should 
ƒ Mount more orientation workshops 
ƒ Issue out more hand-outs on topics learned 
ƒ Intensify follow-up programs (classroom supervision) 
ƒ Encourage zonal and cluster workshops 
3.1.2 Improved teaching and learning skills 
The respondents said that this can be maintained by 
ƒ Intensifying supervision by ZINFAs, mentor teachers and trainer heads to 
continuously support teachers 
ƒ Conducting school-, cluster- and zonal-based workshops 
ƒ Having exchange visits 
ƒ Encouraging hardworking teachers in some way 
ƒ Encouraging teachers to vary teaching methods 
ƒ Producing modules for science and mathematics which contain 
information on participatory methods of approaching these subjects 
ƒ Providing textbooks to pupils 
3.1.3 Increased creativity in teaching and learning methods 
To ensure continued creativity the respondents said there is need to 
ƒ Reward teachers who are doing very well 
ƒ Encourage teachers to use TALULAR 
ƒ Conduct continuous training 
ƒ Supervise teachers on an ongoing basis 
ƒ Encourage teachers to do exchange visits 
ƒ Encourage teachers to vary teaching methods 
ƒ Encourage proper planning by teachers 
3.1.4 Enhanced integration of HIV/AIDS messages when teaching 
They said that this could be maintained through 
ƒ Training focused on integration 
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ƒ Exchange visits 
ƒ Supervision by ZINFAs, trainer heads and mentor teachers 
3.1.5 Increased confidence when teaching 
In order to ensure teachers’ increased confidence when teaching, the respondents 
said that MTTA should 
ƒ Provide more orientation workshops to teachers 
ƒ Provide more teaching aids 
ƒ Intensify supervision 
ƒ Encourage teachers to vary teaching methods 
ƒ Encourage teachers to develop a reading culture 
 3.1.6 Improved cooperation of teachers because of training workshops 
This could be sustained by 
ƒ Arranging field trips for teachers so that they continue sharing ideas 
ƒ Arranging open days for more interaction among teachers 
ƒ Organizing more training workshops at various levels 
3.1.7 Testimonials 
The following are illustrative testimonials from the respondents regarding the impact of 
MTTA on their professional work: 
• ‘MTTA has helped teachers to know how to teach science, lady teachers have 
now ideas on the subject that most of them have gone to senior classes to 
teach mathematics and science’ 
• ‘MTTA has brought life to the teachers in terms of subject knowledge. There 
has been a lot of subject review on topics that teachers were unable to tackle 
especially in science, mathematics and English’ 
• ‘I just want to congratulate the producers of the project and that they should 
not go, I tell you I was hating science to hell but now I am becoming a star in 
science because of the project and I am proud of it together with my fellow 
teachers’. 
3.2 Challenges and suggested solutions/recommendations (Teacher Professional 
Skills Improved) 
The following are the key challenges and possible solutions which the respondents 
highlighted. 
3.2.1 MTTA has not oriented teachers on all the topics in the three subject areas 
 In an effort to overcome this, MTTA should 
ƒ Conduct more interviews with teachers in order to identify topics on 
which teachers need support. 
ƒ Conduct more workshops on the selected topics 
ƒ Train more mentor teachers, trainers heads and ZINFAs to help run the 
workshops. 
ƒ Conduct more workshops for ZINFAs to empower them. 
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3.2.2 Need to diversify the intervention 
Many respondents are so impressed with MTTA’s response to their professional 
needs in science; math and English that they wish this activity was extended to 
other subjects and to other districts in the country. 
3.2.3 Lack of incentives for teachers who are doing very well 
MTTA needs to recognize teachers who are doing well and motivate them. 
Rewarding teachers increases moral and competitive spirit which can result in 
improved quality of education. An example of this type of reward is organizing 
educational tours for teachers. 
3.2.4 Maximizing the use of IBB books 
MTTA should decentralize the distribution of the IBB books to the cluster level. 
Furthermore, there is need for continued orientation for teachers on the use and 
value of the books. 
3.2.5 Insufficient time of orientation workshops at the cluster level 
The number of training days for teachers at the cluster level should be increased 
to ensure that teachers understand the concepts being introduced. 
3.2.6 Strengthening the capacity of facilitators at the TOT and cluster levels 
In some cases there is need to rotate or change facilitators to ensure quality of 
delivery during training workshops. Facilitators have different strengths. Some 
facilitators are good at some topics while others are good at other topics. 
Therefore, by identifying and maximizing the strengths of the facilitators, the 
trainings will improve. 
3.2.7 Appointment of PEAs to be based on performance 
Since MTTA works with PEAs and other stakeholders in the field, the project 
team is better placed to inform and advise Ministry of Education on the 
performance of PEAs and teachers so that proper decisions are made regarding 
deployment of PEAs and teachers. 
3.2.8 Increasing support to SMCs and PTA 
MTTA needs to involve SMCs and PTAs as MESA was doing in order to 
improve standards of education. 
3.2.9 Improving the means of transport for trainer heads and mentor teachers 
during supervision 
There is need to improve the means of transport for trainer heads and mentor 
teachers in order to facilitate their movement during supervision. In the same 
vein, some participants wonder if MTTA could provide fuel to the PEAs so that 
they reach an increasing number of schools within the zone. 
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3.2.10 Rewards as incentive 
MTTA needs to award Certificates of attendance to teachers who participate in 
MTTA cycles of training to differentiate them from the rest of the teachers in the 
country. 
3.2.11 Insufficient meal allowance 
 MTTA needs to revise the meal allowance from K250.00 to something higher. 
3.3 Successes of Life Skills education at TTC and how to sustain the successes 
3.3.1 Training Life Skills TTC lecturers
This activity can be sustained by 
ƒ Encouraging and funding inter-college visits 
ƒ Lobbying MOE and other stakeholders to join hands with MTTA to fund 
and train all TTC lecturers, not only Life Skills Lecturers, in an effort to 
equip them with the necessary skills to teach student teachers. 
3.3.2 Encouraging use of guest speakers in TTCs 
The guest speakers provide enrichment talks on different issues about HIV/AIDS. 
Offering a variety of voices keep the ‘bells ringing’ in students’ minds for a 
longer period of time as compared to listening to the same lecturer at every class 
meeting. 
3.3.3 Provision of teaching and learning resources 
For effective teaching and learning to take place there is need for teaching and 
learning (T/L) resources. MTTA provided T/L resources to ensure effective 
teaching and learning of Life Skills Education at the TTC. Theirs should be 
maintained. 
3.3.4 Needs assessment in TTCs 
MTTA conducted a needs assessment to determine the ‘needs’ of each TTC in 
order to determine on how best to work with TTCs in Life Skills education. The 
findings showed that TTCs lacked appropriate teaching and learning resources, 
and tutors lacked relevant knowledge and skills to teach the subject. MTTA 
responded accordingly. Periodic needs assessments should be planned to sustain 
the momentum. 
3.4 Challenges regarding Life Skills Education program and recommendations 
3.4.1 Allowances 
Some participants complain that MTTA's allowances are below government scale. 
Therefore, they wonder if the MTTA allowances could be raised. 
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3.5 Challenges regarding social and environmental sciences program and 
recommendations 
The biggest challenge faced by MTTA is the implementation of social and 
environmental sciences. The program was designed to use materials which, it was 
believed, would be developed by PCAR to orient 20,000 teachers through in-service 
and over 5,000 teachers through pre-service. However, the Ministry has not yet 
developed the much needed materials. Alternative approaches to strengthen social 
and environmental sciences will be adopted for the last half of the project. 
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Attachment 2 
MTTA/MESA CRITICAL REVIEW REPORT 
Day 1: December 13, 2005 
Participants were requested to discuss and document best practices of 
MTTA/MESA to date in their respective groups. The group products were 
presented and discussed in plenary. The following are the group summaries. 
1.0 Group 1 
Best practices 
• Participatory methods 
- Group work 
- Pair work 
- Role play 
- Brain storming 
- Demonstration 
• Regular meetings 
- Coordination 
- Staff relationships 
- Sharing 
• Partnerships 
Technical Advisors and specialized organizations provide expertise as needed 
• Continuous Assessment 
• Use of TALULAR 
• In-service training structures 
- PEA 
- Trainer heads )- Organize INSETS 
- Mentor teachers )- Encourage use and care of IBB books 
- ZINFAs 
• Community Involvement 
- Community mentor leaders 
- Community Development Assistants 
- Community members teach pupils vocational skills 
- Community members monitor pupil attendance 
• Monitoring and supervision 
• Formative Monitoring & Evaluation 
• Needs-based trainings 
• Use of existing structures 
 
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Group 2 
Best Practices 
− Using research findings to develop content for training cycles and resource materials 
− Ways we work with our Government partners and the communities in partnership 
right from the beginning. 
− Using Action Research with communities. This provides the foundation to plan and 
work with them. 
− Using small grants to motivate communities to undertake their own initiatives 
− All MTTA trainings in English – so teachers can improve their academic language for 
English/Mathematics and Science. 
− Meting the specific content knowledge needs of teachers so that they can understand 
the concepts and teach them effectively. 
− Using mentor teachers, mentor leaders and ZINFAs to assist in supervision and to 
conduct INSETS and cluster level. 
− Using role models in local communities to motivate others. 
Challenges 
− Negative attitude of teachers/PEAs/MoE (resistance for change ‘that is 
MESA/MTTA). 
− Teachers at various levels in terms of attitude in content knowledge 
− Funding (government). 
− Mobility of teachers. 
− Unethical behavior of teachers particularly regarding treatment/abuse of girls. 
Possible Solutions 
− Education and communication i.e. get MoE people to understand the importance of 
Continuous Assessment (CA). 
− More time for training and more training cycles. 
− Advocacy i.e. pupils drop out because they do not have exercise books. 
− Advocate for policy change. 
− Code of ethics developed and enforced. 
Group 3 
1. Theatre for development 
2. Institution of cluster mentorship 
3. Mass communication 
4. Continuous assessment 
5. Reading campaign 
6. Production and use of TALULAR 
7. Community involvement in school management 
8. Regular supervision 
9. Data collection 
10. Insets 
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Challenges 
1. Pupil absenteeism 
2. Too many projects requiring service of the extension workers 
3. Top down approach 
4. Inadequate resources, for example stationery and fuel at cluster level 
Group 4 
• Participatory methods 
o Group work 
o Pair work 
o Role play 
o Brainstorming 
o Demonstration etc. 
• Continuous Assessment 
• Use of TALULAR 
• In-service training structures 
o PEA 
o Trainer heads 
o Mentor teachers 
o ZINFAs 
o Community involvement 
o Community mentor leaders 
o Community development assistants 
• Flexibility 
• Monitoring and supervision 
o Systematic 
o Focused and reflective 
• Formative Monitoring and Evaluation 
o Teacher performance 
o Pupil performance 
o Community involvement 
• Needs-based trainings 
o National Core Training (NCT) 
o Trainer of trainers (TOT) 
o Cluster training 
o School-based training 
• Mass communication 
o Open days 
o News letters 
o Radio programs 
• Critical review meetings 
• Project implementation committee 
• Stakeholders involvements 
• Utilization of role models 
• Reading campaign 
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Challenges 
• Inadequate promotion of critical thinking in pupils 
o Encourage teachers to promote critical thinking (e.g. problem solving, high 
order questions 
• Inability to tell our success story 
o Need for training 
• Understaffing affected 
o Continuous assessment 
o Use of TALULAR 
o Performance 
o Policy influence 
• Inadequacy of teacher motivation 
o Training 
Group 5 
• Cluster mentorship system that utilizes cluster mentor teacher and cluster mentor 
 leader 
• The ZINFA initiative 
• The CASCADE model of training 
• Participatory methodology 
• Reading campaign 
• Community involvement in the implementation of education plans from school to 
 district 
• Monitoring and evaluation aspect 
• Emphasis on subject content knowledge and skills 
• Continuous assessment 
• Small grants initiative 
Challenges 
• Achieving continuous assessment in the context of large classes and teacher 
 shortage as well as teacher mobility 
• High repetition rate 
• Achieving pupil retention in the context of the hunger situation 
• The cluster mentorship system as a challenge in situations where schools have a 
 shortage of teachers – and where mentor teachers are turned into head teachers 
• High illiteracy levels among parents affects the implementation of reading 
 campaign 
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Day 2: December 14, 2005
2.0 Creating a conducive working environment 
This presentation started with the question: Do you ever miss the office when you are on 
leave? If you do it means you feel attached to the project office. There are people who 
sometimes feel that it is a great relief when they are on leave because they do not feel 
comfortable with some of their fellow staff members. When officers are on leave they 
should feel proud of being part of MTTA/MESA community and should ensure that its 
standards are always high. 
The presentation was about keeping and understanding etiquette at work. The presenter 
defined etiquette as “formal standards or rules of correct and polite behavior in a society or 
among members of a profession.” She pointed out that in a society or in an organization it is 
always important to recognize our own feelings and those of others in order to motivate 
ourselves to manage our own emotions and not to allow our emotions to control us. Our 
relationship with our workmates is largely dependent on how we control our emotions. 
The presenter provided four components that contribute to emotional behavior, namely 
• Self-management where there is self-control, integrity, initiative, adaptability, 
openness and ability to achieve. 
• Self-awareness where one has self-confidence, self-assessment, emotional and self￾awareness. 
• Social awareness which is a realization to provide services to others. 
• Social skills is the ability to manage conflict and having expertise in building and 
leading a team. 
Procedures 
Organizations have their own procedures of communicating. Often every activity has a 
responsible officer. It is therefore polite to request or ask for permission from this officer 
before you use the services. Examples of these are telephones, letters, use of faxes and 
electronic mail. 
• Dressing properly 
• Discipline 
o Keeping social distance 
o Avoiding talking office issues to outsiders 
o Avoiding gossip 
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• Using computers, vehicles, grounds and office premises properly 
• Asking for permission to enter a partner’s office premises 
• A feeling of “we” when talking/acting means we are one and we should always be 
behaving this way. 
• Finally it is fine to crack jokes but we should always be mindful of when the joke is 
most appropriate. Some people do not take jokes lightly. 
This presentation was followed by another one on code of conduct for professional 
staff members. 
Etiquette 
Etiquette is regarded as customs or rules governing behavior of a person seen as 
correct in social life. Etiquette in some professions is a code of practice seen as 
correct in the operations of that profession Custom 
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Norms of carrying out a project 
Professional members of staff 
• Expertise 
• Mutual respect for each other 
• Cooperation and trust 
• Dealing with delicate things 
Management and professional staff 
 Management facilitates achieving project goals. 
• Professional staff execute activities to achieve project goals. 
• This dual relationship calls for understanding between management and the professional 
staff. 
• It demands clear and candid analysis of issues whenever they arise. 
• Above all both management and the professional staff should be treating each other 
politely and with mutual trust. 
• One catches more flies with a small tin of honey than with a casket of vinegar 
Professional staff members and support staff 
Professional staff members do not operate in vacuum. 
• Their work is facilitated by support staff. 
• Drivers, secretaries, grounds persons, personal assistants all work with professional staff. 
How do we handle them? 
• We need to work with them 
23
3.0 Facilitation Skills 
Types of facilitation skills 
Verbal - Articulate 
 Language 
 Questioning 
Non verbal - Gestures 
1. Things to check before conducting a session 
2. Things to check during session presentation 
3. Principals of oral presentation 
Principles of oral presentation – Group 1 
• Language for communication 
o That participants understand 
o Voice projection 
• Positive where you can be clearly seen 
• Use of gestures and eye contact 
• Involvement of participants 
o Two way communication where participants do more 
• Be time conscious 
• Be result oriented and make a recap of key points at the end 
• Vary intonation 
• Talk in context – from known to unknown 
• Know your audience – their background 
• Use of materials at the right time 
 
 Group 2 
1. Language used should be suitable for the audience 
2. Should be audible 
3. Points should be in logical order 
4. It should be participatory 
5. It should be lively 
6. Presenter should be confident 
Things to check before session 
1. Venue 
2. Materials – handouts, flip charts, pens and testing equipment 
3. Check if you have facilitation notes 
4. Dress properly 
24
5. See to it that Participants have formed right group numbers 
6. Reflect on strategies to use 
Things to check during session presentation 
1. Attentiveness of participants 
2. Language that the facilitator is using 
3. Time allocated to each activity 
4. Exercise control 
5. Maintain eye contact 
6. Audibility 
7. Involvement of participants 
8. Recognize divergent views 
9. Sitting plan 
Facilitation Skills 
VERBAL 
 Articulate 
 Language 
 Questioning 
NON VERBAL 
 Gestures 
1. Things to check before conducting a session 
2. Things to check during session presentation 
3. Principals of oral presentation 
Principles of Oral Presentation – Group 1 
• Language for communication 
o That participants understand 
o Voice projection 
• Positive where you can be clearly seen 
• Use of gestures and eye contact 
• Involvement of participants 
o Two way communication where participants do more 
• Be time conscious 
• Be result oriented and make a recap of key points at the end 
• Vary intonation 
• Talk in context – from known to unknown 
• Know your audience – their background 
• Use of materials at the right time 
 
25
Principles of Oral Presentation – Group 2 
1. Language used should be suitable for the audience 
2. Should be audible 
3. Points should be in logical order 
4. It should be participatory 
5. It should be lively 
6. Presenter should be confident 
Things to Check Before Session 
1. Venue 
2. Materials – handouts, flip charts, pens and testing equipment 
3. Check if you have facilitation notes 
4. Dress properly 
5. Participants have formed right numbers 
6. Reflect on strategies to use 
Things to check during session presentation 
1. Attentiveness of participants 
2. Language that the facilitator is using 
3. Time allocated to each activity 
4. Exercise control 
5. Maintain eye contact 
6. Audibility 
7. Involvement of participants 
8. Recognize divergent views 
9. Sitting plan
4.0 Organizational and Leadership Skills 
1. Leadership – strength 
2. Relationship/interrelationship 
3. Cooperation and trust 
4. Expertise 
5. Performance 
6. Sustainability 
7. Organizational skills 
8. Achieving results/impact. 
26
Partnerships in the Districts 
Project teams must recognize who their supporters are, and who needs encouragement and 
motivating. 
MACHINGA 
Partners: DEM/Desk 
Supporters 
• All strong supporters of MTTA/MESA 
• Weak Supporter: None 
How to improve weak partner 
Not applicable 
Mentor Teachers/Leader 
We have identified strong and week ones 
Pair up strong with weak to build capacity of the week ones 
Exchange visits/sharing information 
Role model supporter 
1. Use role models through pairing up 
PEA 
Strong – who? 
1. Roughly 60% are strong 
Weak? 
2. The rest aren’t weak but could improve to become ‘strong’ 
How to improve? 
3. Exchange visits for information 
a. Follow up and support by MTTA/MESA 
Do we have role model – who? 
4. Role models, Ntaja, St. Therese 
ZINFAs 
Strong supporters – who? 
1 and 2 identified strong and weak ones 
27
How to improve 
Exchange visit 
Follow up and support by MTTA/MESA 
Role model? 
St. Therese ZINFA and Machinga ZINFA 
MZIMBA SOUTH 
Partners: DEM/DESK 
Strong supporter? 
DEM-Very strong supporter 
Weak supporter? 
Desk officer – weak supporter 
How to improve? 
Incorporate him on meetings together with the DEAM 
Both mentor teacher and mentor leaders include strong and weak ones 
Role model utilization 
Exchange visits 
Role models supports 
PEAs 
Strong supporter who? 
CPEA and other PEAS are strong supports 
Weak ones? 
No one is weak 
How to improve 
N/A 
Role model 
CPEA, Katete Pea 
Manyamula Pea 
28
ZINFA 
Strong supporter – who? 
1. One for Kaphuta zone and Luviri zone 
Weak ones? 
 
2. Most of the ZINFAs are weak 
How to improve? 
3. Resensitize them on their roles 
Role model 
4. Kaphuta and Luviri zones 
PHALOMBE 
Strong Supporter? 
DEM Strong supporter 
- Still needs to liaise with him 
- Regular meetings 
- Share reports 
Desk officer 
Role model supporter? 
Mentor teacher and mentor leader who is strong? 
Mentor Teacher and Mentor Leader both strong 
- Regular visits and meetings 
- Participatory planning 
Mr Sinoya mentor leader for Phaloni Cluster 
Mentor teachers 8 out of 29 strong 
PEAs 3 out of 4 strong 
Average 4 strong supporters 
How to improve? 
Regular visits and meetings 
Supervision 
29
PEAs 
1 out of 7 Nkhulambe zone 
ZINFA 
Strong supporters – who? 
4 
Weak ones? 
KASUNGU 
Strong supporter? 
1. Both the DEM and Desk Officer are supportive 
2. None is weak 
3. Not applicable 
Mentor Teacher and Mentor Leaders 
1. Strong 
2. Strong 
How to improve 
3. Through encouraged use of role models 
Role models? 
4. Yes 
PEAs 
Strong supporter – who? 
1. Yes e.g. Kalolo, Santhe, Chaima, Mkanakhoti, Zyalambe, Sankhula 
Weak ones? 
2. Yes e.g. Malepera, Nkhamenya 
How to improve? 
3. Through exchange visits, holding frequent meetings with them, visits, 
supervision 
Role model? 
30
4. Kalolo, Chaima, Santhe 
ZINFA 
Strong supporter? 
1. Yes, e.g Mkanakhoti, Chaima, Kalolo, Suza 
Weak supporter? 
2. Yes, e.g. Chankhanga 
How to improve 
3. they should be included in the TOT and other Trainings; Monitoring their 
activities, encouraging mutual understanding between the PEAs and ZINFAs 
Role models 
4. Chaima, Mkanakhoti, Kalolo, Nkhamenya 
31
5.0 Strengthening Pedagogy in MTTA 
PHALOMBE GROUP 
1. Characteristics of learner centered approaches 
Speaking 
- imitation 
- composing 
- constructing 
- re-telling 
Playing 
 - games 
Seeing -role play 
 - dramatize 
-observe 
-discovery 
-grouping 
-reading 
 
 
Smelling 
Doing 
Differentiation 
 - touching - manipulating 
- Exploration - writing 
- Sorting - reading 
- Grouping - modelling 
- regrouping - exploration 
 - demonstration 
2. MESA used all of the above 
MACHINGA 
• Inform the stakeholders about the continuation of MESA approaches through MTTA 
activities 
• Encouraging stakeholders continue with their own initiatives as taught to them by 
MESA 
• Distribute supervision forms on time 
• During the in-service training the trainers should verbally reinforce the strategies learnt 
in MESA e.g participatory methods, TALULAR, etc. 
• Workplans should include some activities initiated by MESA e.g. continued assessment 
☺
Active 
learning 
32
MZIMBA SOUTH 
a. Activities given to pupils should be challenging and provoking pupils thoughts 
b. Formation of clubs 
c. Where group work is done teachers should summarize outcome from the groups 
d. Teach them (pupils) critical thinking skills 
e. Teacher has to initiate remedial and enrichment activity 
2.INTERACTION 
Formation of clubs (for association) 
a. Teacher encourage pupils to ask him/her questions or make comments 
b. Clustering – bringing in the community 
KASUNGU 
a) THROUGH 
− Intensified teacher supervision 
− Inserts training 
− Follow up visits 
− Exchange visits 
b) As in (a) 
- encourage teachers to use the teaching and learning resources 
- Establish ways of encouraging star performers 
- Share the experiences of the zones that are doing very well 
- Find ways of making it manageable 
Number 2: Learner centered approaches MESA used 
a. Role play 
b. Games 
c. Demonstration 
d. Group work (mixed, ability groups 
e. Discussion 
f. Experimenting 
g. Guest speaker 
h. Debate 
i. Excursions 
j. Observations 
k. Dramatization 
l. Modeling 
m. Discovery 
33
6.0 Community Participation 
Definition 
Community 
Group of people that have common defined goals, living in a particular area whose identity 
is defined by particular values and norms that govern them. 
Community participation – people in partnership with those assisting them 
- Identify their own problems 
- Assess possible solutions to the problems 
- Decide on the course of action to take 
- Implement the chosen solutions 
- Monitor and evaluate the implemented solutions 
- Share the achievements and decide the way forward 
How to realize this 
a. Have a policy in place 
Defines who is to be involved; how, their roles, etc 
- School management committees 
- Parents teachers associations 
- Functional SMC’s/PTAs – Community participation 
b. Continuous interaction with stakeholders 
Interaction between 
Project staff/community 
Community/PTA SMC’s 
Project staff/funder 
Project staff/other service providers (other NGO’s etc) 
Project staff/public at large (mass media and policy makers etc.) 
There is a need for community level advocacy that involves sensitizing communities to 
issues of education. Mobilizing communities to action on their own behalf; ensuring that 
their power to make decisions at community level is genuine and also enabling them to have 
a voice at a higher level of decision making. 
34
How to mobilize communities 
- Use of program staff (direct) 
- Action research 
- Field worker training on community mobilization methodologies an 
facilitation skills 
- Training special groups 
- Role modeling 
- Mass communication 
- Stakeholder involvement 
- On going monitoring and evaluation 
- Utilizing existing structures on the ground 
- Sensitization of communities and training key target groups (SMC’s, 
PTA’s, community leaders, cluster leaders, teachers) on their roles 
and responsibilities in improving education quality. 
- On going monitoring and assessment being carried out at all levels 
- Role model initiatives 
Examples of achievements made of mobilized communities 
- cultural 
- social economic 
- professional 
- physical 
- policy related 
Note: “Doing a thing for the sake of doing and achieving positive results is quite good but 
understanding why you are doing it and achieving the results is excellent.” 
 Community mobilization does it! Motivates and brings creativity. 
Questions for the group 
Discussions 
35
From the presentation 
- Can MTTA successfully involve the communities in its program 
Without a partner that is earmarked for community mobilization? 
If yes 
 - How? (Be as practical as possible) 
Community Involvement 
Why? 
For meaningful and sustainability of programs being implemented 
Well planned: leads to empowerment of various target groups 
What about in basic education improvement 
“There is evidence that schools are more effective when parents and local citizens 
are actively involved. Teachers are more committed, students achieve higher test 
scores and better use is made of facilities in those communities where parents and 
citizens take an active interest in children’s’ educational well-being (The World Bank 
1992).” 
What is looked at? 
What is taught? How is it taught? To which children? And in what kind of setting? 
(Improved environment in which students are learning – with AIDS to learning provided – 
knowledge ; skills, values acquired with full support of communities around) 
Indicators of improved basic education 
- Capable teaching force 
- Full participation of students 
- High learning time 
- Academic achievement 
- Adequate material support 
- Order and discipline at school 
- Two way communication between parents and school staff 
- Technical support from Ministry of Education 
- Community involvement!!! 
36
Day 3: December 15, 2005 
7.0 Activity Monitoring 
Active monitoring can be defined as a continuing process that aims primarily to provide the 
management and stakeholders of an ongoing intervention with early indicators of progress in 
the achievement of intended results. 
Evaluation 
A time bound exercise that attempts to assess systematically and objectively the relevance 
performance and success of ongoing and completed projects. It is undertaking selectively to 
answer specific questions to guide decision-makers and/or management on whether the 
objectives used in the project were valid, what worked, what did not work and why. 
Evaluation is a vehicle for extracting cross-cutting lessons from experiences and determining 
the need for modification to the plan. 
MTTA Monitoring and Evaluation 
The MESA monitoring and evaluation process is based on the performance monitoring plan 
(PMP). The plan spells out indicators, methods for measuring each indicator, targets and 
time frames. Monitoring process takes place at all levels of implementation. 
Group Work 
How have we done monitoring and evaluation? 
What improvements do we see that could be done? 
What challenges have we encountered in monitoring and evaluation? 
How did we approach the challenges? 
 
Monitoring and Evaluation enhances the effectiveness of a project by establishing clear links 
between the past, present and future interactions and results. It helps to improve 
performance and achieve results. More precisely, the overall purpose of monitoring and 
evaluation is the measurement and assessment of performance as well as the 
implementation process. 
37
Monitoring Evaluation
How have we been doing monitoring? 
What has assisted MESA/MTTA to achieve the intended results? 
What are the challenges? 
Inputs Outputs Results Impacts 
38
Activity Monitoring Jan 
Feb 
March 
April 
May 
June 
1. Cycle 5 cluster training 
2. Supervision of schools and communities √ √ √ √ √ √
3. Case studies/success stories/1st person √ √ √ √ √ √
4. Distribution of supervision forms √ √ √ √ √ √
5. Reading campaign √ √ √ √ √ √
6. Continuous assessment √ √ √ √ √ √
7. Pupil tracking √ √ √ √ √ √
8. Data collection (baseline survey) √ 
9. Strengthening pedagogy √ √ √ √ √ √
10. ZINFA training 
11. Integration of HIV/AIDS messages √ √ √ √ √ √
12. Exchange visits by mentor teacher √ √ √ √ √ √
13. Planning and review meetings √ √ √ 
14. Life skills AIDS trainings 
- Guest lecturers 
- Maintaining 
- College statistics 
- Organizing core 
- Group of trainers 
- Training (CGT) 
- Baseline survey (TTC) and environmental 
√ √ √ √ √ √
15. Social studies 
- training standard 1 – 4 teachers 
 
16. Mass media 
- media coverage 
- newsletter (collecting articles 
√ √ √ √ √ √
17. Stakeholders visits to schools √ √ √ √ √ √
18. Monitoring and evaluation √ √ √ √ √ √
8.0 Integration of HIV and AIDS information into Curricular Subjects 
As we have heard from the survey data, many teachers are not able to integrate HIV and 
AIDS information with curricular Subjects. To integrate means to infuse information. 
Integrated HIV and AIDS as well as behavior change information should be sorted out 
according to age and class of children so that cultural values are respected. Integration is one 
of the ways to ensure that HIV and AIDS as well as behavior change information is 
communicated to pupils very often. 
39
The purpose is to provide knowledge and skills to the pupils to help them avoid risky 
behaviors that may lead to HIV infection 
To integrate one requires the following: 
• Teaching syllabus, and teacher’s guide 
• Understanding of the core message which is the topic of the lesson 
• Ability to identify plug in point which is a point in the lesson where HIV and AIDS 
and behavior change information can be passed with ease 
• Imaginative and creative 
• Good knowledge of subject content. 
• Adequate knowledge of HIV and AIDS issues such as 
- Infection 
- Transmission 
- VCT 
- Stigma 
- Positive living 
- Immune system and CD 4 cell count versus the viral load 
- Risky and non risky behaviors 
- Home Based Care 
- Risky behaviors 
Integration of HIV and AIDS and Behavior Change information is possible in any subject 
across the primary school curriculum. 
Examples showing core message, plug in point and the class where the core message is to be 
taught according to the curriculum this is known as the integration plan. 
Core message Plug in point Class 
Agriculture activities 
Planting and weeding 
 During conclusion, the teacher will 
tell the children that each of these 
activities will suffer if one member of 
the family has AIDS because more 
time will be spent on providing HBC 
Therefore, avoid sex to avoid HIV 
infection 
 Std 5 
Uses of Forests 
During the conclusion a teacher may 
ask pupils bad ways in which forests 
can be used in relation to HIV and 
AIDS pupils will mention the fact 
that people use them as hiding places 
for sexual activities. 
Therefore, as you pass through a 
bush, walk in groups. 
 Std5 
40
English language, 
composition, and 
comprehension 
• Sentence construction with 
words such as HIV and AIDS 
• Providing comprehension 
passages containing HIV and 
AIDS related information 
• Spelling test on words such as 
abstain, faithfulness 
• Asking pupils to write a 
composition on topics related to 
HIV and AIDS 
 Std 5-8 
Ratio and proportion In a town there are 210 boys and girls 
infected with HIV, if there are six 
girls infected for every infected boy, 
how many : 
- Girls are infected? 
- Boys are infected? 
 Std 7and 8 
Treating Cuts and bruises 
Avoid getting in contact with 
someone’s blood .Use protective 
gloves when treating cuts and bruises 
to avoid HIV and AIDS infection 
 Std 6 
Function of blood 
White blood cells protect the body by 
killing disease causing germs A person 
who has AIDS has less number of 
white blood cells to defend him from 
disease causing germs. Therefore 
he/she suffers from many diseases 
 Std 8 
Duties of a traditional leader In addition to settling disputes and 
providing land for gardens, he/she 
should advise people in the village to 
be faithful to one partner in order to 
avoid HIV and AIDS 
 Std 3 
Group Work. 
English 
-Activity 25.1 lesson 25 page 33 
-Activity 
Practical Work 
Imagine that you are to teach lessons on activities outlined below. Identify appropriate HIV 
and AIDS as well as behavior change information that can be plugged in the lessons: 
41
Mathematics 
-Problems involving subtraction of fractions from activity 6 page 32 of teachers guide for std 
6 
-Graphs from activity 1 of teachers guide for std 6 page 173 
Science 
-Problems with growing up from activity 3 page 66 
-Balanced meals from activity 2 page 72 
General studies 
Needs of a village and a town 
9.0 Creating Stories 
- Guidelines 
- Understand project activities 
- Examine pieces of information provided 
- Make sense out of it 
Telling your Stories/case studies 
Machinga 
- Who is the first person 
- What did USAID do to help 
- What is his story as quoted 
Romania 
1. First person in the story is Radu Christian Dumitru. 
2. USAID provided a grand of US$46,000 for initiation of medical service for 
emergency assistance. 
3. He lost his brothers with 3 of this friends in a terrible car accident 
Phalombe - Success story 
1. The opportunity is to enrich the primary school teachers with teaching 
skills and academic content knowledge of Mathematics, English and 
Science. 
2. The characters are primary school teachers 
3. Key points 
- Insets established on teacher content knowledge 
- Have gained skills and confidence to teach any class 
- USAID provided funds for training 
- Teachers improved their ability and pupils have benefited. 
42
Mzimba - Case Study 
- What is the challenge? 
- What are the initiatives 
- What are the results 
Kasungu - Success story 
- What is the character? Conflict or opportunity 
- What are the key points? 
- What did USAID do? 
- What changed and who benefited 
Characters 
1. Children 
2. Parents 
3. USAID 
4. Mayors 
Key points 
1. Government not funding community school 
2. Parents hired, recruited and paid teachers salaries 
What did USAID do? 
1. Provided supplies and trained teachers 
2. Trained parents to manage the schools 
3. Parents were assisted to form associations (PTA) 
What changed? 
- The funding system changed 
- Funding source 
Who Benefited 
1. The community benefited 
2. The Children 
Planning skills 
Tools for successful planning 
- Internet 
- Telephone 
- Radio 
- Letters 
- Fax 
43
- Newspapers 
- Calendar 
- Calculator 
- Transportation 
- Official planning documents – monthly, annual workplan and whole 
project performance monitoring plan. 
Actions for successful planning 
- defining goals in advance 
- formulating objectives 
- why do it 
- plan the course of action in advance 
- implement plan of action with discipline 
- consultation with appropriate people in advance 
- Sense of how much available created budget 
- Monitor the progress 
Critical 
- Defining goal 
• Harmonizing goal 
- Ensuring sufficient and relevant resources are in place 
- Follow action plan 
- Time frame things done at the right time 
- Communications 
- Shared vision 
10.0 Budget and Reconciling 
Contract 
Grant 
Best Practices 
Donor/organizations funds are not yours unless you have worked for them or give back to 
the donor what belongs to him. 
- Technical staff vs financial staff 
- What 
o Means of reporting the expenditure on the budget 
- Who 
o Everyone handling project funds 
- When 
o As soon as the activity is over 
ƒ Accounts office – 7th of the following month 
ƒ Project officials – as soon as they are back from the field 
44
ƒ Field officers – as soon as their workshop is over 
- Why 
o To enable the accounts office do the same to the home office. 7th
of the following month. 
- How 
o Standardized forms in place 
o Workshop reconciliation forms 
o Reconciliation form for follow-up and supervision 
Tips – receipts, signature sheet 
45
Friday, 16 December, 2005 
11.0 General Guidelines for Developing Costed Action Plan 
Source of Activities 
• Activities that go into the action plans originate from master workplans. 
• Master plans respond to Mission statements, visions, Goals and objectives/indicators 
of the project. 
• Action plans are flexible to accommodate corrective measures as may be informed 
by the Monitoring and Evaluation system. 
• Hence the need to revisit action plans periodically. 
The Format 
 The format may differ from one organization to another but it will contain the important 
elements. 
The dates 
• These indicate how long the activity is. 
Activity 
• This is the action or work to be done originating from the master workplan or 
Monitoring and Evaluation. 
Place(s) 
• This is where the activity will take place. This usually has an impact on the budget. 
Persons involved 
• It’s an indication of who is involved in the activity. Names or titles may be indicated. 
Budget 
• In this column the cost of the activity is indicated. The cost will include expenses to 
be incurred by the implementer and the beneficiaries of the activity. The planner 
must forget to include the drivers allowance, accommodation and fuel. 
Grant 
• If you are working on more than one grant indicate the source of funding. 
46
Sample MTTA: MACHINGA WORKPLAN JAN – FEB 2006 
Date 
Activity Place 
Persons 
involved/responsible Budget Grant 
January 9-
15 2006 
Training of 
Mentor 
teachers 
Chikweo TDC 
Ntaja TDC 
NsanamaTDC 
Andrew, Sydonio K30000 MTTA 
February 
21-23 
2006 
Cluster 
training of 
Std 1-8 
teachers 
All clusters in 
Chikweo, 
Ntaja, 
Nsanama 
Mentor teachers K300000 MTTA 
February 
21-23 
2006 
Monitoring 
cluster 
training 
All clusters in 
Chikweo, 
Ntaja, 
Nsanama 
Andrew, Sydonio K18980 MTTA 
NB: 
• Detailed budgets are done separately. What appears in the action plan is the total. 
These separate budgets are the ones that are presented to the supervisor for 
authorization and approval 
12.0 Report Writing 
12.1 Monthly 
- Quarterly 
- Annual 
- Final 
12.2 Contributors 
- School/community 
- Mentor teacher 
- PEAS 
- District Facilitators 
- Trainer Heads 
- Technical Staff 
- Project Manager 
- USAID officials 
- The Media 
- Special groups 
- DCDOs/DSWO 
- CDAs 
- DCs 
47
12.3 Types of Information 
- Planned activities 
- Challenges 
- Resources used 
- Lessons learnt 
- Project activities 
- Stakeholder involvement 
- How the activities were carried out 
- Conclusion 
- Time frame 
- Way forward 
12.4 Quality
- Accuracy 
- Data/facts (photos) etc 
- Honesty 
- Relevant to indicators 
- Structure 
-
12.5 Where to 
- AIR (DC) 
- USAID (Mw mission) 
- USAID (DC) 
- Funding 
 12.6 Sections 
12.7 Activities accomplished 
 12.8 Styles
- Narrative 
12.9 Principal features 
- Case studies 
- Quantifiable information 
- Photographs 
- Impact 
12.10 Qualities 
- Daily information 
- US English (labor vs labor) 
- Timeliness 
- Creativity 
- Business minded 
- Resourcefulness 
48
- Commitment 
12.11 In conclusion 
Having gone through the process let us: 
- Examine stories that we receive from the implementers and district 
education partners 
- Edit or refine them before you send them to us. You may include or 
attach the original draft 
- Allow stories in English or Chichewa 
Names of participants to the Boadzulu workshop 
1. Simeon Mawindo – MESA/MTTA 
2. Lester Namathaka – SAVE, Blantyre 
3. Andrew Malisawa- SAVE, Balaka 
4. Master Kalulu- SAVE, Kasungu 
5. Sophie Mhoni –SAVE, Blantyre 
6. Douglas Mbingwa – SAVE/MTTA 
7. Zikani Kaunda - CRECCOM 
8. George Jobe - CRECCOM/MESA 
9. Florence Sepula - CRECCOM 
10. McFoster Chingaipe - CRECCOM 
11. Hartford Mchazime - MTTA 
12. Rath Kathewera - MTTA 
13. Kara Janigan - MTTA 
14. Chaplain Katumbi - MTTA 
15. Nick Shawa - MESA 
16. Francis Mabeti – SAVE, Blantyre 
17. Esther Chirombo - MESA 
18. Angela Minika - MTTA 
19. Jacqueline Mwale - MTTA 
20. Kizito Wahira - MESA 
21. Hanleck Chamangwana - MTTA 
22. Eneret Santhe - MTTA 
23. Nerrisa Boatman - MTTA 
24. Christopher Khoropa - MTTA 
25. Harlod Lyson - MTTA 
26. Sydonio Matope – SAVE/ MTTA, Balaka 
27. Emylda Bongwe - SAVE/ MTTA, Balaka 
28. S. Kachingwe - SAVE , Balaka