Vamos Ler!

Context and Issue

Despite a twofold increase in primary school enrollment in Mozambique over the past 15 years, educational outcomes have remained largely inadequate. For instance, in 2014, only 6.3% of students achieved basic reading competency by the third grade. Additionally, fewer than half of Mozambican children complete primary school, and teacher absenteeism rates are among the highest in the world. A baseline assessment revealed that more than 90% of second graders in the provinces of Nampula and Zambezia could not read two words in Portuguese. Mozambique's education system faces several challenges: a lack of coordinated policy for Portuguese and local language instruction, insufficient capacity to design new programs and limited data, significant resource gaps in local-language reading materials and trained educators, and low engagement and awareness among teachers, educators, and parents about the importance of learning to read in the local language.

Solution

Studies have shown that learning to read in one’s local language before transitioning to the national language—Portuguese in Mozambique—leads to higher literacy rates. Following the positive results of "Aprender a Ler," the "Vamos Ler!" (Let’s Read!) program was initiated in 2016 to further address literacy challenges. Language Mapping and Transition Studies were conducted by AIR to determine the most effective languages for initial literacy instruction and to explore the transition from local languages to Portuguese. These findings supported the structuring of an effective bilingual literacy program in schools.

Building on the success of the USAID-funded Aprender a Ler project, Vamos Ler! aimed to ensure that students in Grades 1 to 3 achieve grade-level fluency and comprehension in three local languages: Emakhuwa, Elomwe, and Echuabo. The program has three main objectives:

Improve the quality of reading instruction at the early primary level.
Improve policy frameworks and delivery systems for early grade reading.
Increase parental and community engagement in early-grade reading.

Impact

The Vamos Ler! (Let’s Read!) program, implemented over five-and-a-half years, significantly improved early grade literacy in Mozambique. The program reached nearly 2,000 schools across 21 districts in Nampula and Zambezia Provinces, enhancing the reading and writing skills of over 700,000 children. More than 14,000 teachers and school directors were trained in bilingual education delivery. The program produced over 500 educational books, including student texts, teacher manuals, and supplementary reading materials in three local languages, distributing nearly 12 million copies. As a result, 43% of evaluated students attained at least the minimum grade-level proficiency in reading. The program engaged communities in education, reducing high primary school dropout rates by providing instruction in familiar languages. Sustainability was ensured through the involvement of the District Education Office in book distribution and the development of an online platform for real-time monitoring. These achievements demonstrate the program's effectiveness in transforming early-grade literacy and improving educational quality in Mozambique.

The "Vamos Ler!" program in Mozambique shows that curriculum standardization and enhancement can significantly improve literacy rates. Despite higher primary school enrollment, literacy remained low. The program's bilingual education, teacher training, distribution of 12 million educational materials, and community engagement led to 43% of students achieving grade-level proficiency, benefiting over 700,000 children in nearly 2,000 schools. Ensuring the program's success and sustainability requires ongoing government commitment, international support, coordinated policies, effective teacher training, adequate local-language resources, strong community engagement, and robust monitoring systems.