Edutab Africa collaborated with the Education Above All Foundation on a project pilot initiative. The project’s goal was to deliver high-quality, engaging instructional tools to children throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. This pilot initiative took place in two rural public primary schools and one community library in Western Kenya between November 2021 and July 2022.

The pilot project’s goal was to provide access to quality education in rural areas with limited internet connectivity. The goal was to provide project-based, internet-free, accessible learning resources that correspond with the Kenyan Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) and are suited to local contexts. This involved engaging teachers, parents, and students to support learning activities and strategies using the Internet Free Education Resource Bank (IFERB) resources.

To address the issue, Edutab Africa implemented project-based learning activities using IFERB resources. Edutab Africa staff visited schools in person and provided phone-based support during the implementation. Teachers and librarians were trained on the project-based learning approach as well as the usage of IFERB resources. The project integrated IFERB resources into regular class lessons and conducted additional out-of-class lessons during extracurricular activity meeting times. In the event of school closures or other unforeseen events, the community library functioned as a backup plan.

The pilot yielded positive results in improving learning outcomes. When compared to the baseline tests, the end-line assessment showed improvement in all tested skills and learning areas. Female students outperformed male students. According to student surveys, the IFERB tools were engaging and enjoyable, encouraging creativity over critical thinking and communication. The study also emphasized the need for parental involvement and ongoing teacher professional development in project-based learning approaches.

“The content of the projects relate to day today’s real-life situation e.g making a shopping list and also learners make good use of available resources in the environment” teacher

Several major learnings were identified as a result of the pilot study. These included the need for more literacy activities such as verbal activities, reading, storytelling, and writing to help pupils improve their literacy skills. To engage pupils, the project also emphasized the need of including activities such as acting/dramatizing, drawing, and creating physical things. Furthermore, increasing parental participation and continued teacher professional development were highlighted as critical variables for the successful implementation of project-based learning methodologies.