The Institute of Public Opinion and Research (IPOR) was contracted for three consecutive years by Center for Evaluation and Development (C4ED) to evaluate the Malawi Education Sector Improvement Project (MESIP) which was being implemented by the Ministry of Education in collaboration with the World Bank. The Project was funded by the World Bank and aimed at improving infrastructure and quality of education in public primary schools by focusing on efficient delivery.

IPOR was tasked to assess school facilities, school records, observe class lessons on key subjects, and more important to survey relevant groups in the school setting ranging from teachers, students, School Management Committees, Mother Groups, Parents Teachers Associations and Group Village Headmen. In pursue of this assignment, IPOR recruited and trained 120 research assistants to collect data using Survey Solutions and PAPI. Apart from that, IPOR hired and drilled 20 Data Entry Clerks to conduct double data entry as a requirement for the World Bank.

The project had a total sample of 70 000 and the most daunting task was tracking learners who had either moved to secondary school or dropped out of school for various reasons. By the end of 2022, IPOR had managed to conduct baseline, midline and endline of the project and reached out to about 1 500 primary schools spread in 28 districts   including Likoma Island. Despite the challenges, IPOR worked with dedication and attained the highest response rate which resulted into contract renewal in the years that followed. The preliminary findings from the project reveal that there is poor record keeping in primary schools and low retention for female learners.

NOTE: In this project School facilities refer to classrooms, shelters, toilets, teachers’ houses, water points, girls changing rooms.  Key Subjects refer to Mathematics & English. School Records refer to staff return, enrollment, performance& financial records.