Foundational Literacy and Numeracy

Foundational literacy and numeracy refer to the essential reading, writing, and mathematical skills that children need to progress confidently through school and life. Having foundational literacy and numeracy skills means a child can read, write, and do basic math, which are the building blocks for progression through school and lifelong learning. 

Across sub-Saharan Africa, millions of children complete the early years of primary school without being able to read a simple sentence or solve basic arithmetic.

In Zambia, national assessments show that a majority of learners in early grades struggle with basic reading and numeracy skills. These gaps were further widened by school disruptions during COVID-19, placing additional pressure on already stretched education systems.

In Uganda, enrolment has expanded significantly, yet many learners still do not reach expected proficiency levels by upper primary. Recent national assessments indicate that fewer than half of Grade 6 learners achieve proficiency in English, and just over half in numeracy.

When children miss out on foundational skills early, the effects compound over time, leading to disengagement, higher dropout rates, and reduced life opportunities. Strong foundations, by contrast, contribute to more peaceful, stable, and sustainable societies by enabling lifelong learning, employability, and civic participation. Strengthening foundational learning is an investment in long-term social and economic development.

VVOB works with governments and partner organisations to strengthen foundational literacy and numeracy. Our work supports every level of the system, from teachers, school leaders and education system administration to improve learning outcomes in the early grades.

In Zambia, our work spans the full spectrum of foundational learning in grades 1-3. Through the Closing the Learning Gap (CLG) programme, we support Grade 2 teachers with structured pedagogy in numeracy and literacy. At the national level, the Catch Up Programme stands as a key remedial learning response to foundational literacy and numeracy challenges in primary schools.

In Zambia, over 2 million learners have improved literacy and numeracy skills through the Catch Up Programme, a proven, government-led, accelerated remedial learning programme.

Catch Up Programme is adapted from the globally recognised Teaching at the Right Level (TaRL) approach, developed by Pratham. Rather than teaching to grade-level expectations alone, Catch Up Programme groups learners by their actual learning level and uses structured, playful activities to help them build foundational skills at an appropriate pace. This approach allows learners to make visible progress quickly, rebuilding confidence and motivation.

VVOB has supported the Ministry of Education in Zambia’s Catch Up Programme since 2016, accompanying its journey from pilot to national scale. By working through government systems and in close partnership with the Ministry of Education and technical partners, Zambia’s Catch Up Programme has become a core part of the national strategy to address foundational learning challenges. The experience in Zambia has also informed adaptations in other contexts, including Uganda and Malawi, where governments are strengthening foundational learning through system-led approaches. 

In Uganda, VVOB has supported the Ministry of Education and Sports and local governments to pilot Teaching at the Right Level in five districts: Adjumani, Isingiro, Madi-Okollo, Terego, and Kasese. These pilots demonstrated strong improvements in Primary 3 – Primary 5 learning outcomes. Following this success, the Ministry validated a contextualised, school-based, government-led model under the name UCatchUp, implemented through existing national systems and structures.

VVOB began working in Malawi in 2025 as part of the UK FCDO’s Scaling Access and Learning in Education (SCALE) programme. Our remediation pilot in Malawi seeks to improve foundational literacy and numeracy outcomes for primary school learners by integrating evidence-based remedial teaching practices. This initiative aligns with Malawi’s revised curriculum and focuses on institutional sustainability and scalability. The pilot is being rolled out in two stages, starting with 80 schools in January 2026 and expanding to 300 schools in September 2026.

How the Catch Up Programme Works in Practice

Government Partner (Zambia)

Provides leadership, policy direction, and nationwide scale through government structures. Within the MoE structure, there are schools, Zonal In-service Coordinators (ZICs), district and provincial offices who are the core implementing actors within the MoE structure. 

Collaborating Partners

Pratham & J-PAL/TaRL Africa
Provide the Teaching at The Right Level methodology, and global evidence.

VVOB
Works alongside the Ministry of Education to adapt the approach to Zambia, strengthen teacher coaching systems, build data use routines, and support coordination. 

Belgium Development Cooperation (DGD), UNICEF, USAID, LEGO Foundation, Co-Impact through MIT (J-PAL), Hempel Foundation 
Enable scale through funding and strategic support.

Over the past decade, Zambia’s Catch Up Programme has grown from a pilot programme to a nationwide initiative embedded in the national education system. While challenges remain, such as low attendance, it plays a critical role in supporting learners who have fallen behind to regain foundational literacy and numeracy skills and is demonstrating long-term impact.

Together, we can help more learners thrive, support teachers, and strengthen education systems.

 Get in touch with our Partnerships Team