Evaluation of Catch-Up programme in Luapula, Zambia

Genesis is evaluating the Catch-Up programme in Luapula, one of Zambia’s 10 provinces, with the goal of improving literacy and numeracy among young learners using the Teaching at the Right Level approach.

Launched in 2015, Catch-Up is a collaborative educational initiative involving Zambia’s Ministry of Education; the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund; the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office; Pratham; and the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab.

In 2023 the Genesis team undertook a three-year evaluation of Catch-Up in Luapula. The programme was initially piloted in two provinces and later expanded to nine provinces, including Luapula. Our evaluation aims to assess the relevance, effectiveness and sustainability of Catch-Up.

The baseline evaluation in late 2023 revealed that many young learners struggle with basic reading and maths skills due to overcrowded classrooms, resource shortages and teacher-centred teaching methods. However, Catch-Up showed promise in addressing these gaps and improving foundational literacy and numeracy skills.