IGATE project in Zimbabwe scores top marks

The IGATE project, which supports girls’ education in Zimbabwe, has recently heard back from its annual review by the UK government’s Department for International Development (DFID). 

The Open University-led output, Whole School Development to improve inclusive education and teacher practice has been awarded a score of A++, the best score any project can get. 

IGATE is a UKAid-funded programme within the Girls Education Challenge that seeks to improve the learning and life chances of over 70,000 marginalised girls. 

The project is consortium-led by World Vision, the OU, CARE International, SNV, EMTONJENI and UDACIZA.

The annual review feedback is testimony to the work of thousands of teachers in rural Zimbabwe like Mr Moyo (pictured above), and World Vision, the OU and consortium partners.  

DFID’s annual report highlighted:

• Learning: “Both quantitative and qualitative data provide evidence that the project has had a substantial impact on foundational literacy skills, decreasing the share of "non-learners" in the population and improving levels of proficiency in the areas learners struggled with most at baseline.”
• Sustainability: “There is compelling evidence that the program is successfully building a foundation of basic literacy, positive teaching practices and community support to sustain impact beyond the end of the program.”
• Safeguarding: “The project’s [safeguarding] compliance level is 80% and is one of the strongest projects in the Southern Africa Cluster.”

IGATE is project-led by Tom Power, Academic Director (School of Education, Childhood, Youth and Sport, Open University) and Claire Hedges, Senior Programme Manager (International Development Office, Open University).

For more information on this project please contact Claire Hedges or Martha Tengenesha.