Uwezo is a large-scale information-based intervention which seeks to improve educational outcomes among children in Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania in three linked steps: first, by providing parents with good quality information about how much their children are (or are not) learning in schools; second, by providing concrete suggestions about steps that parents might take to improve education outcomes for their children; and finally, by facilitating a broad public discussion of the state of education in the country.

This study focused on how citizens might respond to exposure to the types of information they were presumed to lack. At this initial stage, no evidence of impact was found. It is important to consider whether this is because the program is not working, or it could also be interpreted as consistent with the Uwezo theory of change, which calls for an ecosystem of continually reinforcing messages and practical ideas of what citizens can do before change can happen. But it raises questions about what in fact can stimulate citizens to act. The evaluation continues.

This report is based on data gathered during visits by survey teams to nearly 3,500 individual government primary schools.

A main finding of the Uwezo surveys is the chronic deficiecy in learning outcomes across the country. Many factors explain differences in learning outcomes, and school inputs are just one of them. Even so, understanding how school inputs vary across the country is important, not least from the perspective of verifying how tax-payers resources are being allocated and spent.

According to Dr Sara Ruto, Regional Manager of Uwezo East Africa, ‘Despite significant gains in expanding access to primary schooling, actual literacy and numeracy outcomes remain significantly deficient across the region.’

While all countries do poorly, Kenyan children do relatively better than their counterparts in Tanzania and Uganda on all tests. Ugandan children performed the worst, but overtake Tanzanian students by the time they reach Standard 7. Children from low-income households perform the worst in all three countries and students in private schools do better than those in public schools, particularly in Tanzania.

Despite the discouraging results, there is also cause to be hopeful. Since the first Uwezo results were released, public debate has shifted to focus on quality and learning outcomes rather than educational inputs. Additionally, experiments on innovations in learning are taking place around the globe and can inform reforms in East Africa.

The assessment tested nearly 350,000 children in 150,000 households across the three countries, representing the largest annual data collection effort in education on the continent.

Read the full report here, including the ranking of districts from the three countries. Read the 2011 report here.

Read the reaction from East African and international media outlets on the 2012 Uwezo report:

Most children in Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya fail literacy and numeracy tests, The Guardian, UK

UPE children not learning, says UWEZO report, The Independent

Quality of learning in schools wanting-report, Saturday Nation

Ugandan pupils 'slowest' in the region- report, Saturday Monitor

Survey: Kenyan Schools churning out ‘illiterates’, Standard Digital

Uwezo's 2012 numeracy and literacy test, VijanaFM

Study shows few pupils have literacy and maths skills, The Star

Watch a video of the launch from KTN Kenya here and another video from NTV Kenya with comments from Uwezo Regional Manager Dr. Sara Ruto here. 

This small pamphlet aims to challenge people to think about what it means when their children are not reading at the right levels, and therefore to think about quality of learning. Do you want to see this test which raises questions about learning? You could possibly test yourself, children or relatives? Please find it here and use it to talk about learning and about quality in our schools.