Final Evaluation of the Learn without Fear Project (2008-2010)

Background:

The Plan Malawi Learn without Fear (2008-2010) is a child protection intervention embedded within the Plan International Campaign to end violence in school and surrounding communities affecting school going children and hence negatively impacting on their academic performance. The Plan/NORAD support to this project was targeted to the 4 Plan districts of Lilongwe, Kasungu, Mzuzu /Mzimba and Mulanje, even though some initiatives e.g. campaigns and policy lobby, including youth media, were of national coverage. The project planned to reach (more directly)43,779 girls and 43,228 boys in 137 schools in the selected districts.The project was officially launched at national level by the Minister for Gender, Children and Community Development in January, 2009.The project set the following strategic objectives:
• Improve awareness and advocacy on school related violence at all levels
• Improve systematic prevention, reporting and response mechanisms at the school level
• Increase children’s and community recognition, response and monitoring of violence against school children
• Enhance the development of healthy relationship among school children, teachers and parents through school related sports and artistic activities
• Contribute to policy and law reform in increasing child protection.

Key interventions included:
training of project beneficiaries/participants like children, teachers and communities represented through School management Committees (SMCs) in child rights and LwF concept. The project also carried out debates, open days enriched with drama, dance and songs for raising awareness. Improved child reporting of abuse was achieved through help lines and designated ‘happiness and sadness’ boxes placed in target schools.

Purpose/objective:
The final evaluation of thePlan Malawi Learn without Fear Project was commissioned to assess progress and impact the project has had in fostering a protective environment for children that is conducive for learning. The project was conceived against the backdrop of low educational achievements and participation which is contributed by violence and fear experienced by learners in their learning environments.  The evaluation also assessed effectiveness and sustainability of project interventions and document key lessons.

Methodology: 
The evaluation was conducted in all 4 program units that the project was implemented i.e. Kasungu, Lilongwe, Mzuzu and Mulanje. Predominantly participatory approaches were used to collect data i.e. using focus group discussions and semi structured interviews with concerned project participants e.g. Plan staff and participants from partner organizations like: NGOS facilitating the campaigns, schools, school management committees and learners themselves.

Key findings:
1. There is notable increase in awareness amongst teachers, learners and communities on the rights of children especially with regard to their right to protection. The evaluation team (ET) notes that there is perceived reduction in corporal punishment and sexual abuse of girls by teachers in some schools . The ET notes that learners are better able and confident to approach and raise issues that affect them without fear of reprisal. There have been documented cases of action taken against e.g. teachers who had sexually abuse girls after such reports reached the education authorities (see chapter 3 of the report for examples).
2. The project contributed through advocacy and lobby process leading to law reform and eventual passing of e.g. Child Care, Protection and Justice Bill into law.
3. The evaluation, however, notes the following areas for improvement:
a. Accurate translation/ local conceptualization of ‘rights’ into local language(s) that also recognizes need for deliberating on alternate forms of discipline that are nonviolent in nature.
b. The training on Learn without Fear concept is not supported by standardized manual that would help in quality control of standard messages being promoted wherever the approach is promoted.
4. The positive results achieved through the project enabled for the scaling up to other districts, even though more expansion of coverage is still recommended.
5. The happiness and sadness boxes were found to be an innovative and successful initiative that promoted increased reporting by learners. However improved learner participation in opening of these boxes is recommended for some schools. Nevertheless, in general, members managing the reports are able to refer their issues to relevant authorities i.e. child protection committees, police etc, as applicable.
 
Recommendations and Key Lessons:
1. Based on the reported successes of the project, it is recommended for extended coverage to even more districts.
2. In order to promote standardized reporting, registers are proposed to be introduced and maintained in all schools and partner organizations concerned.
3. Participation of learners in opening happiness and sadness boxes is to be encouraged especially during opening of the boxes.
4. Plan and partners are encouraged to advocate for increased number of female teachers in rural areas, in order to facilitate reporting by girls direct to female teachers
5. In order to help the learners and other project participants make clear connections between some project interventions and the LwF concept, Plan needs to support this understanding and also ensure that results of debates feed into concrete positive actions of the project.
6. In order to further sustainability of project results, it is recommended by the ET that district education advisors ought to take a leading role to incorporate monitoring of issues of abuse during their routine monitoring visits to schools.

Comments from the organisation: (Plan)
i. Plan will endeavor to undertake timely disbursement of operational funds to partners by among others ensuring that use of resources by partner/s is periodically followed up by Plan to facilitate timely liquidations so that subsequent disbursement of funds is not delayed by liquidation issues.
ii. Plan will undertake to timely share any audit issues that might be noted/suspected in the course of the implementation of any projects with the respective Plan National Offices or cooperating partner with a view of mutually resolving the issues in an effort of promoting transparency and accountability of resources.
iii. Plans are underway to come up with a standardized manual on LWF for use by partners and any other stakeholders involved in the project.
iv. The scaled up project of LWF being supported by SNO (Plan Sweden) will ensure that teachers are adequately trained on alternative forms of disciplining children and its importance. This will in a way help to dispel the misconception that the project is intended to witch-hunt teachers.