MPs Meet Parliamentary Network for Education on Foundational Learning and Numeracy Skills

 

The National Assembly Committee on Education, chaired during the session by Hon. Abdul Haro, held a high-level dialogue today with Mr. Joseph O’Reilly, Executive Director of the International Parliamentary Network for Education (IPNEd), to address what Members described as a deepening crisis in foundational learning across the country.

During the meeting, legislators underscored the urgency of tackling persistently low literacy and numeracy outcomes. Citing a 79 percent learning poverty rate—meaning nearly eight in ten 10-year-olds cannot read and understand a simple text—MPs warned that the situation reflects entrenched systemic failures that demand immediate legislative action.

Committee Members further raised concerns over widening inequalities in education. They noted that learners in rural and ASAL regions continue to lag significantly behind their urban counterparts, while children from low-income households and those with disabilities face entrenched barriers, inadequate support systems, and limited access to quality early learning resources.

The discussions also pointed to critical pedagogical gaps in early-grade teaching. MPs observed that many teachers lack adequate content mastery and structured instructional practices necessary to build foundational competencies among young learners.

Leveraging IPNEd’s global expertise as a leading parliamentary network focused on strengthening education systems, the Committee proposed a framework for strategic collaboration. Key areas identified for joint action include the development of tools enabling Parliament to effectively track literacy and numeracy outcomes, enhancing accountability measures for the Ministry of Education, and establishing stronger monitoring mechanisms for inclusion and equity indicators.

The Committee affirmed its commitment to advancing legislative reforms that prioritise foundational literacy and numeracy, noting that improving early learning outcomes is essential for national development and long-term economic resilience.