Teaching at the Right Level (TaRL) is an evidence-backed educational approach that helps children develop basic reading and mathematics skills, opening doors to a brighter future. Scroll down to learn more about TaRL or use the menu above to explore.
Governments across Africa have made tremendous gains in promoting school enrolment, with most low- to middle-income countries now enrolling primary school-age children at rates close to those in high-income countries. But data on learning highlights an unfortunate truth: enrolment in school does not guarantee learning. In schools across the continent, many children are well below grade level, and millions of children fail to master even basic reading and mathematics skills.
How can children be in school and not learn even the basics? Pratham and the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) have spent the last two decades trying to untangle this problem and develop solutions. Our experience and research reveal that structural inefficiencies in education systems are at the root of the problem. School systems are not well designed to address the needs of students who may be the first in their families to attend school or who enter the school system without having gained early-learning skills during early childhood. Often, children who miss key concepts in the early grades never have a chance to catch up, no matter how many years they spend in school.
