Zambia's Primary Reading Program (PRP): Improving Access and Quality in Basic Schools

Zambia's Primary Reading Program (PRP) uses a variety of approaches to teaching literacy. These include "Zambian New Breakthrough to Literacy", which uses the seven local languages to teach initial literacy skills. Reading and writing tests conducted in 1999 before the program started and repeated in 2002 show encouraging results. Generally the reading levels of pupils in Grades 1 and 2 improved from 30 to 68.Children are able to read at two grades above their expected grades in local Zambian languages and at their appropriate grades in English. The PRP has been rolled out from pilot stage to covering the whole country. The ministry also has a financial plan for sustaining the program after international assistance terminates.