Numeracy is non-negotiable for Africa’s future
Aisha Annie Adams MP, from Malawi, has called for more prioritisation of numeracy in foundational learning.
Writing in Modern Diplomacy on the International Day of Mathematics, Malawian MP Aisha Annie Adams has called for a greater focus on numeracy.
She describes an effective numeracy reform programme in Malawi, funded by the UK government, which has been endangered by cuts to official development assistance (ODA).
Basic mathematics is the quiet engine behind everyday life and opportunity. We might not realise it, but it’s a vital skill needed to participate fully in society, make well-calculated choices and for lifelong learning.
It is the skill a mother uses to measure a child’s medicine correctly, or which the farmer uses to calculate whether he can pay for his fertiliser after an unpredictable rainy season.
It’s the skill a market vendor uses to price maize fairly and avoid being short-changed. It’s the skill a young person needs to compare data bundles and understand mobile money fees.
Being a numerate citizen is at the root of all that we do.
Yet shockingly, far too many students leave primary school unable to do basic calculations – holding back lives and slowing national and continental progress
In my country, Malawi, evidence shows that many students in the early grades of primary school are struggling to perform even the most basic addition and subtraction.
In fact, only 13 per cent of our 7-year-olds can do grade-level mathematics. This is much the same for the average child across sub-Saharan Africa. Even worse, of every 100 Grade 4 students, 15 of them achieve a score of zero on Grade 1 mathematics in Malawi.
This demands unified, immediate action. Numeracy must be a national, continental and global priority.
To mark this year’s International Day of Mathematics on 14 March, I am calling upon my parliamentary peers and fellow political leaders to prioritise foundational numeracy.
Numeracy must be prioritised
Our government has been placing early-grade mathematics at the centre of our agenda and we’ve been seeing progress. The National Mathematics Curriculum Reform Programme (NMCRP), with support from the UK government, has strengthened classroom instruction and improved teaching and learning materials for Grades 1 and 2.
By focusing on the earliest grades of primary school, the Ministry of Education aimed to reduce the number of learners repeating grades later on or dropping out of school altogether.
Government data shows that only 44 per cent of students complete primary school in Malawi. This means more than half of all children do not complete basic education.
This is significantly worse than the average for sub-Saharan Africa, in which 62 per cent of children complete primary school.
Having too many children repeat grades or drop out is bad economics. It’s a waste of resources, especially where resources are precious.
Through the NMCRP, improving the quality and distribution of teaching and the quality of materials, alongside teacher training, was a primary focus. It marked a new era of mathematics education in the country.
By 2024, the NMCRP reforms had been rolled out to all 6,000 primary schools in Malawi, reaching nearly 4 million learners. The government has also trained 65,000 teachers and distributed 18.5 million workbooks to every child in Grades 1-4 as well as guides for teachers.
Remarkable progress was made in just a few years of the new numeracy reforms.
The endline report shows improvements in all mathematical operations across all grades. In fact, it showed that the average child learnt about an extra half-year of maths compared with a typical school year in Malawi.
This means it is one of the most impactful foundational learning reforms in low- and middle-income countries.
But now our progress is in jeopardy
That progress is now at risk as UK development assistance has been cut, and its funding for the NMCRP has stopped. Sadly, the UK’s decision is part of a much wider reversal of aid commitments from donor governments.
A new UNICEF analysis shows that international aid to education is projected to fall by US$3.2 billion by 2026 – a 24 per cent drop.
If the planned cuts to official development assistance (ODA) become a reality, UNICEF estimates that 6 million more children risk being out of school by the end of 2026. This will also have a serious impact on the quality of education for children in school.
With reduced support for system strengthening, such as curriculum development, learning assessment, and teacher development, it is estimated that at least 290 million students could experience a decline in the quality of their education almost overnight.
As alarming as the withdrawal of UK aid for education is for Malawi, it also offers a chance to reset partnerships. They should start with national leadership.
Donors can catalyse reform, but only governments can institutionalise and sustain it. Every dollar or kwacha spent should strengthen the education system for the long term.
Our own financing for education domestically must prioritise the progress made under the NCMRP. But our education budget share was cut from 16.6% to 11.7% in 2025/26, with total spending falling by about 6% to roughly MK1.28 trillion from MK1.37 trillion, and with projected inflation of 28.5% – this is a steep real-terms decline.
If we are serious about improving foundational numeracy, we must increase domestic education financing and protect classroom and district budgets, not reduce them.
Mathematics is the bedrock upon which so many other skills are built.
In my role as a Member of Parliament, I commit to championing foundational numeracy in the strong belief that only through sustained, long-term efforts can we ensure children are learning.
Let us make this our shared promise on the International Day of Mathematics: That every child in Malawi, and across Africa, will leave primary school able to do early-grade numeracy.
It is our duty as political leaders, and the time to act is now.
Aisha Annie Adams is a Member of the National Assembly of Malawi and a member of the International Parliamentary Network for Education.
This article was originally published in Modern Diplomacy on the 14th of March, 2026.
