Tracking Development - Rio Tinto - Qit Madagascar Minerals

The Production Phase
A second chance
According to UNICEF, for every 100 Malagasy children who
enter grade one, only 60 will complete the full five-year
primary school cycle. The average Malagasy adult finishes
only 4.4 years of school. This is because Madagascar does
not have enough trained teachers and enough classrooms
or schools 16 .
The Planète des Alpha and ASAMA (Asa Sekoly Avotra
Malagasy) sister programmes are unique in both their
duration and teaching styles. Using practical teaching
methods different from typical instruction common across
Malagasy public and private schools, the programmes
emphasise logic building and make learning as relevant as
possible. Recognisable examples, in which students can
relate to and associate with, are frequently used. Addition
problems are presented with props; eg oranges are used
when counting. The alphabet has been renamed and each
letter corresponds to a phonetically similar sounding word;
Rabesosasosa (snake) for S and Rafofofofo (wind) for F.
Active participation is key with games, images, drawing and
theatre frequently used. All subjects are also conducted in
Malagasy. French language is taught as a separate subject.
These pilot programmes, which have demonstrated positive
results, may be the solution to education in a poor country
such as Madagascar. While working out the specifics in the
communities surrounding Mandena, perhaps this teaching style
will be developed into a model and applied throughout the
Anosy region, which encompasses one of the most illiterate
populations in the nation.
ASAMA students outside
their school building in
Mandromondromotra.
A Malagasy storybook
produced by UNDP hangs
in the classroom.
Planète des Alpha students
from Ampasy Nahampoana
participate in an exercise
to practice the alphabet.
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