Gender Responsive Education and Transformation - Early Childhood Education through Play for Scale in Mozambique and Rwanda (GREAT-ECE)
Project Abstract
This project explored how governments in Mozambique and Rwanda can adapt and scale Gender-Responsive Play-Based Learning (GR-PBL) approaches to improve early childhood education (ECE). Led by Three Stones International Rwanda, in partnership with Right to Play and Cambridge Education, the initiative focused on adapting the GREAT curriculum—originally developed for primary schools in Ghana—for pre-primary settings. The project aimed to enhance teacher capacity, promote gender equity, and improve learning outcomes through play-based pedagogy.
Project Stats
Project Leader:
Implementing Countries:
Duration:
End Date:
Project Impacts: Policy and Practice
The project led to policy and practice changes in both countries, with strong engagement from education stakeholders.
Rwanda
- The GREAT curriculum was adapted and validated through workshops with the Ministry of Education, REB, NESA, and other national stakeholders.
- A Steering Committee was formed to guide implementation and scale-up discussions.
- Teachers reported improved classroom environments and increased parental engagement, though quantitative learning outcomes did not show significant change.
- Scalability workshops informed a national action plan for GR-PBL integration.
Mozambique
- The curriculum was contextualized for community-led ECE settings, where formal pre-primary education is limited.
- Teachers showed significant improvements in classroom practices and child learning outcomes, especially in emergent literacy and numeracy.
- District officials actively supported implementation and dissemination, despite limited national-level engagement.
- The project sparked interest from JICA and other partners for future collaboration.
Across both countries, the project demonstrated that GR-PBL can be adapted to diverse ECE contexts and foster inclusive, gender-equitable learning environments. Teachers, parents, and school leaders reported shifts in attitudes toward play-based learning and gender norms.
