29/06/2026
On Wednesday 24th June, we were proud to join government and development partners, local authorities, and other organisations at the Foundational Learning Symposium in Zimbabwe. At the event, we reflected on progress, shared lessons, and strengthened collective action towards improving foundational learning outcomes for children in the country.
The keynote address from Zimbabwe’s Honourable Minister of Primary and Secondary Education, Professor Torerayi Moyo, resonated strongly with our approach to improving foundational learning by . It emphasised that strong foundational learning is the cornerstone of quality education, calling for collaboration, teacher capacity development, supportive learning environments, and community ownership.
Chief Operating Officer at the Federer Foundation, Rugare Ncube, also praised the Ministry for adopting the Smart Tablet Early Learning Assessment (STELA) tool for all primary schools in Zimbabwe, which we are proud to have contributed to through our work on the School Readiness Initiative.
Our Director Sub-Saharan Africa, Faith Nkala, commented: “It was very encouraging as a person and as a Zimbabwean to see a full house very committed to foundational learning – not just committed by words, but by actions... What I’m taking away is how we need to collaborate and partner to make sure that these opportunities become meaningful and add value to the ambition that the Ministry has."
Thank you to Zimbabwe's Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education for convening this successful event, with support from the Federer Foundation, and School Readiness Initiative partners: edt, Child Protection Society, Zimbabwe Network of Early Childhood Development Actors, and Municipal Development Partnership for Eastern and Southern Africa.