●      Summary: EQUALS is a multi-million-dollar reform project aimed at reducing the "transition gap" between primary and secondary school. It focuses specifically on strengthening the quality of Science and Mathematics (STEM) instruction in Community Day Secondary Schools (CDSSs), which often lack the resources of traditional national secondary schools.

●      Goal: To improve the quality of STEM instruction and increase access to secondary education in selected remote districts where transition rates are historically low.

●      Scope & Components:

○ Infrastructure: Construction of ICT labs, science laboratories, and libraries in 13 remote target districts.

○ Instructional Quality: Training teachers in modern STEM pedagogy and ensuring a 1:1 student-to-textbook ratio for Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, and Physics.

○ Bursaries: Providing financial support to vulnerable students to ensure they can complete their four-year secondary cycle.

●      Target: 13 of Malawi's remotest districts with a focus on 164 Community Day Secondary Schools.

●      Active Partners: World Bank.