In a remote village in Solwezi District, Zambia, where gravel roads seem to stretch endlessly before reaching the nearest town, a classroom hums with the energy of its young learners. The desks are basic, the books are scarce, and the room is packed beyond capacity—but something extraordinary is happening here. Andrew, a 38-year-old teacher, has transformed his under-resourced and overcrowded classroom into a place where learning flourishes.
Students in Andrew’s class travel 5 to 15 kilometers each way to attend his lessons. Some children wait for their siblings before starting the long journey home, making their school days even longer. These daily struggles reflect not only the broader barriers to education in Zambia, where over 800,000 primary school-aged children are out of school, but also the persistent demand for quality education from students and their parents. Children want to learn and teachers like Andrew want to teach them.
Andrew refused to let these barriers limit the potential of the determined young learners who make the daily trek to his classroom. Before any additional support arrived, he was already taking initiative to make learning meaningful. Drawing from local culture, Andrew incorporated traditional games—like Nsolo, Ichienga, and skipping rope—to help children understand numbers and develop foundational skills in engaging, playful ways. At the same time, he rallied support from the school administration and fellow teachers, even using his own funds to procure essential teaching materials. Committed to fostering a sense of professionalism and pride among teachers, Andrew and his colleagues pooled their resources to print t-shirts emblazoned with ‘Catch-Up Teacher’—a small but powerful gesture that reinforced their identity as teachers dedicated to transforming learning outcomes.
A game-changer: the “Catch-Up Programme”
Andrew’s commitment to improving learning took a major leap forward when he joined the UNICEF and Gates Foundation-supported Catch-Up Programme—an initiative focused on improving literacy and numeracy through evidence-based approaches like structured pedagogy and Teaching at the Right Level (TaRL).
The Catch-Up Programme introduced an ability-based grouping approach, which assesses students and places them in one of four learning levels for reading and numeracy. This programme prioritizes learners’ actual skills over age or grade, so they can catch up to where they need to be. When Andrew initially undertook these assessments, he was struck by the fact that almost none of his students were performing at their appropriate grade level.
A new way of teaching, a new way of learning
Empowered with new strategies, Andrew reinvented his teaching approach. The Catch-Up Programme emphasized interactive, hands-on learning methods that engaged students in ways conventional instruction had not. He started using visual aids, storytelling, and group activities to support children who struggled to recognize letters and do simple math. The results were inspiring. Learners who had once been intimidated to read a sentence or solve a problem were learning with ease – and having fun!
One of his students summed up Andrew’s impact best:
"My mother asked me why I go to school. I replied, to become just like my teacher when I grow up."
Andrew’s classroom reflects the broader success of the Catch-Up Programme across the Solwezi District. After just one semester, the percentage of learners able to read a full story more than doubled, from 9 per cent to 20 per cent, while those struggling to recognize letters or words dropped from 51 per cent to just 18 per cent. In numeracy, the percentage of children solving 4-digit problems nearly quadrupled, while those learning at the most basic level significantly decreased. These gains show that when children receive targeted support at their level, they can make significant progress in a short time.
Beyond the classroom: Inspiring teachers, parents, and the community
Andrew also serves as a mentor to other Catch-Up teachers in his area. He trained 37 teachers and provides regular and continuous professional development, coaching, and mentoring support to this group of teachers. According to Andrew, continuous professional development for teachers has been critical to the success of the Catch-up Programme.
Parents, initially unfamiliar with the Catch-Up Programme’s approach, soon witnessed their children coming home excited to practice reading and math. As their understanding of the programme grew, many began to play a more active role by supporting their children to attend class regularly, creating time and space for practice at home, and celebrating learning milestones. Andrew sees parental engagement—both their involvement and practical support—as a key factor in Catch-up’s success and long-term sustainability. “Parents are key players in this programme,” Andrew explains. “We need them to make this work.”
A vision for the future
Despite ongoing challenges, Andrew remains steadfast in his commitment to his students. He dreams of a day when no child in his community struggles to read or count, when learning is accessible, engaging, and transformative for every child.
His inspiration comes from many sources: his district officer, who was determined to bring the Catch-Up Programme to the province; his head teacher, whose leadership fuels Andrew’s passion; and, most importantly, his students. “If I, as a teacher, do the right thing, this child could be a minister one day,” he says. “There is so much potential. All they need is someone who believes in them.”
For now, Andrew continues his work, shaping futures one lesson at a time. His story is a testament to the power of dedication, the belief that education can change lives, and the impact of one teacher who refuses to give up.
Suman Sachdeva is an Education Specialist at UNICEF
Alyson Gombas is a Foundational Learning Consultant at UNICEF
