Sawiris Foundation and Partners Launch Phase II of ”TaRL” Educational Program to Combat Learning Poverty in Upper Egypt
The Sawiris Foundation for Social Development has announced the signing of an agreement to launch the second phase of the "Teaching at the Right Level" (TaRL) program. The initiative is being rolled out in collaboration with co-funding partners, including the Essam and May Allam Foundation for Sustainable Development, Star Care Egypt Foundation for Childhood Development, and the MNT Foundation for Sustainable Development.
The program is executed in technical partnership with the Pratham Education Foundation, alongside field implementation partners: the Childhood and Development Association in Assiut, and the Kheir Wa Baraka and New Woman Association in Sohag. The coalition's primary objective is to expand educational opportunities in Upper Egypt and address the challenge of learning poverty in a direct, sustainable manner.
TaRL Methodology: Boosting Literacy and Numeracy The TaRL program represents the local extension of an evidence-based global approach originally developed by the Pratham Foundation in India. The methodology focuses on improving children's foundational skills in reading, writing, and basic arithmetic. It achieves this by assessing and grouping students according to their actual learning levels rather than their age or grade, delivering intensive, customized educational interventions through highly interactive teaching methods.
Phase II Targets 17,500 Students in Upper Egypt Building on the success of the first phase, which reached over 10,000 students, the second phase will be implemented in the governorates of Sohag and Assiut. It aims to target 17,500 male and female students in the upper primary grades.
An Integrated Developmental Partnership The collaboration relies on a highly integrated approach designed to maximize impact and ensure operational efficiency. The Sawiris Foundation spearheads the project’s funding, alongside comprehensive technical and financial monitoring. The Essam and May Allam, Star Care, and MNT foundations act as co-funders. Meanwhile, the Pratham Foundation provides specialized technical support to ensure the accurate application of the methodology. On the ground, the Childhood and Development Association in Assiut, and the Kheir Wa Baraka and New Woman Association handle the direct management and field implementation.
10,500 Students Targeted in Assiut In Assiut Governorate alone, the program targets 10,500 students aged 9 to 13. The intervention heavily focuses on building the capacity of local community facilitators to improve students' basic literacy and numeracy skills. Furthermore, the initiative will actively engage approximately 11,600 parents in the educational development of their children. The on-ground execution by the Childhood and Development Association in Assiut will ensure that the program effectively reaches the most vulnerable and marginalized groups in rural areas.