Jolly Phonics and Jolly Grammar: Impact evaluation in Namibia, 2025 report
| dc.contributor.author | Zastrau, Elzeth | |
| dc.contributor.author | Jansen, Jessica Mary-Ann | |
| dc.contributor.author | Shikwaya, Renate Olga | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2026-02-06T07:47:44Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2026-02-06T07:47:44Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2025 | |
| dc.description | The study aimed to evaluate the impact of the programme by comparing reading outcomes between two groups of schools: those in the Oshana region, where Grade 2 and 3 teachers had been trained in Jolly Grammar 1 and 2, and comparison schools in the Oshikoto region where teachers had had no prior exposure to Jolly Grammar 1 or 2 | |
| dc.description.abstract | This report presents the findings of an independent impact evaluation of the Jolly Phonics and Grammar programmes in Namibia, commissioned to assess the programme’s effectiveness in improving foundational English reading skills among early-grade learners. The evaluation focused on Grade 3 learners from the 2024 academic year, sampled from 100 schools equally divided between the Oshana region (which had been trained on Jolly Grammar 2 for Grade 3s) and the Oshikoto region (which had not received Jolly Grammar 2 training at the time of the survey). The study employed a Propensity Score Matching (PSM) approach to estimate average treatment effects on Early Grade Reading Assessment (EGRA) performance. Four primary models were employed, varying in their matching specifications to test the robustness of results. The evaluation also calls for improved monitoring and the incorporation of longitudinal study designs, including baseline assessments, to better track learner progress over time and attribute improvements to the Jolly programmes | |
| dc.description.sponsorship | The successful execution of this project would not have been possible without the generous support, guidance, and contributions of many individuals and organizations. We are immensely grateful to the Gates Foundation for their generous funding and continued support of this work. We would like to thank Izzy Boggild-Jones from the Gates Foundation for her valuable guidance and engagement throughout the study and guiding us to gain permission to access the data and have it published on the UNAM website. We thank the Roger Federer Foundation for their support in availing the tablets for the fieldwork. We acknowledge the Genesis Analytics team for their rigorous planning, data analysis and thoughtful inputs under the leadership of Elzeth Zastrau. Our sincere appreciation goes to Professor Brahm Fleisch for his expert guidance and insights. We extend our sincere gratitude to the Minister, Hon. Dr. Sanet Steenkamp, and the Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture (MoEAC), now the Ministry of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sports, Arts & Culture, for their leadership and support throughout the study. We are deeply grateful to Ms. Ronel Bosch, Ms. Wenthworth, Mr. Eiman, and the EMIS team for their invaluable assistance and collaboration. We would like to acknowledge the support of Senior Education Officers, Dr. Paulina Hamukonda, Mr. Heinrich Mathews, Mr. Naftal Gabriel and Ms. Laimi Haikali - for their coordination and contributions throughout the study. We are also immensely grateful to the fieldwork teams, principals, HOD's, teachers and learners in Oshana and Oshikoto region for their participation, engagement, and warm welcome, without which this study would not have been possible. We acknowledge the University of Namibia, the logistical and administrative coordinators, Dr. Pamela February and Dr. Beausetha Bruwer and the fieldwork team leaders, Ms Jacolynn Van Wyk, Ms Serena Hoeses, Ms Helga Kaurora, Ms Ivy Heyman Van Wyk, Mr Andre Kandundu and Mr Gustav Gustav | |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/11070/4203 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | |
| dc.publisher | Genesis Analytics and University of Namibia | |
| dc.subject | Jolly Phonics | |
| dc.subject | Jolly Grammar | |
| dc.subject | Impact evaluation | |
| dc.subject | Early grade literacy | |
| dc.subject | EGRA | |
| dc.subject | Word reading | |
| dc.subject | Decoding skills | |
| dc.subject | Propensity score matching | |
| dc.subject | Teacher training | |
| dc.subject | Multilingual context | |
| dc.subject | Namibia | |
| dc.subject | University of Namibia | |
| dc.subject | Genesis | |
| dc.title | Jolly Phonics and Jolly Grammar: Impact evaluation in Namibia, 2025 report | |
| dc.type | Technical Report |