The STEPS initiative has reached a pivotal milestone with the publication of a case study, “Scaling STEM Education in Africa: Insights from STEPS”. This case study captures the transformative journey of the STEM Teacher/student Education for Primary Schools (STEPS) project with our country partners: Benin, Cameroon, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
Launched in 2021 with support from the Global Partnership for Education’s Knowledge and Innovation Exchange (GPE-KIX), a joint endeavor with Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC), STEPS began as a focused teacher professional development initiative. Its main goal was to train teachers, specifically in how to better teach Science and Math in primary schools. It has since evolved into a dynamic, multi-faceted educational transformation, touching the lives of over 6,000 students and 160+ teachers across 18 schools.
Key Highlights from the Publication
- Innovative Learning Resources: 52 culturally adapted workbooks and teacher guides (in Math and Science), AI-assisted content creation, and translations to fit national curricula.
- Pedagogical Shift: Teachers embraced inquiry-based learning in Science through engaging strategies like KWL charts and Essential Questions.
- Tech-Enabled Impact: AI was leveraged to localize, translate, and scale STEM content efficiently, cutting development time and costs by up to 70%.
- Institutional Endorsement: Ministries and educational bodies across all three countries are now integrating STEPS resources into broader systems.
- Sustainability & Equity: The STEPS model combines local leadership with open-access resources and international research backing from NextGenU.org.
From classroom practice to national policy engagement, this report details how STEPS is building resilient, inclusive STEM education systems that empower teachers and unlock student potential.
Explore the full publication in English and French, and all of our resources at: STEPS.NextGenU.org
