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This tool supports us during pedagogical learning sessions … it is practical and accessible.
In Madagascar, most primary teachers lack certification or strong content knowledge, which contributes to low school completion rates and poor learning outcomes among students.
In the Atsimo-Atsinanana region, FHI 360 worked with participants in its FIANTSO project, funded by the Hempel Foundation, to strengthen teacher training in math and Malagasy and introduce an AI-powered chatbot that is expanding access to practical, high-quality teaching support.
Built from Ministry of Education-validated training materials, the chatbot synthesizes different paper-based pedagogical resources into one easy-to-use tool. Educators can ask questions in Malagasy — including regional dialects — and receive clear, validated answers. Early pilot results show most users find it useful and easy to navigate.
Designed with safeguards — it only retrieves information from validated resources, and it only responds to pedagogy-related questions — the chatbot complements ongoing professional development while introducing responsible AI use in a low-resource setting.
Result
Of the pilot participants, seven in 10 shared that the chatbot was very useful, and eight in 10 shared that it was easy or very easy to use.