FIANTSO

The FIANTSO (FIANarana TSara Orina) project, also known as “Roots for Learning,” is an initiative aimed at improving the skills of teachers and strengthening school governance in the Atsimo Atsinanana region of Madagascar. The project builds on the work accomplished by the USAID LOVA project, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education. Funded by the Hempel Foundation, the project involves 170 schools across 22 education zones in the Atsimo Atsinanana region. 

The primary objectives of the FIANTSO project are: 

• Strengthening teacher skills: In Madagascar, 80% of primary school teachers lack an initial certification and just 4% of all teachers have the essential content knowledge needed to teach foundational skills. Through this project, FHI 360 aims to enhance the competencies of community and untrained government teachers through intensive content knowledge training and ongoing teacher professional development focused on building pedagogical content knowledge that is organized through face-to-face sessions and peer-to-pear learning. This will equip teachers with the necessary tools and skills to improve the delivery of instruction in the foundational subjects of literacy and math.   

• Improving school governance: FIANTSO aims to strengthen school governance by supporting school management committees—known locally as FEFFIs—to play a more active role in improving educational quality. The project provides targeted training on governance best practices, supports the development of strategic improvement plans, and applies social and behavior change approaches to foster community engagement and advocacy for education resources.

• Supporting local organizations to continue the work: By working with and through local organizations, FHI 360 strives to ensure the project’s gains are sustained beyond the life of the project. We organize management training sessions for local organization leaders, foster partnerships between organizations and local institutions, and share guidance for local groups’ financial planning strategies. 

The core theory underpinning the project is that by strengthening teachers’ content knowledge and pedagogical skills, and by supporting school management committees (FEFFIs) to lead and sustain professional development through effective local governance, students will achieve measurable improvements in literacy and mathematics.