The “Projet d’Amelioration de la Lecture-Ecriture et du Calcul” (PALEC) was created by the National Education Authorities to improve the quality of primary education in schools in Côte d’Ivoire, with the support of partners like the Jacobs Foundation, Cargill and the International Cocoa Initiative.
Initially developed in India by TIDE Learning, PALEC was adapted to Ivorian realities and is currently undergoing a pilot phase within the TRECC programme, implemented by ICI & TIDE, in five first and second primary classes in cocoa-growing communities in the Daloa/Soubré region.
PALEC’s pedagogy is based on the principle that learning is more effective when it is done with joy and play. Children learn at different rates and need to be confronted with different situations and supports to learn; classrooms should provide the necessary learning materials, and include objects and resources from the child’s environment – the pedagogical content must integrate elements of the folklore from which the child comes. Improved monitoring of the quality of learning is made possible by integrating technology into the classroom.