Equipping teachers with confidence in the classroom

As teachers’ knowledge improves, so does their students’ performance

Student enrolment has improved in many developing countries—but education systems still struggle with improving outcomes. Research tells us that to improve student learning, we need to address teachers’ skills, motivation, access to resources, and school governance.

The Matenek program is a first of its kind, designed specifically to support teachers with low digital literacy and limited access to reliable internet.

The program involved the creation of a mobile-first platform allowing teachers to access lesson plans, curriculum resources, and professional development content via mobile phone - meaning teachers now have resources they can carry with them in their pocket, for easy accessibility and use.

Designed in partnership with the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, Matenek supported the roll out of the newly reformed primary education curriculum in Timor-Leste. The app provided information and guidance to teachers adjusting to the implementation and teaching of new material.

Notifications and additional supportive content helped teachers through difficult topics, including micro-learning professional development videos, flash cards, progress markers and nudges - all designed with behavioural insights to build teachers’ confidence and capabilities.

By leveraging easy-to-use technology, Matenek has empowered teachers in the classroom, enabled principals to track school progress, and provided Ministry staff with insights for sector improvement and informed resourcing.