Learning through Play Active Learning Methods in Ethiopia

PlayMatters seeks to improve holistic learning outcomes and well-being for refugee and host community children aged 3–12 and above in Ethiopia, Uganda, and Tanzania. The program applies Learning through Play (LtP) methodologies to make education active, engaging, and meaningful. This initiative focuses on strengthening the capacity of refugee-hosting education systems by training and supporting pre-primary and primary school teachers and facilitators. Through LtP, children learn by engaging in guided, hands-on, and purposeful play-based interactions within safe and inclusive environments. PlayMatters was specifically designed to support refugees living in protracted situations, including camps, as well as children in nearby host communities. Its packages primarily aim to build the capacity of educators connected to schools and learning centers—such as education system actors, teachers, facilitators, school leaders, and community leaders. At its core, PlayMatters envisions a better, more hopeful future for refugee and host community children. By providing opportunities to enjoy learning, enhance holistic development (academic, cognitive, social, emotional, creative, and physical), and improve psychosocial well-being, the program empowers girls and boys to become agents of positive change who can shape brighter futures for themselves and their communities. Operating in extremely low-resource and humanitarian environments, PlayMatters emphasizes two priorities: increasing teachers’ skills and practices to deliver LtP in classrooms, and improving inadequate school infrastructure and materials to ensure safety and inclusion. All interventions are contextualized and implemented in partnership with education system actors, including school leaders, community leaders, government institutions, and humanitarian service providers. Finally, PlayMatters is designed as an education systems strengthening program for low-resource and protracted refugee contexts where education systems and populations remain relatively stable. It is not intended for acute crisis situations or contexts where schools and education systems have been severely damaged or rendered non-functional. PlayMatters initiative Core Package for Schools includes six intervention components implemented in a school for one full school year (beginning of school year to end of school year), including foundational teacher training at the beginning of the school year, a follow-up training midway through the year, and continuous professional development (i.e., observations, coaching and peer learning) provided throughout the school year.