Improved Learning Outcomes in Primary Education (SABER) activity | 72065621RFA00012

Opportunity Information: Apply for 72065621RFA00012

The Improved Learning Outcomes in Primary Education (SABER) activity is a USAID Mozambique funding opportunity focused on strengthening how reading and mathematics are taught in Mozambican primary schools and, most importantly, improving what children actually learn. The program is designed around bilingual teaching methods and aligns with the national approach set by the Ministerio da Educacao e Desenvolvimento Humano (MINEDH). Its main instructional emphasis is on primary grades 4, 5, and 6 in the provinces of Nampula and Zambezia, with the intent of improving classroom instruction and measurable learning outcomes in these upper primary grades.

A major feature of the activity is its use of bilingual methodology in locations where the student population shares the same first language (often referred to as L1). That focus matters because the activity is meant to operate in targeted districts where using the same local language alongside Portuguese can make reading and math instruction more effective and easier for students to understand. Rather than starting from scratch, the effort will build on existing USAID-supported Early Grade Reading (EGR) materials. In practice, this means the activity is expected to leverage materials that have already been developed, tested, or distributed through prior USAID support, and then use them as a platform for continued improvements in teaching and learning.

In addition to the grade 4 to 6 focus, the opportunity includes a remedial component for earlier grades. It will deliver remedial reading and mathematics support to students in grades 1 to 3, recognizing that gaps in foundational literacy and numeracy often carry forward and limit later achievement. By addressing learning shortfalls early while simultaneously improving instruction in later primary grades, the activity aims to strengthen the full learning progression, not just a single grade band.

The award is structured as a Cooperative Agreement, which typically indicates substantial engagement between the funder and the recipient during implementation, such as collaboration on technical direction, monitoring approaches, or coordination with government counterparts. The opportunity is administered by USAID in Maputo, Mozambique, and is listed as an education activity under CFDA number 98.001. Eligibility is unrestricted, meaning a wide range of organizations may apply, depending on the detailed requirements in the full notice.

Key funding details include an opportunity number of 72065621RFA00012, an original closing date of November 8, 2021, and an award ceiling of $60,000,000. The notice was created on August 27, 2021. Overall, the activity is positioned as both a scale-and-improve effort, consolidating results from prior USAID technical, professional, and material assistance while pushing for stronger bilingual instruction and better learning outcomes in reading and math across the targeted provinces and grades.

• The Mozambique USAID-Maputo in the education sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Improved Learning Outcomes in Primary Education (SABER) activity" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 98.001.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2021-08-27.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2021-11-08. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $60,000,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted.

Apply for 72065621RFA00012

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