BASIC RURAL EDUCATION PROJECT IN GUATEMALA : PROJECT SUMMARY AND 1979 ACTIVITIES

EVALUATION IS BASED IN PART ON MONTHLY AND ANNUAL REPORTS BY PROJECT GROUPS. PROJECT IS NOW OPERATIVE IN 5 DEPARTMENTS AND 125 LOCAL COMMUNITIES, WITH EXTENSION ACTIVITIES IN 500 OTHER COMMUNITIES. SOME 8,000 INDIVIDUALS HAVE PARTICIPATED. EXPANSION WAS HELPED BY THE ASSUMPTION OF REGIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES BY THE SECRETARIAT COORDINATION (SC) OF THE JUNTA NACIONAL DE EDUCACION EXTRAESCOLAR. ABOUT 250 PROMOTERS ARE NOW ACTIVE IN IDENTIFYING AND ASSESSING THE NEEDS OF TARGET COMMUNITIES AND IN CARRYING OUT COMMUNITY LEARNING PROGRAMS. IN-SERVICE TRAINING OF PROMOTERS IN 1979 INCLUDED WORKSHOPS IN AUDIO-VISUAL USE, METHODOLOGY, EDUCATIONAL TRANSFER, AND CASE STUDY. CREATIVITY WORKSHOPS WERE ALSO HELD TO DEVELOP PROMOTERS" SKILLS IN PRODUCING THEIR OWN MATERIALS. A GUIDE BOOK FOR PROMOTERS WAS OBTAINED. A SYSTEM WAS DESIGNED TO INCLUDE COMMUNITY FEEDBACK IN THE PRODUCTION OF CURRICULA AND THE PREPARATION, TESTING, AND DELIVERY OF EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS. LEARNING MODULES WERE DEVELOPED IN LITERACY AND BASIC MATH, HOME ECONOMICS, AGRICULTURE, HEALTH, COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION, AND OTHER SUBJECT AREAS. ALL MODULES INCLUDE A PAMPHLET/BOOKLET, A RADIO PROGRAM (THESE LATTER CONTINUE ONLY IN SAN MARCOS AND QUETZALTENANGO), AUDIO-VISUAL, CASSETTE, AND OTHER MATERIALS. MATERIALS ARE PRODUCED AT THE NOW COMPLETED AUDIO-VISUAL PRODUCTION UNIT AND PRINTING PRESS FACILITIES. IMAGINATIVE MATERIALS, SUCH AS GAMES, SIMULATION, AND DRAMA, WERE DEVELOPED. ALMOST 600 PARA-PROFESSIONAL COMMUNITY LEADERS HAVE BEEN TRAINED TO LEAD COMMUNITY ACTION PROGRAMS IN CONJUNCTION WITH PROMOTERS, GOC AGENCIES, AND PRIVATE GROUPS. ALL COMMUNITIES HAD BEGUN SOME ACTION PROGRAM BY THE END OF 1979. MAJOR ACTIVITIES INCLUDED PARTICIPATION IN NATIONWIDE REFORESTATION AND VACCINATION PROGRAMS. A PROJECT IMPACT STUDY WAS BEGUN BY SC AND WILL BE AVAILALBE 2/80. APPENDIX A (PP. 46-49) LISTS KEY PROJECT DOCUMENTATION. APPENDIX B (PP . 50-58 REVIEWS THE METHODOLOYY OF SC"S IMPACT STUDY.