Enhancing and Advancing Basic Learning and Education in Bosnia and Herzegovina - ENABLE BIH Quarterly Narrative Report

The project began in September 2016 and is scheduled to end in September 2020. The overall purpose of the project is to contribute to the improvement of learning outcomes in primary and general secondary education in BiH. The project is implemented by Save the Children in North West Balkans (SCiNWB) with funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The project focuses on rolling out a STEM program in 12 selected model schools in four geographic areas: Sarajevo Canton, Herzegovina-Neretva Canton, Republic of Srpska, and Brcko District. The project aims to model STEM implementation, translate STEM teaching into classrooms, better link pre-service and in-service education, improve STEM-PPDM education across all levels, and bridge the gap between education and the growing STEM industry and labor market. The project team submitted two Activity Risk Mitigation Plans to USAID detailing how the COVID-19 crisis affected the implementation and what mitigation measures were being put in place to ensure the project's continuity. Regular contacts were maintained with the model schools to follow up on the feasibility of implementing STEM integrated approach in online teaching. Despite initial agreements and capacity building actions for the representatives of the Pedagogical Institutes, the integration of STEM in regular teaching in some schools was not feasible in the reporting period due to the COVID-19 crisis. The project team continued with technical and consultative working sessions with the model schools throughout the reporting period, offering additional capacity building support for online teaching or encouraging implementation of STEM-related projects. The COVID-19 crisis also facilitated cooperation between STEM universities and STEM model schools, along with STEM private sector, resulting in a timely response to address the gap in protective equipment for front line medical staff and other front line workers. The project team received approval from the competent education authorities to conduct the internal evaluation of the project in online mode and initiated this process with 7 model schools. The project also supports USAID's external impact analysis aimed at examining the results of the ENABLE-BIH project and the effects of the STEM program in schools on students. The project's geographic focus is on Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a specific emphasis on four geographic areas: Sarajevo Canton, Herzegovina-Neretva Canton, Republic of Srpska, and Brcko District. The project's implementation details include rolling out a STEM program in 12 selected model schools, conducting technical and consultative working sessions with the model schools, and providing capacity building support for online teaching. The project's timeframes are from September 2016 to September 2020, with a focus on the academic year 2019/2020. The project's recommendations include continuing to support the implementation of STEM programs in schools, providing capacity building support for online teaching, and facilitating cooperation between STEM universities and STEM model schools.