FY 2023, Quarter II Report: USAID Learn Together Activity

The program focuses on three key components: Improved Instruction and Availability of Supplemental Materials Related to Reading Subjects, Improved Instruction and Availability of Supplemental Math Materials, and Increased Government Capacity to Develop and Implement Cohesive Primary Education Policies and Programs. During the reporting period, January to March 2023, LTA successfully planned, coordinated, and jointly implemented activities with the Ministry of Education and Science (MoES) and its affiliates. The program aimed to obtain feedback that would shape the national rollout of in-service and pre-service teacher training programs. This included working with ministry officials to analyze data from the baseline assessment, preparing school leaders to support teachers in employing improved teaching approaches, testing the updated national standards and curriculum in classrooms, and piloting the teacher training program in schools nationwide. LTA held a dissemination workshop on Early Grade Reading Assessment (EGRA), Early Grade Mathematics Assessment (EGMA), and Social Emotional Learning (SEL) baseline results to MoES. The workshop presented data and identified gaps in students' reading, math, and social-emotional skills. LTA facilitated completing an evidence-based plan to address the identified gaps and submitted it to MoES for consideration and action. LTA and MoES conducted seminars in Dushanbe, the Districts of Republican Subordination (DRS), Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast (GBAO), and Sughd for more than 160 leadership staff from regional and district education affiliates. The seminars reviewed and discussed the 12 revised subject standards for primary education, ongoing field testing of the standards in schools, and professional development approaches for school directors and teachers. LTA continued the pilot of the teachers' training program in 400 schools nationwide, focusing on two teaching techniques that empower participants to apply them in their classrooms and reflect on how they can improve their teaching effectiveness. The program worked closely with RITTI, TTIs, and REDs to address teachers' participation challenges and ensure regular monitoring of the trainings by school management. During Quarter 2, LTA held three-day seminars with 114 higher education institution (HEI) management and faculty members from 22 pedagogical universities and colleges. Participants reviewed USAID and MoES pre-service educational and methodological materials and provided valuable feedback and recommendations for LTA's pre-service materials. LTA and RITTI continued pilot teacher training using the blended learning approach in 400 schools, completing two stages of teacher training pilot data collection. An average of 4,151 teachers participated in training sessions, and about 253 future CBMU-level trainers were enrolled in the training program. LTA designed the school directors' training program and materials and trained 275 pilot school directors in four regions. The program also printed and disseminated 1,550 copies of children's books in braille and 9,200 copies of children's books in large font for blind and visually impaired children. Additionally, LTA finalized 140 students' learning cards and teachers' instructions for Tajik language and reading for grades 1-4 and submitted them to MoES for review and approval. The program also finalized 20 titles of well-known children's books and submitted them to MoES for review and approval. MoES received feedback from three out of four governmental agencies responsible for reviewing and making recommendations.