FY2018 Quarter 3 Progress Report: Early Grade Reading and Mathematics Initiative

The program is a nationwide effort designed to work with the Ministry of Education to develop and distribute improved learning materials, train teachers and administrators, promote community participation, and support nationwide adoption of early grade reading and mathematics policies. RAMP is a 5-year project that aims to deliver improved reading and mathematics instruction to all public-school students in Jordan in grades K2-G3, approximately 333,500 students. The program is part of the Ministry of Education's national initiative to improve early grade reading and mathematics and to integrate gender, disability, and refugee issues as cross-cutting themes. The initiative is being implemented by RTI International and its partners through Cooperative Agreement No. AID-278-A-15-00003. RAMP will capitalize on contributions and successes of other USAID projects in Jordan, including the Education Data for Decision Making (EdData II) and the Cultivating Inclusive and Supportive Learning Environments (CISLE) in Jordan's Schools project. The program's key interventions include developing and distributing improved learning materials, training teachers and administrators, promoting community participation, and supporting nationwide adoption of early grade reading and mathematics policies. RAMP will work closely with the Monitoring and Evaluation Support Project (MESP) in establishing its monitoring and evaluation plan and system. In the period from April to June 2018, RAMP made significant progress in implementing its work plan activities. The initiative's Intermediate Results (IRs) include improved early grade reading and mathematics learning materials integrated into every K2-G3 classroom in Jordan, teachers and administrators better equipped to provide effective reading and mathematics instruction, communities participating in reading and mathematics education for all children, and the Ministry of Education institutionalizing early grade reading and mathematics policies. RAMP's progress in the quarter was marked by the completion of several key activities, including the development and distribution of improved learning materials, the training of teachers and administrators, and the promotion of community participation in reading and mathematics education. The initiative also made significant progress in establishing its monitoring and evaluation system, which will enable it to track its progress and make data-driven decisions. The program's achievements in the quarter include the training of over 2,500 teachers and administrators, the establishment of community reading groups in 15 communities, and the completion of monitoring visits to 20 schools. RAMP also made significant progress in promoting community participation in reading and mathematics education, with over 1,000 community members participating in training and awareness-raising activities. Looking ahead, RAMP anticipates several key activities in the next quarter, including the continuation of teacher training and community mobilization, the establishment of a monitoring and evaluation system, and the promotion of community participation in reading and mathematics education. The initiative will also continue to work closely with the Ministry of Education and other stakeholders to ensure the successful implementation of its activities and the achievement of its goals.