Georgia Primary Education Project Monthly Report April 1-30, 2015

The project's primary objective is to enhance community and public engagement, accountability, and transparency in these schools. The project is implemented by Chemonics International Inc. in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia, with funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The project's main activities in April 2015 focused on promoting professional development of math and reading teachers. G-PriEd national trainers conducted 56 school visits to observe 113 Georgian language and 108 math teachers, as well as 55 teacher learning circle (TLC) meetings. The trainers provided constructive feedback on the teachers' practices, and school principals accompanied the trainers during classroom and TLC observations. Involving principals in the teacher evaluation process promotes principals as instructional leaders in their schools. G-PriEd also accepted applications from schools interested in becoming part of the expansion program. A total of 520 schools applied, and after an initial review, 455 applications were deemed complete. G-PriEd sent letters to 65 schools indicating deficiencies in their applications and encouraging them to submit additional information. After receiving additional information, G-PriEd determined 475 school applications to be complete, but considers 12 dual-language schools as two distinct schools, resulting in a total of 463 campuses. The project will finalize the list of expansion schools in the first week of May and conduct orientation meetings with the schools' principals to discuss G-PriEd's program and answer questions. The project's geographic focus is on the regions of Abkhazia, Adjara, Guria, Tbilisi, Imereti, Kakheti, Mtskheta-Mtianeti, Racha-Lechkhumi & Kvemo Svaneti, Samegrelo & Zemo Svaneti, Samtskhe-Javakheti, Kvemo Kartli, and Shida Kartli. The project's activities are expected to have a positive impact on the education sector in Georgia, particularly in the areas of reading and math instruction. In May 2015, G-PriEd plans to continue more school visits, with math and reading trainers visiting 115 schools to observe approximately 450 teachers. The project will also finalize films on Classroom Observation and Constructive Feedback, conduct conferences for approximately 463 principals of expansion schools, and begin the parental engagement public awareness campaign. Additionally, G-PriEd will continue to work on the G-PriEd Portal and finalize the technical description of the E-training zone of the Portal.