Georgia Primary Education Project Monthly Report April 1-30, 2016

The project began in 2015 and is implemented by Chemonics International Inc. in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia. The project's primary goal is to enhance the quality of primary education in Georgia, with a focus on reading and math skills. Implementation of the project involves several key interventions, including the development and dissemination of instructional materials, teacher training, and the establishment of a portal-based platform for teacher learning and collaboration. The portal, known as G-PriEd, provides a range of resources and tools for teachers, including e-sessions, instructional materials, and a platform for sharing best practices. In April 2016, the project continued to make progress in several key areas. On the G-PriEd portal, 12,349 users were recorded, with the highest number of users in a single day being 2,323. The portal also saw an increase in the number of e-sessions conducted, with 325 e-sessions in reading and 462 e-sessions in math. The project also continued to deliver training to teachers, with a focus on math and reading skills. In April, 117 math teachers from expansion ethnic minority schools received training, and 76 GSL teachers from expansion ethnic minority schools also received training. Additionally, 97 math teachers from pilot ethnic minority schools received training, and 54 GSL teachers from pilot ethnic minority schools received training. The project also continued to conduct school visits and classroom observations, with reading and math trainers visiting 260 expansion schools and 8 minority pilot schools. The trainers observed 542 reading teachers and 95 TLC facilitators, as well as 640 math teachers and 88 TLC facilitators. In terms of parental engagement, the project continued to develop and distribute instructional resources, including supplementary leveled readers and activity cards. The project also developed a "story-generator" application for students and completed the distribution of Teacher Resource Books to 116 target schools. The project also continued to cooperate with the Ministry of Education and Science, including a joint USAID/MES visit to Tbilisi School #64 to observe a BSPE and a reading class. The MES also supported a G-PriEd/Sakpatenti initiative for International Intellectual Property Day, aimed at increasing students' understanding of and adherence to copyright laws. Overall, the Georgia Primary Education Project continued to make progress in April 2016, with a focus on improving primary education in Georgia through the development and dissemination of instructional materials, teacher training, and parental engagement.