Georgia Primary Education Project Monthly Report May 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 main goal is to enhance the quality of primary education in Georgia, with a focus on reading and math skills. In May 2016, the project continued to make progress in various areas. The G-PriEd Portal, a key component of the project, recorded 10,031 users, with the highest number of users in a single day being 1,512. The portal was used to upload materials, revise branded materials, and collect statistics. The portal's FAQ section was maintained to support schools in its use and facilitate efficient use of e-sessions. Moderated forum discussions were also conducted, with 668 registered users, including 154 principals, 171 teachers, and 342 TLC facilitators. The project's quality control measures included developing a master database template for aggregation of data on activities by teachers and TLC facilitators. A questionnaire was prepared and distributed to schools about parental engagement activities. The deadline for submitting feedback was June 10. School visits and classroom observations were conducted, with 290 visits to expansion schools and 10 visits to minority pilot schools. Training delivery was also a key aspect of the project in May 2016. Two one-day TOTs were delivered to cohorts of reading trainers and math trainers, preparing them for the delivery of a one-day refreshers session to reading and math TLC facilitators. The project sustained the Portal-based electronic training in Georgian pilot schools, with TLC facilitators from 75 schools facilitating 302 e-sessions in reading and 388 e-sessions in math. TLC activities continued to be implemented, with 926 TLC facilitators from expansion schools reporting on 5,012 TLC activities conducted at their schools during the period from November 2015 through May 2016. The activities included model lessons, lesson study, case study, data analysis, peer observation, and parental engagement. School principal activities also continued, with 452 principals from expansion schools submitting a Portal-based report on school-based teacher evaluation and classroom observation. The project also made progress in the area of training materials, with the finalization and uploading of two e-sessions in math and the editing and uploading of three e-sessions in reading. A training program and training materials were developed for one-day TOTs in preparation for TLC facilitators in math and reading. The project also translated TLC training materials into Azeri, Russian, and Armenian languages. In addition to these activities, the project continued to illustrate, format, and upload supplementary leveled readers to the Portal. Math manipulatives were received and started to be distributed to expansion schools. The project also printed and started to distribute the eighth issue of the Students' newspaper "Read Time" for grades 3-4 and 5-6. Four multi-media books and 13 audio-books were finalized and uploaded onto the Portal. The project also developed the final draft of the "story-generator" software application for students and launched the second online learning project "Excursions and Hiking." The project's parental engagement activities included preparing recommendations/presentation for parents on the topic "How to support your child's literacy development during summer holidays." The project also continued to provide assistance and coaching to TLC facilitators in conducting G-PriEd reading competition with parent participation. New "Read aloud for 15 minutes" materials were prepared and sent to all schools for sharing with parents. The project's business skills program (BSPE) continued to make progress, with a joint event held on May 30 to highlight private sector partnership within the business skills program and sign an MOU on current and future collaboration within the business skills program. The event was broadcasted by several media outlets. The project also continued delivery of the business skills programs in 39 pilot schools, completed observations of business skills lessons for all participating head teachers, and finalized the animated movie premier agenda and initiated the business skills competition "What is your business Idea?" among 5-6 graders in pilot schools. The project's cooperation with the Ministry of Education and Science (MES) included negotiating with the vendor for replacement of units of operational memory to support the Portal server. The replacement units were expected to arrive in June. The project also participated in the presentation of the textbook for primary grade students with hearing disorders, developed within the frame of USAID-funded project and implemented by a local NGO "Child, Family, Society." The project also participated in the International Book Fair on May 26-29 at EXPO Georgia exhibition center and had an opportunity to participate in several TV programs.