Innovation for Improving Early Grade Reading Activity (IIEGRA) Final Report

The project aims to improve the mother tongue early grade reading skills of Bangladeshi students living in low-performing areas. The project has been working since June 2015 and is being implemented in seven Upazilas of Cox's Bazar and Khagrachari district, with a recent extension to 17 districts across the country as part of its phase II. The project has been supporting 225,413 beneficiaries from 445 Government Primary Schools (GPS), 1,000 BRAC Primary Schools (BPS), and 1,000 Community Development Centers (CDC). BRAC Primary Schools (BPS) is a central component of the project, providing 26,542 students with access to quality primary education through 1,000 urban BPS across 17 districts. During the reporting period, 1,000 BPS teachers received refresher training, and students continued their schooling smoothly. Community Development Centers (CDCs) are functioning as development hubs within the community, providing 99,782 members with opportunities to improve their life skills learning through value-based education, education on climate change adaptation, and other contemporary issues. The project has successfully completed GPS, BPS, CDC, and community engagement activities, reaching and involving 225,413 people, including students, parents, teachers, primary education officials, local government, and administration. Refreshers training to Bengali subject teachers of GPS, Reading Enhancement Materials Sharing Workshop, Book Fairs, Student Brigade workshops, and orientation for BPS teachers were conducted during this reporting period. Monitoring sessions were carried out to assess the progress of Bengali reading skills in IIEGRA-supported schools, with tools developed to collect data from 30 Government Primary Schools. The project's goal is to improve the mother tongue early grade reading skills of Bangladeshi students living in low-performing areas. The objective of the project is to create access and improve early grade (I-III) reading skills of students living in selected areas through building the capacity of teachers and School Management Committees (SMCs). The result framework includes three intermediate results: Improved reading instruction, Increased community engagement for early grade reading, and Provided quality primary education to the children of selected urban areas. The project has established a partnership with USAID, BRAC, and other implementing organizations to ensure smooth project activities.