Literacy training

Evaluation covers the period 7/79-11/80 and is based a site visit and on interviews with project personnel. The GOS Regional Ministry of Rural Education (RMOE) and the Summer Institute of Linguistics (SIL), operating through the Institute of Regional Languages (IRL), have made considerable progress toward achieving the project purpose. It should be noted, however, that the original project design was modified to emphasize a redefined, narrower, and more realistic project purpose and to take into account the 3-year lead time needed to develop the literacy materials. Programs are well underway in four of eight languages, work in the four other languages has begun, and preparation of English and Arabic bridge materials is progressing. Only 1,000 students (versus a targeted 6,000) are in programs which use the materials since materials have not yet been reproduced for wider usage. Although there are no plans for post-project operation of the IRL, Sudanese counterparts are administering the IRL, plans have been made to establish an applied linguistics program at the University of Juba (the dormitory is finished but other facilities are not), and preparations for the IRL principal"s M.A. training are nearly complete. In addition, 16 of 24 planned language officers and literacy writers have been trained, but neither of two scheduled workshops have been held. The project taught that evaluation is an important arena for articulating and examining the broader issues within a project. It is recommended that: (1) the project be extended and given added funding (for staff housing); (2) the IRL"s role in adult literacy be identified; (3) the position paper on the introduction of materials be presented on schedule; (4) long-range plans for IRL development be drawn; (5) the need for paper be determined; (6) the GOS plan how to distribute printed materials; (7) shared responsibility agreements be drafted between the IRL and the Curriculum Development Center; and (8) proposals for teacher training be completed.