Project assistance completion report (PACR) : private sector education initiative project (520-0364)

The project did not develop in the way planned. In the first phase of implementation (1987-88), the coverage and impact of PEBI services (weekly newspapers and other reading materials) were low. Not only were rural adults unable to afford the newspaper, but, due to CONALFA's slow start-up, the post-literacy training model itself proved inapplicable because of high illiteracy levels in the areas selected for project implementation. As a result, AAP added literacy training to PEBI, which now includes specific strategies to respond to the literacy deficiencies of a range of persons. PEBI has now been institutionalized in AAP and has attained self-sufficiency thanks to the fundraising efforts of the Board of Directors. The program includes a system for periodic validation and revision of educational materials, as well as a permanent system for training staff in materials design, promotor training, newspaper design and promotion, and merchandising. PEBI has gained national recognition, and more than 30 NGOs now use PEBI materials in their literacy programs. The most important output of the project was a Governmental Agreement by which the Ministry of Education grants elementary third grade certificates to graduates of PEBI and similar NGO programs. On the negative side, PEBI suffers from several management weaknesses, particularly in the area of budgeting and financial management; professional TA is needed. Since AAP's historic role is to facilitate rather than implement training programs, PEBI should now be institutionalized within its own NGO and have a Board of Directors composed of both AAP private sector members and development professionals. The following lessons were learned. (1) While the project's rationale of developing a private-sector led, post-literacy training program in conjunction with CONALFA was sound, the project suffered from several design problems. Because it was not designed in accordance with the usual A.I.D. sequence (concept paper, PID, and Project Paper), it lacked detailed analyses, being in fact modeled after the successful Colombian Cultural Action program (ACPO) without adaptation to the Guatemalan situation. (2) PEBI tried to encourage farm owners to purchase literacy packages for their workers as a way of fulfilling their requirements under the 1986 Literacy Law. However, when the farm owners realized the Literacy Law would not be applied, most abandoned the program.