Quality Instruction Towards Access and Basic Education Improvement: Sixth Quarterly Report | January – March 2016

The program aimed to improve reading outcomes for primary level public school students, expand access to safe and relevant education for vulnerable public school students, and strengthen management capacity in the education system. Component 1 of the program focused on improving reading outcomes for primary level public school students. This was achieved through several elements, including the institution of an early grade assessment to evaluate the reading skills of young children, policy level workshops with the Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MEHE) to develop policies for reading and monitoring progress, and assessments of public school teachers' knowledge of reading instruction. An early warning system was also established to identify students at risk of not meeting reading standards. Component 2 of the program aimed to expand access to safe and relevant education for vulnerable public school students. This was achieved through several elements, including developing a response strategy based on ongoing monitoring, providing amenities and equipment to crisis-affected schools, professional development for teachers and other school-based personnel, and addressing barriers to schooling for vulnerable students such as costs, transportation, and safety. Component 3 of the program focused on strengthening management capacity in the education system. This was achieved through several elements, including supporting the relevant departments within MEHE to develop policies and guidelines that support reforms, identifying cost-effective models for expanding access and ensuring persistence in school for vulnerable Lebanese and Syrian students, and strengthened data collection, monitoring, management, and use of data for informed decision-making. The program also included a monitoring and evaluation plan, which involved regular meetings with MEHE and USAID, data collection and verification, and monitoring visits. The program's financial management and operations were also closely monitored, with regular reports submitted to USAID. The QITABI program faced several challenges and constraints, including limited resources, lack of coordination between stakeholders, and limited capacity within MEHE. However, the program's responses to these challenges included developing a response strategy, providing training and support to teachers and school administrators, and strengthening data collection and monitoring. The program's results were significant, with improvements in reading outcomes for primary level public school students, increased access to safe and relevant education for vulnerable public school students, and strengthened management capacity in the education system. The program's impact was also evident in the increased use of data for informed decision-making, improved coordination between stakeholders, and enhanced capacity within MEHE. The QITABI program's scope of work for the next quarter (April-June 2016) included several key activities, including the implementation of the early warning system, the provision of training and support to teachers and school administrators, and the strengthening of data collection and monitoring. The program's results table provided a summary of the program's achievements, including the number of students assessed, the number of teachers trained, and the number of schools supported. The QITABI program's annexes provided additional information on the program's activities, including meetings with MEHE and CERD, detailed lists of correspondences with MEHE, and reference documents on barriers to education. The program's tables and figures provided a summary of the program's data, including the distribution of assessed Arabic language teachers, the number of QITABI TLMs distributed, and the total number of books purchased for 260 public schools by grade.