Quarterly Report: Reading for Ethiopia’s Achievement Developed Technical Assistance (READ TA) Project

Initiated in October 2012, the project is funded by the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and implemented by RTI International in collaboration with six other implementing partners, including Save the Children International, Florida State University, and Whiz Kids Workshop. The project aims to achieve four intermediate results: developing reading and writing materials for primary classrooms and teacher training, applying language-specific teaching methodologies, supporting language teaching with technology and teaching aids, and providing technical assistance to the Ministry of Education and Regional State Education Bureaus for institutional improvement. Additionally, READ TA addresses three crosscutting themes: gender and inclusion, capacity building, and information and communications technology. READ TA operates nationwide, with project offices in Amhara, Tigray, Oromia, Ethio-Somali, and Southern Nations Nationalities and Peoples' Region. The project coordinates activities from its central office in Addis Ababa and works closely with the Ministry of Education and Regional State Education Bureaus to achieve its objectives. The project's implementation is divided into several components, including the development of reading and writing materials, teacher training, and the use of technology to support language teaching. READ TA also provides technical assistance to the Ministry of Education and Regional State Education Bureaus to support institutional improvement and capacity building. In the reporting period from January 1 to March 31, 2016, READ TA made significant progress in achieving its intermediate results. The project developed and disseminated reading and writing materials for primary classrooms and teacher training, and implemented language-specific teaching methodologies in several regions. READ TA also supported the use of technology to enhance language teaching and learning, and provided technical assistance to the Ministry of Education and Regional State Education Bureaus to support institutional improvement. The project's progress was monitored and evaluated through regular meetings with stakeholders, including the Ministry of Education and Regional State Education Bureaus, and through the use of performance indicators to measure progress towards achieving the intermediate results. The project's achievements were also recognized through the implementation of several successful activities, including the development of a new reading curriculum and the training of thousands of teachers in language-specific teaching methodologies. Overall, READ TA has made significant progress in improving the reading and writing performance of primary students in Ethiopia, and has contributed to the development of a more inclusive and equitable education system. The project's achievements demonstrate the importance of investing in education and the potential for education to drive economic growth and social development.