SCA Protocols for Early Grade Reading Materials

This framework aims to provide country-specific information about the book supply chain, including current practices, strengths, and challenges, to inform the design of initiatives to improve the function of the book chain. The analysis is intended to be conducted prior to implementation of country-level interventions and/or policies that aim to address book chain challenges. The framework employs the use of secondary research/data collection and key informant interviews to answer the questions laid out in the framework. Key participants to be consulted include members of Ministries, Publishers, Authors/Illustrators, printers, distributors, school leaders, teachers, students, parents, community members, regional/district leaders, donors, NGOs, and implementing partners. The book supply chain is divided into several phases, including Planning/Forecasting, Title Development, Publishing and Printing, Procurement and Purchasing, Distribution Management, and Active Use. Planning/Forecasting involves assessing need and demand for books and arranging for financial and material resources to meet that demand. Title Development refers to the creation of texts and books intended to support acquisition of reading skills in languages children use and understand. Publishing and Printing encompasses the contracting of authors, title development, and the manufacturing process of transforming final PDFs into printed, bound books. Procurement and Purchasing involves the acquisition of books and texts to support reading acquisition, with the government often being the largest procurer of books. Distribution Management encompasses the organization, oversight, and activities involved in moving books from the point of origination to the point where learners access them. Active Use refers to the effective use of books by learners, their teachers, and children's family members and caregivers. Factors that impact book use, both in and outside of school, are essential considerations in analyzing the book chain. Evidence has shown that teachers and families often do not know of the importance of reading practice and how to support it effectively. The research process involves several stages, including Secondary/Desk Research, Stakeholder Interviews, and Additional Primary Research based on stakeholder interviews. The framework provides guidance for each stage of the SCA, from planning to final report writing. The planning stage involves meetings with USAID Mission staff to clarify expectations, obtain a landscape analysis, and begin to identify documents to be collected during desk research stage. During these meetings, it is essential to ascertain the overall book provision system, the current state of early grade reading teaching and materials development in the country, and the main challenges in getting books to children in the country. The framework also emphasizes the importance of understanding the political situation with the Ministry of Education, the linguistic situation in the country, and the donors and NGOs working in the sector.