USAID Mali/SIRA (Selective Integrated Reading Activity) Quarterly Report

The project began on February 8, 2016, and is set to end on September 30, 2022. The project is implemented by Education Development Center (EDC) in partnership with Oeuvre Malienne d'Aide à l'Enfance du Sahel (OMAES). The project's geographic focus is on the administrative regions of Koulikoro, Ségou, Sikasso, and the District of Bamako in Mali. The project's main objective is to improve classroom early grade reading instruction, service delivery systems in early grade reading, and parent, community, and private support for early grade reading. To achieve this, the project focuses on three intermediate result areas: Classroom Early Grade Reading Instruction Improved, Service delivery systems in early grade reading improved, and Parent, community and private support for early grade reading improved. In the quarter covering October 2021 to December 2021, the project continued to address challenges related to the pandemic and lingering security and political instability. The team finalized an eleven-month extension for the project through September 2022. Despite the challenges, activities took place, including the start of the 2021-2022 school year on November 1, 2021. SIRA's pedagogy supervisors followed up with CAPs and schools in their zones to ensure a smooth start to the school year. Training for Coordinating Directors took place, enabling them to better facilitate cluster meetings. The institutional component continued to monitor the progress of the implementation of the technical steering committee for the SIG-FC. The community participation component focused on relaunching field activities, including general assemblies, literacy games, and home visits in support of early grade reading. A survey was conducted to assess the effectiveness of community participation activities since the new school year started. In terms of achievements, the quarter saw significant progress in all three intermediate result areas. For Intermediate Result 1, Classroom Early Grade Reading Instruction Improved, the project prepared for training of Grades One and Two teachers, developed tailored trainings for teachers who had never been trained by SIRA or were teaching multi-grade classes, and implemented cluster meetings. For Intermediate Result 2, Service delivery systems in early grade reading improved, the project finalized and disseminated the Endline EGRA evaluation report, including analysis of gender aspects, teacher skills, and testing approach. For Intermediate Result 3, Parent, community and private support for early grade reading improved, the project focused on relaunching field activities and conducting a survey to assess the effectiveness of community participation activities. The project's achievements in the quarter demonstrate its commitment to improving early grade reading instruction in Mali. Despite the challenges faced, the project continues to make progress towards its objectives, and its activities are expected to have a positive impact on the education sector in Mali.