USAID/Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Quarterly Report (October 1–December 31, 2020)

The project's objective is to improve the reading skills of 1.3 million learners. The project results framework is centered around two main results: Result 1 (R1) focuses on strengthening the capacity of the Ministry of Education and Sports (MoES) to deliver early grade reading (EGR), while Result 2 (R2) focuses on improving retention in the primary grades by promoting positive and supportive school climates and preventing school-related gender-based violence (SRGBV). The project's results framework is illustrated in Figure 1, which highlights the project's emphasis on systemic capacity building of the education system, school-level support, and community- and household-level support and participation. The project works in 43 districts and 3,745 schools, with a focus on gender-based violence (GBV) and HIV and AIDS prevention for priority populations, including adolescent girls and young women and orphans and vulnerable children (OVC). The project's main activities include training teachers and instructional leaders about EGR methodology, providing classroom pedagogical and instructional material support, and conducting Early Grade Reading Assessments (EGRAs). Additionally, the project focuses on training school staff, community members, and pupils to prevent violence and strengthen the recognition, response, reporting, and referral processes. The project's results framework is structured around intermediate results (IRs), which are further broken down into specific activities and indicators. IR 1.1 focuses on improved planning and management of EGR, while IR 1.2 focuses on improved reading instruction in P1 to P4 classrooms. IR 1.3 focuses on increased community- and household-level involvement in promoting literacy attainment. IR 2.1 focuses on strengthening the capacity of the education system to implement SRGBV-related policies, while IR 2.2 focuses on schools strengthened to provide a positive and supportive school climate for learning. The project's implementation is supported by a team of partners, including World Vision, Bantwana/World Education, Inc., Development Links Consult, and others. The project's budget is managed through a system of subawards and subcontractors, with a total budget of $345,137 allocated to World Vision and $300,195 allocated to Bantwana/World Education, Inc. The project's monitoring and evaluation (M&E) framework is designed to track progress towards the project's objectives and results. The framework includes a range of indicators, including the number of teachers trained, the number of classrooms supported, and the number of pupils assessed. The project's M&E framework also includes a system of data collection and analysis, which is used to inform project decisions and adjust the project's implementation as needed. The project's quarterly report for October 1 to December 31, 2020, provides an update on the project's progress towards its objectives and results. The report highlights the project's achievements in the areas of EGR, SRGBV, and community- and household-level support and participation. The report also provides an overview of the project's budget and financial management, as well as its M&E framework and data collection and analysis systems.