Uzbekistan Youth Employment Skills Activity Annual Performance Report FY23 Quarter 1: October 2022 – December 2022

Launched in January 2022, the five-year, $10 million activity is implemented by a consortium of partners, including American Councils for International Education as the lead organization, World Learning, Tech4Impact (StartUp Factory), Sharoit Plus, and Ergo Analytics. The activity focuses on improving the quality of school-based economics and entrepreneurship programs, as well as after-school entrepreneurship, soft skills, and work readiness programs. The activity has three main objectives: improving the quality of school-based economics and entrepreneurship programs, improving the quality of after-school entrepreneurship, soft skills, and work readiness programs, and strengthening the enabling environment to support and engage youth. To achieve these objectives, the activity will partner with the Ministry of Preschool and School Education of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the private sector, and local government and community groups. The activity will update the curricula and teaching and learning materials used for Grades 8-11 entrepreneurship and economics instruction, with a focus on integrating students with disabilities into mainstream schools. The revised curricula will be tested in schools in the target pilot region in a randomized control trial. Additionally, the activity will strengthen its partnership with the Ministry of Preschool and School Education and private sector stakeholders to improve the quality of after-school entrepreneurship, soft skills, and work readiness programs. The activity will also focus on building attitudes and corresponding behaviors conducive to youth, women, and girls, and people with disabilities entering the workforce. This will involve targeting and supporting behavior change in four groups in the target pilot region: youth participants (Grades 8-11), parents, teachers/mentors, and employers. The activity will also engage the private sector to forge sustainable relationships and mechanisms for communication between the Ministry of Preschool and School Education and private sector actors, and to enact policy or procedural-level change through targeted involvement with government. The activity began on January 3, 2022, and the period of performance is scheduled for five years, ending on December 31, 2026. The activity is funded by USAID and aims to equip youth in Grades 8-11 with the necessary skills to enter Uzbekistan's economy as competent employees or entrepreneurs. Key accomplishments during the first quarter of FY23 include the launch of the activity, the establishment of partnerships with the Ministry of Preschool and School Education and private sector stakeholders, and the development of curricula and teaching and learning materials for Grades 8-11 entrepreneurship and economics instruction. The activity also conducted focus-group discussions and surveys to gather feedback from stakeholders and to assess the needs of youth in the target pilot region. The activity has made significant progress in the first quarter of FY23, and it is expected to continue making progress in the coming quarters. The activity will continue to focus on improving the quality of school-based economics and entrepreneurship programs, after-school entrepreneurship, soft skills, and work readiness programs, and the enabling environment to support and engage youth. The activity has a strong partnership with the Ministry of Preschool and School Education and private sector stakeholders, and it has made significant progress in developing curricula and teaching and learning materials for Grades 8-11 entrepreneurship and economics instruction. The activity has also conducted focus-group discussions and surveys to gather feedback from stakeholders and to assess the needs of youth in the target pilot region. The activity's progress will be closely monitored and evaluated to ensure that it is meeting its objectives and making a positive impact on youth in Uzbekistan. The activity will continue to work closely with stakeholders to ensure that it is meeting the needs of youth and to make adjustments as necessary to ensure the success of the activity. The activity's success will be measured by its ability to improve the quality of school-based economics and entrepreneurship programs, after-school entrepreneurship, soft skills, and work readiness programs, and the enabling environment to support and engage youth. The activity will also be evaluated on its ability to increase youth work readiness and employability in Uzbekistan.