In many countries, we see large, over-crowded classrooms in grade 1 that result in lower quality instruction. What causes this over-crowding? In many cases, it’s under-reported student repetition and that it leads to more drop-outs and lower primary school completion rates. This means that governments are investing in more years of schooling for lower quality outcomes.
Tablet programs are extremely popular among beneficiaries. And we get it. When a grant opportunity came up to provide tablets and training to Coordinating Center Tutors (CCTs)[1], the USAID/Uganda School Health and Reading Program jumped. We had been working with CCTs since 2013 and had a strong process in place involving literacy-focused classroom observation tools and a system of joint support supervision designed to build capacity of the CCTs while supporting teachers at the schools.
This interview series, featuring 9 RTI experts, highlights the breadth and depth of our early childhood development and education work. Contributions include first-of-their-kind assessments of child development in low- and middle- income countries (LMIC), theoretical and empirical analyses of early years investments by governments, and large-scale preprimary interventions improving learning outcomes for over 100,000 children.
Read Liberia is a five-year early-grades literacy project funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). RTI International is lead implementer of the project in partnership with the Liberian Ministry of Education. This article highlights how informed, comprehensive program design can support implementation of evidence-based practices to improve instruction in challenging contexts.
Many of our daily decisions are informed by the information we gather from established instruments. If we hear that the barometer is showing a drop in the air pressure, we can plan for changes in the weather. When we read that GDP (gross domestic product) has been on a steady rise, it gives us financial confidence. And when we see a normal blood pressure reading, that is one indicator that our health is on the right track. These three instruments help to predict what might happen next in domains that affect us all--the economy, the weather, and health.
