Outline of the Project

Project Name

Project on Improvement of Literacy Education Management in Afghanistan (LEAF2)

Country

Afghanistan

Project Site

Nationwide (Pilot Area: Nangarhar Province, Balkh Province, Kabul Province, Kabul City)

Date R/D signed

February 8, 2010

Term of Cooperation

April 26, 2010~ January 31, 2018

Counterpart

Ministry of Education, Literacy Department

Background

The adult literacy rate of Afghanistan is estimated as low as 34% with a huge gap between male (50%) and female (18%) as well as rural and urban areas. To address this challenge, a number of projects/programs on literacy education have been implemented by the Literacy Department (LD), development partners, NGOs, and other stakeholders. Currently, Literacy Initiative for Empowerment (Literacy Initiative for Empowerment; LIFE) has been promoted by the initiatives of LD and UNESCO to cooperate and coordinate the activities among all the organizations working on literacy education to achieve the national goal mentioned in the National Education Strategic Plan (National Education Strategic Plan; NESP).

The Project for "Support for Expansion and Improvement of Literacy Education in Afghanistan (LEAF)" was implemented from March 2006 to July 2008 under the cooperation of JICA and LD. Through that project, knowledge and skills of LD on data management of literacy courses, material management and supervisors' (called as "monitors" currently) training were enhanced. Also 10,347 learners received the literacy education in Kabul, Balkh and Bamyan Provinces. The terminal evaluation conducted in February 2008 showed that the project purpose was achieved well with a positive impact while the sustainability of the activities was insufficient and a continuous support for LD is highly needed to work effectively under the LIFE framework to achieve the goal.

Therefore, the Government of Afghanistan (GOA) requested the Government of Japan (GOJ) to implement the Project focusing on capacity development of supervisors who are the core element for successful implementation of literacy courses. In response to the request, JICA dispatched the Detailed Planning Survey Team in order to collect necessary information and to discuss the detailed design of the Project with the GOA's concerned authorities. As a result of the surveys, and in order to execute "The Project on Improvement of Literacy Education Management in Afghanistan (LEAF2)", Record of Discussions (R/D) was signed on February 18, 2010 between JICA and authorities of the GOA.

Purpose

Overall Goal: Management and quality of literacy education in Afghanistan will be improved.

Project Purpose: Monitoring and technical support capacity of literacy administration is enhanced for quality improvement of literacy education.

Output

1. Framework of monitoring and technical support covering all literacy courses is developed.
2. Measures for assessing learning achievement of learners after completion of course are developed.
3. Measures for reporting and information sharing are developed and implemented.
4. Measures for technical support are developed.

Project Activities

1-1	Technical Working Group (TWG)* is formed at LD.
1-2	TWG defines the roles and responsibilities of LD/PLC/DLC in monitoring and technical support.
1-3	TWG identifies and harmonizes the data to be collected.
1-4	TWG reviews and revises monitoring manual and training manual.
1-5	TWG conducts trainers’ training for PLCs and other stakeholders for nationwide training on a monitoring and a technical support**.
1-6	Trainers in each province conduct training for DLC on monitoring and technical support **.
1-7	LD shares and disseminates the monitoring manual and the training manual with stakeholders.
1-8	TWG shares analysis results of monitoring forms with stakeholders.

2-1	TWG identifies core competencies to be achieved by literacy learners (Level 1).
2-2	TWG develops assessment tools.
2-3	TWG holds workshops on assessment tools with stakeholders.
2-4	TWG develops a supplementary audiovisual material for the implementation of learner’s assessment and disseminate the developed material to PLCs.
2-5	TWG supervises the process of the 3rd assessment and collects and analyses the assessment results in selected areas.
2-6	TWG monitors the use of supplementary audiovisual material and the implementation of assessment and collects results of assessments.
2-7	TWG analyzes assessment results of all learners including drop-outs.
2-8	TWG shares analysis results of assessment with stakeholders.

3-1	TWG develops an efficient way to collect information of literacy education.
3-2	PLC/DLCs report monitoring results covering all literacy courses to LD in accordance with the developed data collection guideline.
3-3	LD develops annual status reports using the monitoring results and disseminates them with stakeholders.
3-4	PLCs in pilot areas conduct seminars for information sharing on monitoring results among stakeholders.
3-5	TWG reviews NFE-MIS program and operates it.

4-1	PLC/DLCs in the pilot areas experiment remedial measures based on the monitoring results. e.g.) Community mobilization, collaboration with NGOs, reading contests, etc.
4-2	TWG develops technical support tools for literacy courses based on the monitoring results with the feedback from PLC/DLCs in the pilot areas. e.g.) Exercise book for learners, a guide on how to prepare lesson plans, reading books for learners, skills training, etc.
4-3	DLCs in the pilot areas support facilitators by using the developed technical support tools under supervision of PLC.
4-4	PLC/DLCs in the pilot areas hold periodical meetings for sharing good practices among stakeholders.
4-5	TWG implements technical support training to master trainers of LD and the pilot provinces.
4-6	TWG and the trained master trainers implement technical support trainings to the pilot DLCs.
4-7	TWG develops technical support tools for facilitators based on the observation result of literacy class.
4-8	TWG develops and broadcasts a show on the radio or TV for promoting literacy education.
4-9	TWG conducts literacy needs survey with PLC/DLC in selected communities to find out literacy education acceptable to the community.
4-10	TWG develops promotion measures for literacy education in cooperation with communities and implements them.
4-11	TWG analyzes contents of facilitator training held by LD and revises them.
4-12	TWG conducts updated facilitator training in pilot areas.
4-13	TWG develops a learning material in align with the revised literacy curriculum.

* TWG consists of LD and JICA experts, with development partners and NGOs as observers.

** These trainings include contents which are developed under Outputs 2, 3 and 4.

Inputs

Japanese side

• Experts
  • Literacy policy / donor coordination
  • Literacy assessment
  • Data management
  • Materials development
  • Training management
  • Literacy class management
• Equipment
• Local expenses
  • cost for training
  • cost for materials production
  • cost for pilot activities
• C/P training in a third country or exchange training within Afghanistan

Afghan side

• Assignment of C/P
• Project office spaces and utilities at LD and pilot PLCs