Project News

During the three months from February to April 2015, a variety of field-level activities of the project has been conducted in Doukkala Abda and Chaouia Ourdigha. The project is steadily progressing.

First, training for improvement of pedagogical techniques targeting Moroccan inspectors and instructors of teachers' training centers was held on 10th and 16th February. In the training, we discussed issues of schools in Morocco and methods for improvement after watching videos of a single-grade class lesson and a multi-grade class lesson in Japan. The inspectors who participated in the above training acted as trainers in the subsequent training programs for teachers together with a Japanese expert. At the end of 2-day training in the 2 target regions, each group of the teachers gave a demonstration lesson that embodied the improvements learned by them during the sessions. The teachers who joined the training will continue to share the effective improvement methods with their colleagues by using the video of the demonstration lessons.

From 5th to 11th March, we carried out a questionnaire survey with students, teachers, principals and PTA representatives in the schools for the case study as a part of the baseline survey of the project. Besides, 1200 students of grade 5 and 6 at 16 schools in the 8 target areas had a diagnostic test of math and science.

From 6th to 9th April, a workshop for error analysis was held by inspectors and others. We could recognize students' typical errors by the diagnostic test in March. We analyzed the reason why they made those errors and discussed how to improve the situation. By using this analysis, a workshop for developing supplementary materials was held from 28th April. At present, a set of workbooks in mathematics are being well developed.

Meanwhile, a workshop concerning the promotion of primary-secondary transition and girls' enrolment (Access Component) was held in February. We explained to the target schools about the policy of PEEQ in this workshop. After that, we continue to visit the schools and support making an activity plan.

We are reporting the details on it in next project news.

Please look forward to the progress.

[February]

• Provincial Coordination Committee (10th and 11th)
• Development of guidelines for the school grant
• Training for inspectors and teacher training center's instructors on the improvement of teaching methodology (10th in Chaouia Ourdigha, 16th in Doukkala Abda)
• Training for teachers on the improvement of teaching methodology (12th – 13th in Settat, 17th – 18th in El Jalida, and 19th – 20th in Sidi Bennour)
• Workshop on the planning of schooling promotion activities (16th – 26th)
• Project Executing Committee (20th)
• Baseline survey including data collection for the impact evaluation

[March]

• Diagnostic test for error analysis (5th – 10th)
• Questionnaire survey in the schools for the case study (5th – 10th)
• Data input regarding the diagnostic test (11th – 27th)
• Data input regarding the questionnaire survey (12th – 18th)
• Development of the Baseline survey report
• School visits to support the planning of schooling promotion activities (19th and 25th)

[April]

• Workshop for error analysis on the results of the diagnostic test (6th – 9th)
• Establishment of the project office (10th)
• Project Executing Committee (24th)
• School visits to support the planning of schooling promotion activities (27th and 30th)
• Workshop for developing supplementary teaching materials (28th – 29th)