OVERVIEW

USAID has been helping the Afghan government increase children’s access to basic education since 2002. The EGRS project acquired data and information on student reading ability in primary and community-based education schools, providing key information for the Ministry of Education (MoE) and the international donor community to reform and improve early grade reading instruction.

ACTIVITIES

• Made early grade reading materials available in local languages.
• Carried out a national assessment of the ability of second and fourth-grade students to read, understand letters, and recognize familiar words and connected text.
• Conducted a study of school safety and management effectiveness, and held national policy and dissemination workshops on the findings.
• Assessed the MoE’s capacity to implement early grade reading and public-private partnerships supporting a national reading improvement program.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

• Early Grade Reading Assessment/School Management, Effectiveness and Safety Assessment (EGRA/SMES) results showed that on average, students in Grade 2 were able to read 18 correct words per minute, and more than one third of Grade 2 students scored 100% on oral reading fluency in Pashto.
• EGRA/SMES results showed that on average, students in Grade 4 read 44 correct words per minute, and almost one-fifth of Grade 4 students scored 100% on oral reading fluency in Dari.
• Conducted an assessment of the private sector to support reading programs in schools. The results from Kabul, Bamyan, Balkh, Nangarhar, and Herat indicated a high degree of willingness of the private sector to support reading activities in schools and an interest in partnering with the MoE.
• Formed working groups, composed of members of various MoE departments, to build institutional capacity, assess education materials and work on the EGRA/SMES. Throughout implementation, the MoE groups developed their capacity to implement activities themselves in support of early grade reading.