OBJECTIVES

The primary goal of the USAID Read with Me Project is to improve the reading skills of primary grade students in targeted schools throughout Tajikistan. The five-year project (October 2016 – September 2021) increases the availability of quality reading materials; provides in-service training for teachers; creates innovations and partnerships that support literacy outcomes; and increases government support for reading.

PROJECT OVERVIEW

The USAID Read with Me Project supports the Government of Tajikistan and the Ministry of Education and Science’s continuing efforts to reform the education sector as outlined in the National Strategy for Education Development (2012-2020) and the Mid-Term Development Strategy (2016-2020).  To improve reading skills among students in grades 1-4, the USAID Read with Me project provides age and culturally appropriate reading materials, modernizes reading instruction methods, develops pilot innovations, and introduces private sector support while strengthening the capacity of the ministry to sustain reforms and continue to review their efforts, including national reading assessments to inform policy and instructional practice.

Over the life of the project, USAID Read with Me has worked with 75 percent of schools, teachers, and students in the regions of Khatlon, Sughd, Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast (GBAO), the Districts of Republican Subordination, and Dushanbe. The project also supports out-of-school reading activities by engaging families, communities, and the private sector. In all activities, the project applies gender equality and inclusive education approaches, including those for children with disabilities.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

• In-service teacher training package for Tajik and Russian primary schools developed and institutionalized into the national system to ensure ownership and sustainability.

• Over 577,000 age-appropriate primary reading materials in Tajik and Russian languages were donated to 1,993 schools that support competency-based reading standards in 2018 and 2019. A further 500,000 copies of new titles will be distributed to 3,001 schools by the end of 2021.
• 7,200 books were provided to 28 summer camps to support out-of-school activities for 4,165 children to promote a culture of reading in targeted communities. School-based summer camps were held in 115 schools to reinforce reading skills developed during the academic year where 5,072 students participated.
• 21,028 primary teachers (74 percent of the planned target) had professional development opportunities to enhance their skills in the teaching of modern reading techniques and practices, reaching over 503,097 students.
• 1,582 principals and 1,902 school librarians (from 66 percent of target schools) have been trained to support teachers to enhance reading abilities of primary students and make school libraries efficiently operate and to increase involvement of parents to improve their reading with comprehension outcomes.
• Development of the pre-service training curriculum for Methodology of Teaching in Primary Faculty and based on the modern reading pedagogy used for the in-service training of primary Teachers. This was piloted in five Higher Education (HE) institutions in the 2019-2020 academic year and will be rolled out to a further 17 HEs in 2020-2021.
• Early Grade Reading Assessment (EGRA) Baseline administered in April 2018 and midline administered in April 2019. Findings and recommendations were presented to the ministry and its affiliates in October 2019. USAID EGRA data accepted by the ministry for policy planning and budgeting purposes in the new National Strategy for Education Development (2021-2030)
• Increased dialogue about the importance of reading at the national, regional, school, and community levels, including public information films broadcast on national television channels.
• Ongoing capacity building of education officials at all levels to provide schools with the necessary basic acquisition of reading skills to improve reading with comprehension.
• Launched the first Tajik Language mobile application; ‘Maro Ser Kun’, that introduces Tajik letters and sounds to young learners and created TV programs for primary students that introduces the Tajik alphabet and project-developed books read aloud.

IMPLEMENTING ORGANIZATION

Chemonics International, Inc.

DURATION

October 2016 – September 2021

CONTACT

Mavjuda Nabieva, Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR)

USAID/Central Asia/Tajikistan

email: mnabieva@usaid.gov