Transcript Transitions: Critical Junctures Caroline Arnold & Kathy Bartlett Co-Directors, Education Aga Khan Foundation Background  UPE -- leading to increased enrolments  Strains on education systems:  teachers- (In.

Transitions:
Critical Junctures
Caroline Arnold & Kathy Bartlett
Co-Directors, Education
Aga Khan Foundation
Background

UPE -- leading to increased enrolments

Strains on education systems:
 teachers- (In place? With needed skills?
 quality of learning
 students/families demand for more than

High drop-out at key transition points
 Grade 1
 End of primary to
 End Secondary
early secondary
primary
Progress towards EFA completion goal
and relevant MDGs

Across many countries -- massive increases in
initial enrolments, but little change in survival to
last grade
 Uganda 25%
or Primary Completion
 Madagascar 27%
 Benin 36%
 Pakistan 48%
Source: EFA GMR 2009
Where are efforts breaking down?
Crisis in Grade One: The Need for
Attention to Early Transition
Grade 1 DROP-OUT
Uganda 32%
India 14%
Pakistan 15%
Madagascar 25%
Grade 1 REPETITION
Burundi 37%
Uganda 12%
Source: EFA GMR 2009
Malawi 26%
Nepal 37%
Rates of Return to Human Development
Investment Across all Ages
8
03-074
Return
Per $
Invested
6
Pre-school Programs
School
4
R
Job Training
2
PreSchool
0
6
School
Post School
18
Age
Pedro Carneiro, James Heckman, Human Capital Policy, 2003
World Bank Analysis: ECD and Primary
Completion Rates highly correlated
in FTI countries
ECD increases probability of school completion
110
y = 0.929x + 48.98
R² = 0.527
100
90
80
Primary Completion Rate (%)
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
Gross Enrollment Rate Pre-Primary (%)
M.E. Young, April, 2008
40
45
50
55
Investment

ECD tiny % of aid allocated to Primary
 Highest
% is that of Canada and
Netherlands (3%)

ECD critical for achieving EFA and
MDGs (ECD goes through age 8)
Lack of Learning
If not reading fluently by end grade 3 probably never will

Insufficient time for
actual teaching and
learning process
 Double shifts
 Absenteeism
 Over-crowded
timetable

Language of
Instruction

Need for inclusive
curriculum and
reading materials

Grade 1-2 teachers:
 Low status
 Lack of skills
and resources
to teach young children
Addressing transition issues for marginalised:
Non-state Contributions

The Data
One third of increase in primary enrolment since
1991 in non-state provision (23 of 69 million)
Non-state
Public
% increase in enrolments
58%
10%
Massive under-reporting on non-state provision
UIS (136 majority world countries), 2007
Non-state / State Partnerships

Simple
 vouchers,
grants, scholarships, contracting
out for technical assistance
Complex - longer-term,
likely to evolve over time
 Recognises complimentary roles/joint
ownership between Government and Nonstate partner
Pakistan:
-
Private provider - especially
filling gap for girls
-
-
Primary
Secondary: coaching centres,
schools
Tertiary
Capacity Building for gov.
-
Teacher Training and
mentoring (AKU-PDCs)
EMIS and new strategy
Transition Programme Research Study

Random sampling used to select programme
schools and matched non-programme schools
(114 total sample)




Project
Control
Attendance: Pre-primary
86%
34%
Class 1
64%
36%
Promotion : Similar positive trends
Classroom Environment: Dramatic differences in pre-school
Learning Achievement data

Effects stronger for marginalized children (girls
and government schools)

Importance of non-state schools in addressing
quality issues
Afghanistan

Dramatic drop-outs (esp. girls in 1st 3 years)


From standard school improvement to real attention to early
primary
 Scaffolding approach - reading and maths
 Early grades materials kits
Girls model high schools in selected districts with optional
teacher training year built in at end
When do Children Enter and
Leave the System?
G
R
A
D
E
Age 6
M
Age 7
F
1
2
3
4
5
2006 data
M
Age 8
F
M
Age 9
F
M
Age 10
F
M
Age 11
F
M
Age 12
F
M
Age 13
F
M
Age 14
F
M
Age 15
F
M
Age 16
F
M
F
Mozambique – Push
and pull factors

Pre-schools to improve
children’s readiness and timely
enrolment

Addressing later transitions



Analyzing data/ Conducting
studies



Bridges to the Future
Alternative offerings for upper prim.
Positive deviance study
Current Opportunities to Learn Study
Building accountability –
addressing quality of learning
Priorities for AKF

More ECD and better links to primary

Focus on early primary as critical piece of
education reform
Improve lower primary teachers’ knowledge,
skills and status
- Specific attention to early reading
-

Encouraging families to look at/read books
with children (all ages)
Priorities for AKF cont.

Better information and data
 Grade disaggregated data
 Special studies including impact

analysis
State/Non-State/Community Partnerships
Testing alternative strategies for post-primary
- Developing local language storybooks
- Involving parents and communities (ECD,
monitoring absenteeism, etc)
-
www.akdn.org
Children Ready for Schools
and
Schools Ready for Children