acknowledgement -...

EQUIP Semi Annual Report January to June 2013 P a g e I

Acknowledgement

On behalf of the Ministry of Education of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, I would like to

express sincere gratitude to the governments of Canada, Germany, Norway, the United States,

Australia, The Netherlands, Sweden, and Spain, for their generous financial contribution to

support implementation of the Education Quality Improvement Program (EQUIP-II).

Our heartfelt thanks also go to the World Bank and ARTF, for their consistent technical and

financial assistance to EQUIP. The International Development Association of the World Bank has

also been a strong financial supporter of the EQUIP Program, and provided the initial 30 Million

USD for EQUIP II.

The Ministry of Education of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan believes that without the

assistance of EQUIP donors it would not have been able to take such significant strides towards

its goal of providing quality equitable services for all, focusing on ensuring culturally acceptable

and quality education for girl and boy students, at par with current international standards, and

acknowledges their contributions to help EQUIP achieve program development objectives.

The Ministry of Education of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan is also grateful to the Ministry of

Finance of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, the Provincial Education Directorates and District

Education Directorates for their assistance in the implementation of the Program.

In conclusion, we would like to acknowledge the support of local communities, who have been

vital to the success of the program. Their active participation and contribution have made this

program unique and successful.

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Foreword

The first half of 2013 marks the beginning of implementation, mainly involved in the activities of the Additional Financing phase of EQUIP II. Despite a late start (March 2013), due to the intensive efforts put into implementation, execution seems to be picking up (17% expenditure and 76.1% committed budget for overall ministry as of 09 July 2013). The reporting period also witnessed progress on pilots and various research initiatives.

Operation and Maintenance, Supporting sub-national Governance, and Conditional Cash Transfer progressed in planning and preparations for actual implementation. Research initiatives such as the Assessment of Student Learning Outcome, Third-party Evaluation of EQUIP II and Teacher Education, Girls Dropout, and review of the primary grades textbooks from gender perspective have been designed and are in various stages of planning and procurement.

Activities of the EQUIP Audit team have proven useful not only in identification of challenges but also in correction and prevention of irregularities and possible misuse of funds. A grievances redressing mechanism have also been functioning within EQUIP Unit, which is being coordinated with MoE’s Office of Transparency and UNDP’s integrity initiative.

Province-based public awareness events have been tested in the provinces of Jowzjan and Kapisa with key aims to encourage people to monitor the school grants and improve participation in School Shuras.

Reform initiatives have taken longer than expected but are picking up. Two firms (DAARTT and Article 25) to support reform of the Infrastructure Services Department on both central and provincial levels have been hired. Contract has been signed with a firm to improve MoE’s HR practices and system.

The coming six months will be devoted to major implementations of quality-related initiatives such as teacher and school administrators professional development, enhancing Teacher Training Colleges and expanding district-level teacher training centers. Activities essential for access to education will entail construction of new schools, completion of school with missing components, undertaking of major rehabilitation as well as ordinary maintenance. First phase of the Learning Assessment will be executed, pilots will be carried out, and reforms of ISD and HR will be underway. We are confident that the intensified efforts and hard work by EQUIP MoE team will lead to greater achievements in 2013.

Dr. Seddiq Weera

EQUIP Director

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Table of Contents

Executive Summary ..................................................................................................... VIII

Social Mobilization

Introduction .............................................................................................................................. 2 Progress ................................................................................................................................... 2

Quality Enhancement Grant ................................................................................................... 2 Social Awareness and Mobilization ........................................................................................ 3 Monitoring and Support Missions ........................................................................................... 4 Social Mobilization Trainings .................................................................................................. 5 Model School Project ............................................................................................................. 6 Recruitment of SM International Advisors .............................................................................. 7 Recruitment of District Social Mobilisers ................................................................................ 7 Success Stories ..................................................................................................................... 7

Implementation Challenges................................................................................................... 10

Teacher Education

Introduction ............................................................................................................................ 12 District Teacher Training Teams (DT3) ................................................................................ 12 Institutional Grants to Improve Learning Environment of TTCs ............................................ 13 Gender Mainstreaming ......................................................................................................... 13 Regional Allowances ............................................................................................................ 13

Progress in TED Activities .................................................................................................... 14 Progress in DT3 ................................................................................................................... 14 Development of the Training Materials ................................................................................. 15 School Management Training (SMT 4) ................................................................................. 16 INSET Trainings ................................................................................................................... 17 Capacity Development of TED Staff to Deliver and Monitor INSET Trainings ....................... 20 Workshop for TTC Directors ................................................................................................. 21 Institutional Grants to TTCs .................................................................................................. 21 Gender Mainstreaming ......................................................................................................... 23 Girls' Scholarship Program (GSP) ........................................................................................ 27 Teachers’ Management Information System (TMIS) ............................................................ 31 New Initiatives ...................................................................................................................... 34

Challenges .............................................................................................................................. 36

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Education Management Information System

Introduction ............................................................................................................................ 38 System Development Department ........................................................................................ 38

Targets and Core Activities ................................................................................................... 39 EMIS Modules ...................................................................................................................... 39 Other Activities ..................................................................................................................... 41

Future Plans ........................................................................................................................... 42 Proposed Systems to be Developed .................................................................................... 42

Implementation Challenges................................................................................................... 43 Recommendations ................................................................................................................. 44

Infrastructure Services

Introduction ............................................................................................................................ 46 Activities and Progress ......................................................................................................... 46

Update on Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E)........................................................................ 48 Major Activities Planned for the Next Six Months ............................................................... 50 Key Challenges ...................................................................................................................... 51 Recommendations ................................................................................................................. 52

Gender

Introduction ............................................................................................................................ 54 Main Activities and Achievements ........................................................................................ 54

World Bank Mission(s) ......................................................................................................... 54 Gender Research Initiative ................................................................................................... 55 Allocation of Mahram Allowance .......................................................................................... 55 Piloting Conditional Cash Transfer Project ........................................................................... 55

Environment and Social Safeguard

Introduction ............................................................................................................................ 58 Activities and Progress ......................................................................................................... 58

Trainings .............................................................................................................................. 58 Land Registration vs. Land Acquisition Documents .............................................................. 59 Plantation and Green Revolution Campaign at the Schools ................................................. 59 SMSs Achievements ............................................................................................................ 60 Complaint Boxes .................................................................................................................. 61 Safeguard and Environmental Survey .................................................................................. 62 Tasks Accomplished on Environmental and Social Safeguards by ISD Team ...................... 63

Recommendations ................................................................................................................. 65

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Learning Assessment

Introduction ............................................................................................................................ 67 Objectives............................................................................................................................... 67 Activities and Progress ......................................................................................................... 68

Hiring of Staff ....................................................................................................................... 68 Procurement of Services of the Australian Council for Education Research (ACER) ............ 68 Development of Manuals and Guidelines ............................................................................. 68 Development, Review and Translation of Test Items ............................................................ 69 Coordination and Data Collection for Field Trial ................................................................... 69 Capacity Development ......................................................................................................... 70 Visits by ACER to Afghanistan ............................................................................................. 70

Planned Key Activities for July to December 2013 .............................................................. 70 Challenges .............................................................................................................................. 71

Communication and Public Awareness

Introduction ............................................................................................................................ 73 Strategy for Organizing PAEs ............................................................................................... 73 Key Activities and Progress .................................................................................................. 74 Future plans ........................................................................................................................... 74

School Quality Grants’ Audit

Introduction ............................................................................................................................ 76 Objectives............................................................................................................................... 76 Key Activities and Achievements ......................................................................................... 76

Annexes

Annex One – Results Framework and Monitoring ............................................................... 79 Annex Two –Tables ............................................................................................................... 84 Annex Three – Missions to Provinces ................................................................................ 100 Annex Four – Topics Covered in Report Writing Training ................................................ 108 Annex Five – Detailed Findings of Grants Monitoring ...................................................... 109 Annex Six – Mobile Application in Uruzgan ....................................................................... 111

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List of Abbreviations and Acronyms

ADA Afghan Development Association AGEI Afghanistan Girls Education Initiative AL Accelerated Learning ALPT Accelerated Learning Program Training ANDS Afghanistan National Development Strategy ARTF Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund AUAF American University of Afghanistan AuSAID Australian Agency for International Development BESST Building Education Support to Teachers Training Program BoQ Bill of Quantity CC Community Contact CIDA Canadian International Development Agency CTAP Civilian Technical Assistance Program DAARTT The Danish Assistance to Afghan Rehabilitation and Technical Training DANIDA Danish International Development Assistance DED District Education Directorate DSM District Social Mobilizer DSTTC District based Satellite Teacher Training College DT3 District Teacher Training Teams EMIS Education Management Information System EQUIP Education Quality Improvement Program ESMF Environmental Social Management Framework ESS Environmental Social Safeguard ESSAF Environmental Social Screening Assessment Framework FP Focal Point GIS Geographical Information System GIZ German Development Agency GMTF Gender Mainstreaming Task Force GoA Government of Afghanistan GPE Global Partnership for Education GSP Girls’ Scholarship Program HAS High School Teaching Assistance HR Human Resources ICT Information Communication Technology IDA International Development Association IMIS Infrastructure Information Management System INSET In-service education for teachers IP Implementing Partners IRD International Relief and Development ISD Infrastructure Services Department ISSA In-School Support Activities ITSA In-School Teacher Support Activities JACK Just for Afghan Capacity and Knowledge JICA Japan International Cooperation Agency

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MDG Millennium Development Goal M&E Monitoring and Evaluation MoE Ministry of Education MoF Ministry of Finance MoU Memorandum of Understanding MoWA Ministry of Women Affairs M&R Monitoring and Reporting NCB National Competitive Bidding NGO Non-governmental Organization NoC No Object Certificate NoL No Objection Letter NPITT National Program for In-service Teacher Training PD Procurement Department PED Provincial Education Directorate PIM Project Implementation Manual PLC Principal Learning Circle PMO Provincial Monitoring Officer PTL Provincial Team leader PTTM Principle Training Team Member QEG Quality Enhancement Grant SCI Save the Children International SIP School Improvement Plan SMIS Students’ Information Management System SMO Statement Mission Objective SMS School Management Shura S-MS Social Mobilization Supervisor SMU Social Mobilization Unit SMT School Management Training SPP Supplementary Procurement Plan ST Senior Trainer TA International Technical Advisor TDC Teacher Development Center TED Teacher Education General Directorate TLC Teacher Learning Circle TMC Technical Management Committee TMIS Teachers’ Management Information System TO Teacher Observation TTC Teacher Training College UNESCO United Nations Educational, Scientific and Culture Organization UNICEF United Nations Children’s Education Fund WB World Bank List of Special Names

Article 25 An International Nongovernmental Organization CMORE International Relief and Development (IRD) Database Software

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Executive Summary

The World Bank supported Education Quality Improvement Program (EQUIP) of the Ministry of Education of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, which began operations in 2004, completed its second four-year phase (EQUIP II) in August 2012. Instead of beginning a new phase of the program, the second phase was extended up to August 2014, and an extension grant of over 250 million USD was approved by Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund (ARTF) and the World Bank to cover the period ending in August 2014.

The following paragraphs provide a summary of EQUIP activities and achievements in the first half of 2013:

The EQUIP Coordination Unit stayed focused on covering multiple fronts ranging from routine liaising and coordinating functions and trouble-shooting to facilitating and leading major new developments. Examples include establishing teams for pilots and for Learning Assessment and providing daily support to the latter; initiating provincial public awareness events, beginning to revamp the Environmental and Social Safeguard, leading school grant audit as well as other social mobilization activities, establishing a coordination protocol between Social Mobilization and ISD on CCs; improving social mobilization system, ensuring renewal and training of School Shuras especially of those schools receiving infrastructure grant, quality grant and model school grants, organizing training workshops for ensuring capacity development of MoE personnel, trouble-shooting of ISD partnership with consulting firms, following-up on liquidation and fund transfer, supporting the recruitment of HR firm, and hiring staff for Procurement, Finance and Audit Departments. Liaison and coordination functions of the EQUIP Unit include facilitating the work of the WB experts with MoE departments particularly during the Supervisory Mission as well as following-up on binding decisions and recommendations in the Aide Memoire.

Finalization of the procurement plan for some of the Pilots is still underway. Intensive follow-up and support to implementation of activities related to school grants, pilots and public education will be key focuses in the months to come.

The Social Mobilization Unit (SMU) is in charge of the formation of School Management Shuras (SMS) in each school, which are responsible for identifying educational and facility needs in the schools and in cooperation with the district and provincial education authorities for addressing these needs. SMU allocated 117.676 million Afghanis for Quality Enhancement Grants, to be awarded to 544 schools across the country; of the allocated money, 2.002 million Afghanis were disburesed to 11 schools. The unit established 657 new Shuras of the 750 Shuras planned for 2013, and as of June 2013, received 398 School Improvement Plans (SIPs). SMU conducted monitoring missions in Kandahar, Helmand, Laghman, Kapisa, Ghur, Panjshir, Badghis, Uruzgan, Faryab, Farah, Bamyan, Daikondi, Kabul Province, and Kabul City. The unit identified 73 schools, which are to be developed as Model Schools in all provinces of Afghanistan including Kabul City, and recruited 667 District Social Mobilizer (DSMs).

The Teacher Education General Directorate (TED)'s EQUIP-supported projects enabled it to develop sustainable systems and structures to support school teachers in teaching. The TED’s new activities during the reporting period include signing of the District Teacher Training Teams (DT3)’s project contracts with the previous implementation partners (IPs) for a duration of six

EQUIP Semi Annual Report January to June 2013 P a g e IX

months, development of Teacher Training Manuals for lower and upper secondary teachers of science subjects, development of School Management Training IV (SMT4) for the school administrators, organizing the In-service Education for Teachers III (INSET III) workshops for 384 senior trainers and team leaders from the three main IPs and their sub-contractors, conducting capacity development training for 47 provincial monitoring officers (PMOs) to deliver and monitor INSET trainings, and organizing a workshop for directors of 42 teacher training colleges (TTCs).

In addition, TED reviewed and processed 42 proposals of TTCs and 181 proposals of teacher development centers (TDCs) for institutional and gender grants; provided scholarships to 4,516 female students and regional allowance to 591 TTC lecturers who work in 18 provinces, which included provinces that are difficult to access. TED has had progress in developing three components of Teachers’ Management Information System (TMIS), received a memorandum of understanding (MoU) from the American University of Afghanistan (AUAF) to start Master’s Degree Program in Education for 300 TTC lecturers, recruited graduate placement officers at the TTCs in three provinces to encourage new TTC graduates find teaching positions in schools, and prepared a proposal for conducting a research study to measure changes in the teachers’ behavior.

The Education Management Information System (EMIS) at the Ministry of Education (MoE) enables the Ministry to meet its information needs for decision-making, accountability, and organizational learning. The department executed assessments, evaluations and data management, which include activities such as requirement collection and analysis, system development and maintenance, data analysis and reporting, and capacity development through technical training. The department’s other activities included deployment of EMIS Server in the Afghanistan National Data Center (ANDC), procurement of IT equipment, recruitment of three new staff, and providing education information to EQUIP Gender and Communication units.

The Infrastructure Services Department (ISD) of MoE has been responsible for implementing the construction component of EQUIP for improving and increasing access to quality education for all, since November/December 2011. The department, during the reporting period, monitored 240 projects jointly with International Relief and Development (IRD). ISD engineers from the centre, and ISD engineers alone monitored another 361 projects. Under the new financing, 75 pilot projects, 85 community contract (CC) projects with their annexes, 41 national competitive bidding (NCB) projects, 1,333 CC projects for missing components, and 1,034 CC projects for incomplete components were prepared and most of them were submitted to the relevant procurement departments for bidding; of the 1,000 schools planned for maintenance and rehabilitation, 886 projects were prepared and submitted to procurement department (PD) for bid processing. As of June 2013, 210 NCB projects were completed against the planned 305 projects and 44 projects are ongoing. Infrastructure database module is being developed and sub-module for estimation is at the testing phase. With institutional support of the World Bank/EQUIP, two international advisors and four national staff are recruited and have joined ISD. Article 25 (an international NGO) which is contracted for ISD institutional capacity building will be soon in the country; DAARTT (another NGO), which is contracted for enhancing field monitoring capacity of infrastructure construction projects, has started its work with ISD six months back.

The Gender Unit focuses on analytical work in order to address the gender gaps within the education sector; the unit will engage with a research advisory firm to conduct a research on ‘drop outs’. A research specialist and a training specialist would be hired to assist the unit in its research

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program. The unit is also helping in enforcement of the ‘Mahram’ policy, through allocation of “mahram allowance” along with other facilitative measures, which will facilitate increased recruitment and retention of field-based female staff. In addition, the Gender Unit is designing a pilot project, Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT), for girls’ retention in schools, which will be implemented as a complimentary response to the unit’s research initiative.

Environmental and Social Safeguard (ESS) Unit focused mainly on developing the capacity of EQUIP provincial and central staff working with Infrastructure Services Department (ISD) and Social Mobilization Unit (SMU), staff of Provincial Education Directorates (PEDs) and District Education Departments (DEDs), and members of School Management Shuras (SMSs) to identify and address ESS issues related to Environmental Social Screening Assessment Framework (ESSAF) implementation throughout the project cycle. ESS Unit visited, monitored and evaluated many schools, trained district social mobilizers (DSMs), EQUIP engineers and officers, and organized two workshops at the EQUIP’s central office for EQUIP’s engineers, DSMs, social mobilization supervisors and EQUIP officers from Kabul city and Kabul province. The unit trained and sensitized SMSs, EQUIP teams and school administration staff to install complaints boxes and structure grievances’ redress mechanism, which resulted in installing complaints boxes in many schools and adopting the mechanism.

Learning Assessment Unit (LAU) is established in January 2013 to monitor the education development through assessment of learning achievement of school children in Afghanistan; the objective of this program is to establish valid, reliable and continuously updated data on the quality of learning, and the education system as a whole. Activities and achievements of the unit for the reporting period include program staff recruitment, procurement of Services of the Australian Council for Education Research (ACER), development of manuals and guidelines, data collection for field trial in three provinces, conducting capacity development training in Dubai for six LAU staff, and development and translation of test items for assessing Dari and Pashtu languages and Mathematics for Grade-6 by ACER.

The Communication Unit and the newly established Public Awareness Unit started public awareness campaign by organizing public awareness events (PAEs). They held two events for public awareness in Jawzjan and Kapisa provinces, and drafted the PAEs’ operational plan for the next six months. The units have planned to continue with holding PAEs in close collaboration with MPs, prominent leaders, local government officials and media; publicize school grant in provincial print media; publish newsletters and produce additional public education materials and means, and explore public awareness campaigns through cell phones and other methods in coordination with Education Radio and Television and MoE’s Publication Department.

The School Quality Grant Audit Team was established in July 2012 to provide report to EQUIP Management with in-depth assessments; to evaluate whether school grants and School Management Shuras achieving their main objectives and following proper processes, and based on observations and findings to make remedial recommendations. Since September 2012, the following key activities have been implemented by the team: audit of 114 schools, audit of 2010 schools in 30 provinces, assessment of Shura Trainings in six provinces, and preparation of an audit plan for new CCs and quality grants.

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Introduction

EQUIP II strives towards realizing MOE’s National Education Strategic Plan, in particular enhancing quality of education through improving facilities and infrastructure, training teachers and school administrators, increasing the number of qualified female teachers available, and promoting conditions that encourage larger number of girls and boys to enroll in schools. EQUIP’s strategy for achieving all this is by mobilizing communities so that they are directly involved in all activities and processes for ensuring provision of quality education to school-aged children. EQUIP through Social Mobilization Unit (SMU) supports the formation of School Management Shura (SMS) in each school, which is responsible for identifying educational and facility needs in the school, and cooperating with the district and provincial education authorities for addressing the needs through applying for EQUIP’s quality enhancement grant and overseeing the planning and expending of the grant. School management Shuras participate in all aspects of quality improvement, including construction and rehabilitation/ development of school infrastructure, equipping of schools with educational materials and equipments. In many cases the SMS itself undertakes to organize grants. School Shuras also oversee school construction activities, and contributes to the school development from their personal assets.

Progress

Quality Enhancement Grant

The Quality Enhancement Grant is allocated to improve and promote a healthy learning environment in schools throughout the country. It is used for quality improvement activities planned by the School Management Shura (SMS), with technical assistance of EQUIP’s Provincial Social Mobilization Teams, , thus enriching educational resources so that students can benefit from a better quality learning environment in which they have access to experiential and practical learning. First and second generation grants are awarded to schools and Teacher Training Colleges (TTCs). The first generation grant is given to schools and TTCs throughout the country, which has not previously received any quality grants under EQUIP. Second generation grants are given to schools that have successfully utilized the first generation grant, and are eligible based on a per capita formula and on the development of a follow up SIP. The table below shows the plan for both first and second generation grants.

Steps Type of Schools

Primary School Secondary School High School

1st Generation (USD) Boys Girls Boys Girls Boys Girls

3,000 4,500 4,000 6,000 5,000 7,500

2nd Generation (USD) 1,500 2,250 2,000 3,000 2,500 3,750


During the first half of 2013, 117.676 million AFS were allocated for Quality Enhancement Grants, to be awarded to 544 schools in 34 provinces, including Kabul city. The allocated amount (117.676 millon AFs) was transferred to the provinces and out of this, 2. 002 million AFS were disbursed to 11 schools .

A detail of the quality Enhancement grant for each province including the amount allocated, transferred and disbursed is provided in the table 1 at Annex 2 and can be seen in the figure below:

Social Awareness and Mobilization

The School Management Shuras (SMS) are trained to communicate with the people and to encourage them to send their children, especially girl children, to schools and to support education at village levels.

The School Management Shuras (SMS) provide management and supervision support to schools, to ensure community participation and to create an environment to ensure children have equal access to quality education in schools. In the first six months of 2013 657 of the 750 Shuras planned for 2013, were newly established.

The School Management Shuras (SMS) prepare the School Improvement Plan (SIP) in addressing the needs identified and prioritized. Funds are made available and utilized to fulfill these needs. In the first six months of 2013, 398 of the 750 SIPs planned for 2013, were successfully developed by the relevant School Management Shuras.

0

20,000,000

40,000,000

60,000,000

80,000,000

100,000,000

120,000,000

117,676,000 117,676,000

2,002,000

115,674,000

Total of Allotment in Afg Total of Transferred in Afg

Total of Disbursed in Afg Total of Remaning in Afg

Figure 1.1: Quality Enhancement Grant


Monitoring and Support Missions

During the reporting period, the EQUIP Social Mobilization Unit undertook monitoring visits to 153 Shuras in 13 provinces and to more than 100 school in Kabul city. During these visits, the mission members met PEDs, Provincial EQUIP teams, Province Governors and TMCs and briefed them about the purposes of the mission.

The main purposes were to check and ensure that:

• laboratory and library material and equipment are available in schools, and effectively utilized for improved learning

• SMSs have received proper trainings • Registration Book (Inventory Book) is maitained and items procured from school grants

are properly recorded • SMS have 15 members, and also check the SMS journal to know whether or not they

hold regular monthly meetings and track the activities of the Shuras

In general the PEDs expressed their satisfisfaction with the achievements and performaces of EQUIP Provincial teams and promised to offer a continued cooperative to the teams. Almost in each visiting school, it was found that the schools had re-organized and active

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

750

657

750

398

Total Planned SMSs Total Established SMSs Total Planned SIPs Total Developed SIPs

Figure 1.2: Details of School Management Shuras and School Improvement Plans


SMS of 15 members and had been maintained Meeting Minutes Registration Book. The schools had received both first and second generation Quality Enhancement Grants, and the money had been liquidated. The school library, laboratory, and computer labs were properly maintained and used.

However, in Ghor province, three more vehicles are needed for DSMs to effectively monitor the schools and Shurah activities. Due to long distances in between schools (more than 40 km) and districts (usually more than 80 km), DSMs are often unable to visit all the schools they plan to visit on a monthly basis

The mission recommended the provincial EQUIP teams to:

• use new reporting and planning formats • have a separate file for each school in its office to record and maintain documents. • Every SMS and DSM to arrange regular meetings with SMS members in informing

them of their responsibilities and their impact on students learning. • SMSs to hold regular monthly meetings.

During the visits to the schools the monitoring missions identified following common problems:

• Lack of classrooms and text books • Lack of professional teachers particularly in science subjects • Insecurity in some districts

A detailed description of the acheivement during the mission visits is provided in Annex 3.

Social Mobilization Trainings

The training manual for SM Supervisors, District Social Mobilizers and the Shuras is completed in consultation with the gender and Social Environment Safeguard sections and is being as a standard document while conducting trainings on central, provincial and district levels. During the reporting period, the EQUIP Social Mobilization Unit has planned various trainings sessions including training for EQUIP officers, Social Mobilizer Supervisors, District Social Mobilizers and SMSs, which are going to be conducted in the months ahead. The total amount budgted for 160 SM Supervisors’ Training (Refresher Training) is 64,000$. This budget will be used to provide this training to newly hired SM supervisors and the former SM supervisors. The second type of training is the DSM training and the total amount budgted for this activity is 264,000$. The third type of training is Shura Trainings that 3,082 shuras are planned in all provinces to be trained, with a total budgted amount of 952,636$. The forth type of training is EQUIP officers’ trainings that 35 officers are planned to be trained with the total budget of 14,000$. Allotments for these planned trainings are under process.


Model School Project

The overall objective of this project is to encourage and support schools that try to make best use of available resources and provide a safe and healthy environment in which children can begin on an adventure of life-long learning and exploration, and can develop as individuals who respect their environment and the people around them.

It is expected that such a school environment will produce a generation of peace-loving, positive-thinking, and intellectually versatile individuals.

A school selected to be model school include the following criteria:

• have minimum basic infrastructure (such as school building, latrine, etc) • have teachers who are seen as role models and are trusted and liked by students • have teachers and students who respect each other • have a clean and organized environment and as well clear and constructive routines. • be completely free of violence. • ensure equity and fair play. • Allow students to be involved in decision making and individuals who determine their

own paths. • Develop a sense of personal and social responsibility among students. • value collaboration and team work over competition • Promote ethical behavior in line with Islamic values.

have a system that offers sufficient and diverse learning opportunity to students, and nurtures and supports talents.

• focus equally on academic as well as physical, emotional, and character development

• Provide a safe and comfortable environment that students are happy to enter and reluctant to leave the primise.

A school which satisfies more than five of the above criteria, should be eligible to receive the grant of USD 15,000 that can be used for enhancing physical infrastructure prioritized on the basis of need. SMU is trying to find the specific area of usage for the model school grants. Some possible ways of using the model school grants can be:

• repair of classroom windows, doors, shelves, furniture, lights and blackboards • Creating cohesive learning environment • funding specific projects that enhance school resources and develop

students/teachers learning and skills • Organizing school compound and green areas • Nutrition support to younger children needing supplementary food. • Procurement of first-aid material, self-help tools, etc. • Purchase of solar panels

Total 73 schools are identified as Model Schools from 34 provinces and Kabul City and the budget for this project is 56.94 million AFs divided in 22 and 25 financing codes. A detailed breakdown can be seen in Annex 2, table 2.


Recruitment of SM International Advisors

There are two international positions of Social Mobilization Advisors. The recruitment process is still ongoing. EQUIP has completed interviews and selected two candidates for the positions. The NOLs for both candidates are also received from the World Bank. The contract is under process for one candidate. The other candidate demanded higher salary and finally rejected the offer. EQUIP has recently contacted a person for the position of Social Mobilization International Technical Specialist and the discussion is still ongoing. With regards to hiring of two senior consultants, EQUIP selected two candidates though, one rejected the offer due to change in her priorities, while the other got better job in another organization before EQUIP issued the contract.

Recruitment of District Social Mobilisers

District Social Mobilizers (DSMs) work at the district level to support EQUIP activities and strengthen School Management Shuras (SMSs). The recruitment process of the DSMs is still ongoing and it is expected that this process will come to an end at the end of July, 2013. As of June 2013, of the total 807 DSMs planned to be hired, 667 are recruited of which 526 male and 141 female. The contract to four provinces (Daikundi, Farah, Nimroz and Nuristan) will be finished by the end of July 2013. It is to be noted that some DSMs have resigned from their job and thus the province-wise targets are yet to be filled in. A detailed province-wise status of DSM Recruitment is provided in Annex 2, table 3.

Success Stories

Char Magar Khana High School, Jovzjan

Char Magar Khana is one of the High Schools in Jovzjan Province. A total of 3,962 students are enrolled in this school of which 1,885 male and 2,077 female students. This school has a total of 127 teachers of which 10 male and 117 female teachers.

The school does not have sufficient buildings and have been faced with many challenges, yet the School Shura has always been struggled to work for the improvement of the school. As of June 2013, the following activities were performed on their own efforts:

• Construction of 6 low standard latrines • Procurement of school gate • Repairing and maintenance of 45 chairs/desks • Regular maintenance of school roofs each year • Procurement of plastic carpets for classrooms

Figure 1.3: Char Magar Khana High School


• Close cooperation with the school administration in controlling the teacher and students absenteeism

• Repairing and maintenance of water wells and water tanks • Contribution to maintaining security of the school

According to a Shura member, after the establishment of Shura, the level of education has increased tremendously and the number of female students increased too. Students are more interested in getting education and community is more interested in educating their children and participating in school improvement activities. The Shurah itself identifies problems. It holds regular meetings to discuss the school issues and brings solutions to the problems through discussion.

Tani High School, Khost

Tani Agriculture High School has been established since two years. Since the establishment, the school did not have building for class instructions and agricultural farms for practical learning and as results the students had been faced with many problems.

To overcome these problems, the School Shura met with the community elders and addressed the problem to them. After the hard efforts of the Shura, the elders and community of the Tani district decided to donate 25 jeribs of land () for this school, where the building and firm house will be built so that students’ learning is improved. It is worth mentioning that the total cost of each jerib of this land is estimated to be 10 Lakhs in AFS.

Mirwais Meena High School, Jovzjan

Mirwais Meena is one of the High Schools in Jovzjan Province. A total of 3,895 students are enrolled in this school of which 1,890 male and 2,005 female students. There are a total of 107 teachers of which 17 male and 90 female teachers.

This High School has been very active and played its role in school improvement since its existence. This school had lack of enough space for teaching, furniture (desks/chairs), water-well, library and laboratory which in turn had a negative impact on the students learning. Since its establishment in the year 1386, the School Management Shurah had been struggle for improvement of learning environment for the students. As of June 2013, the SMS on their own efforts:

• Constructed 4 latrines • Procured 2 canal land for a total cost of 20,000 USD • Procured 6 fans and 1 Desktop • Procured stationery of different items • Procured painting materials


Hijrat Abad High School, Nangarhar

Hijrat Abad High School is located in Rodaat district of Nangarhar province. The total number of students is 1562, of which 759 are female and 803 are male. The total number of teachers is 37, of which 11 are female and 26 are male. The problem this school was facing is the lack of boundary wall. The achievement that the School Shura did was the construction of 88 meters boundary wall from its own pocket by incurring a total cost of 79,350 AFs. The boundary wall is made of local materials such as local stones and mud. The boundary wall has created a positive impact on students learning. It has also provided a protective shield to the girls from the outer surroundings of the school.

Bodyalai Boys High School, Khaiwa, Nangarhar

Bodyalai Boys High School is one of the High Schools in Khaiwa District of Nangarhar province which was established in 1347. A total of 1100 students are enrolled in this school with a total of 40 teachers.

The School Management Shurah of this school is very active in playing its role in the improvement of school. With struggle, the Shurah has been able to attract few donors to help them improve the school environment for better learning by constructions of the components. As of June 2013, the Shura has performed the following activities on their own efforts:

• Construction of Boundary wall with the help of PRT • Procurement and planting of 1000 plants for the school • Procurement of 15 tents for the school with the help of PRT • Procurement of 15 blackboards with the help of MCU NGO

The School Management Shura has been very much social agent of change with a strong mobilizing skills, which has made it able to collect contributions from the community. . Engineer Aminul Haq has donated one computer, one printer with scanner and one generator from his own pocket to the school which is still used by the school, while the fuel expense of the generator is paid from the Shura’s own pocket.

Likewise, Engineer Ahmad Zaib has donated a big size stapler to the school which has been still in use by the school (seen in photos).

Figure 1.4: Hijrat Abad High School


Implementation Challenges

• Insecurity in some of the provinces and districts have been possing major constraint to smooth implementation of the Programme

• No transport allowances to DSMs • Long distances in between schools and districts in provinces like Ghor. Many DSMs

have submitted their resignation letters to the EQUIP central office.


Introduction

The TED of the Ministry of Education (MoE), Government of Afghanistan (GoA) is responsible for setting up infrastructure for pre- and in-service teacher education, and for planning, delivering, and monitoring teacher education throughout the country. Key responsibilities of the TED include:

• Establishing and sustaining a pre-service and in-service professional development infrastructure, consisting of provincial TTCs, district Teacher Development Centers (TDCs) and satellite training centers

• Staffing and equipping these institutions adequately to deliver quality education • Introducing sustainable teacher professional development systems and structures to

improve the professional capacity of teachers and school managers • Developing a responsive teacher education curriculum for pre-service and in-service

teacher professional development • Developing pre-service textbooks and in-service manuals and teacher guides • Delivering periodic professional development programs for teachers and education

managers • Monitoring the quality of these professional development programs

The World Bank funded EQUIP II program, initiated in 2008, supports the TED to strengthen and sustain pre-service and in-service teacher professional development. It contributes to the GoA's National Program for In-service Teacher Training (NPITT). Key components of EQUIP II are briefly introduced on the following pages.

District Teacher Training Teams (DT3)

The objective of the DT3 program is to help TED to develop and implement a sustainable in-service teacher professional development infrastructure, and to implement the NPITT. To deliver in-service teacher education to teachers across Afghanistan, EQUIP II supported the DT3 program in 23 provinces across the country1

1 In the remaining 11 provinces in the country, in-service teacher education was delivered through the USAID funded BESST (Building Education Support Systems for Teachers) program.

. These 23 provinces are divided into three groups, with a different lead implementing partners (IP) responsible for delivering the program in each group of provinces. Figure 2.1: Teacher Training


The DT3 teacher professional development program was implemented through the following activities:

i. In-service education for teachers (INSET): INSET was delivered to teachers in three phases: INSET I, II and III. Details of each phase will be described in the following section.

ii. Capacity building for school managers: School Management Training (SMT) was delivered in four phases: SMT I, II, III and IV.

iii. High School Teaching Assistance (HAS): on-site professional support to high school teachers.

iv. In-service teacher and school manager support systems: teachers learning circles (TLCs) and principle learning circles (PLCs), and classroom observations by teacher trainers.

Institutional Grants to Improve Learning Environment of TTCs

Annual institutional grants were provided to TTCs to enable them to provide a learning environment conducive to quality instruction. These grants could be used by individual institutions, for instance, to set up labs, purchase furniture, expand campuses, etc. Later, TED extended the provision of institutional grants to district based Teacher Development Centers (TDCs).

Gender Mainstreaming

The objective of this component is to increase female participation in the public education sector. Efforts towards achieving the objective included increasing female staffing and female enrolment levels in TTCs. This component consists of the following sub-components:

i. Gender grants to TTCs and TDCs in recognition of high female enrolment levels; the grants were to be used by TTCs and TDCs to provide facilities (such as day care centers, adequate female toilets) that would help them maintain high female enrolment levels.

ii. A Girls Scholarship Program (GSP), through which TED distributed scholarships to female students (doing pre-service studies), enrolled in TTCs in 25 provinces with low female enrolment levels. The selection of scholarship recipients was based on their attendance and their academic performance.

iii. Payment of two-month bonus salaries to female TTC graduates who immediately joined schools and performed well during their first year as school teachers.

Regional Allowances

Regional allowances were distributed among faculty members who worked in TTCs that are difficult to staff because they are located in unsafe or difficult to access areas because of the terrain. These allowances were given as incentives to encourage lecturers to work in areas where it is usually difficult to find and retain qualified human resource. The regional allowance was distributed to TTC faculty as a bonus in addition to their salaries.


Progress in TED Activities

This section of the report is divided into sub-sections:

progress in the DT3 component progress in distribution of quality enhancement grants progress in gender mainstreaming activities progress in distribution of regional allowances to TTC faculty new initiatives

Progress in DT3

TED delivered DT3 with the help of three lead implementing partners (IPs) and their sub-contractors. The first phase of the DT3 program ended on July 31, 2012, which lasted for 36 months. Subsequently, before the program extension, there was a ten-month delay. The reason for the delay was as below:

TED proposed extension of the program to the leadership of the Ministry of Education and the World Bank (WB) that funds the program and both agreed with extension proposal. Initially, it was planned to have a six-month extension from August to December 2012. It was also proposed that during the program extended time, TED would work on the long- term program, which would be contracted based on open bidding.

The budget proposed by IPs for six month extension was high and exceeded the procurement norms required for extension; it was then suggested to outsource the program through open bidding process. However, the open bidding could have taken six to twelve months creating a long delay in the program implementation. Negotiation to find a solution took almost six months. Finally, it was decided to sole source the program with the current local NGOs in order to avoid a longtime gap between the two phases.

For sole sourcing the program, TED developed a ToR and a RFP after receiving NoL from the WB. The proposals from the IPs were reviewed by a committee and the budget was negotiated with them. The drafted contracts were submitted to the World Bank for their review and approval. It took another four months to finalize the contracts. In May 2013, the contracts were finally signed with three lead agencies. Based on the new contracts, the IPs will train 100,000 teachers and 7,000 principals in INSET-III and SMT4 over a six month period.

The table below provides a breakdown of provinces by lead IP and its sub-contractors.

Lead Implementation Partners

Area Provinces Lead IP Sub-contractor

North & Northeast

Badakhshan, Baghlan, Takhar, Kunduz, Samangan, Kunar, Nuristan, Faryab

Just for Afghan Capacity and Knowledge (JACK)

JACK didn't have any sub-contractors


Central Bamyan, Logar, Paktiya, Paktika, Kabul, Parwan, Kapisa, Laghman

Afghan Development Association (ADA)

WADAN, CoAR, AWEC

West & Southern

Badghis, Ghur, Farah, Uruzgan, Zabul, Helmand, Nimroz

Save the Children International (SCI)

HTAC, HAFO, Co-AR, STAR, Jack

Each partner implements the program in its targeted districts, with all three partners contributing towards the TED's targets for the entire DT3 program.

Development of the Training Materials

Inset III

Developing teachers’ capacity in their subject specialty and the relevant pedagogy has been one of TED’s priorities. To develop secondary level teachers’ capacity in subject-matter knowledge and pedagogy, TED developed teacher training manuals in various areas. The manuals for science were developed for two levels of lower secondary (grades 7-9) and upper secondary (grades10-12). The science and math teachers of lower and upper secondary had intensive needs for subject-matter knowledge and the content for these subjects was also extensive. The manuals developed for science include subject specialties of chemistry, biology, physics and math. The math manual included geometry, trigonometry and algebra. TED developed social sciences’ manuals for grades 7-12 in the areas of history, geography and Islamic Education.

In the development of these manuals, TED worked in partnership with Kabul University. Professors from different departments of Kabul University together with the academic members of TED worked on the development of these manuals. In addition, faculty members from Sayed Jamaludin TTC and other TTCs in provinces with capacity in the mentioned areas were also involved. These faculty members brought insights and experience of the actual teaching TTC students. In addition, the process of the manuals’ development influenced by the new school curriculum and textbooks introduced over the past years. Other resources relevant to these textbooks such as TED pedagogy and resource books for Kabul University were also used to enrich the content.

The new INSET manuals were developed in response to the teachers’ needs for increased subject matter knowledge in addressing the difficult content in the school curriculum. The manuals present information/content in a more understandable way breaking down difficult concepts and themes into understandable segments. The manuals also provide additional information and examples for teachers to help students learn more effectively and relate the knowledge to their day-to-day life.


The table below illustrates the manuals in different subject-areas developed and completed over the last six months.

Manuals Developed

Grades Subject-areas

Grade 7-9 Chemistry

Biology

Physics

Math

Grade 7-12 History

Geography

Islamic Education

Grade 10-12 Chemistry

Biology

Physics

Math

School Management Training (SMT 4)

The SMT4 was developed for Afghan school administrators based on the competency framework and School Management Training Curriculum Map. The Manual, which builds on the SMT3, is organized in 15 chapters. SMT-4 is designed as an 8-day program with 2 three-hour sessions per day for a total of 16 sessions, or 48 hours. The manual starts with a review of competency domains and addresses different topics in each domain strengthening the competencies of the school administrators. Each domain is described below:

Domain 1 Instructional Leadership and Accountability

Domain 2 Managing Schools with Professional Leadership

Domain 3 Leadership in Fostering Community Relationships to Support Learning

Domain 4 Leadership in Fostering Continuous Learning and Professional Development


Translation of the manual was outsourced to a translating firm, which completed the translation. The training was conducted in June for the first time.

Please refer to Annex 2, table 4, for the detailed breakdown of the content/themes of the training manual.

INSET Trainings

Training in Various Subjects

In-service education for teachers (INSET) trainings are delivered in three phases: INSET I, II and III. INSET I focuses on basic pedagogy for all school teachers, whether they teach at the primary, middle or secondary level. INSET II is a combination of content knowledge and pedagogy; participating teachers are divided into four groups: teachers from grades 1 to 3, teachers from grades 4 to 6, humanities teachers from grades 7 to 12 and math and science (including Physics, Chemistry and Biology) teachers from grades 7 to 12.

INSET III focuses on literacy and numeracy for teachers teaching grades 1 to 3 and a more intensive focus on content knowledge for teachers teaching all other grades. This is because there are still a huge number of teachers with grade 12 education, especially in rural part of the country. The training is delivered using the cascade model, with TED's staff provide training to trainers, recruited by the IPs, who then provide training to teachers. The cascade is illustrated below:

Figure 2.3: INSET III Training Grade 1-6 Teachers (June 2013)

Teachers

Teacher Training Members

Team Leaders

Senior Trainers

Lead Trainers/ TED's Provincial Monitoring Officers

Figure 2.2: INSET Training


Cascade Model for INSET Trainings

The 13-day workshops on various subjects as part of INSET III began on June 15, 2013. A total of 384 participants with background in different subjects took part in the workshop. The participants were members from the three main IP organizations (SCI, ADA and JACK) and their sub-contractors (the local organizations stationed in the provinces). Senior trainers and team leaders from 23 provinces including Kabul were invited to the training which was held in the Sayed Jamaludin TTC in Kabul. The participants were grouped according to their subject specialty in the areas of social sciences, math, natural sciences, languages and religious studies. Professors from Kabul University together with Provincial Monitors and TED Academic Members facilitated the workshops. The facilitators of the workshop used a variety of learner-centered methods such as group work discussions, demonstration lessons and role-plays and used visual materials for better illustration. In science subjects’ training, the facilitators conducted experiments using laboratories.

INSET III Package

Training Participants Number of Females Grades

Literacy and Numeracy ( Early Grades) 91

4 Grade 1-6

Math 44 2 Grade 7-12

Social Sciences/ Languages 34 1 Grade 7-12

Religious Studies / Languages 55 1 Grade 7-12

Chemistry/ Biology 59 6 Grade 7-12

Physics 25 1 Grade 7-12

SMT4 60 5 Administrators

Total 384 20 (5%)

Reading and writing are instrumental for learning all subjects. In the INSET III, TED emphasized that “all subjects are reading subjects”. Teachers’ enhanced capacity in developing their students’ reading and writing skills facilitate the overall learning in any subjects particularly in art subjects. In the training, TED integrated themes from its enhanced literacy package, which was developed with support from UNICEF for social sciences, religious studies and languages to strengthen students’ reading skills.

The enhanced literacy package is based on the following principles.

• All children should have the ability to read and have to learn to read. • All children should be better readers by practicing reading. • Children need to learn to read fluently. • Reading is thinking.


• Reading is a process, not a single act. • Recitation and memorization is not the same as reading. • Student-talk is as important as teacher-talk. • All art subject teachers must count themselves as reading teachers. • Teachers must provide ongoing assessment report of students’ reading

comprehension skills.

The integration of themes on developing students’ reading capacity will enable teachers from different specialty in art subjects to help their students read well and comprehend the reading context better.

School Management Training (SMT)

SMT was delivered in three phases: SMT I, II and III. SMT I was a course in basic management of school resources (including human and financial resources), and SMT II and III provided more advanced levels of capacity development. These courses become progressively advanced, now, it is not necessary for the participants to complete one phase before enrolling subsequent phases since each SMT course recaptures key lessons from the basic courses. While SMT I and II were delivered by TED's IPs, SMT III was delivered directly by TTC faculty. The figure below illustrates the cascade model used to deliver SMT I and II to school managers.

Figure 2.4: Cascade model for SMT Training

School Managers

Principal Training Team Members

Principal Training Leaders

Lead Trainers/ TED's Provincial Monitoring Officers


By June 2012, a total number of 7,059 school administrators (6,664 males and 395 females) had participated in SMT I, 7,056 school administrators (6,601 males and 455 females) had participated in SMT II, and 15,628 school administrators (9,979 males and 5,649 females) had participated in SMT III.

In the last six months, TED developed SMT4 with its Dari and Pashto translations. A total number of 65 principal training leaders from the IPs and their sub-contractors were trained in SMT4 in the month of June 2013. The training will start in all provinces in the upcoming months.

Capacity Development of TED Staff to Deliver and Monitor INSET Trainings

From January to June 2013, TED organized trainings to enhance the staff capacity to deliver and monitor INSET trainings. A 13-day training on INSET III for primary grades on literacy and numeracy was delivered to Provincial Monitoring Officers (PMOs). A total number of 47 participants (44 men and 3 women) took part in the workshop. The workshop prepared the PMOs to deliver INSET III (early grades) training to Team Leaders and Senior Trainers of the IPs.

To strengthen PMOs capacity in writing analytical reports, a two half-day workshop was organized for all PMOs in February 2013. The topics covered in the training are inserted in the Annex 4.

Figure 2.6: PMO Training on INSET III

Figure 2.5: SMT4 Training in June 2013


Workshop for TTC Directors

TED organized a 4-day workshop from February 9 to 12 for TTC Directors, Admin and Finance Departments’ Deputies and Provincial Monitoring Officers from 42 TTC across the country. In total, 106 participants attended the workshop.

The topics covered in the workshop were as follows:

• New student selection procedures • Writing quality reports • New training packages ( advanced pedagogy and enhanced literacy) • Bridge program • Student statistics • TTC faculty members’ academic portfolio • Teachers’ Management Information System ( TMIS) • TTC grants and proposal development • TTC monitoring and feedback to individual TTCs • Credit systems • Budgeting • Development of annual plan

Furthermore, sessions were organized to address unclear areas in the credit policy for TTCs. The workshop ended with each TTC developing a draft annual action plan.

Institutional Grants to TTCs

Every year, TTCs receive an institutional grant of USD 10,000 to improve their learning environment. In the year 2013, the TTCs grants were extended to the TDCs too. This year,

Figure 2.8: TTC Directors Workshop, February 2013 Figure 2.7: TTC Directors Workshop, February 2013


the total number of proposals developed, reviewed and processed included proposals for 42 main TTCs and 181 TDCs.

TED provided training and guidance to the TTC management on how to develop quality proposals for the grants. TTCs identified their priority needs based on which they developed proposals in the required format. When TED received proposals for grants from TTCs, they were reviewed and changes were made according to criteria that had been pre-determined for the grants. The grant proposals developed in 1391 (2012) were approved by TED.

The fund transfer to the TTCs and TDCs is in progress and soon it will reach Mustufiats in the provinces. Once the funds are transferred to TTCs, a Grant Management Committee in each province (which includes representatives of the PED, the Provincial Council, representatives of teachers and TTC students, the Governor's office, the Provincial Revenue Department, the Human Rights Office etc) monitors the transparent, participatory and efficient use of the funds and oversees procurement and construction processes. The committee is required to follow ToRs that govern its establishment.

To date, all TTCs have received two tranches of this grant; each received a total amount of $ 20,000 US dollars in two years. The directors of recipient TTCs were required to report monthly progress facilities being added through the grants and PMOs were expected to regularly monitor the effective and transparent use of grant funds.

The proposals for TTC quality grants for the year 2013 were received in the month of March and April and were reviewed in the month of May. The requests for TTCs institutional grants were on items such as water facilities, repair and renovation of the classrooms, electric equipments, technological facilities such as Internet, computers, telephones, and office equipment such as furniture, stationery and big containers for storage.

The graph below illustrates the needs reflected in TTC grant proposals.

10 10

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Facilities Proposed for TTC Grants

Figure 2.9: Facilities Proposed by TTCs for TTC Grants


The analysis of the proposals shows that the highest number of requested facility was installment of the Solar Panels (12%). The need for electricity has been very intensive for the TTCs for keeping the computers and labs functional as well as for ensuring that the classrooms are well-lighted. The second highest number of requested facility (11%) was for each of the following three categories i.e. computers and its accessories, and office equipment including furniture, fans, vacuum cleaners, refrigerators and water coolers. The computers are needed in TTCs for students’ capacity development in computer skills. The other items were some basic needs of the TTCs to keep these institutions functional. Around 5% of the requests were for water-facility and 4% of the TTCs requested septic wells, greenery and shade structures.

Gender Mainstreaming

EQUIP II introduced two key initiatives to mainstream the participation of women in the education sector. Through these initiatives, TED has a total of 31,111 students in TTCs of which 59% are women. The distribution of women in TTCs has been uneven with more women attending TTCs in big cities such as Kabul, Herat and Jalalabad. However, there has been improvement in other provinces too. Progress in each gender mainstreaming initiative is narrated below.

Gender Grants to TTCs

Gender grants were distributed among TTCs as an incentive to increase female enrolment levels in the colleges. They have a dual motive: to reward those TTCs that have succeeded in enabling high female enrolment levels and to support TTCs to sustain and further increase female enrolment levels by providing a gender-friendly learning environment.

In 2013, TED expanded provision of grants to include not only the main TTCs but also the district-based TDCs. Each TTC and TDC was required to develop a proposal reflecting their priority needs along with a budget and a plan for spending the grant.

To determine the size of the gender grant, the following factors are considered:

I) The level of risk for women’s participation

The definition of risk which includes the overall conditions for the participation of women in the TTC or TDC in terms of geographical remoteness, conservative cultural norms and security as well as current number of female students.

II) The location of TTCs or TDCs

TTCs and TDCs are divided into four categories based on the provinces where they are located:

a) High risk provinces include Farah, Nimroz, Noristan, Paktika, Paktika, Uruzgan, Wardak and Zabul

b) Medium risk provinces include Badghis, Khost, Helmand, Kandahar, Kunar and Logar

c) Low risk provinces are Ghor, Nangrahar and laghman, and


d) No risk provinces include Parwan, Kapisa, Kabul, Badakhshan, Baghlan, Bamyan, Daikundi, Faryab, Jawzjan, Ghazni, Balkh, Heart, Panjshir, Kunduz, Samangan, Saripul and Takhar..

III) Whether it is a TTC or a district-based TDC

Increasing the number of girls in TDCs located in districts carries more value compared to increase in the main TTCs, which are generally located in the urban settings.

The table below show how much gender grants is provided to each TTC and TDCs.

Amount of Grant $ 8,000 $ 6,000 $ 4,000

Category Number of provinces

TTC/ TDC

Number of students in the 1st Category

Number of students in the 2nd Category

Number of students in the 3rd Category

High risk 8

City 100< 51-100 5-50

District 30< 16-30 5-15

Medium risk 6

City 300< 151-300 10-150

District 150< 100-150 10-100

Low risk 3

City 400< 201-400 10-200

District 250< 131-250 10-130

No risk 17

City 500< 201-500 10-200

District 300< 151-300 10-150

TTCs and TDCs are expected to use the grants to provide students better education environment and maintain facilities that will help them maintain high female enrolment levels. They can be used to set up day care centers, provide functional toilets for females, provide room and board accommodation to females, etc.


The graph below illustrates the facilities requests for the gender grants reflected in the received proposals from TTCs and TDCs for 2013.

As illustrated above, the needs identified for gender grants include specific items largely needed by women such as space for day-care, equipments for day-care and health room, and equipments for dorms.

TTC Grants Monitoring

TED carried out a monitoring/assessment of the TTC grants from October to December 2012. The purpose was to assess whether TTC grants were used according to the TED guidelines and to receive feedback on the level of satisfaction of grants and the challenges TTCs experience in using the grants.

The monitoring was carried out by 17 provincial administrators of the GSP unit of TED. One provincial administrator visited one or two TTCs at the 42 TTC locations across the country. They interviewed the TTC director, academic deputy director, finance and admin deputy

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Facilities Proposed for Gender Grants

Figure 2.10: Facilities Proposed by TTCs for TTC Grants


director; representatives of the PED, Provincial Council, Mostofiat, TTC students, and TED’s DT3 provincial monitoring officers to conduct the assessment. The inclusion of these staff members was important as they have been members of the TTC grant committee who administered the implementation of grants at the TTC level.

The questionnaire was prepared to cover six areas, which included the formation of the grant committee at the TTC level, status of the monitoring of grant activities by the grant committee, financial responsibilities of the grant committee, general questions regarding the use of grants, feedback from TTC directors, feedback from TTC students, and feedback from the monitor. The orientation on the questionnaire was provided by the GSP monitoring officer for two days. Each monitoring visit to a TTC lasted at least a week.

Summary of Findings

Overall findings from the monitoring indicate that the grant activities are on track. The following lists present numeric findings of the grant activities at the monitored TTCs. They have been derived from six categories of information as follows:

Formation of grant committees:

• 90% of the TTCs, had functioning grant committees to direct grant activities. • 100% of the TTCs with grant committees had formed their grant committees before

the start of grant activities and in accordance with the grant guidelines.

Monitoring of grant activities by grant committees:

• 88% of the grant committees monitored grant activities regularly. • 88% of the grant committees reported their work to their TTC directors. • 97% of the grant committees organized meetings to discuss grant activities. • Only 62% of the grant committees sent regular reports to the TED in Kabul.

Financial responsibilities of grant committees:

• 80% of the TTCs spent the grants based on grant guidelines. • Only 51% of the TTCs sent their financial reports to the TED in Kabul. • 85% of activities met the construction and procurement standards. • 70% of TCCs processed their procurement documents and sent them to relevant

Mustofiats.

Feedback for general questions:

• 93% of the TTCs implemented grant activities based on the five specific points in the grant guidelines.

• 93% of TTCs conducted their procurement according to the procurement law of the country.

Feedback from TTC directors:

• 84% said there was change in the teaching of instructors or in the learning of students after the grant activities.


• 78% said they received positive feedback from TTC faculty and students after grant activities.

Feedback from TTC students:

• Students from 83% of the TTCs reported that there had been increase in the number of female students after the grant activities.

Challenges Experienced by TTCs in Implementing Grants

The monitored TTCs mentioned a number of challenges they have faced in the implementation of grant activities. The following is a list of the main challenges identified:

• PEDs and Provincial Councils do not cooperate with TTCs in the implementation of grant activities.

• Grants are not transferred in time, so delays in the procurement process are common. In 2012, the grants were sent to the TTCs in the middle of the fiscal year. Plus, the fiscal year ended sooner than expected; the March 20 through March 21 calendar for fiscal year was changed to December 18 through December 17 of the following year.

• The procurement process involving the Finance Departments of PEDs and Mostofiats has been very tedious.

• The PEDs and Mostofiats are not provided with clear guidelines regarding the nature of the grant.

• Grant proposals are often approved late. • Taxing grants is another problem, often resulting in delays. • In some areas, grant activities are delayed by cold weather. • Lack of firms in some areas to bid for projects has resulted in procurement delays. • Some provinces have complained about disparity in grant distributions.

Detailed findings of the grants monitoring is added as Annex 5.

Girls' Scholarship Program (GSP)

Through the GSP, TED distributed scholarships to women enrolled in TTCs in 25 provinces with low female enrolment levels. The scholarships intended to help improve and sustain female enrolment levels and to provide deserving female students with financial support to continue their education. The eligibility requirements and continuation of proving scholarship were based on students’ attendance and their academic performance. From January to June 2013, 4,516 female students received scholarships, and more than one third of these students graduated. TED is in the process of selecting new eligible students for the year of 2013. It aims at maintaining the number of scholarships to around 4,500 students. In the current academic year (2013-2014), TED received scholarship requests for two provinces. Around 30 female students in Zabul and 100 female students in Wardak started attending the TTCs; thus, the process for providing them scholarship has started. Number factors such as new management at Wardack TTC, presence of TDC and


dissemination of information on the scholarship to the communities have contributed to the positive change in the increase of female students at TTCs of the mentioned provinces. In both provinces, TTC directors have engagement with the communities and advocated for females’ participation in the TTCs. Whereas, some provinces show an increasing progress in the number of female students at their TTCs, the number of students fluctuates in provinces like Wardak and Uruzgan in response to the security situation in these provinces.

A total number of 1,674 TTC students who received scholarships graduated in 2012 academic year, and a total of 2,842 female students who received scholarship in 2012 were in grade 13th and continued their studies at the TTCs in the current academic year (the below graphs show scholarships breakdown). From the newly enrolled students, the eligible students for scholarship will be determined, which will add to the number of participating female students in the GSP. The delay for identifying the new eligible students was due to the late approval of Ministry of Education’s budget by the parliament.

A detailed table of scholarship allotment per province is added as Annex 2, table 5.

The below graph shows the breakdown of grade 13th students by province who received scholarships for 2012 and continued their study at TTCs in the current academic year:

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Figure 2.11: Breakdown of Girls’ Scholarship Program of Female Students who were in Grade 13th in 2012.


The below graph shows breakdown of girls' scholarships by province for 14th grade female students who received scholarships for the academic year 2012 and graduated.

Payment of Bonus Salaries to Female TTC Graduates

To encourage female TTC graduates to take up teaching jobs immediately after graduation, they are provided an incentive of two-month bonus salaries at the end of their first year work. To track TTC graduates who join schools immediately as teachers with good performance at their jobs, the TED liaises closely with PED staff responsible for monitoring the enrolment and the performance of the teachers. To date, a total number of 390 teachers received bonuses of 6,000 Afghanis equal to $120 US dollars ($60 for one month). The participant teachers are eligible only once to receive this allowance. In the month of July 2013, the number of teachers benefiting from this program will increase as TED is in the process of collecting new teachers’ data for providing bonus salaries to the eligible teachers.

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Participants of GSP (grade 14th)

Figure 2.12: Breakdown of Girls’ Scholarship Program of Female Students who were in Grade 14th in 2012.


Impact of Girls’ Scholarship Program

The GSP has been very effective in encouraging female students to seek admission in TTCs. The opportunity cost for attending TTCs has been a challenge for many students aspiring to become teachers. The costs involved in attending TTCs are more difficult for female students to cover as their families may not afford to support them. Some parents tend to invest more on their sons’ education as the economic pay-off for this investment is greater. However, the prospect of girls marrying into another family and taking their income to the family of their husband, may contribute to parents’ unwillingness to invest in their girls’ higher education particularly when the family income is meager. The monthly scholarships assist girls to pay for their costs that they would otherwise be unable to afford.

A good example to observe the outcome of GSP is Zarang TTC located in Nimroz province. Nimroz is a warm climate province where the new academic year starts in September. Insecurity combined with conservative norms regarding females’ mobility and poverty in the province creates challenges for the TTC to enroll female students. The scholarship for girls addresses the economic barriers for girls to enroll in TTCs. For example, girls attending TTC in Nimroz reported that they have to pay 30 to 50 Afghanis on average for the transportation to come to Zarang TTC every day. Sometimes, the female students jointly rent a car and at times they individually commute to the TTC in a taxi which is even more expensive. The other costs that the parents help their daughters bear is purchasing the course reading materials called class chapters each semester as well as stationery. With GSP, positive change in Zaranj TTC is gaining momentum. As a result of the program, the number of female students increased from 10 to 48 in September 2012.

To encourage female’s enrollment, TTC director together with the GSP program assistant had invited community elders particularly fathers to the TTC and provided them with an orientation about the GSP. The parents and community elders have shown tremendous support to the program. The words also spread by the recipients of the scholarship to the young women, who were students at the upper secondary level of the school. They discuss it with their parents and inform them that their participation in the TTC will not incur additional costs as the scholarship will cover those costs. With the scholarship, Nimroz TTC will be able to sustain the momentum of increasing the girls/women’s participation in the TTC.

In Laghman province, the program had a tangible impact. In 2009, Laghman’s main TTC had only 28 female students. To expand the pool of female students and improve their retention, the TED program staff together with TTC director contacted with the parents of the students and some elders of the community to inform them about the Girls Scholarship Program. The elders and parents welcomed TED initiative. The provincial governor was part of the team that supported the initiative. Laghman TTC experienced a threefold increase in the number of its female students in the academic year of 2010-2011as the number reached 81. In 2012, female students increased not only in the main TTC located in the urban setting of Laghman province but also in the TDCs based in the districts of this province with a total number of 328 female students of which 175 studied in the TDCs located in Alingar, Alishing and Qarghaee districts. Obiadullah Nader who is Laghman Program Assistant for the GSP reflected with confidence on the impact of the program as he has been with the program from the beginning and has witnessed the positive change. He stated, “We gave these districts their first qualified female teachers from their own communities. It is like making history”

The increase is reflective in the confidence of the communities to send their daughters and women to the TTCs and TDCs and it also creates positive change in the norms held for women’s education and mobility in the communities.


Regional Allowances for Lecturers

Monthly allowance is provided to lecturers who work in TTCs located in unsecure and remote areas. These lecturers receive an allowance of 10,000 Afghanis (roughly USD 200) per month in addition to their salary so they could cover extra transportation costs and/or to provide them an incentive to continue teaching in difficult conditions. As of June, 2013, in total, 591 lecturers (4 female) working in difficult areas in 18 provinces have received this allowance beside their monthly salary. The regional allowance has been very effective in attracting and retaining faculty members in the 18 disadvantaged provinces. In some provinces, the regional allowance has made it possible for lecturers from other provinces to join the TTCs located in the remote areas and/or unsecure provinces. In some instances, lecturers from urban setting moved out to the districts. Overall, the regional allowance has addressed the TTCs’ needs for qualified lecturers in the mentioned 18 provinces.

Teachers’ Management Information System (TMIS)

TMIS has three main components: Teachers’ Profile Management Information System, TTCs’ Management Information System and Training Management Information System. TED has had progress in making all TMIS components.

The figure below illustrates how the TMIS is structured:

During the last six months, TMIS team organized a number of sessions for TED staff members to orient them with the TMIS. The sessions were organized in the month of February 2013. The purpose was to help TED members understand what TMIS objectives

Figure 2.13: Teachers’ Management Information System


are, how it works and its relevance and effectiveness for their work. Three-hour workshops were organized for TED Academic members with participants from various TED departments. Another session specifically tailored to the needs of TTCs directors was integrated in the TTCs directors’ workshop, held in February 2013, in which focus was placed on TTCs directors’ role in the TMIS. Different formats of TMIS and their purposes were discussed with the TTCs directors and their role to support with data collection was emphasized. The progress achieved in the components of TMIS is mentioned below.

TTC Management Information System

TTC Management Information System is mainly a composition of three sub-components (see the figure above).Below are the components and the progress achieved.

A) TTCs Instructor Management Information System This system provides the necessary information to evaluate, compare and monitor the current status of TTCs’ lecturers and their profile. The information is collected from lecturers’ profiles located in Lecturers’ Affairs Department of TED. TMIS team has been collecting further information on TTCs’ lecturers as the information available in Lecturers’ Affairs Department is not sufficient to fulfill the requirement and reporting needs. Thus, a four pages data capturing format was designed and sent to all TTCs. In February 2013, the format was presented to the Directors of TTCs in the Workshop organized for them, and the forms were shared with them to be filled in by their faculty members. Ten provinces have returned the completed forms, whose information is integrated in the existing data in the system. The TMIS team has been following up with the rest of the provinces and providing them with guidance in order to obtain the remaining information.

B) TTCs Students’ Information Management System (SMIS) This component is designed to supply adequate information to support policy and decision-making. This component is currently managed by Students’ Affairs Department of TED. The Students’ Affairs Department is one of the most crowded departments of TED with clients and visitors from all over Afghanistan including teachers, current and former TTCs students and those who want to continue their educations in TTCs. It has 50 years backlog of data related to the students of TTCs from all over the country which is paper based data and in hard copies.

The SMIS is developed to address the challenges in students’ data management by saving and updating students’ profile, which included information on students’ taken semesters, studied subjects, received scores/achievements, and related TTC department’s records in the soft form. It can also generate students’ transcripts, certificates and reports on student’s marks and attendance. The designed system will address the demand of the clients efficiently as the number of students grows with the passage of time. In the last six months, the development and design of this component completed and the system is deployed in Students’ Affairs Department. It is planned that the data on TTCs’ past and present students be entered into system in the upcoming months. Priority will be given to the graduates of the last two years and to the existing students. TMIS team plans to organize


capacity development workshops for the Students’ Affairs Department who is responsible for managing the system effectively.

C) TTC Infrastructure Information Management System (IMIS) Infrastructure Management Information System is made to store data and information related to TTCs’ buildings, classrooms, water supplies, electric systems, dining rooms, conference halls, hostels, TTCs’ categories and other commodities. IMIS developers plans to design a reference guide for policymakers and donors involved in construction and re-construction of TTCs across the country.

The IMIS has a back-end database and a front-end web based interface that is composed of several statistical and comparative reports, charts and it is able to export raw data into MS. Excel and PDF formats. This component was completed in 2012. During the reporting period, this system was refined further and is being used in TED.

Training Management Information System

Teacher Training is one of the major components of TMIS. Training Management Information System is designed to evaluate the impact and efficiency of the trainings provided to teachers. Monitoring and evaluation forms were filled out and collected while trainings were held.

During the reporting period, TMIS team managed to unify the formats on current stored data, and entered it to an integrated system which has data of all trainings. The information can be browsed and graphical and statistical reports can be generated out of this system.

This system has already stored data on ADA, JACK and Save the Children training packages which include data on INSET–I , INSET-II , INSET-III, SMT-I, SMT-II, SMT-III, enhanced literacy, advanced pedagogy and Kandahar psycho social trainings .

45th Presidential Decree Training Data TMIS team received a large number of forms collected from trainings held by TED in implementation of the 45th Presidential Decree. A system was designed and integrated with Training Management Information System to store and manage the data. More than 40,000 records of teachers’ profiles and assessment forms of trainers and core trainers by trainees were manually entered into the system which can be used for generating reports for improvement in the future.

Teachers’ Profile Management Information System

This component is integrated in the Training Management Information System for the time being. Teachers who received DT3 training are already entered into to the system in the last six months. In the future, this component will be linked to the MoE Human Resource Department as this department is mandated for teachers’ recruitment and termination.


New Initiatives

Master’s Degree Program at the American University Afghanistan (AUAF)

The AUAF’s MA in Education will start in the next months. The university submitted a MoU and a technical annex detailing the objectives and scope of the program. TED reviewed the documents, and provided the university with guidelines and steps to take. TED proposed that theoretical courses or topics should be included and outlined in the curriculum.

In addition, the financial terms were brought in line with MOE/TED procedures; such as there will be three phases throughout the program. Each phase will enlist the entire number of participants in 4 cohorts of six weeks. The payments will be made in three installments, and each installment will be paid in advance before the start of the phase. The amount of payments will vary and will be based on the number of participants who could be successfully promoted to the next phase of three phases.

Currently, the list of prospective faculty members from TTCs in the provinces is being prepared. Each province has been assigned a quota. It is expected that a total number of 300 faculty members will join the program in the first cohort of the program beginning in August 2013.

Career and Placement Offices at the TTCs

To kick off the process on a pilot basis, TED recruited three graduate placement officers for three TTCs in Daikundi, Saripul, and Kandahar. The placement officers will work with the TTCs’ directors to help encourage new TTC graduates find teaching positions in schools. There is evidence that TTC graduates tried to find jobs other than teaching positions at schools, which creates a policy problem. The Ministry of Education encourages more students, particularly females, to study at TTCs so they become professional teachers, while TTCs’ graduates pursue careers other than teaching. Therefore, to address this problem, TED planned to establish graduate placement offices at all TTCs in the country.

The pilot phase of the project is for one year. The three provinces will presumably have tangible results comparing the rates of recruitment from the previous years with the current year in which the pilot phase of the project will be implemented. Once the pilot phase has successful outcomes, the career and placement offices will be established in all other TTCs. As a result, this will eventually help TTC graduates find teaching positions in schools across the country.

Third Party Impact Evaluation

TED will hire a firm to identify the current needs of teacher education programs and evaluate the outcomes of the teacher training programs that was implemented by BESTT and EQUIP during the past five years. In addition, the firm will have to evaluate the results of increase in establishment of TTCs and district based TDCs, and quick expansion of student enrolment particularly females in TTCs.

The overall objective of this evaluation is to undertake a third party review of the Pre-Service and In-Service Teacher Training Programs.


Specific Objectives:

• Review of Teacher Training Colleges (TTCs) from qualitative, management and equitable implementation perspectives with the aim to facilitate the TTCs to refine their performance as key education service providers for all pre-service teachers across Afghanistan.

• Review of in-service teachers’ training (NPITT/DT3) activities and outcomes from the inception up to date.

• Review existing and required capacity and challenges of General Directorate of Teacher Education (TED) in relation to implementation of Pre-Service and the District Teacher Training Team (DT3) program and other development projects supported by donors, especially by the World Bank with the aim to facilitate TED to refine its operation as a key custodian for ensuring delivery of teachers’ training programs with high quality and reaching gender equality in the teaching force.

The ToR and the RFP were prepared and issued in April 2013. TED received the proposals and after review one firm was selected. TED contacted the selected firm with few specific questions. Currently, the review of the resubmitted proposal is in progress and will soon be finalized.

A Research Study to Measure Changes in Teachers’ Behavior

In October 2012, TED put together a research proposal outlining the objectives, scope and tools for measuring changes in teachers’ behavior and practice over a period of time. The study can be used to establish a more recent baseline for the research area or to compare the results with a similar research conducted in 2005, the findings of which have been included in the proposal too.

The research will be conducted in response to the need for improving quality of teaching. To date, the focus has primarily been placed on access to education, with little or sporadic research and surveys on the quality of teaching in schools across the country. The research has been designed to identify knowhow about teaching practices in schools in a systemic and consistent way across the country. The research can help to provide insights into several years of in-service teachers’ training for school teachers, obtain information about the current teaching practices in the country, identify any barriers to student-centered teaching in classrooms, and finally to establish a benchmark and baseline for future measurements of teaching practices at schools.

The proposal cites teaching observation in classrooms as the main tool for data collection of the research. Information can be collected from nine grades of both male and female teachers of all subjects. TED’s provincial monitoring officers and TTCs’ staff members can help with the data collection for the research. The study will cover classroom teaching quality of 480 school teachers at 80 schools in 20 provinces. The classroom observation form designed for the study can be used to collect information on the targeted schools teachers’ behavior with students, classrooms’ lesson observation, teachers’ command of lessons, teachers’ asking question method, homework assignment/check, and others.


Challenges

Delay in extension of District Teacher Training Teams’ (DT3s) contracts: the extension of DT3 contracts was expected from August 2012 onwards. Contractual issues and complexities and the resultant need to repeatedly modify amendments to IP contracts delayed the extension. The suspension of activities between September 2012 to May 2013 broke the momentum that had been created in school teachers and managers’ trainings, PLCs and TLCs’ activities and school level support to teachers. Serious challenges were experienced by all DT3 implementing partners’ organizations. The challenges included recruitment and retention of qualified and experienced staff as part of DT3s particularly female staff. The implementing partners were faced with resource and time constraints to train and orient the new DT3 teams to the program. Some qualified recruits were not interested in joining the project once started again as they had already been absorbed by other organizations. Some organizations also could not sustain their provincial and district offices as they could not afford the costs. Securing the physical space for office was a challenge and time consuming exercise.

Poor security in different parts of the country and the escalating insecurity in Kabul city especially during the last few months have created challenges for the smooth implementation of TED activities and programs. In unsecure provinces, it has been hard for TED to collect data and information from districts.


Introduction

The Education Management Information System (EMIS) at Afghanistan’s Ministry of Education enables the ministry to meet its information needs for decision-making, accountability, and organizational learning. EMIS aims to provide information for strategic planning and to produce regular and specialized reports, and to this effect, has developed data management modules and enhanced human capacity.

The World Bank (WB) currently supports 1) recruitment of technical assistants for the planning department and 2) funds for purchase of equipments and consultancy services required for the expansion of EMIS at provincial and district level. The following three sections cover the contributions made by the technical assistants of EMIS, the progress made in expansion of EMIS, and other activities directly or indirectly linked to WB assistance.

System Development Department

System Development Department is a technical unit within EMIS Directorate at the Ministry of Education (MOE). This department is responsible for administration of the currently developed management information system, development of new systems, technical consultation and providing civil servants with long and short term training on using and maintaining the developed applications at central, provincial and district level throughout the country.

Main responsibilities of System Development Department include:

1. Consult with each department to integrate their paper based systems into the EMIS, thus allowing for more efficient transfer, storage, and retrieval of data. This system will be extended into a full-fledged online reporting system, and will eventually reach the school level.

2. Data Security in terms of developing security and backup systems to ensure that the data is safe and to avoid loss of information.

3. Ensure all essential databases at the ministry (e.g. EMIS, AFMIS, HRMIS and school establishment) can be linked in order to streamline the collection and processing of information and to avoid or minimize the duplication of systems.

EMIS Directorate has seven technical staff (consultants) supported by the World Bank project (EQUIP) to carry out the above systems development and maintenance activities. A table that summarizes each consultant’s activities during the past six months is added in the Annex 2, table 6.


Targets and Core Activities

EMIS Modules

The EMIS Department developed various applications to manage information and provide required data and information for different departments and units of the ministry and other organizations. The following are the most significant core activities and achievements over the reporting period.

Assessments, Evaluations and Data Management

Assessments, Evaluations and Data Management include four key activities which are: A) requirement collection and analysis B) system development and maintenance, C) data analysis and reporting and D) capacity development and technical training. Following are the details of each core activity and target.

A) Requirement Collection and Analysis

One of the main activities during the last few months was to analyze the existing education management information system, to find out its gaps and fill them out with close coordination of the stakeholders. After analyzing the current gaps and troubleshooting them, not only the school management system is revised and updated but also requirements were collected and analyzed for developing new systems, including, Infrastructural Services Department (ISD) system, Procurement Tracking system, Students' Certification system, Community Based Education system, and Textbook Distribution system. Likewise, requirements were collected and analyzed for development of terms of reference (ToR) for intranet network design to connect provincial EMIS servers with the central EMIS server for data synchronization and replication, and development of a second ToR for the design of asset management system which would be launched in near future.

B) System Development and Maintenance

Many information systems were developed, updated and maintained over the reporting period that are mentioned below:

a. School Management Module has been in place and the data collected through the module has been extensively used for planning, decision making and other purposes. Over the past six months, the system has been improved and updated based on the revised school census, its new version will be installed in July 2013 at the Provincial Education Directorates (PEDs) for 1392 (2013) academic year data entry.

b. Procurement Tracking System is developed and is currently fully functional in procurement department of MoE. This system is able to track construction, goods and consultancy projects of MoE which are under procurement process.


c. None-Formal Education (NFE) System is developed and currently it is fully functional for the literacy department. Similarly, the Community Based Education (CBE) system is developed and is currently in the testing phase; this system will be able to register all community based educational classes throughout the country supported by donor agencies.

d. Students Certification System is developed; this system is now ready for data entry, and it would be able to automate the process of issuing 12th grade graduates' certificates. Additionally, this system would be able to upload the scanned documents like the upper secondary schools' exam results of individual students.

e. Mobile Application is developed by a consultant company, Afghanistan Reliable Technology Services (ARTS). The testing phase of Mobile application system has been completed in Uruzgan province, covering 56 schools out of 70 planned schools. The system could not cover all schools due to the security challenges in the province. This system is being used for educational data monitoring and verification purposes. More information on mobile application development can be found in Annex 6.

f. HR-MIS System is developed for contract staff, and this system is recently fully functional. It will manage all human resources recruitment processes including job analysis, job designs, job announcements, performance assessment and training.

g. Geographic Information System (GIS): A Unit to develop GIS is newly established at EMIS. GIS Specialist is recruited, and the problems and gaps with GIS coordinates were identified. MoE statistical data is visualized through GIS maps at provincial level. Development of a GIS booklet is in progress and will be shared with the relevant MoE departments in the near future.

C). Data Analysis and Reporting

System Development Department is also delivering technical support to the Statistical Department of EMIS, providing them with trainings in terms of designing the school census, data collection, data entry, data cleaning, cross checking, data dissemination, reporting and obtaining feedback from the stakeholders. The main tasks carried out during the last six months includes finding information of the missing 1391 (2012) schools’ data that is already entered in PEDs' EMIS servers and imported to the central EMIS server, data cleaning and cross checking at central level, providing statistical reports, and issuing requested data for EMIS clients.

D). Capacity Development and Technical Training

One of the key responsibilities of the System Development Department is to improve and strengthen the capacity of MoE staff at central, provincial and district level on using technology for educational activities. This is to automate the MoE activities and change their execution from the traditional way in order to capacitate MoE staff to perform tasks efficiently, effectively and on timely basis.


Education Management Information System is decentralized at provincial level and was installed at PEDs. EMIS units were established at PEDs and servers were configured and installed in each PED across the country. Civil servants and EMIS officers were trained in terms of using and maintaining the system. EMIS officers were also trained on GIS device and how to use the GIS device in order to collect accurate and reliable GIS coordinates from the field.

Other Activities

A) Deployment of EMIS Server in the Afghanistan National Data Center (ANDC) is completed. Contract was signed with the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology (MoCIT) for the transfer of the EMIS server to ANDC at MoCIT, and EMIS was transferred to Afghanistan National Data Centre. EMIS is now accessible on internet at www.emis.af, and clients can access quantitative information on schools, students and teachers online.

B) Infrastructure and Equipment: procurement of IT equipments is completed. The purchased equipments were installed in Kabul city departments, and has reached all 34 provinces. Local Area Networks (LAN) has been set up, while EMIS systems were configured in central offices of PEDs. Central and provincial officers were trained to use the EMIS system, including data entry and data retrieval. In the next six months these EMIS units will be connected with the central EMIS unit for data synchronization and replication on the scheduled basis.

C) EQUIP Program Implementation Manual (PIM): A review of Volume III of PIM for EQUIP II was finalized through a consultative processes with the EMIS Monitoring and Reporting Unit, and the Evaluation Unit of the Department of Planning. The Evaluation Unit played a key role in the review. The volume sets a framework and provides a guide for EQUIP Monitoring and Evaluation activities.

D) New Recruitments of a system analyst, a data analyst, a programmer and a database developer was completed with the World Bank support. They will be deployed at the System Development section to provide support for improvement and expansion of the developed modules, and they will be responsible to design/develop other needed modules.

E) Additional Support to EQUIP: EMIS provided education information to EQUIP units including EQUIP Gender Unit and Communication Unit. EMIS also cooperated with the EQUIP team in the development of concepts and strategies for student learning assessment.

http://www.emis.af/�


Future Plans

Proposed Systems to be Developed

The plan for System Development Department in the next six months is development of new systems based on the operational needs of MoE to support decision making and managerial performance of the departments.

New systems were developed for Contract Management and Budget Management and it is planned to develop a system for Admin and Finance Management. Integrated Thashkil and HR-MIS systems are being developed to cover all contract based and civil servant staff’s activities. A system for contract based staff has already been developed and the system development for civil servants is in progress. In addition, a Decision Support Management Information System will be developed to support decision making and planning activities in order to do deeper analysis, create different types of scenarios, develop projections and simulation models. Asset Management Information System development is also planed; this system would be developed by a consultancy company.


Implementation Challenges

Some of the main challenges/constraints encountered during the last six months were as follows:

Due to overall security conditions, staff members cannot travel to certain unsecure provinces, districts and schools for data collection, data validation as well as for technical consultation with provincial EMIS units;

Low capacity of civil servants at provincial level in terms of using information technology for educational purposes;

There is inadequate transportation facility for data collection, verification and validation processes at school level;

Continuous supply of power/electricity is a big problem for EMIS units in provinces;

There is inadequate cooperation and low capacity of end users as the departments are not able to give full functional and none functional requirements for their system automation, and

There are no clear and standard work flow procedures in some MoE departments, so, dynamic changes happen during systems' development.


Recommendations

1. Existence of standard work flow and document flow procedures for MoE departments would be useful in terms of systems' development;

2. Many System Development staff has no transportation facility; especially for some unsecure provinces, it is recommended that providing such a facility (by road and by air) would raise the team productivity;

3. Installing solar systems would solve electricity problems faced with provincial EMIS units;

4. Providing technical training packages at central and provincial level in terms of data collection, entry, processing, cleaning, verification and reporting, as well as basic training in terms of usage of ICT equipments (Computers, printers, scanners and internet).


Introduction

The Infrastructure Services Department (ISD) of the Ministry of Education has been responsible for implementing the construction component of the Education Quality Improvement Program (EQUIP) for improving and increasing access to quality education for all, since November/December 2011. This report for ISD covers the projects of supplementary procurement plan (SPP) 2013-2014 under new financing, and incomplete and missing components of CC projects (which were not completed within the allocated budget by EQUIP/MoE). In addition, this report highlights on the achievements under the institutional support given to ISD by the World Bank/EQUIP.

Activities and Progress

Of the total 1,347 CC Projects, 279 projects are/will be completed within the budget. The financial arrangement for the remaining incomplete components is given in the table 7, Annex 2. All the remaining projects are planned for completion by 1392 (2013), except 25 problematic and 9 demolished projects.

As of May 2013, 210 NCB projects (69%) are completed against the planned 305 NCB projects. MOE terminated 10 projects due to delay in construction by the contractor, and for relocation of projects by PED without no object certificate (NOC) from the World Bank. These 10 terminated projects will be rebidded for construction and ISD is preparing the technical documents. 41 projects are not yet started due to land and security problems, they will be started once the constraints are over.

Figure 4.1 and 4.2: Constructed School under ISD Supervision through Community Contract (CC)


Summary of Carried Over NCB Projects

Remarks # Projects Project Status 69% of the planned 210 Completed

44 Ongoing

Relocation w/o NOC; unsatisfactory delay 10 Terminated

Land & security problems 41 Not started yet

305 Total

Under the new financing arrangement with the WB, 2,619 new projects are undertaken: 75 pilots, 85 CCs with annexes of 85 CCs, 41 NCBs, 1,333 projects for missing components and 1,000 projects for maintenance and rehabilitation.

Of the 41 NCB projects, 3 TTC and 38 are buildings. Total 346 classrooms, 35 latrines, 34 solar panels, 34 boundary walls and 34 water wells will be built under these 41 projects. 26 are submitted to the Procurement Department for bidding. It is to note that the site plan in the past was not included in the procurement/bidding package for EQUIP projects but ISD has incorporated the site plan prepared by conducting a survey by site visits.

Of the 1,333 missing components, 1,290 are submitted to Procurement Department for bidding. Designs for the rest 43 are expected for completion within two weeks. These missing components were not included in the original contract with the community ‘Shura’, which are now included in SPP 2013-2014 for construction with the World Bank financing. The missing components include boundary wall, electricity, garbage collection points, GI sheet, furniture, latrine and water well and other school needs. The packages for the 85 CC projects are submitted to EQUIP for contracting out to ‘Shura’. These schools include 840 classrooms to be built, 85 laboratories and 85 computer labs. 85 CC annexes which include boundary wall, water well, latrine, furniture and solar system for all 85 schools are also submitted to Procurement Department for NCB bidding. 75 pilot projects are submitted for bid processing, which will take place at the provincial level.

Under O&M budget, 1,000 projects planned this year of which 886 are submitted to PD and the rest will be submitted in two weeks. 50% of the O&M budgets are already channeled to PED through MOE/MOF to start the bidding process.

Figure 4.3: Constructed School through NCB Process


Update on Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E)

Staff strengthened for M&E tasks: MOE has strengthened its ISD M&E capacity for the supervision and monitoring of its projects by recruiting additional 247 field monitoring engineers and 16 national engineers from Global Partnership for Education (GPE) who are expected to join ISD in a week. In addition, an International Monitoring and Reporting Advisor (Infrastructure) joined the team on the June 25, 2013, while The Danish Assistance to Afghan Rehabilitation and Technical Training (DAARTT) and International Relief and Development (IRD) are on board for months. These technical assistances to ISD have been instrumental in skills transfer and capacity enhancement through the ongoing on-the job training and in-progress development of standard M&E systems and construction manual. Article 25 will join soon towards contributing to its institutional capacity development in a coordinated manner.

Harmonization of M&E approach, methodology and techniques is in progress: Differences exist in the approach, methodology and techniques used by IRD, DAARTT and ISD. For example, formats are varied and smart phones being used by IRD and tablets by DAARTT. ISD has realized the importance of harmonization and is keen to work with IRD and DAARTT towards achieving this agenda.

Inclusion of M&E Sub-module in EMIS: The sub-module is at the development stage by EMIS/ISD teams. All standard M&E data collection and reporting formats for tracking of project progress; quality monitoring and inspection of construction unto registration and handling over of projects will be integrated into this module. Most of these formats are developed by ISD with the support of Civilian Technical Assistance Program (CTAP) supported International Technical Advisor (TA). ISD working together with IRD and DAARTT has planned to come up with one system and standard formats before finally embedded into the module. ISD is also looking at possibility of CMORE (IRD database software) integration into EMIS/ISD Module.

ISD internal monitoring: ISD M&E engineers from the centre made 361 visits in last six months around the country, which covered both NCB and CC projects. Most of the visited sites are NCB and some of them had more than one visits as part of quality assurance monitoring. ISD M&E team provided a day-to-day guidance to the field engineers on site plan preparation, supervision and bill preparation, etc.

Third Party Monitoring by IRD: As per reports submitted by IRD since September 2011 up to May 2013, 852 projects monitored by IRD engineers: 641 CC and 211 NCB and 13 not started projects. Following IRD recommendations, ISD has taken actions for 810 projects (66 NCB and 744 CC). For instance, 133 are referred for maintenance and 128 projects for rehabilitation using the O&M funds, while 148 projects are carried forward for the next year. During the months of January to May, 93 projects monitored by IRD, of them 84 completed projects and 9 projects completed after the visit. Of the total, 73 projects are Community contracted and the rest are NCB. Below are some examples of positive contribution by IRD in quality construction of ISD projects.


Figure 4.6 and 4.7: Corrugated iron sheets 24 gauges seen damaged, which were fixed as per MOE specification.

Contribution of IRD in M&E capacity development: 10 field engineers and 5 supervisors from the centre were trained. These engineers visited 260 projects (NCB+CC) in last six months as part of on-the job training.

Contribution of DAARTT in M&E capacity development: An inception report with a work plan is re-submitted to ISD in two weeks back, which is under review. ISD is participating with DAARTT in M&E activities as per work plan. A workshop at East Zone for the field engineers will be held in July 2013.

Update on Environmental and Social Safeguard (ESS): The achievements by the Environmental and Safety Management Units during the reporting period can be read in the ESS section of the report.

Figure 4.4 and 4.5: Honeycomb in reinforced concrete roof developed due to concrete not properly vibrated. IRD recommended that the voids must be filled with high-strength grout. ISD team visited the site and the problems were corrected.


Major Activities Planned for the Next Six Months

• Review and finalization of M&E formats and finalize construction manual

working together with DAARTT;

• Monitoring of the ongoing projects with the support from IRD and DAARTT;

• Work together with Article 25 in development of ISD institutional capacity;

• Maintenance and rehabilitation of the 1,000 planned schools using O&M

budgets;

• Completion of incomplete components as per target set, and

• Progress in construction of missing components, pilot projects and NCB

projects.


Key Challenges

Security and funds for field visits still exists as major constraints for ISD to monitor projects.

The travel allowances fixed for provinces by the central government law are not

adequate to cover actual expenses.

Despite enhanced skills and expertise within ISD, current capacity is still not adequate to deliver works efficient and effectively.


Recommendations

International experts on structural/architectural design may be supported from the

World Bank or by other donors to strengthen the capacity of the ISD design section.


Introduction

Gender mainstreaming in the education sector and promoting gender parity in access to quality education for all, are at the heart of the efforts of the Ministry of Education’s Education Quality Improvement program (EQUIP).

In view of the importance of this need, EQUIP set up a gender unit in June 2012 to initiate discussions and information sharing regarding priority concerns related to gender issues in this sector. The aim was to identify problems and to recommend solutions, and to ensure equitable distribution of education opportunities and resources to all school-aged children, irrespective of gender. Gender Unit plans to take some concrete measures that would help in addressing gender related issues both on analysis level and in practice form.

Main Activities and Achievements

World Bank Mission(s)

The World Bank conducted tow gender missions during the reporting period. First in January 2013, where the main objective was on the general guidance regarding the gender mainstreaming within EQUIP, which are as follows: • Review progress on gender mainstreaming across all EQUIP components since the

last June 2012 mission, including a follow-up on action points recommended in the June Aide Memoire;

• Identify capacity development gaps with regard to gender mainstreaming. This included reviewing/assessing work plans, capacity development plans, and the ongoing gender training;

• Work with the various EQUIP components such as social mobilization, TED, ISD, and EMIS to better understand how gender aspects were being incorporated into their activities;

• Build/advise on the process towards the development of an overall gender strategy for EQUIP/MoE.

The Second Gender Mission in May 2013 mainly focused on the work with the Gender Unit team to review the progress on the analytical work underway, reviewed progress on the resolution of issues related to the recruitment and retention of female staff and worked closely with the other EQUIP components to review progress on gender main-streaming efforts within their respective areas.


Gender Research Initiative

The Gender Unit first initiative is to conduct a research and to consolidate its focus on analytical work. To this end, the unit will hire a research advisory firm that will assist the unit in a research on ‘drop outs’ and education policy analysis. Two themes aimed to better understand equitable access to education are a priority work area over the next quarters: (i) teachers’ placement/recruitment and (ii) student dropouts. Work on teachers’ placement/recruitment will be led by the Teacher Education Department (TED) as part of their third party evaluation exercise. The student dropout study is being coordinated with GIZ which is undertaking a similar study for older children. At the same time, gender unit is providing consultancy support to the Curriculum Department for the revision of the curriculum and teacher’s guides (for grade 1-9) from the gender perspective.

Hiring Gender Experts

In order to strengthen the unit further, Gender Unit is in the process of hiring a research specialist and a training specialist. Gender research specialist will soon join the team. Training specialist’s ToR has been developed and the position will be announced.

Allocation of Mahram Allowance

Enforcement of the ‘Mahram’ policy, through allocation of “Mahram Allowance” along with other facilitative measures, is being taken up by EQUIP as a means to facilitate increased recruitment and retention of field-based female staff, particularly female district social mobilizers (DSMs) and provincial supervisors. The policy is being framed in line with the WB HR guidelines. As gender awareness rises, there is continued effort to mainstream gender across EQUIP components, particularly at Social Mobilization Unit, TED, and ISD. This includes efforts to increase women’s participation in School Shuras, increase numbers of TTC female graduates as a means to provide more female teachers for girls’ schools, and strengthen the planning process from grassroots to national level with the aim of prioritizing girls’ education. Gender Unit is also working together with TED in its audit of the gender grant, provided to TTCs as an incentive to increase the intake and training of potential female teachers.

Piloting Conditional Cash Transfer Project

EQUIP planned to use part of its pilot projects’ fund for the design of a three year Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) pilot project for girls retention in school in targeted provinces. $10 million US Dollars is the allocated budget for the pilot phase. This would be an initiative implemented as a complimented response to the Gender Unit’s research initiative on “drop outs”.


As per the statement mission objective (SMO) circulated on March 7, 2013 by the World Bank, the second CCT Mission for EQUIP took place from April 1st to 14th, 2013 in Kabul (first one took place in Nov 2012). The main objective of this mission was to work with EQUIP CCT team to identify the design parameters and implementation plan for the pilot project. To this end, the mission held meetings with the EQUIP team; and other involved stakeholders such as EMIS staff, representatives of telecommunications and mobile companies, and other World Bank staff. Additionally, a field trip was made to Parwan Province to meet with the Provincial Education Director and visit two schools for CCT project design. The project intents to test the rationality of using a cash transfer mechanism as an incentive for keeping girls in school. While girls’ access to schools has increased drastically, dropout rates remain high especially in rural areas despite the availability of schools. Through this pilot project, a small amount of cash will be provided to low-income households with school age girls. This pilot project will be tested in a limited number of provinces/districts and the retention trends will be closely monitored. The primary objective of the CCT pilot project is to address the issue of drop-outs and promote the retention of girls in upper primary and lower secondary levels of school through the use of conditional cash transfers. The pilot project, through which the cash transfers will be made over a 2-year period, will target approximately 16,000 extremely poor girls who are attending school in grades 5, 6 or 7 in 2013-2014, or who dropped out of school in the past two years (2011 and 2012) but had completed grades 5, 6 or 7. An impact evaluation will be conducted to assess the effectiveness of the CCT in meeting its objectives at the end of the first year. To design and provide technical assistance on CCT pilot project, EQUIP is interested in hiring a specialized consultant firm with long-term experience in designing similar programs, preferably in Muslim countries. TORs for the hiring of the firm has been developed and the procurement process to have the international firm on board is on the way.

EQUIP Semi Annual Report July to December 2012 P a g e 58

Introduction

The EQUIP Environmental and Social Safeguard (ESS) Unit contributes to improving quality of education in Afghanistan by supporting implementation of the Environmental and Social Screening Framework (ESSAF). The environmental and social safeguard management in Afghanistan suffers from critical capacity constraints, particularly in schools and in other education institutions and from security too. Since June 2011, the ESS Unit has been active in carrying out environmental and social safeguard activities in close coordination with the EQUIP social mobilization team at field and infrastructure development team of ISD.


1) Training workshops were arranged and conducted for engineers, DMS, supervisors and EQUIP officers at central and provincial levels.

2) Training to Shuras (SMSs) on ESS issues is ongoing in all provinces. 3) With the event of the new Afghan year (Hamal, 1392/March 20th, 2013) plantation

campaign has been started, and according to field reports many plants planted in schools.

4) Installation of Complaint Boxes is ongoing in many provinces. In Kabul city and Kabul province it is completed. Mechanism for the grievances redresses is being established in many of the provinces too. Complaints are being received and solved working with the stakeholders.

5) Lands acquisition documents from 73 schools are received. 6) Provincial EQUIP staff have been briefed on the ESS operations through

presentations. 7) An ESS checklist/questionnaire is added in the social mobilization M&E forms. 8) The Clauses for Environment and Social Mitigation Measures are included in the

Bidding Documents of the Procurement Department of MoE. 9) The ESS activities are added into the Charter and ToR of SMSs. 10) Sign boards are installed for all construction projects completed under EQUIP. 11) The translated ESSAF is shared with ISD engineers for ESS operations.

Trainings

One of the activities of ESS is the training of School Management Shuras (SMSs) on the Environmental and Social Safeguard. During winter season it was difficult to launch trainings for SMSs but at the beginning of New Year the training started in all provinces except a few:

• Badghis: 49 SMSs of the total 735 participants trained. • Paktiya: 73 SMSs of the total 1095 participants trained and training is

ongoing there till the time of reporting. • Joozjan: 30 SMSs of the total 435 participants trained.


The other participants were DMSs, supervisors, engineers and EQUIP officers.

Land Registration vs. Land Acquisition Documents

EQUIP has given special attention to the land registration issue during this period. The information of the received land acquisition documents of 73 schools from 13 provinces given in the table number 8 in Annex 2.

Plantation and Green Revolution Campaign at the Schools

One of the achievements of ESS unit was to mobilize EQUIP provincial teams, SMSs, Provincial PEDs , DEDs and the students and teachers to start green revolution in the schools. Plants were planted in all 460 schools in Kabul province and in 246 schools in Kabul City. EQUIP received 1000 plants from the Ministry of Agriculture for schools in Kabul city and 5000 plants for the schools in Kabul province. 20 schools in Kabul city received 905 plants directly from the Ministry of Agriculture.

Figure 6.2: Training session in Kunar province. All are female Shura members

Figure 6.1: SMS training session being conducted in a mosque in Kunar province

Figure 6.3: Green revolution and cleanliness activities in Samangan

Figure 6.4: Students put the garbage in the garbage bin in Samangan


In the eve of the Afghan year (1392) many SMSs and school administrations were mobilized through an email issued from ESS unit of EQUIP to have green revolution in the schools. As results, many plants, trees and flowers are planted in the school yards in provinces.

SMSs Achievements

SMSs are meant to contribute in the project implementation and here are some examples of achievements given below:

Baghlan Province: SMSs were mobilized to the extent that they collected 35000 Afgani from Shura people of Abdul Karim Shaheed school in Puli Khoomri district and that money used for water pump, water reservoir, flowers and planting.

Ningarhar Province: The Shura of Badyali high school constructed 450 m boundary wall of the school and planted 1000 plants and trees. Eng. Aminul Haq was mobilized by SMS of Badyali High school in Khiwi district of the province who donated one generator, one laptop, one scanner and one printer.

Kapisa Province: The SMSs constituted supervisory committees to look after the trees, flowers and all greenery, hygienic activities and other social activities.

Balkh province: SMS members of Nahri Too High School for girls mobilized people who contributed 373000 Afgani, and that money was used for purchasing water pump and pipes.

Kunnar Province: The Shurah mobilized the people to send their boys and girls to schools (see the picture bellow)

Figure 6.5: Planting of trees and plants in the school yard in Baghlan province (Hamal 1392 /20th March, 2013)

Figure 6.6: A view of the students being persuaded and mobilized by SMSs to attend the schools


Complaint Boxes

In the event of the New Year, the Shuras were mobilized to pursue the school administrations for installing complaint boxes in the schools and that has attributed to installing complaint boxes in many of the schools in all provinces. For instance, in Farah Province, in the beginning of the Afghan year, 10 compliant boxes have been installed.

Here are some examples of complaints received from some provinces: In Mirman Nazoo High school located in Farah capital, the students had complaint about being disturbed by the higher roars and noise of the loudspeakers from the Cassettes selling market located near the school. The school administration sent a letter to the police station who talked to the shopkeepers and the issue was finally resolved with the promise that they will not use the loudspeakers with higher roars and noise to disturb the learning process of the students. This enables the students for continuing their learning in a calm and comfortable atmosphere.

In Baghpal High school for boys, the complaint they found in the complaint box was that the students could not get the practical learning in the lab as there is no proper lab room and lab technician. The issue has been referred to the science department in order to employ someone with overtime fees for the lab operations.

In Attaroodi Nawbahar High school the students had a complaint that there is no boundary wall to the south of the school, and after school hours the addicted and stubborn persons are entering the school and commit uncivilized activities and steal whatever they found in the school. A generator was stolen and the case was referred to the protection and safety department.

In Kunar Province the students complained about their teacher, Mawlavi Hidayatullah that he talked about issues which were not related to his subject. The issue was solved through an advice by the complaints assessment and analysis committee.

The female students of the 7th, 8th, and 9th classes of BiBi Fatima high school had complaints about:

• The teachers were not coming to the school on due time. • The cleanliness in the school was not checked. • The previous lessons were not being reviewed. • Teaching was not being done according to teaching methodology. • Non-existence of good order and discipline in the school.

So all complaints were shared with the teachers and warned him to focus on the issues complained.

Figure 6.7: A view of complaint box in school


In Sultan Razia High School, the students had complaint about their principal who was a man. The girls complained that they could not discuss the issues related only to female with the male principal. Therefore, he has to be replaced by female principal. Subsequently, the male principal was replaced with female principal.

Safeguard and Environmental Survey

Safeguard and environmental surveys were conducted in three schools:

• Neg Hat Sayedi located at Char Har Asyab District of Kabul Province • Khair Abad females’ schools located at Char Har Asyab District of Kabul Province • Qalae Bahader Khan School located at Omid Sabz town, 6th section, Kabul city

Neg Hat Sayedi High School is located in waterlogged and still water land, and does not possess walls around its area while the school is located adjacent to the public road and the side adjacent to the public road does not have walls which bothers the students. There is no entrance gate to school either while the gate way is submerged by water. Moreover, the roof of the school is made of concrete though it was not covered with water proof material, so the roof is leaking continuously during the winter season. When the level of water rises in the spring season, most parts of the school yard gets covered by water.

Khair Abad elementary school for girls is adjacent to Neg Hat High school. It is also located in waterlogged and still water land, so when the water level rises, at times, the yard of the school is 90% covered by water that causes damages to the pavements. The school also has problem with drinking water source which is inactive or is not working and there was lack of security guard and night watchman. Based on the survey findings, suggestions were made to improve safety and learning environment.

In the picture below seen that the waste materials of the toilets is in direct contact with water and causes the contamination of underground water which can breed different types of diseases; therefore, it was therefore suggested that proper toilets should be designed in order to avoid the contamination of water.

Figure 6.8 and 6.9: A view of still water problem and students go to the toilets passing through the wall


Qalae Bahader Khan High school:

Qalae Bahader khan high school is located in the Omid Sabz town of Kabul city. It has two buildings in 14 jeribs of land. In the first building, children receive basic education and in the new building, higher classes are taught. Of the total 1566 students, 762 are females. The females study in the morning shift and the males study in the afternoon shift. The school has 35 teachers, 22 of them are females and 13 of them are males. Female teachers teach male students as well. When many things were good about this school such as an active principle, playgroud and well equipped laboratory and libray, etc, there found some problems too:

1. There were no walls around the school area, which prevents girls from playing in the play ground. Shortage of male teachers for male students: as there were no male teachers, students were taught by female teachers. The female teachers are annoyed by male students.

2. The school has a library, but no books 3. It has a laboratory, but doesn’t have any laboratory technician 4. It has a computer subject but no computers 5. Despite being an active person who has 35 years experience in the area of

education, the acting principal of the school was disappointed because he has been working as an acting principal for one year.

Suggestions and solutions:

• Building walls around the area of that school are among the priorities that needs urgent attention

• The acting principal of the school should become the official principal and not remain acting

• The need for books in the library, laboratory technician and computers

Tasks Accomplished on Environmental and Social Safeguards by ISD Team

• There are 14 staff supported by EQUIP to ISD for working on environmental and social safeguards related issues in ensuring that the measures are taken into consideration at planning, design and construction of infrastructure projects. Followings are the summary of the tasks that were accomplished by the Environmental and Social Safeguards Units of ISD during the reporting period:

• In line with Environmental and Social Safeguard (ESS) guidelines, prepared monitoring checklists to be used in CC projects by EQUIP social mobilizers, relevant officers and field engineers. The Clauses for Environment and Social Mitigation Measures are included in the Bidding Documents of the Procurement Department of MoE.

• Ensured that Environmental and Social Safeguard components are included in design of the new 2013 projects. However, structural measures during construction are not yet included in bill of quantity (BoQ) due to the fact that these projects are small in size and B category (the World Bank), which does not degrade the environment to be of major concern;


• Environmental and Social Safeguards issues are incorporated in site plans for all new EQUIP projects;

• Drafted Environmental and Social Best Practices Guide for school administration, which will be part of operational and maintenance manual to be prepared by Article 25.

• Prepared project screening checklist to screen school project during site assessment. • Trained provincial EQUIP officers and engineers on environmental and safety issues

organized by EQUIP. • Organized a briefing session for ISD designers on environmental and socially sound

design of schools. • Trained M&E engineers of ISD M&E section on environmental and safety issues

management and contractor compliance monitoring. • Trained provincial engineers on environmental and safety management and design,

organized by UNICEF/WASH at ISD • Trained provincial and city education departments EQUIP staff members on

Environmental and Social Safety management in schools • Continued with reviewing and evaluating the IRD inspection reports and taking action

on safety issues. • Surveyed schools that are at risks and of poor quality constructed.


Recommendations

Continued donors’ commitment and special supports to the stakeholders for greater motivation and persuasion are required to achieve the goals associated with ESS operations.

Separate administration costs for ESS operations and activities. Efficient M&E procedures and system which has embedded environmental and social

safeguards indicators in monitoring of all EQUIP construction projects. Capacity building of the SMSs and school administration. A clear policy, norms and standards to address ESS issues, which are subsequently

endorsed in the contract documents to follow by contractors in EQUIP projects.


Introduction

Learning Assessment Unit (LAU) is newly established to monitor the education development through assessment of learning achievement of school children in Afghanistan. Quality education is a critical foundation for poverty alleviation and economic growth. Many of the EQUIP II components such as Quality Enhancement Grants, teacher education / training are aimed at improving quality of education. However, the most important indicator to understand the health of the education system is related to the results of quality – whether children are performing at expected levels and whether the system is matching up to the goals, thus ensuring value for money invested in the system.

Thus a crucial outcome indicator for measuring the results of quality related activities is related to measuring the learning outcomes of students, mainly with an aim to understand how the education system on the whole performs. Improved learning outcomes are a reflection of the quality, part of which is attributable to the investments in quality inputs and processes.

It is in this context that the Ministry of Education established a Learning Assessment (LA) Unit, which is envisaged to grow into a national education assessment agency in future. The Unit formally started functioning in January 2013.

In addition, the MoE with support from EQUIP has also embarked upon conducting the first national sample-based assessment of learning achievements of children in grade 6 in 2013, followed by grade 3 in 2014.

The LA Unit has been positioned to function as the national assessment center to implement the assessment activities in the field with technical support and advice from the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER). The assessment project has been named ‘Monitoring Education Development (MED) in Afghanistan’.

Objectives

The overall objective is to establish valid, reliable and continuously updated data on the quality of learning, and the education system as a whole, by assessing learning outcomes of Afghan children. Specifically, the key objectives are to determine:

• How well students are learning in the education system with reference to expected learning outcomes at various levels.

• Whether there is evidence of particular strengths and weaknesses in students’ knowledge and skills.

• How particular subgroups in the populations perform as compared to larger groups. • Whether Government standards are being met in the provision of resources. • Finding the factors that are associated with student achievement.



Activities and achievements since January 2013 include the followings:

Hiring of Staff

The LA Unit team comprises of three Research Officers led by a National Coordinator. The National Coordinator was hired in December 2012 and formally joined the Unit in January 2013. The two positions of Research Officers were advertised and one male and one female research officers formally joined in the month of May.

Procurement of Services of the Australian Council for Education Research (ACER)

The assessment of learning achievements of children is a highly specialized field. There are not many experts in the region who can design and conduct not only large scale assessment studies but can also provide system-wide support. The scope and complexity of the task requires a high level of multi-dimensional expertise in designing and conducting national level assessments, developing capacities and helping establish national systems of assessment.

The Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) is a world-renowned leader in the development and implementation of large scale system wide Assessments. Keeping in view ACER’s past and current work and offices in Delhi, India and Dubai, UAE allowing for delivery of major national assessments in both regions, it emerged as the only organization/firm that brought together national, regional and international experiences, and a well-tested model of support to national governments in setting up learning assessment systems.

After lengthy negotiations, the MoE has procured the services of ACER and has signed a formal contract with them to design and conduct the first ever sample-based national assessment of learning achievements of children in grade 6 in Afghanistan, help develop capacities of the LA Unit and other core MoE staff and develop a model for periodic national assessment surveys.

Development of Manuals and Guidelines

National Assessment Framework: The assessment framework is a guiding document that outlines the areas of assessment and contextual approaches to assessment in Afghanistan. The ACER developed the initial document. The learning assessment core group at the MoE including the National Coordinator of LA Unit reviewed and finalized the framework. The updated version including the background questionnaire framework has been released to the LA team in May.


Technical Standards and guidelines: The technical standards document outlines the quality control standards and respective functions and responsibilities of EQUIP/MoE. The document is used to monitor and control quality in learning assessment.

Program Management Manual: The program manual has been prepared to set learning assessment program implementation guidelines. The manual will be used and updated from time to time.

Test Administrator’s Manual: The manual is designed to be used by the group of test administrators who will be responsible for administration of assessment tests in classrooms. It outlines step-by-step actions before, during and after assessment. The manual has been translated into Dari and Pashtu for ease of use. The test administrators will be hired and trained on use of the manual.

School Coordinator’s Manual: The manual is designed to be used by the test administration coordinator nominated for each of the school included in the assessment sample. The manual guides the school coordinator on making arrangements and logistics for the test administration, informing parents and preparing children in consultation with the test administrators.

Data management and student sampling tool: The software has been developed with a users’ manual. The LA team was trained on its use in Dubai in May 2013. The team has been using the software for managing schools and students’ data. The field trial sample has been drawn using the software.

Development, Review and Translation of Test Items

ACER developed the test items for assessing Dari and Pashtu languages and Mathematics for Grade-6. The MoE core group on learning assessment and the LA National Coordinator reviewed all the test items and suggested changes. The items were finalized and translated based on the MoE review and have already been sourced for printing of test booklets.

Coordination and Data Collection for Field Trial

In the month of May and June, the LA Unit team has collected schools and students data from three provinces selected for the field trial: Kabul, Paktia and Parwan. The three provinces offer a balanced distribution of students sample into Dari and Pashtu languages with a valid representation of boys and girls in grade-6.

The LA team has also conducted visits to the Provincial Education Directorates and the Kabul City Education Directorate. During the visits, the team gave a detailed orientation of the learning assessment project to the PED Directors and shared with them the lists of schools included in the sample frame.

The LA team also visited a selected number of schools included in the field trial sample and distributed School Coordinators Manual.


Capacity Development

Six MoE staff including four LA team members attended a five days training in Dubai, organized and facilitated by ACER in the second week of May. The training agenda included technical sessions on learning assessment, timelines, tasks, technical standards, review of test items and sampling methods.

There were several hands-on training sessions on the online and computer-based tools used in the project. These included:

• Navigating through the secure information exchange SharePoint site. All documents and software released by ACER are stored here.

• Using the Translation Management System to preview translated items and to manage the workflow of translation review.

• Installing and using the Open Language Tool (translation editor) to make changes to item text.

• Using Adobe Connect to hold a web conference.

Visits by ACER to Afghanistan

Two visits have been made to Afghanistan by Maurice Walker, the ACER Project Manager. The first of these in late April 2013 involved presenting at two donor meetings including the World Bank mission to Afghanistan. Discussions also took place with EQUIP and LA team members about the project timetable, hiring of test administrators and project infrastructure for the LA team.

The second visit was in May 2013, immediately following the Dubai capacity development workshop. Progress was discussed with the World Bank and, separately, with the director of EQUIP.

Also during the second visit the field trial sample was redrawn. More extensive hands-on training was provided for the KeyQuest software. A detailed weekly task list was drawn up to guide the LA team through the set of tasks it is expected to complete by mid-July.

Printing of the test booklets was arranged to take place in Kabul in order to avoid delays in customs.

Planned Key Activities for July to December 2013

Hire, train and mentor Test Administrators Conduct field trial of test items in 29 schools in three provinces Attend capacity building training on coding and marking test items in Delhi, India Train Test Administrators in coding / marking test items Plan and carry out online coding of assessment tests administered in field trial Review translation of 24 test booklets and finalize for printing for the main

assessment in 13 provinces


Review assessment results and logistics and administration practices of field trial and make arrangements for the main assessment

Plan and organize a national inauguration seminar and orientation on learning assessment main survey

Continue mentoring Test Administrators and other key LA team members Conduct main assessment survey in 13 provinces Attend capacity building trainings arranged by ACER in and out of country

Challenges

Office space for the Test Administrators with full internet connection is a key requirement for the coding process. Work is continuing in this area and the General Directorate of General Education with cooperation from EQUIP will soon overcome this challenge.

Provision of a digital telephone in the LA Office is still not finalized. It is hoped that the General Directorate of General Education and EQUIP will solve this problem in the near future.

LA team faced some difficulties in preparation for the field trial as the contracted Printer was not able to print and deliver the booklets on timely basis. This is another area that needs special consideration prior to the main assessment survey that will take place in November and will cover thirteen geographical areas (12 Provinces and Kabul City).


Introduction

The Communication Unit together with the newly established Public Awareness Unit started public awareness campaign by organizing public awareness events (PAEs). The overall objective of the campaign is to enhance awareness of community leaders, religious scholars and education sector workers about the plans, priorities, and strategies of the Ministry of Education, and motivate active participation of the community in education management and quality enhancement; thus, promoting public ownership of the education sector, and more accountability of education authorities. The specific objectives include the followings:

• Raise awareness regarding access and quality related challenges in each province; • Encourage and facilitate people’s monitoring of quality enhancement and

infrastructure enhancement (CC and NCB) grants; • Promote public participation in schools through membership in School ‘Shuras’ and

Village Volunteer (VV); • Invite public support to increase enrollment of children, particularly of girls, in public

and community-based schools and reduce drop outs and absenteeism; • Raise awareness about the benefits of maintaining a clean and green environment; • Encourage inter-sectoral cooperation for addressing school related issues; • Highlight on importance of new teaching methods and instructional leadership; • Emphasize critical value of coordination among all stakeholders in a province; • Discuss options for schools without land and without building (including inter-linking

various ‘shuras’); • Create good relationship with the District Development Assembly (DDA) and

Community Development Council (CDC) for Education Quality Enhancement, and • Encourage local national and private sector TV and radio to broadcast educational

programs and education promotion messages.

Strategy for Organizing PAEs

A three-step process is considered in undertaking the activities: a) preparation stage; b) field events; c) follow-up activities.

In the preparation phase, a profile of the target province is gathered which includes access indicators on district level for girls and boys (compared with the total population of school-age children), school facilities by gender and districts (if possible compared to the population of school-age children), teachers by gender, qualifications and district etc. The next step in preparation is to share the info with key representatives of the target province, and finalize plans for awareness events in the field. The final plan includes lists of invitees, speakers, and key messages. Key messages need to be incorporated into speeches, interviews, round-table discussions and written press release.

In the field event phase, a PAE is held for one day in which members of Public Awareness, Communication and Social Mobilization Units along with provincial governor, provincial


education director, religious scholar, and the head of a few active School Management Shuras will deliver speeches considering the overall and specific objectives of the campaign.

The follow-up phase entails activities such as provision of detailed information on school grants, ‘Shuras’, issues related to school land and facility, issues related to coordination across ‘shuras’ etc. Depending on what the actual promises, agreements, requests and suggestions are, a province-specific follow-up plan is devised.

Key Activities and Progress

The Communication and Public Awareness units held two events for public awareness in Jawzjan and Kapisa provinces which were participated by public personalities such as scholars, tribal elders, people representatives and education staff.

The units prepared the ground for people to be informed about utilization of financial grants/contributions. People participated with great enthusiasm and a lot of reporters participated in the press conference.

Not only people from secure and central districts participated in Kapisa province awareness event but also from insecure areas/districts participated. They expressed their support for improvement of the quality of the education.

Drafted the PAEs’ operational plan for future six months from July to December.

Future plans

The Communication and Public Awareness units’ plan for the next six months will include:

• Continue to carry out provincial public awareness events in close collaboration with MPs, prominent leaders, local government officials and media;

• Publicize school grant in provincial print media in all provinces; • Continue to publish newsletters and produce additional public education

materials and means, and • Explore public awareness campaigns through cell phones and other methods in

coordination with Education Radio and Television and MoE Publication Department.


Introduction

The School Quality Grant Audit Team was established within EQUIP on 15th July 2012. Initially, a team of 10 Audit Supervisors recruited and trained 90 Field Auditors for the duration of three months. Six of the ten supervisors have continued to work and 14 Field Auditors are being selected from the team of 90.

Objectives

Key objectives of the Quality Grant Audit Team are: a) to provide EQUIP Management with in-depth assessment of effectiveness of key controls that are operated in disbursement and utilization of grants for Quality Enhancement and for Infrastructure Enhancement of schools; b) to assess whether school grants and School Management Shuras achieved their main objectives and follow due processes as well as the rules and regulations of the Ministry of Education, and c) to make remedial recommendations and follow-through with their implementation.

Key Activities and Achievements

Since September 2012 and subsequent to recruitment and training of 90 field auditors, the following key activities have been implemented:

Audit of 114 Schools on a Pilot Basis

One hundred and fourteen 114 schools including 16 CC and 18 NCB projects in Kabul City as well as Kabul Province were assessed in August to September 2012. Main results include testing of the assessment instruments as well as experience gained by the team.

Audit of 2010 Schools in 30 Provinces

This audit covered 2010 schools audited in 30 provinces 1F

2 consisting 274 girls and 723 boys and 813 mixed schools that had received grants during EQUIP I and or EQUIP II. A total of 257 construction project were included (208 CC and 49 NCB). This audit resulted in creation of a database for 2010 schools. Three categories of problems were identified. One group of challenges indicating possible misuse of funds are being further investigated. Corrective measures have been planned to address procedural irregularities and poor functioning of Shuras and or social mobilizers.

2 Due to security concerns the remaining 4+1 provinces have not been covered by audit.


Assessment of Shura Training

Disbursement and payments for food and transportation cost of social mobilizers and school Shuras were assessed in six provinces of Kabul, Balkh, Khust, Wardak, Parwan, and Kunduz. A few irregularities were identified and warning letters issued to parties in Kabul and Wardak provinces. An issue of unused funds was resolved for a school in Parwan.

Special Assignments of Suspicious Cases

A number of assignments were undertaken within EQUIP Unit including review of the purchases of fuel and repairement of two EQUIP cars. Assessment is being completed.

Preparation of an Audit Plan for New CCs and Quality Grants

An audit plan to assess a random sample of the new CCs, Quality Grants and Model School during various implementation stages. Part of this plan has been executed in the provinces of Kunduz, Takhar and Badakhshan provinces. It appears that the visits has yielded a psychological impact in the form of timely preparations for implementation of new grants. The rest of the plan will be implemented during the coming months.

Annexes


Annex One: Results Framework and Monitoring

Theme Promoting equitable of access basic education

Improving the quality of education Strengthening project Management, delivery of education services and M&E

PDO level indicators

• Increase in enrolment of both Boys and Girls

• Improvement in Gender Parity Index

• System for monitoring Learning levels regularly and adequately established

• Dissemination of information on school finance, administration and pedagogical issues

Component level

Indicators

Project Development Objectives: To increase equitable access to quality basic education especially for girls through schools grants, teacher training and strengthened institutional capacity with support from communities and private provider

Component 1: School Grants • Improved Physical learning

environment – adequate number of classrooms, toilets, drinking water facilities, Library and laboratory facilities, etc

• Student Classroom ratio • Primary to Secondary schooling

facilities

Component 1: School Grants • Availability of learning / teaching

materials (text books, teachers’ guides, learning aides etc

• Class- based assessments of student achievements in Dari, Pashto and Mathematics

Component 1: School Grants • Disbursement performance under two

types of Quality Enhancement Grants and Infrastructure Development Grants

• Number of schools having received school grants

• Number of schools with school shuras formed

Component 2: Teacher and Principal Education • Increase in female/male teacher ratio • Pupil Teacher Ratio

Component 2: Teacher and Principal Education • Percentage of total teachers who

received training under: o Basic knowledge training (INSET I) o Content-knowledge training (INSET II)

Component 2: Teacher and Principal Education • Percentage of total principals trained • Number of students in TTCs receiving

scholarships

Component 3: Monitoring and Evaluation • Disaggregated data on school level

indicators – school infrastructure, fund flows, enrolment, teachers and learning available


Annex Two – Tables

Table 1: The following table provides the details of the Quality Enhancement Grant for each province including the amount allocated, transferred and disbursed.

S.No Provinces

Total Planned Schools

Total Allotment in AFS

Total Transferred in AFS

Total Disbursed in

AFS

Total Remaining in

AFS

1 Badakhshan 8 1,170,000 1,170,000 1,170,000

2 Takhar 17 6,552,000 6,552,000 6,552,000

3 Kundoz 11 2,002,000 2,002,000 2,002,000 0

4 Baghlan 25 5,863,000 5,863,000 5,863,000

5 Panjshir 5 1,508,000 1,508,000 1,508,000

6 Paktika 5 975,000 975,000 975,000

7 Helmand 8 1,157,000 1,157,000 1,157,000

8 Zabul 5 1,248,000 1,248,000 1,248,000

9 Bamyan 25 4,602,000 4,602,000 4,602,000

10 Nimroz 8 2,496,000 2,496,000 2,496,000

11 Faryab 4 1,326,000 1,326,000 1,326,000

12 Kandahar 5 975,000 975,000 975,000

13 Urozgan 5 1,131,000 1,131,000 1,131,000

14 Kunar 26 3,575,000 3,575,000 3,575,000

15 Laghman 25 4,004,000 4,004,000 4,004,000

16 Ningarhar 10 1,950,000 1,950,000 1,950,000

17 Parwan 25 6,981,000 6,981,000 6,981,000

18 Ghor 19 3,432,000 3,432,000 3,432,000

19 Daikundi 25 4,641,000 4,641,000 4,641,000

20 Hirat 15 2,925,000 2,925,000 2,925,000

21 Balkh 25 8,190,000 8,190,000 8,190,000

22 Sare-Pol 25 4,719,000 4,719,000 4,719,000


23 Kabul Province 20 4,589,000 4,589,000 4,589,000

24 Ghazni 25 4,602,000 4,602,000 4,602,000

25 MaidanWardak 17 4,056,000 4,056,000 4,056,000

26 Logar 5 780,000 780,000 780,000

27 Farah 15 2,041,000 2,041,000 2,041,000

28 Badghis 3 494,000 494,000 494,000

29 Nooristan 5 1,352,000 1,352,000 1,352,000

30 Kabul City 35 8,593,000 8,593,000 8,593,000

31 Jovzjan 25 5,187,000 5,187,000 5,187,000

32 Kapisa 25 5,070,000 5,070,000 5,070,000

33 Khost 15 2,782,000 2,782,000 2,782,000

34 Paktia 21 4,602,000 4,602,000 4,602,000

35 Samangan 7 2,106,000 2,106,000 2,106,000

Total 544 117,676,000 117,676,000 2,002,000 115,674,000


Table 2: A detailed budget breakdown for the selected model schools:

S.N

o Province No of Schools Name of Schools School

Location

Total Allotment in

AFS Code 25

Total Allotment in

AFS Code 22

1 Kabul City 4

Alfatah Boys High School Mocrayan

390,000 390,000

Bibi Aysha Seddiqa Girls High School Kabul City

390,000 390,000

Bibi Hawa Girls Middle School Kabul City

390,000 390,000

Sidal Nasiri Girls High School Khir Khana

390,000 390,000

2 Kabul Province 2

Tara Khail Girls High School Deh Sabz

390,000 390,000

Dawoodzai Boys High School Qara Bagh

390,000 390,000

3 Kundoz 2 Bibi Amina Girls High School Center 390,000 390,000

Ghazni Khan Boys High School Center 390,000 390,000

4 Hirat 4

Meeri Girls High School Center 390,000 390,000

Experimental Girls School Center 390,000 390,000

Mahjooba Hirawi Girls High School Center 390,000 390,000

Sultan Ghayasuddin Boys High School Center 390,000 390,000

5 Kunar 2 Bibi Fatima Girls High School Center 390,000 390,000

Umra Khan Boys High School Center 390,000 390,000

6 Khost 2 Gharkhat Girls High School Center 390,000 390,000

Sarban Boys High School Center 390,000 390,000

7 Kandahar 3

Safia Ahmadi Girls High School Center 390,000 390,000

Ahmad Shah Baba Boys High School Center 390,000 390,000

Zahir Shahi Boys High School Center 390,000 390,000

8 Nangarhar 3

Estiqlal Boys High School Center 390,000 390,000

Alayee Girls High School Center 390,000 390,000

Bibi Hawa Girls High School Center 390,000 390,000


9 Maidan Wardak 3

Sayed Abad Boys High School Sayed Abad

390,000 390,000

Dasht Toap Boys High School Sayed Abad

390,000 390,000

Khalid Bin Walid Boys High School Narkh 390,000 390,000

10

Logar

2

Surkh Abad Girls High School Mohammad Agha

390,000 390,000

Jahadi Kolangar Boys High School Center 390,000 390,000

11 Paktia 2 Shahri Girls High School Center 390,000 390,000

Taira Boys High School Center 390,000 390,000

12 Balkh 2 Umul Banat Girls High School Center 390,000 390,000

Sultan Ghayasuddin Boys High School Center 390,000 390,000

13 Jovzjan 2 Yaka Bagh Girls High School Center 390,000 390,000

Qazanchi Boys High School Center 390,000 390,000

14 Bamyan 2 Shereen Farar Girls High School Center 390,000 390,000

Tawlodi Boys High School Center 390,000 390,000

15 Badakhshan 2

Kokcha Boys High School Center 390,000 390,000

Makhfi Girls High School Center 390,000 390,000

16 Farah 2

Abo Nasr Farahi Boys High School Center 390,000 390,000

Nafisa Tawfiq Mirzayee Girls High School

Center 390,000 390,000

17 Helmand 2

Shaheed Eng Abdul Mateen Central Boys High School

Center 390,000 390,000

Kart-e-Lagan Malali Girls High School Center 390,000 390,000

18 Laghman 2 Gul Pacha Ulfat Boys High School Center 390,000 390,000

Gul Pacha Ulfat Girls High School Center 390,000 390,000

19 Faryab 2 Sitara Girls High School Center 390,000 390,000

Khurasan Boys High School Center 390,000 390,000

20 Sar-e-Pol 2 Imam Yahya Girls High School Center 390,000 390,000

Jovzjanan Girls High School Center 390,000 390,000


21 Baghlan 2 Madin Girls High School Center 390,000 390,000

Sayed Jamaluddin Girls High School Center 390,000 390,000

22 Takhar 2 Abo Usman Taluqani Boys High School Center 390,000 390,000

Bibi Hawa Girls High School Center 390,000 390,000

23 Ghazni 2 Jahan Malika Girls High School Center 390,000 390,000

Sanayee Boys High School Center 390,000 390,000

24 Parwan 2 Saadiqi Mix High School Center 390,000 390,000

Horia Jalali Girls High School Center 390,000 390,000

25 Kapisa 2

Jamal Agha Girls High School Hisa-e-Do

390,000 390,000

Mahmood Raqi Boys High School Center 390,000 390,000

26 Nooristan 1 Nangraj Girls High School Nangraj 390,000 390,000

27 Paktika 1 Hazrat Bilal Boys High School Sharana 390,000 390,000

28 Zabul 1 Sheikh Mati Boys High School Center 390,000 390,000

29 Urozgan 1 Malalai Boys High School Center 390,000 390,000

30 Badghis 2 Kharistan Boys High School Center 390,000 390,000

Sar Cheshma Qarqito Girls High School Center 390,000 390,000

31 Daikundi 2 Sangmom Biys High School Center 390,000 390,000

Khadeer Girls High School Khadeer 390,000 390,000

32 Samangan 2

Kar-e-Sulha Girls High School Center 390,000 390,000

Experimental Boys High School Center 390,000 390,000

33 Nimroz 2 Sistan Boys High School Center 390,000 390,000

Zaranj Girls High School Center 390,000 390,000

34 Panjshir 2 Number Ek Saraj Boys High School Unaba 390,000 390,000

Baba Ali Girls High School Dara 390,000 390,000

35 Ghor 2 Sultan Razia Ghori Girls High School Center 390,000 390,000

Alawuddin Ghori Boys High School Center 390,000 390,000

TOTAL 73 28,470,000 28,470,000


Table 3: DSM Recruitment Status

S.No Provinces Total DSMs

Planned

Total DSMs Recruited Yet

Male Female Total

1 Laghman 14 13 3 16

2 Kunar 24 19 5 24

3 Nangarhar 45 35 5 40

4 Kabul City 33 6 18 24

5 Kabul Province 26 17 7 24

6 Maidan Wardak 25 23 0 23

7 Kandahar 13 8 0 8

8 Faryab 23 12 7 19

9 Sare-Pol 20 10 7 17

10 Javozjan 15 8 4 12

11 Balkh 33 22 8 30

12 Samangan 16 10 5 15

13 Badakhshan 41 30 10 40

14 Takhar 33 25 10 35

15 Kundoz 26 19 5 24

16 Baghlan 25 22 1 23

17 Ghazni 35 25 5 30

18 Ghur 40 34 2 36

19 Bamyan 17 6 6 12

20 Uruzgan 13 8 0 8

21 Logar 22 17 2 19

22 Parwan 24 16 6 22

23 Paktia 20 19 1 20

24 Kapisa 15 11 5 16


25 Khost 17 18 1 19

26 Panjshir 10 9 1 10

27 Hirat 49 26 9 35

28 Helmand 25 18 3 21

29 Badghis 24 15 4 19

30 Paktika 20 16 0 16

31 Zabul 10 8 1 9

32 Daikundi 17 0 0 0

33 Farah 15 0 0 0

34 Nimroz 8 1 0 1

35 Nooristan 14 0 0 0

Total 807 526 141 667


Table 4: The following table provides a snapshot of the content/themes of the training.

Domain I: Instructional Leadership and Accountability

School Management and School Leadership: How are they different?

School Learning Environment: Mentoring New Teachers

Domain II: School Management with Professional Leadership

Supervising and Supporting School Staff Fairly and Effectively

The Classroom-Focused Improvement Process (CFIP)

Promoting Collaborative Problem Solving and Open Communication

Using Resources Wisely: Budget Reports, TED/MOE Reports and Forms’ Requirements

Finances

Using data to identify and plan for needed changes in the instructional program

Domain III : Leadership in Fostering Community Relationships to Support Learning

Fostering Community Relationships to Support Learning

Communication Effective school leaders practice two-way communications and use appropriate oral, written, and electric communication and collaboration skills to accomplish school and system goals by building and maintaining relationships with students, teachers, parents, and community.

Engaging effectively with Students’ Families to Foster Learning

School and Community Relationships

The Parent Teacher Association

Reporting Student Progress – Parents as Partners

DOMAIN IV. Leadership in Fostering Continuous Learning and Professional Development

Implementing School-Level Activities for Professional Growth

Working Cooperatively and Collaboratively with Colleagues

Development of the Learning Community

Development of Teaching Staff

Assessing Teacher Performance - Improving Teaching Strategies


Professional Development

Effective school leaders recruiting, retaining and development (mentoring, coaching, evaluating, advising and modeling) an effective and diverse faculty and staff

Leadership Development

Effective school leaders actively nurture, support, and develop other leaders within the organization

Professional and Ethical Behaviors and Conflict Resolution Strategies

Effective school leaders demonstrate personal and professional behaviors consistent with quality practices in education and as a community leader.

ALL DOMAINS

Personal Maintenance, Renewal, and Reflections as a School Leader

Stress Management, Self-Management and Time Management

Becoming an Effective Leader through Improved Management

Review of school managers’ responsibilities, management tools and methods, officially prescribed procedures, and overall goals


Table 5: Grils' Scholarship Program (GSP)

Allotment of Scholarship per Province

No Provinces Grade 13 Grade 14 Total

1 Badghis 34 0 34

2 Bamyan 193 124 317

3 Daikundi 30 32 62

4 Farah 270 131 401

5 Faryab 185 102 287

6 Ghazni 159 149 308

7 Ghur 27 11 38

8 Helmand 149 87 236

9 Kandahar 178 108 286

10 Khost 8 3 11

11 Kunar 19 36 55

12 Kunduz 603 317 920

13 Laghman 328 77 405

14 Logar 66 48 114

15 Nimrooz 47 9 56


16 Nooristan 10 35 45

17 Paktia 13 0 13

18 Panjsher 57 24 81

19 Parwan 323 161 484

20 Samangan 99 123 222

21 Sare Pul 44 84 128

23 Wardak 0 3 3

26 Uruzgan 0 0 0

27 Paktika 0 0 0

28 Zabul 0 10 10

Total 2842 1674 4516


Table 6: Summary of Consultants’ Activities and Work Progress

Summary Of Planned Activities / Work Progress

S.No Task Name % of completion Status Responsible Title Supporting

project

A. Requirement collection and Analysis

1 Updating the school questionnaires and Renormalizing the School Management system

100% completed Mirwais Ahmadzai

System Analyst

World Bank

2 New requirement collection and analysis for ISD system 70% In progress Noor Ahmad

Firozi System

Developer

3 Requirement collection and analysis for textbook distribution system

60% In progress Mirwais Ahmadzai

System Analyst

5 Extra requirement collection and analysis for students' certification system

80% In progress Mirwais Ahmadzai

System Analyst

6 Consolidating provincial 1391 statistical data with the main EMIS server.

70% In Progress Mirwais Ahmadzai

System Analyst

7 Requirement collection and analysis for procurement tracking system

100% Completed Mirwais Ahmadzai

System Analyst

8 Requirement collection and analysis for community based educations

90% Testing Irfanullah Safi

Programmer

9 Development of ToR for network intranet installation in PEDs to hire a consultant.

100% completed Irfanullah Safi

Programmer

10 Development of ToR for Asset Management Information system 80% In progress Mirwais

Ahmadzai System Analyst

B. Developed Systems

1 School Management system 100% functional Hashmatullah

Programmer Civil

Servant and WB 2 Procurement Tracking System 100% Functional Shakir and

Irfanullah Programm

ers

3 None-Formal Educations management system 100% Functional Zabih Khan Database

Developer UNICEF


4 Community Based schools management system 100% Testing Toryali

Hellali System

Developer World Bank

5 Students certification management system 100% Data Entry Hashmatulla

h & Safiullah Programm

er Civil Servant

6 Evaluation management system 100% Data Entry Shakir Programmer

7 Mobile Application for Monitoring and data verification 100% Testing ARTS Consultant

8 HR-MIS for contract staff 100% Data Entry Toryali Hellali

System Developer

World Bank

9 Operational plan management system 100% functional Zahir Jan Database

developer

C. Proposed Systems' to be developed

1 Admin Finance management system for projects’ tracking 0% Pending Irfanullah

and Shakir Programm

er

World Bank

2 Payroll management System 0% Pending Mirwais

Ahmadzai and Toryali

System Analyst

and developer

3 Thashkil management system 0% Pending Mirwais

Ahmadzai and Toryali

System Analyst

and developer

4 Contract management System for procurement and logistic 0% Pending Irfanullah

and shakir Programm

er

5 Decision Support System for Planning 0% Pending Mirwais and

Irfanullah

System Analyst

and programm

er

6 Asset Management System 10% In Progress consultant

7 Human Resource Management Information System (HR-MIS) for civil servants

10% In Progress

Mirwais Ahamdzai, Toryali and

Zahir

System Analyst,

developer and

programmer

World Bank

8 Budget management system 0% Pending Shakir Programmer World Bank


9 Curriculum development management system 0% Pending Shakir and

Zahir Programm

er

D. Data Analysis and Reporting

1 Contribution in 1391 Data collection with civil servants 100% Completed Inayatullah

Amini Data

Analyst

World Bank

2 Follow up of missing schools' data entry with provinces 70% In Progress Inayatullah

Amini Data

Analyst

3 Contribution in 1391 data cleaning and reporting process 60% In Progress Inayatullah

Amini Data

Analyst

4 Preparing analytical reports useful for different internal and external organizations

Continue process

Inayatullah Amini

Data Analyst

5

Finding out problems with 4,000 schools' coordinates are outside of country from 16,000 registered schools in the system.

100% completed Rafiq Totakhail

GIS Specialist

6 Visualizing MoE 1390 and 1391 statistical indicators through GIS maps.


GIS Specialist

World Bank

Creating EMIS map booklet for 1391.

50% In Progress Rafiq Totakhail

GIS Specialist

E. Capacity Building and technical consultation

1 Providing technical trainings at central provincial and district level Continue

process System dev dept team

2 Installing and maintenance of EMIS servers in provincial EMIS offices.

Continue process

System dev dept team

3 Providing Provincial EMIS offices with training in terms of usage the GPS device.


GIS Specialist

4 Any other technical consultations Continue process

System dev dept team


Table 7: . The Remaining Incomplete Components of CC Projects T

# P

roje

cts

cove

ring

by D

AN

IDA

ph

ase

1 (a

lread

y su

bmitt

ed to

P

D/P

ED

)

Pro

ject

s co

verin

g by

DA

NID

A

phas

e 2

(Alre

ady

subm

itted

to P

D)

Pro

ject

s w

ill be

cov

ered

by

WB

(a

lread

y su

bmitt

ed to

PD

)

# P

roje

cts

will

be c

over

ed fr

om

MoE

dis

cren

etar

y bu

dget

(alre

ady

subm

itted

to P

D)

Pro

ject

s w

ill co

vere

d fro

m O

&M

bu

dget

pha

se 1

(alre

ady

subm

itted

to

PD

)

Pro

ject

s w

ill co

vere

d fro

m O

&M

bu

dget

pha

se 2

(Alre

ady

subm

itted

to

PD

)

Pro

blem

atic

/Dem

olis

hed

Pro

ject

s

1 Fully Completed 2192 Going to be fully Completed 603 Partially Completed 787 0

4 Ongoing but going to be partially completed

247 0

5 Not started yet 25 256 Damaged 9 07 Total 1347 3048 Balance of incomplete 1034 919 722 607 465 250 25 0

CC Projects' Summary

279

1034 197 115115 25225142 215

Breakdown of Incomplete components by funding sources

No

Pro

ject

Sta

tus

Pro

gres

s (a

s of

May

13)

# P

roje

cts

need

no

extra

mon

ey fo

r co

mpl

etio

n

# P

roje

cts

need

s ex

tra m

oney

for

com

plet

ion


Table 8: The Information of the Received Land Acquisition Documents

No. Name of Province No. of Documents Received

1 Balkh 4

2 Kunnar 5

3 Heart 1

4 Nimrooz 1

5 Hemand 3

6 Kapisa 3

7 Khoost 3

8 Takhar 2

9 Wardak 13

10 Ghazni 26

11 Baghlan 2

12 Nooristan 4

13 Farah 5

14 Faryab 1

15 Joozjan 3

16 Samangan 1


Annex Three - Missions to Provinces

A detailed description of the acheivement during the mission visits to schools/Shuras in variouse prvonces is provided in below:

Kandahar Province Mission

On April 12, 2013, a monitoring mission was made to the province to visit schools in the model schools, hold a coordination meeting with the PED and the EQUIP Provincial Team and check the operation budget, and liquidation and financial documents of both Quality Enhancement Grant & Infrastrure Development Grant.

First, the mission briefed the PED about the purpose of the mission and visited Shahrakk Girl’s High School (the one located in Panjwaee district), Niak Mohammad Boy’s Middle School, Shah Ashraf Boy’s Primary School, Chenar Zyarat Girl’s Primary School, and Soof Girl’s High School.

All the schools visited had a re-organized and active SMSs with 15 members, who had received all the relevant trainings. The SMS had hard copies of SIPs, a properly maintained meeting minutes registration book. Further the schools had received both first and second generation Quality Enhancement Grants of which, financial documents had already been cleared. Moreover, library, laboratory and computer labs were also properly maintained. SMSs of the schools had been holding meetings regularly on a monthly basis.

Students of Neek Muhammad Boys’ High School located in Panjwa’ee district and Chenar Middle School were still studying in open space, mosques, tents etc. EQUIP has already approved school buildings (CC projects) for these schools and the School Shuras thanked the Program and promised their full and continous support.

Following persistent efforts of the mission, Soof Girls’ School in the Center of Kandahar Province, which had been closed for some time, was re-opened for students, and the dispute that resulted in its closure was resolved through negotiations and discussion with community elders.

The mission made the following recommendations to the Provincial EQUIP team to:

• re-organize the School Shura of Soof Girls’ School for better results • use the new planning and reporting formats • submit monthly plans and reports on time • maintain a file for every school in keeping neccesary documents • take part in monthly SMS meetings and each DSM should give a short oriention to

SMS members


Helmand Province Mission

On 17 April 2013, a monitoring mission was made in Helmand Province with the objectives to to visit schools inlcuding model schools, to have a coordination meeting with Provincial Education Director (PED) and the EQUIP Provincial Team, to visit CC projects in Lashkargah and Marja districts, and to check operation budget. First the mission briefed PED about the purpose of the mission. The PED was satisfied with the EQUIP Provincial team’s achievements and performace, and informed the mission that he had weekly and monthly coordination meetings with the team for better cooperation and results. The mission visited Malalai Girl’s High School, Western Lashkari Bazzar Girl’s High School, and Haftse Boys’ Primary School. Their observations were as follow:

Malalai Girls’ High School

The mission visited Malalai Girls’ High School to monitor SMS performance and activities and checked Quality Enhancement Grant given to this school. The school Shurah was established 4 years ago with 12 members which had been re-organized with 15 members. The SMS were holding monthly meetings and maintained a journal (meeting minute’s registration book) to register the decisions made by Shura. In a meeting arranged with the SMS, the mission explained SMS responsibilities and their impact on quality of education available to students. Both first and second generation Quality Enhancement Grants had been received by this school and were liquidated. Purchases were registered in the Item Registration Book (Inventory Book), and all the purchased items were present in the school, and were being used effectively by the students for their learning benefits.

Western Lashkar Bazaar Girls’ High School

The mission also visited Western Lashkar Bazaar Girls High School to monitor SMS performance and the status of the Quality Enhancement Grant. The school Shura had been re-organized with 15 members. The SMS maintained a meeting journal (meeting minutes registration book) regularly. The SMS did not have a hard copy of the SIP and other necessary documents in the school administration, which were kept in the PED. In the meeting arranged with the SMS, the mission mainly explained SMS responsibilities and their effectiveness in improving the quality of education provided to students. Both first and second generations Quality Enhancement Grants had been provided to this school, and the grants were liquidated. The purchased items were registered in the Item Registration Book (Inventory Book) and all the items recorded and were present in school and were being effectively used for students’ benefit. The mission made the following recommendations to the Provincial EQUIP team:

• All new reporting farmats should be used • A separate file should be provided to each school for keeping its documents. • Every SMS and DSM should arrange regular meetings with SMS members to inform

them of their responsibilities and their impact on students learning.


• All SMSs should hold monthly meetings.

Laghman Province Mission

On 20 April 2013, a mission went to Laghman Province to meet the Provincial Education Director (EQUIP), Provincial EQUIP Team, Province Governor and the provincial Technical Management Committee (TMC) and to coordinate activities.

The mission briefed the new governor about the purpose of the mission and explained about the EQUIP program. The governor was satisfied with EQUIP achievements and promised further cooperation to improve the education system in this province.

The mission visited more than 15 schools in this province and also held a meeting with EQUIP provincial team and urged them to use the newly developed planning and reporting formats. Later, the mission went to Qarghaee and Alingar districts to visit schools, observe SMS performances , check SIPs and liquidation documents of Quality Enhancement Grant and Infrastruction Development Grant, and had meetings with members of SMSs to discuss the resposibilities of SMSs and their effectiveness for improving education system.

Kapisa Province Mission

On April 27, 2013, a mission went to Kapisa Province to visit schools. The mission met with PED, Provincial EQUIP Team, Province Governor and TMC and informed them about the purposes of the mission. The provincial authorities promised continued cooperation with the team.

The mission visited Ali Khail Girl High School and met the SMS and principal of the school. This school had 1100 female students, a re-organized and active SMS of 15 members and a Meeting Minutes Registration Book. The school had received both first and second generation Quality Enhancement Grants, and had already liquidated them. The school library, laboratory, and computer labs were also properly maintained and used.

The mission recommended that the provincial EQUIP team of this province should have a file for each school in its office to record documents.

Ghur Province Mission

On April 27, 2013, a mission went to Ghur Province to to visit schools including model schools, hold a coordination meeting with Provincial Education Director (PED) and EQUIP Provincial Team, check operation budget, and check liquidation of Quality Enhancement Grant & Infrastructure Development Grant.

First the mission briefed the PED about the purposes of the mission. The PED was satisfied with achievements and performaces of EQUIP Provincial team and promised


continued cooperative to the team. The mission visited Sultan Radhya Girl’s High School, Sultan Alauddin Boys’ High School, Kandiwal Mix school, Khadija tul Kubra Girls’ High School, Kase Boys’ High School, Toqa e Temor Mix High School, Mohammad Anwar High School, Badgah Girls’ High School and Medan Hawayee Girls’ High School. The observations are as follows:

• Due to the distances in between schools (more than 40 km) and also districts (usually

more than 80 km) are long, three more vehicles are needed for supervisors to effectively monitor the schools and Shura activities

• Due to lack of transportation facilities and long distances between schools (more than 40 km) and districts (usually more than 80 km), DSMs are often unable to visit all the schools they plan to visit on a monthly basis

• DSMs need stationery and cameras

• Three more Provincial Social Mobilization Supervisors need to be hired

Despite bad security condition and the long distance of schools from district centers, the mission noted that the schools’ condition was good. It recommended to resolve the problems.

Panjshir Province Mission

On April 27, 2013 a mission went to Panjshir Province and visited Bibi Amina Girls High School located in Parendeh Village, Bazarak Boys High School located in Bazarak (Center of Panjshir Province) and Ahmad Shah Masood Technical High School located in Bazarak. The mission met with the principals of the schools and explained the aims of the mission.

The schools visited by the mission had re-organized and active SMSs with 15 members who had received training; the SMS had hard copies of SIPs, and Meeting Minutes Registration Books were also maintained. The schools had received both first and second generation Quality Enhancement Grants for which, financial documents were cleared without purchasing of the items. The school library, laboratory and computer labs were also properly maintained and used. The SMSs of the schools had been holding meetings regularly and on a monthly basis.

The mission made the following recommendations to the EQUIP mission to:

• hold meetings with school Shuras to inform them about the upcoming World Bank Mission

• coordinate with police department for keeping security condition for World Bank Mission

• brief the Governor Office and other relevant deportments about the purpose of the mission

• make necessary preparations for the World Bank Mission


Badghis Province Mission

On April 29, 2013, a monitoring mission went to Badghis Province to visit schools including model schools, hold a coordination meeting with PED amd EQUIP Provincial Team, check operation budget, and liquidation and financial documents of Quality Enhancement Grant & Infrastrure Development Grant.

The mission briefed the PED about the objectives of the mission, who was satisfied with the achievements and performace of EQUIP Provincial team and promised futher cooperation. The mission visited Sar Chama e Qarqeto Girl’s High School, Dahn Qarqeto Girl’s High School, Dahn Qarqeto Boys’ School, Kharestan Boys’ High School, and Kharestan Girl’s High School. The schools visited by the mission had re-organized and active SMSs with 15 members who had received training; the SMS had hard copies of SIPs, and Meeting Minutes Registration Books were also maintained. The schools had received both first and second generation Quality Enhancement Grants for which, financial documents were cleared. The school library, laboratory and computer labs were also properly maintained and used. The SMSs of the schools had been holding meetings regularly and on a monthly basis.

The mission also gave a short orientation about the new formats for planning and reporting to the team. The recommendations to the EQUIP team were to :

• use the newly developed formats for planning and reporting • submit its plans and reports on time • maintain a file for each shool and DSM for maintaing the documents • maintain a proper filling system for keeping SIPs, school documents, financial

documents of operation budget etc • e-organise SMSs of Model Schools and those schools which receive Quality

Enhancement Grants for 2013 • list in a char the community contributions from the the people and display on walls for

public awareness • install complaint boxes in each school

Urozgan Province Mission

On May 31, 2013, a monitoring mission went to Uruzgan Province to visit schools including model schools, hold a coordination meeting with PED and EQUIP Provincial Team, check operation budget, and liquidation and financial documents of Quality Enhancement Grant & Infrastrure Development Grant.

The mission briefed the PED about the purposes of the mission and discussed about issues related to 17 schools of Dehrawood District regarding the Quality Enhancement Grant, which had been liquidated but no items were procured due to bad security conditions. The issue was resolved by the initiatives of the mission and subsequently items were procured for 10 primary schools with 1,000,000 Afg, for two middle schools with 200,000 Afg, and for five high schools with 550,000 Afg. The mission also discussed the issue of three CC Projects which had trouble with the Mustofiat and the issue was resolved.


The mission met the provincial EQUIP staff in a meeting, and each team member presented his/her activities of the previous month to the mission. Recommendations of the mission to the EQUIP team were to:

• use the newly developed reporting and planning formats • submit its monthly plans and reports on time to EQUIP Central Office • give training to School Shuras of Model Schools and those schools to which Quality

Enhancement Grant of 2013 will be disbursed • re-organize the shuras • encourage people to increase their contributions to schools

Faryab Province Mission

On May 13, 2013, a monitoring mission traveled to Faryab Province to visit schools including model and CC schools, hold a coordination meeting with Provincial Education Director (PED) and EQUIP Provincial Team, check operation budget and liquidation of financial documents of both Quality Enhancement Grant & Infrastrure Development Grant.

The mission briefed the PED about the purposes of the mission, who was satisfied with the achievements and performace of EQUIP’s Provincial team and promised a better cooperation to the team. The mission visited Setara Girl’s High School, Khorasan Boy’s High School, Gohar Shad Begam Girl’s School, Unjalad Girl’s High School, Nafeer Faryabi Boys’ School, Shaheed Noor Mohammad Boys’ School, Towkale Fani Girls’ High School,Toor Pakhto Girls’ High School, Bagh e Boostan Girls’ High School, and Qazi Baba Murad Girls’ School.

The schools visited by the mission had a re-organized and active SMSs of 15 members who had received trainings several times, the SMS had hard copies of SIPs and had been maintained Meeting Minutes Registration Book . The schools had also received both first and second generations of Quality Enhancement Grant of which financial documents were cleared without purchasing of the items. More ever, library, laboratory and computer labs were also properly maintained. The SMSs of the schools had been holding meetings regularly and on monthly basis. The mission recommended to the EQUIP team:

• SMSs of Model Schools and those schools to which Quality Enhancement Grant of 2013 is going to be disbursed, should be given an orientation training.

• to encourage people to increase their contributions to schools • to analysis problems (such as lack of books, power generator, boundary walls, fans

and furnitures) and find out solutions to these problems for schools in consultation with PED and national and internationa NGOs.

• Beyond roles and responsibilities as per TOR, every provincial social mobilization suppervisor should take the responsibilities of five schools to conduct orientions/trainings to SMSs , effective use of libraray, laboratory etc. A file should be provided for each DSM in provincial EQUIP office to maintain relevant documents for future records.


Farah Province Mission

On May 18, 2013, a monitoring mission travelled to Farah Province to visit schools including model schools, hold a coordination meeting with PED & EQUIP Provincial Team, check operation budget and liquidation and financial documents of both Quality Enhancement Grant & Infrastrure Development Grant.

First the mission briefed the PED about the purpose of the mission and then visited four schools namely Shaikh Abu Nasr boy high school, Nafisa Tawfiq Mirzaee girl school, Merman Nazo girl school and Shaheed Mohammad Nadir Ayoobi girl schools in the province.

The schools visited by the mission had a re-organized and active SMSs of 15 members who had received trainings several times, the SMS had hard copies of SIPs, and had been maintained Meeting Minutes Registration Book. The schools had received both first and second generations of Quality Enhancement Grant of which financial documents were cleared. More ever, library, laboratory and computer labs were also properly maintained. I was also observed that the SMSs of the schools had been holding meetings regularly and on monthly basis.

The recommendations of the mission to the EQUIP team:

• the School Shuras of Model Schools and those schools to which Quality Enhancement Grant of 2013 is going to be disbursd, should be given a training and re-organized

• the team should submit its monthly plans and repots on time • the team should open a file for each school for mainataining neccesary documents • while attending the School Shura monthly meetings, each DSM should should give a

short oriention to SMS members

Bamyan and Daikondi Provinces’ Mission

On June 4th,2013 the mission went to Bamyan and Daikondai Provinces The main purpose of this mission was to visit schools, hold a coordination meeting with PED & EQUIP Provincial Team, check operation budget, visit model schools and check liquidation and financial documents of both Quality Enhancement Grant & Infrastrure Development Grant.

First the mission briefed the PED about the purposes of the mission and then visited some schools in the provinces.

The schools visited by the mission had a re-organized and active SMSs of 15 members who had received trainings several times, the SMS had hard copies of SIPs, and had been maintained Meeting Minutes Registration Book. The schools had also received both first and second generations of Quality Enhancement Grant of which financial documents were cleared. More ever, library, laboratory and computer labs were also properly maintained. It was also observed that the SMSs of the schools had been holding meetings regularly and on monthly basis.

The missions also held a meeting in both provinces with provincial EQUIP staff in which every member of the team presented his/her activities of the previous month. Then another


meeting was held with the School Shuras, in which the mission mainly explained about the SMS responsibilities and its effectiveness on student learnings. The recommendations of the mission to the EQUIP team:

• to use the newly developed reporting and planning formats • to submit its monthly plans and reports on time to EQUIP Central Office • to give training to School Shuras of Model Schools and those schools to which

Quality Enhancement Grant of 2013 is going to be disbussed • to re-organize Shuras • to encourage people to increase their contributions to schools

Kabul city and Kabul Province Missions

The missions are assigned to visit four or more schools in Kabul city and four or more schools in Kabul province on daily base. During the repoting period, the Kabul city mission visited more than 100 schools and the Kabul province mission visited approximately 85 schools. The missions checked the following main points in every school:

• whether or not SMS members are 15 in number and check the Journal of SMS to khow whether they hold regular monthly meetings or not and appraise the activities being performed by the Shuras

• to ensure that SMSs have received proper trainings • to esnure that laboratory and library materials are existing in schools and also

effectively utilized for better results and learning

• to ensure if the Registration Book (Inventory Book) is maitained and items are recorded


Annex Four – Topics Covered in Report Writing Training

The topics covered in the training were: writing and structuring progress reports, using evidence in writing reports, writing success stories, using quotes in a report, and the importance of use of illustration in report writing. The participants were then organized in small groups to comment on some of the sample reports. In another session, the participants were asked to write short reports and get feedback from the rest of the team.


Annex Five - Detailed Findings of Grants Monitoring

In addition to the above six main categories for which numeric data were gathered, some general qualitative information was also obtained through the questionnaires used in the monitoring. Many TTCs are happy with the progress they have made with the grants. TTCs reported improvement in the teaching of instructors and learning of students. Badghis TTC reported projectors and computers as important aides in the delivery of lessons but is still faced with lack of water facilities, and male and female’s dorms.

The TTC in Ghor proposed that the amount of grants should be increased in order to cover all needs of Ghor TTC. Students there indicated that since the grant process had not been completed thus far, concrete results could not be mentioned at this stage. Shendand TTC in Herat reported that the grant money was spent based on the proposal and contract documents and their problems had been solved to a greater extent.

The TTC in Kunduz appreciated the availability of equipment such as computers, laptops, and projectors purchased with the grant money. However, the TTC indicated concern over the refunding of a considerable amount of the grant money. It requested that the refunded money had to be sent to them back. Samangan TTC was pleased with provision of solar systems for providing electricity to put in computers for teaching and to power photocopying machines. The Daikundi TTC indicated that the grant activities had provided motivation for students, faculty, and staff to improve, and it had resulted in better quality teaching. The TTC recommended that the grant funds should be provided to them early in the fiscal year so they could start their procurement process normally.

The TTC staff in Wardak was grateful with the grant and its outcomes. Yet, they complained about late transfer of the grant money. The Khost TTC was glad for the receiving electricity, computers, and the Internet, but lack of government-owned building was an issue for them. Parwan TTC was appreciative for its students’ access to technology, and mentioned that the problems of photocopying and drinking water had been resolved by now. Kandahar TTC was pleased to have provided drinking water for its students through the grant money. It also mentioned audio-visual equipment with its powering means (solar panels) as important aides for the delivery of class lectures.

Bamyan TTC was glad with the provision of the various equipments through the grant money. The TTC in Faryab signified that they had carried out 90% of their procurement thus far. The TTC in Saripul, pointed out that their essential needs had been met with the grant money. Balkh TTC stated that the grant had enabled them to provide learning materials and equipment for their classrooms. The TTC staff in Takhar said that they had made less progress without receiving grant so far for the fiscal year.

Paktia TTC believed that security of dorms and academic building and encouragement of students are positive features of the grant activities. The TTC in Baghlan reported that the conditions of classrooms had improved. Computers, furniture and electricity were provided to the institution, which resulted in attracting more female students to the TTC. Similarly, the Helmand TTC was satisfied with the overall achievements they had made with the use of


the grant. The Jawzjan TTC told that the security of the TTC’s compound had been improved.

The TTC in Farah stated that the grant had solved their problems to a larger extent; the TTC have electricity with solar panels, drinking water is available, and the planting of trees and greenery has improved the environment of the center. The TTC in Andkhoi indicated that further time was needed for the results of the grant to be visible. The TTC in Urgun reported that they had implemented the grant based on grant guidelines but expenditure of remaining money was a problem. The TTC in Logar reported, “the current environment encouraged female students to attend the TTCs due to the safety and security provided as a result of grant.” GhaniKhel TTC highlighted the positive changes in their TTC, but identified small-overcrowded classrooms as a problem.

The TTC in Nangarhar was expecting its solar project to be completed soon. The TTC pointed out that a lot of female students studied there, which was a big achievement for MoE at the provincial level. Uruzgan TTC appreciated the grant project and revealed that availability of sports facilities, capacity building of students and instructors, and construction of toilets were some of the achievements accomplished with the gender grant. Nevertheless, they acknowledged the unavailibity of fund for completing painting of some buildings.

Nooristan TTC said that “more female students are attending schools in the provincial capital now.” However, they considered the formation of the grant committee a problem, citing an air of bureaucracy. Zaranj TTC acknowledged that sometimes it might need to spend the gender grant on items not specified in the proposal; suggesting there should be some flexibility in the use of funds. They said that since female students could not go to public places to access the Internet, this facility on-campus was very important for them. The TTC in Jaghuri notified that the money had been spent based on the needs of the TTC. They also cited some problems with the Mustofiat in the document process. The TTC in Zabul was excited to see electricity and Internet connectivity at their center, but was concerned about the procurement problems.


Annex Six - Mobile Application in Uruzgan

Afghanistan Reliable Technology Services (ARTS) was awarded a contract to facilitate the mobile phone data collection pilot phase in Uruzgan. ARTS designed a mobile phone data collection system including mobile application, web application and SMS services.

Negotiations were held with the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology regarding specific technical issues, ARTS was introduced to MoCIT to handle the technical and financial aspects of the project. A server was assigned to the project and stationed in ANDC at MoCIT.

EMIS developed required questionnaires based on basic data needs, prepared training material and action plans, which were shared with ARTS. Smart phone mobiles were procured; the pilot phase was conducted in Tarinkot district of Uruzgan province, and the testing phase of the application was completed.