Download - Transitions: Critical Junctures
Transitions: Critical Junctures
Caroline Arnold & Kathy BartlettCo-Directors, EducationAga Khan Foundation
Background UPE -- leading to increased enrolments Strains on education systems:
teachers- (In place? With needed skills? quality of learning students/families demand for more than primary
High drop-out at key transition points Grade 1End of primary to early secondaryEnd Secondary
Progress towards EFA completion goal and relevant MDGs
Across many countries -- massive increases in initial enrolments, but little change in survival to last gradeUganda 25%
or Primary Completion Madagascar 27% Benin 36% Pakistan 48%
Source: EFA GMR 2009
Where are efforts breaking down?
Crisis in Grade One: The Need for Attention to Early Transition
Grade 1 DROP-OUT Uganda 32% Pakistan 15%
India 14% Madagascar 25%
Grade 1 REPETITION Burundi 37% Malawi 26% Uganda 12% Nepal 37%
Source: EFA GMR 2009
Rates of Return to Human Development Investment Across all Ages
Pre-school Programs
School
Job Training
ReturnPer $Invested
R
2
4
6
8
0 6 18 Age
Pre-School School Post School
03-074
Pedro Carneiro, James Heckman, Human Capital Policy, 2003
World Bank Analysis: ECD and Primary Completion Rates highly correlated
in FTI countriesECD increases probability of school completion
y = 0.929x + 48.98R² = 0.527
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
110
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55
Prim
ary
Com
plet
ion
Rate
(%
)
Gross Enrollment Rate Pre-Primary (%)
M.E. Young, April, 2008
Investment
ECD tiny % of aid allocated to Primary Highest % is that of Canada and
Netherlands (3%)
ECD critical for achieving EFA and MDGs (ECD goes through age 8)
Lack of LearningIf not reading fluently by end grade 3 probably never will
Insufficient time for actual teaching and learning process Double shifts Absenteeism Over-crowded
timetable
Language of Instruction
Need for inclusive curriculum and reading materials
Grade 1-2 teachers: Low status Lack of skills and resources
to teach young children
Addressing transition issues for marginalised: Non-state Contributions
The DataOne third of increase in primary enrolment since
1991 in non-state provision (23 of 69 million)
% increase in enrolmentsNon-state 58%Public 10%
Massive under-reporting on non-state provision
UIS (136 majority world countries), 2007
Non-state / State Partnerships Simple
vouchers, grants, scholarships, contracting out for technical assistance
Complex -- longer-term, likely to evolve over timeRecognises complimentary roles/joint
ownership between Government and Non-state partner
Pakistan: - Private provider - especially
filling gap for girls- Primary- Secondary: coaching centres,
schools- Tertiary
- Capacity Building for gov.- Teacher Training and
mentoring (AKU-PDCs)- EMIS and new strategy
Transition Programme Research Study Random sampling used to select programme
schools and matched non-programme schools (114 total sample)
Project Control Attendance: Pre-primary 86% 34%
Class 1 64% 36% Promotion : Similar positive trends Classroom Environment: Dramatic differences in pre-school Learning Achievement data
Effects stronger for marginalized children (girls and government schools)
Importance of non-state schools in addressing quality issues
Afghanistan Dramatic drop-outs (esp. girls in 1st 3 years)
From standard school improvement to real attention to early primary
Scaffolding approach - reading and maths Early grades materials kits
Girls model high schools in selected districts with optional teacher training year built in at end
When do Children Enter and Leave the System?
GRADE
Age 6 Age 7 Age 8 Age 9 Age 10 Age 11 Age 12 Age 13 Age 14 Age 15 Age 16
M F M F M F M F M F M F M F M F M F M F M F
1 741 653 866 742 501 492 278 223 168 152 77 67 47 32 18 24 2 3
2 10 26 381 324 544 609 393 358 343 245 197 141 119 96 78 51 30 30 10 12 9 3
3 6 13 109 86 357 264 428 373 260 228 183 168 148 134 104 70 65 41 25 17
4 7 2 66 50 143 113 291 232 279 231 182 138 144 116 99 65 44 25
5 4 2 27 21 116 97 192 128 192 160 238 155 165 103 108 40
2006 data
Mozambique – Push and pull factors
Pre-schools to improve children’s readiness and timely enrolment
Addressing later transitions Bridges to the Future Alternative offerings for upper prim.
Analyzing data/ Conducting studies Positive deviance study Current Opportunities to Learn Study
Building accountability – addressing quality of learning
Priorities for AKF More ECD and better links to primary
Focus on early primary as critical piece of education reform - Improve lower primary teachers’ knowledge,
skills and status - Specific attention to early reading
Encouraging families to look at/read books with children (all ages)
Priorities for AKF cont. Better information and data
Grade disaggregated dataSpecial studies including impact analysis
State/Non-State/Community Partnerships - Testing alternative strategies for post-primary- Developing local language storybooks - Involving parents and communities (ECD,
monitoring absenteeism, etc)
www.akdn.org
Children Ready for Schools
and
Schools Ready for Children