Informing early program implementation and iterative situation analyses for a Liberian accelerated learning program with the Rapid Education Risk Analysis

• In Event: Reacting to the RERA: How Rapid Education Risk Analyses Informed Practical Implementation in Literacy Projects in Mali, Liberia, and Afghanistan

Proposal

Drawing upon elements of a rapid education needs analysis methodology and contextual risk analysis, USAID’s Rapid Education and Risk Analysis (RERA) tool was created to quickly collect information to inform decisions around the design and delivery of education projects, ensuring it is responsive to contextual risks and does not contribute to conflict or vulnerabilities.

In this Liberian accelerated learning program, the purpose of the Rapid Education and Risk Analysis (RERA) was to highlight the main barriers that hinder access, retention, and success in school or accelerated learning programs for over-aged or out-of-school children in Liberia ages 8 to 15, to, as well as factors that contribute to resiliency; make recommendations for specific interventions to address issues, mitigate risks, and/or increase resiliency within AQE project scope; and recommend indicators to track and how to measure aspects that may impede or promote overall success of intervention. 

The RERA consisted of two parts: a comprehensive desk review of available literature and a primary data collection effort including key informant interviews and focus group discussions with community members, parents, and children. It identified implications for programming around the establishment of accelerated learning programs, curriculum development, training for teachers, administrators, and PTAs, and needs for advocacy and community engagement.

This panel will explain how the RERA covered two stages of an iterative data collection process, whereby the RERA’s secondary data analysis identified gaps to be addressed in its primary data collection, the RERA’s primary data analysis identified areas to be further investigated in the site mapping process, and the site mapping process will be followed by quarterly rolling assessments. Lessons learned for the practical implementation of this iterative process will be shared.

Authors

• Sarah Elizabeth Neville, EDC

• Desta Woldemariam Habtemichael, EDC