A child-centered, community-driven catch up programme to support the most vulnerable children’s safe return to school in Cambodia, Zimbabwe and Ghana

• In Event: Unleashing the Potential of the Community to Address Education Disruptions and Inequity: Global Evidence from Learning Catch-up Programmes

Proposal

In low and middle-income countries, the share of children living in learning poverty—already over 50 percent before the pandemic—is projected to rise sharply, potentially up to 70 percent, due to the long school closures and varying quality and effectiveness of remote learning interventions (World Bank, 2022). The rise of conflict and climate related crises have also displaced many families, disrupting the education of 128 million children and youth (Education Cannot Wait, 2022). This estimate does not include the millions of children currently affected by the Ukraine crisis. Without targeted and innovative interventions, many children will struggle to return to school and receive the support they need to catch-up on their learning in a safe and nurturing environment, especially the most vulnerable. Business as usual would just result in deepening inequities in Education and perpetuating the intergenerational cycle of poverty.
To combat the pandemic’s deleterious effects on children’s learning, particularly on the most vulnerable children, an INGO partnered with three country teams (Cambodia, Ghana and Zimbabwe) to develop a community-based catch up programme applying principles of human centered design and aligned with the Accelerated Education Working Group Catch Up Programmes: 10 Principles for helping learners catch up and return to learning and transformational development. In this approach, community stakeholders led on the design, implementation and sustainability of key interventions addressing key barriers for children’s learning. Community stakeholder assessments shaped the design of a Catch Up Programme (CUP) which targeted children 6-10 years-old through safe and nurturing CUP clubs facilitated by community volunteers. A diagnostic assessment was developed to place children at the right level aligned with TARL methodology. Children were placed in two levels aligned with UNESCO’s grade 1 and 2 Global Proficiency Framework for Reading and Mathematics. CUP clubs featured structured lesson plans organized into prioritized learning skills, sequences and play-based activities. Priority was given to enable a positive social emotional climate so children could express themselves and support each other. CUP club facilitators received foundational training and coaching across the three countries.
An action learning methodology focusing on key questions and programming dimensions was applied to promote reflection, learning and adjust programming accordingly. Programme results were documented through children’s pre and post reading and mathematics proficiency assessments and qualitative methods to capture learning and experiences from all stakeholders involved. Children’s gains in skills were observed in the vast majority of the children. In Ghana, for example, only 5% of learners did not advance a complete skill level. In Cambodia, learners with the lowest proficiencies at start of CUP made the most progress.
The presentation will share the findings of the action learning report including considerations for sustainability and scale. CIES participants will be consulted and challenged on the support that has been given to communities to lead on education initiatives. Reflections on Education being an open, and not closed system, will be emphasized especially when the learning crisis and ‘business as usual interventions’ will not cut it to break the cycle of social injustice and inequity.

Author

• Ana Tenorio, World Vision International