USAID|Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Quarterly Report
January 1–March 31, 2018
Cooperative Agreement: AID-617-A-15-00009 April 30, 2018 This document was produced for review by the United States Agency for International Development. It was prepared by RTI International.
USAID|Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity
Quarterly Report Cooperative Agreement: AID-617-A-15-0009 Reporting period: January 1, 2018–March 31, 2018
Prepared for: USAID/Uganda United States Agency for International Development ATTN: Agreement Officer’s Representative US Mission Compound–South Wing 1577 Ggaba Road, Nsambya PO Box 7856 Kampala, Uganda
Prepared by: RTI International 3040 Cornwallis Road Post Office Box 12194 Research Triangle Park, NC 27709-2194 (919) 541-6000 http://www.rti.org/
RTI International is one of the world’s leading research institutes, dedicated to improving the human condition by turning knowledge into practice. Our staff of more than 3,700 provides research and technical services to governments and businesses in more than 75 countries in the areas of health and pharmaceuticals, education and training, surveys and statistics, advanced technology, international development, economic and social policy, energy and the environment, and laboratory testing and chemical analysis.
RTI International is a registered trademark and a trade name of Research Triangle Institute.
The authors’ views expressed in this report do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government.
ii USAID|Uganda Literacy, Achievement and Retention Activity, Year 3, Quarter 2 Report Jan–Mar 2018
USAID/Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Quarterly Report Quarter 2 Report (January 1 to March 31, 2018)
Submission Date: April 30, 2018
Agreement Number: AID-617-A-15-00009 Activity Start Date and End Date: April 6, 2015 to April 5, 2020 AOR Name: Jana Wooden
Submitted by: Geri Burkholder, Chief of Party RTI International 2 Kafu Road, Nakasero Kampala, Uganda
3040 Cornwallis Road PO Box 12194, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709-2194 Tel: +256 204 250 100, +256 789 17 7713 Email: [email protected]
This document was produced for review by the United States Agency for International Development Uganda Mission (USAID/Uganda).
USAID|Uganda Literacy, Achievement and Retention Activity, Year 3, Quarter 2 Report, Jan–Mar 2018 iii Table of Contents
Activity Summary ...... vi List of Acronyms and aBBREVIATIONS...... viii 1. Introduction to Quarterly Report ...... 11 1.1 Activity Description ...... 11 1.2 Results to Date ...... 3 Activity Implementation Progress ...... 9 2.1 Implementation Status ...... 9 2.2 Progress Narrative ...... 17 R1: Increased capacity to deliver EGR ...... 17 R2: Improved retention in primary grades ...... 17 2.3 Key Challenges During the Quarter ...... 18 3. Adaptive Management Approach and Guiding Principles ...... 19 3.1 Collaboration and Stakeholder Engagement ...... 20 3.3 Inclusive Development ...... 23 3.4 Science, Technology, and Innovation ...... 24 4. Leadership Development ...... 25 5. Management and Administrative Issues ...... 26 6. Planned Activities for Next Quarter, Including Upcoming Events ...... 31 7. How Implementing Partner Has Addressed Comments from the Last Quarterly or SemiAnnual Report ...... 37 8. Financial Management ...... 37 Annex A. Success Story ...... 38 Annex B. Global Positioing System (GPS) Information ...... 41 Annex C. Activity Description ...... 43 Annex D. Progress Towards Results ...... 71
List of Figures
Figure 1. Results framework ...... 11 Figure 2. Example of one of the screens on the Papaya app ...... 25 Figure C-1. Summary of micro-experiment discussions in Kanungu District ...... 55
List of Tables
iv USAID|Uganda Literacy, Achievement and Retention Activity, Year 3, Quarter 2 Report Jan–Mar 2018 Table 1. Treatment 1, 2, and control schools in cluster (C)1 and C2 ...... 2 Table 2. Project achievements to date ...... 2 Table 3. AMELP/project indicator progress–USAID standard indicators and project custom indicators, quarter (Q)2 ...... 3 Table 4. Q2 summary of implementation status ...... 10 Table 5. Implementation and achievements of applying the guiding principles ...... 19 Table 6. Leadership development, outcomes, and indicators ...... 25 Table 5. Summary of management and administrative activities, Q2 ...... 27 Table 6. GANTT Chart of planned technical activities for Q3 ...... 31 Table 7. Activity Financial Analysis ...... 37 Table A-1. Success Stories/Lessons Learned Template ...... 38 Table C-1. Supplemental materials distribution in Mukono District ...... 50 Table C-2. Number of community members participating in Journeys dialogue meetings .. 58 Table C-3. Number of child violation cases reported to authorities this quarter ...... 62 Table C-4. Project Staff Hired in Q2 ...... 66 Table C-5. Approved Cluster 1 District Subgrantee Modification Summary ...... 67 Table C-6. C2 subgrantee, districts, school numbers, and grant value ...... 68 Table C-7. Financial Report (Q2 2018) ...... 70
USAID|Uganda Literacy, Achievement and Retention Activity, Year 3, Quarter 2 Report, Jan–Mar 2018 v ACTIVITY SUMMARY
Activity Name: USAID/Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Project: Demographic Project Appraisal Document Activity Start Date and End April 6, 2015 to April 5, 2020 Date: Name of Prime Implementing RTI International Partner: Agreement Number: AID-617-A-15-00009 • Bantwana/World Education, Inc., $140,195 Name of Subcontractors and • MAAD Adverting Limited, $174,107 Dollar Amounts: • Development Links Consult, $77,176
Cluster 1 Subgrantees: • Family Strength for a Better Child (FASBEC), $346,283 • Environmental Conservation and Agricultural Enhancement Uganda (ECO-AGRIC), $115,344 • Community Awareness and Response on AIDS (CARA), $115,540 • Masaka Green Light Impact Program (MAGLIP), $135,425 • Centre for Governance and Economic Development (CEGED), $151,622 • Joy Initiative Uganda, $115,556 • Proactive Approaches for Children Community Transformation (PACT), $165,266 • Child Rights Empowerment and Development (CEDO), $115,428 • Network for Community Development (NCD), $216,715 Subgrantees and Dollar • Literacy Action Development Agency (LADA), $231,084 Amounts: Cluster 2 Subgrantees: • Community Integrated Development Initiatives, $339,118 • Network for Community Development (NCD), $110,357 • Family Strength for a Better Child (FASBEC), $105,628 • Masaka Green Light Impact Program (MAGLIP), $118,538 • Literacy Action Development Agency (LADA), $198,772 • Community Awareness and Response on AIDS (CARA), $99,656 • Child Rights Empowerment and Development (CEDO), $118,935 • Appropriate Revival Initiative for Strategic Empowerment (ARISE), $126,324 • Community Driven Network-Uganda (CODNET), $138,066 • Multi Community Based Development Initiative, $162,377 • SHED, $98,820
vi USAID|Uganda Literacy, Achievement and Retention Activity, Year 3, Quarter 2 Report Jan–Mar 2018 • Ministry of Education and Sports: Basic Education Department, Directorate of Education Standards, Uganda National Examinations Board, National Curriculum Development Centre, Teacher Instructor Major Counterpart Education and Training, Primary teacher training colleges and Organizations: coordinating centers, District Education Offices and schools • Global Partnership for Education (GPE) Uganda Teacher and School Effectiveness Project and School Health and Reading Program (SHRP) Mbarara Lwengo* Buvuma Sheema Kiboga Kayunga Mitooma Nakaseke Mpigi Rakai* Hoima Butambala Kyotera* Mukono* Isingiro Kayunga Sembabule* Geographic Coverage (36 Rubirizi Ntungamo Masaka Districts): Buhweju Bukomansimbi* Luwero Rukungiri Kalungu Mityana* Kyegegwa Lyantonde* Kalangala Lira Omoro Gulu Agago Oyam Gomba Mubende Reporting Period: January 1–March 31, 2018 * Denotes the 15 Plus Up districts
USAID|Uganda Literacy, Achievement and Retention Activity, Year 3, Quarter 2 Report, Jan–Mar 2018 vii LIST OF ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS
AMELP Activity Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Plan AOR Agreement Officer’s Representative AWP Annual Work Plan BE Basic Education C cluster CAO Chief Administrative Officer CARA Community Awareness and Response on AIDS CBO community-based organization CC coordinating center CCA community change agent CCT coordinating center tutor CDCS Country Development Cooperation Strategy CDO Community Development Officer CEDO Child Rights Empowerment and Development Organization CEGED Centre for Governance and Economic Development CIES Comparative and International Education Society CIM Communications and Information Management CLA collaboration, learning, and adapting CODNET Community Driven Network-Uganda CPD continuous professional development CPTC core primary teacher college CTWG Communication Technical Working Group DEAR Drop Everything and Read (Day) DEO District Education Officer DFID UK Department for International Development DIS district inspectors of schools DLC Development Link Consult DO development objective DPO Deputy Principal Outreach DQA data quality assessment DREAMS Determined, Resilient, Empowered, AIDS-free, Mentored and Safe
viii USAID|Uganda Literacy, Achievement and Retention Activity, Year 3, Quarter 2 Report Jan–Mar 2018 EGR early grade reading EGRA Early Grade Reading Assessment FA Field Assistant FASBEC Family Strength for a Better Child FY fiscal year GP guiding principle GPE Global Partnership for Education GPS global positioning system GUI Graphical User Interface HQ headquarters IP implementing partner IPC interpersonal communication IR intermediate result IRB institutional review board IT information technology JOYI Joy Initiatives (Uganda) LADA Literacy Action Development Agency LARA Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity LQA lot quality assessment M&E monitoring and evaluation MAGLIP Masaka Green Light Impact Program MoES Ministry of Education and Sports MGLSD Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development MSS monitoring support supervision NCD Network for Community Development ORF oral reading fluency P primary PACT Proactive Approaches for Children Community Transformation PC Project Coordinator PIRS Performance Indicator Reference Sheets PMP Performance Monitoring Plan PS Permanent Secretary
USAID|Uganda Literacy, Achievement and Retention Activity, Year 3, Quarter 2 Report, Jan–Mar 2018 ix PTC primary teacher college Q quarter R1/R2 Result 1/2 RDC resident district commissioner RTRR Reporting, Tracking, Referral, and Response (Guidelines) SBCC social behavior change communication SCA school change agent SEL social and emotional learning SHRP School Health and Reading Program SMC school management committee SMS short message service SRGBV school-related gender-based violence SS support supervision T1/2 Treatment 1/2 TBD to be determined TIET Teacher Instructor Education and Training TLM teaching and learning material ToT training of trainers TT Tangerine Tutor TV television UGX Uganda shilling UKU Uganda Kids Unite UNICEF United Nations Children’s Fund USAID United States Agency for International Development USD US dollar USG US Government VACiS violence against children in schools VCCMC village community case management committee VCMC village case management committee WBS work breakdown structure Y year
x USAID|Uganda Literacy, Achievement and Retention Activity, Year 3, Quarter 2 Report Jan–Mar 2018
1. INTRODUCTION TO QUARTERLY REPORT
1.1 Activity Description The United States Agency for International Development (USAID)/Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity (LARA) is a 5-year intervention (April 7, 2015 to April 6, 2020) that is implemented by RTI International. The project objective is to improve the reading skills for 1.3 million primary (P) pupils. The two result areas are as follows: 1. Result 1 (R1) focuses on strengthening the capacity of the Ministry of Education and Sports (MoES) and other educational stakeholders to deliver early grade reading (EGR) in three local languages and English for P1–P4 pupils. The main activities include training teachers and instructional leaders in EGR methodology, providing instructional materials, giving teachers classroom support, and conducting EGR assessments. 2. Result 2 (R2) focuses on improving retention in the primary grades by promoting positive and supportive school climates and preventing and reducing incidents of school-related gender-based violence (SRGBV). To this end, the project works with teaching and non-teaching staff, community members, and pupils to strengthen recognition, response, reporting, and referral processes within schools and to coordinate with community referral mechanisms to reduce violence against boys and girls in and around schools. The results framework is provided in Figure 1 and illustrates the project’s emphasis on systemic capacity building of the education system, school-level support, and community- and household-level support and participation.
Figure 1. Results framework Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Framework
Activity Objective: Improved reading skills for 1.3 million pupils
R1: Increased capacity to deliver EGR R2: Improved retention in primary grades
Intermediate result (IR) 1.1: Improved planning IR 2.1: Improved capacity of the education and management of EGR system to implement SRGBV-related policies IR 1.2: Improved reading instruction in P1 to P4 classrooms IR 2.2: Schools strengthened to provide a positive and supportive school climate IR 1.3: Increased community- and household- for learning level involvement in promoting literacy attainment IR 2.3: Strengthened community commitment and capacity to support SRGBV prevention and response programs
USAID|Uganda Literacy, Achievement and Retention Activity, Year 3, Quarter 2 Report, Jan–Mar 2018 xi Working with and supporting existing MoES systems The project hypothesis is that reducing SRGBV will increase learners’ retention in school because they will be able to focus on their lessons and feel secure in their learning environment, enjoy quality instruction, and, thereby, improve their ability to learn to read. The project works in 36 districts and 3,596 schools1. Current project site locations are geographically presented in Annex C. For evaluation purposes, the schools are organized in treatments (T), as illustrated in Table 1. The project’s cumulative achievement to date are presented in Table 2.
Table 1. Treatment 1, 2, and control schools in cluster (C) 1 and C2 T2 (EGR and Total Number of Number of Cluster T1 (EGR Only) SRGBV Schools in the Control Schools Interventions) Project C1 3242 1,431 1,755 — C2 4663 1,127 1,593 222 Plus Up — 248 248 — TOTAL 790 2,806 3,596 222
Table 2. Project achievements to date Achievement Number to Date Learners reached by reading support 616,834 (305,751 girls, 311,083 boys) Reading materials in the hands of learners 1,749,8004 Teaching and learning materials distributed to 3,196 teaching institutions5 Teachers trained to teach reading 14,474 (10,649 women, 3,825 men) Teachers trained to create a positive, supportive 12,2336 school change agents, head teachers and school climate that is free from violence Uganda Kids Unite (UKU) teacher patrons Head teacher, school management committee chair, and district official trained to support schools 7,9737 instructional practice Community change agents (CCAs) trained 2,658 (1,130 women, 1,528 men)
1 The project began its intervention with 14 C1 districts in December 2015, expanded to 15 C2 districts in December 2016, included C1 control schools in December 2017, and 15 Plus Up districts (including 7 new districts) in March 2018. 2 Q1 had 171 T1 schools, this number has been adjusted to 324 in Q2 after adding 151 control schools. 3 Q1 had 328, this number has been adjusted to 466 in Q2 after adding 139 schools that Raising Voices is working with in Luwero District (these schools were formally T2). 4 Reading materials include1,673,932 pupil books, 46,558 teacher guides, 12,850 pre-reading books, 12,813 story cards, and 3,647 ABC charts. 5 Include Rakai Primary Teacher College (PTC), Ndegeya Core PTC (CPTC), Busubizi CPTC, Kabukunge CPTC, Bishop Stuart CPTC, Bushenyi CPTC, Bulera CPTC, and Butiiti PTC, which received 1,596 P3 and P4 teachers guides and 1,600 pupil books. 6 Includes 6,584 school change agents (SCAs), 1,225 head teachers, and 4,424 teacher patrons. 7 Includes 4,991 head teachers and deputy head teachers, 2,835 school management committee (SMC) members, and 147 district and national level (MoES) education officials trained to support schools in instructional practice.
2 USAID|Uganda Literacy, Achievement and Retention Activity, Year 3, Quarter 2 Report Jan–Mar 2018 Achievement Number to Date Household and community members trained to 174,3128 (103,981 women, 70,331 men) reduce violence Materials supporting violence prevention and 25,9139 response distributed to education officials
1.2 Results to Date This quarterly report covers the period January 1–March 31, 2018. Table 3 summarizes progress in comparison to the project’s Activity Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Plan (AMELP).10
Table 3. AMELP/project indicator progress–USAID standard indicators and project custom indicators, quarter (Q)2 Baseline Data Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 Quarterly Status
Annual Annual Indicator Data Source Cumulative: Year Value Cumulativ Q1 Q2 Planned e: Actual target11 Strategic Objective
IR 1: Increased capacity to deliver EGR
C1: P1 = 77% Ind_1001 P2 = 78% Proportion (%) of P3= 52% C1 C1 observed teachers who demonstrate P4 = establish P3: 41% P3: 41% adequate uptake Teacher baseline 2016 57% — of instructional support actors C2 C2 methods on which C2: P1: 38% P1: 38% they were trained (project custom P1 = 44% P2: 40% P2: 40% indicator) P2 = 46% P3 = establish baseline
8 Includes community members who participated in a variety of reflection, dialogue, and participatory learning activities conducted by the CCAs in Q1 and Q2. 9 This number includes 3,623 Journeys Activity Handbooks for Teachers and School Staff; 2,776 Journeys Activity Handbooks for Community members; 10,017 material kits for facilitating schools and communities Journeys; 5,000 Reporting, Tracking, Referral, and Response (RTRR) Guidelines briefs; and 4,497 UKU Journeys activity handbook for pupils 10 The Performance Monitoring Plan (PMP) and project relevant indicators that are required for quarterly reporting, including IRs and sub-IRs. Indicators for the Country Development Cooperation Strategy (CDCS) Guiding Principles have not been finalized by the Mission, but the project will start reporting on them in Q3 after receiving approved Performance Indicator Reference Sheets (PIRS). Therefore, CDCS indicators are not included in this report. Activity- specific indicators are in Annex E. 11 When applicable
USAID|Uganda Literacy, Achievement and Retention Activity, Year 3, Quarter 2 Report, Jan–Mar 2018 3 Baseline Data Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 Quarterly Status
Annual Annual Indicator Data Source Cumulative: Year Value Cumulativ Q1 Q2 Planned e: Actual target11 Ind_1003 Proportion (%) of teachers receiving at least 1 coaching/support visit from Teacher 2016 0 85% 53% 53% — instructional support actors support agents or "coaches” per term during school year (project custom indicator) Sub-IR: 1.1: Improved planning and management of EGR (the project only has annual indicators on this sub-IR)
Indicators under this IR are annual indicators
Sub-IR: 1.2: Improved reading instruction in P1–P4 classrooms Ind_1101 Number of laws, policies, regulations, or guidelines developed or MoES and modified to 2016 0 1 — 0 1 project records improve primary grade reading programs or increase equitable access (project custom indicator) Ind_1202 Number of primary 413, 412 or secondary 426,290 12,878 textbooks and (411,168 (417,299 (6,131 pupil other teaching and TLM pupil pupil books, books, learning materials distribution 2016 0 427,369 books, 8,991 6,747 (TLMs) provided registers 2,244 teacher teacher with US teacher guides) guides Government guides) (USG) assistance (FAF ES. 1-10)
12 MoES circular No.16/2017 highlights requirement of schools under the Child (Amendment) Act 2016 to protect children from all forms of violence including corporal punishment. The circular instructs District Education Officers (DEOs) and school head teachers to ensure sufficient time is dedicated to undertaking Journeys in all schools. The circular is still being distributed to all project schools and districts.
4 USAID|Uganda Literacy, Achievement and Retention Activity, Year 3, Quarter 2 Report Jan–Mar 2018 Baseline Data Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 Quarterly Status
Annual Annual Indicator Data Source Cumulative: Year Value Cumulativ Q1 Q2 Planned e: Actual target11
Ind_1203
Number of
coordinating center
tutors (CCT) and
other teacher
educators/ Training 14 instructional Men: 0 attendance 2016 0 0 0 support coaches (Men 8, register Women: 0 who have attended Women, 6)
at least 75% of
planned training
for the period
(project custom
indicator)
Sub-IR 1.3: Increased community and household level involvement in promoting literacy attainment
IR: Improved retention in primary grades
Ind_2001 Proportion of schools reporting To be average of 80% School determi Establish attendance or 0 0 0 — registers ned higher across baseline (TBD) reporting period (project custom indicator)
Sub-IR 2.1: Improved capacity of education system to implement SRGBV-related policies Ind_2101
Number of national Training and district officials attendance 2016 0 232 67 67 — trained in records principles of
SRGBV prevention
13 The project did not set a annual performance target initially for indicator _1203 and therefore cannot specify a % annual performance achievement to date.
USAID|Uganda Literacy, Achievement and Retention Activity, Year 3, Quarter 2 Report, Jan–Mar 2018 5 Baseline Data Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 Quarterly Status
Annual Annual Indicator Data Source Cumulative: Year Value Cumulativ Q1 Q2 Planned e: Actual target11
Ind_2102 Proportion of schools observed Training to have written 25% T2 schools attendance 2017 0 36% 36% — feedback on records (674/2,697) SRGBV response and prevention from MSS actors
642 642 Bullying: 1,178 (Bullying:387 (Bullying:38 Ind_2103 Number Corporal Corporal 7 of SRGBV cases Case register Punishment: 2017 0 Punishment: — Corporal reported to the books 1,767 124 Punishment: authorities Sexual Violence: Sexual 124 589 Violence: Sexual 131) Violence: 15 131)
14 Because in Year 2, the project fell short in achieving its annual target on this indicator, a conservative target was set for Year 3. However, during LARA’s engagement with district officials, increased emphasis was put on strengthened support for R2 activities in the schools, which led to the over-achievement on this indicator.
15 The number of SRGBV cases reported was collected in Q1, validated through a data quality assessment exercise in Q2 and entered into the USAID Performance System (PRS). The number of SRGBV cases reported in the narrative section of Q2 will be validated and entered into the PRS in Q3. The project will work with the USAID AOR to clarify the best approach to recording validated data.
6 USAID|Uganda Literacy, Achievement and Retention Activity, Year 3, Quarter 2 Report Jan–Mar 2018 Baseline Data Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 Quarterly Status
Annual Annual Indicator Data Source Cumulative: Year Value Cumulativ Q1 Q2 Planned e: Actual target11 Bullying: girls 96% boys 95% Corporal Bullying: Punishmen boys - TBD t: girls -TBD girls 87% boys 89%. Ind_2104 Sexual Corporal Extent of pupil Pupils in Violence Punishment: reported incidents sampled 2016 — — — P3 girls boys - TBD of SRGBV in last schools 45% term girls – TBD P3 boys 38% Sexual Sexual Violence Violence boys - TBD P5 girls girls - TBD 53% P5 boys 48%
Sub-IR 2.2: Schools strengthened to provide a positive and supportive school climate for learning
Ind_2201 UKU Number of pupils attendance 2018 TBD 204,400 — — — participating in records UKU
4,424 Ind_2202 Training Number of attendance 2016 0 10,000 44% 0 teachers trained in (Women, record SRGBV 2,876
Men, 1,548)
16 The Annual Work Plan (AWP) for Year 3 outlines the project’s approach to rollout the UKU program in two cohorts, each with 500 C2 schools. The 10,000 teachers target was based on the assumption that each of the 500 schools in cohort 1 and the 500 schools in cohort 2 would send an average of 10 teachers per school. In January 2018, the project planned to train 5,000 teachers from cohort 1. We selected 500 schools from five C2 districts (Bukomansimbi, Isingiro, Ntungamo, Rukungiri, and Sembabule. However, the number of teachers was less than anticipated; therefore, the number of teachers trained at the end of Q2 is under the target. The project will include all remaining C2 schools in May 2018 training. Because there are an estimated 627 schools remaining, we anticipate reaching our total targeted number of teachers trained in SRGBV in Year 3. C2 was selected to ensure that the results of intervention could begin to be measured by program impact and evaluation group in the scheduled 2019 midterm evaluation.
USAID|Uganda Literacy, Achievement and Retention Activity, Year 3, Quarter 2 Report, Jan–Mar 2018 7 Baseline Data Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 Quarterly Status
Annual Annual Indicator Data Source Cumulative: Year Value Cumulativ Q1 Q2 Planned e: Actual target11
Reports/ Ind_2203 record of Number of schools actions implementing implemented 2017 0 2,417 0 0 — actions to reduce at the school SRGBV to reduce SRGBV
Sub-IR 2.3 Strengthened community commitment and capacity to support SRGBV prevention and response program
Ind_2301
Number of
community Training
members trained attendance 2017 0 10,000 0 0 —
in the nature, basis record
for, and prevention
of SRGBV
Ind_2303 Number of school communities CCA reports 2017 0 2,356 294 — 294 implementing actions to prevent SRGBV
8 USAID|Uganda Literacy, Achievement and Retention Activity, Year 3, Quarter 2 Report Jan–Mar 2018 Baseline Data Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 Quarterly Status
Annual Annual Indicator Data Source Cumulative: Year Value Cumulativ Q1 Q2 Planned e: Actual target11
Ind_2304 79,04117
Number of Participant community attendance members register during 2018 0 58,900 79,041 — (Men, 30,609 participating in Journeys Journeys activities activities Women, related to SRGBV 48,432)
Ind_2305
Number of Community communities that case have established a 2018 0 2,209 462 — 462 management community-based checklist. case management
plan
Guiding Principles (pending USAID finalization in Q3)
— — — — — — — —
ACTIVITY IMPLEMENTATION PROGRESS
2.1 Implementation Status
Table 4 provides a brief description of activities implemented in Q2 per IR area, including what was planned versus what was achieved. The order of the tasks in Table 4 corresponds to the GANTT chart in the Annual Work Plan.
17 The number of community members participating in Journeys activities reported was collected in Q1, validated through a data quality assessment exercise in Q2 and entered into the USAID Performance System (PRS). The number of community member participating in Journeys activities reported in the narrative section of Q2 will be validated and entered into the PRS in Q3. The project will work with the USAID AOR to clarify the best approach to recording validated data.
USAID|Uganda Literacy, Achievement and Retention Activity, Year 3, Quarter 2 Report, Jan–Mar 2018 9 Table 4. Q2 summary of implementation status Summary of Planned Activities shifted to next Actual Achieved in Quarter Activities quarter (variance notes) IR 1.1: Improved planning and management of EGR Quarterly meeting held March 27, EGR Advisory Committee meeting — 2018 Quarterly meeting held January 29– Foundational bodies meeting — 30, 2018 Quarterly activity held March 14–16, On-the-spot field monitoring — 2018 Joint stakeholder engagement — meeting Basic Education (BE) Budget Quarterly meeting held February 13, — Meeting 2018 Biannual newsletter produced on February 12, 2018. Additional Newsletter copies of previous versions — reprinted for dissemination at key project events. Quarterly meeting held January 26, — Communication Technical Working 2018. CTWG presented Uganda Group (CTWG) meeting Learning Campaign to BE working group. CIM unit has not completed its Partially completed March 15, 2018. Procurement for Communication hiring of key personnel; therefore, Procurements linked to document and Information Management (CIM) the project will review the capacity the Uganda Learning Campaign unit, MoES building plan once new staff are made, distribution scheduled for Q3. onboarded. IR 1.2: Improved reading instruction in P1 to P4 classrooms Completed through FA support supervision visits and analysis of data (MSS tools adapted for Term 1 Teacher training needs assessment to observe evidence of January — training) and teachers needs that informed the development of content for the May training. Prepared training materials and — guides for January 2018 training. Preparation of training materials Finalized materials with lead and facilitators guides facilitators in the first week of Q2. Materials for May 2018 training drafted by end of Q2. Completed in the first week of Q2. 40 lead facilitators trained Preparation for Q3 lead facilitator — training completed by end of Q2. Completed the second week of Q2. For May training, ToTs will be trained in the second week of April and ongoing mentoring of FAs who will participate as trainers during the 280 training of trainers (ToT) trained — teacher training occurred during Q2. 26 FAs have been identified as potential trainers. FAs will supplement CCTs to improve supervision fidelity.
10 USAID|Uganda Literacy, Achievement and Retention Activity, Year 3, Quarter 2 Report Jan–Mar 2018 Summary of Planned Activities shifted to next Actual Achieved in Quarter Activities quarter (variance notes) 16.7% (614) P3 and P4 teachers missed the January 2018 training. FAs conducted CPDs for teachers that missed training and provided 3,058 teachers (1,457 C1 P4 teacher’s guides. Those teachers 4,798 C1 (P4) and C2 (P3) teachers teachers and 1,601 C2 P3 teachers) that missed were unable to begin trained18 trained in January 2018. using the methodology at the beginning of the term. We are also working towards improving the lead time for sending the teacher invitation letters to before the end of Term 1 for the May training The variation between the target and actual number of head teachers and teachers trained was as a result 300 head teachers and teachers 267 head teachers and school of some participants not turning up trained in educational leadership C1 managers trained in January 2018. for training because of various controls reasons (e.g., attending further studies during holidays when LARA conducts its trainings). Some of the expected teachers did not attend and the project contacted 298 C1 control (P1 and P2) each school to review teachers’ 300 C1 Control (P1 and P2) teachers from control schools names and contact. Teachers who teachers trained trained in January 2018. missed the first training were included in CPDs and are added to the May training. Project is redesigning residential Postponed from Q1 to Q3. P1 and refreshers away from residential to P2 training guides piloted with C1 the cluster level CPD for those control schools in January 2018. teacher from C1 and C2 trained in January 2016 and 2017 in Q3. 10,040 P1 and P2 refresher Some FA/PC carried out CPDs for trainings P1 and P2 teachers, including control. The project is working with PC to ensure schedules and attendance sheets are collected by M&E team. Target reduced Validation issues continued — Finalize Teacher Training Lists for throughout the quarter. List May 218 training finalization carried over to Q3. Term 1 P3 and P4 lesson — observation tools, learner checks, Review of P3 and P4 school and PC-FA mentorships tools were support supervision tools revised with new items to measure effectiveness of January training.
18 Target was set using ratio 1.5 P3 teachers per school and 1.5 P4 teachers per school for budgeting purposes. However, when the project developed prepopulated lists from data gathered in the schools in Term 2 (2017), the actual number of teachers was lower (3672) than the estimated (4,798). The 16% is therefore calculated against the actual number of teachers in the prepopulated list.
USAID|Uganda Literacy, Achievement and Retention Activity, Year 3, Quarter 2 Report, Jan–Mar 2018 11 Summary of Planned Activities shifted to next Actual Achieved in Quarter Activities quarter (variance notes)
1,958 teachers attended CPD sessions. These were organized by CCTs, FAs, PCs and district Change of approach—FAs and education office in 15 C1 and C2 Project Coordinators (PCs) develop schedules of proposed CPDs and districts during this Term 1, Q2. submit them to LARA office. CCTs 48% (1,477/3,058 (P3 = 1,601 + P4 with FA, PC, and master teachers = 1,457)) of the teachers trained in conduct CPDs at cluster level with Continuous Professional January 2018 received refresher agreement of schools to support Development (CPD) Sessions for CPD by end of March 2018. transport costs. Project will work teachers. 270 new teachers were trained by with Teacher Instructor Education the Ssembabule CCT with technical and Training (TIET), School Health assistance from the project provided and Reading Program (SHRP), and technical assistance. This was a Red Earth to develop a follow-up from the commitment standardized package of scripted Sembabule District to train those content for CPDs. teachers that had been replaced during their validation exercise in 2017. TIET, SHRP and LARA to organize follow up meeting in Q3 to review remapping data with PTC Principals. MoES-TIET, LARA, and SHRP convened a 1-day meeting on Term planning between FA, CCT, February 21 to discuss CCT re- Principals and DEO will be held Term planning with CCTs and mapping exercise. Principals then before Term 2 begins between June DEOs led a remapping exercise in their 4 and 8, 2018 (Q3). In Term 1 the catchment areas based on mutually district progress review/leadership agreed guidelines. meetings highlighted the need for a district school monitoring schedule as part of the Peer Group Meetings that CCTs hold at the beginning of the term. 5 out of 29 districts completed Term At the end of Q2, four weeks remain 1 MSS exercise: Sheema, Mitooma, until the end of Term 1. The activity Rubirizi, Buhweju, and can carry over to Term 2 as the Bukomansimbi. exercise to build a practice of Google grant enabled the project to district MSS. Therefore, the project Term 1 district-led MSS support 10 CCTs and Deputy is currently assisting districts to Principal Outreach (DPO) (Mbarara coordinate district-led support District’s Bishop Stuart CPTC) to supervision in the other 24 districts. use tablets in their support The project has developed a simple, supervision activities. modified lot quality assessment tool for Term 2. 116 FA support teachers through pre- and post-conferences, classroom observations, and FA MSS in T1 schools — learner checks. Final compiling of Term 1 data will be carried over to Q3. 28 out of the 29 districts held a Kalungu District did not hold a progress review meeting. Issues progress review meeting due to 29 district progress review discussed included the 2017 MSS competing work demands by the meetings/district leadership data, districts identified strategies district officials. LARA will continue workshops and action plans, and how to engaging with the district to ensure address those issues specific in the the review meeting is held in Q3. district.
12 USAID|Uganda Literacy, Achievement and Retention Activity, Year 3, Quarter 2 Report Jan–Mar 2018 Summary of Planned Activities shifted to next Actual Achieved in Quarter Activities quarter (variance notes) PCs and technical specialists observed and mentored FAs to FA performance review improve FA mentoring skills and — strengthen their understanding of EGR and SRGBV approaches. Revision of the tools was done in February after the January teacher training. Although FAs were instructed to proceed with teacher support, they waited to receive the tablets and revised tools, which delayed MSS activities in most districts in Term 1. Because revision of the tools is a joint activity Term 1 P3 and P4 lesson involving different teams (teacher Review of P3 and P4 school observation tools, learner checks, training, support supervision, and support supervision tools and PC-FA mentorships tools were M&E), in December 2018 these revised teams will review adjustments to the teacher training content and modify the tools accordingly, as opposed to waiting to review the tools in February after teacher training. This will allow revising and uploading the tools on to the tablets and allow for timely commencement of MSS activities.
Rescheduled to Q3; linked to 2.2. This activity is dependent upon Zonal head teacher support Not completed completion of the zonal teacher supervision (SS) events (Oct–Dec) training, which is scheduled for May.
IR 1.3: Increased community- and household-level involvement in promoting literacy attainment We completed the editing and illustration of 48 cards. The cards Edit and illustrate 48 story cards were printed and distributed to C1 — subgrantees, who will distribute them to schools. Preparation for supplemental Ongoing. Training on lending Secured a Uganda shillings (UGX) materials (cost-share Books for practice completed in Nakaseke 20 million grant from Stanbic to Africa) and Mukono district. Distribution of support printing of additional story books in Mukono done in 170 cards for schools. schools by end of March. Transfer preparation for rollout of Conducted subgrantee training social behavior change January 29–30 in preparation for communication (SBCC): Uganda SBCC rollout. The campaign was Learning Campaign launched February 23 by the State Minister for Higher Education — representing the First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports. Rollout started February 23 and continues through April 30. IR 2.1 Improved capacity of the education system to implement SRGBV-related policies
USAID|Uganda Literacy, Achievement and Retention Activity, Year 3, Quarter 2 Report, Jan–Mar 2018 13 Summary of Planned Activities shifted to next Actual Achieved in Quarter Activities quarter (variance notes) Participated in the national dialogue on the safe and positive learning environment March 27–28. Presented on Journeys and Support the Violence Against supporting pupils’ agency to voice Children in Schools (VACiS) Inter- — their needs. Permanent Secretary ministerial Working Group on behalf of the Minister, MoES, presented project with certificate of recognition for its work in developing Journeys. Rescheduled by MoES Gender Unit Support VACiS district working Not completed for Q3 (June) due to their work load group in 29 districts and competing priorities. Design scripted facilitation for Script finalized February 20; used in — workshop the micro-experiment Completed February 22–27. This activity will be rolled out to Two 2-day workshops with local other districts to help them develop — government about micro-experiment actions to address teacher absenteeism. IR 2.2: Schools strengthened to provide a positive and supportive school climate for learning The source guide was completed in March with guidelines for P1–P2 teachers to incorporate pupil activities in their music, drama, and dance classes. It recommends Design and print Journeys source activities that are suitable for the guide for the P1 and P2 music, age group where each — drama, and dance class in school recommended activity focuses on timetable given social and emotional learning (SEL) skills for development. For some activities, teachers are advised to maintain the procedure as laid out in the Pupils handbook. Train 5,000 Cohort 1 teacher Trained 4,424 (2,876 women, 1,548 The number of Cohort 1 teacher patrons men) teacher patron UKU teams; patrons were less than anticipated. launched in five districts on We estimated 10 teachers per February 1. school would attend; however, many of the target schools did not have 10 teachers; therefore, the project trained all teachers in the schools to conduct UKU groups. Select 500 schools for Cohort 2 To achieve the target of 10,000 UKU training teacher patrons trained in Year 3, we decided to train all teacher — patrons in the remaining 618 T2 schools in May 2018. Orient and support Cohort 2 head Completed orientation of 32 CCTs Head teacher orientation was teachers to establish UKU clubs in March. List of head teachers was pushed to April 4, 2018, because validated. 618 head teachers from head teachers and CCTs had other 10 districts were invited and activities in their schools that attended training. competed with this training in March.
14 USAID|Uganda Literacy, Achievement and Retention Activity, Year 3, Quarter 2 Report Jan–Mar 2018 Summary of Planned Activities shifted to next Actual Achieved in Quarter Activities quarter (variance notes) Mapping of the remaining 17 districts will continue into Q3 as Map coordinating centers (CCs), Completed in 12 out of the 29 CCTs and PCs clarify remaining subzones, and schools districts subzones where trainings can occur without major inconvenience to SCAs and teacher patrons. Completed on January 31. A training script was developed to guide the process. This involved the Develop training materials for C2 training team and support — district meetings supervision team. It was used during the district meetings held February 12–28. Leadership training for lead district Completed on February 9. LARA — trainers specialists trained three lead trainers. District leadership meetings for Completed February 28. Due to subzones availability of district leadership, this activity was combined with the Term — 1 district performance review meeting. Completed February 28. Materials Create minimal package of were distributed and used during — consumables for subzone centers the district leadership training (see above). Postponed to Q3 (May 18) to ensure that SCAs are not taken out Complete peer learning events at of class and professional — subzones development activities occur during holiday or weekends. The training schedule was shared with the TIET. Quarterly activity completed by the Senior PC in February and March. In Q2. the Senior PC focused on supporting UKU implementation for Monthly field visits by Senior PC — Cohort 1 teacher patrons. Therefore, it was unrealistic to complete the proposed three field visits, so two field visits were done. Postponed until Q3 due to competing demands of the R2 team Identify, consult on, and document to initiate UKU training at CC level. Not completed case studies of school actions Further, Plus Up revisions took priority in Q2. Activities deemed non-critical in Q2. Postponed until Q3. This activity depended on identifying schools that had undertaken actions and to Action research on Journeys investigate any reasons why Not completed implementation schools were successful. As a sequential activity, this has been postponed to Q4 after the Cohort 2 UKU training. Recognize high performing schools Not completed Sequential activity postponed to Q4. in local papers
USAID|Uganda Literacy, Achievement and Retention Activity, Year 3, Quarter 2 Report, Jan–Mar 2018 15 Summary of Planned Activities shifted to next Actual Achieved in Quarter Activities quarter (variance notes) Postponed from Q1 to Q3. LARA wants a more robust verification of high performing schools and SCAs, as well as verification of VACiS elimination initiatives. This is an ongoing process and recognition will be done in Q3. We plan to use Recognize high performing SCAs Not completed the cluster learning events to with certificates determine best performing SCAs. Term 1 data will be used to determine or benchmark SCAs with the highest number of implemented activities. We will also look at the quality of work associated with these numbers. IR 2.3: Strengthened community commitment and capacity to support SRGBV prevention and response programs Translated into Runyoro-Rutooro, Printing will be completed in Q3. Runyankore-Rukiga, and Luganda. This will support the training of the Print translated version of Journeys Submitted to MoES for approval. C2 CCAs by the new C2 Prepared printing procurement RTI subgrantees. approval. C2 compliance training Completed March 21–23 — The C2 grant was awarded late. However, the delay will not have C2 Journeys Training Not complete any impact since the subgrantees have a 9-month implementation period. Activity postponed to Q3. Quarterly meeting held with C1 subgrantees on March 27. ECO- Quarter review meeting with C1 and AGRIC subgrantee on suspension — C2 subgrantees and did not participate in quarterly meeting. C2 subgrantees did not participate as awards not finalized. Completed. All 10 subgrantees received technical support in case Field monitoring of C1 subgrantees management and Journeys — (10 sub grantees monitored C1) completion. 7 out of 10 subgrantees received M&E data quality assessments (DQAs). Send short message service (SMS) Postponed from Q1 to Q2. SMS communications to community Not completed message developed; in the process members of sending out. Postponed from Q1 to Q2. The draft Review and finalize baseline report report was submitted on March 12. Not completed on SBCC 2 (November) The final report will be ready by mid-May 2018. Postponed to Q3 and Q4. We planned SBCC 2 pilot implementation for Term 1 over 9- week minimum period. We received approval of the campaign materials Implement SBCC2 pilot Not completed on March 26, four weeks before the end of the term making it technically impossible to implement the pilot. The pilot is postponed to Term 2 (June–August 2018). SBCC 2 endline data collection Postponed to Q4 pending Not completed (December) completion of the campaign.
16 USAID|Uganda Literacy, Achievement and Retention Activity, Year 3, Quarter 2 Report Jan–Mar 2018 Summary of Planned Activities shifted to next Actual Achieved in Quarter Activities quarter (variance notes) Facilitate subcontractor to revise Revision is underway. It will be and print Community Case Not completed completed by April 30, 2018. Management Guide (November)
2.3.4 Implement PEPFAR Plus Up
Child Protection in Communities Approval of Plus Up was received enhanced through training of Not completed on March 2018; therefore, training change agents in 15 DREAMS was postponed to May 2– 7. districts Sequential activity. Postponed to Strengthen case management Not completed May/June.
2.2 Progress Narrative
The progress narrative describes the extent to which the project is on track in relation to the work plan for Q2. For more detailed information on project implementation, see Annex E. R1: Increased capacity to deliver EGR • LARA conducted a micro-experiment with district leaders in Sheema and Kanungu that examined teacher absenteeism using a facilitated process. Teacher absenteeism is a main contributing factor to poor learning outcomes and low retention in Uganda. • LARA trained 3,058 teachers (1,601 P3, 1,457 P4), 267 school managers, and 298 P1 and P2 teachers from control schools in the EGR methodology in January 2018. • In 15 districts, 1,958 P1–P4 teachers and 100 head teachers participated in CPD focused on common instructional challenges. • LARA began piloting electronic MSS data collection with CCTs in Mbarara District through a grant from Google. • The Minister of State, on behalf of the First Lady and Minister of Education, launched the Uganda Learning Campaign on February 23 developed by the project to increase parental- and household-level involvement in children’s reading practice. Campaign activities in Q2 included a launch, radio messages, community meetings, Drop Everything and Read (DEAR) Day, and distribution of 518,400 story cards. Stanbic Bank Uganda donated UGX 20,000,000 to support story cards and the Campaign that will be added to the project’s cost share. R2: Improved retention in primary grades • The Permanent Secretary (PS), on behalf of the First Lady and Minister of Education, presented LARA with a certificate of recognition at the National Dialogue on Violence Against Children. • Journeys for Pupils rollout began with training teacher patrons to support UKU teams. 4,424 (2,876 women, 1,548 men) teacher patrons were trained and deployed to support UKU teams in 500 schools. This was the first cluster level
USAID|Uganda Literacy, Achievement and Retention Activity, Year 3, Quarter 2 Report, Jan–Mar 2018 17 training event - learnings are document under the CLA section. • 38,423 (16,011 men and 22,412 women) participated in the Journeys for Communities dialogue sessions in Q2.19 • 294 community actions to prevent SRGBV and improve children’s welfare took place in C1, including parents making cash or in-kind contributions for school meals, constructing temporary classrooms, closing down gambling houses, and convening parent-teacher meetings. • Reporting, tracking, referral and response process activated during the quarter included the following milestones: C1 subgrantees established 541 village case management committees (VCMCs) and 74 case conference meetings were held with C1 district authorities to discuss 1,055 child violation cases (737 of which were of SRGBV-related).20 • LARA received approval from USAID and RTI to formalize partnerships with 11 out of 12 C2 subgrantees. LARA held an orientation workshop for the C2 subgrantees from March 21–23. • On February 28, USAID signed a modification initiating Plus Up activities. Plus Up supports existing USG implementing partners work on the Determined, Resilient, Empowered, AIDS-free, Mentored and Safe (DREAMS) activity in 15 Districts to use Journeys to build the capacity of school authorities and community members to recognize, prevent, and respond to SRGBV incidents.
2.3 Key Challenges During the Quarter
• Newly trained P3 and P4 teachers exhibited lower than expected uptake of the methodology, as evidenced by their inability to model lesson activities and explain grammar structures to learners. The MSS team observed inconsistent lesson preparation and lack of adherence to the teaching procedure, compounded by teachers buying schemes of work and lesson plans. LARA has responded by carrying out CPDs with the CCTs. • Due to delays in securing approval for the C2 subgrantees, LARA is behind schedule in in implementing the Uganda Learning Campaign in C2 districts. With subgrantees now approved, LARA will conduct campaign activities for C2 in Q3. • Journeys dialogues facilitated by the CCAs may not continue in most districts because the CCAs will no longer receive an activity completion payment. Some CCAs have said that they will continue to conduct Journeys dialogues on a voluntary basis. Similarly, some community members were reluctant to attend the Journeys dialogue meetings since they were not paid a transport allowance or provided refreshments. During the final five months (April – August 2018) of the subgrant implementation, the C1 subgrantee will continue to monitor implementation of Journey’s activities and the continuation of collective action. Through the process village case management committees have been established in some communities and are linked with the subcounty and district
19 The number of community members participating in Journeys activities in Q2 will be validated and recorded in the PRS (Table 3 above) in Q3. The project will work with the USAID AOR to clarify the best approach to recording validated data. 20 The number of SRGBV cases reported in Q2 will be validated and recorded in PRS (Table 3 above) in Q3. The project will work with the USAID AOR to clarify the best approach to recording validated data.
18 USAID|Uganda Literacy, Achievement and Retention Activity, Year 3, Quarter 2 Report Jan–Mar 2018 community development officers. DREAMS subcounties in C1 will be supported to extend case conferencing meetings. 3. ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT APPROACH AND GUIDING PRINCIPLES
This section provides progress updates on the Guiding Principles.[1]
Table 5. Implementation and achievements of applying the guiding principles How were the guiding principles What was achieved by implementing the implemented? guiding principles? The teacher training approach was modified to include more activity-based learning. As a result GP 1: “Apply a holistic approach to collaborating, of the district leadership meetings, districts learning, and adapting (CLA).” The project had a developed and implemented work plans with key number of collaboration events with actions to support R1 and R2 activities in Term stakeholders, including district leadership 1. LARA is also piloting, through a google grant, meetings in 28 districts, joint school visits to electronic data collection to increase the quality support teachers and change agents, and an and quantity of CCT support to teachers using after-action review with MoES officials to explore tablets with customized observation instruments ways of improving effectiveness of teacher and work plan management tools. In addition, training. The project also continued to make LARA started working with the MoES to decisions and adjustments in response to new implement the Uganda Learning Campaign this information. quarter. This campaign is informed by the results of the SBCC campaign that the project implemented in Q1. GP 3: “Harness youth-appropriate approaches so that they are included in all we do.” As described Through training and supporting the FAs to below in 3.3 Inclusive Development, many of the conduct support supervision visits, the project is 116 FAs are youth. The project provides FAs carrying out classroom-level monitoring and with training and support so that they can use coaching while building job skills for educators in this opportunity to develop into the next the early stages of their career. generation of education professionals. GP 6: “Prioritize partnerships that enable Ugandan-led development, while leveraging USAID’s limited resources.” Through supporting the MoES to implement its national early grade Please see the discussion of the MoES reading program, using a “guide from the side partnership above in the first row of Table 4. approach,” LARA orchestrates its interventions Subgrantees have demonstrated their activity so that the MoES leads. LARA leverages implementation skills with many effectively USAID’s resources by building MoES capacity conducting SBCC1 activities and Journeys through the joint planning and implementation of community activities. USAID-funded activities. LARA also has Ugandan subgrantees leading community level R1 and R2 interventions in the districts. Through implementing Journeys, head teachers, GP 15: “Foster leadership as a lever for change– teachers, and other school community members within the Agency, with partners, and are building their capacity to identify problems stakeholders.” By training head teachers, and to mobilize their peers to work together to teachers, and community members, and pupils respond to the problems that they face. For on the U-model of leadership through the example, the Journeys U-model approach was Journeys curriculum, LARA is building leadership used in the micro-experiment when district and critical thinking skills, as well as an leaders reflected on the causes of absenteeism increased sense of agency at the individual, and then planned actions to address the school, and community levels. issue. This worked especially well in Sheema where participants formed a Teacher Anti-
USAID|Uganda Literacy, Achievement and Retention Activity, Year 3, Quarter 2 Report, Jan–Mar 2018 19 How were the guiding principles What was achieved by implementing the implemented? guiding principles? Absenteeism Task Force. The project will monitor the implementation of the actions and document the learning around the application of the U-model. GP 15: The project also fosters leadership within national and district Ministry partners. The project's consistent and continued dialogue with the MoES on issues to enhance administrative systems has been implemented through the application of the CDCS principles. Through the EGR Advisory Committee, the EGR Budgeting Working Group, and the district progress review meetings, the project has ensured broad and inclusive, Uganda-led engagement by ensuring The project is succeeding in getting the MoES that personnel from the MoES, ensuring that interested in planning and budgeting activities to MoES chairs set the meeting agenda and timing, sustain EGR activities at the national- and local- invite relevant participants, lead meetings, and government level. follow up on agreed action items. The MoES has made some progress regarding its weakest point The MoES included EGR into its strategic plan in the ongoing process of building consensus, for 2017–2020 and will include it in the strategic which remains the limited sector-wide recognition plan for 2021–2025, which is under and sense of urgency about the importance of development. EGR as a foundation skill required for all other learning. Importantly, the Education Sector Strategic Plan (ESSP 2016–2020) highlights the focus of primary level as the provision of quality literacy, numeracy, and basic life skills instruction. The MoES needs to ensure logistical and technical oversight of the EGR program. The ESSP is, however, a good move towards establishing a coherent priority.
3.1 Collaboration and Stakeholder Engagement
In this quarter, the project conducted a series of activities that ensured MoES stakeholders’ participation and engagement at the national and district levels, as well as collaboration with sister project SHRP and other partners working to improve EGR. At the MoES, LARA organized an after-action review meeting that brought together MoES officials, lead facilitators, and SHRP and Global Partnership for Education (GPE) staff to reflect on the January 2018 teacher training. Participants deliberated on strategies to make teacher training more effective. The three adaptions identified to be tested in May 2018 included the following: • Significantly increase time allocated to practicing sound activities through games and interactive activities that can be modelled in the training and incorporated into the steps outlined in the teacher guide; • Conduct CPDs as soon as the term starts and review techniques tried, successes and challenges teachers face during classroom application; and • Increase involvement of CCT and other district stakeholders in the proposed training approaches and improve understanding of experiential training.
20 USAID|Uganda Literacy, Achievement and Retention Activity, Year 3, Quarter 2 Report Jan–Mar 2018 From February to March 2018, LARA worked with 28 districts to organize district leadership workshops. Participants included DEOs, Municipal Education Officers, district inspectors of schools (DIS), municipal inspectors of schools, resident district commissioners (RDCs), district chairpersons, subgrantees (in C1 districts), zonal head teachers, and foundational body representatives. Workshop objectives were (1) reflecting on the 2017 monitoring results; (2) discussing EGR and Journeys support supervision activities progress; (3) developing a district-led strategy to increase head teachers’ school support; (4) generating joint actions to effectively support trained teachers, teacher patrons, and school and community change agents; and (5) building the capacity of district leadership to strengthen Journeys in schools and communities. Another collaborative activity undertaken by the project in Q2 was a micro-experiment in Sheema and Kanungu districts. The micro-experiment aimed to better understand teacher absenteeism among district leadership and find solutions that aligned with the root causes and common barriers to managing teacher absenteeism. The micro- experiment was designed as collaboration, learning, and adapting (CLA) event to enhance LARA’s implementation and improve development results, especially related to learning achievements. Details of the lessons learned are provided in Annex E. We will continue to adjust the facilitated approach to produce the leadership changes required to address some of the systemic failures in primary education. LARA has worked closely with SHRP to ensure coherence in the EGR activities. The two projects had a joint training of instructional support coaches and district officials in the pilot districts in February 2018. We also collaborated with SHRP on the M&E team retreat in February where M&E staff shared experiences and lessons learned and agreed to work more closely; this includes to implement the learning agendas for the two projects, a joint orientation of LARA and SHRP M&E staff on interpretation of Early Grade Reading Assessment (EGRA) analyses outputs, and STATA training. The project and SHRP also held a meeting to plan the stakeholder engagement at the district, regional, and national levels to sustain EGR interventions and the EGR symposium that will take place later this year. The project continued working closely with other EGR partners, including holding meetings with STIR Education, Red Earth Education, SHRP, and Aga Khan to collaboratively develop reading content that could be used by all programs. Our partners’ training teams will pilot the agreed approach in districts that are shared with STIR Education. The team will participate in the training of STIR lead teachers, continue to learn how it can implement the lead teacher strategy, and improve its leadership training to make it more impactful and sustainable. The project will also explore how to better work with MoES to identify and develop process to recognize master or lead teachers. A key adaptation from the collaboration was to refocus the January P3 and P4 training with greater emphasis on letter sound instruction, which includes practical exercises built into the steps outlined in the teacher guide. We have also identified master teachers who can support a cluster of schools in Buvuma District as part of the project’s continued learning about STIR Education’s leadership networks. To establish healthy collaboration and strong engagement with our new 11 C2 subgrantees, we held a new grantee workshop from March 21–23, which included
USAID|Uganda Literacy, Achievement and Retention Activity, Year 3, Quarter 2 Report, Jan–Mar 2018 21 topics, such as compliance, ethics, code of conduct, communication and branding, M&E reporting tools, performance indicators, cost principles, SBCC 1, and technical programming. The project provided C2 partners with the essential templates and guidance on preparing the budgets and has ensured that the C2 subgrantees are purchasing their computers, phones, and other communications equipment right away to facilitate frequent communication. Subgrantee participants included executive directors, heads of programs, M&E staff, and accountants. Importantly, the Communications and Knowledge Management Specialist oriented the C2 subgrantees to the SBCC implementation strategy, calendar, and implementation calendar to help them immediately begin implementing the Uganda Learning Campaign. Quarterly review meetings with C1 and C2 subgrantees will continue as part of overall grants management. 3.2 Learning and Adaptation Development of a minimum package for the Uganda Learning Campaign. The project incorporated lessons learned from the reading SBCC pilot implementation in Year (Y)2 Q4 into Phase 1 of the Uganda Learning Campaign Phase 1 Y3 Q2. A minimum package of three communication channels was developed out of the eight tested: media engagement (radio and television [TV] commercials), community drama shows, and interpersonal communications (IPC) sessions. Best practices from the pilot, like the story card lending practice, are now fully incorporated in subgrantee-supported community programs. We are now working with staff from the MoES Communications and Information Management Division (CIM) to monitor/document campaign implementation and progress in parents’ behavior. In Q3, we will develop success stories about the capacity enhancement efforts for CIM staff. Strengthening FAs competency in EGR methodology. We observed during the training that some FAs do not actively participate in the training activities, which affects their uptake and, consequently, their ability to support teachers. Therefore, the project adapted a mentoring mode outside the ToTs that serves a dual purpose. FAs now do real-time practice, which also serves as a needs assessment in which the training team identifies areas where FAs need more support. The project will continue to train FAs separately to strengthen their EGR competencies. Increasing the quality and quantity of support supervision by district support supervision actors. After the training of instructional support coaches involved in the pilot program for electronic data collection under the Google grant, staff from LARA went to Mbarara on March 20–22, 2018 to support the coaches. This visit involved reviewing how the CCTs had used the tablets to support the teachers after the training, updating the Tangerine Tutor (TT) application on their tablets, and visiting schools to observe teacher support with the updated application. Based on the CCTs personal experiences, the LARA team learned that the tablets had enabled CCTs to support more teachers in one day and that CCTs now have all resource materials on the tablet instead of carrying heavy loads of hardcopy pupil books and teacher guides per grade. The team also updated the version of Tangerine® on the CCT tablets, which fixed issues like the small font on the Graphical User Interface (GUI), missing schools, and the inability to capture global positioning system (GPS) coordinates. This version also had other capabilities,
22 USAID|Uganda Literacy, Achievement and Retention Activity, Year 3, Quarter 2 Report Jan–Mar 2018 such as enabling the enumerator to have access to previous observations, showing a summary of the previous school visits, hints on where the data entry error can be found, the ability to synchronize and upload data, and a response page where the CCT can review but not edit what they checked off during the lesson observation. This is important during the teacher feedback session because if a teacher skipped certain steps, the CCT can list the steps skipped. After updating TT and installing Tangerine: PapayaTM letter sounds, the CCTs practiced using random data until they understood the new interface. Learning from the micro-experiment to engage district leadership to reflect on teacher absenteeism. As the LARA team and participants worked with the mind map during the micro-experiment they learned (1) the causes of teacher absenteeism are vast; therefore a single solution is not feasible, (2) local actors have the ability to identify specific solutions to causes of absenteeism but fear sharing them because they do not want to offend or upset district education officials, teachers or headteachers, Fe(3) for future engagements with district officials, LARA needs to focus on smaller action items that can be achieved for specific reasons for absenteeism, and (4) it is worth mapping out the reporting relationships at the district so the work with the MoES is streamlined regarding these reporting relationships (e.g., head teachers and teachers report to the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), the SMC Chairman is the CAO’s representative at the school, and the DEO only provides support services to teachers). In August, LARA will scale up the micro-experiments with district officials in all districts; starting in year 4 the micro-experiments will target school-level actors. Use of CPD sessions to strengthen teacher competency in EGR methodology. The project continued to increase EGR support to teachers through direct support of senior technical staff during CPD sessions. The CPD sessions are a good avenue to review challenging areas presented in the training and to ensure that the FAs and PCs understand the EGR methodology. Identifying good teachers who understand the methodology and can demonstrate it for others promotes collective support through school level and zonal CPD sessions. In addition, timely feedback to the CCTs on the challenges the teachers face in the methodology helps them plan for specific follow ups and issues to focus on for CPD planning. Head teacher support is crucial in the implementation of Journeys in schools. Schools that completed Journeys activities with staff and had supportive head teachers have realized the benefits and accomplish more UKU activities (on average of 3 to 5 activities since the training in January 2018), specifically because teacher patrons are cooperative. As a result of Journeys activities with staff, there is enriched teacher pupil- relations with improved ways of handling learners’ disciplinary conduct by guiding them to corrective behavior instead of heavy punishment. In schools where head teachers have not been as supportive, little Journey’s work is done and school change agents are only presents on the days that LARA staff visit.
3.3 Inclusive Development
The micro-experiment in Kanungu and Sheema included selected diverse participants from three categories of LARA stakeholders: government representatives; community
USAID|Uganda Literacy, Achievement and Retention Activity, Year 3, Quarter 2 Report, Jan–Mar 2018 23 representatives, including politicians, business people, religious leaders, traditional leaders, and NGO representatives, who have influence in the community; and school communities, including head teachers, teachers, parents, school management committees, and pupils. Two pupils from each district (a girl and a boy; four total) participated in both district workshops. The four early grade pupils provided their views on how teacher absenteeism affected their school experience. The pupils reported that, at first, they would feel happy when they found out that the teacher was absent for the day but later they would become sad because they wanted to learn and progress in school. The pupils also said that seeing absent teachers made them more likely to be absent themselves. Further, pupils noted that absent teachers meant less adult supervision to protect them from bullies. The pupils said that they would become worried that they would not pass exams because they were missing lessons and, as a result, would be punished by their parents even if the cause of their failure was absent teachers. In their work with the project, the FAs gain transferable skills and practical work experience. Although the FAs generally provided strong coaching support during the quarter, the project began discussions with True North at the end of Q2 to strengthen the systems for managing FAs through adaptations and adjustments to technical and operational policies during Q3. Through this process, the project expects to strengthen its FA component for better classroom support. RTI headquarters has been working with the Nairobi regional office to address questions and clarifications regarding harassment and exploitation. Early in Q3, RTI’s Global Compliance and Ethics Officer issued an updated two-page policy statement on harassment and exploitation. Additional guidance and actions are to come. The project will work closely with headquarters and regional units of RTI to support all initiatives to ensure that RTI is a safe and ethical organization.
3.4 Science, Technology, and Innovation
Papaya Phonics for Uganda is an educational application (i.e., app) for letter sounds in English and Uganda Local Languages. After developing the app, LARA uploaded it to the Google Play Store where anyone with a smartphone or tablet can downloaded it for free. The features of the app and a step-by-step user guide is illustrated in Figure 2. The project will investigate mobile application reporting in Google Analytics for Firebase by integrating our Papaya App with Firebase which aids reports such as: • Understanding the number of users in the app, their characteristics, and where they come from; • Measuring what actions the users are taking; • Visualize user navigation paths; • Customize reports specific to our project.
24 USAID|Uganda Literacy, Achievement and Retention Activity, Year 3, Quarter 2 Report Jan–Mar 2018 Figure 2. Example of one of the screens on the Papaya app
4. LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
The project explicitly works to develop the leadership skills and behavior of its staff. Table 6 outlines the leadership activities, planned outcomes, and indicators/outcomes in Q2.
Table 6. Leadership development, outcomes, and indicators
USAID|Uganda Literacy, Achievement and Retention Activity, Year 3, Quarter 2 Report, Jan–Mar 2018 25 Leadership Development Indications/Examples of Planned Q2 Outcome(s) Activity Outcomes
Staff held check-in meetings with their supervisors to review progress on behavior Staff received feedback this goals that focus on quarter on progress in their collaborating, communicating, work performance and their Activity 1: Goal setting developing talent, thinking leadership behaviors through globally, and acting structured conversations with strategically. These their supervisors. behavioral goals link to the CDCS principles of inclusive, Ugandan-led development. 267 head teachers and SMC Improved school-level chairpersons from the 151 C1 management and support to Activity 2: Training for Cluster control schools received teachers. Greater fidelity of 1 Control Schools leadership training in implementation of EGR and January. safe school activities. On January 4, LARA staff CDCS training enables staff received participatory training to approach planning and Activity 3: CDCS Training for on CDCS to help them make activity implementation, LARA Staff connections between project particularly meetings with the activities and the government from a more USAID/Uganda strategy. strategic perspective. On February 6, LARA PCs and technical staff (12 in total) received a training on Managerial staff are now talent management organized expected to supervise other by True North and delivered RTI staff and FAs to enhance Activity 4: Leadership training by consultant, Herbert their talent management for LARA Program Zake. Skills emphasized capabilities and apply Coordinators included communication, knowledge gained during coaching, performance training to better manage management, problem- their teams. solving, decision-making, and labor laws (with particular focus on termination).
5. MANAGEMENT AND ADMINISTRATIVE ISSUES
The key management and administrative issues during the quarter are summarized below. • Submitted the Q1 summary report to USAID on January 31, 2018. • Modification 4 signed February 28, 2018 increasing the total estimated amount of the cooperative agreement from $35,992,534 to $38,691,408 in support of Plus Up. • USAID approved C1 subgrantee, Network for Community Development (NCD) modification on January 17, all 11 C2 subgrantees on January 23, and three subgrant modifications (Masaka Green Light Impact Program [MAGLIP], Centre for Governance and Economic Development [CEGED], and Proactive
26 USAID|Uganda Literacy, Achievement and Retention Activity, Year 3, Quarter 2 Report Jan–Mar 2018 Approaches for Children Community Transformation [PACT]) on January 23. Table 5 summarizes the management and administrative activities in Q2, which is followed with a brief discussion of key outstanding issues.
Table 5. Summary of management and administrative activities, Q2 Activities Shifted to Next Summary of Planned Activities Actual Achieved Quarter (Q3) Project planning and implementation fidelity Weekly staff meeting Proceeded as scheduled —
Monthly R1 and R2 technical meetings Proceeded as scheduled — Monthly coordination meeting with SHRP Proceeded as scheduled — Chief of Party USAID approved the In Q2, LARA was supposed to modification on March 1, prepare a list of agreed resubmitted a revised cost indicators for DO 1,2, and 3 share plan on March 26, and a indicators and AMELP, but this revised annual work plan was pushed to Q3 pending (AWP) on March 26. USAID finalization of the Meetings with USAID Agreement Officer’s indicator reference sheets. Representative (AOR) Participated in the USAID Development Objectives(DO) Workshop on March 5. The project worked with the AOR and the USAID Education Specialist to review indicators. Completed the biannual AWP — activity and budget revisions. Regular monitoring activities and adjustments AWP revisions include the to AWP addition of a Reading Symposium at the request of USAID Monitoring, evaluation, and reporting Annual progress and financial report — — Finalize the briefer and C1 EGRA follow up Draft EGRA briefer developed disseminate findings Completed all related activities M&E support to MSS (R1 and R2) — for Q2 The DQA for FA data was shifted to Q3 because during teacher training in January, a substantial proportion of Conducted the DQA for sub teachers (17%) did not turn up DQAs grantees data for training. Therefore, the M&E team has embarked on a teacher verification exercise, which postponed the FA DQA to Q3.
SBCC impact evaluation: Improve parents Endline report finalized — reading to their children
USAID|Uganda Literacy, Achievement and Retention Activity, Year 3, Quarter 2 Report, Jan–Mar 2018 27 Activities Shifted to Next Summary of Planned Activities Actual Achieved Quarter (Q3) Draft baseline report submitted Review and complete the by Development Link Consult baseline report. (DLC) for review The campaign was not implemented in Q2 as SBCC impact evaluation: Reduce corporal planned, due to time required punishment to revise campaign materials and resubmit for approval Pilot will be conducted in June 1- July 30, 2018. Endline data will be gathered at the beginning of August. Affirmative inquiry Second draft report completed Review and finalize the report CLA Attended the CDC/PMP roll- AMELP revision and out workshop on February 28 submission to USAID for – March 1 and had a meeting approval on June 20. Review and submit Year 3 AMELP to USAID with the AOR to map out the indicators that LARA could report on. Quarterly community-based organizations — Completed on February 28 (CBOs) review meeting Personnel and performance management Completed; seven FAs for Recruitment and onboarding of additional FAs Plus Up and six for control — schools were recruited. Completed in March; five staff Bi-annual check-ins — yet to finish. Supported staff to take leave based on December 5 plan. All Quarterly personal time off plans and but four staff used their — utilization remaining 2017 leave balances. Renewals: Sr. Program Specialist-Reading (Jan 1) and Quarterly contract management — three hub drivers and one Kampala-based driver (Feb 1) Logistics and management Fuel consumption report Vehicle and Transport prepared for the fleet on a Management Plan to be Implement Vehicle and Transport monthly basis. Staff monitored updated in Q3 to Management Plan the tracking system daily. All accommodate expected new 10-project vehicles were in vehicles. stable condition. Develop and implement security management Situation calm during quarter. — plan
28 USAID|Uganda Literacy, Achievement and Retention Activity, Year 3, Quarter 2 Report Jan–Mar 2018 Activities Shifted to Next Summary of Planned Activities Actual Achieved Quarter (Q3) The main office, legacy office, The repair of the main office and the offsite storage space compound pavers has moved Office maintenance at Ntinda were in good to Q3. The pavers were condition during Q2 with no damaged due to heavy traffic repair requirements. and rain. Trained and orientated control Geo mapping of 151 project school FAs on IT, GPS control schools. Annex B location services, and use of contains the GPS target school Provide and maintain information technology tablets. Completed the coordinates in Q1 and Q2 and (IT) supports network extension for LARA will be updated in Q3. office space at MoES Legacy Towers. Grants management Completed; C2 subgrantee Orientation of C2 subgrantees orientation took place March — 21–23, 2018 C1 subgrantee final asset verification will be done in Completed asset verification Asset verification for subgrantees June and C2 subgrantee initial for C1 subgrantees in Q1. asset verification will be done in May. Quarterly review meetings with subgrantees Completed on March 27, 2018 — Completed in January and Quarterly technical report review meetings February. Held as combined — with subgrantees technical and financial meeting. Completed. Technical visits Field monitoring of subgrantees — conducted. Monthly financial reporting and advance Completed, monthly — review
Financial management
Prepare monthly financial report Completed monthly — Prepare quarterly financial report Completed quarterly — Completed for R1 teacher training and R2 UKU training in January. Involved reviews of attendance registration, mobile money numbers, and Support teacher training mobile money for uploading of transactions into — participants Yo! system for payment. The finance team also participated in teacher training as site managers, which helped their understanding of the mobile money process. Subcontract financial management Completed monthly — Prepare quarterly financial reports for USAID, Completed; Q1, Y3 submitted — as required by the cooperative agreement in January
USAID|Uganda Literacy, Achievement and Retention Activity, Year 3, Quarter 2 Report, Jan–Mar 2018 29 Activities Shifted to Next Summary of Planned Activities Actual Achieved Quarter (Q3) Completed in March. Finance supported the realignment of FY 2018 budget for the period April to September 2018. LARA finance team supported headquarters (HQ) Financial Prepare biannual budget review and Analyst with determining burn — adjustment rate and realigning budget categories. Budget versus actual report prepared. The team also guided the budget process by providing historical costs for technical teams.
Human Resources and Performance Management During Q2, human resources focused on recruitment for Plus UP and replacement of staff, modified its contract for FAs with Truenorth and supported the short-term technical advisors (STTA). The following changes to personnel occurred this quarter: • Hired two Program Coordinators for the Plus Up activity on February 1 and March 27. • Hired a Finance Assistant on February 12 to replace the finance team member promoted to Grants Specialist. • Hired a Program Coordinator for Luwero hub on March 21. • Hired an M&E Officer on March 9 to replace departed M&E officer. To plan for future human resource needs, LARA modified its contract with True North to hire 13 additional FAs, including six for control schools and seven for Plus Up. In Q2, we received the following STTA and head office support: • SRGBV Technical Specialist (Dr. Liz Randolph) from February 5 to March 2, 2018 to support R2 and M&E. • System Strengthening Specialist (Alastair Rodd) from February 18, 2018 – March 2, 2018 to support district dialogues and the micro-experiment • Program Coordinator (Valerie Alvarez) from March 9 to 22 for financial planning support. In Q3, the project will receive STTA, without international travel, from the following individuals: • SRGBV Technical Specialist (Dr. Liz Randolph) to support R2 implementation. • System Strengthening (Justina Stroh) to support MoES budget working group. • SBCC (Karen Schmit) to support finalization of SBCC reports and advice of implementation of SBCC for corporal punishment.
Procurement
30 USAID|Uganda Literacy, Achievement and Retention Activity, Year 3, Quarter 2 Report Jan–Mar 2018 The main procurements for the Q2 included the procurement and distribution of the story cards, local language radio programs for the Uganda Learning Campaign, branded communication folders, cell phones for staff and FA, and communication equipment for MoES CIMU.21 No Q3 procurements require AOR approval. 6. PLANNED ACTIVITIES FOR NEXT QUARTER, INCLUDING UPCOMING EVENTS
Table 6 provides a summary of the technical activities planned for the period April 1– June 30, 2018 (Q3). The order of the tasks in Table 9 correspond to the GANTT chart in the annual work plan.
Table 6. GANTT Chart of planned technical activities for Q3 Planned Activity Anticipated Notes Date
IR 1.1: Improved planning and management of EGR Quarterly EGR and June — Retention Advisory committee meetings Foundational body June — meeting on Uganda Learning Campaign Reflection retreat May — (learning event) on future of EGR Biannual dialogue with TBD — parliamentary social services Meeting with TBD — parliamentarians Quarterly budget May — working group meeting Annual BE budget June — review meeting IR 1.2: Improved reading instruction in P1 to P4 classrooms Confirmation of pupil May–June — enrollment and teacher numbers Teacher training needs Ongoing. — assessment 300 C1 Control (P1 May — and P2) teachers trained
21 Equipment procured for CIMU includes one high-resolution audio voice recorder, 32GB internal computer storage with SC-XC slot, an external hard disk, two external DVD/CD-RW-ROMs, and a 1TB external drive.
USAID|Uganda Literacy, Achievement and Retention Activity, Year 3, Quarter 2 Report, Jan–Mar 2018 31 Planned Activity Anticipated Notes Date
Phase 2 training for P3 May and — and P4 teachers September
Ongoing FA mentoring April–June New activity introduced to improve capacity of LARA staff Term planning meeting April and To be held at each CPTC with CCTs, FAs, and and support to TIET for June identified active district education officials. FA will CC remapping share work plans for Term 2 with DEOs and principals. There will also be coordination meeting with DPOs and principals to review progress of the CCT remapping exercise District progress review June (in 29 To be conducted at district headquarters at the meetings districts) beginning of Term 2 District-led support June–August To be carried out in 29 districts and dependent on supervision (Term 2) district’s available resources. Pilot of lot quality assessments (LQAs) will be done in one district in April before it is scaled up in other districts in Term 2 6,000 P1 and P2 June - August To be carried out in CC as CPD refresher trainings Teacher CPD P3 and June - July CPD sessions in zones for collective teacher P4 support. These will be dependent on an arrangement with CCTs, head teachers, and teacher’s common needs. Zonal head teacher SS June Planned for Term 2 to be piloted in Sheema and events Mpigi districts FA facilitated quarterly June To be held at hub level. Discussions are ongoing meetings with the training team to see how these can be managed well. IR 1.3: Increased community- and household-level involvement in promoting literacy attainment Implement the Uganda April and May — Learning Campaign Print and disseminate May — materials Quarterly MoES June Communications — Technical Working meeting Support CIM Division April skills development and — editing of MoES content Participate in relevant June – Day of national events on the African — literacy and SRGBV Child
32 USAID|Uganda Literacy, Achievement and Retention Activity, Year 3, Quarter 2 Report Jan–Mar 2018 Planned Activity Anticipated Notes Date
Procurement and April distribution of — communication story cards for C2 Subgrantees April and implement Uganda June Learning Campaign at — district level using SBCC 1 content Monitor and support C1 April and and C2 subgrantees June — implementation of SBCC 1 Hold a 2-day workshop April to develop success — stories of campaigns in the various districts IR 2.1: Improved capacity of the education system to implement SRGBV-related policies Support VACiS district June working group, linked — to case management IR 2.2: Schools strengthened to provide a positive and supportive school climate for learning ToT for Cohort 2 UKU April — trainers Train 5,000 Cohort 2 May teacher patrons on — Term 1 activities Refresh training for April — lead UKU trainers Train 5,000 Teacher May Patrons Cohort 1 on — UKU Term 2 activities ToT C2 sub-zonal May — learning event C2 change agent May learning event at — subzones Quarterly PC training at June — Kampala office Monthly field visits by June Senior Program — Coordinator (3 days, monthly) Identify, consult, and June document case studies of school actions that — prevent or respond to SRGBV.
USAID|Uganda Literacy, Achievement and Retention Activity, Year 3, Quarter 2 Report, Jan–Mar 2018 33 Planned Activity Anticipated Notes Date
Recognize high performing SCAs with July certificates Action research on June–August Journeys — implementation Establish SMS May — messaging system IR 2.3: Strengthened community commitment and capacity to support SRGBV prevention and response programs Print translated version May
of Journeys C2 Journeys training June — Quarterly review June meeting with C1 and — C2 subgrantees Send SMS to May — community members Recognize best April and May performing — communities Facilitate subcontractor May to revise and print — Community Case Management Guide Monitor the 10 C1 April–June subgrantees after — quarterly report Monthly case April–June management meeting at 14 C1 districts, — linked to VACiS district meetings Review and finalize May — baseline report Implement SBCC proof June — of concept trail 2.3.4 Implement PEPFAR Plus Up
34 USAID|Uganda Literacy, Achievement and Retention Activity, Year 3, Quarter 2 Report Jan–Mar 2018 Planned Activity Anticipated Notes Date
• Training of change agents in new northern districts Child Protection in • Planning and training of OVC partners to layer Communities GBV prevention and response program enhanced through • Training district and community leaders to May - June training of change support GBV program agents in 15 DREAMS • Uganda Kids Unite clubs established in C2 districts districts • Training of community change agents C2 in northern districts Strengthen case • Support case conferencing in established C1 April- June conference DREAMS district
Q3 Management Activities Project planning and April – June • Weekly progress review staff meetings implementation • Monthly planning meetings • Progress review meetings with AOR • District and National Regional Symposium plan • Ideas Paper for USAID • Q3 Report M&E and reporting May • Finalize and Submit EGRA briefer to USAID May • Revise MSS tools for Term 2 and retrain PC June and FA June • Conduct data quality assessments (DQAs) • Review and submit AMELP (awaiting QED April and May approved PMP or handbook with indicator reference sheets) April • Support teacher training events-updating the May prepopulated lists June • PRS data entry June • TRiNet data entry June • Develop data pack for regional and national June • SRGBV Addendum for baseline July • Affirmative Action Final Report June • SBCC (parental reading) Final Report
• SBCC (corporal punishment) Baseline Report • Analysis of Term 1 MSS data
USAID|Uganda Literacy, Achievement and Retention Activity, Year 3, Quarter 2 Report, Jan–Mar 2018 35 Planned Activity Anticipated Notes Date
Collaboration, Learning April • Pilot a district-led MSS: Pilot the LQAs and Adapting (CLA) approach - The pilot will be used to determine events whether LQAs is the best way for the district to
gather evidence towards action to support EGR April & June • District leadership meetings - These meetings will be used to follow-up on the actions plans for April Term 1 and develop plans for Term 2. • Collaboration with TIET/SHRP/LARA on CCT remapping with PTC • Research on the modes of teacher training (The activity will involve analyses of the costs, May identification of changes in the training model June has on participants (attendance), time on task June (materials covered), teacher satisfaction). • Participate in RTI regional research on teacher training • Teacher Training After Action Reviews (R1 and R2) • Collaboration 1-week workshop RedEarth/SHRP/LARA to develop scripted CPDs Personnel and April • Bi-annual check in on development and growth Performance May • Quarterly time off utilization plans implemented Management Each month • Monthly general staff meeting April • Diversity and inclusion event Logistics and Each month • Implement procurement plan Procurement April • Implement logistic plan • Office and IT maintenance Grant Management June • Quarterly technical and financial reviews with April – June subgrantees April - June • Field monitoring of subgrantee (DQA, financial and technical) • Monthly advance and financial report reviews and feedback Financial Management April • Q2 accrual report April-May • Sub-contract management (Bantwana/WEI, April-June MAAD, food vendors for CC training, PTC for TT) April-June • April- June Monthly tracking activity budgets, • Prepare payments, and monthly financial reports
36 USAID|Uganda Literacy, Achievement and Retention Activity, Year 3, Quarter 2 Report Jan–Mar 2018 7. HOW IMPLEMENTING PARTNER HAS ADDRESSED COMMENTS FROM THE LAST QUARTERLY OR SEMIANNUAL REPORT
Below is a summary of comments received from the AOR on the Q1 report, as well as our responses. On March 5 the project received overall positive response to our Q1 report submission. The AOR recognized the application of the new USAID format and appreciated the succinctness of the main report and the detailed activity implementation in the annexes. The project resubmitted the Q1 report on March 29, addressing AOR comments on ensuring consistent and complete reporting on quarterly indicators and the values within the performance report. In addition, we agreed that annual standard indicators would appear in the annual report. The project will also include more explanation in the Summary of Implementation status for activities indicated as either “incomplete” or “shifted to next quarter”. The project’s explanation will include the reason for the “incomplete/shifted” status as well as comments on the impact this would have on the achievement of targets and the project’s plans to mitigate or avoid re-occurrence of “incomplete/shifted” activities. In addition, the AOR recommended that each of the key challenges include the project’s proposed strategies to address the key challenge or what implication this may have on the achievement of related results. 8. FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT
The information contained in this section is utilized to make management decisions, particularly as it is related to future work and funding for the project.22
Table 7. Activity Financial Analysis Activity Financial Analysis Award Details — a. Total estimated cost $38,691,409 b. Start/end date April 2015–April 2020 c. Total Obligated Amount $30,889,060.89 d. Total expenditure billed to USAID/Uganda $21,885,024.80 e. Expenditure incurred but not yet billed $753,435.88 f. Total accrued expenditure (both billed and not yet billed); sum of lines d and e $22,638,460.68 — — Q1 Actuals Q2 Actuals Q3 Projections Q4 Projections — — $2,091,814 $2,455,750 $3,618,324 $3,329,781 — — — — — —
22 The financial data provided in this section are an estimate of the project’s financial condition and do not constitute the contractually required financial reporting as defined in the Award Notice.
USAID|Uganda Literacy, Achievement and Retention Activity, Year 3, Quarter 2 Report, Jan–Mar 2018 37 Activity Financial Analysis Average quarterly expenditure rate — $2,873,917 — —
Discuss issues: HO completed an internal review of mobile money processes of EGR projects in the region. The auditors are developing a report with its analysis and assessment of potential risks in mobile money that the project expects to receive in Q3. LARA finalized agreement modification on March 1.
Cost Share: The project submitted a modified cost share plan to USAID on March 26 as stipulated in the agreement modification. Total cost share reported to date is $36,022.31. The project received its first Books for Africa (BfA) container and began sorting and distribution of books. Once delivered, the cost share will be recognized.
ANNEX A. SUCCESS STORY
Table A-1. Success Stories/Lessons Learned Template
*Program Education, Youth, and Child Development element: *Key Issues: Early Grade Reading and Eliminating Violence Against Children in Schools Title: Teachers Reward Pupils Learning in a Violence-Free Classroom Operating Unit USAID/Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity A positive and supportive school climate, free from violence, improves children’s ability to learn to read and write in the early grades. Safety and learning initiatives are mutually reinforcing. In many Ugandan schools, pupils learn early in their academic careers to obey the teacher or face corporal punishment. In practice, this means that pupils will focus on doing what they are told rather than taking advantage of positive learning interactions with their teacher. For this reason, Ms. Jessica Anyango a Field Assistant (FA) with the USAID/Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity was pleased to see a Primary 3 learner confidently speak up and correct a teacher’s misspelling at Nkokonjeru Roman Catholic primary school during a visit in February 2018. Classroom observers, such as Ms. Anyango, noted that not long ago, no one would have ever thought a pupil in Primary 3 would speak up freely to correct a teacher. In the past, these students would have been punished (i.e., beaten) for speaking up. In contrast, this teacher, Ms. Nakityo, was quick to correct herself and rewarded the learner for identifying a mistake, after which she continued with the lesson. It was clear to the Jessica that this teacher is committed to her learners’ success. By the end of the lesson, nearly every learner was engaged and had participated in class.
38 USAID|Uganda Literacy, Achievement and Retention Activity, Year 3, Quarter 2 Report Jan–Mar 2018 In this very positive exchange, Ms. Anyango saw how the project’s safe school activities and early grade reading (EGR) methodology reinforce each other to improve learning outcomes. Pupils who feel safe and supported can focus on their lessons and have meaningful engagements with their teachers. Ms. Anyango said, “when learners are confident to stand up and correct their teacher during a lesson, it is a good sign that they are learning in a supportive environment free from violence.” Due to the project’s implementation of the Journeys curriculum, more pupils in Uganda are learning in a positive, safe school environment. Ms. Anyango also saw the project’s EGR interventions impact whereby all learners had schoolbooks and the teacher was trained in the EGR methodology and teaching the lesson effectively. She noted that this was very different from what she had observed before the project where teachers would go to class demotivated and deliver any content they had, while classrooms had few or no pupil books or teacher guides. “Today I am proud to say that [the] teachers I support have learn[ed] to prepare lesson plans, engage children as learners, [and] create and maintain safe classrooms conducive for learning,” concluded Jessica.
Jessica Anyango, Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Field Assistant observing a P.3 lesson taught by Teacher Nakityo at Nkokonjeru Roman Catholic (RC) Primary School, Kayunga District on February 22, 2018. Photo credit: RTI International
* Pullout Quote (1,000 characters): Teacher, Ms. Nakityo happily states, “It is cases like these that make me wake up every day excited to go to class and meet my leaners. The feeling that almost the entire class attentively follows in class because of the safe learning environment I have created is so satisfying to me. This is how the new EGR methodology has changed my teaching attitude. Despite other challenging issues I may have in my life, I no longer bring them to the classroom and I encourage my fellow teachers to do the same.”
P3 Teacher Nakityo, Nkokonjeru from Roman Catholic (RC) primary school in Kayunga District. February 22, 2018.
Photo credit: RTI International * Background Information (3,000 characters): The United States Agency for International Development (USAID)/ Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity supports the Ministry of Education and Sports (MoES) to improve early grade reading and promote a positive and supportive school
USAID|Uganda Literacy, Achievement and Retention Activity, Year 3, Quarter 2 Report, Jan–Mar 2018 39 climate. The project is a 5-year intervention (2015–2020) operating in 36 districts, which aims to improve the reading skills of 1.3 million learners through teacher training, providing instructional materials, supporting school-level adoption of early grade reading methodologies, and testing. To date 14,474 teachers from P1–P4 and 7,973 head teachers and deputy head teachers have been trained in the EGR methodology or educational leadership. Further, the project has printed and distributed a total of 1,743,053 EGR pupil books and teachers’ guides to all 3,348 schools. In support of the MoES program to eliminate corporal punishment and violence in schools the USAID/Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity developed the Journey’s Program. Journey’s works with pupils, teachers, non-teaching staff, and community members to improve prevention and violence response mechanisms. To date, 12,233 teachers have been trained in school-related gender-based violence and 1,275 community groups are working to create safer school communities for their children. * Contact Information (300 characters): Geri Burkholder, Chief of Party, USAID/Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity, Plot 2 Kafu Road, PO Box 23582, Kampala, Uganda. [email protected], +25 678 417 7713
40 USAID|Uganda Literacy, Achievement and Retention Activity, Year 3, Quarter 2 Report Jan–Mar 2018 ANNEX B. GLOBAL POSITIOING SYSTEM (GPS) INFORMATION
All schools supported by the project can be viewed using the project-created Google map (https://goo.gl/SqqxSE) (the image below is non-interactive version of the map). It contains information on the location of 3,348 project schools, which were mapped using
USAID|Uganda Literacy, Achievement and Retention Activity, Year 3, Quarter 2 Report, Jan–Mar 2018 41 GPS information. This map will be updated to include 151 control schools in Q3. The map represents only those schools benefiting from project resources.
42 USAID|Uganda Literacy, Achievement and Retention Activity, Year 3, Quarter 2 Report Jan–Mar 2018 ANNEX C. ACTIVITY DESCRIPTION
Below, we detail the activities as summarized in the main body of the quarterly report. This annex is structured around the result areas and includes progress for the period of January 1 to March 31, 2018. Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) 1.1.2: Enhanced technical and logistic skills of MoES to plan, budget, implement, and monitor EGR rollout 1.1.1.1 EGR and retention advisory committee This quarter’s meeting took place on March 27, 2018 and focused on systems strengthening issues to broaden support for early grade reading and the MoES’s continuity of EGR after the completion of EGR projects like SHRP, LARA, and GPE Build Africa. The Ministry’s BE department will continue discussions about EGR sustainability by synergizing with the UK Department for International Development (DFID)-funded Strengthening Education Systems for Improved Learning project and GPE’s upcoming new grant. The engagement with these new projects will focus more on material replenishment and rollout to other districts and upper primary grades. In addition, the BE Department updates MoES’ Permanent Secretary and local government on what needs to be achieved and sustained as EGR is concerned. Schools report to the local government within MoES overall strategic plan. There has been a disjoint in our discussions between the MoES and Ministry of Local Government. During Q2, in our attempt to broaden stakeholder engagement (CDCS Guiding Principle 2) and prioritize Uganda-led development (CDCS Principle 6), the EGR Advisory Committee recommended that a subcommittee be put in place to discuss issues affecting the implementation of EGR with the PS for local government and MoES in Q3. 1.1.1.2 Foundational body leaders’ meetings The project has continually engaged foundation body leaders as a strategy to influence social norms around reading and reduction of violence. In Q2, the project held a 2-day meeting (January 29–30) led by the MoES CIM unit to discuss the role of foundational bodies during the Uganda Literacy Campaign. MoES, the project subgrantees from C1 districts, and the foundational bodies worked together to harmonize an implementation and monitoring plan for the Uganda Learning Campaign. Foundational leaders reviewed key messages and agreed to circulate messages to their constituents using various platforms, such as sermons, home visits, cell meetings, and radio talk shows. Key messages encourage parents to take time every day to read with their children, to listen to their children as they are learning to read, and that readers are leaders. After the meeting, the Church of Uganda incorporated the Uganda Learning Campaign messages into their training for educational representatives who monitor and support SMC chairs. The messages have been submitted to their provincial assembly comprising the house of bishops, house of clergy, and house of laity for their endorsement. 1.1.1.6 On-the-spot field monitoring At the district and school levels, LARA hires young professionals as PCs and FAs to support, coach, and mentor teachers in the implementation of EGR methodology. To increase the fidelity of the support provided to teachers, we are attempting to ensure
USAID|Uganda Literacy, Achievement and Retention Activity, Year 3, Quarter 2 Report, Jan–Mar 2018 43 constant field checks and coaching and monitoring FAs as they support teachers. Q2’s on-the-spot field visit observed the CPD organized by cluster chair person, CCT and FA for Katikamu CC, Luwero District, on March 14–16, 2018. Content focused on P3 literacy hour, literacy 2. Individual schools financed the CPD, including money for refreshments and transport for teachers. Schools in Luwero were willing to support CPD sessions and had the means to support their teachers’ participation. Luwero FAs demonstrated good understanding of the EGR methodology and several were identified as future trainers. 1.1.2.1. Joint stakeholder engagement meeting This activity was postponed with SHRP as we begin a redesign with a Reading Symposium. 1.1.2.2 Quarterly BE Budget Working Group Meeting LARA supported the Q2 BE Budget Working Group meeting on February 12, 2018. During the meeting, the group reviewed their performance over the year and the continued relevance of the quarterly meetings. The strength of the group was the completion of two draft justification papers: one for a budgetary allocation to the BE department from GPE and the other to secure funds within the Instructional Materials unit for replacement of EGR teacher guides and pupil books. The group agreed to extend the BE Working Group mandate for an additional year, as per their terms of reference. This coming year, the group decided to conduct a survey to evaluate usage of books distributed and produce a status report. The BE budget working group asked that LARA continue to provide technical assistance and apply a facilitative approach (CDCS Guiding Principle 11) to work through budgeting processes and resources allocation decisions around preparation of budget justification papers and determining the cost and timing of replacing EGR materials and the minimum package for supporting the other components of the EGR program (i.e. teacher training, support supervision, testing). WBS 1.1.3: EGR and SRGBV advocacy and promotional materials developed and distributed for Uganda Learning Campaign 1.1.3.4 Designed and printed newsletter The project finalized and printed its biannual newsletter in February, which covered the period July–December 2017. 1.1.3.5 Supported the MoES to conduct a quarterly Communications Technical Working group The project continued to work closely with the CIM division during Q2 in planning and implementing the Uganda Learning Campaign. On January 24, the CIM division led the discussions with MoES BE Working Group and Communications Technical Working Group (CTWG). In addition, the CIM led discussions with representatives from foundational bodies and subgrantee partners to coordinate efforts. The project and CIM division met with many educational stakeholders to advocate for their joining the MoES’ Learning Campaign to advocate for parental involvement in children’s reading practice. Through these efforts, additional partners adopted similar activities and messages in their areas of operation. For example, Viva, the Children at Risk Network (DFID funded
44 USAID|Uganda Literacy, Achievement and Retention Activity, Year 3, Quarter 2 Report Jan–Mar 2018 in Uganda) provided story cards in their schools and Stanbic Bank donated UGX 20,000 to support story card procurement. The project enjoyed a supportive working and learning relationship with MoES’ CTWG from inception in Year 2 throughout the development of the social and behavior change communication messages and testing. The creation of the CTWG has been an effective mechanism for MoES decision-making on advocacy messages and methods within the BE Department. In addition, it has been key in grounding the project’s capacity building efforts towards fulfilling the Learning Campaign objectives At the beginning of Q2, on January 11, the Commissioner of the CIM division met with the project team and CIM division staff to reach a consensus on the tangible skills needed within the division to support the Uganda Learning Campaign. A number of processes and skills were identified to ensure the CIM division were able to post timely and engaging success stories on the Ministry’s website throughout the campaign. CIM staff identified the following points: (1) staff do not receive stories from district staff or partners to publish despite several requests and reminders, (2) staff do not have a list of partners and relevant government officials who they can email to ask for stories, (3) staff have limited available time, which means that when stories arrive they do not have the time or capacity to heavily edit the articles, and (4) staff do not have the skills needed to send mass emails. The CIM division requested LARA to provide technical assistance throughout the Campaign. In Q2, the project built the capacity of the CIM division to (1) create a spreadsheet of email contacts of relevant contacts, (2) create a news story template and consent form for photographs, (3) create event lists for the Uganda Learning Campaign, (4) create processes for requesting and receiving partner emails e.g., (mail messaging requesting partners stories, and defining approval process for stories), (5) routinely uploading success stories on MoES website, and (6) design a process for quarterly review and reporting to the MoES CTWG. A list of approximately 250 education stakeholder contacts in Uganda was created, including MoES staff, foundational body leaders, district officials, PTC representatives, head teachers, and education development partners. As we continue to learn from these engagements with CIM staff, Mailchimp software helped the division to send and manage emails with a large number of email recipients. The team tested the software with 250 bulk emails to track who opened the emails. The team was careful not put any spam type words in the email header to ensure mail went directly to receiver’s inbox. In Q3, we will focus on publishing more success stories on the MoES website both for the Uganda Learning Campaign. WBS 1.2.1: Teachers trained in EGR methodology 1.2.1.5 4,798 C2 P3 and C1 P4 teachers trained in EGR In January 2018, the project trained a total of 3,623 teachers, including 1,601 P3 teachers and 1,457 P4 teachers, 267 school leaders (head teachers and school management committee chairs), and 298 P1 and P2 teachers from control schools in the EGR methodology. 4,798 C2 P3 and C1 P4 teachers was estimated based on a ratio of 1.5 teachers per school for each grade level as the budget basis. The project had less
USAID|Uganda Literacy, Achievement and Retention Activity, Year 3, Quarter 2 Report, Jan–Mar 2018 45 teacher teachers attend than planned and recognized that some of the shortage of teachers was a consequence of difficulties validating the teacher training lists. The project developed and implemented strategies to overcome these difficulties in Q2 to avoid low teacher numbers in the May training. This was the first large-scale training using the modified training approach developed in Q1, i.e., shorter, more frequent training for teachers. Under the modified approach, training is held in January and May for two to three days followed by a CPD session six weeks after training. The focus is on improving fidelity of the EGR techniques and to simplify each training and support teachers in between trainings so that they can master the simplified techniques. The teachers build new skills with each training. In this new design, it is critical that both CCTs and FAs can support the teachers in CPDs or in their classrooms. Our premise is to improve the CCT fidelity in conducting CPDs and ensure that FAs are supporting newly trained teachers with technical accuracy. To this end, in Q2, the project focused on supporting the CCTs, PCs, and FAs in their different hubs and engaging with them in small teams. FAs demonstrated lessons and received feedback from members of the training team and colleagues. This strategy provided FAs with direct real-time coaching on their teaching practice and a small group question and answer session. FAs have provided positive feedback on this approach and say they learn better under this arrangement. This process is helping the team identify FAs that can participate as trainers during the training activities, which will enable us to hold simultaneous cluster-level training and improve our overall classroom- level support to teachers. In Q2, 63 FAs (out of 105) were supported and, out of these, 26 were selected as candidates for trainers (this also gives us confidence that 41% of the FAs excel in the EGR methodology). We will train the FA candidates as trainers in smaller groups, while PCs continue to coach FAs to improve the fidelity of coaching support. The FAs have identified a need for capacity support in P4 English lessons and the team is working on a strategy to support them in Q3. 1.2.2.2 Term planning with CCTs and DEOs This activity seeks to strengthen the district and college capacity to jointly plan MSS visits to support teachers. Several subtasks occurred over Q2 including the TIET remapping exercise, coordination between the project FAs, the CCT, and the DEO on school visits.
TIET organized its second remapping exercise with PTC principals to review guidelines and process for data collection on February 21, 2018. All colleges proceed with data collection with their CCTs and some with district officials. TIET with support from SHRP and LARA will organize a follow up meeting in Q3 (April 20) to review remapping data with PTC Principals.
Term planning between FA, CCT, Principals and DEO will be held before Term 2 begins between June 4 and 8, 2018 (Q3). In Term 1 the district progress review/leadership meetings highlighted the need for a district school monitoring schedule as part of the Peer Group Meetings that CCTs hold at the beginning of the term. 1.2.2.3 District led support supervision
46 USAID|Uganda Literacy, Achievement and Retention Activity, Year 3, Quarter 2 Report Jan–Mar 2018 Five out of 29 districts (e.g., Sheema, Rubirizi, Mitooma, Buhweju, and Bukomansimbi) conducted MSS in Q2, which supported 38 schools. During Q2, the team, together with SHRP, developed a binary LQA tool to shift the district-led MSS exercise to a quasi LQA design were district participants identify measurable indicators, adjust the simplified tool, and review data on EGR performance. The purpose of the activity shifting towards greater focus on schools performance implementing the EGR program and less on specific EGR teacher coaching and mentoring to implement the EGR steps as outlined in the teachers guide. The simplified LQA tool has indicators that have binary answers, for example, the EGR teacher observed followed the steps in the teacher’s guide (yes/no). Planning is underway to have one of the remaining 24 districts conduct a pilot supervision using the LQA in Term 1, followed by the remaining districts will using LQAs for supervision in Term 2. After the training of instructional support coaches (CCT and Deputy Principal of Outreach) involved in the Google grant program for electronic data collection, a team from LARA went to Mbarara on March 20–22, 2018 to support the CCTs. The LARA team and the CCTs updated the TT application on the tablets, reviewed the tablet applications to support the teachers, and practiced using the tablets by visiting schools. Based on the CCTs personal experiences, the LARA team learned that the tablets had enabled CCTs to support more teachers in one day and that CCTs now have all resource materials on the tablet instead of carrying heavy loads of hardcopy pupil books and teacher guides for every grade. The TT update addressed issues like the small font on the GUI, missing schools, and the inability to capture GPS coordinates. It also added other capabilities, like enabling the enumerator to have access to previous observations, showing a summary of the previous school visits, providing hints on where the data entry error can be found, providing the ability to synchronize and upload data and a response page where the CCT can review but not edit what they checked off during the lesson observation. After updating TT and installing Papaya letter sounds, the CCTs practiced using random data until they understood the new interface. 1.2.2.4 District progress review meetings A substantial achievement during the quarter was the completion of district leadership/progress review workshops in 28 of the 29 target districts. The purpose of the 1-day CLA event was to reflect on 2017 monitoring and support supervision results, build strong district leadership partnerships, and support implementation of the EGR program and elimination of VACiS and violence in communities. The workshops provided an opportunity for district education teams and other stakeholders to learn and adapt strategies to effectively support EGR and VACiS programs in schools and communities. During the meetings, districts committed to supporting head teachers and change agents through CCTs and inspectors to ensure that teachers practiced safe schools action plans and receive support on sensitizing staff and parents on SRGBV, especially on alternatives to corporal punishment. 1.2.2.5 FA and PC monitoring and support supervision Through the month of March, the project MSS teams observed EGR literacy lessons and Journeys school staff and pupil retention activities in 29 districts. PCs mentored FAs to improve quality of teacher observation and conferencing feedback. The FAs observed
USAID|Uganda Literacy, Achievement and Retention Activity, Year 3, Quarter 2 Report, Jan–Mar 2018 47 the P3 (C2) and P4 (C1) teachers’ adoption of the literacy and English lesson steps after the January training. In general, many of the P3 teachers followed the steps well and were practicing the reading components learned at the training. The FA observed that P4 teachers struggled with the reading lessons 1 and 2, writing lesson 1, and transition lesson because the lessons are taught exclusively in English. However, both P3 and P4 teachers require some additional support from FAs in the writing lessons. The project’s M&E team assisted the support supervision activities in Q2 by completing the revision of MSS tools for R1 and R2, sharing MSS results and data quality issues with the PCs and FAs, and training them on the revised MSS tools. To increase teacher uptake of the EGR methodology, the technical team focused the teacher training in January 2018 on a limited number of competencies that the teachers could easily practice and master. As a result, the M&E team together and the Reading Specialist modified the lesson observation tool to include competencies focusing on the teacher’s ability to model the activity (“I do”) before requesting that learner try (“we do” and “you do”), use locally available materials to supplement the lesson content, use sound games, and use activities that focus on observing a learner as the teacher is teaching. The learner checks were also modified by adding subtasks that emphasized phonics. With the P3 and P4 teachers, the MSS teams noted improvement in the learner check scores. The MSS team identified learners’ reading and writing abilities through learner checks and found that many selected learners correctly identified letter sounds, could blend syllables to make words (i.e., make words starting with vowels not consonants), and the majority could read sentences. Learners can read the story text and can respond correctly to comprehension questions, while a few learners can answer the in- my-mind question that encourages children to apply their experience to what has been read. In some schools where teachers were consistently teaching writing in P3, learners had developed creative stories in their books. During the school visits, these findings were discussed with teachers and head teachers and possible actions were shared on how to improve the skills of struggling learners. In addition, the project shared these challenges at hub meetings, which included PCs, FAs, and technical staff, to jointly identify ways to move forward. PCs and FAs meet twice a month and are supported by senior technical staff to improve fidelity of EGR and Journeys approaches, i.e., EGR demonstrations for literacy hour week 5 (P3) with emphasis on literacy 2 and coaching of SCAs. In addition, the PCs and FAs review data collected with tablets. Data from visits are uploaded to the database, M&E team members support hub meetings to resolve any tablet issues. In Q2, teams practiced coaching around sounds practice, blending activities, learner engagement in lesson activities, P3 writing process, and reviewing the teaching procedure along with the lesson plan with the teacher. Also modeling aspects of the pre- and post-classroom observation techniques for coaching and mentoring that the MSS team need to strengthen, such as allowing the teacher to first reflect on the lesson before giving the teacher feedback. 1.2.2.6 Zonal head teacher support supervision events Planning is underway to have zonal head teacher support supervision meetings piloted in two districts (Sheema and Mpigi) in Term 2 (Q3). In Q2, the MSS teams observed
48 USAID|Uganda Literacy, Achievement and Retention Activity, Year 3, Quarter 2 Report Jan–Mar 2018 head teachers providing leadership and allocating time for Journeys activities. Many schools have done more Journeys activities; even schools that have not prioritized Journeys activities completed at least one on the day of the FA visit. The project will initiate the zonal head teacher structure to highlight head teachers and SCA teams that have excelled in the implementation of Journeys and the leadership skills required. CCTs will organize Peer Group Meetings in Terms 2 and 3 to review elements of support supervision. Head teachers will be taken through the MSS techniques for both the EGR methodology and Journeys (for C2 this includes both Journeys for teachers, Journeys for pupils, and Journeys for community members). 1.2.2.7 FA performance reviews and quarterly meetings The project held a quarterly meeting for FAs and PCs from February 4–9 to review MSS activities for Term 1 2018. In addition, the M&E team used this opportunity to share the MSS findings from Term 3, 2017, share the data quality issues from the previous term, and share the FA data quality assessment findings. The FAs and PCs also reflected on their performance and came up with actions that could help them improve in the new school term. In addition, PCs and FAs gave constructive feedback that was used to further improve the MSS tools. PCs and FAs have been oriented on the revised tools by the M&E team and the bi-monthly data quality checks indicate improvements in the quality of data. The technical leads, PC and FA, reviewed the implementation approaches and planned for the systems strengthening, teacher training, and Plus up activities. They were updated on Term 1 EGR and Journeys activities and how they would contribute to their implementation. In the next quarter, the project will review the PC oversight in Mbarara as the current PC coaches 21 FAs. As this is too many FAs for one PC to handle, we are exploring splitting the group in two. 1.2.2.8 CPD sessions CCTs, education officers, and DISs organized CPD sessions at CCs in Luwero, Bukomansimbi, Lwengo, Sembabule, and Kayunga and coordinated with head teachers to use part of the schools’ Universal Primary Education (UPE) capitation grant to provide teachers with lunch and transport to CPD sessions. P1–P3 teachers converged at subcounty CCs for collective support. Demonstration lessons included how to teach literacy sounds games/activities, use of the continuous monitoring form, and the use of locally made instructional materials. WBS 1.2.3 Teaching and learning materials printed and distributed 1.2.3.15 Institutional distribution of P4 teachers guides and pupil books Nine CPTCs (Bishop Stuart, Bulera, Bushenyi, Nakaseke, Busubizi, Kabukunge, Ndegeya, Rakai, and Butiti) received 3,196 P3 and P4 books in Q2. No additional costs were incurred for this distribution because project vehicles were used to make the deliveries, while they were making other planned project activities. WBS 1.3.1: Provision of supplemental reading materials and establishment of lending practice and systems 1.3.1.5 Distribution for SBCC Uganda Learning Campaign
USAID|Uganda Literacy, Achievement and Retention Activity, Year 3, Quarter 2 Report, Jan–Mar 2018 49 A total of 518,400 story cards consisting of four stories per grade were procured for 1,741 schools as part of the Uganda Learning Campaign lending practice. Delivery by C1 district subgrantees is underway to be completed in Q3. Procurement of similar additional 632,060 story cards for C2 subgrantees will be completed in Q3. During the SBCC pilot in Y2 Q4, the story cards lending practice had a major influence in parent’s behavior change to actively engage in their children’s reading practice at home. Stanbic Bank Uganda offered to procure 35,714 story cards worth UGX 20,000,000 as part of their contribution to the campaign and corporate social responsibility. Formal partnership arrangements between the bank and the project will continue into Q3. 1.3.1.13 Books for Africa: Plan and conduct CC-level training Books for Africa library trainings continued in Mukono, Mpigi, and Nakaseke districts, leading to 433 teacher librarians trained during Q2. The Mpigi trainings took place January 23–26 in four CCs; Mukono district trainings were held January 31–February 2; and Nakaseke trainings were held March 20–23. 1.3.1.14 Books for Africa: Distribution to CCs Upon completion of the library trainings, distribution of the supplemental materials to schools in Mukono District were conducted as detailed in Table C-1. Further distributions will take place during Q3 in Mukono, Mpigi, and Nakaseke.
Table C-1. Supplemental materials distribution in Mukono District Number Number Number of Books for Africa of Name of CC of Books Per Distribution Date Books Schools School Per CC Seeta CU 33 364 12,012 March 12–16, 2018 Seeta Namuganga 17 364 6,188 Bugolombe 33 364 12,012 Namakwa 25 364 9,100 March 19–23, 2018 Kisowera 33 364 12,012 March 26–30, 2018 Nagalama 28 364 10,192 Total 169 2,184 61,516
WBS 1.3.2: SBCC to increase parents’ involvement in their children’s reading practice This activity kick started on February 23, 2018 as part of the Uganda Learning Campaign Launch, named Tusomere Wamu (Let’s Read Together). The majority of the tasks were undertaken by project subgrantees who, in Q2, conducted several drama shows and held IPC sessions with parents. All nine C1 subgrantees spearheaded story card delivery and observed the initiation by teachers of the lending practice when cards were delivered at the school. The project managed the four radio advertisements and one radio program that were aired daily on regional radio stations (CBS FM-Central, Spice FM-Hoima, BUDU FM
50 USAID|Uganda Literacy, Achievement and Retention Activity, Year 3, Quarter 2 Report Jan–Mar 2018 greater Masaka, and Radio West-Wester region. Synovate Uganda was hired by the project in March 2018 to report periodically as a media monitoring firm for the campaign media engagement strategy. The first report is expected in April 2018. During Q3, the project plans to run various campaign commercials on selected national TV stations. In addition, the project worked with other project partners to use key campaign messages during DEAR Day activities. We supported the US Peace Corps on their press release and at every school being supported on DEAR day with LARA staff. However, we noticed that the initial enthusiasm from GPE and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to support the key messages to parents was not forthcoming. It may be that these organizations require longer lead times to confirm work plans and obtain the necessary approvals. Luwero FAs also supported the organization of many school activities on DEAR Day. Their work with schools and teachers was acknowledged by the MoES’ PS who visited two schools in Luwero when P3 learners read more fluently than P4 where EGR methodology has not been deployed. The PS advocated for EGR rollout to all schools, emphasizing that the good work being done by EGR projects should be supplemented by readers to improve reading practices and reading culture of both teachers and learners. At Dear Day in one of the project schools, the PS delivered supplementary readers donated by World Vision. In attendance was the district local chairperson who applauded the use of local language as a medium of instruction in lower classes noting that developed countries learn and speak their own languages. The events in Luwero during DEAR day demonstrates the collaboration between the various education partners and the MoES as we harness youth appropriate approaches (CDCS Guiding Principle 3) in the implementation of our activities.
USAID|Uganda Literacy, Achievement and Retention Activity, Year 3, Quarter 2 Report, Jan–Mar 2018 51
LARA-developed, USAID-approved Uganda Learning Campaign messages
WBS 2.1.1: Strengthen MoES knowledge, commitment, and action in SRGBV prevention 1.1.1.2 Support to VACiS inter-ministerial working group In Q2, the MoES Gender Unit and IPs, including LARA, agreed to focus on organizing the conference National Dialogue on Safe and Positive Learning Environment: Evidence-based Policies and Programmes to Address Violence Against Children in Uganda, which was held March 27–28. The Gender Unit guided the inter-ministerial working group in the planning of the program and advising on participants. This complement LARA’s strategy of supporting the MoES to take a greater role in organizing EGR and SRGBV events (CDCS Guiding Principle 15: Foster leadership). The forum
52 USAID|Uganda Literacy, Achievement and Retention Activity, Year 3, Quarter 2 Report Jan–Mar 2018 provided an opportunity to share lessons from other countries, including case management. MoES introduced its Journeys program for addressing VACiS in Uganda. UNICEF; World Vision; and the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development (MGLSD) also discussed the use of Journeys in their activities. Pupils from LARA schools spoke about how Journeys is empowering them to recognize and report violence against them. The students noted that all stakeholders need to work together to end all forms of violence against children by establishing community structures and by- laws that protect children. The World Health Organization and UNICEF commended LARA for taking the lead in using a practical approach. Participants agreed on the need for a positive and supportive environment in schools to stop violence. The MoES’ PS, on behalf of the Minister of Education and Sports, issued a certificate of recognition to LARA for our work in building child-friendly and safe learning environments. The PS also recognized LARA’s contribution to improving reading skills in early grades. 2.1.1.2 Support initial district working group This activity did not take place this quarter because of conflicting schedules for staff in the MoES Gender Unit, who are key in its implementation. The Gender Unit requested that we reschedule the activity to June 2018. 2.1.1.7 Design scripted facilitation for workshop The activity was completed on February 20 and was used to facilitate the micro- experiment on teacher absenteeism in Kanungu and Sheema districts. The scripted facilitation proved to be an effective approach and the facilitation team adjusted the process at the end of each day. The facilitators altered the script to between Kanungu and Sheema events as they tested different dialogue outcomes. One of the challenges was that participants immediately jumped to providing solutions, skipping several analysis steps in the U-model for inspiring change. The facilitation team tried to shift the narrative from the conventional “way forward" discussions (i.e., more sensitization, more training, more supervision, more sanctions) towards more critical thinking about the root causes of teacher absenteeism, which helped officials think about new ways to address challenges and lead to better outcomes (i.e., higher teacher attendance). We advise more scripting and will revise the facilitation process and within the script limit discussion options to move leaders to a higher level of analysis. 2.1.1.8 Two-day workshop with local government about microplanning (the micro- experiment to address teacher absenteeism) The MoES identified teacher absenteeism as one of the critical factors affecting the rate of uptake of instructional methodologies and learning achievement gains in primary schools. The rate of teacher absenteeism in Uganda is estimated at 25% of school days, rising to 30% in rural areas; equivalent to 70 to 100 days out of the 260 school days in a year. Teacher absenteeism reduces instructional time and time on task, disrupts the instructional cycle, limits coverage of curriculum objectives, demotivates learners, and affects the regularity of learners’ attendance at school. The micro-experiment was piloted with Sheema and Kanungu district leaders. The content focused on the high rate
USAID|Uganda Literacy, Achievement and Retention Activity, Year 3, Quarter 2 Report, Jan–Mar 2018 53 of teacher absenteeism and its effects on the rate of learning gains in primary schools.23 The micro-experiment brought together district education and school leaders for a “deep- dive” reflection on the causes of system failures highlighting the importance of district and school leadership in reducing teacher absenteeism and its effects on children’s learning and the performance of the education system. Another innovative adaptation was to increase to voice of children by having them work with an artist to illustrate how absenteeism affects them, as shown in Figure C-1. The facilitators responded to the children’s shyness and hesitation to present to district education leaders and their teachers during the first iteration by visually representing their voice. This improved the process. This CLA event was designed to work with district officials and other stakeholders to do things differently when current mechanisms, concepts, operations, and tools do not work (CDCS Guiding Principle 5) and find practical solutions to teacher absenteeism. Each district was slightly different in outcomes, provides an illustration of the discussions in Kanungu district.
23 Teachers in Uganda are absent from school 1 in every 4 days, rising to just under 1 in every 3 days in rural schools (roughly equivalent to between 70 and 100 days a year). World Bank data also suggests that 60% of teaching time in Uganda is lost due to teacher absenteeism, which is defined as teachers being absent from school, or in school not in class. Teachers in public schools teach for an average of only two hours and 55 minutes each day out of a teaching day of seven hours and 15 minutes: a loss of 60% of teaching time. That is equivalent to children having just over one term's worth of education each year. Children lose 24 weeks of education each year due to teachers not teaching. For children who do complete their primary education, by the time they finish, instead of having had seven years of primary education, teacher absenteeism means they had the equivalent of just 2.5 years of education (children lose 4.5 of their seven years of primary education due to teachers not teaching). Source Word Bank’s Service Delivery Indicators (2013). Available at http://www.sdindicators.org/countries/Uganda. The Southern and Eastern Africa Consortium for Monitoring Educational Quality 2007 data is consistent with these findings, as is data from TISSA 2014.
54 USAID|Uganda Literacy, Achievement and Retention Activity, Year 3, Quarter 2 Report Jan–Mar 2018 Figure C-1. Illustration of the effects of teacher absenteeism from children’s perspective
We did accomplish many of the learning objectives, such as promoting a deep look at the source of absenteeism, stimulating new thinking about how to address teacher absenteeism, and promoting an understanding about the impact of teacher absenteeism on children's learning and success. Facilitators observed what happened during the sessions and participants confirmed these outcomes in their evaluations. We did not achieve some of our objectives, including the promotion of a sense of urgency to fix this problem or instilling a sense of empathy and compassion for the students or the fellow headteachers or teachers who face teacher absenteeism every day. In addition to getting a broader understanding of the impacts teacher absenteeism has on the EGR program when teachers are not teaching all the lessons outlined in the teacher’s guides and the impact on the early grade reading assessments (EGRA) scores.24 The team also learned about the significant challenges that impede district and school-level
24 Source Word Bank’s Service Delivery Indicators (2013)
USAID|Uganda Literacy, Achievement and Retention Activity, Year 3, Quarter 2 Report, Jan–Mar 2018 55 leaders from taking action, including issues of systemic corruption and fear of personal harm if one is to hold education officers responsible for their actions. However, the way forward is to apply modifications to the activities to another district teacher absenteeism workshop to see if we can get better traction on the areas missed. In addition, we hope to selectively integrate some of the activities (a small selection) into planned regional dialogues leading to the Reading Symposium. Finally, we would like to test if the approaches with planned modifications can be applied in a school-community setting. WBS 2.2.1: School leaders, teachers, ad SCAs trained 2.2.1.7 Train 5,000 UKU Cohort 1 teacher patrons In January, we trained 4,424 (2,876 women, 1,548 men) teacher patrons and deployed them to C2 schools in five districts to initiate UKU teams. This was the project’s first attempt to rollout training at the CC/subzonal level and was a major accomplishment that allowed the project to train all the teachers in the schools by reducing costs otherwise incurred through residential training. There were some challenges that the project will address in the training of cohort 2, as follows: • Logistics and materials distribution: Due to the multiple training venues, the CC- based approach to training requires a lot of logistical planning and support. The need for additional vehicles to handle materials distribution and daily logistical support was greater than anticipated. There is a need for more manpower to count, package, and deliver materials in time for the training. • CCT facilitation: The CCTs required transportation funds to travel to the training sites. The transport funds were necessary because facilitating training is a task that is outside of the official responsibilities of the CCTs. CCTs are required to mobilize 40–60 participants and travel to and from the training venues. As a result, to offset the transportation costs and to support the full participation of the CCTs in these activities, the project provided the CCTs with a modest transportation and mobilization allowance of UGX 40,000 per day. • UKU Teacher patrons’ attendance: All teachers in a school are potential teacher patrons if they establish and facilitate UKU teams as envisaged. The UKU training was conducted during holidays when some potential teacher patrons who do not live in the same district they teach had gone home. Therefore, 12% of teachers missed training while some head teachers missed training thinking it was meant for teachers only. We asked attending teachers to share and mentor those who missed the training from the same schools and will reinforce this with head teachers at zonal meetings and in the upcoming cluster training in May. Despite these challenges, the project will use the lessons learned and continue to improve CC training in Q3. 2.2.1.8 Select 500 schools for cohort 2 UKU training To realize our target of 10,000 teacher patrons trained, as outlined in the Y3 AWP, we intend to initiate and train teacher patrons from the remaining C2 schools in May 2018. The remaining C2 T2 618 schools will be included in Q3 training. 2.2.1.9 Orient and support cohort 2 head teachers to establish UKU teams
56 USAID|Uganda Literacy, Achievement and Retention Activity, Year 3, Quarter 2 Report Jan–Mar 2018 This activity started with orienting 32 CCTs from the 10 C2 districts where the UKU cohort will be rolled out finalized. Five hundred head teachers from the districts of Luwero, Mityana, Masaka, Kalungu, Lyantonde, Buhweju, Kanungu, Kalangala, Kyegegwa, and Rubirizi were oriented and supported on how to establish UKU teams following the set criteria: • Include all pupils from P3–P7 • Randomly select 25 members per UKU team to avoid bias • Mix teams by gender and class—no single gender/class in a team • Assign each team a teacher patron • Use some flexibility if a team member feels uncomfortable with a teacher patron, relying on guidance from the head teacher or senior teacher. WBS 2.2.3: Support supervision to SCAs to catalyze school climate and SRGBV response and prevention initiatives As reported under WBS 1.2.2, the project provides MSS to schools in various forms: district-led support supervision; PC and FA support to SCAs; and teacher patrons, zonal- head teacher leadership, and cluster learning events. MSS occurs at the school-level for both R1 and R2. During the January training, the MSS team provided guidance to SCAs and teacher patrons on planning, implementing, and recording staff and pupils Journeys activities; staff participated actively and SCAs followed the handbook guidelines. Specifically, for R2, the project PCs and FAs met with SCAs and head teachers at every school visit. Before the beginning of Term 1, the M&E team, in collaboration with the technical team, revised the R2 MSS tool to include aspects for monitoring implementation of UKU activities in the schools. MSS data is being gathered and will be validated in Q3. There were some schools where patrons completed between three and five pupils’ activities. In districts where Journeys is being implemented and where SCAs are not active, mandatory observation on the day of the school visit obligated SCAs to prepare and facilitate a staff activity. In most cases of poor Journey implementation, school records of previous activities were only kept for the previous terms’ support supervision exercise. This is a cause of concern for the schools where SCAs are not active. To support poor performing or struggling SCAs, FAs are being coached on how to have meaningful conversations with SCAs and school staff to implement both staff and pupils Journeys activities. In addition, in Q3, the project will continue cluster learning events, additional UKU training, and zonal leadership advocacy to ignite overall school interest in Journeys. WBS 2.3.1: Community subgrantees train and support change agents to catalyze SRGBV response and prevention 2.3.1.1 Implementation of Journeys for Community Members In Q2, C1 subgrantees, through CCAs, facilitated the remaining Journeys activities. Since June 2017, most CCAs completed 31 activities from the community Journeys handbook with the exception of Mukono District, which had a funding break for two months. The aggregated total number of community members who participated in the
USAID|Uganda Literacy, Achievement and Retention Activity, Year 3, Quarter 2 Report, Jan–Mar 2018 57 Journeys community dialogue this quarter was 38,423 (16,011 men and 22,412 women) as shown in Table C-2.
Table C-2. Number of community members participating in Journeys dialogue meetings
# of Men # of Women Total # of District Subgrantee Participants Participants Participants
Child Rights Empowerment Nakaseke and Development 1,380 1,692 3,072 Organization (CEDO) Mbarara CEGED 4,371 4,787 9,158 Kayunga CARA 362 202 564 Family Strength for a Better Kiboga 519 711 1,230 Child (FASBEC) Butambala FASBEC 1,875 3,265 5,140 Buvuma FASBEC 255 287 542 Joy Initiatives Uganda Mpigi 1,266 2,131 3,397 (JOYI-Uganda) Sheema LADA 1,188 1,780 2,968 Mitooma LADA 1,120 1,588 2,708 Lwengo MAGLIP 244 512 756 Mukono NCD 464 1,335 1,799 Rakai and PACT 2,641 4,448 7,089 Kyotera Hoima ECO-AGRIC — — —
Total — 15,685 22,738 38,423
Journeys benefits community members through change of attitude and norms towards gender-based violence in schools. The discussions strengthen the community school relations and children welfare. During the field visits, many community members attest that the following benefits are provided after participating in the Journeys dialogues: • Increased enrollment of pupils in schools. Parents were concerned and able to talk to children who had dropped out of school, which was confirmed by some teachers we met. • Improved parents’ participation in school activities like meetings, payment of school dues on time, provision of scholastic materials to children, and contribution to school meals. • Strong linkage with the referral web. The community has become more aware and knows who to seek help from when violence against children occurs in their community. They work closely with the village case management committees. • Formation of income generating activities in view of sustaining the groups through village savings and loans associations (VSLAs).
58 USAID|Uganda Literacy, Achievement and Retention Activity, Year 3, Quarter 2 Report Jan–Mar 2018 • Parent-children relationships have improved. Parents said they are listening to children, providing them with basic school materials, and reducing the amount of home chores so that children have more time to study. • Improved parent/teacher and child relationships that have instilled trust and friendship, making response to direction more effective. Some Journeys meetings were used as a forum for discussing school development issues with parents, which was observed in Hoima. To motivate community members to continue improving the school environment and use the Journeys U-model for inspiring change, short message service (SMS text messages) were developed. These messages are being translated to the three local languages and will be sent to community members, who have a phone capable of receiving SMS messages, during Q3. There are many outstanding communities who had large numbers of members attend all the Journeys activities, carried out activities that prevent violence, changed behaviors, and followed up cases of VACiS. These communities were nominated by the subgrantees and the project staff met them and discussed their success. They will be recognized in the media as a reward for their good performance during Q3. Community members initiated a number of actions after attending the Journeys activities that prevent violence against children in schools and those that improve children’s welfare, such as making contribution for school meals, construction of classrooms, closing down gambling houses in Butambala, convening parents-teachers’ meetings, and discussing sexual harassment in Mukono district. There were 314 initiatives carried out in the reporting quarter. Because C1 CCAs used the English version of Journeys for communities, some of them had difficulties interpreting the text. The handbook is now translated into the three local languages of Luganda, Runyankore-Rukiga, and Runyoro-Rutooro. The translated handbooks were submitted to the MoES for approval in March before the final printing in April. It is expected that C2 CCAs will use both the English and local language versions of the community handbook. 2.3.1.7 Provide field monitoring for C1 subgrantees During Q2, project staff visited all the 10 C1 subgrantees to provide technical support around work planning for the remainder of the grant period and M&E systems. Most subgrantees and the CCAs have worked through the Journeys activity handbook and subgrantees stopped payment of the CCA facilitation fee in February 2018. Discussions with subgrantees focused on the future of Journeys, which should now move towards more collective actions that strengthen community violence prevention and strengthening the response and referral mechanisms. General project management support was given to the subgrantees to realign their work plans to the available budgets and the SBCC minimum package. C1 subgrantees began the implementation of the Uganda Learning Campaign using SBCC messages and challenges to engage parents and caregivers in their children’s reading practice. Subgrantees will continue the SBCC work in Q3.
USAID|Uganda Literacy, Achievement and Retention Activity, Year 3, Quarter 2 Report, Jan–Mar 2018 59 On March 27, LARA held the quarterly review meeting with nine subgrantees.25 The discussion focused on the review of the implementation progress and sharing strategies and targets. Finally, LARA staff also provided feedback to subgrantees on the DQA, which was carried out in December 2017. It provided an opportunity to review the implementation progress and feedback of the ongoing school learning campaign. Technical and grants staff assessed subgrantee implementation and reporting gaps (both programmatic and financial) and examined what is required to improve performance. Grantees used the forum to report on cost share. The LARA team reviewed the grant closeout plan and next steps to ensure a smooth closeout process. The M&E conducted a DQA for subgrantees to follow up on action plans from the first DQA and also validated subgrantees data for Q1. This DQA exercise focused on subgrantees that had significant challenges with their data systems during the first DQA. The subgrantees visited include JOYI, LADA, CEGED, MAGLIP, PACT, FASBEC, and CARA, which was the one subgrantee not visited during the first DQA. Overall, there is improvement in the data systems of the six subgrantees. One subgrantee, CEGED, still had challenges with understanding the indicator definitions and lacking source documents for reported data. The team agreed with the subgrantee on actions to address these weaknesses, which will be followed up in the next DQA that will be conducted in Q3. After the monitoring visits, subgrantees were able to organize the meeting with the CCAs to forge the way forward. Some CCAs are continuing with the new groups they formed, like in Kiboga, while others will facilitate Journeys on the request of the community members and others through the churches and mosques or in any community gatherings. The CCAs were asked to focus more on the change initiatives the communities will undertake and further facilitate communities to take more actions that prevent violence in communities. 2.3.2: SBCC for shifting gender norms and power relations LARA continued to prepare materials needed for implementing phase 2 of the Uganda Learning Campaign. The project’s key accomplishment this reporting quarter was securing USAID’s approval of campaign materials for testing in a pilot SBCC campaign to increase the use of positive discipline as an alternative to corporal punishment in schools. The campaign slogan, “Tukikomye” means “Let’s End It!” and suggests working towards a common goal, while indicating urgency. All communication materials underwent pretesting in Q1. The tested materials include seven posters, one radio jingle, three TV commercials, six forum theatre drama skits, 10 radio adverts, and four radio programs, while the final approved materials are two posters, one radio jingle, one TV commercial advert, three drama theater skits, one booklet with 12 talking points, three radio adverts, and three radio programs. Pilot implementation is scheduled to run for a minimum of nine weeks, which was decided after reviewing lessons learned from similar reading SBCC interventions that had the same primary target audience as teachers in primary schools. MAAD Advertising, the company subcontracted to implement the pilot, had planned to implement the pilot during Term 1 of 2018. However, USAID’s approval of campaign materials was not secured until March 2018—four weeks from the end of the school term and, thus, not allowing for a nine-week campaign. Due to the complexity
25 Eco-Agric was absent from meeting due to their suspension, see Project Management section of this report.
60 USAID|Uganda Literacy, Achievement and Retention Activity, Year 3, Quarter 2 Report Jan–Mar 2018 and cultural sensitivity around SRGBV, the material took longer to develop and required consultation with a wider group of stakeholders than originally intended. As a result, the SBCC 2 pilot will be postponed until Q3, during Term 2.
LARA-developed, USAID-approved Uganda Learning Campaign posters.
WBS 2.3.3 Referral mapping for SRGBV and community support for RTRR During the quarter, more technical support was given to the village community case management committees (VCCMC)—there were 541 VCCMCs established and supported in the reporting period. In the districts of Rakai, Kyotera, Mpigi, Mbarara, Kiboga, Bulambala, Nakaseke, and Buvuma, subgrantees and subcontractor, Bantwana, worked closely with the subcounty Community Development Officers (CDOs) to orient the VCCMC on their roles, especially on reporting and case referrals, case resolution, and documentation of the cases in their communities. VCCMCs were provided with the referral directory to guide them where to refer child violation cases in their community and provided with materials, like reporting tools for documentation of cases, referral forms, and file folders. In other districts, like Kayunga, Mbarara, Mpigi, Mitooma, and Sheema, case conferences were held at the subcounty level to discuss cases of violence reported to authorities—74 case conferences were held during Q2 across C1 districts. The case conferences were organized by the subcounty CDOs and reports of child rights violations were discussed with different authorities like the local council leaders, subcounty chiefs, police, health workers, child rights actors, and civil society organizations. These meetings serve as a forum for follow up and instant referrals for child violation cases. There were 1,055 child violation cases reported to various authorities in the reporting period, out of which 737 were SRGBV nature. These cases were documented at the
USAID|Uganda Literacy, Achievement and Retention Activity, Year 3, Quarter 2 Report, Jan–Mar 2018 61 school, community, and subcounty levels. Table C-3 shows the cases reported in the period, per district, and by form of violation. Bantwana also supported the subgrantees on case management by working with the field teams to ensure that they adhered to case management guidelines. Bantwana is in the final stages of developing the revised case management guidelines, which they expect to complete at the end of April 2018.
Table C-3. Number of child violation cases reported to authorities this quarter
# and Type of SRGBV Cases Reported to Authorities Total # of Subgrantee/District Reported Sexual Corporal Cases Bullying Other Harassment Punishment FASBEC/Buvuma 13 18 47 — 78
FASBEC/Kiboga 17 15 70 — 102 FASBEC/Butambala 6 16 26 — 48
PACT/Rakai and 1 21 20 2 44 Kyotera 3 1 3 2 9 CARA/Kayunga 9 10 5 17 41 CEDO/Nakaseke — 4 7 21 32 LADA/Sheema 33 13 64 26 136 LADA/Mitooma — — — — — ECO-AGRIC/Hoima
JOYI-Uganda/Mpigi 13 17 10 — 40
33 8 173 27 241 MAGLIP/Lwengo NCD/Mukono 5 6 3 — 14 CEGED/ Mbarara 22 15 10 223 270 Total 155 144 438 318 1,055
Project Management Implementation The following section provides additional details on the project management activities in Q2 including • project planning and implementation; • events calendar implementation; • monitoring, reporting, and learning;
62 USAID|Uganda Literacy, Achievement and Retention Activity, Year 3, Quarter 2 Report Jan–Mar 2018 • personnel and performance management; • grants management; and • financial management. Project Planning and Implementation The following project planning and implementation activities occurred in Q2: • USAID approved the Plus Up activity and budget modification on March 1. The project resubmitted a revised cost share plan on March 26 and a revised AWP on March 26. • Completed the biannual AWP activity and budget review in the week of March 12–18 with support from the headquarters-based Project Coordinator. The revisions included an adjustment to the regional and national EGR meetings to incorporate a joint USAID Reading Symposium at the request of USAID. • Participated in the USAID DO Workshop, which was followed by a meeting with the project AOR and USAID Education Specialist to review indicators. LARA was scheduled to conduct M&E to prepare a list of agreed indicators for DOs 1, 2, and 3 and the AMELP in Q2, but this was pushed to Q3 pending USAID finalization of guiding principle indicators. • Reviewed USAID feedback and resubmitted Q1 report with track changes for approval on March 29. • Held several meetings with the USAID AOR and education team to discuss the Reading Symposium, Development Experience Clearinghouse requirements, and branding and marking approvals for the SBCC 2. Communication Event Calendar Events in the project’s annual events calendar for Q2 were successfully carried out. The project held International Mother Tongue Day jointly with the national launch of the Uganda Learning Campaign on February 23, 2018 at Kasaala Girls Primary school in Luwero District. The event received prominent media coverage and overwhelming attendance by foundational body leaders, education stakeholders, members of parliament, MoES and MGLSD officials, security organizations, political heads, parents, and learners. A key learning from the event was that active involvement of a local district organizing committee from idea generation ensures ownership and fosters capacity enhancement for district officials and project staff. This was witnessed by Luwero District officials who took full charge of the event, with the RDC serving as the master of ceremony, who was the second ranking official after the guest of honor, the Minister of State. In addition, the project also marked DEAR Day as part of the Uganda Learning campaign. A majority of schools supported by the project said that many parents joined learners to drop everything and read for 20 minutes at 11 a.m. on March 15, 2018. The project held its DEAR Day main event at St. Bruno Primary School in Masaka. The project was also represented at the Peace Corps press conference with the Kampala City Council and MoES. Monitoring, Reporting, and Learning C1 second EGRA follow-up results (October 2017)
USAID|Uganda Literacy, Achievement and Retention Activity, Year 3, Quarter 2 Report, Jan–Mar 2018 63 To assess whether learning outcomes are increasing in project-supported schools, the USAID/Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity gathered EGRA baseline data at the beginning of P1 and P2 in March 2016 (the project rolled out in these two grades in 2016). The first EGRA follow up was conducted at the end of P1 and P2 in October 2016 and the second EGRA follow up was conducted at the end of P1, P2, and P3 in October 2017. Results of the second follow up in all the language groups show reading gains in schools. Key results are as follows: • There is general improvement in all three languages (Luganda, Runyankore- Rukiga, and Runyoro-Rutooro). English oral reading fluency (as measured by words read per minute [wpm]) increased from 7.5 wpm at the end of P2 to 21.6 wpm at the end of P3 in Luganda speaking schools, 15.2 wpm to 36.9 wpm in Runyankore-Rukiga speaking schools, and 3.2 wpm to 9.0 wpm in Runyoro- Rutooro speaking schools. • The percent of learners reading 20 or wpm in English increased from 17% at the end of P2 to 45% at the end of P3 in Luganda speaking schools; 38% to 74% in Runyankore-Rukiga speaking schools, and 6% to 19% in Runyoro-Rutooro speaking schools. • In Luganda, oral reading fluency (ORF) increased from 6.2 words per minute (wpm) at the end of P2 to 16.7 wpm at the end of P3, from 13.2 to 23.6 in Runyankore-Rukiga, and from 4.5 to 7.5 wpm in Runyoro-Rutooro. • The percent of students reading 20 or more wpm was 44% in Luganda at the end of Primary 3 (compared to 33% in control schools in a similar reading program), 67% in Runyankore-Rukiga (compared to 50% in control schools), and 24% in Runyoro-Rutooro (compared to 21% in control schools). • There were significant differences in ORF between boys and girls—in all cases it was girls who scored higher.
◦ In English, girls scored higher than boys in Luganda speaking schools in P2, Runyankore-Rukiga speaking schools in P2 and P3, and in Runyoro-Rutooro speaking schools in P3.
◦ In local languages, girls scored significantly higher than boys in Luganda in P1; Runyankore-Rukiga P1, P2, and P3; and Runyoro-Rutooro P3. DQA The M&E team conducted the previously reported DQA with C1 subgrantees. The team had planned to conduct one DQA focusing on data gathered in Term 3 2017 by the FAs but were unable to complete this because during teacher training in January 2018, the team observed that a substantial proportion of teachers (17%) did not turn up for training. Therefore, FAs embarked on a teacher verification exercise, which postponed the FA DQA to Q3. Revision of the school profile tool and collection of school level data In Q2, the M&E team reviewed and revised the school profile tool to be used in Term 1 by the FAs to gather school level data that the project uses for planning and reporting. The revisions were informed by the need to gather additional teacher information, such as names of all teachers in the schools, the grades they teach, their contact information,
64 USAID|Uganda Literacy, Achievement and Retention Activity, Year 3, Quarter 2 Report Jan–Mar 2018 and whether they are private or government teachers, as well as to strengthen internal quality controls to ensure FAs gather accurate and complete data. After the revisions, the tools were rendered into Tangerine and uploaded onto tablets before FAs were oriented. To be more effective, the orientation of FAs was done at the hub level. FAs are now using the revised tools to gather school-level data during their support supervision visits in schools. Similar to the MSS data, the M&E team conducts bimonthly data quality checks on school profile data and provides feedback to FAs. Overall, there is improvement in the quality of data and less incomplete entries and inconsistent information. LARA participation in Comparative and International Education Society (CIES) Conference LARA made the following four presentations at the CIES conference held March 25 to 29 in Mexico City: (1) The Intersection of Violence and SEL Competencies: Implication for Equity, (2) Attitude on Gender Norms in the School and Home: Students, Parents, and School Staff, (3) Insights about How Cultural Differences Condition Student Response on a Survey of Student Perception Of School Climate, and (4) Shifting the School Norm in Uganda: The Journeys Initiative. All the presentations were followed with discussions that touched on a number of areas, including the use of qualitative research under CIES’ theme: hard to measure CIES theme, minimum time required, the criteria used to adapt the school climate and SEL surveys, what LARA is doing to address violence against children with disabilities, and why learners in P5 may have more positive gender attitudes than those in P3. The journeys program also elicited a lot of interest form the participants and a number of them requested access to the Journeys handbooks. Some of the next steps that can help strengthen LARA work include • collaboration with Concern Worldwide to learn from their successful SRGBV work, • sharing information with Child Fund in Uganda, especially the districts where they have child protection committees, and with the CBOs where they work as this will help us learn from each other and also avoid duplication of resources, • conduct more qualitative research to find out where gaps are in implementation and bridge them, and • work in collaboration with SHRP to take a closer look at a teacher coaching tool by Save the Children in Tanzania. SRGBV longitudinal study In preparation for the quantitative data collection phase of the longitudinal study, the M&E conducted a cognitive interview for the SEL survey and the attitude survey that was used at baseline in 2016. Based on the results of the cognitive interviews, the team reviewed and improved the two surveys, which were then piloted in February. During the same period, the team piloted the school climate survey to further improve it from what was used at baseline in 2016. Modifications included correction to terminology and translations, improved content that was more specific and required a thoughtful response, removal of poorly performing items (items with poor distributions), change of negatively- to positively-stated questions, increased response choices to four, and
USAID|Uganda Literacy, Achievement and Retention Activity, Year 3, Quarter 2 Report, Jan–Mar 2018 65 improved instructions. This rigorous process consumed a lot of time and delayed data collection for the longitudinal study, but it helped improve the distribution of responses, construct validity, and increase overall internal reliability of the surveys. The surveys have been approved by the local institutional review board (IRB) and now await RTI IRB approval before data collection for the longitudinal study can be begin. Personnel and performance management In Q2, the project continued to improve implementation fidelity by coaching district-based staff to support teachers. We held monthly district meetings that included technical review of EGR methods and Journeys coaching. Thirty-six FAs were recognized with a Spot Award for their excellent contribution to the project. We also began to mobilize staff for the implementation of the new Plus Up activities and replace staff that departed in Q1. Five staff joined the project in Q2: Plus Up Program Coordinator, Finance Assistant, Program Coordinator, M&E Officer, and Training Program Coordinator. The project also engaged its first intern who will work closely with the R2 team for an initial period of three months with a possible three-month extension. The project is also building the skills of its receptionist to substitute for the Program Assistant who is going on maternity leave in Q3. Staff hired are in Table C-4.
Table C-4. Project Staff Hired in Q2 Name Title Start Date James Ayo Program Coordinator, Plus Up February 1, 2018 Nakato Sandra Finance Assistant February 12, 2018 Herman Makanga Program Coordinator, Plus Up March 21, 2018 Offer was signed on March 9, but Joshua Wakabi M&E Officer actual start date was April 3, 2018 Offer was signed on March 27, Program Coordinator-Training Plus Annie Galiwango but actual start date was April 3, Up 2018
One Program Coordinator, Patience Tusiime, left the project on March 17, 2018.
Procurement The main procurements for the Q2 included the procurement and distribution of the story cards and radio programming for the Uganda Literacy Campaign, In support of SBCC 1, in March, the project printed and delivered 415,000 story cards in the local languages of Luganda, Runyankore-Rukiga, and Runyoro Rutooro. An additional 312,704 story cards were given to subgrantees for distribution to schools in their respective districts of operations. Two other subgrantees, Literacy Action Development Agency (LADA) and Community Awareness and Response on AIDS (CARA), will distribute the remaining 102,336 story cards in Q3.
66 USAID|Uganda Literacy, Achievement and Retention Activity, Year 3, Quarter 2 Report Jan–Mar 2018 The project also procured airtime in the local language on five radio stations for subgrantee media campaigns. We also acquired 2,400 branded communication folders in Q2 and purchased communication equipment, including one high-resolution audio voice recorder, 32GB internal computer storage with SC-XC slot, an external hard disk, two external DVD/CD-RW-ROMs, and a 1TB external drive. LARA bought cell phones for staff and FAs to facilitate communication, this included 40 smartphones for staff and 30 basic phones for FAs. Finally, the project procured and fitted 25 tires for the five Ford pick-up trucks. Next quarter the project plans to undertake the following procurements: • Story cards for C2 distribution; • Media house (TV station and radio time) procurement; • Translated versions of Journeys for Communities. Grants Management Three significant milestones were reached in Q2, including the modification of C1 subgrantee agreements, finalization of C2 subgrantees, and initiation of the DQA reviews of C1 subgrantee data. On January 17 and 23, USAID approved the project’s modification requests to four subgrantees: NCD, MAGLIP, CEGED, and PACT (see Table C-5). Additional resources were required for the four subgrantees because of adjustments in the implementation strategy of Journeys, establishing the SBCC minimum package, and finalizing the VCCMC mechanisms. As the subgrantees scope of work became increasingly clear, LARA determined that a modification of the original agreements was required to enable the subgrantees to complete their mandate and deliver anticipated milestones within the approved grant implementation cycle of 18-months (ending August 31, 2018). For similar reasons, the remaining six C1 subgrantee’ budgets were realigned within the approved budget ceilings.
Table C-5. Approved Cluster 1 District Subgrantee Modification Summary Original Grant Increase per New Ceiling Grant # of School Subgrantee District Amount Modification Amount Communities UGX $ UGX $ UGX $ NCD Mukono 202 415,999,370 115,555 330,331,000 91,759 746,330,370 216,715
MAGLIP Lwengo 128 415,515,000 115,421 66,695,964 18,527 482,210,964 135,425
CEGED Mbarara 177 415,660,000 115,461 119,895,583 33,304 535,555,583 151,622
Rakai and PACT 182 415,108,500 115,308 163,496,024 45,416 578,604,524 165,266 Kyotera
ECO-AGRIC was suspended suspension status, based on audit finding investigations by another USAID implementing partner, which were shared with the project at the beginning of Q2. RTI’s ethics department has contacted the Mission’s Inspector General Office.
USAID|Uganda Literacy, Achievement and Retention Activity, Year 3, Quarter 2 Report, Jan–Mar 2018 67 USAID and RTI approved the project’s subgrant applications for 11 out of 12 submitted applications. Each subgrant awarded varies in budget award amounts due to different numbers of school communities to be supported, differences in terrain, and varied distances between schools. Apart from CEDO and SHED, whose USAID-approved ceiling amounts, were revised downwards, the rest of the organizations’ approved amounts remained the same, although for some partners, the number of school communities slightly increased. For partners who had large numbers of school communities, they were guided to realign their respective budgets and work within approved grant ceiling amounts. Table C8 provides details of C2 awarded partners (subgrantees) with their respective grant approved ceiling amounts. The grants for C2 subgrantees will run from March 15, 2018 to August 31, 2019. The subgrantees will supplement the project efforts by ensuring increased community- and household-level involvement in promoting literacy attainment, as well as strengthening community commitment and capacity to provide SRGBV prevention and response.
Table C-6. C2 subgrantee, districts, school numbers, and grant value Max Amount from Cost Share Max Total Grant Amount # of USAID Type of Subgrantee District scho Grant ols UGX $ UGX $ UGX $
Simplified cost 1 CARA Buhweju 45 358,763,000 99,656 37,476,000 10,410 396,239,000 110,066 reimburse ment grant Simplified cost 2 MAGLIP Masaka 89 426,735,800 118,538 21,510,000 5,975 448,245,800 124,513 reimburse ment grant Standard Rukungiri cost 3 LADA & 258 715,578,380 198,772 76,181,963 21,162 791,760,343 219,933 reimburse Kanungu ment grant Community Simplified Driven cost 4 Network- Mityana 131 497,038,300 138,066 56,878,920 15,800 553,917,220 153,866 reimburse Uganda ment grant (CODNET) Appropriate Simplified Revival Ntungam cost 5 Initiative for 197 454,766,000 126,324 55,620,000 15,450 510,386,000 141,774 o reimburse Strategic ment grant Empowerment Fixed cost Kalangal 6 SHED 23 355,751,950 98,820 — — 355,751,950 98,820 amount a grant Multi- Standard Community cost 7 Based Luwero 229 584,557,361 162,377 171,435,634 47,621 755,992,995 209,998 reimburse Development ment grant Initiative Rubirizi, Community Standard Isingiro, Integrated 1,220,825,00 1,348,985,00 cost 8 & 296 339,118 128,160,000 35,600 374,718 Development 0 0 reimburse Butambal Initiatives ment grant a
Sembab Simplified 9 CEDO 169 428,167,300 118,935 41,939,800 11,650 470,107,100 130,585 ule cost
68 USAID|Uganda Literacy, Achievement and Retention Activity, Year 3, Quarter 2 Report Jan–Mar 2018 Max Amount from Cost Share Max Total Grant Amount # of USAID Type of Subgrantee District scho Grant ols UGX $ UGX $ UGX $
reimburse ment grant
Simplified cost 10 FASBEC Kalungu 43 380,259,400 105,628 38,926,800 10,813 419,186,200 116,441 reimburse ment grant Simplified Lyantond cost 11 NCD 50 397,286,100 110,357 39,592,080 10,998 436,878,180 121,355 e reimburse ment grant The total investment under C2 is estimated at $1,616,590 while cost share contribution from subgrantees will amount to $185,413. It is critical for subgrantees’ efforts to be directed towards realization of expected outcomes and results given this substantial investment. Upon signing of the C2 grant agreements, the project conducted a 3-day compliance training for 11 local partners from March 21 to 23. Subgrantee participants included executive directors, heads of programs, M&E staff, and accountants. The compliance training was intended to orient new subgrantees on RTI values and code of conduct, provide further clarity on various clauses in the grant agreement, relationship management, a general understanding of activities to be carried out, agreement on the implementation calendar, and provision of a general understanding of USAID and RTI grant compliance requirements. Because the compliance training took place at the same time with the ongoing Uganda Learning Campaign, the partners were further guided on the SBCC implementation strategy and an implementation calendar agreed on. Further, the project invited grantees to conduct joint financial reviews of monthly financial reports and supporting payment documents. Five grantees, MAGLIP, JOYI, FASBEC, CEDO, and NCD, participated in joint financial reviews. The review of monthly financial reports is informed by risk factors and managerial issues identified and documented during the technical evaluation, the pre-award assessment, and previous monthly reports. The issues identified guide the project on which partners to support, when, how, and by whom. This support process is augmented by monthly grantee review meetings. As a performance benchmark, issues arising out of the monthly financial review should be resolved before the next reporting cycle. All financial reviews subgrantees will be carried out within 10 working days after the due date of reporting. Feedback to the subgrantees is instant so as to allow subgrantees to respond to issues raised. The project ensures funds are disbursed promptly to subgrantees. Rapid disbursement allows for steadier implementation and helps to avoid unnecessary financial pressures, which can reduce incidences of inaccurate reporting and presenting falsified data. The project’s grants and program teams meet to jointly assess grantee technical and operational performance through the joint monthly grants meetings, which involve comparing observations from quarterly technical reports, monthly financial reports, and site visits. Monthly grants meetings were held this quarter in January and February but not in March due to the focus on the C1 quarterly meeting and the C2 granting process.
USAID|Uganda Literacy, Achievement and Retention Activity, Year 3, Quarter 2 Report, Jan–Mar 2018 69 Quarterly review meetings provide an additional platform for the project to give feedback to subgrantees regarding their performance and to obtain feedback from partners in relation to what has been implemented, challenges encountered, and proposed mitigation measures, as well as to share strategies and agree on work plans for the ensuing period. Financial Management The project’s finance unit worked to build the capacity of its team and strengthen systems through a number of steps, including encouraging job rotation for Finance Assistants, to ensure that members of the team are comfortable with essential tasks, such as invoice analysis and management, bank payments, mobile money payments, balance sheet reconciliation, and management of aging receivables. To organize work flow, the finance unit holds weekly meetings to review priorities and pending tasks and plan for the activities. The finance weekly plan is then derived from the discussions held during the management meeting. LARA continues to work to improve the management of FA travel expenses. Standardized, pre-determined transport rates have helped to streamline the management of FA accountabilities; however, the project is working with TrueNorth to strengthen systems. Finally, on March 2, LARA met with the RTI Research Triangle Park (RTP) headquarter- based Manager of Internal Accounting and Nairobi-Based Regional Finance Manager visited Uganda to discuss mobile money processes as part of a visit to EGR projects in the region. The purpose of the review was to analyze and assess potential risks in mobile money. The auditors are developing a report that the project expects to receive in Q3. Below is the Q2 updated financial report.
Table C-7. Financial Report (Q2 2018) TOTA ACTUAL ACTUAL ACTUAL ESTIMATED ESTIMATED EST
Expenses USAID Expenses Expenses Expenses Expenses Expens Apr 2018 Approved Apr 2015 Oct 2017 Jan 2018 Jul 2018 Accrua
Budget Sep 2017 Dec 2017 Mar 2018 Sep 2018 Year Jun 2018 LINE ITEMS Labor $4,204,500 $1,951,160 $220,626 $256,728 $215,216 $228,258 $920,8 Fringe Benefits $583,790 $314,829 $21,888 $33,587 $17,687 $23,023 $96,18 (Regular) Travel & Per Diem $1,427,049 $580,323 $77,091 $95,092 $129,239 $99,357 $400,7 (Intl & In-Country) Allowances $375,236 $237,596 $23,727 $26,534 $38,885 $36,885 $126,0 Equipment, Vehicles, $3,245,328 $2,292,854 $432,578 $311,528 $240,118 $49,749 $1,033, Freight, & Supplies Training, Meetings, & $12,442,982 $5,428,672 $186,599 $566,047 $1,732,918 $1,850,365 $4,335, Workshops Other Direct Costs $4,631,956 $3,097,349 $543,040 $472,068 $265,111 $203,426 $1,483,
70 USAID|Uganda Literacy, Achievement and Retention Activity, Year 3, Quarter 2 Report Jan–Mar 2018 Subgrants $3,661,614 $689,246 $198,701 $230,773 $624,120 $468,090 $1,521, Total Indirect Costs $8,118,954 $3,774,986 $387,564 $463,393 $505,030 $520,627 $1,876 TOTAL ESTIMATED COST (Excluding cost $38,691,409 $18,367,017 $2,091,814 $2,455,750 $3,768,324 $3,479,781 $11,795 share) Cost Share $1,934,943 $30,253 $0 $0 $805,214 $805,214 $1,610 TOTAL PROGRAM $40,626,352 $18,397,270 $2,091,814 $2,455,750 $4,573,538 $4,284,994 $13,406 COSTS
ANNEX D. PROGRESS TOWARDS RESULTS
The project is still gathering R1 and R2 MSS data until the end of Term 1 on May 4, 2018. This section will be updated in Q3 when we have a full set of MSS data.
USAID|Uganda Literacy, Achievement and Retention Activity, Year 3, Quarter 2 Report, Jan–Mar 2018 71