IBIS LIBERIA

2005 Reflections on the - 2013 Accelerated

Learning Programme

and 2 respectively), the first in 2005-2008 and 1. Introduction the second from 2009-13. Implementation of ALP was finalised in 2013 principally due to In 2013, after 8 years of implementing the the following two reasons: Accelerated Learning Programme (ALP) on behalf of the Ministry of Education (MoE) 1. The MoE saw ALP as part of the Liberia, IBIS phased out its activities in the south emergency education response to post-war east of Liberia. This paper is intended as a policy Liberia, rather than a longer-term resource for agencies interested in the delivery of educational approach, with the Education Accelerated Learning, drawing on IBIS’ Sector Plan indicating the need had been experience in Liberia. It presents a summary of met and ALP is no longer a priority1. the significant achievements and an honest look at the challenges, before reflecting on the lessons 2. It was considered an appropriate time to learnt and broader implications for ALP. transfer responsibility to the MoE for the education of out-of-school children and An overview of the overall strategy of IBIS’ youth, In light of IBIS’ prolonged approach with ALP can be found below. IBIS’ implementation of ALP. work with ALP covered two cycles (Phase 1

IBIS’ Objectives and Approach with ALP

Specific Objectives Strategies/Activities

• ALP classes for children aged 10-18 in 28 Access to formal and non-formal education for communities in Maryland and Grand Kru Counties children, youth and adults is increased in the south east of Liberia. • Recruitment and payment of incentives for ALP teachers

• Continuous teacher training and professional Quality of education is improved in the development programme area, with focus on participatory methodologies, subject content, and life skills • Support to MoE, including Rural Teacher Training that support the development of active Institute (RTTI) citizenship, gender-sensitive and contextually relevant approaches. • Provision of teaching and learning materials

Accountability and governance in the • Support to communities, including establishment and education system at local, county and national maintenance of Parent Teacher Associations (PTA’s) level is improved, civil society is strengthened and engagement between communities, civil • Collaboration with education authorities and local society and education authorities are enhanced. civil society partners, including NGO’s

1 Ministry of Education (2010), The Education Sector Plan for Liberia – A Commitment to Making a Difference, Government of Liberia

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2. Achievements Figures from Phase 2 of ALP (2009 - 2013) F M Total This section spotlights the significant Total Number of Learners achievements of IBIS’ work with ALP in Liberia. Enrolled 1305 1464 2769 It draws on an end of programme external Total Number of Learners 2 Sitting Final ALP Exam 821 1018 1839 evaluation conducted in 2013, and is divided into the three main target groups of ALP. Total Number of Learners who successfully completed ALP 562 697 1259 All the achievements, and challenges, below Total Number of Teachers should be seen within the context of the south Recruited and Trained 34 87 121 east of Liberia. The most isolated region from the under ALP decision-making and resource base of Monrovia, Total Number of Teachers Successfully Enrolled in the the rural area of the south east of Liberia is also Rural Teacher Training 12 18 30 comparatively the poorest among the overall Institute population3. Local MoE presence at the school level was largely absent, as will be discussed, and b. Learning outcomes throughout the programme IBIS remained the Learners enrolled in ALP achieved significant only international partner in the region directly learning outcomes. 68% of learners sitting the supporting the Government in the delivery of final exam successfully graduated from the basic education to the Liberian people. Transport programme between 2009-13, qualifying them infrastructure was also a chronic issue: 29% of to continue their education into secondary the school communities in which IBIS worked school. 45% of graduates were girls. The were inaccessible by 4x4 vehicles during the rainy external evaluation found that learners’ season, with three communities only accessible motivation to learn and to continue learning on foot or by dugout canoe throughout the year. was enhanced as a result of their participation Learners in ALP. Moreover, attendance in ALP was shown to impact upon learners’ self-confidence a. Increasing access to education and self-belief, particularly in setting aspirations, as well as recognising the ALP successfully provided a second opportunity importance of establishing a stable life. Such for out-of-school children, aged between 10-18 skills are pivotal given the vulnerability of the years, to complete their primary schooling. Since learners, most of whom were displaced by the 2005, 4,869 learners enrolled in ALP classes, war, and some of whom were ex-child soldiers. giving them a chance to catch up through a For girls in particular – with 31% of girls condensed, age-appropriate, primary education reporting in a recent study in Liberia that they curriculum designed by the MoE. It also had been asked by someone for sex in return improved gender equality, with girls making up for money4 - the importance of developing 47% of those enrolled between 2009-13, in these life skills cannot be over-emphasised. comparison to the mainstream primary school average of 42.5% girls in the same counties.

4 Postmus J., Davis R., Hoge G., Koechlin E., Mazwarira A., Evans D., Akaba S. and Mammy F. 2 Nichols T (2013), End of Programme Evaluation of (2012), Examining Gender Based Violence and ALP, Implemented by IBIS Liberia, Manitou Inc. Abuse among Liberian School Students in Four 3 Government of Liberia (2008), Liberia Poverty Counties: An Exploratory Study, Rutgers University Reduction Strategy, Government of Liberia and Cuttington University

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provided an incentive set at a rate comparable to government teachers, and schools were supplied with learning materials. Teachers also developed teaching resources from locally available materials.

b. Teacher upgrading

Working closely with the newly established MoE’s Rural Teacher Training Institutes “You know, as a human being it’s good to read (RTTI) in Webbo, ALP teachers without and write. If you work in an office and someone accreditation were able to build on their skills carries a letter for you, you don’t need others to by enrolling in RTTI, with the support of IBIS, read it for you. Or you might wanna send a and obtaining a teaching certificate. In 2009, a letter to your sister in Monrovia – how can you mere 24% of all Government teachers working send it if you cannot read or write?” Annie Hare in Maryland and 28% of teachers in Grand Kru (19), ALP graduate who now attends a Junior had received any form of training6. IBIS High School in Harper. Like most ALP learners, her education was severely disrupted supported teachers by providing training on by the war, spending a number of years as a sitting and passing the entrance examination refugee in neighbouring Cote D’Ivoire. for RTTI, reimbursing transport costs to sit exams, and providing a one-off “parachute fund” for those successful teachers leaving ALP Teachers to start at RTTI. As many as two thirds of ALP teachers did not even have high-school leaving a. Quality teaching and learning certificates – which became a pre-requisite for 7 ALP teachers demonstrated reflective skills and entering into RTTI - when joining ALP . The child-centred learning methodology through first step for IBIS then was to prepare them to ongoing training and support provided by IBIS. sit the high-school leaving test. By 2013, 30 The evaluation found that at the school level ALP teachers (25%) had successfully enrolled teachers engaged in team teaching, peer into Webbo RTTI, the only accrediting facility observations and joint lesson planning. that serves the south east of Liberia, yet has Observations also revealed teachers effectively only graduated an average of 96 teachers per including girls in lessons; creating a gender- year since 2008. As such ALP increased the sensitive learning environment. The majority of pool of qualified teachers from some of the teachers were un-trained and unaccredited prior most rural communities in the south east of to joining the programme5 but cluster training Liberia for employment by the Government. workshops, which focused on methodology and content, on-the-job learning, and regular visits from IBIS trainers all helped to promote quality teaching and learning. In addition, teachers were 6 Ministry of Education (2010), The 2008/09 National School Census Report, Government of Liberia 5 Communities identified individuals who were 7 This was contrary to what was reported to IBIS considered to have the best potential to become when the teachers were recruited: upon checking teachers, in line with MoE requirements. A minimum certificates and examination records for enrollment of one teacher per community had to be female and in TTI, it became apparent that most did not hold teachers were expected to hold a high-school leaving the high-school leaving certificate they had initially certificate. indicated.

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c. Empowering women sessions focusing on awareness-raising of roles and follow-up of activity plans, as well as 8 In a context where 61% of women are illiterate providing some material support – can be and just 1 in every 10 government primary considered a qualified success. school teachers is a woman9, the challenges for greater involvement of women in the education sector are substantial. Through proactive recruitment of female teachers and regular female teacher-specific workshops, 28% of all ALP teachers recruited were women, with the proportion increasing to 35% in the final year as the programme reduced in size. 40% of those successfully enrolling in TTI were also women. Whilst these figures show there is still considerable work to be done, they also demonstrate how ALP worked as a positive step towards greater representation and empowerment of women in the education sector.

Communities a. Establishing functional Parent Teacher Associations (PTA) Getrude Doe (32), joined the ALP teaching staff 14 out of 24 ALP school communities (58%) had in 2009. Although the war prevented her from established well functioning PTA’s with a further completing high school, her potential was 9 having established a functional structure but spotted by the community who nominated her still requiring support by closure of the to teach ALP. She explains, “because I had programme. Functional PTA’s can be described training with IBIS I was not afraid”. She is now studying at Webbo Rural Teacher Training as organisations which understand their role, Institute (RTTI) to obtain her teaching meet regularly, have a clear structure with qualification, having successfully passed the supporting documents such as an operational entrance exam in 2013. manual, and carry out activities that support the school. Given the low level of participation by women in local decision-making, women and girls membership and involvement in PTA’s was also promoted. Activities can include follow-up of irregular or dropout learners, particularly girls, and supporting the school in infrastructure maintenance. Since PTA’s were not functioning at the onset of ALP, this aspect of IBIS’ community mobilisation efforts – mainly focused around facilitating regular meetings, training

8 Government of Liberia (2008), Liberia Poverty Reduction Strategy, Government of Liberia 9 Ministry of Education (2010), The 2008/09 National School Census Report, Government of Liberia

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Working with Communities

David Wilson is principal at Andrewville Elementary School, Grand Kru County, and secretary in the Parents Teacher Association (PTA).

David has been principal at the school since 1997 and a member of the PTA since the group was established in 2010, with support from IBIS.

For many years the school was hosted in the church building but in 2010 the PTA decided to build a real school. Being in rural Liberia the government rarely reaches the school to do the monitoring and maintenance of the buildings, so the running of the school increasingly becomes a community responsibility. With no money to buy materials, the PTA engaged the community to provide manpower and gather locally available materials. The PTA traded coconuts from the beach for things which couldn’t be collected in the surroundings such as nails, planks and zinc for the roof. Today, three years later, the community has a school building with three classrooms and a principal’s office/reading room.

The PTA also plays an active daily role. David explains that from IBIS’ PTA trainings they have learned about the roles and responsibilities of the PTA, which have made them more efficient in their support to the school: “The chairman and the co-chairman of the PTA check the classes and if there is a poor attendance they go from house to house and speak with the parents.” David explains that they try to find out why the children are not in school and they encourage the parents to send them back to school. “In the community we even have a law; if they [the children] don’t go to school they can’t go under the palm tree [plantation]”: one of the main reasons for student dropping out in Andrewville is the lure of working in the palm plantations. According to David the monitoring is working and they see that more children are coming to school after the PTA has talked to the parents.

More than just for the sake of monitoring the student and teacher attendance, David recognises how invaluable it is for the PTA to know about their roles and responsibilities: “It is important because if the PTA is weak, the school system goes down”.

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3. Challenges b. Reading ability A sample11 of the functional literacy skills of This section identifies some of the challenging ALP graduates in 2013 revealed that the findings and dilemmas that require average reading speed of learners was 38 words consideration for the analysis of IBIS’ experience per minute. This is lower than the Liberian with ALP in Liberia and the lessons that can be national benchmark of 45 correct words per drawn, which will be outlined in Section 4. minute by the end of grade 3, which is considered the minimum speed for Learners comprehension of what is being read. Of a. Learners dropping out of school particular concern is that the standardised Early Grade Reading Assessment (EGRA) used ALP experienced an increasing number of to measure the learners’ reading skills is learners dropping out of classes over the school designed for grade 3 learners’ vocabulary, not cycle, peaking in the final year of grade 6, the equivalent grade of ALP graduates. implementation at 35% of those enrolled (36% Essentially this means that learners were for girls). The reasons cited by learners were unable to participate fully in learning, despite numerous (see table below) and point to the the positive learning outcomes highlighted significant barriers to accessing education that above. young people in Liberia face. A particular ongoing challenge was the need for learners to IBIS’ approach to ALP included training for earn a living, through work such as in the gold teachers on literacy and reading, and provision mines or tapping rubber. ALP was unable to of reading materials to each school, including fully address these barriers, despite IBIS’ efforts reading boxes, yet the challenges of poor to provide an inclusive learning environment, literacy skills existed until the end. A number including additional classes for learners with of possible explanations can be suggested, irregular attendance, encouragement of girls’ including: teachers were still not or did not feel attendance during pregnancy and re-enrolment they were equipped to teach reading; lesson after, and supporting PTA’s in follow-up of time and assessment was not focused enough individual cases of absentee children. PTAs also on reading nor checking reading worked with mining companies to discourage comprehension and learners did not feel the employment of learners. comfortable showing they did not understand; reading materials were not utilised.

5 most prevalent reasons for % who Teachers dropping out10 reported Relocated to other (more urban) a. Teacher motivation 27% communities Working, predominantly in the gold 21% Despite regular visits and support from IBIS mines teacher trainers, as well as focused support to Pregnancy or child caring duties 16% (including boys) school principals, ALP teacher motivation was Lost motivation to continue or were 8% a challenge in many schools. Symptoms of low discouraged by poor results Sickness 5% motivation were poor attendance and punctuality, absence of lesson planning, and unwillingness to be involved in additional

10 Findings from interviews with 236 learners from a total of 377 learners who stopped attending ALP 11 Based on a sample of 50 ALP students in 2 classes in 2012/13 districts and 5 schools

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duties such as managing school clubs. teachers were more likely to transmit the Absenteeism was a particular challenge with curriculum verbatim, and spend much time schools that had weak leadership, where school translating it into the learners’ first language, principals were not working effectively. This including in assessments. inevitably affected learner attendance and motivation, as well as learning outcomes. Communities b. Record-keeping a. Active community support

Related to teacher motivation, accurate school Learning time was disrupted throughout the data collection was a persistent challenge. year, with community activities – everything Enrolment records were often inaccurate and from funerals, bereavements, market days, and day-to-day attendance registers not kept or were important visitors to football games and purposely misrepresented, with details of the traditional haircuts – taking precedence over number of learners dropping out of classes schools staying open. The frequency at which remaining opaque. The culture of inflating schools were closed, and the apparent learner numbers reflected the chronic willingness of communities for it to happen, governance issues within the education sector reflected an attitude that children’s education more widely. It was grounded in the following was not a daily priority. Whilst communities rationale and assumptions: that larger numbers expressed support for education and ALP in of learners would lead to more resources to particular, in reality the application of this schools, particularly school feeding rations through, for example, effective PTA action was delivered by the World Food Programme infrequently evidenced. (WFP), and that highlighting learners’ dropping b. Capacity of local partners out risked the school, and teachers, being punished for under-performing or the phase-out As an international NGO, IBIS aimed to of ALP altogether12. Workshops and other strengthen its legitimacy and accountability in measures to build trust and raise awareness of Liberia through close collaboration with not the benefits to all for having an accurate just the Government but also with local civil understanding of learner numbers did not fully society organisations (CSO’s). A significant overcome this challenge. challenge was the absence of well-organised CSO’s with grassroots membership to partner c. Mother tongue and level of language skills with in ALP in the south east of Liberia. In In many communities the standardised English addition, a central focus of IBIS’ work with the found in the curriculum was not widely spoken. few partners that did exist was on For those where English was more prevalent, it organisational capacity support. Whilst IBIS was Liberian English, a vernacular rather than a anticipated such an environment, and literary language. With teachers sometimes developed strategies to support this context, reflecting the language capacities of the the level and breadth of support required for communities in which they taught, and the local partners and the protracted pace of curriculum “language blind” (based on the establishing full partnerships meant that initial assumption that the language of instruction is approaches and timeframes needed to be the first language of all learners), this meant that revised.

12 One of the initial criteria for community entry was the identification of a minimum of 100 learners per community to be ready to benefit from ALP

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the end of ALP, in many communities the

4. Lessons Learnt dominance of over-age learners was so great in conventional primary schools that Extending the discussion so far, this section grades were simply replaced by ALP considers the implications and draws initial classes. This meant that, for example, conclusions from IBIS’ experience. conventional schools would stop at grade 2 Learners and simply have ALP levels 2 and 3 classes thereafter, without offering grades 3 ! ALP has the potential to be an effective and through to 6. A consistent message from efficient approach to absorb a cohort of learners, communities and local MoE learners who are too old to join conventional authorities was the need for a continuation primary schools. There are positive learning of ALP, despite the contrasting message at outcomes and it can act as a bridge for out- the policy level. of-school children to rejoin the formal education system. Nevertheless, in its ! Young people continue to face a multitude current form, if learners are emerging from of barriers to accessing and staying in the programme having limited functional education. In ALP, the communication literacy skills then the extent of its efficacy channels between learner, teacher and must be questioned. ALP curriculum was school stopped working effectively, with conceived of under the assumption that teachers uninformed about the reasons learners come in to the programme with behind the increasing number of children basic literacy and some knowledge of and dropping out of classes. As a consequence exposure to English. However, the subject of responding to the drop out challenge was a Language Arts currently in the curriculum reactive activity, with the first task being an does not meet the learning needs. Without exercise in gathering data about why explicit attention being paid to teaching learners had stopped coming. The reading comprehension, for example as a importance for school communities, and specific area of ongoing assessment particularly teachers, to be equipped to embedded within the curriculum, the results diagnose learner needs, to be alert to indicate that the current design of the changing circumstances and be able to programme will not equip learners with this respond to the push and pull of outside core foundational learning skill. pressures, was emphasised. At the same time it was evident that the dominant ! The point above also underlines the attitude in communities is that children’s challenges of not having a standardised opinions and insights are not sought or criteria for assessing learning outcomes highly valued, with children subsequently within ALP. If learners can successfully also un-accustomed to and uncomfortable graduate from ALP without acquiring basic about speaking frankly when given the literacy skills, this clearly has implications on opportunity. the strength of the assessment criteria being used in schools. ! The importance of child protection in schools is a matter that has not been given ! There is still a need and demand for ALP or enough attention. Given the high rate of an alternative which targets age-appropriate young girls becoming pregnant and the basic education for young people. Whilst widely reported levels of gender based learner numbers started to decline towards sexual violence in Liberia including in

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schools13, there is a distinct absence of must be effective monitors of education policies and procedures that emphasise how quality including teacher attendance and schools, including ALP, can and must performance. protect learners against this and ensure a ! safe and friendly learning environment. As an extension of the above, the most common factor in schools that were Teachers functioning effectively – for example, where learners and teachers were punctual ! 14 Adopting the Spiral Model ensured the and attendance consistent, accurate school application of more learner-centred records were kept and the school well- methodology in the classroom, teachers maintained – was the presence of a supporting each other and being reflective in committed and motivated principal. and on their work. The emphasis here was on continual professional development, with ! The dependency on principals also teacher trainers following up on cluster highlighted the low capacity of the local workshops with school level teacher support education authorities to support schools. to re-visit and reinforce methodologies The county and district level education raised in workshops, rather than treating authorities were unable to provide any training activities as one-off isolated events. regular supervisory or monitoring role to ALP schools or conventional schools, often ! Low teacher motivation is often attributed to requesting IBIS for support such as paper, unreliable or non-existent salaries. This was fuel, and/or transportation. As such there not the experience with ALP teachers. The was little evidence of the ongoing process provision of a timely and competitive of decentralisation of educational financial incentive to ALP teachers, as well responsibilities within the MoE. as monthly visits from teacher trainers and twice yearly cluster workshops, was not ! Training teachers on teaching sufficient to secure motivation for all. methodology and content is not enough to Amongst other things, teachers also need ensure sufficient development of learners’ strong and effective day-to-day management literacy. A focused effort is required on and leadership; without it, absenteeism and building capacity in teaching literacy and poor lesson preparation can follow. As such particularly reading skills, for example in this places the spotlight on the importance of the teaching of phonics, testing and school principals. Teachers also need to be checking reading comprehension and the supported by and accountable to their use of supporting learning materials. communities. This means that communities Assessment and, where necessary, development of teachers’ own literacy skills

is also an essential step. In addition, 13 Postmus J., Davis R., Hoge G., Koechlin E., Mazwarira A., Evans D., Akaba S. and Mammy F. teachers need to have the capacity to teach (2012), Examining Gender Based Violence and Abuse English as a second language. among Liberian School Students in Four Counties: An Exploratory Study, Rutgers University and Cuttington Communities University 14 See Appendix, and for further information: ! Ensuring community support of ALP has Sguazzin, T. and D. du Toit. (2000), The spiral model: been pivotal to its success. Community new options for supporting the professional development of implementers of outcomes-based buy-in underpins the achievements of education. Learning for Sustainability Project. ALP, with community participation from Johannesburg.

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the onset of the project (in the selection process for school locations), throughout its implementation and its eventual closure central to IBIS’ decision-making and activities.

! Building community ownership of schools takes time. Communities were quick to acknowledge the importance of schooling for children and willing to support ALP when requested. However, developing a spirit of committed volunteerism towards supporting schools (i.e. to be motivated primarily by the desire for quality education for their children, rather than for pay or because of encouragement from an external agency), particularly in a post-conflict context where one in two adults is illiterate and the social fabric is still being healed, is a “I wanted to learn about the pen-business.” long term activity where progress can be Despite dropping out of school twice, James slow. Maston (19) was able to successfully graduate from ALP in 2011. He is currently completing The importance of flexible programming Junior High School in Pleebo City, Maryland County. ! As a cross-cutting lesson, many of the

achievements of ALP were possible because of adaptable and flexible programming. With regards to learners, IBIS adapted its enrolment criteria from Phase 1 and 2, in response to feedback from learners, shifting from one level per year to running all three levels simultaneously. This enabled learners to be placed directly into the relevant level. In the final years of implementation additional levels were also offered and timetabling adjusted for learners who had dropped out but wanted to return. In a context where communication can be delayed between MoE at the national and local level, and where policies and procedures are still developing, the ability to alter activities, shift targets and re-plan was also pivotal in IBIS’ support to teachers. This was particularly the case in registering and enrolling teachers into Webbo RTTI, as entry requirements for the institution changed and exam dates continually altered.

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school system: for example those who drop 5. Recommendations out for economic reasons, street children and girls who have been withdrawn from Looking forward, with the finalisation of IBIS’ school. IBIS’ experience is that learners and implementation of ALP in Maryland and Grand communities see ALP, with its child- Kru, the focus turns to the MoE. Fundamentally, centred learning, condensed content, and the MoE must clarify its stance on accelerated flexibility, as a model for schooling, rather learning and/or Alternative Basic Education than being second-rate. (ABE). The current Education Sector Plan states that ALP will be phased out whilst also confusingly indicating that the ALP curriculum should be broadened15. It stresses the importance of all learners starting at the right age, whilst putting in place provisions and structures such that no individual is denied the possibility of primary education because of age, language and/or circumstances.

IBIS’ field level experience is that there is no clear plan for what is to replace ALP, how it will be implemented, or alternatively how ALP is to be re-designed. The ongoing need is clear: the national Gross Enrolment Rate (GER) of 110% at primary level compared to a 43% Net Enrolment Rate (NER) indicates that only a small percentage of individuals of the official age are 16 enrolled at the different levels of schooling . The following, then, are recommendations primarily “It was a good place for me… The good thing for the MoE, based on the experiences and about ALP is that I learned math so when I’m lessons learnt outlined in this document, but are selling things in the market I know the money.” Elizabeth Harris (21), who graduated from also applicable to potential implementing ALP, Harper, Maryland County, in 2008. partners:

! There must be recognition and accreditation ! Any implementation of ALP must of ALP on a sustained basis, rather than recognise learners, not just as the centre of seeing it as a temporary, emergency solution learning in the classroom, but also as the to clear a backlog of learners. Not only has centre of programme design. Children the immediate need resulting from the should be seen as central actors rather than breakdown of the education sector during purely as target beneficiaries. This means the conflict not been met, there will always that ALP must ensure that learners have a be children who fall out of the conventional means to continually communicate with school communities and implementers, so 15 Ministry of Education (2010), The Education Sector that the programme can be shaped around Plan for Liberia – A Commitment to Making a their needs. This demands that ALP must Difference, Government of Liberia be flexible in order to be adaptable to 16 Ministry of Education/UNICEF (2012), 2010/2011 National School Census Report; The Situation of Children and Women in Liberia, UNICEF

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learners, for example in areas such as ! Ongoing supervision and support to basic timetabling and enrolment. education, including ALP, from the MoE at the school level must be firmly established. ! The ALP curriculum must be re-designed to IBIS’ experience is that visitations by local have a more specific focus on literacy skills. education officials to schools is at best ALP learners invariably enter the infrequent and limited, and often non- programme without basic literacy and the existent. Without this supportive current curriculum does not adequately infrastructure, quality education cannot be address this skills gap. Literacy should guaranteed, regardless of levels of material include continuing assessment of basic support, and places too much weight on reading skills such as reading speed and the leadership capacity and will of the comprehension. school principal. It also leaves the ! The reality that the standardised English community as the sole monitor of the found in the Liberian curriculum is not school. Furthermore, local education widely understood in rural communities, officials must be equipped with the tools either by learners or teachers, must be and instruments to effectively and considered for its implications on education systematically monitor the quality of quality. At the bare minimum, it is education in schools. recommended that ALP teachers should be ! Teacher training should be long term, formally encouraged to use local languages formed around clusters, and give teachers, (Liberian English and indigenous languages) principals and supervisors opportunities to for those whose mother tongue is not the meet, plan, share and critically reflect on language of instruction. Reading materials their experiences. Any workshops must be and other teaching and learning resources in followed-up with school-based support. these local languages is also recommended. ! Teacher training should include focus on ! There must be clear standards for learning methodology, including gender-sensitive outcomes which are assessed during, and on and learner centred pedagogies, subject completion of, ALP. At present each school content, including literacy, diagnosis of is free to design its own form of assessment learner needs, and school administration – meaning quality learning outcomes cannot particularly the collection and be assured. maintenance of accurate learner records, ! Policies and procedures concerning child and the reasons such data is collected. A protection in ALP, and beyond, must be focus on the skills required for teaching formalised and enforced as a priority. As English as a second language is also well as actively promoting the recruitment of necessary. female teachers, safe mechanisms must be in ! Communities must be involved in all place for learners to be able to report gender aspects of ALP. As well as being an integral based violence and abuse. There must be a part of the consultative process, work with national code of conduct, with explicit focus communities should include training on on child protection, for all teachers to sign establishing and maintaining PTA’s, and and receive training; awareness-raising and providing skills and knowledge to hold support must also focus on PTA’s. school management and local education authorities accountable for their spending. At the same time, in light of the challenges

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that IBIS and other implementers of ALP have faced in building sustained community ownership of schools17, a review should be conducted of how to approach community mobilisation, including an evaluation of the MoE’s training manual for PTA’s.

! In order to continue enhancing the quality of education, steps must be put in from programme inception on how to measure

effectiveness and impact. This includes “The biggest change in my life since ALP is rigorous baselines that measure learning – that I have learned how to teach properly. such as literacy levels – and designing Before, even though I was a community evaluations that use comparison group- [volunteer] teacher, I didn’t know much studies. Similarly, programme design, such about teaching. Today I can compete with as the development of monitoring and trained teachers. I see the difference because evaluation indicators, must be flexible and the students are doing much better in my classes now than before.” Isaac D. Kyne (42), adaptable enough take into consideration ALP teacher in Scottville Elementary, Pleebo local contextual factors to reflect relative City, Maryland County levels of effectiveness and achievement.

17 For example see the Norwegian Refugee Council’s experience of implementing ALP in Liberia: Nkutu, Anne, Bang, T. and Dorothy Tooman, (2010), ALP Final Evaluation Report (NRC): Protecting Children’s Right to Education, http://www.nrc.no/arch/_img/9488525.pdf

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Appendix

An overview of the Spiral Model:

Extract from: Sguazzin, T. and D. du Toit. (2000), The spiral model: new options for supporting the professional development of implementers of outcomes-based education. Learning for Sustainability Project. Johannesburg, p24

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IBIS works for a just world in which all people have equal access to education, influence and resources

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IBIS in Liberia Monrovia Office Old Road, opposite Nigeria House Congo Town, Monrovia +231 (0)77 656 268

©IBIS Liberia 2013

This document was written by Charlie Gordon, 2013. Individual cases stories written by Sara Skovgaard. Cover photo by Lotte Ærsøe. Other photos by Sara Skovgaard and Charlie Gordon.

The cover photo is of an ALP student at Jalorkudi Elementary School in Maryland County, Liberia.