~RTI I NTE R NAT I ONA L
USAID/Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Annual Work Plan - Year 1
April 2015 - September 2016
Cooperative Agreement: AID-617-A-15-00009 Revised March 15, 2015 This document was produced by RTI International for review by the United States Agency for International Development. USAIDIUganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity
April 2015 - September 2016 Annual Report Cooperative Agreement: AID-617-15-00009 Period Ending September 30, 2016
Prepared for: USAID/Uganda United States Agency for International Development ATTN: Agreement Officer's Represe.ntative 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/
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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. RRTI I N T E R N A TI O N A L
Table of Contents 1 . List of Tables ...... iv
List of Figures ...... ·...... : ...... iv
Acronyms ...... v
About the USAIDIUganda.Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity ...... :...... : ...... 1
Executive Summary ...... ·...... ·... 3 .
1. Introduction ...... : ...... 5 1.1 Project Description ...... 6
1.2 LARA Res.ults Framework and Theory of Change ...... 6 1.3 Integrated Approach ...... 12
1.4 Activity Coverage and Geographic Focus ...... 13
2. Project Context ...... : ...... 22
3. Project Year 1 Activities and Expected Results ...... : ...... 26 3.1 Introduction to Result 1 ...... 26
3.2 Result 1 Activity Sheets ...... 32 3.3 Introduction to Result 2 ...... 53
.IR 2.1: Strengthen capacity of the education system to implement SRGBV-related policy ...... 55
IR 2.2: Strengthen schools to provide a positive and supportive school climate for learning ...... 56
IR 2.3: Strengthen community commitment and capacity to provide SRGBV prevention and response programs ...... 57
4. Project Management ...... 80 4 .1 Introduction ...... 80 4.2 Budget Overview ...... 95
4.3 Cost-share Requirements for Year 1 : ...... 95
4.4 Short-Term Technical Assistance ...... 95
5. Risks and Challenges ...... : ...... 99
Annex A. Year 1 Annual Work Plan Gantt Chart (April 2015-September 2016) ...... 100
Annex C. Early Grade Reading Action Matrix - Department of Basic Education ...... 118
USAID I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Work Plan iii List of Tables
Table 1: Activity Regions and Districts ...... 13
Table 2: District, Language, and Estimated Number of Schools and Teachers ...... 14
Table 3: Number of Schools per Language ...... 15
Table 4: Activity Treatment/Intervention Types ...... 16
Table 5: Treatment School Summary ...... 16
Table 6: Capacity Building Targets for Result 2 ...... 18
Table 7: Control, Treatment 1, and Treatment 2 Coordinating Centers ...... 18
Table 8: Cluster Rollout: Number of Anticipated EGR Learners Reached and Number of Schools ...... 22
Table 9: MoESTS Coordination Mechanisms and Proposed EGR Mechanisms ...... 27
Table 10: Year 1 Budget Overview, April 2015-September 2016 ...... 95
Table 11: Personnel Travel Schedule for April 2015-September 2015 ...... 96
Table 12: Personnel Travel Schedule for October 2015-September 2016 ...... 96
List of Figures
Figure 1: Map of Project Focus Districts ...... 2
Figure 2: Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Results Framework ...... 9 ·
Figure 3: The Theory of Change for the USAID/Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity ...... 11
Figure 4: Breakdown of Work Structure ...... 31
iv USAID I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Work Plan DlRTI FROM THE AMERICAN PEOPLE INTER NA TI ONA L
Acronyms AA Associate Assessors
AIDS Auto immune deficiency syndrome
AIS Area Inspector of School
AME LP Activity Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Plan
AO Agreement Officer
AOR Agreement Officer's Representative
AWP annual work plan
BE Basic Education
BRMS Basic Requirements and Minimum Standards, MoESTS, March 2010
CA continuous assessment
CBO community-based organization cc Coordinating Center CCT Coordinating Center Tutor coo Community Development Officer CF community facilitator
CIMU Communication and Information Management Unit, MoESTS
CIS curriculum implementation plan
COP Chief of Party cso civil society organization DCOP Deputy Chief of Party
DEO District Education Officer
DES Directorate of Education Standards
DIS District Inspector of Schools
DREAMS determined, resilient, empowered, AIDS free, mentored, safe lives
EDP education development partner
EGR early grade reading
EGRA Early Grade Reading Assessment
FA Field Assistant
USAID I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Work Plan v FAR Federal Acquisition Regulation
FBO faith-based _organization
FY fiscal year
GOU Government of Uganda
GPE Global Partnership for Education
HR Human Resources
IR intermediate result
IT information technology
LABE Literacy and Basic Education
LARA Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity
M&E monitoring and evaluation
MEO Municipal Education Officer
MoESTS Ministry of Education, Science, Technology, and Sports
MoFPED Ministry of Finance, Planning, and Economic Development
MoGLSD Ministry of Gender, Labor, and Social Development
NCDC National Curriculum Development Center
NGO nongovernmental organization
OCA Organizational Capacity Assessment
P&IE . performance and impact evaluation
p primary or grade
PS Permanent Secretary
PTA Parent-Teacher Association
PTC primary teacher college
R result
RCF reading club facilitator
RFA Request for Application
RTRR reporting, tracking, referral, and response
SBCC social behavior change communication
SFI School Family Initiative
SHRP USAID/Uganda School Health and Reading P~ogram
SIP School Improvement Plan
SMC School Management Committee vi USAID I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Work Plan DJRTI INTERN A TIONAL
SMS short message service
SEPS Senior Education Project Specialist
SRGBV school-related gender-based violence
STTA short-term technical assistance
TBD to be determined
TIET Teacher Instruction, Education and Training
TLM teaching and learning ·materials
ToR terms of reference
TOT training of trainers
UMEA Uganda Muslim Education Association
UNATU · Uganda National Teachers Union
UNEB Uganda National Examination Board
UNICEF United Nations Children's Fund
USAID US Agency for International Development
USG US Government
VACiS violence against children in schools
WBS Work Breakdown Structure
WV World Vision
USAID I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Work Plan vii
RRTI I NTERNAT I ONA L
About the USAIDIUganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity
The Ministry of Education, Scienc~, Technology, and Sports (MoESTS) in close partnership with the US Agency for International Development (USAID)/Uganda has positioned itself for a dramatic surge i.n basic education capacity and success. The Early Grade Reading (EGR) Program and teacher training and support methods developed under the USAID/U ganda School Health and Reading Program have substantially moved the country toward a successful and sustainable national EGR approach.
The USAID/U ganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity (LARA) is designed to build upon and contribute to this momentum by expanding the early grade reading program and establishing a positive and supportive school climate in schools in an additional 28 districts. The project is designed. to work through the Government of Uganda and in collaboration with other partners. LARA will work across all levels of MoESTS and with other education stakeholders to build the literacy of early primary grade learners and improve retention. The project life is five years: April 7, 2015, to April 6, 2020. The implementing partners are the MoESTS, supported by RTI International. The goal of the USAID/U ganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity is to improve early grade reading and retention for 1.3 million learners. LARA has two main objectives: Result 1 focuses on improving reading sk.ills in three local languages (Luganda, Runyoro-Rutooro, Runyankore-Rukiga), and English for early primary (P) grade learners (i.e., Pl-P4). Result 2 focuses on (1) promoting a positive and supportive school climate for learning in participating schools; (2) strengthening the • capacity of the education system at all levels and communities to recognize, respond to, and report incidents of school-related gender-based violence (SRGBV); and (3) developing and implementing initiatives to prevent SRGBV. The project hypothesis presented and described in the theory of change states that "If there is a positive and supportive school climate for learning where teachers deliver quality instruction and are themselves supported, pupils are positively encouraged in both their academic and social development, and violence is not tolerated, then pupil and teacher attendance, pupil retention across the primary grades, and learning outcomes will be high."
Figure 1 below is a combined map showing the locations of the 31 intervention districts under the School Health and Reading Program; the 28 LARA districts; and an additional 27 districts that will be supported directly by MoESTS and the Global Partnership for Education (GPE).
USAID I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Work Plan 1 Figure 1: Map of Project Focus Districts
• Cluster 1 • Cluster 2
C:=J SHRP Districts [=:=J MoESTS GPE Districts Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Districts
2 USAID I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Wot1< Plan a RTI FROM THE AMERICAN PEOPLE I N TER NA TION A L
Executive Summary This first Annual Work Plan for the US Agency for International Development (USAID)/U ganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity (LARA) details the project activities for Result 1: Increased capacity to deliver early grade reading and Result 2: Improved retention in the primary grades, as well as the management activities that will support implementation from the period of April 7, 2015, to September 30, 2016.
LARA began at an opportune time due to strong and increasing government, donor, and nongovernmental organization (NGO) support for and action on early grade reading and . safer schools. For Result 1, LARA will be expanding the early grade reading (EGR) methodology that is currently being implemented by the USAID/Uganda School Health and Reading Program (SHRP) in 31 districts, to an additional 28 districts. Both LARA Result I and Result 2 will use a phased approach and enter 13 districts during Year 1 and 15 districts in Year 2. Similar to Uganda/LARA's expansion, Global Partnership for Education (GPE) expand EGR to an additional 27 districts. Thus, Ministry of Education, Science, Technology, and Sports (MoESTS) will be working alongside LARA, GPE, and SHRP to bring the EGR methodology to a total of 86 out of the total 112 districts.
As a consequence, Government support for Result 1 and Result 2 is strong. During the Annual Education Sector Review in August 2015, for the first time, the MoESTS identified literacy as an implementation strategy that will now require MoESTS reporting. This designation is a significant policy achievement because it raises the profile of early grade reading on the national policy agenda. The context for Result 2 will be equally conducive, for similar reasons. Result 2 will be implemented in close collaboration and partnership with the MoESTS and is aligned closely to the MoESTS 2015 National Strategy and Action Plan on Violence Against Children in Schools. Result 2 will be implemented in partnership with the MoESTS and the Ministry of Gender, Labor, and Social Development (MoGLSD). In addition to the MoESTS and MoGLSD initiatives, the Uganda Police Force has established a Child and Family Protection Unit, as well as the Sexual Gender-Based Violence and Children Related Offences · Department. These government efforts, combined with the programming efforts of bilateral, multilateral, foundational, nongovernmental, and community-based organizations, will contribute collectively to the goal of reducing violence in schools, which in turn will help increase student attendance and retention.
LARA's Result I programming focuses on improving EGR in three local languages and English. Building on the success SHRP, LARA will support the capacity development of . the broader education system, including the MoESTS, to sustain the rollout of the improved EGR model both centrally and at the district level through training and technical support. LARA will also strengthen teachers' skills and effect'iveness in
USAID I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Work Plan 3 classroom reading instruction by providing in-service training, promoting local instructional support, increasing the availability and use of EGR teaching and learning materials, and helping teachers improve student assessment and classroom management practices. Result 1 activities will help to improve supervisory support and mentoring systems for primary teachers, including reorganization of coordinating centers, Coordinating Center Tutor (CCT) deployment, capacity development of CCTs, mentoring of area inspectors and teachers in schools to better support EGR instruction, and use of essential information technologies. Finally, an integral part of LARA's sustainability strategy is the engagement of parents, families, and communities toward greater and more effective involvement in promoting literacy by encouraging reading at home and in the communit)i. The involvement of parents in their child's reading practice will involve social behavior change communication (SBCC) and will reinforce two recent MoESTS initiatives related to engaging parents in their children's learning: "Drop Everything and Read" and "Reading Corners."
Result 2 will improve children's retention and active participation in early primary grades by promoting the establishment of a positive and supportive school climate for learning in 3,146 (1398 Cluster 1treatment2 schools plus 1748 Cluster 2 schools) primary schools and by helping schools and communities in developing and implementing SRGBV reporting, response, and prevention initiatives.
Training for school personnel, community members, and students will focus on establishing teacher change agents, student support and action teams within schools, and student and community change agents. CCTs and Community Development Officers (CDOs)-supported by LARA Field Assistants, trainers, and Regional Program Officers-will build the capacity of teacher change agent teams to:
(1) train all school personnel on the knowledge foundations of school climate, early warning signs of school dropout, social-emotional learning, and SRGBV;
(2) facilitate reflection and dialogue on these topics, as well as on gender norms and power relations; and
(3) catalyze collective actions for improving school climate and responding to and preventing SRGBV.
Teacher Change Agent teams will also support the establishment and implementation of the Uganda Kids Unite groups based on the School Family Initiative concept initially developed under SHRP. The SFI methods will be adapted, into Uganda Kids Unite initiative, to allow primary school students to develop an understanding about SRGBV; to reflect individually and as a group on the prevailing gender norms and power relations in the school, home, and community that produce and perpetrate SRGBV; to develop their individual and collective sense of agency to avoid, challenge, and prevent SRGBV; and to contribute to building a positive and supportive school climate. The training curriculum for building the capacity of School Change Agent teacher teams will consist of an adaptation of the Doorways III curriculum into a five-day training-of-trainers (TOT) course. The student-oriented training and the training of community members will also be adapted from the Doorways Curriculum (i.e., Doorways I and Doorways II, respectively).
4 USA/D I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Work Plan DJ RT I INTERNAT I ONAL
Uganda's current systems for reporting, response, and survivor referral will be enhanced through development of a community-informed referral web, or network of service providers, to respond to SRGBV. In addition to maximizing the usage of reporting and referral systems by school staff and community members, this initiative will help to identify and address supply- and demand-side barriers to reporting.
Targeted national and local SBCC will ensure that all stakeholders and other actors in the education and child protection sectors are rea.ched through multi-channel communications and interactive activities. The underlying aims will be to shift the norm to more gender equality and more balanced power relations, and to challenge and prevent SRGBV.
Result 2 interventions are implemented in close coordination with the MoESTS and guided by the MoESTS National Strategic Plan on Violence against Children in Schools (V ACiS) and the Teachers' Code of Conduct.
Project management has been included with the work breakdown structure, as the project management activities are critical to the successful implementation of all other aspects of the project. Project management activities to be conducted in Year I include start-up, coordination and collaboration, project planning and implementation fidelity, human resource and performance management, logistics and procurement, monitoring, evaluation, learning, adaptation and reporting, and financial management. The management activities outlined in the start-up work plan include establishing an office in Kampala and posting representatives in the five districts of Rakai, Mpigi, Mbarara, Kiboga, and in Mukono, whose team will be housed within the District Education Office.
1. Introduction The Year 1 work plan for the US Agency for International Development (USAID)/Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity (LARA) covers the period October I, 2015, through September 30, 2016. The plan outlines the activities that are to be implemented, the results that are to be achieved, and the targets set out for Year 1.
The project works collaboratively with the Ministry of Education, Science, Technology, and Sports (MoESTS) and helps to ensure that impleip.entation is responsive to the dual challenges of low reading levels amongst children in early grades and high dropout rates due to unsafe school environments.
Activities described in this document may be revised ifthe need arises, but will not deviate from the major result areas of improved reading outcomes and reduction of school-related gender-based violence (SRGBV).
USAID I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Work Plan 5 1.1 Project Description
The USAID/U ganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity, a five-year USAID funded initiative, presents an opportunity to invest in the increased reading skills for 1.3 million learners in 28 districts throughout Uganda. Working through the Government of Uganda and in collaboration with other partners, LARA will concentrate on the two results of improved reading skills in three local languages and English for primary grades and improved retention in primary (P) grades (Pl-P4).
RTI International is responsible for overall management and the expansion of MoESTS' systemic ~arly grade reading interventions, Intermediate Results (IR) 1.1; the training and support to teachers along with the provisions of books for every child with IR 1.2; and support parents and caregivers to encourage reading at home as children learn to read, IR 1.3. In addition, RTI will also improve retention in primary grades by building the capacity of students, teachers, and other members of the community to be catalysts for transformation of gender norms in schools and communities to reduce SRGBV, Result 2.
1.2 LARA Results Framework and Theory of Change
The Results Framework and the Theory of Change for the USAID/U ganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity are presented in Figure 2 and Figure 3, respectively. When a school is safe, positive, and supportive, students look forward to attending every day and feel safe traveling to and from school. Students enjoy learning because their teachers are confident and the quality of instruction is high, which also make them happy to participate in the classroom without fear of humiliation or punishment when their answers a,re not com~ct. Supportive schools have reading materials available for pupils to practice independently in school and at home, which allows them to read with their parents and guardians and take responsibility for their own learning by working independently. When pupils have persons at school and at home who they trust to discuss challenges they face related to their studies, personal safety, or peer and staff relations, they feel supported and will not be afraid to report SRGBV experiences or seek assistance when needed. Additionally, if schools enforce a zero tolerance policy for gendered violence in school, and this policy is understood and upheld by all, pupils feel safe and are better able to concentrate on their studies. Further, if parents observe that their children love school and that they are learning to read, and also support their child's reading practice at home, they will make sure their children stay in school.
The underpinning hypothesis of the LARA Theory of Change is twofold: first, if there is a positive and supportive school climate where teachers deliver quality instruction and are themselves supported, and if pupils are positively encouraged in both their academic and social development pupil and teacher attendance, then pupil retention across the primary grades, as well as learning outcomes, will be_high.
To ensure the quality of teaching and learning, LARA focuses on literacy attainment and builds teachers' capacity to use teaching and learning materials for reading instruction effectively and deliver quality instruction in both a local language and in English. With
6 USAID I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Work Plan BRTI I NTER NA T I O N t\ l
these competencies, teachers see their students succeed, develop confidence in themselves and the new approaches, and are more likely to enjoy teaching. When quality reading instruction in the classroom is combined with regular parent involvement in their child's reading practice at home, teachers' efforts are reinforced and pupils learn that reading is valued and fun. Students who have a mind-set that reading is fun are more likely to seek out opportunities for reading practice on their own and take advantage of out-of-school reading spaces in the community, which are also supported by LARA.
Altogether, quality instruction, parental involvement in their child's reading practice, and improved pupil learning outcomes help keep pupils in school. However, LARA recognizes that quality schooling is only one among many factors to improve retention. Strengthened commitment and capacity of the education system and the school community to prevent and mitigate the impact of SRGBV are also needed. Thus, a positive and supportive school climate for learning is not limited to improved instruction. Students must feel safe, cared about by their teachers, and respected by other pupils and teachers; and they must have avenues to report and obtain assistance when acts of SRGBV are perpetrated against them or when they witness acts of SRGBV perpetrated against others. Therefore, schools must actively work towards establishing the needed SRGBV reporting and response structures, as well as work to eliminate all forms of SRGBV, bullying, other forms of non-sexual intimidation, corporal punishment, and sexual violence.
The success of instructional supports and activities to establish positive and supportive schools where SRGBV is not tolerated greatly depends on (1) national and subnational management systems and (2) the policy environment that gives government credibility and a framework within which these initiatives work. Therefore, LARA will work with and through government structures to strengthen the policy environment surrounding EGR and eliminate V ACiS. LARA will directly address the myths and social norms that potentially limit progress and sustainability. For example, it is common for parents who are non-readers to lack the confidence and self-efficacy to feel that they can assist their children with their reading practice. It is not standard practice in Uganda for parents to read with young children in the home. However, the role of parents in supporting their children's learning is critical. Further, prominent gender norms in communities reinforce the male and female stereotypes and power relations that produce and perpetuate SRGBV. These norms and beliefs present barriers to reporting and allow SRGBV to go unchecked. LARA will involve communities in all aspects of the program, including engaging parents in their children's reading, thereby facilitating the cooperation of schools and communities in all aspects of SRGBV response and prevention.
A positive and supportive school climate that is established collectively by the school community combined with a committed and capable education management system and an enabling policy environment will serve to increase pupil attendance in the short term
USAID I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Work Plan 7 and keep students in school through the completion of primary grades. Pupils who stay in school and feel safe and comfortable in their schools will achieve improved learning outcomes and be better prepared for lifelong learning, through either continued academic studies or life in general.
8 USA/D I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Work Plan ~ USAID DJRTI FROM THE AMERICAN PEOPLE I NTE R NAT I ONAL
Figure 2: Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Results Framework
· USAID I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Work Plan 9 Activity Objective : Improved Reading Skills for 1. 3 Mllllon Children • Proportion of stud en t s who, by the end of two grades of primary schoo lin g, d e mon strate th at they can read a nd understand the mean ing of grade leve l text (FAF Indicator 3.2 .1-27) • Prop9rtion of P4 learne rs reading at agreed ben chmark of ORF words per minute • Numb e r of learn e rs receiving readin g interventions at t he primary leve l (FAF Indicator 3.2.1 -35) • Numb er o f learn ers enrolled in primary .school s a nd /or e qui va lent non -sch ool-ba sed setti ngs with USG support (FAF Indicator 3.2.1-14) -, 'f"'- ...... Result 1: Increased capacity to deliver early grade reading • Proportion of t eachers w ho demonstrate adeq uat e upt ake of in st ructional method s Result 2: Improved retention in primary grades • Proportion of classrooms wit h adeq uate numb er of key teachi ng a nd lea rnin g mater ials • Proport ion of schoo ls reporting an average of 80% attendance or highe r acr.oss the repo rt ing p eri od • Pi-oportion of teachers .receiving at least one coach lng visit p er term durin g school year
Positive and Supportive School Climate
IR 2.1: Improved capacity of IR 2.2 : School s strengthened to provide a education system to positive and supportive school climate for IR 1.1 : Improved planning and IR 1.2 : Improved reading Implement SRGBV-related learning management of ea rly grade instruction in Pl to P4 policies • #of student s trai ned is SRGBV IR 2 .3: Strengthened reading classrooms IR 1.3: Increased community • # of natio n a l and • #of t eachers trained in SRGBV community commitment and • #of law s, policie s, • #of teachers who and household level subnational e duc ati on • % of scho ols wi t h esta bli shed m echanisms for capacity to support SRGBV regulations , o r g uid elines successfull y completed in involvement in promoting officials trained on n at ur e, SRGBV pr eve nt ion and re spon ses prevention and response d eve lop e d or modi fied to servi ce training or rec eive d literacy attainment ba sis for, a nd pr eve nt io n of • % of tea chers w ho report that t hey h ave a programs improve primary g rade Intensive coaching with USG • #PT As or governance SRGBV role to play in teac h ing pup ils a bou t Sender • #of commu nity member s reading programs a nd suppo rt st ructure s su ppo rted • % of school s observed to equality tr a ined in the nature , basis increase e quit a.ble access • #texts an d other TLMs • % of ch ildr e n who report have CCT w r itten feedback • % of t ea chers wh o report that they h ave a for, and prevention o f • % observed reading lessons pro vided with USG that a parent or other on SRGBV prevention role to pl ay in taking action to eli min ate SRGBV following lesson plan assistance cargiver at hom e reads to or • # SRGBV cases reported to SRGBV • Community ave rage of • #standardized learning • # CCTs and other with them a uthoriti es • School ave rage index of pupils' percept:ion of parenr/guardlan att itudes assessment s supported by sup erv isors who atten d ed • Exte nt of pupil re port ed school c/imat:e about gender equalit:y USG . 75% of tr aini ng course s incidents of SRGBV In last • School ave rage on pupil s' ot:t:it:udes obout: t er m , disaggrega ted by form gender e quality ofSRGBV • Schoo l average of school s taff attitude s ab o ut gender equality
• Book distribution • Train ing teacher s, officials , community members, and par ents on th e nature , basis for , an d p reven t ion of SRGBV • Teacher training in best pr actices for teaching reading • Mapping SRGBV referral we b which is in formed by community an d t a ps int o existi ng structures • Trainin g and prov ision of quality te ache r coaching to support sust ained upt ake of EGR be st pr act ices • Esta blish and su pp ort school -level peer supp ort group s (i.e ., pupil "familles" , club s) wit h t h e goa l of bu ildin g strong • Socia l be h avior cha nge comm un icatio ns strat egy to e nh a nce parent 's involvement in the ir child ' s reading pupil and t eacher cha mp ion s in a dd ressi ng and e liminatin g SRGBV pra ctic e at home • Throu g h CC wo r kshop s, facilitate schoo l-dr ive n plannin g for re portin g, responding , a nd pr event in g SRGBV • Establi sh and support active out-of-school reading spaces • Gu ld e a nd sup port d istrict-level sup port an d su p ervisi on teams for moni tori ng and supportin g safe schoo ls • Targe t e d gra nts to facili tate an d support community-l ev el SRGBV prevent ion
10 USAID I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Work Plan USAID DJRT I FROM THE AMERICAN PEOPLE I NTERNAT I ONAL
Medium strateeie~ term Outcomes • c:J -"' Limited c a p a city of t ea c he r s to Prov i d e adequate trainin g I n g I r u • ~ teach •reading effectlve ly i n mproved readi nst ction to te achers to Pl to P4 classroo m s ":{:- the ea rly g ra des -0 ~ Provide app ropri ate TL Ms ~ "5 Provide on g oing suppo rt 00 0 c::-6. to teachers, sharing of E e b es t pract ices,. and testing ·- -0 Lack of a d equate instr u ctional In c r ease d community - a nd Ci. 0 ideas to accele rate Increased ca p aci ty mater ials in pub lic sc hool s l i n l m e n t r ea din g household -leve vo ve to deliver ear ly ~-§ in promot in g 1lteracy · Provide r ezidlng mater ia ls gra d e re a din g ~ .8 attainment CJ nd grants f or :.; ~ "' => comm uniti es to jj E Limited c ommunit y and partic ipa te i n their 00 <= <= 0 parental i nvolvement in children "s read i ng l u literacy a ctivities pr og r ess I<= Systems s e n g thening tr Impro ved planning and _g and capacity building In ~ "' mana ge ment of ea rly gra d e .E p la nning bu dgeting and readi n g ..., Lim ited capacity of the communicat i ng e duc atio n system to deliver .)? ear ly grade re a d ing ~ 00 <= 'O Str e ngth e ned schoo l capacity ~ St r en gthe n to prov id e p ositive and -0 ~ Repllc ati o n i n schools of th e l-o - imp leme ntation of supportive learning "' ~ § .8 dominant social norm s that e SRGBV-related laws an d environment "' ~ -0 condone SRGBV and support .~ ..i::=. ~ policie s ~ ·;;;; ~ 2 .impunity 0 ~ - Facilitate th e ~~~ d eve lopme n t a nd <= "' <= Imp lemen t at io n of "' - 0 school-owned st rategy to Improved retent ion ~~~ Families and communities are estab lish a positiv e an d Increased communlty ·support In p r-imary gra d e s ~ ~ ~ 2i; to prevent and r esp ond to 0 c:: ~·c..::i not a b le to reco g nize , preven t , su pportiv e school climat e c:: rD - er:: an d r espond to SRGBV that has zero to le ranc e SRGBV -~ ~ g_ V'l Q) · - "C forSRGB V Provide grants to .~ ~~ ~-;::E communit i es to pro t ect 0 ...E 0 ch i ldr en a nd prevent an d Low capacity of the educat ion -5 -~~ respond to SRG BV at ~ 1:: -0 system to Impl ement and Impr oved ca p ilcity of th e school a nd community "' 0 <= follow-up on policies to education sys t em t o I .::: 8: ~ leve l prot ect children from SRGBV im pl ement SRGBV-re la ted I a policies
Critical Assumptions: Teaching children in their local language in early grades helps them learn to read faster before they transition to English in higher grades ; teachers are open to changing their current methods of teaching and using enhanced materials; trained teachers will be retained in intervention schools: perseverance of learners in primary schools is in part a result of safety in and a ro und schools; a positive and supportive environment leads to retention and improved learning; community and parental involvement is critical in improving retention and literacy attainment; MoESTS officials will devote time to eng.c.ge in program activities: and grants will be able to cover interventions at scale. Figure 3: The Theory of Change for the USAID/Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity USAID I Uganda uteracy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Worl At the core of all ofLARA's work is the business of promoting whole systems change related to early grade reading, building positive and supportive schools, and reducing SRGBV. These three efforts involve promoting joint institutional learning among government counterparts, schools, and communities; establishing a common understanding about what effective early grade reading instruction and a positive and supportive school climate "look and feel like"; collectively making decisions and experimenting regarding ways to achieve targeted behavior changes related to increased student reading practice out of school, improved school climate, and gender equal attitudes and practices; continuously monitoring and supporting schools and communities in their way forward towards improving early grade reading outcomes; and stimulating a more positive and supportive school climate that is free from SRGBV. As such, organizational learning is fundamental in all of the LARA interventions. The Result Framework, presented in Figure 2 shows the continuity of Intermediate Results across Result l and Result 2. Intermediate Results at the first level in both Results concentrate on building capacity and strengthening the education system to manage and deliver strong early grade reading programs and to implement national policies for preventing SRGBV. Two activities are particularly pointed in this integration. The first is an integrated support supervision activity that involves both the participation of district officials and integrated day-long training followed by school monitoring visits and school debriefings with head teachers and trained teachers. At the second level, Field Assistants, Regional Program Officers, and CCTs will all participate in routine school monitoring and support visits that involve support provision related to all three LARA areas: early grade reading service delivery; student materials lending practices; positive and supportive school climate; response and prevention of SRGBV; Uganda Kids Unite teams; and response to early warning signs for school dropout. ' At the third level, Result 1 and Result 2 activities are integrated in three ways. The first type of integration involves social behavior change (SBCC) for enhancing parents' . involvement in their child's reading practice; building a positive and supportive school climate; implementing national systems for reporting, referring, and tracking cases of SRGBV; and preventing SRGBV. Local SBCC initiatives will reinforce the national campaign and key messages related to reading, school climate, and SRGBV prevention through locally driven programming and direct work with parents and community members. The second type of integration is the Results' theoretical foundations. Finally, the approach is integrated in terms of the behavior change theoretical frame that targets communications toward the most powerful determinants that influence behavior: attitudes, social norms, and self-efficacy .1 1 Fishbein, M., & Cappella, J. N. (2006). The role of theory in developing effective health communications. Journal of Communication, 56, S 1-S 17. doi: 10.1111/j.1460-2466.2006.00280.x 12 USAID I Uganda Literacy Achieveme.nt and Retention Activity Year 1 Work Plan USAID •INTERNATIONALRTI FROM THE AMERICAN PEOPLE 1.4 Activity Coverage and Geographic Focus Under Result 1 (RI), the project will cover a total of three local languages and English in 28 districts over the course of the project. In the first year, Results 1 and 2 will work in 13 districts distributed over five regions; and in 2017, they will expand into an additional 15 districts (Table 1). Table 1: Activity Regions and Districts Cluster 1 2016 Region 1 Region 2 Region 3 Region 4 Region 5 Districts Districts Districts Districts Districts Mbarara Rakai Kiboga Mukono Mpigi Sheema Lwengo Nakaseke Buvuma Butambala Mitooma Hoima Kayunga ______Cluster 2 2017 ) . Region 1 Region 2 Region 3 Region 4 Region 5 Districts Districts Districts Districts Districts lsingiro Bukomansimbi Luwero Kalangala Rubirizi Kalungu Mityana Buhweju Lyantonde Rukungiri Sembabule Kyegegwa Masaka Kanungu Ntungamo USAID I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Work Plan 13 The local languages spoken in the districts and the number of schools per district are presented in Table 2. Out of the 28 total project districts, Luganda is spoken in 17 districts, Runyankore-Rukiga in 9 districts, and Runyoro-Rutooro in 2 districts. At the school level, it is possible that a language other than the predominant district language may be spoken. Therefore, a mapping exercise will be undertaken to verify the language spoken at the school level. Table 2 also shows an estimated number of head teachers and a projected number of Pl and P2 teachers used for this annual work plan. Table 2: District, Language, and Estimated Number of Schools and Teachers Estimated #of head #of P1 #of P2 District Language # of teachers* teachers* teachers* schools* Cluster 1 Schools Lwengo Luganda 124 124 186 186 Kayunga Luganda 167 167 251 251 Mitooma RunRuk 104 104 156 156 . Buta.mbala Luganda 68 68 102 102 Hoima RunRut 148 148 222 222 Kiboga Luganda 87 87 131 131 Mpigi Luganda 110 110 165 165 Mukono Luganda 221 221 332 332 Buvuma Luganda . 12 12 18 18 Mbarara RunRuk 219 219 329 329 Rakai Luganda 221 221 332 332 Sheema RunRuk 128 128 192 192 Nakaseke Luganda 113 113 170 170 TOTAL 1,722 1,722 2,586 2,586 Cluster 2 Schools lsingiro RunRuk 189 189 284 284 Mityana Luganda 149 149 224 224 Luwero Luganda 225 225 338 338 Kalangala Luganda 23 23 35 35 Masaka Luganda 92 92 138 138 Rubirizi RunRuk 50 50 75 75 Buhweju RunRuk 54 54 81 81 Bukomansimbi Luganda 73 73 110 110 14 USA/D I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Work Plan DJRTI I NTERNAT I ONAL Estimated #of head #of P1 #of P2 District Language #of teachers"' teachers"' teachers"' schools"' Kalungu Luganda 92 92 138 138 Kyegegwa Run Rut 65 65 98 98 Lyantonde Luganda 47 47 71 71 Rukungiri RunRuk 160 160 240 240 Sembabule Luganda 186 186 279 279 Kanungu RunRuk 132 132 198 198 Ntungamo RunRuk 211 211 317 317 TOTAL 1,748 1,748 2,626 2,626 *Average 1. 5/school. The total number of schools in Cluster 1 is disaggregated by the three project languages in Table 3. Table 3: Number of Schools per Language in Cluster 1 Number of schools Language 1, 123 Luganda 451 Runyankore-Rukiga 148 Runyoro-Rutooro 1,7222 Overall total *1, 722 includes Treatment 1, Treatment 2, and control schools. Schools will be assigned to three different treatment groups, as illustrated in Table 4. Treatment 1 will receive the reading interventions, Treatment 2 will receive the reading and SRGBV interventions, and a control group will not receive·either project intervention. Thus, the EGR activities will be implemented in 1,572 schools, and activities targeting improved retention will be implemented in a total of 1,398 schools in Year 1. 2 1,721 includes Treatment 1, 2 and Control schools. USAID I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Work Plan 15 Table 4: Activity Treatment/Intervention Types EGR Activities EGR and Retention Activities Control Treatment 1 Treatment 2 Treatment3 174 schools 1,398* 150 schools • EGR teacher training • EGR teacher training No interventions • Local language reading • Local language reading primers for learners primers for learners and and teaching material teaching material • Train School Change Agents Teachers • Ongoing EGR support • Provide SRGBV facilitation materials · supervision of teachers in the classroom • Build capacity of all teaching and non-teaching staff in creating a positive school climate • Community reading spaces • Uganda Kids Unite in all schools • SBCC for parental involvement in children's · • Initiatives promote response and prevention reading practice • Ongoing EGR support and supervision for teachers in the classroom and for School Change Agents • Grant awards to support and promote community response and prevention of SRGBV and · • Grant awards for SBCC for encouraging parental and community involvement in building a positive school climate, and improving SRGBV response and prevention. • Grant awards for SBCC for parental involvement in children's reading practice. *Number of Treatment 2 schools to be verified by performance and impact evaluation (P&IE) team. To determine the control schools, Coordinating Centers (CCs) were randomly selected and assigned to the control group per language. For Runyoro/Rutooro, two control CCs were selected from Hoima district, which is currently the only Runyoro/Rutooro speaking district in the Activity. Three control CCs were also selected from the three Runyankore/Rukiga-speaking districts (Sheema, Mitooma, Mbarara). The Luganda language is common in nine districts, which are organized into four hubs; one CC was selected from each hub to make a total of four .control CCs for Luganda. All the schools in the selected control CCs were designated as control, yielding a total of 150 control schools (i.e., 28 for Runyoro/Rutooro, 73 for Luganda, and 50 for Runyankore/Rukiga). Similarly, a total of 174 schools were designated as Treatment 1 after two CCs were randomly selected from Runyoro/Rutooro-speaking districts, three from Runyankore/Rukiga-speaking districts, and four from Luganda-speaking districts. All the schools in these CCs were ass!gned to Treatment 1. All the remaining schools (1,398) were assigned to Treatment 2. The allocation of 1,722 schools to Treatment 1, Treatment 2, and control groups is shown in Table 5. Table 5: Treatment School Summary Number of Schools Description 1, 722 Total schools in project (Treatment 1, Treatment 2, and control) 16 USA/D I Uganda Uteracy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Worl< Plan i'~=:~~ USAID • RTI FROM THE AMER ICAN PEOPLE I N T E R N AT I O N A L Number of Schools Description 150 Minus control schools 1,572 Treatment 1 and Treatment 2 schools 174 Minus Treatment 1 - reading-only cohort 1,398 Treatment 2 - reading and retention cohort Under Result 2, the Activity will train lead facilitators and trainers of school change agents, including Coordinating Center Tutors (CCTs) and CDOs. The trainers will be responsible for training 1398 Head Teachers and 2, 796 School Change Agent teachers from all Treatment 2 Cluster 1 schools in the first year, FY2015/16. At the lowest level of the Result 2 training cascade, a team of 2 School Change Agent teachers will be assigned for each school (3,248 school-level change agents in total). The School Change Agents will be selected by Head Teachers, to include but not be limited to Senior Male and Senior Female teachers (see Activity Sheet 2.2.1 for a detailed discussion of the training). During Year 2, the Result 2 training will be extended to selected School Change Agent teams and Head Teachers in all Treatment2 Cluster 2 schools, with a total of total of 1,748 Head Teachers and 3,496 School Change Agents (i.e., teams of2 teachers at each school). In addition to FA school visits and after Year 1 ends, School Change Agents will participate in an annual shared learning activity at the Coordinating Center, hosted by Field Assistants and CCTs, to share lessons and to participate in refresher training and support. Towards the end of Year 1, sub-grants will be awarded to build the capacity of communities related to positive school climate, gender norms, and SRGBV. Sub grantees will be encouraged to identify, train, and work with and through Community Change Agents in their grant design and implementation, and to coordinate with school initiatives through collaborations with School Change Agents. Representatives of all sub grantees will also be expected to participate in the SRGBV training. The beneficiaries of all capacity building related to Result 2 are summarized in Table 6. By end of the academic year, an estimated 752,250 Pl-P7 children will have participated in a Kids Unite group. USAID I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Work Plan 17 Table 6: Capacity Building Targets for Result 2 National· District- level level officials officials Year and key (training (clinical School Estimated Community Community Change capacity- and policy support #of pupils Change sub- Agents in Kids Agents grantees building dialogue super- (teacher · Head Unite (trained by working on activities forums) vision) CCTs teams) Teachers groups sub-grantees) SRGBV 2016 initial 75 3,248 75 2,796 1,398 752,250 1,398 TBD* training and support 2017- initial 90 3,524 90 3,496 1,748 1,545, 182 1,748 TBD* training and support, shared learning workshop 2018- 165 3248 165 2,796 1,398 .1,602,662 1,398 TBD* shared learning activity 2019- 165 6,772 165 6,292 3,146 1,667,339 3,146 T8D* shared learning and targeted support for "most in need" 2020- 165 6,772 165 '6,292 3,146 1,738,010 3,146 TBD* shared learning and targeted support for "most in - need" Note: TBD* Community Sub -grantees working on SRGBV to be determined after the selection process is completed Table 7 summarizes the selection of CCs for Treatment 1 (reading only), Treatment 2 (reading and retention), and control (no LARA intervention. No activities will be undertaken in the CC or schools in the control. Table 7: Control, Treatment 1, and Treatment 2 Coordinating Centers I Control CCs (no interventions) I #of Districts with control Language districts CCs cc #of schools Runyoro/Rutooro 1 Hoima Rug use 14 Kikonda 14 Sub-total 28 18 USAID I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Work Plan DJ RT I I N T E RN AT I ONA L Control CCs (no interventions) #of Districts with control Language districts CCs cc # of schools Luganda 9 Rakai Kammengo 18 Kiboga Kawaawa 24 Kayunga Kangulumila 18 Mpigi Muduuma 13 Sub-total 73 Runyankore/Rukiga 3 Sheema Ryakasinga 12 Mbarara Katojo 26 Mitooma Kati 11 Sub-total 49 Overall total 150 I Treatment 1 (reading only) #of Districts with Treatment I Language districts 1 CCs cc #of schools Runyoro/Rutooro 1 Hoima Bulindi 20 Kyentale 8 Sub-total 28 Luganda 9 Rakai Matale 35 Nakaseke Kijaguzo 19 Mukono Seet-Namuganga 16 Mpigi Mitala Maria 19 Sub-total 89 Runyankore/Rukiga 3 She em a Bugongi 17 Mbarara Rweibare 16 Mitooma Bubangizi 24 Sub-total 57 Overall total 174 1 Treatment 2 CCs (reading and retention) i #of district Districts with Treatment Language s 2CCs cc #of schools Runyoro/Rutooro 1 Hoima Bwikya 23 Kiziranfumbi 13 Parajwoki 14 Bug om a 10 Kigorobya 11 Kigaaya 21 Sub-total 92 USAID I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Work Plan 19 Treatment 2 CCs (reading and retention) #of district Districts with Treatment Language s 2CCs cc #ofschools Luganda 9 Rakai (Hub 2) Kakabagyo 37 Kasozi 22 Kibaale 27 Kyotera 27 Njeru 18 S!!anje 37 168 Lwengo (Hub 2) Kyamaganda 34 Mbiriizi 41 Nakateete 49 124 Kiboga (Hub 3) Bamusuuta 22 Bukomero 31 Muwanga 10 63 Nakaseke (Hub 3) Bukeeka 22 Kiwoko 40 Kiziba 32 94 Mukono (Hub 4) Bugolombe 35 Seeta C.O. U P.S 36 Nagalama 34 Kisowera CC 34 Nagojje 25 Namakwa 24 Kabimbiri 17 205 Kayunga (Hub 4) Bishop Brown 26 Busaana 30 Galiraya. 11 Kayonza 63 Nazigo 19 I 149 Buvuma (Hub 4) Namunyolo 12 12 Mpigi (Hub 5) Kammengo 22 Nkozi 29 St. Kizito Mpigi 27 78 Butambala (Hub 5) Butawuka 19 Gombe 30 Kagulwe 19 68 20 USAID I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Work Plan DlRTI I NTER NA T I ONA L Treatment 2 CCs (reading and retention) #of district Districts with Treatment Language s 2CCs cc #of schools . Sub-total 961 Runyankore/Rukiga 3 Sheema Kakindo 21 Kitagata 23 Masheruka 23 Rwabutura 32 99 Mbarara Bugamba 17 Bujaga 18 Katukuru 27 Kinoni 21 Mwizi 14 Rubindi 24 Rutooma 23 Rwentanga 11 Uganda Martyrs 22 177 Mitooma Bikungu 27 Mitooma 26 Nyakatsiro 16 69 Sub-total 345 Overall totals 1,398 As illustrated in Table 8, the EGR interventions will be rolled out to Pl and P2 classrooms at the beginning of the academic year in February 2016. In February 2017, Cluster 1 P3 and P4 classrooms will receive interventions at the same time as Pl and P2 classes in Cluster 2. After rollout, project interventions will continue in Cluster 1 and Cluster 2 throughout the project. No interventions are planned for control schools throughout the project. During 2016 academic year, the project will reach an estimated 290,521 Pl and P2 learners with early grade reading instruction. The number of Pl learners is reduced as they proceed to P2 based on the trends evident in EMIS data. In addition, Table 8 presents the number of new learners being reached by the interventions each year. By adding the new learners, it is anticipated that the project will directly reach 1.92 million learners (calculated by adding the number of unique beneficiaries each year 2016-2010). USAID I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Work Plan 21 Table 8: Cluster Rollout: Number.of Anticipated EGR Learners Reached and Number of Schools Numbers of learners and schools, by year Cluster 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 Cluster 1 P1=175,767 P1 = 178,491 P1=181 ,258 P1 = 184,067 P1 = 186,920 2016 13 districts P2 = 114,755 P2 = 118,864 P2=123,120 P2 = 127,529 P2 = 132,096 P3 = 114,755 P3 = 118,864 P3=123,120 P3 = 127,529 P4 = 114,567 P4 = 118,864 P4=123,120 Cluster 2 P1=187,671 P1 = 190,580 P1 = 193,534 P1 = 196,533 2017 15 districts P2 = 122,527 P2 = 126,914 P2 = 131,459 P2=136,167 P3 = 122,527 P3 = 126,914 P3 = 131,459 P4 = 121,394 P4 = 126,369 Estimated number of total 290,522 722,308 977,830 1; 126,881 1,60,193 annual beneficiaries Estimated number of 290,522 488,689 371,838 377,601 383,453 unique beneficiaries Number of control 1503 150 150 150 150 schools Number of intervention schools 1,572 3,320* 3,320* 3,320* 3,320* *Final numbers will be confirmed after Cluster 2 school mapping in 2016. 2. Project Context The 0 gandan educational context informs the annual work plan. Both Result 1 and Result 2 activities are designed to respond to the realities of the education system at the national, district, and school levels. For Result 1, it is important to emphasize that the USAID/Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity is being implemented at a· time of rapid geographical expansion of the EGR methodology in Uganda. LARA will build on the success of the USAID/Uganda School Health and Reading Program that is currently being implemented in 31 districts in order to reach 28 new districts in the south and west regions of the country. SHRP has demonstrated the effectiveness of the EGR program and the accompanying capacity-building methodology at the school, district, 3 The number of schools in control CCs is 150. We assigned particular CCs as control and it is from these CCs that we will select EGRA and SRGBV assessment schools. We will decide with the P&IE team the appropriate time when to expand our interventions to schools that will not have been selected for EGRA/SRGBV within the control CCs. 22 USAID I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Work Plan DJRTI FROM THE AMERICAN PEOPLE INTERNAT I ONAL and primary teacher college (PTC) levels, as well as at the MoESTS level. In addition to LARA and SHRP, GPE will operate alongside the MoESTS to expand EGR to 27 additional districts. All together, the combined efforts of LARA, SHRP, and GPE, in partnership with the MoESTS, will bring the EGR methodology to a total of 86 districts. At this time of expansion, collaboration and partnership among LARA, SHRP, GPE, and MoESTS are essential and must include joint planning and monitoring around reading gains at the national leveL MoESTS has a track record ofcollaboration with SHRP and has begun the implementation of the GPE program with World Bank financing. In the Education Sector Review Meeting in August 2015 EGR, for the first time, has been included in the 2016 MoESTS' implementation plan. This is a significant achievement in raising the profile of EGR, as now progress in children's reading requires monitoring and reporting nationally. However, continued investment by the MoESTS in financial and human capacity at the national, district, and school levels is required before it will be able to sustain and expand a quality EGR program. LARA will build upon the work of SHRP with the National Curriculum Development Center (NCDC) to expand MoESTS-endorsed teaching and learning materials (TLM) and, in doing so, further strengthen MoESTS ownership of EGR efforts. NCDC is working in coordination with SHRP to revise some of the TLM and to understand issues of branding, labeling, and copyright for the materials. In August 2015, the NCDC approved 54 titles developed under SHRP as MoESTS primary reference materials and 16 of these titles will be used under LARA. At the school level, educators face daunting challenges as schools are underfunded and teacher-pupil ratios in government schools are high. Further, Pl and P2 learners are diverse in age and pre-reading ability and teachers have varying levels of education, . training, skills, and experience. EGR teaching methodologies are new to the majority of teachers. As a result, teachers will require substantial follow-on support, including school-based mentoring and coaching, for the project to be successful. This support has to be provided by LARA project staff because MoESTS district-level structures and personnel currently lack the resources to provide sufficient on-site monitoring and support visits, and head teachers also vary in their ability to coach and mentor teachers in the application of EGR methodologies as it is new to many of them. An important emerging strength, however, is that some promising leaders can be found at the district level. Visits to the districts have identified District Education Officers (DEOs) and other district-level staff with the vision for implementing EGR successfully and for installing and supporting head teachers with proven leadership and school turnaround track records. These cases of positive social deviance must be both nurtured and carefully studied to identify successful adaptations that can be shared in teacher · training and coaching and generalized into the broader education system. USAID I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Work Plan 23 There is a limited culture ofreading in Uganda and limited experience involving parents/caregivers in education. SBCC techniques will be applied to involve parents and other caregivers in their children's reading practice and will build on the MoESTS's "Reading Comers" and "Drop Everything and Read" initiatives. Similar to Result 1 programming, there is strong and increasing government support for and ownership of Result 2 interventions. Result 2 will be implemented in close collaboration and partnership with the MoESTS and is aligned closely to the MoESTS National Strategy and Action Plan on Violence Against Children in Schools. Result 2 will also be implemented in partnership with the Ministry of Gender, Labor, and Social Development (MoGLSD). In addition to the MoESTS and MoGLSD initiatives, the Uganda Police Force has established a Child and Family Protection Unit, as well as the Sexual Gender-Based Violence and Children Related Offences Department. These government efforts, combined with the programming efforts of bilateral, and multilateral, foundational, nongovernmental, and community-based organizations contribute collectively to the goal of reducing violence in schools, which in tum will help increase student attendance and retention. The timing of the new MoESTS policy efforts and LARA makes the situation ripe for achieving considerable progress. It provides an opportunity to respond to the MoESTS' initiatives beginning in this Year 1 annual work plan and to work through the MoESTS structures to implement the new policies. The National Strategy and National Action Plan on Violence against Children in Schools developed by MoESTS seeks to provide a framework that gives guidance on how Uganda should address SRGBV.4 The National Strategy was officially approved in August 2015. An inter-sectoral committee, made up of members from MoESTS, MoGLSD, and UNICEF, has also been established to provide stronger support and action for VACiS. LARA staff participate in the committee. Importantly, the MoESTS developed the "Reporting, Tracking, Referral, and Response (RTRR) Guidelines" that were approved by MoESTS in May 2015 to serve as a structure for reporting cases of VACiS. LARA will build upon and reinforce these programs. Governmental support for reducing V ACiS has been generated, in part, by recent research that has underscored the nature and extent of victimization of children in Uganda from violence perpetrated in their homes, schools, and communities. The research also has highlighted the existence of deep-seated gender norms and gender power relations that serve to perpetuate the existing violence, especially gendered violence in schools. Unchecked gender discrimination and power imbalances in schools encourage attitudes and practices that subjugate school children, reinforce unequal gender norms, and allow the tolerance and continuation of gender-based violence, which has implications for the retention and learning attainment of pupils. 1:he prevalence of SRGBV is very high in Uganda. Despite a 2006 corporal punishment ban5 in Uganda, a 4 Uganda MOESTS National Strategic Plan and National Action Plan on Violence Against Children in Schools, August 2015 5 Raising Voices. An introductmy handbook for promoting positive discipline in schools for quality education.2008.Available at http://www. unicef orgluganda/A lternatives Jar_ Corporal_Punishment_ Handbook_jinal _ 2008.pdf 24 USAID I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Work Plan USAID RT I FROM THE AMERICAN PEOPLE aI NTE R NAT I ONA L 2012 MoESTS study revealed that 74.3% ofchildren in Uganda had experienced caning by an adult in school.6 Further, in this survey 77.7% of primary students reported having experienced sexual abuse at school. According to a report by Raising Voices, the type of violence experienced at school was related to the gender, age, and social status of the children. For example, findings from this study showed that older boys were more likely to experience severe physical violence, whereas older girls were more likely to experience sexual violence. [31 Y 0unger children report:ed experiences of psychological violence when they were at school. As described in its Activity Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Plan (AMELP), LARA will conduct two st.udies to learn more about the nature and extent of SRGBV in Uganda and the mediating factors of SRGBV. Findings from these studies will form a platform for policy dialogue related specifically to retention, reporting, and response to SRGBV and the practices that serve to improve student attendance and retention and to reduce SRGBV. The Government of Uganda has a longstanding commitment to improving retention of students across the primary and secondary school years. Starting in 1997, universal primary education was mandated in Uganda for all children. The Education Act of 2008 further expanded the development and regulation of education and allowed decentralization of education services, expanding the availability of private schools [41. The MoESTS released a competence profile for primary school teachers in Uganda, which outlines criteria and areas where teachers are evaluated in their classrooms [51. The competency list includes the criteria of teachers demonstrating that they care for learners 7 and that guidance and counseling are provided for learners when needed • These two competencies, if applied daily in schools and classrooms, contribute to making teachers aware of their responsibility for the emotional well-being of the learners in their classrooms. A broad base of organizations in Uganda has contributed to developing materials to . support teachers and other caregivers with recognition, response, prevention, and reporting violence against children. These include the United States Peace Corps in Uganda, with its recent revision and pilot of the USAID Doorways Curriculum. The 6 UNICEF Uganda (2012). Assessing child protection, safety, and security issues for children in Uganda primmy and secondmy schools. Kampala, Uganda: UNICEF Uganda. 7 Government of Uganda, Teacher's Code of Conduct, Part Ill states, "A teacher's chief responsibility is toward the child/learner under the teacher's care and the teacher shall guide each child/learner where necessary in and out of school in order to develop the child/learner in body, mind, soul, character, and personality. The teacher shall therefore, a. respect the confidential nature of information concerning each child/learner and may give such information only to the persons directly concerned with the child-learner's welfare; b. recognize that a privileged relationship exists between the teacher and the child/leaner and shall refrain from exploiting their relationship by misconduct prejudicial to the physical, mental and moral. welfare of any child/learner and the teacher shall not have a sexual relationship with the child/learners; and c. refrain from using a child/learner's labour for private or personal gain. USAID I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Work Plan 25 MoESTS endorsed the corporal punishment teacher training module from the Raising 8 Voices Good School Toolkit . Save the Children and Plan International are both active in child protection, V ACiS prevention, and education retention and completion. SHRP has introduced the Uganda Kids Unite to create peer groups with a teacher patron to enhance life skills development, including the avoidance of risk of contracting HIV I AIDS. Literacy and Adult Basic Education (LABE) works to strengthen parental engagement for reading, and also aids communities in addressing the need to ensure that students are safe while traveling to and from school as well as being safe at school. The Result 2 activities build from these successes and will strengthen the MoESTS and MoGLSD policy and systems for ensuring a positive and supportive school climate; keeping children in school; and reporting, responding to, and preventing SRGBV. 3. Project Year 1 Activities and Expected Results Project implementation activities in Year 1 are all aimed at achieving the stated Results and intermediate results (IR). Project highlights are outlined below and a detailed project schedule is provided in Annex A. 3.1 Introduction to Result 1 Based on the context, the strategy for Result 1 in Year I is to focus on initiating discussion with MoESTS on the requirements of expansion and sustainability of the EGR program, to print and distribute teachers' guides and pupil primers for all Treatment 1 and 2 schools, to train Pl and P2 teachers in Cluster 1 districts, and to strengthen supervisory and support to trained teachers to practice new EGR methodologies in the classrooms. LARA's Result I programming focuses on improving EGR in three local languages and English. Building on the success of the School Health and Reading Program, LARA seeks to support the capacity development_of the broader education system, including the MoESTS, to sustain the roll out of the improved EGR model nationally, both centrally and at the district level through training and technical support. The four-step capacity-building model conceptually frames the work. These steps include (1) reaching consensus on the capacity requirements for expansion ofEGR, (2) enhancing the technical and logistical service delivery capacity, (3) supporting the adoption of a i:iew practice, and ( 4) supporting the institutionalization of EGR. In Year I, activities will focus on building consensus. The organizational functional requirements for EGR expansion include plannirig and budgeting; human resource management; finance and procurement; communication and coordination; and monitoring, evaluation, and reporting. In addition, in Year 1 consensus-building activities will focus on planning, budgeting, and communication. 8 www.raising voices.org 26 USAID I Uganda Uteracy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Work Plan USAID DJ RT I FROM THE AMERICAN PEOPLE I NTERNAT I ONA L In Year 1 consensus will be reached using a number of existing coordinating structures within MoESTS and creating additional time-limited task forces or working groups to undertake specific tasks supporting ERG expansion. Table 9 outlines the existing and proposed institutional linkages. Table 9: MoESTS Coordination Mechanisms and Proposed EGR and Retention Mechanisms Coordination mechanism Participants Terms of reference (ToR) Education • Permanent Secretary (PS) (Chair) • Review progress of Consultative • Commissioners working groups Committee • - Education Development Partners • Develop strategic direction and policies Basic Education • Commissioner of Basic Education (BE), • Review plans and Working Group (Chair) implementation of BE • Teacher Instruction, Education and activities Training (TIET) • Request information and • National Curriculum Development provide input to Center (NCDC), Directorate of programming Education Standards (DES), Uganda National Examination Board (UNEB), Uganda National Teachers Union (UNATU) • Education Development Partners. M & E Technical • Commissioner of Planning Department • Hold periodic meetings to Working Group (Chair) review Education Sector • BE, UNEB, DES, TIET Review Materials • Education development partners (EDPs) • Assure quality compliance for MoESTS • Review reports, consultancies, ToR, etc. Teacher Training • Commissioner of TIET (Chair) • Review teacher training Working Group • EDPs, PTCs activities, implementation, and reports Inter-Sectoral • MoESTS (Chair) • Develop Strategy and Committee on • MoGLSD, Ministry of Internal Affairs, Action Plan Violence Against - Uganda Police Force-Child and Family • Develop Reporting, Children in Schools Protection Unit, Ministry of Health, tracking, Referral and Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Response (RTRR) Affairs, Ministry of Local Government, Guideline Ministry of Finance Planning and • Commission research, Economic Development, Office of Prime studies, and reports Minister, Directorate of Ethics and Integrity, National Council for Disability, Justice, Law and Order Sector Secretariat, Human Rights Commission, National Council for Children, Inter religious Council, Parliamentary Forum for Children, National Students Association, National Association of Teachers Union, EDPs USAID I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Work Plan 27 Coordination mechanism Participants Terms of reference (ToR) Budgeting Working • Planning Department Commissioner • Facilitate annual MoESTS Group (Chair) budget review • Assistant commissioner, under each department budgeting officer EGR and Retention • Proposed membership: • R_eview and approve Task Force • BE Commissioner (Chair) LARA capacity-building plans and monitor MoESTS Planning Unit, Instructional • implementation progress Materials Unit, NCDC, BE Assistant Commissioner), TIET, Principals' • Approve ToR for task Association of Uganda, EDPs, MoGLSD groups EGR Budgeting Task • Proposed membership: • Obtain existing primary Group • BE Budgeting Commissioner (Chair) budgets • Planning; BE budgeting; TIET • Analyze EGR costs budgeting; book budgeting; MoESTS • Develop analytical budgeting; UNEB; MoGLSD; Teacher framework Training Colleges; Ministry of Finance, Planning, and Economic Development (MoFPED); SHRP and GPE EGR Communication • Proposed membership: • Develop communication Task Group • Communication and Information strategy for EGR and Management Unit (CIMU) Commissioner VACiS (Chair) • Develop key messages • Basic Education, TIET, planning, gender • Identify existing unit, instructional materials unit, messaging materials guidance and counseling, special needs, plus SHRP and GPE EGR District • Proposed membership: • Coordinate and monitor Supervision Working • DEO, DIS, Municipal Education Officer district-level teacher Groups (MEO), Municipal Inspector of Schools supports (MIS), college principals LARA will also strengthen teachers' skills and effectiveness in classroom reading instruction by providing in-service training, promoting local instructional support (i.e., CCTs and principal), increasing the availability and use of EGR teaching and learning materials, and helping teachers improve student assessment and classroom management practices. Result 1 activities will help to improve supervisory support and mentoring systems for primary teachers, including reorganization of coordinating centers and CCT deployment, capacity development of CCTs, area inspection and mentoring of teachers in schools to better support EGR instruction, and use of essential information technologies. Finally, an integral part of LARA's sustainability strategy is the engagement of parents, families, and communities toward greater and more effective involvement in promoting literacy activities and attainment for their children. In terms of IR 1.3, parents and caregivers are a child's first teachers, yet they often feel ill-equipped and even disempowered to be able to help their children learn to their full potential. Parents and other members of the household, regardless of literacy skills, can transform the reading environment at home and foster a climate that promotes literacy, especially for young children. 28 USA/D I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Work Plan DJ RT I I NTE R NA T I O NA L Project activities supporting IR 1.3 include (1) provision oflow-cost, leveled, supplementary materials such as laminated story cards and decodable readers, which will be available to students through established classroom lending practices and systems; and SBCC that supports the MoESTS literacy campaign by building a culture of reading, increasing parents' involvement in their child's reading practice, and supporting communities to establish "learning spaces" for children to come together, read together, and be read to by community members .. In Year 1, LARA activities will be dedicated to researching viable classroom lending practices that could be adapted to allow children to check out materials to practice at home and, importantly, that are aligned with current MoESTS policy arid systems related to materials lending in Ugandan schools. Access to reading materials in the local language is key to successful promotion of parents' and other caregivers' involvement in their children's reading practice. At the same time, in Year 1, the LARA team will research potential publisher candidates for developing the low-cost supplemental materials in the local language, which will be procured through a local competition. The Year 1 research and procurement process will result in a firm recommendation for supporting teachers in establishing materials lending practices in classrooms, and will lead the way for a finalized procurement of materials by Year 2. The materials will be augmented in Years 2 and 3 by the distribution of English readers obtained as cost share from Books for Africa. In Year 1, LARA will research existing Ugandan change communication initiatives related to building a reading culture. The Activity also will initiate a nationwide literacy campaign that supports the MoESTS in promoting parents' involvement in their children's reading practice and building a reading culture. The campaign will include messaging through multimedia that reinforces the MoESTS "Reading Corners" and "Drop Everything and Read" initiatives. As part of the "Drop Everything and Read" campaign, messaging will be designed to catalyze community actions in establishing more broadly defined reading spaces. During Year 1, a Request for Applications (RFA) will be tendered and one sub-grant will be awarded. The sub-grantee will develop a local-level initiative to support the national literacy campaign through targeted SBCC. They will work within a small catchment of communities to reinforce the national messages, through to-be-det~rmined channels of communication that are locally appropriate (e.g., theater for development, SMS messaging to parents, local radio, and strategically placed visual media). They also will encourage activities that directly build parents' skills and competency in supporting their children's reading practice at home. We anticipate this grant will be awarded and initiated in Year 2 (FY2016/17). The end product will be the establishment of a set of good practices for developing local SBCC programs that reinforce the national literacy campaign and can be taken to scale from Year 3 by integrating the activity into sub grantee-supported community programs. USAID I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Work Plan 29 Procurement of out-of-school reading materials will align with LARA's support for teachers' classroom practice. Existing Ugandan materials will be researched and a Request for Quotations distributed to potential local publishers. One or more local companies will be identified for this work, with the procurement and distribution of Pl · and P2 materials-such as laminated story cards and decodable readers--distributed to schools during the January EGR training. These will be supplemented in Year 2 with P3 and P4 reading materials. Figure 4 outlines the overall work packages for Year I. Detailed activity sheets are provided describing each of the work packages. 30 USAID I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Work Plan USAID DJRTI FROM THE AMERICAN PEOPLE I NTERN A T I ONA L Figure 4: Breakdown of Work Structure Program Objective: Improved reading skills in local language and English for 1.3 million primary pupils ,-·· - Result 1: Result 2: I I Increased capacity to deliver early grade reading Improved retention in primary grades I I J - -=- ...--.- Management IR11 Imp'°""' IR1: 2: Improved IR1:3: Increasedcommunity IR2.1: Improvedcapacity IR2.2:Schools IR2.3: Strengthened l and in and planning readinginstruction householdlevel of MoESTSand education strengthenedto providea communitycommitment and managementof early P1 to P4 classrooms involvementin promoting systemto implement positiveand supportive capacityto supportSRGBV ProjectPlanning and l gradereading literacyattainment SRGBVrelated policies schoolclimate for learning preventionand response Implementation - -- - - L - - programs WBS 1.1.1MoESTS ~WBS 1.2.1 Teachers ' WBS1.3.1 Provision of and educational trainedin EGR supplementalreading WBS2 .1.1 Strengthened WBS2 .2.1 Schoolleaders WBS2 .3.1 Award Monitoring,Evaluation , and foundationalleaders methodology 1 materialsand MoESTSknowledge , & teacherchange agents communitygrants to Reporting reachconsensus on I establishmentof lending commitmentand action trainedto build positive establish·community change the organizational in SRGBVprevention schoolsand prevent agentsand catalyze SRGBV requirementsfor ~_,,,,, ·~~· communitySRGBV Collaboration,Learning , and I responseand prevention expandingearly grade ! Adapting initiatives I readinaand - retention- iary MoESTSability to I I teamssupported to I superv1s1onsystem in 11 n Communicationto increase providequality catalyzeschool climate WBS1 .1.2 Enhanced targeteddistricts parentsinvolvement in their WBS2.3.2 SocialBehavior Personneland performance and SRGBVresponse and technicaland logistic children'sreading practice assistancemonitoring of ChangeCommunication for management preventioninitiatives in schoolsperformance skills of MoESTSto schools shifting genderno rms and plan, budget, • WBS1.2.3 Teaching relatedto SRGBV powerrelations towards and learningmaterials equalityand balance implementand monitor Logisticsand Procurement printedand distributed WBS2 .2.3 Support, EGRroll-out WBS2.1.3 Referral supervision, and mappingfor SRGBVand continuouslearn ing for WBS1 .1.3 EGRand communitysupport for schoolchange agents SRGBVadvocacy and implementingthe RTRR FinancialManagement promotionalmaterials forSRGBV developedand distributedfor Uganda literacycampaign ._ .-.~ .~ -.=1'3Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Work Plan 31 , . Gender and Social Development J Working with and Supporting MoESTS Systems including CCTs 3.2 Result 1 Activity Sheets Each activity sheet below relates to a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) box in Figure 4. The activity sheet provides a comprehensive explanation of the activity; including the anticipated output result, location, personnel required, participants, timeframe, links to other activities, purpose and rationale, description of approach; and tasks with milestone dates. Also, each activity sheet includes an analysis of the assumptions, risks with mitigation strategies, and contributions to outcome results. Finally, the activity sheets include describe how the activity will be implemented working through the MoESTS system, how gender and social development have been considered in the planning, how monitoring and evaluation of the activity is planned, and the exit and sustainability strategy for the activity. The activity sheets will guide the implementation, and progress reporting will subsequently report on its variance. Result 1 Increased capacity to deliver early grade reading Intermediate result IR 1.1: Improved planning and management of early grade reading 1.1.1 Ministry of Education, Science, Technology, and Sports (MoESTS) and Output result educational foundational leaders reach consensus on the organizational requirements for expanding early grade reading (EGR) and retention. District(s) · National level Activity lead Senior Edu.cation Specialist Chief of Party (COP), Teacher Training Specialist, Reading Specialist, and Safe LARA project personnel School Specialist Short-term technical Organizational Development (STIA - local): To be determined (TBD) 30 days assistance (STT A) I Non-project personnel SHRP DCOP and GPE representatives EGR and Retention Task Force to include (28 + 7 = 33 participants) MoESTS representatives (Program Coordinator and Component Managers [3], Basic · Education [Commissioners (3)], Teacher, Instructor Education, and Training (TIET) Department [Commissioner and Contact persons (3)], DES [Director and Contact person (2)], NCDC [Director and Contact person (2)], Foundational Activity participants bodies representatives - Uganda Inter-religious Council represented by Catholics, Anglicans/Church of Uganda, 7th Day Adventist, Orthodox, Pentecostal, Uganda Muslim Education Association [6], Planning Department [2], MoESTS Communication Personnel [2], and mid-level mentored MoESTS representatives screened for gender-balance [5]; plus LARA, SHRP, GPE staff [7] . Timeframe July 2015 - September 2016 activities in Year 1 only WBS 1.1.2 Enhanced technical and logistic skills of MoESTS to plan, budget, implement and monitor EGR roll-out Links to other activities WBS 1.1.3 EGR and SRGBV advocacy and promotional materials developed and distributed for Uganda Literacy Champaign WBS 2.1.1 Improved capacity to implement SRGBV policies 32 USAID I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Worl< Plan USAID • RTI FROM THE AMERICAN PEOPLE I NTERNAT I ONA L Result 1 Increased capacity to deliver early grade reading Intermediate result IR 1.1 : Improved planning and management of early grade reading 1.1.1 Ministry of Education, Science, Technology, and Sports (MoESTS) and Output result educational foundational leaders reach consensus on the organizational requirements for expanding early grade reading (EGR) and retention. District(s) National level Purpose and rationale The purpose of this activity is to ensure key stakeholders, specifically national-level MoESTS and other education system stakeholders, are in agreement, fully accept, and take ownership of the organizational capacity requirements for expanding and sustaining the early grade reading program. The rationale is that sustainability of current investments made by SHRP, and now GPE and LARA, will achieve greater results if the MoESTS takes greater ownership of and responsibility for these inventions. This ownership would be displayed in increasing contributions of MoESTS staff time and other resources to leverage donor-funded interventions, expanding to the remaining districts not yet covered, and maintaining momentum and capacity for implementing EGR after the EGR projects are complete. Description of approach Capacity building will begiri with the process of consensus building. Consensus building will be achieved through a number of tasks, each designed to identify organizational capacity gaps arid needs and potential interventions to enhance EGR expansion. Our approach to reaching consensus will be to identify and agree on the functional requirements for enhancing organizational performance around the expansion of EGR. Some areas of organizational capacity enhancement may include the following areas: (1) training in the capacity to budget and finance EGR; (2) coaching in the capacity to communicate key programming messages within the organization and to the community it serves; (3) providing technical assistance to better plan, monitor, and evaluate organizational investments in EGR; and (4) contributing support to strengthen the human resources required to deliver technical and logistical services. Our consensus building approach will bring together MoESTS and educational system stakeholders into discussions and agreement about the requirements of an EGR program and ·sustainability of current investments within basic education. We will actively seek to engage school foundation bodies to ensure they are informed about EGR and are aware of and supplement efforts to protect provided books and trained teachers, to solicit their support of mother tongue as a medium of instruction with their SMC, and to encourage their endorsement to engage parents and caregivers in reading to their children. The monitoring and evaluation (M&E) team and management will make compelling, data-driven presentations to stakeholders to encourage discussion. The consensus building processes will enable the MoESTS to identify priority areas and build a platform for agreeing on actions that will support existing efforts, scale up, and sustain the EGR methodology and retention activities for the future. In the first year, LARA will begin by engaging our focal person and key MoESTS officials about priority areas and support processes and events, such as the Child Forum, that inspire new learning and action. We will, together with GPE and the School Health and Reading Program, participate in existing robust feedback mechanisms in order to share knowledge and learning. In addition, we will explore options to establish an EGR and Retention Task Force on organizational capacity building for EGR, conduct organizational need assessments in areas noted above, and reach consensus on additional capacity building efforts. Chaired by MoESTS/LARA focal person and coordinated by LARA to allow stakeholders the opportunity to give and receive feedback on the ongoing capacity building activities. Tasks: 1.1.1.1 Work with MoESTS Permanent Secretary (PS) and USAID to identify focal person and component managers for the project (September 2015) 1.1.1.2 Facilitate the focal person (1) and component managers (2) with communication equipment (October 2015) USAID I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Work Plan 33 Result 1 Increased capacity to deliver early grade reading Intermediate result IR 1.1: Improved planning and management of early grade reading 1.1.1 Ministry of Education, Science, Technology, and Sports (MoESTS) and Output result educational foundational leaders reach consensus on the organizational requirements for expanding early grade reading (EGR) and retention. District(s) National level 1.1.1.3 National and district meeting(s) with foundational education leaders - R1 and R2 (November 2015, May 2016) 1.1.1.4 Introduce EGR and Retention Task Force to SHRP, LARA, and GPE interventions (October/November 2015) 1.1.1 .5 Design organizational needs assessment(s) process and tools (e.g., finances and budget for EGR or communication systems and requirements for EGR) and gain approval from the EGR and Retention Task Force to undertake assessment (revised May 2016) 1.1.1.6 Three-day needs assessment data collection to be implemented in three districts. (revised May/June 2016) , . 1.1 .1.7 Quarterly learning meetings EGR and Retention Task Force. (revised May 2016, and August 2016) Assumptions MoESTS staff will recognize the support they receive from the project and endorse implementation of project activities. We assume that the MoESTS will participate in activities without financial incentives. However, we recognize that the lack of financial incentives may slow down the interventions and affect the level of participation envisioned, in terms of number of participants and their available time. Risks and mitigation of risk There is a risk of the MoESTS and other partners to expect money whenever they participate in LARA activities, even when they are at their work stations. This will be mitigated by explaining the RTI and/or USAID financial policies. This task contributes in the following way to the following expected results The first step of improving organizational capacity building is to identify the needs and gaps that are limiting the expansion of EGR in Uganda and agree on the measures needed to enhance performance. Therefore, the consensus building activity and tasks will help the MoESTS and education stakeholders reflect upon the organization limits to expansion, identify possible ways forward, and improve their ability to build on investments made through SHRP, GPE, and LARA. This activity will provide an opportunity to gauge the MoESTS commitment and capacity (e.g., financial, human, systems, and processes), sustain EGR gains made, and contribute to expansion to control schools and the 20 districts not yet covered. In addition, consensus building will highlight the level of the MoESTS' commitment through the participation and time availability of its leadership and personnel and resource provisions for EGR and retention interventions. Working through the MoESTS system The task force will consist of senior and mid-level MoESTS professionals responsible for the successful implementation of primar)r curriculum and EGR. These MoESTS staff members will establish and work with the task force to orchestrate a process through which the MoESTS will achieve consensus on viable approaches to strengthening the system and the culture of consensus building for future processes and policy initiatives. Gender equality and social development The selection process of the committee members will consider the development capacity of both men and women through LARA professional development activities. We will seek opportunities to develop the leadership skills required for an effective task force work by balancing senior and mid-level MoESTS and education system personnel in these consensus building activities. Monitoring and evaluation com.ponent Determining whether we have consensus will be measured by the extent to which MoESTS are actively participating in capacity building planning, supplying information required through needs assessments, engaging in meetings, and completing the action plan. We will keep meeting minutes and document attendance and progress on action items. 34 USAID I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Work Plan USAID DJRTI FROM THE AMERICAN PEOPLE I N T E R NAT I ONAL Result 1 Increased capacity to deliver early grade reading Intermediate result IR 1.1: Improved planning and management of early grade reading 1.1.1 Ministry of Education, Science, Technology, and Sports (MoESTS) and Output result educational foundational leaders reach consensus on the organizational requirements for expanding early grade reading (EGR) and retention. District(s) National level Implications for. exit strategy and sustainability The active involvement of key education players in EGR planning and activities will ensure their commitment to capacity building and organizational strengthening activities. Agreement on what constitutes relevant and applicable interventions for expansion of EGR is the first step to ensuring a common understanding and consensus as partners are able to define those things that really matter and iden.tify practical solutions that will be continued beyond the project's time period. Result 1 Increased capacity to deliver early grade reading Intermediate result IR 1 1 Improved planning and management of early grade reading 1.1.2 Enhanced technical and logistic skills of MoESTS to plan, budget, Output result implement, and monitor EGR rollout District(s) National level - MoESTS Activity lead Senior Education Specialist Project personnel COP, Deputy Chief of Party (DCOP), Safe School Specialist, Finance Manager STTA/ Senior Education Scientist (STIA) - 21 days plus international travel Non-project personnel SHRP representatives - Reading Specialist or DCOP and Finance Director EGR and Retention Task Force to include (28 + 7 = 33 participants): as outlined in activity 1.1.1 EGR Budgeting Task Group (11 + 4 = 15 participants): Planning [1 ], BE Activity participants budgeting [1], TIET budgeting [1], book budgeting [1], MoESTS budgeting [1], gender unit [1], special needs [1], UNEB [1], MoGLSD [1],Teacher Training Collect BTVET.[1], Ministry of Finance, Planning, and Economic Development (MoFPED)[1] plus 2 project, SHRP and GPE Timeframe January 2016 - September 2016 activities for Year 1 WBS 1.1 .1. MoESTS and educational foundational leaders reach consensus on the organizational requirement for expanding 1.2 Improved teachers capacity in Links to other activities EGR methodology 1.3 Improved supervisory support and mentorship for EGR teachers Purpose and rationale The purpose of this activity is to respond to the organizational capacity needs identified by the MoESTS task force with appropriate technical assistance. This activity will build upon existing knowledge and skills of MoESTS staff and enhance processes and procedures that are essential to EGR programming. The rationale of the activity is that organizational processes and procedures complimented by the efforts of knowledgeable, skilled, and committed staff enhance organizational performance in measurable ways that enable MoESTS to properly plan and carry out EGR expansion. USAID I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Work Plan 35 Result 1 Increased capacity to deliver early grade reading Intermediate result IR 1.1: Improved planning and management of early grade reading 1.1 .2 Enhanced technical and logistic skills of MoESTS to plan, budget, Output result implement, and monitor EGR rollout Description of approach Building on the organizational needs assessment in activity 1.1.1, our approach to strengthening organizational performance is to develop interventions that target system, procedural, and human capacity gaps. Although the priority needs may change through the work of the EGR and Retention Task Force (and Coordination Committee for USAID funded projects}, we anticipate that during Year 1, LARA will initiate capacity strengthening activities in two critical areas: finance and communications. One of largest constraints for expanding EGR, as well as to making it sustainable, is the lack of financial resources. Therefore, we will establish an EGR budgeting task group with the MoESTS that will report to the EGR and Retention Task Force. The EGR budgeting group will be responsible for providing the necessary budgeting data needed for developing strategies to finance EGR expansion. It will support LARA STTA and design and populate the budgeting tool that Will facilitate the management of school unit EGR costs. The committee will also review MoESTS budgets to ensure that they are aligned to support the management of EGR activities. The process for developing a budget map will extend over several months and be dependent on the willingness of MoESTS personnel to provide, through the Ministry of Finance, Planning, and Economic Development (MoFPED), the required budgeting data in sufficient detail to ground the modeling work. The approach begins with a high-level policy dialogue session (meeting) around the budgeting, costing, and financial work for expansion of EGR. The objective is to generate the capacity and strengthen the willingness of the MoESTS to share its budgets With the MoFPED and to better advocate for funding at the national level. The whole notion of a curriculum implementation system curriculum implementation plan (CIS) will be shared with key MoESTS/LARA personnel in a two-day workshop with a wide representation held at the national level and up to two district lever regions to capture key stakeholders in order to generate understanding of the existing education system and EGR expansion. Participants will be asked to create viable measures to address the gaps. This envisioned system will be written-up and discussed in various high-level meetings. The MoESTS will have to formally approve measures that address the gaps before the project moves forward. Once the vision of a more viable system has been delineated, LARA, working with SHRP and MoESTS staff, will assess the minimal cost of a fully functional system. This is best done in working meetings. LARA will write a draft concept note for full EGR expansion for final MoESTS review. The next step in the process is to obtain very detailed budgets from the MoESTS and MoFPED. MoESTS staff will be responsible for obtaining the budgets in electronic form and sharing them with LARA staff. If all of the budgets come in electronic format, they can to be manually loaded into a spreadsheet. If all budgets follow a single format provided by the MoFPED, the development of a budget map will be more quickly completed. Once fully analyzed budgets are gathered, analyzed, and reviewed , there will be a good sense of how much money is available for various aspects of a system. This estimate of the available funds will be compared to the minimal cost of a fully functional system. Comparison of available financial resources versus needs (i.e. sources and uses analysis) will be written and presented to key MoESTS officers for discussion. In coming years, we will use lessons learned and the support from the national level to decentralize the budgeting and communication expertise by bringing training to the district level, while adding additional topics, such as policy development, planning, monitoring, evidence-based decision making, and leadership. Tasks 1.1.2.1 Establish MoESTS EGR budget task group (April 2016), 1.1.2.2 Design and conduct two high-level policy dialogue meeting around the budget, cost, and finance work (revised May -August 2016). 1.1.2.3 Two day workshop to envision and delineate a detailed outline of a coherent EGR system (revised May 2016). 1.1 .2.4 Working meetings to estimate the minimal cost of a fu lly functional EGR system at scale (revised June 2016). 1.1.2.5 MoESTS personnel obtain all relevant detailed budgets (e.g. , national, department, college, and district) (revised May-June 2016). 1.1.2.6 Gather budgets and manually load into analyzable spreadsheets (revised May-June 2016). 36 USA/D I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Work Plan USAID DJRTI FROM THE AMERICAN PEOPLE INTERNA T IO NA L Result 1 Increased capacity to deliver early grade reading j . Intermediate result IR 1.1: Improved planning and management of early grade reading 1.1.2 Enhanced technical and logistic skills of MoESTS to plan, budget, Output result implement, and monitor EGR rollout 1.1 .2. 7 Work with MoESTS staff to analyze the budgets for scaling up and sustaining an EGR program . Look specifically at funds budgeted and spent on curriculum materials, teacher training, school supervision, student assessment, and funds spent on critical elements of the existing EGR system (May-june 2016). 1.1 .2.8 Conduct an analysis (July:...September, 2016). Assumptions MoESTS staff will recognize the necessity for capacity building in finance in the stated skill areas and will use the received skills to plan, budget, and effectively advocate for SRGBV and EGR activities. Risks and mitigation of risks Even if the MoESTS staff are confident about their knowledge and are skilled in budgeting and advocacy: they may not be able to change the budget line items to accommodate for EGR costs. Leadership support will be required to explain the importance of EGR expansion and why it should form an important part of MoESTS's budget. This task contributes in the following way to the following expected results: The EGR and Retention Budget Task Force will build EGR technical knowledge of budgeting for EGR activities within the MoESTS and within other education partners who will support financial availability of EGR rollout. Working through the MoESTS system The working groups will consist of MoESTS and MoFPED personnel who will be engaged in multiple meetings, each one building upon the previous with additional information that informs discussion. Gender equality and social development Budgeting has strong gender and social development impacts. Gender budgeting will be explored to promote equitable use of EGR resources an<;l increase state resources available to further gender priorities and to create opportunities for both boys and girls, and to increase retention of girls and disabled students. Monitoring and evaluation component Budget Framework will be the deliverables used to measure progress on skills strengthening as it demonstrates MoESTS ability to plan interventions that support EGR expansion. The implementation and use of these planning tools will be used in Year 2 and beyond to measure organizational performance. Implications for Exit Strategy and Sustainability: Building competences of MoESTS personnel to generate key messages regarding the importance of Mother Tongue in early grade instruction and strengthening child-protective behaviors among teachers, parents, and caregivers is a major step in accepting the program and building continued support for these areas. Result 1 Increased capacity to deliver early grade reading Intermediate result IR 1.1 · Improved planning and management of early grade reading 1.1.3 EGR and School-Related Gender-Based Violence (SRGBV) advocacy and Output result promotional materials developed and distributed for Uganda Literacy Campaign Mbarara, Sheema, Mitooma, Rakai, Lwengo, Kiboga, Nakaseke, Hoima, District(s) Mukono, Buvuma, Kayunga, Mpigi, Butambala Activity lead Communication Specialist USAID I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Work Plan 37 Result 1 Increased capacity to deliver early grade reading Intermediate result IR 1 1: Improved planning and management of early grade reading 1.1.3 EGR and School-Related Gender-Based Violence (SRGBV) advocacy and Output result promotional materials developed and distributed for Uganda Literacy Campaign Senior Education Specialist, Reading Specialist, Safe School Specialist, Project personnel Training Specialist, ry!&E Coordinator, DCOP, Regional Program Officers, Grants Manager STTA/ Public Relations (STIA - local) - 15 days Non-project personnel SHRP Community Specialist and DCOP, Language Boards in three languages Proposed Communication Task.Group: (11 + 9 = 20 participants): Communication and Information Management Unit (CIMU) at Embassy House Activity participants [5), Basic Education, TIET[1), Planning[1), gender unit[1), instructional materials unit [1], guidance and counseling [1], special needs (1), plus LARA [5],SHRP and GPE (4). Timeframe July 2015 throughout Year 1, to working with the MoESTS in Year 2. 1.2 Improved teachers capacity in EGR methodology Links to other activities 1.4 Increased community and household-level involvement in promoting literacy attainment Purpose and rationale The purpose of the Uganda Literacy Campaign is to have strong, coordinated messaging around literacy, retention, and safe schools communicated to and by MoESTS national and district levels, project partners, grant implementing NGOs and CBOs, parents, schools, and communities. This activity will ensure that there is consistency of messaging about the importance of mother tongue as a medium of instruction in EGR and the link between safe schools and retention and literacy development. The rationale for the literacy campaign is to increase awareness and support literacy attainment through local language and English instruction, reduction of SRGBV, promotion of school attendance, and retention through reducing SRGBV as a barrier to learning. 38 USAID I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 WOik Plan USAID D.JRTI FROM THE AMERICAN PEOPLE I NTE R NA T I ONA L Result 1 Increased capacity to deliver early grade reading Intermediate result IR 1.1: Improved planning and management of early grade reading 1.1.3 EGR and School-Related Gender-Based Violence (SRGBV) advocacy and Output result promotional materials developep and distributed for Uganda Literacy Campaign Description of approach In Year 1, LARA will introduce the project through national (September 2015) and district launches (October 2015). LARA's will use Year 1 to develop the Uganda Literacy Campaign. The Uganda .Literacy Campaign will begin with an assessment by the M&E Coordinator and possibly the performance and impact evaluation (P&IE) team on the potential impacts of the campaign to ensure it will not complicate measurement of results. LARA will initiate capacity strengthening activities in communications, including coordination and collaboration around EGR within MoESTS departments and levels (vertically and horizontally), as well as outwardly to parents and community stakeholders. The EGR and Retention Task Force will be responsible for assigning MoESTS personnel who will develop, with the support of the LARA Communication Specialist, a Communication Strategy that will outline activities that enhance MoESTS ability to inspire its personnel at all levels (e.g., national, district, and school) to support EGR in the local language through identification of key messages, techniques, and procedures. The communications strategy will initiate the Uganda Learning Campaign, whose aim is to encourage local communities and other broader education community to support children's reading development and safe learning environment. The strategy will also include MoESTS ability to engage parents, communities, and other education stakeholders in their EGR priorities and programming. This activity is linked to the MoESTS capacity to communicate its position and actions towards the creation of safe schools and, as such, will include key messaging for dissemination. The working group will explore, with the task force, financing mechanisms for the communications strategy. The technical working group will work with the LARA Communication Specialist to review communication materials used in LARA, SHRP, and GPE districts through quarterly meetings at Legacy House. The Communication Specialist and the M&E Coordinator, in collaboration with the Communicaiton and Information Management Unit, MoESTS, will identify key stakeholders in education that have played a key role in development and rollout of literacy and safe school programs. A critical review of already existing materials will be undertaken by the consortium, who will look to adapt some of these materials and use them to reach out to schools and the wider community in the promotion of literacy and to fight SRGBV. For example, we will coordinate and collaborate with SHRP, GPE, ~ind the MoESTS, to review the existing 54 titles developed under SHRP and the languages available for selection in the campaign. LARA will work to replicate the knowledge products that have been successful and, where necessary, translate into the project's local languages (for use the project operational areas). The types of message media (e.g., high level forums, newspaper advertisements, notebooks, diaries, T-shirts for competitions, sign boards for schools, pull-up and teardrop banners, and murals) will be chosen based on their potential to inspire discussion around EGR and SRGBV. New material ideas will be developed by the LARA Communication Specialist from two sources: (1) the MoESTS communication strategy and action plan and (2) close collaboration with the Reading Specialist and Safe School Specialist based on activity needs for information. Various aspects of the literacy campaign will be embedded into the program implementation . For example, behavior change messages to promote literacy and reading will be incorporated into LARA's grants program to be implemented in communities. Areas of marketing and branding will be undertaken through this activity including the provision of school signage. Tasks 1.1.3.1 National and District Launches (October - November 2015) 1.1.3.2 Review the monitoring and evaluation (M&E) implications of the Uganda Literacy Campaign (revised May 2016) 1.1.3.3 Establish MoESTS EGR Communication Group (revised April-May 2016) 1.1.3.4 Design and deliver five-day facilitated workshop to develop a Communication Strategy (April - June 2016) 1.1.3.5 Quarterly EGR Communication Task Group meetings (June 2016, and August 2016). 1.1.3.6 Assess existing available materials. (revised May-July 2016) 1.1 .3.7 Translate EGR communications materials (e.g., posters, pamphlets, MoESTS guidelines) with writers (December 2015-September 2016) 1.1.3.8 Design Phase 1 for promotional video (revised June 2016) USAID I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Work Plan 39 Result 1 Increased capacity to deliver early grade reading Intermediate result IR 1.1: Improved planning and management of early grade reading 1.1.3 EGR and School-Related Gender-Based Violence (SRGBV) advocacy and Output result promotional materials developed and distributed for Uganda Literacy Campaign 1.1 .3.9 Four design meetings develop new materials (May 2016) 1.1.3.10 Design new materials (September 2015-2016) 1.1 .3.11 Print and disseminate materials (e.g. pre-reading booklets, educational leadership for EGR, library and book management, newsletters, brochures, banners, T-shirts, caps, notebooks, calendars). 1.1 .3.12 Key messages for EGR and SRGBV developed by MoESTS for aovocacy work (May 2016) 1.1.3.13 Order and distribute marketing and branding school and office signage (February 2016) Assumptions It is anticipated that the MoESTS and development partners will be highly cooperative in the development of key messages to address the use of mother tongue as a medium of instruction and also strengthen issues of child protection in and around the school. Risks and mitigation There is a projected risk of spill over within the results areas that would compromise measurement of impact across the two results areas that might not be approved by the P&IE. This will be addressed by consulting with the AOR and P&IE before the processes begins. We assume that the literacy campaign will be a systemic communication tool that may indirectly influence comparison schools. Also, there could be limited participation from line ministry officials participating in LARA activities that would normally constitute their regular work. This will be addressed through sensitization of relevant staff and working with them from the beginning to prepare for the inevitable end of the project. This task contributes to the following expected results In consultation with the MoESTS, these tasks will establish a clear policy for storing and transferring final versions of development materials, which will eventually elicit or strengthen literacy building and child protective behavior among parents, caregivers, and other members of a child's local community. The consultative meetings will provide opportunities for MoESTS officials to build their capacity and understand key messages related to literacy ·achievement and safe school programs. The EGR Communication Task Group will also build the technical capacity and ensure that EGR's· importance to pupil achievement is well understood and supported by MoESTS leadership. Working through the MoESTS system Workihg hand in hand with strategic partners at the national and local level during consensus building and rolling out the literacy campaign will build the capacity of counterparts in the MoESTS and MoGLSD in terms of designing and implementing such canipaigns. Gender equality and social development The development of the learning campaign will increase awareness of the roles of gender; connections between gender, children marginalized by disability, socioeconomic positions, _and SRGBV; and the impact of SRGBV on reading outcomes. The consultative meetings will be gender sensitive to allow for equal representation and articulation of concerns and ideas. The rollout of the learning campaign will target boys, girls, women and men. Communication strategies and messaging needs to target both male and female parents/guardians and guide them to identify with and advocate for better education that meets the needs of both girls and boys. LARA will incorporate gender and social analysis in communications activities. In this regard , the MoGLSD representatives will be included in this activity. Monitoring and evaluation component Annual documentation of the implementation summaries that include the coverage of the learning campaign, lessons learned and their adaptation, challenges, and the extent to which the campaign has achieved its objectives will be used to measure impact. Implications for exit strategy and sustainability Working with and through the existing structures within the specified line ministries (e.g., MoESTS and MoGLSD) will allow for Government of Uganda (GOU) ownership and commitment to continuing the activity design at phase out. Although there will be an inventory of communication tools available in project languages to promote early grade learning and SRGBV free schools, the messages themselves may not need to continue once new practices are in place. The element of sustainability includes the MoESTS' capacity to develop and engage its personnel 40 USAID I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Work Plan USAID DJRTI FROM THE AMERICAN PEO PLE INTERNATIONAL Result 1 Increased capacity to deliver early grade reading Intermediate result IR 1.1: Improved planning and management of early grade reading 1.1 .3 EGR and School-Related Gender-Based Violence (SRGBV) advocacy and Output result promotional materials developed and distributed for Uganda Literacy Campaign and clients th rough a variety of communication mechanisms in an explicit and planned way, with available skilled personnel and dedicated budgets. In addition, LARA will use service agreements to engage existing language boards established under the School Health and Reading Program, which are made up of independent experts. Result 1 Increased capacity to deliver early grade reading Intermediate result 1 2 Improved reading instruction in P1 to P4 Output result 1.2.1. Teachers trained in EGR methodology Mbarara, Sheema, Mitooma, Rakai, Lwengo, Kiboga, Nakaseke, Hoima, District(s) Mukono, Buvuma, Kayunga, Mpigi, Butambala Activity lead Teacher Training Specialist Reading Specialist, Senior Education Specialist, M&E Coordinator, COP, Project personnel Communication Specialist, Regional Program Officers, and Field Assistants STTA/ SHRP Senior Education Program Specialist Non-project personnel GPE Literacy Specialist and Senior Education Program Specialist 28 Lead Facilitators from MoESTS, NCDC, Directorate of Education Standards (DES) and District Education Offices 404 trainers from District Education Offices, Municipal Education Officers (MEOs), District Inspectors of Schools (DISs), Area Inspectors of Schools (AISs), Associate Assessors (AAs), college administrators, Deputy Principals Outreach, Activity participants Deputy Principals Pre-service, Principals, and CCTs 6,672 P1 and P2 teachers and deputy head teachers for teacher training from the 13 districts in Cluster 1 6672 SMC members, foundational body representatives, head teachers in educational leadership training Timeframe November 2015- February 2016 (each year) WBS 1.2.2 Strengthened and standardized primary supervision system in target districts Links to other activities WBS 1.3.2 Parents and caregivers engaged in reading in action WBS 1.2.3 Teaching and learning materials printed and distributed WBS 2.2.2 Lead facilitators, trainers, and teachers trained in SRGBV Purpose and rationale The purpose of this activity is to ensure that, in Year 1, P1 and P2 teachers in the 13 Cluster 1 district schools are able to implement EGR methodology by using the teacher guides to deliver curriculum. The rationale for this activity is that the EGR methodology is new. Therefore, building the skills of teachers through training and professional development (for those working in the teacher training colleges and the supervisory structure) is required to introduce EGR methodology and promote its rapid adoption by the beginning of the academic year in February 2016. USAID I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Work Plan 41 Description of approach The approach will be a three-level cascade model, in which lead facilitators are coached to run a five-day train trainers and then will train head and/or deputy teacher and teachers. Building on the work of SHRP, master trainers will be referred to as lead facilitators. Lead facilitators will be selected from writers, orthography experts, competent trainers (from the MoESTS, DES, NCDC, and UNEB officials) and Associate Assessor (AAs). Although SHRP and GPE have trained lead facilitators in the past, teacher training for all three projects is occurring simultaneously in December and January, necessitating the need to train additional lead facilitators and trainers. New trainers will be selected from CCTs, pre-service tutors, college principals, deputy principals, selected inspectors, MEO, and DEOs in three venues: Ndegeya/Msaska, Bulera/Hoima, Bushenyi/Bushenyi. The new trainers will then train teachers, with lead facilitators serving as monitors/supervisors to ensure the quality of training is maintained through the cascade approach. The teachers will be trained in in eight Primary Teacher Colleges (PTCs) and timing will be coordinated with SHRP and GPE. The focus of these trainings will be on pedagogy, with emphasis on effective use of the new materials and, in some cases, using emerging orthographies to implement the EGR methodology. The standard training package that will be delivered is a five-day program with theoretical and practical exercises, including the literacy hour, English, orthography for three languages, news and oral literature, continuous assessment (CA), and community of practice. The training will explicitly draw on the relationship between the primary thematic curriculum and the EGR methodology to disprove that this is a new curriculum. Teachers will be introduced to the principles of the methodology and the five foundational components of literacy instruction. Time will be taken to give teachers cross referencing skills so that they are able to see the relationship between how to teach and the weekly lesson support sections of the teacher's guide, as well as the relationship between the teacher's guide and pupii book. The training will also explicitly explain the relation between the content of the different days of the week. The ' CCTs and other district-level trainers will also be prepared to conduct on-site and ongoing refresher training for teachers at the coordinating center level on method, content, continuous assessment, and planning for teacher cluster meetings. Head orDeputy Head Teachers will receive a special training on school management, leadership, and book care. SMC members will also receive book care training that will complement the delivery of materials and promote safe storage of reading materials and pupil books. Tasks 1.2.1.1 Lead facilitator training level: Five-day training of 64 PTC lead facilitators in Kampala (November (selection)/December 6-12 (Training)). · 1.2.1.2 TOT Level: Five-day training of 834 trainers (January 3-9). 1.2.1 .3 Teacher Training Level: Five-day training of primary teachers (P1 and P2), and deputy head teachers. (January 17-30). 1.2.1.4 Educational Leadership including EGR methodology, parental engagement, support supervision and book care orientation: Three-day orientation of head and/or deputy teachers and SMC members in book care and management, linked to WBW 2.2.1 (January 2016/ February 2016). Assumptions Lead facilitators and trainers are sufficiently skilled in adult education methodologies to enhance EGR training. Teachers find the training relevant and applicable and are able to grasp the skills introduced and apply their learning in the classroom. Head and deputy head teachers actively support teachers to apply their new skills. Head Teachers and SMCs will monitor access of learners to the books and establish systems for the care and management of new books. Risks and mitigation of risk Some participants may consider engagement in EGR training as outside their normal scope of work, or an addition to their existing work and may have remuneration expectations. LARA will continually and consistently discuss its policy of working with Government of Uganda employees. We will also link our advocacy work with the Uganda Literacy Campaign to generate interest in EGR. There is a risk that teachers may fear using the new EGR materials and approach as they lack sufficient skills to integrate the approaches alongside the existing and approved primary curriculum. Therefore, integration between 42 USA/D I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Work Plan USAID • RTI FROM THE AMERICAN PEOPLE I N T ERNAT I ONA L 1 . EGR and existing curriculum will be addressed in the training. LARA will help teachers through the supervision activities and refresher training. There is a risk of teachers not allowing the learners to use the books to prevent damage to the books over time. These risks will be mitigated by training head and deputy teachers and SMCs on book care training· and through continued training and support of teachers in the classroom. · This task contributes in the following way to the expected results There is a strong link between children learning to read, available materials, and skilled teachers. Learning to read in a local language requires pre-reading skills and an evolution of skills. Teachers that understand this methodology are able to guide and build upon children's existing knowledge towards literacy attainment. This activity ensures that teachers have the knowledge and skills to guide children while utilizing the teacher's guide and pupil books. In addition, the teachers will be able to monitor children's progress through continuous assessment. Other stakeholders trained in EGR methodologies will be able to support teachers and promote EGR in local languages within the system and with parents and caregivers. Working through the MoESTS system Training will be offered through core and (some) non-core PTCs. Trainers will mainly be selected from existing CCTs. The capacity of PTCs will be enhanced by working with the project to plan and manage the teacher training programs. CCTs will be introduced to new EGR methodologies and practically apply it by replicating it during the teacher training. Gender equality and social development The teacher training program and teaching and learning·materials (TLM), developed under the School Health and Reading Program have been analyzed for gender equality and social development by ensuring that story lines, illustrations, and materials do not reinforce existing negative gender stereotypes or social perceptions. For example, illustrations show children of different genders participating equally in activities and children with disabilities actively participating in school activities. While the majority of early primary teachers are women, access to training will include teachers who are teaching these grades and mechanisms are in place to validate that the right teachers are selected for training through school mapping. Therefore, we anticipate that a large number of women will have access to professional development opportunities through LARA. Monitoring and evaluation component The monitoring and evaluation component of the activity is extensive and guided by the indicators and project operational needs. The M&E will begin with school mapping that will identify names and contact details of the trainers and teachers to be trained. These names will be verified during training and linked to mobile money transfer. LARA will keep track of the number of individuals trained, with data disaggregated by gender, using · detailed attendance sheets, which will be recorded on a quarterly basis. In terms of training consistency, training will be monitored by lead facilitators and program staff to review content and delivery so that, as much as possible, the same training is delivered to each participant, thereby strengthening the implementation fidelity. In terms of training quality, mechanisms are built into the training so that trainees (at all levels) are able to practice and demonstrate their abilities to use the EGR methodology. Training reports will be reviewed for this purpose. Reports on supervision (activity 1.3.1) will be reviewed to identify any application issues that are more widespread and can be improved upon through subsequent refresher training. Teachers demonstrating good practice in the classroom during supervision will be documented and, with their permission, recorded with video to enhance future trainings. Implications for exit strategy and sustainability New teacher training methodologies will be adopted when teachers notice improvement in children's ability to read. However, the link between teacher training and classroom adoption is a process that requires support. Therefore this activity will be followed with supervision activities that support teachers in the classroom. Planning for and conducting on-site and ongoing refresher training for teachers at the coordinating center level and operationalizing teacher cluster meetings will adapt and fine-tune the EGR methodology and improve classroom USAID I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 W01k Plan 43 practices, increasing learners' reading abilities. Support and use of CA will also help teachers reflect on children's reading skills over time and the link to their new practice. Also, key to sustainability, is ensuring pre service teachers are taught new EGR methodologies so that when they enter into service, they are competent in this new practice. Additionally, trainers will have gained additional capacities and skills that can be used for future trainings throughout the education system. Result 1 Increased capacity to deliver early grade reading Intermediate 1 2 Improved reading instruction in P1 to P4 classrooms Result Output result 1.2.2 Strengthened and standardized primary supervision system in targeted districts Mbarara, Sheema, Mitooma, Rakai, Lwengo, Kiboga, Nakaseke, Hoima, Mukono, District(s): Buvuma, Kayunga, Mpigi, Butambala Activity Lead Reading Specialist Senior Education Specialist, Teacher. Training Specialist, M&E Coordinator and Project Personnel: Specialist, Communication Specialist, Regional Program Officers STTA/ SHRP's M&E Director, M&E Specialist, Senior Education Program Specialist and Non-project Program Field Supervisors personnel Activity DEOs, DISs, AISs, AAs, college .administrators, CCTs, MoESTS, NCDC, Field Assistants Participants: (FAs) (PTC graduates). and head and deputy head teachers Timeframe: October 2015-September 2016 (each term, Years 1-4) IR 1.1: Improved capacity of MoESTS and education system to effectively sustain the national rollout of the EGR model Links to Other Activities: IR 1.3: Increased community and household-level involvement in promoting literacy attainment Purpose and rationale The purpose of this activity is ensuring that the supervisory support and mentorship for trained teachers in EGR methodology and safe school is relevant, constructive, and helpful and occurs in a timely and regular manner. The rationale is a consistent, supportive supervision mechanism will help teachers improve their classroom practice through the adoption of EGR methodologies by providing practical feedback as they practice new skills, enhance the use of TLM , and improving parent or caregiver engagement. Description of approach The approach is to strengthen the support supervision system to teachers' application and adoption of EGR methodology and safe school, which will be built from the established School Health and Reading Program model. Therefor!;!, the LARA approach will focus on working with district officials supported by MoESTS to .put in place district working groups. In the first step of this approach, LARA will work with DEOs to establish district working groups. Together they will develop a five year district-teacher capacity building strategy for EGR and SRGBV. The capacity of the supervisors will be identified through a rapid needs assessment based on the supervision standards and linked to the promotion and support of reading and safe school interventions in schools. Based on the identified needs, supervision training packages for teachers will be developed working from the existing SHRP supervision materials and incorporating SRGBV. Members of the working groups will be provided with an orientation on the materials. After the orientation, these working groups will be responsible for implementing joint supervision missions once per term. LARA will lead one mission per year and monitor the continuation of the district during the other two terms each year. Each supervision mission will take one week. Each of the 13 districts will undertake the first joint supervision mission after teachers have been trained in February 2016. The week long 44 USAID I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Work Plan USAID DJRTI FROM THE AMERICAN PEOPLE INTERNA T IONAL Result 1 Increased capacity to deliver early grade reading Intermediate 1 2 Improved reading instruction 1n P1 to P4 classrooms Result supervision mission will begin with working groups developing capacity building strategies for teacher support based on the clinical support supervision model. In groups they will visit schools for three days where they will meet head teachers, define teacher observation points, observe classroom techniques, and finalize a reflection that gives individual teachers feedback for strengthening techniques. The groups will then congregate to debrief on school visits and identify any larger systemic issues that can be addressed to help support teachers. The strength in this appro.ach is its effectiveness in enhancing the skills of supervisors to plan, coordinate, and learn from each other's supervision techniques. Its weakness is that few teachers are visited each term. Therefore, LARA proposes to reduce this type of supervisory visit fo once per year, immediately after training . The working group will be complemented with meetings at the DEO level to discuss additional ways within the system that supervision frequency can be increased and quality can be improved. In addition, LARA will offer training to those DEO supervision teams that require enhancement in coaching, mentoring, supervision, inspection, and educational leadership. The LARA R 1 and R2 component managers will coordinate with the Senior Education Specialist and the Safe School Specialist to direct the Regional Program Officers and FAs to share and collaborate on reinforcing supervision in relation to issues identified during classroom observations. These observations will be documented and used to inform teacher training, along with examples of good practices and effective adaptations. Secondly, the FA system will be used to generate teacher enthusiasm around EGR and safe schools to motivate and inspire them to adopt the new techniques. This will be done through using affirmative coaching and mentoring approaches. FAs will coordinate the supervisory and mentorship activities, provide continuous support to teachers, support training activities, collect basic school data, monitor distribution and use of TLM, and participate. in community meetings. FAs will be hired on a ratio of 1:45 schools. They will have teaching experience· and will be trained in EGR methodology. FAs, working with Regional Program Officers, will initiate school visits immediately after the training to observe classroom practice, discuss new. approaches with teachers and head teachers, and meet with parents and caregivers. According to the adult education theory, new skills applied in the classroom within 30 days have a much higher adoption rate. Therefore, it is critical to provide early intervention support to teachers immediately after their training in January of activity implementation year and to maintain regular support. This effort will be rendered to teachers based on the LARA mandate· to improve EGR instruction. It will be time-bound support to ensure teachers are able to implement EGR methodologies in the classroom. Once there is a critical mass of teachers in each school that understand, can apply, and help each other with the support of their head teacher, the additional support of project FAs will not be required. We anticipate that by Year 4 we will be able to withdrawal FA support. Nevertheless, in Year 1, the FAs will work closely with CCT and District Inspectors using coaching and mentoring processes. The FAs will pilot innovative processes to engage teachers, such as short message service (SMS) and teacher cluster meetings that have the potential to be easily replicated by CCT and inspectors. LARA will adopt the SHRP developed standard operating procedures and tools and orient FAs on their use. Tasks 1.2.2: 1 Develop supervision training package for model supervision (November 2015-January 2016). 1.2.2.2 Establish district supervision working groups (February 2016). 1.2.2.3 Implement three-day training on the supervision model (February 2016) 1.2.2.4 Implement a deployment plan for support supervision model in project districts (February-April 2016) 1.2.2.5 Bi-annually supervisory review meetings on clinical support supervision model with CCTs, DISs, DEOs, area inspectors, Ms, head teachers, and deputy head teachers. (June/August 2015) 1.2.2.6 Develop proposal for Chief Administrative Officers and DEOs to increase inspector support and for primary colleges to increase CCT engagement and support to schools to strengthen monitoring and accountability systems for CCTs. (March 2016) 1.2.2.7 Review and adapt the Field Assistant Operational Manual (September 2016). 1.2.2.8 Hire and provide a four-day Regional Project Officer (PO) and FA orientation and educational leadership training on project activities (October 2015). 1.2.2.9 FA and PO participation in EGR training (see activity 1.1.3) (December 2015 and May 2016) USAID I Uganda Uteracy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Work Plan 45 Result 1 Increased capacity to deliver early grade reading Intermediate 1.2: Improved reading instruction in P1 to P4 classrooms Result 1.2.2.10 FAs work facilitated: quarterly meeting, transport to schools, equipment for travel [helmet, overall, boots], phone, corporate airtime, internet, photocopying, tablets [7 inch]) (November 2015). 1.2.2.11 Monitor FAs for compliance to standard operating procedures (ongoing). These tasks contribute in the following way to the following expected results: Creating district working groups and training different stakeholders in the clinical support supervision model will strengthen local capacity, to improve head teachers and teacher ability in implementing the EGR methodology and safe school activities. Such approach will enhance the on-the-job support to teachers which will subsequently give.children enhanced reading instruction. In addition, providing a system o·f trained and supported FAs, strengthens ongoing support to teachers to improve classroom teaching of reading in the early grades and safe school. The FAs will be the district field personnel in charge of communicating with teachers and providing regular support which will improve the availability of mentoring support for early grade and safe school teachers. Working through MoESTS systems Collaborating with district working groups, and through coordination meetings, LARA will generate strategies to enhance reading skills and review CCT performance based on given standards. LARA will support the DEO efforts to create five-year plans and encourage the monitoring of CCTs and inspectors visits to schools. FAs will directly liaise with head and deputy head teachers to jointly support teachers. This is meant as a short-term solution to accelerate reading gains. FAs will continually share their schedules with DEOs and, once in a while, invite CCT and inspectors to accompany them on school visits. Gender equality and social development Issues of gender equity and social development are essential in support supervision. Creation of district working groups and training district officials and college personnel in the clinical support supervision model will target both men and women. Efforts will be made to interact with school-aged boys and girls, while conducing learner checks during support supervision activity. Educational leadership training will provide access to professional development opportunities and enhance the promotion of women. Supervisors can enhance and support practices of engaging both girls and boys in the classroom. Gender equality will be emphasized at different levels, such as in classrooms, and teachers will be supported to assure that they use gender sensitive instructional approaches. Data collection tools are designed to track information on gender representativeness. Special consideration will be given to hiring, training, and mentoring female FAs. Monitoring and evaluation component A tracking system will be put in place to check the level of CCTs and other supervisors' support to teachers. This system will increase district and college support to teachers, which will in turn improve teacher implementation of the EGR methodology and safe schools. In regards to data, support supervision data is gathered throughout the school term and collated quarterly. Data audits are done by team leaders and submitted to the LARA Data Management Administrator who then performs second-level audits before entry. Afterwards, data is entered into a database and analyzed for periodic performance reporting and to inform implementation. Implications for exit strategy and sustainability The active involvement of district and college officials in setting up a structure for the five-year district-level capacity building strategies will create the ability to maintain momentum of support supervision, especially with the development of training, monitoring, and supervision tools. As far as the FA activity is concerned, it is not inherently sustainable, nor is it intended to be. Rather, the FAs are a necessity to ensure sufficient adoption of the . EGR methods during the life of LARA. Working hand in hand with CCTs and district officials will help maintain continuity of the mentorship and supervisory activities. Continuous involvement of CCT and district officials to gain buy-in to the mentoring model and encouragement of reflective practice will propel these efforts. The primary role of the FA is to support the uptake of new EGR methodologies with teachers currently in the system. Once the current teachers consistently use the materials and techniques, and new teachers are introduced to these in their pre-service requirements, FAs will not be required. The larger the cohort of teachers with these skills, the greater the potential to embed the techniques in the delivery of the primary thematic curriculum. LARA intends to phase out FAs by Year 5. 46 USA/D I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Work Plan USAID RRTI FROM THE AMERICAN PEOPLE INTERNAT I ON A L Result 1 Increased capacity to deliver early grade reading Intermediate Result 1.2 Improved reading instruction in P1-P4 classroom Output result 1.2.3 Teaching and learning mater_ials printed and distributed Activity lead Procurement Specialist M&E Coordinator and Specialist, Senior Education Specialist, Reading Specialist, Project personnel Teacher-Training Specialist, DCOP STTA -Ana Robledo STTA/ Printing firm Non-project personnel Logistics firm for distribution SHRP- Reading Specialist, COP, SIL TLM distributed to trainers and teachers, and pupils Activity participants 16 PTC personnel for TLM review Timeframe October to March (Year 1-3) WBS 1.2.1 Teachers trained in EGR methodology Links to other activities: WBS 1.2.2 Strengthened and standardized primary supervision system . Purpose and rationale One of the biggest challenges the MoESTS has faced in improving reading outcomes is inadequate TLM to support the thematic curriculum. The purpose of distributing books is to have books in the hands of learners to increase their exposure to texts. In addition, the teacher guides help teachers follow the thematic curriculum and the EGR methodology. The rationale is to improve learners reading skills. Description of approach The LARA M&E team will develop the packing list in coordination with the program officers and FAs will gather the school enrollment data, locations, and contact information. A logistics company will be procured to distribute books to the schools. The program officers and FAs based will monitor, coordinate, and spot-check the distribution process at the district level with support from the DCOP, Procurement Specialist, and senior program staff. The M&E team will then receive and check final distribution data l;>efore reporting on TLM distributed. Tasks 1.2.3.1 Estimate Printing Run Language Copies of P1 Copies of P2 Copies of P1 Copies of P2 Primers Primers ·Teacher Guides Teacher Guides Luganda 13,269 116,210 2,813 2,813 Runyankore-Rukiga 52,473 50,088 1, 125 1, 125 Runyoro-Rutooro 121,744 12,666 390 390 English 187,486 178,964 4,328 4,328 Totals 374,972 357,928 8,656 8,656 1.2.3.2 Procure a printing firm (September 2015) USAID I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Work Plan 47 Output result 1.2.3.3 Review of P1-P4 learner books and teachers guides and preparation of pre-reading materials (September 2015, March 2016) 1.2.3.4 Print and quality checks (October-November 2015) 1.2.3.5 Confirmation of teacher and pupil numbers (linked to school mapping) (September 2015- February 2016 and August 2016) 1.2.3.6 Procure a logistics company (September 2015 and September 2016) 1.2.3.7 Develop a packing list and GPS Map of Schools (November 2015) 1.2.3.8 ·Conduct route surveys (December 2015-January 2016) 1.2.3.9 Distributfon of books, mid-February 2016 1.2.3.10 On-the-spot monitoring during distribution (mid-February -March 2016) 1.2.3.11 Post distribution follow up (revised April-May,2016) Assumptions The key assumptions made for printing TLM are as follows: (1) school mapping enrollment data is accurate allowing for appropriate numbers of TLM to be distributed to schools and limiting the need for follow-on distributions, (2) weather and road conditions permit distribution, (3) books and other TLM are printed and delivered to distributor on time, and (4) distribution firm is rel iable and carries out its contractual duties appropriately (i .e. no dropping of books by the roadside). Risks and mitigation Time is the major risk for this activity. International procurement opened bidding and resulted in significant cost savings, offset by longer delivery date due to transportation. Clearing two custom offices, Kenya and Uganda, will be required and clearance time is unpredictable. Orders will be finalized to accommodate for quoted delivery dates and TOT materials will be air shipped to guarantee delivery before training in December/January. A risk for this activity is poor storage, which leads to the destruction of materials. The materials will be delivered to schools in February 2016 and there may be no storage at the schools. Based on SHRP's experience, there is often no means for the head teacher or teachers to protect the books once delivered and the schools often have mud floors, no window, or doors. In the School Health and Reading Program, metal book boxes were provided to store books after several books were damaged in the first year of delivery and had to be replaced. Although the metal boxes are expensive and there are still issues around their use, when used for the purpose intended, they extend the life of the books. LARA, however, does not have this provision. It was assumed t.hat boxes or storage facilities for the books would be available through the grants. However, grants will only be available after April 2016 once the grantees are identified and box provision will depend on the grant recipients to determine the schools' priorities. To mitigate the risk, book care and management orientation will be provided to head teacher and SMCs prior to delivery in order to put in place a low-cost storage facility or other solutions. In addition, LARA is currently working with publishers to compare prices on alternative covers to the books to extend their life. The M&E unit and FAs will work to ensure that school enrollment is as accurate as possible and LARA staff will follow up onsite to spot check and correct errors. Another risk is the Uganda national election, which is scheduled for February 13, 2016. Therefore, the distribution of books may be affected as schools might be closed with no head teacher to sign for delivery. To mitigate any challenges, distribution will commence after the election, but well ahead of the first day of school to provide time to accommodate weather-related delays. Mitigation includes · • Early initiation of the printing and shipping of TLM and careful follow-up. • Selection of distribution firm ; which will.be chosen based on their past track record for proper delivery and lessons learned from SHRP deliveries. • Sensitization at teacher-trainings for schools on storage and safekeeping of TLM as a requirement for being a LARA partnership opportunity. This task contributes to the following to expected results This activity will make books accessible to the learners and teachers, thereby improving the quality of reading instruction and learners reading abilities. Working through the MoESTS systems 48 USA/D I Uganda Literacy Achievement and RetentionActivity Year 1 Work Plan USAID RRTI FROM THE AMERICAN PEOPLE I NTERNA TI ONA L Output result The teacher's guide and pupil books are reference materials based on the MoESTS primary thematic curriculum. On behalf of MoESTS, NCDC adopted the 54 titles developed under SHRP. The material introduces an EGR methodology that is proving to be effective for children learning to read in their local language and English. TLM will be distributed to Treatment 2 schools to 28 districts under the School Health and Reading Program. LARA will support the MoESTS messaging around local language instruction and understands that the materials are not replacing existing curriculum : Books will be distributed in close coordination and partnership with the MoESTS at the district and local level with head teachers and deputy head teachers actively engaged in the book distribution. The books will provide an important next-step to capacity building efforts carried out during the teacher training. Gender equality and social development Access to the primers for girls and boys will be monitored by field assistants and recorded using the support supervision tool. Head teachers, SMC members, and foundational body representatives will be orientated to book management including access to book for boys and girls. Monitoring and evaluation component The M&E unit will develop the packing list used to plan and carry out the distribution. The team will also receive the distributor's final report from the Procurement Specialist, which will be used for reporting to USAID on FAF indicators regarding TLM distribution. One year after the distribution, the M&E team will conduct school visits to assess the number of available materials and plan a top-up distribution if necessary. Children's access to books will be monitored during supervisory visits. Implications for exit strategy and sustainability The allocation of approval of the primers by the government structure is to allow ownership and provide leeway for the government to continue distribution. While the distribution of TLM by a USAID partner is not sustainable, it is necessary during this period when the MoESTS lacks the funds to provide TLM in sufficient quantities. The lifespan of the books depends on the handling and the quality of production (e.g., binding and cover). Therefore, books provided in Year 1 will require replacement by Year 4 or 5. Over time, the EGR program may build consensus at the GOU and donor level that it is necessary for the GOU to provide TLM to all students. The capacity building interventions will specifically address the issues of budgeting for sustainability, especially the replacement of teachers' guides and primary books. Result 1 Increased capacity to deliver early grade reading 1.3: Increased community and household-level involvement in primary literacy Intermediate Result attainment 1.3.1: Provision of supplemental reading materials and establishment of Output result materials lending practices and systems Districts All participating districts, with rollout to be aligned with EGR training Activity lead Regional Education Project Officers Senior Reading Specialist, Senior Capacity Building Specialist, Field Assistants, Project personnel DCOP, procurement officer School materials development specialist in Uganda, such as Mango Tree, Books for Non-project Africa, and others (to be determined), Materials Development Consultant (Early consultants/personnel Reading Specialist) - STTA USAID I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Work Plan 49 Result 1 Increased capacity to deliver early grade reading t d" t R It 1.3: Increased community and household-level involvement in primary literacy 1n erme 1a e esu attainment 1.3.1 : Provision of supplemental reading materials and establishment of Output result materials lending practices and systems Reading materials developers; MoESTS representatives, including NCDC, Activity participants procurement officer Timeframe March- September: Research good practice and collected example August-December 2016: RFQs for developing targeted local-language materials March-November 2017: Logistics manages shipment of English readers .from Books for Africa to be available for distribution at the EGR training in January 2018. March-August 2017: We will design story cards and decodable readers aligned with EGR instruction for P2. August-December 2017: We will develop RFQs for developing targeted local language materials at low cost, and make procurements. January 2017-January 2019: Training on caring for books and lending practices will be incorporated into the January EGR training and head teacher training; materials will be distributed as they become available. Directly supports teacher training effectiveness (1.2.1) and parents' involvement in Links to other activities their child's reading ( 1.3.2). Purpose and rationale The purpose of this activity is to increase access to reading materials-in the local language and in English-:-that are aligned with EGR instruction and with the rollout of EGR training. The goal is for children to achieve fluency. If parents are expected to engage with their children's reading practice (Activity 1.3.2), then reading materials must be available in the home. To this end, we will support the practice of teachers lending materials to students by working with the MoESTS to develop and promote school lending practices. Description of approach Our approach involves the systematic research, development, and procurement of a variety of reading materials that can be procured from local publishers and accessed through cost share. Currently the cost-share element includes English books from Books for Africa; and , we plan to do research and network with philanthropists or the private sector to find potential options for increasing in-kind or monetary contributions for local materials (Cotton On Foundation, Mango Tree, African Story Book, etc.). In Year 1 we will focus on three main activities. The first will be to research options for procuring already-made local-language materials at low cost for P1 to P4 that are aligned with EGR instruction. We will also work with LARA staff, local artists, and authors of children's books to design story cards and decodable readers aligned with EGR instruction for P1 and P2 that focus on messaging around positive and supportive school climates and reducing SRGBV. We will learn from relevant materials developed in other countries, such as Kenya and Malawi, which are implementing a similar EGR curriculum (i.e., through scaled programs for EGR that are funded by USAID and led by RTI). In this first year we will develop training in the use of materials, and host consultative meetings and workshops to ·establish a MoESTS recommended structure and system for school lending of materials to children and develop an initiative for training teachers, students, and parents in the use of materials. We will host consultative meetings and/or a workshop to establish a MoESTS-reconimended structure and system for school lending of materials to children. The design of the local-language materials will be driven by an RFQ for developing the targeted materials at low cost with the granting mechanism. The development of local-language materials (i.e., story cards and decodable readers) will be duplicated for P3 and P4 in years 2 and 3. Tasks: 1.3.1 .1 Research options for accessing local-language materials for P1 to P4 (May-June 2016) 1.3.1.2 Design P1 and P2 story cards and decodable readers aligned with EGR instruction (July-August 2016) 1.3.1.3 Procure process for story cards and decodable readers and distribute to schools (September 2016 1.3.1.4 Working closely with MoESTS, develop lending practices and systems (August 2016) 1.3.1.5 Contact Books for Africa to begin discussions on procedures for Year 2 (September 2016) 50 USAID I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Work Plan USAID a RTI FROM THE AMER ICAN PEOPLE INTERNATIONAL Result 1 Increased capacity to deliver early grade reading 1.3: Increased community and household-level involvement in primary literacy Intermediate Result attainment 1.3.1: Provision of supplemental reading materials and establishment of Output result materials lending practices and systems Risks and mitigations Timelines are tight to ensure consensus on new processes for school based lending and content for materials. Working closely with MoESTS personnel with provision of technical and logistic support, and linking to existing MoESTS initiatives such as the Reading Corner and DEAR day may strengthen ownership. Assumptions All the target languages have established orthographies and functioning language boards that are ready to be involved in materials creation. Teachers are willing to establish lending procedures. Parents and caregivers readily use materials at home. This task contributes to the following expected results This activity supports children's reading at home by increasing access to reading materials in local language. Working through MoESTS systems All materials will be developed in close consultation with the MoESTS, particularly the NCDC. Furthermore, in our research we will be sure to tap the wide range of learning materials that exist in Uganda and build on this as much as possible. Gender equality and social development All materials will be reviewed with a gender and social development lens so that stories and their illustrations reinforce messages of inclusiveness, child efficacy and supportive roles for children in creating positive and supportive learning environments. Monitoring, evaluation and learning component Quality assurance monitoring will take place throughout the development of materials. Access to materials and lending practices will be monitored by LARA field assistance. During EGRA children will be surveyed on whether someone reads with them at home or in the community. CBO will use SBCC to reinforce parent and caregiver role in children's reading and document through community meetings any shifts in reading at home practice. Implications for exit strategy and sustainability Because LARA will be working directly with the MoESTS, the care-for-books training and the lending practices have a reasonable probability of becoming a part of MoESTS pol_icy and school practice. 1.3: Increased community and household level involvement in primary Intermediate result literacy attainment 1.3.2: Social behavior change communication to increase parents' Output result involvement in their children's reading practice Activity lead LARA Communications Specialist District(s) Cluster 1, 13 districts in Year 1; Cluster 2, 15 districts in Year 2 SRGBV Specialist, Communications Specialist, Community Development Project personnel Specialist, Senior Teacher Training Specialist, Capacity Building Specialist, Field Assistants, Grants Manager, Regional Program Officers USAID I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Work Plan 51 t d" t It 1.3: Increased community and household level involvement in primary 1n erme ra e resu literacy attainment 1.3.2: Social behavior change communication to increase parents' Output result involvement in their children's reading practice Non-project SRGBV Advisor, organizations awarded sub-grants, SBCC Consultant consultants/personnel Appointed Community Change Agents (see Activity 2.3.1) , School Change Agents, Activity participants all community members, CDOs; District Prohibition Officers, police department, religious leaders, traditional leaders, MoEST and MGLSD Timeframe October-September 2016: Research and develop RFA; October-December·2016: Solicit single award for proof-of-concept SBCC for Literacy Campaign: January September 2017: Sub-grant project implemented; September 2017: Final grant report submitted and training workshop(s) provided to support integration of recommended SBCC activities into all school community programs, reinforcing national campaigns for involving parents in their child's reading practice; October 2017: End of Project..:. Scale-up of community-level SBCC initiative for involving parents in their children's reading practice Links to other activities This activity is linked to all Result 1 I Rs and will also support Result 2. There is a link between the Uganda Literacy campaign, SBCC for out of school reading and SBCC for SRGBV that all support shifting social norms of a critical mass of people. Purpose and rationale The purpose of this activity is to reinforce the national-level campaign to promote parents' involvement in their children's reading practice and to promote community establishment of learning spaces. LARA's initial proof of concept regarding the specific channels of communication, community needs and actors, and adaptations of the messages to the LARA context will establish the evidence needed to support the integration of the communications approaches into all school and community activities. The national campaign needs to be reinforced at the local level. Thus, this activity will provide an initial trial from which information and practices can be integrated into all of LARA's local initiatives, especially community sub grant activities (e .g., Activity 2.3.1). Changing parents' practices and building their self-efficacy to engage in their children's reading is not easy. This is especially true for parents who are not literate themselves. We will draw from the Integrative SBCC Model of Fishbein and Cappella (2006)9, which highlights intention, environmental factors, and skills as three mediating factors of behavior change, underscoring intention as the factor that can be most directly influenced by change communications. In order to influence intention, intervention strategists must directly address changes in attitude (attitudes favorable or unfavorable towards the behavior), norms (perceptions about what others would think if behavior did change), and self-efficacy (perceived sense of ability to carry out certain behaviors). Description of approach Our approach will build on Activity 1.1 .3, which supports social and behavioral change across LARA targeted results and intermediate resultS-namely, involving parents in their child's reading practice, preventing SRGBV, and improving school climate. Thus, under our approach, we will take these messages to the local level and develop a set of evidence-based practices that are effective within the community, including a variety of media or "channels of communication," such as theater for development, SMS, facilitation of reflection arid dialogue at the local level, and so forth . Adaptation of the national messages to the local context will also be explored. In Year 1, the focus will be for LARA communications experts to research the broad arena of successes in change communications in Uganda and to develop a specific RFA that reflects both these best practices and the most favorable geographical location. A single award will be granted for awardee to develop and implement a proof of concept. At the beginning of year 2, the awardee will submit a final report and provide training workshop(s) to support integration of recommended SBCC activities into all school community programs, reinforcement of national campaigns related to enhancing parents' involvement in their children's reading practice, and development of 9 Fishbein, M., & Cappella, J. N. (2006). The role of theory in developing effective health communications. Journal of Communication, 56, S 1-S 17. doi: 10.111 l/j.1460-2466.2006.00280.x 52 USAlD I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Work Plan USAID RRTI FROM THE AMERICAN PEOPLE I NTERNAT IO NAL 1.3: Increased community and household level involvement in primary Intermediate result literacy attainment 1.3.2: Social behavior change communication to increase parents' Output result involvement in their children's reading practice community reading spaces. Additional sub-grant will be solicited and awarded in Year 2 to scale up SBCC activities. Task 1.3.2.1 Research and develop an RFA for SBCC related to (1) involving parents in their children's reading practice and (2) promoting the establishment of a proof of concept for community reading spaces (April September 2016) Risks and mitigation of risk If the national literacy campaign is not sufficiently developed, this activity will be postponed. This task contributes to the following expected results Contributes to all Result 2 expectations and to achievement of IR 2.2 on building positive school climate. Working through the MoESTS and MGLSD structures and systems The sub-grantee will be required to describe how existing structures and systems will become involved directly in community activities, particularly how community learning spaces can be developed and sustained. Gender equality and social development The term "parental involvement" encompasses both men and women parents/caregivers, and this will be stressed in the messages. Men, women, male and female youth, and children of both sexes will be encouraged to participate in the reading space initiatives in communities. Monitoring and evaluation component The Grants Managers at LARA will work with MEL officers to develop a formal monitoring program for sub grantees. Implications for exit strategy and sustainability Creating an "all community" program, as well as shifting norms toward equality and more balanced relations, will reinforce sustainability. 3.3 Introduction to Result 2 Three critical factors will serve to increase pupil attendance in the short term and keep pupils in school over the course of the primary grades: (1) A positive and supportive school climate for learning, which is established by the school-community collective; (2) a committed and capable education management system that regularly monitors school quality, attendance, and school climate; and (3) an enabling policy environment. Pupils who stay in school and feel safe and comfortable in their schools will realize improved learning outcomes and be better prepared for lifelong learning, either in continued formal ·studies or in life in general. The set of Result 2 interventions has been informed by LARA's Formative Assessment of the nature, impact, and attitudes and beliefs related to SRGBV in participating LARA districts. This assessment took place in October 2015. In addition, the activities were USAID I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Work Plan 53 informed by key recommendations from the scientific literature, 10 and by program evaluations of SRGBV prevention interventions from the past decade. The rationale for the set of Result 2 activities is provided below: • Involve a wide community ofactors in all training and interventions. The "community of · actors" includes men, boys; women, girls, parents, family elders, school personnel, community leaders, religious leaders, and officials from education and child protection sectors at all levels. The LARA team has taken a stand that, to the degree possible, all key actors in all participating schools and communities will have the opportunity to access the knowledge building, reflection, dialogue, and collective action planning activities supported by LARA. • Focus on shifting the gender norms and power relations toward equality and balance. We plan to purposefully engage multiple actors (as above) with an aim of bringing awareness to and shifting the gender norms and imbalanced power relations that produce and perpetuate SRGBV toward equality and balance. It is important to focus not only on the acts of SRGBV and on the victims and perpetrators of the acts ofSRGBV, but also on their source. Inclusion will be the key strategy in achieving a shift in these norms and beliefs. No one will be left "untouched." National and subnational policy makers, managers, inspectors, supervisors, and child protection officers should be reached. All students, teachers, and school staff in all targeted schools need to benefit from the information, reflection, and dialogue supported by the set of school-level activities. All community members, including parents and guardians, community leaders, religious leaders, businesspersons, and all advocacy organization members should be touched by the community programs. In order for LARA to have such a broad reach, targeted . community mobilization and training are .necessary, but are not sufficient; far-reaching so.cial behavior change communication is also needed. • Work at multiple-levels simultaneously. Both Result 1 and Result 2 initiatives are designed to work at three different levels simultaneously: national systems and the policy environment; the school; and the community. At the systems level, LARA activities will focus on improving the implementation of existing policy and systems related to SRGBV IO The following are only a small selection ofkey articles that.have informed Result 2 activities, but are pivotal reviews of the most current literature. Leach, F., Slade, E., & Dunne, M. (2013). Promising practice in school-i·elated gender-based violence (SRGBV) prevention and response programming globally. Report commissioned for Concern Worldwide. Dublin, Ireland: Concern Worldwide. Available at https://www.concern.net/sites/default/files/resource/20 I 2/l l/5878promising practice in school related gbv preve ntion and response programming 2012.pdf Leach, F., Dunne, M. , & Salvi, F. (2014). School-related gender-based violence: A global review ofcurrent issues and approaches in policy, programming and implementation responses to school-related gender-based violence (SRGBV)for the educatio.n sector. Paris, France: UNESCO. Available at http://www. unesco .org/new/ fit eadm in/MUL TIMED IA/HQ/HIV - AIDS/pdf/SRGBV UNESCO Global ReviewJan2014.pdf Klugman, J., Hanmer, L., Twigg, S., Hasan, T., McCleary-Sills, J., & Santamaria, J. (2014). Voice and agency: Empowering women and girls for shared prosperity. Washington, DC: World Bank Group. Parkes, J. (Ed.). (2015). Gender violence in poverty contexts: The educational challenge. London and New York: Routledge and Taylor and Francis Group. 54 USAID I Uganda Uteracy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Work Plan DJ RT I I NTERNAT I ONA L reporting, response, and prevention; and will strengthen the capacity of the support and supervision structures to monitor and assist schools in their efforts to establish and impleme_nt school-level mechanisms for SRGBV reporting, response, and prevention. At the school level, Head Teachers and School Change Agent teams in every school will lead efforts to build a positive and supportive school climate. At the community level, sub-grantees will use their awards build the capacity of Community Change Agents and, together, will catalyze community school initiatives for responding to and preventing SRGBV. At all levels, collaborative learning, planning, and action-including participatory learning, action and research processes~will be LARA's strategy for designing, implementing and monitoring change initiatives for building a positive school climate and eliminating SRGBV. • The characteristics ofschool life as a whole should be improved. The school is central to dismantling the norms and producing an environment where children and school officials are supported in using their agency and voices to avoid, challenge, and prevent SRGBV. In addition to creating the TOT Doorways curriculum that will build the capacity of Head Teachers and School Change Agents, LARA will implement the Uganda Kids Unite Initiative in all participating schools. All pupils will be registered in the School Family, and teacher patrons or "school parents" will be trained and supported to lead the School Families. The Head Teacher and School Change Agent teams will be responsible for assisting their schools in establishing tqese groups in a fashion that is inclusive and dedicated to contributing to a positive and supportive school climate for learning and prevention of SRGBV. · · IR 2.1: Strengthen capacity of the education system to implement SRGBV-related policy Three key activities will support the achievement oflR 2.1. The first involves activities that serve to strengthen the MoESTS knowledge, commitment, and action in SRGBV prevention. To this end, LARA will participate in a variety ofMoESTS and MGLSD fora to contribute to improved policy and systems strengthening related to SRGBV. Examples are annual work planning and performance monitoring of the VACiS working group; participation in quarterly V ACiS technical working group meetings; annual . contributions to the Elevate Children workshop, the first of which is scheduled for July 2016; participation in the commemoration of relevant internationally recognized "days," including the Day of the Girl Child, October 6, 2016; 16 days of Activism against Gender Based Violence, beginning June 16, 2016; and Women's Day. The LARA team will consult with national education leaders regarding the finalization of all training and materials related to building a positive school climate and responding to and preventing SRGBV. LARA will invite education officials and policy makers from the national and district levels to participate in the Result 2 TOT program. Their participation will be supported in Year 1 (Cluster 1 Schools) and Year 2 (Cluster 2 Schools). USAID I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Wolk Plan 55 Second, district-level MoESTS officials will participate in the cross-result support supervision efforts. This task involves training and experience on school performance monitoring for (1) EGR, (2) building a positive and supportive school climate, and (3) SRGBV response and prevention. The support supervision efforts involve performance monitoring and support related to Result 2, and will take place after the EGR training in FY2016/17 - FY2018/19. In alignment with EGR monitoring, we will establish criteria for evaluating performance related to school climate and SRGBV response and . prevention, and incorporate them into performance monitoring forms. These events include district and school level debriefings that serve to strengthen learning and opportunities for adaptation. During Year l, the LARA team will research and develop an RF A to solicit a suitable sub-grantee for conducting a referral web mapping activity in a small catchment of communities. The sub-grantee will also be responsible for exploring how best to support communities in identifying and addressing the demand and supply side barriers to using reporting, response, and referral systems. The sub-grant will be awarded in Year 2 and is expected to be completed by the end of Year 2 (FY2016/17). Information from this exercise will be used to scale referral web mapping in all participating school communities and to guide sub-grantees in working with communities to address demand and supply-side barriers to using these systems. IR 2.2: Strengthen schools to provide a positive and supportive school climate for learning Three key activities are recommended to support IR 2.2. In Year 1, LARA will train Head Teachers and School Change Agent teams (i.e., one head teacher and two teachers for each school) through the delivery of a TOT curriculum. Head Teachers will appoint two teachers (who may or may not include the Senior Male and Senior Female teachers) to participate in this training. The TOT program will be adapted from the USAID Doorways III training program. In Year 1, the TOT will be implemented between the first and second term break in May 2016; for Year 2, it will take place in May 2017. The curriculum and related materials will be researched, designed, and vetted with the MoESTS and other key actors, and piloted before we conduct the first TOT program in May 2016. Participants in Year 1 will be selected from all Treatment 2 Cluster 1 schools. The effectiveness of the curriculum and participants' ability to carry out the school program as School Change Agents will be assessed through internal performance review at the end of Year L This information will serve to inform curriculum enhancements prior to the Year 2 TOT for Treatment 2 Cluster 2 schools. Teachers will be supervised and supported during per term visits from LARA Field Assistants accompanied by CCTs. The second activity is an adaptation of the SHRP School Family Initiative (SFI) and 11 other children school groups and clubs around the world • Like SHRP's SFI, the LARA Uganda Kids Unite initiative will reinforce and extend the life skills curriculum of the 11 Our understanding is that there is some lack of clarity around the origin and ownership of the SFI as implemented in SHRP. This review will help to clarify any intellectual property right issues. 56 USAID I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Work Plan • RTI FROM THE AMERICAN PEOPLE I NTERN A T I O NA L MoESTS. In addition, the Uganda Kids Unite will contribute directly to the key elements of a positive and supportive school climate. Rosette Nanyanzi of the MoESTS Gender Unit (The Gender Eye, February 2016, p. 29) described the importance of students feeling "a sense of community and belonging, nurturing, and support for them in both the school and the home environment." Among other factors, these are essential characteristics of a positive school climate. The School Change Agents established through the TOT (see Activity 2.2.1 ), along with head teachers, will provide the leadership needed in establishing and supporting the Kids Connect clubs in every school. During Year 1, the LARA team will begin to research and develop guidance on establishing the Kids Unite groups and will prepare an initial set of materials for . inclusion in the Year 1 TOT (Activity 2.2.1 ). Kids Unite materials development will continue throughout Year 2, culminating in a Kids Unite Guide Book. The third activity has two areas of emphasis: (I) collaborative learning and adaptation through regular support and supervision of School Change Agent activities, and (2) the · · hosting of an annual Shared Learning Activity at the Coordinating Centers. During Year 1, the M&E team members will work together to develop criteria for observing and assessing school performance on the four key areas of change to be supported by the School Change Agents: (1) All school personnel participation in SRGBV training; (2) Uganda Kids Unite Initiatives; (3) school initiatives in building positive and supportive school climate; and ( 4) SRGBV response and prevention. Following the first TOT in May 2016 (Year 1), Field Assistants, together with CCTs, will make three visits to all Treatment 1 Cluster 1 schools to provide guidance and gauge the readiness of trained School Change Agents to move from the initial assigned task (training all school personnel) to the second task (beginning the Uganda Kids Unite initiative). Based on these assessments, at the end of Year l, the School Change Agents will work with the Head Teacher to develop a work plan for Year 2. At the beginning of Year 2, Head Teachers will meet in conjunction with the EGR training and will have an opportunity to discuss lessons learned and their Year 2 plans. From Year 2 forward, Field Assistants and CCTs will host an annual Shared Learning Activity at the Coordinating Center so that schools can share what their progress on the four key tasks, success stories can be recognized, and additional knowledge and materials can be presented. For example, the Early Warning System for identifying children at risk for dropping ·out of school will be introduced in Year 3 during the Shared Learning Activity. IR 2.3: Strengthen community commitment and capacity to provide SRGBV prevention and response programs Two key activities support the achievement ofIR 2.3. The most prominent activity involves the award of sub-grants thatare designed to build communities' capacity and to assist them in developing and implementing SRGBV response and prevention initiatives. In Year 1, LARA staff will research and develop a targeted RF A to solicit quality sub grantee organizations for implementing the community programs. The first tranche of community sub-grants will be awarded in Year 1, and these sub-grantees will be oriented USAID I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Work Plan 57 to the program by the end of Year 1. Grants will continue to roll out in all subsequent years with solicitation period between May and August. Community sub-grantees will be responsible for four key tasks: (1) training community leaders as Community Change Agents for addressing SRGBV; (2) establishing SRGBV Prevention Action Groups made up of diverse community members; (3) catalyzing community SRGBV response and prevention initiatives; and (4) ensuring that community and school initiatives are coordinated and mutually supportive. The second activity will involve a community-level SBCC initiative for shifting the gender norms and power relations toward more equality and balance and promoting widespread awareness and intolerance of SRGBV. The community-le".el SBCC activity will reinforce the messages determined for the National SBCC Campaign for SRGBV prevention. During the first year, LARA communications specialists will research and develop the key messages with the MoESTS Communication and Information Management Unit for improving the prevailing gender norms and power relations that produce and perpetuate SRGBV. Findings from this research will inform and guide the design of an RF A for one sub-grant award to develop and implement a proof-of-concept for community-level SBCC initiative. One sub-grant will be awarded in Year 1, with initiation scheduled to begin in Year 2. In Year 2, the Initial proof of concept for a community-level SBCC initiative will be completed, with a product that will guide the scale-up of community-level social behavior change to be integrated into ongoing school and community initiatives. The third activity is centered on. collaborative learning and adaptation related to the community initiatives and will be aligned in principle and, to the degree possible, integrated with the annual Shared Learning Programs hosted by Field Assistants and CCTs and held at the Coordinating Center (see IR 2.2 above). The shared learning activities will begin in Year 2 and continue throughout the life of the project. 3.4 Result 2 Activity Sheets Each activity sheet below relates to a Work Breakdown Structure box in Figure 4. The activity sheet provides a comprehensive explanation of activities contributing to Result 2. Result 2 Improved retention in primary grades 2.1: Strengthened capacity of the education system to implement SRGBV - Intermediate result related policies Output result 2.1.1: Strengthen MoESTS knowledge, commitment and action in SRGBV prevention Activity lead SRGBV Specialist District(s) National-level MoESTS and 13 Cluster 1 districts LARA Capacity Development Specialist, Teacher Training Specialist, SRGBV Project personnel Specialist , Communication Specialist, M&E Non-project SRGBV Advisor, RTI researchers, Graphic Artists consultants/personnel 58 USAID I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Work Plan DJRTI FROM THE AMERICAN PEOPLE I NTERNAT I ONAL Result 2 Improved retention in primary grades t d" t It 2.1: Strengthened capacity of the education system to implement SRGBV - 1n erme ia e resu related policies Output result 2.1.1: Strengthen MoESTS knowledge, commitment and action in SRGBV prevention MoESTS (Program Coordinator and Component Managers), BE (Commissioners), Teacher, Instructor Education, and Training (Commissioner and Contact person), DES Acti.vity participants (Director and Contact person), NCDC (Director and Contact person), Foundational bodies representatives, UMEA, and Uganda Inter-religious Council Timeframe July 2015-September 2016 This activity is aligned with MoESTS strengthening for management and planning of Links to other activities EGR. Purpose and rationale The purpose of this activity is to reinforce the MoESTS and the education system in implementing the National Strategic Plan and Action Plan on Violence Against Children in School (VACiS), which has a number of components directly related to SRGBV response and prevention. Translating this policy into action at the district level will serve to both build capacity and expedite the full implementation of the VACiS action plan, particularly those aspects related to SRGBV prevention. Description of approach The approach in Year 1 is to support the MoESTS through direct participation in a variety of MoESTS and MGLSD fora to contribute to improved policy and systems strengthening related to SRGBV, including: attend annual work planning and performance monitoring with VACiS working group; participate in quarterly VACiS technical working group meetings; contribute annually to the Elevate Children workshop, the first of which is scheduled for July, 2016; participate in the commemoration of relevant internationally recognized "days," including: Day of Girl Child 6th Oct; 16 days of Activism against Gender Based Violence June 16; Women's Day. LARA will work with the MoESTS in developing relevant policy briefs and summaries of relevant child protection · structures and systems (e.g., the Reporting, Tracking, Referral and Response or "RTRR" Policy Guidelines). These will be distributed in conjunction with cross-result teacher training, shared learning, and support and supervision activities, beginning in Year 2. Working with the MoESTS' Guidance and Counselling along with the Result 2 Component Manager, we will initiate discussion and procedures for following up on the child and parent reported cases of violence against children, documented by counsellors, in the course of the project activities. This activity would accommodate for communication and transport to follow up to these cases. During the first year and following years, LARA staff will actively involve representatives from relevant MoESTS leadership in the design of all social behavior change initiatives, SRGBV-related training curriculum, and grants solicitation. In addition to participating in the design of curriculum and materials, MoESTS officials will be supported to participate in the TOT program for teachers and head teachers. In doing so, these high-level officials will also become Change Agents for building positive and supporting school climate in Ugandan primary schools and for promoting widespread SRGBV responses and prevention. Beginning in Year 2, LARA will host a series of Shared Learning Activities and Policy Dialogue Forums where lessons learned from ongoing activities and/or findings from the set of LARA Result 2 studies will provide the platform for reflection, dialogue and action. This multi-stakeholder dialogue will serve to leverage the successes of ongoing programs to address the demand- and supply-side barriers to reporting, response, and prevention of SRGBV. Tasks 2.1.1 .1 Annual work planning (revised October-December, February- March 2016; and August-September 2016) 2.1.1.2 Review AMELP, Theory of Change and AWP with national partners (revised September -April 2016) 2.1.1.3 Engage MoESTS staff on TOT curriculum design for adapted from Doorways for teachers. This activity will also be repeated for the student training (revised to April/May and August) 2.1.1.4 Support to VACiS working group to identify the aspects of the RTRR guidelines from which to develop content for policy briefs (revised May 2016). USAID I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Work Plan 59 Result 2 Improved retention in primary grades 2.1: Strengthened capacity of the education system to implement SRGBV - Intermediate result related policies Output result 2.1.1 : Strengthen MoESTS knowledge, commitment and action in SRGBV prevention 2.1.1.5 Participate in VACiS working group meetings and provide performance monitoring (quarterly) 2.1.1.6 Contribute to the Elevate Children Workshop (July 2016). 2.1 .1.7 Invite and support MoESTS, MGLSD, and Foundational Bodies to the TOT (May 2016). 2.1.1.8 Undertake activities.on domestic and internationally recognized advocacy days (Day of Girl Child, October 6; 16 days of Activism against GBV, November 25-December 5; Women's Day, March 8; Day of African Child, June 16th; Education Week,) supporting reduction of SRGB 2.1.1.9 Support to MoESTS' child protection and follow-up resulting from project activities. Assumptions MoESTS staff will commit to making the time to participate in the above discussed program activities. The NCDC is receptive to working with LARA to ensure relevant aspects of the teacher TOT and student training (adapted Doorways I) are incorporated into MoESTS curriculums such as the Life Skills Curriculum. Risks and mitigation of risk MoESTS officials do recognize the value of the LARA curriculums and/or do not attend relevant training nor participate in LARA hosted policy dialogue forums. This task contributes to the following expected results Consensus building will help the MoESTS and education systems to own the interventions. The regularly planned meetings will bring together key players to build consensus on the activities and goals of Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity. This approach to capacity building with MOESTS promotes a greater commitment of time and resources for interventions to promote student retention and reading outcomes. Specifically, LARA will work with MoESTS to strengthen capacity around recognition , prevention, reporting and reduction of SRGBV. LARA project staff will also engage in advocacy events such as Day of the African Child, International Literacy Day, Education Week, and International Women's Day. Celebrations will be done in collaboration with MGLSD to generate practical actions to prevent and respond to SRGBV. These interactions.will provide opportunities to gather experiences, emerging best practices and lessons learnt from other implementing partners that could be used to strengthen program implementation. Working through the Mt>ESTS system This activity is directly in support of the MoESTS working group responsible for the development of the national strategic plan and action plan. This activity directly supports the MoESTS' efforts. Gender equality and social development The selection process of the committee members will consider the ability and willingness of both male and female participation. Monitoring and evaluation component Process monitoring will involve review of project records of staff activity and of MoESTS attendance in LARA TOT and policy dialogue forums. Impact monitoring will involve qualitative inquiry through FGDs and Klls. Implications for exit strategy and sustainability Engaging the MoESTS officials in all aspects of TOT curriculum, materials design, and the grants solicitation promotes the ownership required for full uptake and sustainability. Ensuring that these MoESTS leaders also participate in the TOT training will serve to ignite these officials' commitment and ability to serve as change agents themselves in promoting appropriate nationwide SRGBV response and prevention. 60 USA/D I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Work Plan USAID • RTI FROM THE AMERICAN PEOPLE I NTERNAT I ONAL Result 2 Improved retention in primary grades 2.1 : Strengthened capacity of the education system to implement SRGBV - Intermediate result related policies 2.1.2: Enhance MoESTS ability to provide quality assurance monitoring of school Output result performance related to SRGBV prevention Activity lead Support Supervision Specialist District(s) 13 Cluster 1 districts LARA SRGBV Specialist, Senior Education Specialist, Teacher Training Specialist, Project personnel and M&E Coordinator, Non-project None consultants/personnel National MoESTS officials join District MoESTS officials in 13 Treatment 2 Cluster 1 Activity participants Districts (to be followed by 15 Cluster 2 Districts) July 2016 - September 2016 (to be continued annually in January through end of Timeframe project) This activity is directly aligned with MoESTS strengthening for providing school quality assurance monitoring, support and supervision to head teachers and teachers Links to other activities implementing EGR, which involves a National and District Clinical Supervision. The program will be fully integrated for school performance monitoring and supervision of EGR, School Climate and SRGBV response and prevention. Purpose and rationale The purpose of this activity is to provide national and district officials with a "learning while doing" experience by actively participating in school performance monitoring and provision of support and supervision through observation, formal ass~ssment and debriefing with head teachers .. The rationale for this activity is based on principles of organizational learning and institutional capacity building which suggests that when individuals are provided opportunities to explore for themselves and reflect individually and together about system performance there will emerge a much deeper understanding of the institutional strengths and weaknesses. This information, in turn, provides the platform from which to develop initiatives for change. Extending performance review from specific learning outputs and teacher delivery of curriculum to include observations related to the characteristic of school life or "school climate" provides officials with a new lens by which to measure school performance, a lens that focuses on school climate, a key mediating factors of achievement, retention and gendered violence in schools. Description of approach This activity involves bringing national and district MoESTS officials together to participate in a guided school performance monitoring, support and supervision visit to a small number of schools in each participating district. The program begins with a week-long training on the principles of performance review, which will integrate the use of simple M&E tools for evaluating EGR instructional practice, the availability and use of textbooks, the extent to which · the school climate is positive and supportive, the effectiveness of the Uganda Kids Unite initiatives, and SRGBV response and supervision. This training is followed by two school visits where students, teachers and heads are interviewed and observed in the classroom and on the playground. Specific monitoring worksheets are provided and tabulated prior to a post observation debriefing with the head teacher. In Year 1, LARA will focus on developing the simple monitoring criteria related to four key (Result 2) performance areas: (1) staff knowledge and attitudes about SRGBV and gender equality; (2) implementation of Uganda Kids Unite initiatives; (3) positive and supportive school climate; and (4) SRGBV response and prevention initiatives. These tools will be in a similar format as the EGR monitoring tools and will be piloted and finalized prior to the end of Year 1. The first integrated (EGR, School Climate, and SRGBV prevention) support supervision events will take place in February-March following the January 2017 EGR training and subsequent activities will follow through FY2018/19. USAID I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Work Plan 61 Result 2 Improved retention in primary grades 2.1: Strengthened capacity of the education system to implement SRGBV - Intermediate result related policies 2.1.2: Enhance MoESTS ability to provide quality assurance monitoring of school Output result performance related to SRGBV prevention Tasks 2.1.2.1. Develop monitoring criteria for evaluating school performance on 5 key activities: 1) staff knowledge and attitudes about SRGBV and gender equality; 2) implementation of school family initiatives; 3) positive and supportive school climate; 4) SRGBV response and prevention initiatives; and 5) Early Warning Systems. (May-June 2016) 2.1 .2.1. Engage MoESTS officials at national and district level in reviewing draft monitoring criteria/indicators and related checklist (June-July 2016) · 2.1.2.2. Pilot the school monitoring tools related to the above performance areas (August 2016) 2.1.2.3. Prepare the tools for the first integrated support supervision scheduled for February-March 2017 (September -2016) Assumptions MoESTS staff will commit to making the time to participate in the above discussed activities. Risks and mitigation of risk CCT may not supervise their caseload of schools each term, as required. Field Assistants have been engaged by LARA to support teachers in their practice of adopting new initiatives at the school level. FAs will provide a schedule of their school visits to the PTC principal and actively encourage CCT to accompany the FA · This task contributes to the following expected results This activity contributes to both IR 1.1 and IR 2.1 but also supports the achievement of IR 1.2 and IR 2.2 by providing monitoring support supervision to schools implementing EGR and the School Climate, Uganda Kids Unite, and SRGBV prevention activities. Working through the MoESTS system This activity is directly in support of the MoESTS capacity building for school quality assurance monitoring and to this end the project will work with and through the MoESTS. The monitoring tools will be developed with the full involvement of relevant MoESTS officials Gender equality and social development Monitoring of school climate and SRGBV response and prevention is directly related to ensuring social emotional development and learning and gender equality as these properties are key school performance indicators that will be used in the monitoring visit. Monitoring and evaluation component Process monitoring will involve review of attendance logs for the Support/Supervision activity. However, the quality of MoESTS completed monitoring forms and observed debriefings will form the basis for evaluating the success of targeted officials in carrying out the required tasks. Implications for exit strategy and sustainability Engaging the MoESTS officials in this task in and of itself reinforces the role of national and district officials in providing quality assurance monitoring, performance oversight, and support to schools in both EGR reading as well as school climate and SRGBV prevention. Involving these individuals directly in monitoring, support, and supervision helps to underscore in their mind the importance of utilizing we// the existing structures and MoESTS staff (e.g., CCTs) for improving school performance, learning outcomes and retention. 62 USAID I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Work Plan USAID DJRTI FROM THE AMERICAN PEOPLE I NTERNAT I ONA L Result 2 Improved retention in primary grades 2.1 Strengthened capacity of the education system to implement SRGBV - Intermediate result related policies 2.1.3: Referral web mapping for SRGBV and community support for implementing the Output result RTRR for SRGBV Activity lead SRGBV Specialist One coordinating center catchment of communities in 1 Cluster 1 district to be District(s) completed by September 2017 with scale-up of the activity in all Treatment 2 Cluster 1 and Cluster 2 districts in the following years Project personnel LARA SRGBV Specialist, Community Mobilizer, Grants Manager, and M&E Director Non-project LARA SRGBV Advisor, consultants/personnel Selected District MoESTS and MGLSD officials; service providers in health, psycho- Activity participants social support, and justice; community members in selected communities March 2016-September 30, 2017, for initial Referral Web sub-grant and scale-up for Timefranie the life of project from January 2018 This activity is directly linked to and supports Activity 2.1.1, which focuses on MoESTS Links to other activities capacity building related to the implementation of SRGBV-related policy. Purpose and rationale The MoESTS RTRR system provides a mechanism for reporting, responding to cases of SRGBV, including referral for health, psychosocial and legal support. However, the reporting, response and referral sources vary considerably from one community to the next and school officials and community members may not be aware of what these are. There could be any number of supply side barriers to reporting and referral but there are also considerable demand side barriers. There are a vast number of reasons why school officials, teachers, students and parents may choose not to report cases of SRGBV. The purpose of this activity is to establish a referral web for SRGBV, learn how to best address the supply and demand side barriers to reporting, response and referral, to develop an approach to supporting schools and communities in addressing these barriers and in so doing increase the utility of school staff and communities to use the MoESTS RTRR and to access local services for SRGBV response and referral. USAID I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Work Plan 63 Result 2 Improved retention in primary grades 2.1 Strengthened capacity of the education system to implement SRGBV - Intermediate result related policies 2.1.3: Referral web mapping for SRGBV and community support for implementing the Output result RTRR for SRGBV Description of approach This activity involves initially the solicitation and award of a sub-grant to a qualified organization to implement a proof of-concept for developing referral web for SRGBV that involves· community participation in defining the referral web but also in identifying and addressing the supply and demand side barriers to using MoESTS Reporting, Response and referral systems for SRGBV cases. The research and development needed to prepare a targeted RFA for this activity will begin in May 2016 with a scheduled award date prior to December 2016. The initial activity, which is essentially the proof-of-concept will be commissioned to take place January-December 2017 and will be concluded with the following deliverables: (1) policy paper to describe the established referral Web for SRGBV in the initial set of participating communities; (2) guideline paper to describe the processes needed to cost-effectively scale the referral web process to the full set of Tr~atment 2 Districts; (3) guideline paper in the processes by which to facilitate schools and communities in reflection and dialogue and action in identifying and addressing barriers to full use of the MoESTS RTRR, including access to local referral services. Sub-grantee implements the grant project from January 2017 - December 2017 The following deliverables are submitted by December 2017: (1) policy paper to describe the established referral web for SRGBV in the initial set of participating communities; (2) guideline paper to describe the processes needed to cost effectively scale the referral web process to the full set of Treatment 2 Districts; (3) guideline paper in the processes by which to facilitate schools and communities in reflection and dialogue and action in identifying and addressing barriers During the first quarter 2017 (calendar year, January-March 2018) LARA will review and develop a plan for scaling the Referral Web Mapping activity. The Referral Web Mapping is scaled to include all LARA Result 2 school communities, with community facilitation relative to the barriers to reporting and referral integrated into ongoing Result 2 community activities (see IR 2.3). LARA will review and assess the best process by which to scale this activity, to the degree possible, by integrating the activity into ongoing school community programs supported under LARA (July 2017). Tasks 2.1 .3.1. Research and develop an RFA for an initial proof of concept for a Referral Web related to SRGBV that reinforces and supports the utility of the MoESTS RTRR system, specifically for SRGBV (June to September 2016) Assumptions There are MoESTS and non-MoESTS structures for reporting and service providers to which SRGBV survivors can be referred to when needed. With proper facilitation, school and community members are able to address the barriers to using MoESTS systems for RTRR, including the local referral web for appropriate and local response. Risks and mitigation of risk There are no services available. Even with facilitation, school staff and community members are resistant to adopting the facilitated guidance on using the RTRR and to accessing services identified by the Referral Web Mapping activity. This task contributes to the following expected results This activity contributes to IR 2. 1 by strengthening MoESTS capacity to support the implementation of the RTRR system. It also supports IR 2.2 and IR 2.3 by breaking down barriers to reporting, responding to and referring cases to external service providers. Working through the MoESTS system This activity directly supports the implementation of the MoESTS RTRR system. Gender equality and social development Service providers will assure their clients that they supply needed services to the survivors of SRGBV regardless of age, sex, or experience of SRGBV. Monitoring and evaluation component As a proof of concept initially, the success of the grant project depends greatly on the ability of sub-grantees to rigorously monitor and document the processes developed and provide a final product (referral web) that is mapped using GIS systems. 64 USA/D I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Work Plan USAID DJRTI FROM THE AMERICAN PEOPLE I N T E R N A T I O NA L Result 2 Improved retention in primary grades 2.1 Strengthened capacity of the education system to implement SRGBV - Intermediate result related policies 2.1.3: Referral web mapping for SRGBV and community support for implementing the Output result RTRR for SRGBV Implications for exit strategy and sustainability Engaging the MoESTS officials in this task from the beginning will serve in understanding how· the outputs (referral web) is.aligned with and supports the implementation of the MoESTS RTRR. The engagement of communities in addressing the barriers to reporting and referral and the documentation of both the processes and outcomes also serves to reinforce sustainability. · Result 2 Improved retention in primary grades 2.2: Schools strengthened to provide a positive and supportive school climate Intermediate result for learning 2.2.1: School leaders & teacher change agents trained to build positive schools and Output result prevent SRGBV Activity lead SRGBV Specialist District(s) Cluster 1, 13 districts in Year 1; Cluster 2, 15 districts in Year 2 SRGBV Specialist, Senior Teacher Training Specialist, Capacity Building Specialist, Project personnel Field Assistants, Program Officers SRGBV Advisor, SHRP lead for the School Family Initiative, Ugandan SRGBV Non-project technical experts, CCTs, CDOs, SRGBV STIA, Curriculum Development STIA, consultants/personnel Project Associates, Artists/illustrators, editors Head Teachers and two appointed teachers to be trained as School Change Agents in Activity participants all Treatment 2 Cluster 1 schools in Year 1 and following with the same participants in Year 2 October 2015 to April 20151 preparation and piloting of curriculum. May 2016 training Timeframe 2016 for preparation and TOT in Cluster 1 followed by preparations for and delivery of TOT in Cluster 2 in May 2017 This activity is linked to Intermediate Result 2.1 in that the VACiS will be supported and Links to other activities SRGBV prevention reinforced as schools develop a positive and supportive school climatl;l and develop mechanisms for SRGBV response and prevention. Purpose and rationale The purpose of this activity is to equip Head Teachers and a Team of (teacher) School Change Agents to confidently: (1) build capacity of school staff and facilitate their individual and collective reflection and dialogue on all aspects of SRGBV; (2) establish and support Kids Unite teams; (3) catalyze and support school initiatives for improved building a positive and supportive school climate; (4) catalyze and support school initiatives and SRGBV response and prevention, such as MoESTS' RTRR, and (5) establish an early warning system to improve attendance and reduce retention. A positive and supportive school climate for learning, which is established by the school-community collective, combined with a committed and capable education management system that regularly monitors school quality, attendance and school climate, and an enabling policy environment will, together, serve to increase pupil attendance in the short term and keep pupils in school over the course of the primary grades. Pupils who stay in school and feel safe USAID I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Work Plan 65 Result 2 Improved retention in primary grades 2.2: Schools strengthened to provide a positive and supportive school climate Intermediate result for learning 2.2.1 : School leaders & teacher change agents trained to build positive schools and Output result prevent SRGBV and comfortable in their schools will realize improved learning outcomes and be better prepared for lifelong learning either with continued studies or in life in general. Description of approach Our approach to building School Change Agents for improving school climate and preventing SRGBV is to develop and implement a TOT curriculum that provides head teachers and selected teachers - change agents (as described under purpose above). The TOT will be based on an adaptation of the Doorways Ill Curriculum. While building knowledge development related to SRGBV, reflection on gender norms, and action planning will remain essential ingredients of the training as in Doorways. As a TOT, the primary objective of the LARA training is to build the capacity of teacher change agents to provide capacity building, facilitate reflection, and catalyze action among the full complement of school personnel. Thus specific training in the "how to" of training, facilitation and igniting collection action for school change will be included. The Doorways curriculum content will be adapted in order to draw from training curriculum successfully applied in Uganda, such as the Raising Voices Good School Toolkit and the Peace Corps adaptation of Doorways. In addition, the link between HIV/AIDS, vulnerability, and violence will be included in collaboration with partners working with DREAMS partners in the same schools. Content related to the nature of a positive and supportive school climate and the relevance of school climate to achievement, retention and violence prevention will be added, how teachers can promote social-emotional learning in their classrooms is not a prominent feature of the Doorways curriculum. Content to ensure proper address of these aspects of SRGBV prevention will be included in the adapted curriculum. The TOT will be implemented between the first and second term break in Mi:iy 2016 (Year 1) ·and May 2017 (Year 2). The curriculum and related materials will be researched, designed and vetted with the MoESTS, including staff from the NCDC and piloted prior to conducting the first TOT program in May 2016. One underlying strategy for maximizing teachers' success in performing the role of "change agent" in school change related to school climate and SRGBV prevention is to: minimize the number of tasks that teachers are expected to implement when they return to their schools from the TOT; closely monitor teachers' ability to succeed in each activity and provide regular support; systematically add additional tasks to the teachers' activity portfolio only when the teacher demonstrates competency in the first or preceding task(s). The sequence of tasks laid out above will be the recommended sequence for rolling out implementation. Head teachers and teachers will be provided with a specific schedule for implementing school activities after the training. There are five major areas of implementation will be building upon each other. Each implementation area may have a number of unique activities or initiatives that the school change agents can choose from that will strengthen the school climate. The areas of intervention include the following: (1) build capacity of school staff and facilitate their individual and collective reflection and dialogue on all aspects of SRGBV; (2) establish and support Kids Unite Teams; (3) catalyze and support school initiatives for improved building a positive and supportive school climate; (4) catalyze and support school initiatives and SRGBV response and prevention, such as MoESTS' RTRR, and (5) establish an early warning system to improve attendance and reduce retention. The effectiveness of the curriculum and participants ability to follow through with the five key tasks will be assessed through internal performance review at the end of Year1 and this information will serve to inform curriculum enhancements prior to the Year 2 TOT for Treatment 2 Cluster 2 schools that is scheduled in May 2017. Teachers will be supervised and supported by per term visits from LARA Field Assistants acc.ompanied by CCTs. (See Activity Sheet task 2.2.3.2) and through collective learning and adaptation meetings between each term (See Activity Sheet task 2.2.3.1). Tasks 2.1.1.1. Research and design/adapt the Doorways 111 Curriculum, including consultation with relevant MoESTS staff (January - April 2016) 2.1.1.2. Pilot the TOT curriculum for head teachers and teachers (April 2016) 2.1.1.3. Edit and print the final TOT curriculum (April 2016) 2.1 .1.4. Conduct the TOT with lead facilitators, trainers and head teachers and teachers (May 2016) 2.1.1 .5. Based ·on onsite interactions with trained School Change Agents (see Activity Sheet 2.2.3), review the effectiveness of the TOT curriculum and make revisions to the TOT curriculum (June-September 2016) 66 USAID I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Wolk Plan USAID •I NTERNATRTII ONAL FROM THE AMERICAN PEO PLE Result 2 Improved retention in primary grades 2.2: Schools strengthened to provide a positive and supportive school climate Intermediate result for learning 2.2.1: School leaders & teacher change agents trained to build positive schools and Output result prevent SRGBV · Assumptions There are two teachers who ·are interested and willing to increase their normal school workload in order to support the achievement of targeted school reforms. Head teachers share in the responsibility to provide the training, oversight and monitoring of selected teacher change agents. Risks and mitigation of risk In the absence of committed teacher teams to implement the school level reforms. Invitation letters to head teachers explicitly outline the expectation of the School Change Agents and there continued engagement with field assistants to monitor change at the school level. Head Teachers are invited to the training to ensure their understanding of the role of the School Change Agents and their role to lead the school-level implementation of the MoESTS National Strategy and Action Plan and the RTRR Guidelines. This task contributes to the following expected results Given the relationship between a positive and supportive school climate and achieyement, retention, and reduction of violence, the successful implementation of this activity will serve to support the achievement both improved learning outcomes .and increased retention. Thus it is a critical activity. Working through the MoESTS system The TOT training will be reviewed by NCDC and aspects of this training. All training for in-service personnel are conducted at Primary Teacher Training Colleges (CPTC) including CPTC as master trainers and trainers. Materials will be provided to CPTC and ongoing discussion to expand training to pre-service teacher training programs. Also, CCTs are the primary trainers at the last level of the cascade for the TOT and therefore, will be mainstreamed as MoESTS leaders in building positive and supportive schools and SRGBV prevention. Gender equality and social development The promotion of gender equality and the training of teachers on how to support the social emotional learning of students are two essential elements of the TOT training. Monitoring and evaluation component As discussed in more length under Activity 2.2.3, collaborative learning and adaptation is built in to ensure that performance review of teachers is routine and monitoring data is used to guide support to School Change Agents in schools, to evaluate their readiness to take on each new school task (i .e., supported in the TOT Curriculum) and to inform needs for mid-course changes in the TOT curriculum from Year 1 to Year 2 and to inform additional materials development and facilitated dialogue which is planned for annual Coordinating Center Shared Learning Activities across CC catchment of School Change Agents. Implications for exit strategy and sustainability First and foremost, LARA FAs and POs will be the lead facilitators in providing the TOT to CCTs so that these MoESTS staff are the direct providers of head teacher and teacher TOT on the adapted Doorways Curriculum. Initially the CCTs will shadow FA in providing regular school support supervision visits related to the school climate, school family and SRGBV prevention with an aim to integrate monitoring support for these school performance areas into the routine monitoring of schools given by the CCTs. Secondly, national and district MoESTS officials will be invited to participate in the TOT which supports high level buy in for activity and concepts discussed. These officials will participate actively in the annual Support and Clinical Supervision Activity (see Activity 2.1.2) where they learn firsthand - through school observation, performance monitoring and debriefing with head teachers - the elements of school performance related to school climate and SRGBV prevention. USAID I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Work Plan 67 Result 2 Improved retention in primary grades . t It 2.2: Schools strengthened to provide a positive and supportive school climate I n t erme d1a e resu f • or 1earning 2.2.2: Change agent teams supported to catalyze school climate and SRGBV response Output result and prevention initiatives in schools Activity lead Education Specialist (Support Supervision) District(s) Cluster 1, 13 districts in Year 1; Cluster 2, 15 districts in Year 2 SRGBV Specialist, and Program Officers, Senior Teacher Training Specialist, Project personnel Capacity Building Specialist, Field Assistants Non-project SRGBV Advisor, Social Emotional Learning Expert, SHRP lead for the School Family consultants/personnel Initiative and DREAMS, Ugandan SRGBV technical experts, CCTs, CDOs Head Teachers and two appointed School Change Agents (trained teacher teams as in Activity participants Activity 2.2.1), Teacher Patrons and Parents in all Treatment 2 Cluster 1 schools in Year 1 and following with the same participants in Year 2 March 2015- May 2016 for preparation of initial Uganda Kids Unite materials and TOT to be incorporated into the adapted Doorways Curriculum followed by continued materials development and integration of these materials into TOT (Activity 2.2.1) and Timeframe the Shared Learning Activities (Activity 2.2.3) from October 2016 to September 2017. A final Kids Unite activity guide with lessons learned and a "how to" address Kids Unite challenges will be produced by September 2018. This activity directly supports all key activities under 2.2 and also 2.3.1 in that parents will be invited to shadow "Teacher Patrons" in leading family meetings and will be supported in participating as a "School Parent" when there is a limited number of Links to other activities School Parents to support all school families. Thus the Kids Unite brings together school and community and importantly, students, in building a positive and supportive school environment and preventing SRGBV. Purpose and rationale The school is central to dismantling the norms and producing an environment where children and school officials are supported in their expression of agency and voice in avoiding, challenging and preventing SRGBV. The rationale for the initiative is improve processes within the school, with teachers, non-teaching staff and pupils that strengthen their ability to create positive and supportive school climates. Description of approach The school change agent teams, once they return to the school after training, will work on five major implementation activities building on previous initiatives. Each implementation area may have a number of unique activities or initiatives that will strengthen the school climate. A description of each intervention area. is provided below: (1) Build capacity of school staff and facilitate their individual and collective reflection and dialogue on all aspects of SRGBV; All personnel at the school need to be included in the process of creating a positive and supportive school climate because everyone has an important role in preventing and responding to SRGBV; this includes building teachers' perception of their agency to protect children. SRGBV is a social phenomenon that is sourced, to a large degree, in the deep-seated gender norms, attitudes, beliefs, and power relations of the community. Schools and the acts of SRGBV go far to reinforce and perpetrate the prevailing norms, beliefs, and practices of the culture and community. Therefore, it is critical that the teaching and non-teaching staff work closely together to shift these norms and power relations to a more equal, balanced point and work together to develop and implement SRGBV response and prevention initiatives that are coherent and mutually reinforcing. The School Change Agents will work with teachers and non-teaching staff, using the skills developed through the training, to enhance school staffs abilities to recognize and prevent SRGBV and build a supportive and positive school climate. Sessions will be held outside of classroom time, but within school time, each week to ·review a concept and reach consensus on initiatives to undertake. Each teacher will be able to translate this learning in and out of the classroom. Although building the confidence of teachers and non-teaching staff in their ability to prevent violence and contribute to positive school climate, they will be provide with distinct activities/initiatives to practice so that the conceptual applications are able to be implanted in reality. 68 USA/D I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Work Plan USAID • RTI FROM THE AMERICAN PEOPLE I NTE R NAT I ONA L Result 2 Improved retention in primary grades 2.2: Schools strengthened to provide a positive and supportive school climate Intermediate result for learning 2.2.2: Change agent teams supported to catalyze school climate and SRGBV response Output result and prevention initiatives in schools (2) Establish and support Uganda Kids Unite; The Kids Unite provides an opportunity to involve students directly in reflection and action related to achieving a positive and supportive school climate and SRGBV prevention and establishes a context where inclusiveness, a sense of belonging and peer support is the norm. Social emotional learning is an essential ingredient of a positive and supportive school climate and the Kids Unite provides the opportunity for teacher patrons to support students' social emotional learning. Each classroom teacher, working with the change agent teams, are coached to lead a Kids Unite group guided by a toolkit of activities. That is, all pupils participate in a school pupils' group and these groups will be assigned a teacher patron. All teachers will have a chance to be a Kids Unite patron. Parents have an opportunity to shadow the teacher patrons and learn effective listening and communication skills to apply in their interactions with children in the home. · Our approach to establishing Kids Unite groups is by incorporating this task into the adapted Doorways I. The bi weekly activities will support the patron teacher and children to build knowledge, skills and attitudes regarding gender equality and SRGBV prevention. Thus the Kids Unite reinforces the establishment of a whole school approach to school climate improvements and SRGBV prevention. An initial set of materials will be developed to train the teacher change agent teams in how to: establish and support the logistics of the Kids Unite and provide teacher patrons with the skills they need to fulfill their role and be an effective patron in the Kids Unite groups. The initial TOT will also provide a set of materials to guide the regular meetings of the Kids Unite , including information themes related to building positive peer relations, avoiding danger and SRGBV, positive bystander response and so forth. We view the need for Kids Unite discussion topics to be informed by the needs of the students as well as information emerging from the supported school climate and SRGBV prevention initiatives in the school. Therefore, the materials and guidance notes for the Kids Unite will be in progress beginning in Year 1 as part of the development of the Doorways adaptations and TOT Curriculum development. This activity will begin by determining the status of intellectual property rights of "School Family Initiative". We will then consult with SHRP staff to adapt the SFI and ensure that themes also align with the school climate and SRGBV prevention goals of LARA. We will develop materials for teacher patrons to use while working with children in the Uganda Kids Unite groups, using adapted Doorways I Student Manual and other materials. The content of the themes will focus on supporting students' social and emotional development, also referred to as social and emotional learning (SEL), and will integrate this with content from the MoESTS' life skills curriculum. Life Skills is part of the Primary Curriculum framework in Uganda. Teachers are required to integrate life skills into every subject as part of their teaching practice; however, few have supplementary materials to guide them in directly supporting child self-efficacy, agency and to establish the networks of support which is necessary for children to express this agency in negotiating relationships in their everyday life and to avoid, challenge and prevent violence perpetrated against them. Thus SEL is not so much another life skills curriculum but more of a set of teaching practices and methods of interacting with students that serve to build social and emotional development12. In order for students to successfully avoid risk in contracting HIV, exercise their sexual reproductive rights and rights to an education without violence, engage in authentic conversations about violence, say no to transactional sex, report violence and so forth --- all important life skills --- students must have developed strong social and emotional skills. Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) is related to the processes through which children and adults acquire the knowledge, attitudes and skills necessary to understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and 12 Jones, S. M. and Bouffard, S. M., (201 2) Social and Emotional Learning in Schools: From Programs to Strategies, Society for Research in Child Development, Vo lume 26, 4. USAID I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Work Plan 69 Result 2 Improved retention in primary grades 2.2: Schools strengthened to provide a positive and supportive school climate Intermediate result for learning 2.2.2: Change agent teams supported to catalyze school climate and SRGBV response Output result and prevention initiatives in schools maintain positive relationships and make responsible decisions.13 The development of social and emotional knowledge, skills and attitudes also help students cope with adversity and foster their resilience or their ability to recover, perform and transform from situations of adversity. 14 Life skills curriculums often fail to address the learning that is needed for students to develop socially and emotionally. 15 Once groups are established, Field Assistants and Program officers will work the teacher change agent teams in their schools to document the successes and barriers to full delivery on this task. We will continue to compile thematic content," lessons learned, challenges arising and success stories from the Uganda Kids Unite groups. In Year 2 and beyond, we will host multi-stakeholder review of the materials and continue consultations with NCDC. The materials will culminating in the development of a Uganda Kids Unite Guidance Manual, informed by, but not be limited to adaptations from Doorways I. (3) Catalyze and support school-driven initiatives to build a positive and supportive school climate School Change Agent teams will apply what they learned from the adapted Doorways training to catalyze the development of actions that will result in targeted school change for a more positive and supportive school climate. The School Change Agents will also support the implementation, review, and improvement in these initiatives to maximize their impact on student learning retention, violence prevention, and, over the course of LARA, the sustainability of the change. Examples of initiatives, although unique to each school, may include a campaign to clean up the school grounds, hanging weekly learner achievement awards, and recognizing teachers who contribute to the school. (4) Catalyze and support schools in developing, implementing, learning from, and modifying/improving SRGBV response and prevention initiatives School Change Agent teams will apply what they learned from the adapted Doorways training to catalyze the development of school-developed, school-owned SRGBV response and prevention initiatives. The School Change Agents will also support the implementation, review, and improvement in these initiatives to maximize their impact on stuQ.ent learning retention, violence prevention, and, over the course of LARA, the sustainability of these systems for SRGBV response and prevention. The Change Agents, in their work with schools on Task 3, will ensure that these initiatives align with the MoESTS Reporting, Tracking, Referral, and Response program and will support the dialogue and problem solving needed to address the supply and demand side barriers to reporting, referral, and response. (5) Establish an early warning system to improve student attendance and improve retention. The Early Warning System is a framework and process for identifying children at risk of dropping out of school by monitoring drop out predictors, e.g., behavior, attendance, and performance, and intervene with school, community, and parental response initiatives. [ 5] In Uganda, the primary dropout rate is high-approximately 33.1 % of girls and 32.4% of boys who start primary school complete Primary 7.[6] Drop outs occur as a result of multiple factors, including financial constraints for fees, books, supplies, uniforms; pregnancy; early marriage; or lack of 13 Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning (CASEL), 2013, What is Social and Emotional Learning? Chicago: CASEL. http://www.casel.org/social-and-emotional-learning 14 Reyes, J. 2013. What Matters Most for Education Resilience: A Framework Paper. The World Bank Education Resilience Approaches Program 15 Personal communication, Meridith Gould, SEL and School Climate Specialist, April 2016 5 [ J Creative Associates International. (2015, August). Preventing school dropout: Early warning system programming guide. Washington, DC: USAID. 5 [ J Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development & UNICEF. (2015). Situational analysis ofchildren in Uganda. Kampala, Uganda: UNICEF. 70 USAlD I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Work Plan USAID a RTI FROM THE AMERICAN PEOPLE I NTERNA TI ONA L Result 2 Improved retention in primary grades 2.2: Schools strengthened to provide a positive and supportive school climate Intermediate result for learning 2.2.2: Change agent teams supported to catalyze school climate and SRGBV response Output result and prevention initiatives in schools interest.[7] The warning signs in Uganda are high pupil absenteeism due to domestic work, sickness, and unstable family home location. In Year 1, the Activity will begin by compiling a trend analysis and situational analysis of· dropout trends in central and southern Uganda. Tasks 2.2.2.1 . Determine the status of School Family Initiative intellectual property rights (April/May 2016) 2.2.2.2. Provide school facilitation package for school Change Agents (May/June 2016) 2.2.2.3. 5-day workshop to develop Uganda Kids Unite groups' themes and content (June/September 2016) 2.2.2.4. Support school Change Agent teams to initiate Uganda Kids Unite groups in their schools (June to September 2016) 2.2.2.5. Develop EWS Brief compiling trend and situational analysis on primary drop out (August-September 2016) Assumptions Head Teachers and/or School Change Agent teams (see Activity 2.2.1) are committed to providing the logistics and support needed to establish and maintain the initiatives i. e. Kids Unite. Teachers understand the relevance of the initiatives and are willing to dedicate their time as a teacher patron. Parents understand and support the relevance of the initiatives and volunteer to learn more and team with a teacher patron in co-hosting group meetings when needed. Risks and mitigation of risk Leadership is absent for establishing and maintaining the initiatives; mitigated by regular Field Assistant and CCT support to the School Change Agent teams. The Kids Unite group meetings will be held in outside of classroom time but within school time to improve chances of teacher involvement. The Change Agent teams, supported by FA, will help teacher patrons when students share incidents of violence as reporting is supported without risking their own safety and that of the child. Mitigated by establishing school reporting protocol that places responsibility of reporting sever cases in hands of school and community referral system, not individual teachers or the teacher patron. This task contributes to the following expected results The successful implementation of this activity, which builds a positive and supportive school climate and builds teacher and student agency to avoid, challenge and prevent SRGBV, will serve to support the achievement of improved learning outcomes, increased retention and a reduction in violence because of the known relationship between a positive and supportive school climate and achievement, retention, and reduction of violence. Working through the MoESTS system The materials based to some degree on the adapted Doorways I curriculum will be reviewed by NCDC, TIET and aspects of this training. CCTs are the primary trainers at the last level of the cascade for the TOT and therefore, the CCTs will have increased awareness about the value of the school level initiatives. By providing support supervision on the MoESTS officials will develop an appreciation of the process and the achievements. Gender equality and social development The promotion of gender equality and the facilitation of support for social emotional learning that is prominent in the Kids Unite helps to build positive student-student and teacher-student relations and support social development by developing skills of listening, understanding diversity, caring, and communication - to name a few. Monitoring and evaluation component [71 USAID. (2015). State of the Uganda ch ild. Washington, DC: USAID. USAID I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Work Plan 71 Result 2 Improved retention in primary grades 2.2: Schools strengthened to provide a positive and supportive school climate Intermediate result for learning 2.2.2: Change agent teams supported to catalyze school climate and SRGBV response Output result and prevention initiatives in schools As discussed at length under Activity 2.2.3, collaborative learning and adaptation is built in to ensure that performance review of teachers is routine and monitoring data is used to guide support to School Change Agents in schools, including their leadership co"mpetency for the Kids Unite. During regular Field Assistant and CCT visits to the schools, both success stories and challenges in Kids Unite implementation will be documented. Successes will.be shared across schools in the CC and challenges will be addressed together on-site and documented to ensure that avenues for addressing challenges are shared across schools. Implications for exit strategy and sustainability CCTs are the MoESTS staff who will be training teachers and monitoring school performance related to the Kids Unite. This combined with the involvement of national and district officials in providing support and supervision related to school performance on Kids Unite implementation will reinforce the sustainability of the Kids Unite. In addition, the LARA communications strategy will support the public recognition of Kids Unite successes in challenging violence, building a positive school climate and improving student retention. Result 2 Improved retention in primary grades 2.2: Schools strengthened to provide a positive and supportive school climate Intermediate result for learning Output result 2.2.3: Support, supervision, and continuous learning for School Change Agents Activity lead SRGBV Specialist District(s) Cluster 1, 13 districts in Year 1; Cluster 2, 15 districts in Year 2 SRGBV Specialist, and Regional Program Officers, Senior Teacher Training Project personnel Specialist, Senior Reading Specialist, Senior Capacity Building Specialist, Field Assistants Non-project SRGBV Advisor, CCTs, coos consultants/personnel Head Teachers and two appointed School Change Agents (trained teacher teams as in Activity participants Activity 2.2.1) in every school. Timeframe Following the May 2016 TOT training and throughout the life of the project Field Assistants, working closely with CCTs will visit participating schools once per term to provide assistance to newly trained School Change Agents. During EGR training in January 2017, 2018, and 2019, Head Teachers will come together for a shared learning activity where they will share their plans for rolling out the four key tasks learned in the TOT (see Activity 2.2.1). In September annually, beginning in 2017 through 2019 (during the break.between Term 2 and 3), Field Assistants and CCTs will host a day-long Shared Learning Workshop at the CC, bringing together School and Community Change Agents to share success and challenges and for Field Assistants and CCTs to provide additional information and materials. Links to other activities This activity is linked to all key activities under Activity 2.2 and also 2.3.1 and 2.3.2 as both the Community Change Agents and the School Change Agents will participate in the Shared Learning Workshops in order to reinforce the critical partnership between school and community .. 72 USA/D I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Work Plan USAID DJRTI FROM THE AMERICAN PEOPLE I NTERN A TION A L Result 2 Improved retention in primary grades 2.2: Schools strengthened to provide a positive and supportive school climate Intermediate result for learning Output result 2.2.3: Support, supervision, and continuous learning for School Change Agents Purpose and rationale One of underpinning principles of the Activity i$ to promote a culture of learning across all levels of the system. At the . school level this involves the provision of opportunities for school and community change initiatives to "talk to each other" and for collaboration in building a positive school climate and preventing SRGBV. The purpose of this multi faceted activity is to do just this ..Organizational learning requires that individuals from different levels of the system "learn together'' and "co-create change." This is particularly true when the desired change involves both shifts in deep seated attitudes and beliefs and shifts in the behaviors. A multi-level approach is required when it comes to addressing whole school change. There is little evidence that one-off training and a series of short, decoupled activities return positive results. The set of 2.2.3 (and 2.3.3) activities reflect this understanding and leverage opportunities for shared learning and collective action planning across levels of the system. · Description of approach Our approach to monitoring and providing support and supervision to the School Change Agents in fulfilling their mandate to lead schools on four key tasks which support improved school climate and SRGBV prevention (i.e., building capacity and facilitating reflection of all school personnel; supporting Uganda Kids Unite initiative; catalyzing school initiatives to build a positive and supportive school climate; and catalyzing SRGBV response and prevention) includes both regular (e.g ., minimally "per term") visits to schools that have participated in the adapted Doorways Ill TOT. As a team we recognize that newly trained School Change Agents may feel overwhelmed with the mandate to support all of these tasks at one time. Thus, LARA provides a structure for School Change Agents to phase in each new task as they have developed competencies in each one. Per term monitoring and support visits provide an opportunity for Field Assistants and CCTs to discuss the progress in implementing each task, address challenges, and provide recommendations for the movement forward. This phased approach opens the door for collective reflection between the Field Assistants (with CCTs) and the School Change Agents on progress, with the teachers themselves evaluating their readiness to move forward in implementing a new task. In addition to these regular monitoring visits there are two additional approaches supporting collaborative learning related to school change in school climate: SRGBV prevention and retention. Head teachers participate in the January EGR training, which provides an opportunity for head teachers to reflect together on school success and challenges related to school climate and SRGBV prevention initiatives. During this time, Head Teachers will also share their plans for moving forward. The first Head Teacher learning activity will take place in conjunction with the January 2017 EGR training and will continue at this January training in 2018 and 2019. The third collaborative learning activity involves annual day-long CC shared learning activities, hosted by Field Assistants and CCTs. The first set of CC shared learning activities will involve School Change Agents and Community Change Agents (trained by sub-grantees; see Activity 2.3.1 and Activity 2.3.3) who have participated in the initial TOT on the adapted Doorways program. The inclusion of the Community Change Agents will help to ensure the coherency of school and community initiatives and that these initiatives, though they may be qualitatively different, are nevertheless mutually supportive. The CC based shared learning activities will take place in September, annually, beginning in 2017 (during the break between Term 2 and 3) and will continue in this same timeframe through September 2019. In these Learning Activities School and Community Change Agents will share successes and challenges and Field Assistants and CCTs will have an opportunity to share additional tasks and to provide additional information and materials. In January 2017, Head Teachers who have participated in the May 2016 TOT will join their colleagues for a Head Teacher meeting during the annual EGR training. LARA staff will facilitate collective reflection and the sharing of successes and challenges in implemented the key tasks given in the TOT during the previous school year. Opportunities to harvest the lessons learned, capture the success stories to be shared publicly and for Head Teachers to support each other will be provided in this venue. In September 2016 (between Term 2 and Term 3), Field Assistants and CCTs will work together to host a series of CC Shared Learning Activities, bringing together teams of teacher School Change Agents from the catchment of schools in the CC and also the Community Change Agents (trained by community sub-grantees, See Activity 2.3.1) from these school communities. In these Learning Activities and the ones to follow in 2017 - 2019 (during the same timeframe) School and Community Change Agents will share successes and challenges and Field Assistants and CCTs will have an opportunity to share additional tasks USAID I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Work Plan 73 Result 2 Improved retention in primary grades 2.2: Schools strengthened to provide a positive and supportive school climate Intermediate result for learning Output result 2.2.3: Support, supervision, and continuous learning for School Change Agents and to provide additional information and materials. One of the important new tasks that will be introduced in the Collaboration, Learning, and Adaption (CLA) Review is the Early Warning Signs activity. The Early Warning Signs is a system for identifying children who are at risk of leaving school altogether. These dropouts begin to increase in number during or after grade 3 and escalate in grade 4. Tasks 2.2.3.1. Once-per-term visit to support newly trained School Change Agents readiness self-assessment, review school performance, and guide in the implementation of task and sequencing (June-September - Term 2, September-December - Term 3) 2.2.3.2. In-between term Collaborative, Learning, and Adaption Review to review progress, learning and planning (September 2016) Assumptions CCTs will be willing to co-host the Learning Activity. School and Community Change Agents will make the time to participate in the daylong event. Risks and mitigation of risk The risks being that there will be a high degree of non-participation. To mitigate this the incentives of showcasing publically CC, School and Community successes will be given. This task contributes to the following expected results Shared learning reinforces one of the foundational principles of the LARA project, t9 build a culture of learning related to EGR, School Climate and SRGBV prevention. Thus, these activities promote the full integration of LARA and the achievement of all expected results.· · Working through the MoESTS system The principle involvement of the MoESTS in this task is the inclusion of CCTs in all aspects of monitoring and learning activities. Gender equality and social development The promotion of gender equality and the facilitation of support for social emotional learning in intrinsic to building a positive school environment and preventing SRGBV. Thus this activity fully supports these goals. Monitoring and evaluation component This activity is essentially a monitoring and evaluation activity in and of itself. Simple practical tools for developing district and school profiles related to school climate and SRGBV prevention will be developed to maximize the utility of the information obtained in all of these Learning Activities. Implications for exit strategy and sustainability CCTs i;ire the MoESTS staff that will be conducting the school visits with LARA Field Assistants and co-hosting the Learning Activities. The Learning Activities serve to bring schools and communities together in their collective reflection and action planning for building positive schools and preventing SRGBV. The value of these partnerships is well known, but not always played out on the ground. For SRGBV prevention, where schools and communities reinforce the harmful gender norms, beliefs and power relations that produce and perpetrate SRGBV, school and community partnerships in shifting these practices are vital. For example if schools change and adapt more gender equal attitudes ahd behaviors, community attitudes may serve to pull these positive changes back. A sustainable shift in school climate and SRGBV cannot be achieved when schools and communities are not in partnership to address them. 74 USAID I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Work Plan USAID DJRTI FROM THE AMERICAN PEOPLE INTERNATIONAL Result 2 Improved retention in primary grades . t It 2.3: Strengthened community commitment and capacity to provide SRGBV I n t erme d 1a e resu . prevention and response programs 2.3.1: Award community sub-grants to establish community change agents and Output result catalyze community SRGBV response and prevention initiatives Activity lead SRGBV Specialist District(s) Cluster 1, 13 district~ in Year 1; Cluster 2, 15 districts in Year 2 SRGBV Specialist, Communications Specialists, Senior Teacher Training Specialist, Project personnel Capacity Building Specialist, Field Assistants, Grants Manager Regional Program Officers Non-project SRGBV Advisor, sub-grantee organizations, CDOs, District Prohibition Officers, police consultants/personnel department, religious leaders, traditional leaders Appointed Community Change Agent; all community members, including the full range of actors who could potentially participate in SRGBV prevention: men, boys, women, Activity participants girls, parents, family elders, school personnel, community leaders, religious leaders, and officials from education and child protection sectors at all levels April-September 2016: Research and develop RFA for first tranche of community sub-grants, adapt the Doorways II program as a TOT curriculum for communities. October-December 2016: Solicit and award community sub-grants to cover school communities in 13 Treatment 2 Cluster 1 Districts, January 2017-December 2018: Timeframe Sub-grant projects implemented ,January-April 2017: Solicit and award second · tranche of community sub-grants to cover'school communities in 15 Treatment 2 Cluster 2 Districts, May 2017: Representatives from awarded CBOs will participate in the TOT program for teachers and will cover the costs of participation in their sub- · gq:int award.July 2017-June 2019: Tranche 2 community sub-grant projects implemented This activity is linked to Intermediate Result 2.1 in that the VACiS will be supported and SRGBV prevention reinforced as schools develop a positive and supportive school Links to other activities climate and develop mechanisms for SRGBV response and prevention. The activity is also linked to Result 2.2 in that community initiatives must reinforce school initiatives for SRGBV prevention and response. Purpose and rationale This activity has two purposes. The first is to award sub-grants to qualified NGOs or CBOs who will be responsible for establishing two-person Community Change Agent and building their capacity through an adapted Doorways II TOT. The second is to work with and through these teams to catalyze and support community driven SRGBV support and prevention initiatives. Sub-grantees will also be responsible for developing local programs to reinforce and the national SBCC initiatives for SRGBV prevention (see Activity 1.1 .3). The Com.muni.ty Change Agents will work with sub-grantee institutions to build capacity of all community members on the nature and impact of SRGBV, the source of the SRGBV and related mediating factors such as poverty, orphan status, etc. They will be trained to engage community in an ongoing program of reflection on gender norms, attitudes, belief and practices, power relations and how community can contribute to building a positive and supportive school environment. They will work with sub-grantees in catalyzing community driven SRGBV response, prevention and prevention communications messages. · In order to make headway in shifting these norms and beliefs, it is critical that the beneficiaries of LARA's Result 2 activities include this broad sweep of actors. It is important that no one is left "untouched." National and subnational policy makers, managers, inspectors, supervisors and child protection officers should be reached. All students, teachers and school staff and all community members, including parents and guardians, men, women, youth, USA/D I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Work Plan · 75 Result 2 Improved retention in primary grades 2.3: Strengthened community commitment and capacity to provide SRGBV Intermediate result prevention and response programs 2.3.1: Award community sub-grants to establish community change agents and Output result catalyze community SRGBV response and prevention initiatives community leaders, religious leaders, and business persons, and local service providers should have an opportunity to learn about SRGBV, the basis for it and its impact and the factors that serve to mediate it. In order to have such a broad reach, targeted community mobilization and training are necessary, but are not sufficient; far-reaching social behavior change communication is also needed. It is only possible to begin to shift such deep-seated norms when a critical mass is reached. Description of approach Our approach will involve a two phased sub-grant solicitation process, beginning with research and development of an RFA, which will take place from April to September 2016. Uganda has considerable numbers of programs addressing violence against children and our research in the first year will help us target the RFA to ensure these successes are leveraged. This research will also allow LARA to get a sense for the set of organizations working in this area. An evaluation team and evaluation and scoring criteria will be developed. The applications will be short listed by LARA staff prior to a full day evaluation workshop to identify the set of awards. The LARA Grants officer will be responsible for negotiating the final grant agreements with selected organizations. In Year 1 the LARA team will also adapt the Doorways II training as a TOT program for sub-grantees to use to train Community Change Agents as leaders in shifting the attitudes, beliefs and practices prevailing in the community toward more gender equality and more balanced relations. The sub-grantees will use this TOT program to train two strong facilitators who will lead the community work. Sub-grantee applications will be expected to provide specific and contextually relevant initiative to build the knowledge base of the entire community related to SRGBV and to work with communities to address supply and demand side barriers to reporting, response and referral, to engage communities in reflection and work to shift the prevailing attitudes beliefs and practices of the community toward gender equality and balance. Their strategy will also include initiatives for catalyzing communities to establish SRGBV response and prevention initiatives. The RFA will clearly articulate the expectation of sub-grantees to work with and through community leaders and trained Community Change Agents on all activities and to apply inclusive and fully participatory processes, including but not limited to participatory action research. The sub-grantee strategies are expected to be evidence based. Sub-grantees will also be expected to provide a strategy for ensuring the MoESTS and MLGSD. The strategy should describe how subnational structures and systems will be leveraged to promote community reporting response and prevention of SRGBV. This includes Community Development Officers, Probation Officers, police, and so forth. Addressing the demand- and supply-side barriers to reporting and referral will best involve these actors. In Year 2, tranche 1 sub-grant projects will be implemented from January 2017-December 2018; followed by soliciting and awarding of the second tranche of community sub-grants to cover school communities in 15 Treatment 2 Cluster 2 Districts in January-April 2017. In keeping with the LARA principles of collaborative learning and in particular, the importance of an inclusive approach to SRGBV prevention and school climate improvements, sub-grantees will be expected to participate and budget the costs of participation in the May 2017 TOT training provided for teachers. Tasks 2.3.1.1 Research and develop RFA for first tranche of community sub-grants (May-September 2016) 2.3.1.2 Solicit and award community sub-grants to cover school communities in 13 Treatment 2 Cluster 1 Districts (May-December 2016) 2.3.1.3 Adapt the Doorways II program as a TOT curriculum for communities (July/August 2016) 2.3.1.4 Pilot Doorways II with CBOs (August 2016) 2.3.1.5 Capacity building activities for CBOs to manage grants (April 2016 orientation) 2.3.1.6 Issue grants to sub-grantees (May 151 tranche) Assumptions There will be sufficient sub-grantees to cover all school communities. 76 USAID I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Work Plan USAID DJRTI FROM THE AMERICAN PEOPLE I NTERNAT I ONAL Result 2 Improved retention in primary grades 2.3: Strengthened community commitment and capacity to provide SRGBV Intermediate result prevention and response programs 2.3.1: Award community sub-grants to establish community change agents and Output result catalyze community SRGBV response and prevention initiatives Risks and mitigation of risk In the absence of coverage, LARA will work with good performing sub-grantees to extend in planned way repl ication of activities into additional communities. Annual solicitations may generate additional sub-grantees to LARA each year. This task contributes to the following expected results This contributes to IR 2.2 in that a school community partnership is critical for improving school climate. Working through the MoESTS and MGLSD structures and systems Sub-grantees will be required to describe how existing structures and systems will become involved directly in community activities Gender equality and social development The promotion of gender equality and the training of teachers on how to support the social emotional learning of . students are two essential elements of the TOT training. Monitoring and evaluation component Sub-awardees will provide monthly and quarterly financial and progress reports that will be vetted and validated by the LARA grants specialist, communication liaison, and M&E group. Significani Change and Stakeholder Commitment (score card) will provide information for community learning opportunities. Implications for exit strategy and sustainability Involving an "all community" program, shifting the norms toward equality and more balanced relations, and using the existing child protection structures for reporting and referral in conjunction with initiative 2.1.3 (referral web) will support sustainability. The key is to make a strong impact in changing the norms. Establishing Community Change Agents and involving key community leaders in the programs should also go a long way toward sustainability. Result 2 Improved retention in primary grades 2.3: Strengthened community commitment and capacity to provide SRGBV Intermediate result prevention and response programs 2.3.2: Social behavior change communication (SBCC) for shifting gender norms and Output result power relations toward equality and balance Activity lead LARA Communications specialist District(s) Cluster 1, 13 districts in Year 1; Cluster 2, 15 districts in Year 2 SRGBV Specialist, Communications Specialist, Community Development Specialist, Project personnel Senior Teacher Training Specialist, Capacity Building Specialist, Field Assistants, Grants Manager Regional Program Officers SRGBV Advisor, sub-grantee organization awarded sub-grants, CDOs, District Non-project Prohibition Officer, police department, Religious leaders, traditional leaders, MoESTS consultants/personnel and MGLSD USAID I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Work Plan 77 Result 2 Improved retention in primary grades . t It 2.3: Strengthened community commitment and capacity to provide SRGBV I n t erme d 1a e resu . prevention and response programs 2.3.2: Social behavior change communication (SBCC) for shifting gender norms and Output result power relations toward equality and balance Appointed Community Change Agents (see Activity 2.3.1); all community members, including the full range of actors who could potentially participate in SRGBV prevention: Activity participants men, boys, women, girls, parents, family elders, school personnel, community leaders, religious leaders, and officials from education and child protection sectors at all levels October-September 2016: Research and develop RFA October-December 2016: Solicit single award for proof-of-concept SBCC January-September 2017: Sub-grant project implemented Timeframe September 2017: Final grant report submitted and training workshop(s) for provided to supported integration of recommended SBCC activities into all school community programs, reinforcing national campaigns related to SRGBV October 2017: End of Project - Scale-up of community level SBCC for SRGBV This activity is linked to Intermediate Result 2.1 and 2.2. Shifting the attitudes of Links to other activities communities toward equality and balanced power relations will present a strong barrier to the perpetration of SRGBV and support more positive and supportive school climate. Purpose and rationale The purpose of this activity is to reinforce the national-level campaigns to address SRGBV and to take these communications to a local level. LARA's initial proof-of-concept regarding the specific channels of communication, community needs and actors, and adaptations of the messages to the LARA context will establish the evidence needed to support the integration of the communications approaches into all school and community activities. Even though it is important to build awareness about the nature and impact of the acts of SRGBV and to establish a legal framework for reporting and response, the literature stands firm in the need to intentionally focus on shifting the prevailing gender norms, gender stereotypes and power relations toward equality and balance. Changing deep-seated attitudes and beliefs requires powerful communications that have a broad reach. LARA will implement an integrative model of behavior change. The integrative model highlights intention, environmental factors and skills as three mediating factors of behavior change and underscores intention as the factor that can be directly influenced by change communications. In order to influence intention, changes in attitude (attitudes favorable or unfavorable towards the desired behavior), norms (perceptions about what others would think if behavior did change) and self-efficacy (perceived sense of ability to carry out certain behaviors) must be directly addressed through SBCC. In order to make headway in shifting these norms and beliefs it is critical that the beneficiaries of LARA's Result 2 activities include a broad sweep of actors. It is important that no one is left "untouched." National and subnational policy makers, managers, inspectors, supervisors and child protection officers should be reached. All students, teachers and school staff and all community members, including parents and guardians, men, women, youth, community leaders, religious leaders, and businesspersons, and local service providers should be reached in the communications campaign. In order to have such a broad reach, targeted community mobilization and training is necessary (Activity 2.3.1 ), but it is not sufficient; far-reaching social behavior change communication is also needed. It is only possible to begin to shift such deep-seated norms when a critical mass is reached. Description of approach Our approach will build on Activity 1.1.3, which supports a SBC across LARA's targeted results and intermediate results, namely, involving parents in their child's reading practice, preventing SRGBV and improving school climate. Thus our approach will be used to take these messages to the local level and to develop a set of evidence based practices that are effective at community, including a variety of media or "channels of communication" such as theatre for development, SMS, and facilitation of reflection and dialogue at the local level, and so forth. Adaptation of the· national messages to the local context will also be explored. In Year 1 the focus will be for LARA Communications experts to research the broad arena of successes in change communications in Uganda and to develop a specific RFA that reflects these best practices and the best geographical location. By the end of Year 1, the SBCC proof of concept sub-grant solicited and awarded. Starting at the beginning of year 2 between October-March 2017 the sub-grant awardee with implement the SBCC initiative, presenting 78 USAID I Uganda Uteracy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Work Plan USAID JflRTI FROM THE AMERICAN PEOPLE I NTERNAT I ONAL Result 2 Improved retention in primary grades 2.3: Strengthened community commitment and capacity to provide SRGBV Intermediate result prevention and response programs 2.3.2: Social behavior change communication (SBCC) for shifting gender norms and Output result power relations toward equality and balance findings to MoESTS CIMU, who in turn will develop with the technical and logistical support of LARA a guide of evidence based SBCC for SRGBV. Training workshop(s) will be ".designed and for provided to supported integration of recommended SBCC activities into all school community programs, reinforcing national campaigns related to SRGBV. Thus providing the bases to Integrate SBCC into all community initiatives. Task 2.3.2.1 Research and develop RFA for the SBCC proof-of-concept (April-September 2016) 2.3.2.2 Solicit single award for proof-of-concept (October-December 2016) Assumptions The national communications programming on SRGBV will be sufficiently developed to guide the RFA for local SBCC proof of concept. Risks and mitigation of risk If the national programming on SRGBV is not sufficiently developed, this activity will be postponed. This task contributes to the following expected results This contributes to all of LARA's results, as shifting the norms to more equality and balance in relations will serve improved instruction, retention, and SRGBV prevention. Working through the MoESTS and MGLSD structures and systems The sub-grantee will be required to describe how existing structures and systems will become involved directly in community activities. Gender equality and social development The promotion of gender equality is the focus of this activity. Monitoring and evaluation component Sub-awardees will provide monthly and quarterly financial and progress reports that will be vetted and validated by the LARA grants specialist, communication liaison, and M&E group. Significant Change and Stakeholder Commitment (score card) will provide information for community learning opportunities. Implications for exit strategy and sustainability An "all community" program, shifting the norms toward equality and more balanced relations, will reinforce sustainability. USA/D I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Work Plan 79 3 Project Management 4.1 Introduction Although project management is not specifically included within the USAID Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity results framework, it has been included with the Work Breakdown Structure, as the activities represented as project management are critical to the successful implementation of all other aspects of the project. The following project activities will be_conducted in the current fiscal year: • Start-up • Coordination and collaboration • Project planning and implementation fidelity • Personnel and performance management • Logistics and procurement • Monitoring, evaluation, learning, and adaptation and reporting • Financial management • Restructuring Management and Administration Project start-up activities will ensure a rapid and efficient commencement of project implementation. The project start-up began with the signing of the cooperative agreement on April 6, 2015. The start-up work plan was submitted to the Agreement Officer's Representative (AOR) with timelines and milestone dates in mid-April 2015. With the approval of the Agreement Officer (AO), the start-up work plan has been merged with this first annual work plan. The management activities outlined in the start up work plan include establishing an office in Kampala and representation in five region of Rakai, Mpigi, Mbarara, Kiboga, and Mukono. Coordination and collaboration will contribute to the establishment and maintenance of robust and frequent communication mechanisms between LARA staff, the MoESTS, and USAID. LARA is designed to work through existing government structures and provide implementation support to the MoESTS for scaling up EGR and SRGBV prevention strategies to improve primary retention. Indeed, mechanisms to enhance collaboration and coordination are key to addressing the competing priorities ofTLM production and distribution, teacher and other stakeholder training, and supervisory activities. Consideration has been given in the design of each activity to ensure that MoESTS' structures are consulted and regular, numerous feedback mechanisms incorporated to facilitate implementation. Annual work plans will be developed and endorsed, while implementation progress and consistency is monitored. Project planning will be an annual activity that includes key MoESTS agencies and personnel. The planning process wiU begin with district consultation to review the project context, the strategies for the year, and a discussion of 80 USAID I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Work Plan DJRTI I NTERNA TIO NAL progress. Activities will be identified according to the priorities for the year. Technical personnel will then draw up detailed activity plans with timelines which will be ·reviewed through a joint planning meeting with SHRP, GPE, and MoESTS each August. MoESTS inputs and adjustments will be incorporated into the final annual work plan before. submission to USAID for approval. During the year, implementation progress will be monitored, reviewed with MoESTS partners, and analyzed for any learning and adaptations. Technical. and administrative staff will have the necessary skills to support the achievement of all project outputs. Hiring and maintaining quality human resources and monitoring their performance is essential to implementing Result 1 and 2. Human resource systems and processes are in place to competitively recruit, identify, and hire high quality personnel with the right technical expertise to contribute to the implementation activities in collaboration with MoESTS to reach the project objectives. Regular reviews of performance and employment packages will be undertaken to ensure that staff are inspired and dedicated. All activities are linked together through performance management, in that each activity must contribute to the accomplishment of the project objectives. · Logistics and procurement will ensure timely project implementation and by equipping program staff and partners with the necessary assets, materials, and supplies and by establishing a strong operational platform for activities through providing the necessary transport and facilities. Through careful planning and coordination with program staff and senior management, logistics staff will ensure that the transport and facilities needs of program staff are met efficiently and cost-effectively. Procurement staff are working closely with the program staff, M&E unit, and senior management to ensure value for money in the large and complex procurements underway for this project, including TLM for .Cluster 1 schools, outsourced book distribution, and information technology needs for both project implementation and the Early Grade Reading Assessment (EGRA). To achieve maximum efficiency and value for money, LARA and SHRP will combine their purchasing power for TLM. The synergistic relationship between LARA and SHRP is institutionalized through having a shared senior Procurement Specialist to conduct procurement for both projects. High-level financial management will ensure compliance with USAID regulations, as well as model good practice for MoESTS counterparts. All financial reports are initially prepared in the field office, with site reconciliations sent to head offices for the final preparation of progress claims to USAID. Ugandan personnel will be trained to complete as much of the field reporting as possible, with final audits conducted in the US. The accounting teams will be supported by the Project Coordinator and Regional Financial Manager. The national LARA office will engage a highly qualified Senior Finance Manager to provide direction and guidance to two accountants, three account assistants, and a Grants Officer. USAID I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Wolk Plan 81 As stipulated in the cooperative agreement, the management will be responsible for the timely submission of financial and narrative reports throughout the implementation period of the project. As we approached the anniversary of project start date, RTI InternatiOnal began a process of adjusting its implementation approach to result 2. Its partnership with the subprime partner, World Vision was ended. This followed the rejection of the second submission of the Annual Work Plan in February 2016. The approach adjustment activity sheet outlines the management requirements to support achieving output gains in result 2. Specific project management activity sheets are presented in the following pages. Operational Results: Rapid and efficient commencement of project implementation · Set up LARA Activity lead COP Project personnel DCOP and Information Technology (IT) Specialist STTA: Project Manager, Coordinator, and Associate (four international trips x 14 STTA/ days); Regional IT Manager (regional trip x 10 days) Non-project personnel SHRP Procurement Specialist and HR Specialist Activity participants Not applicable Timeframe April 2015-August 2015 Purpose and rationale The purpose of the start-up phase is to become operational, as quickly as possible. The rationale is to establish capacity to provide technical and logistic services to plan, implement, and support core activities. Description of approach RTl's approach to the LARA's set-up is to utilize its existing presence and capacity in Uganda and within the education sector through the USAID/Uganda School Health and Retention Project. As LARA will expand the work of SHRP, RTI will engage SHRP personnel to support LARA's start-up. As the writing of this Annual Work Plan, the startup work plan has been implemented. The RTI head office management (Program Manager, Coordinator, and Contract Officer) traveled to Uganda to initiate the project and support the start-up after initiating the project with RTI management. Afterward, the key personnel, including the COP and DCOP, were contracted, oriented, and mobilized to Uganda in May 2015 and June 2015, respectively. A detailed checklist of start-up activities was prepared and submitted to the AOR for approval, along with a request to the AO to combine the start-up work plan into the first annual work plan. The Contribution Agreement specified submission of the first annual work plan after the 90 day of signing (July 6), less than two months before fiscal year end. The request was granted to synchronize planning cycle with GPE, SHRP and MOESTS. The focus of the checklist activities was to establish a physical presence with an operating office complete with equipment, systems, and procedures. An office was established in Kampala near the SHRP and MoESTS offices to facilitate collaboration. In addition, a LARA presence was established in five regional areas (Rakai, Mpigi, Kiboga, Mukono, and Mbarara) to support district- and school-level activities. Start-up prioritized establishing relationships with client and partners, hiring personnel, procuring office and equipment, establishing IT and communication systems, and administrative and financial guidelines and facilities. Procurement of office equipment and materials was largely undertaken in accordance with the RFA procurement list. Administrative systems were adopted from standard RTI operational processes and procedures and set up with the establishment of the project's IT systems. Manuals and policies were adjusted to meet any specific requirements of LARA. IT and communications systems, both hardware and software, were established. Newer communication methodologies such as tablets, WebEx, GoToMeeting, and Ellluminate will be examined within the Uganda context of bandwidth, electricity outages, and costs to facilitate communication and sharing of information. 82 USAID I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Worl< Plan USAID • RTI FROM THE AMERICAN PEOPLE IN T ERNATJONAL ------~------Operational Results: Rapid and efficient commencement of project implementation . . . Set up LARA Whichever system is adopted will be standardized so as to function across all five districts. Training is expected to be needed for effective operation of the technology selected, as well as new software for data base creation and presentation. · Tasks 3.8 Home office project management plan key start-up activities (April 20"15) 3.8 Mobilize subrecipient (World Vision) (April 2015) 3.8 Branding and marking plan completed (at award stage) (April 2015) 3.8 Registration and enrollment with various tax entities (May 2015) 3.8 Chief of Party orientation and transition to Uganda (May 2015) 3.8 Deputy Chief of Party transition to Uganda (June 18, 2015) 3.8 Establish key relationships with USAID (April 2015) 3.8 Establish key relationships with MoESTS (May 2015) 3.8 Vehicle procurement (April 2015) 3.8 Office located and lease signed (May-June 2015) 3.8 Key staff hired (April-August 2015) 3.8 Hiring all staff (begins May 2015) 3.8 Inventory tracking system developed (RAMS) (April 2015) 3.8 Cost-tracking approach for all activities developed (May 2015) 3.8 IT procurement and set up (June-August 2015) 3.8 Security and safety assessment and training (August 2015) 3.8 Revision of operational policies (travel policy, vehicle policy, and staff field manual) (July) 3.8 Financial and accounting systems set up (including treasury) (May-August 2015) 3.8 Financial reporting determined (May 2015) 3.8 Grants management approach drafted (August 2015) Operational Results: Robust and frequent coordination and collaboration mechanisms established and maintained 3.2 Collaboration and Coordination Activity lead COP Project personnel DCOP and all technical staff SHRP COP and DCOP and all technical staff; GPE; USAID and other STTA/ Education partners; MoESTS departments and agencies at national, district Non-project personnel and school level Activity participants · Not applicable Timeframe April-September 2015 Purpose and rationale The purpose of the start-up phase is to become operational, as quickly as possible. The rationale is to establish capacity to provide technical and logistic services to plan, implement, and support core activities. Description of approach LARA's approach to collaboration and coordination will be explicit. Specific meeting dates will be defined and regularized to ensure sharing of plans, progress, and results is an ongoing processes. USAID I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Work Plan 83 I 3.2 Collaboration and Coordination The Project Steering Committee will be established to meet twice a year to review the annual work plan, implementation, and performance progress. The Steering Committee and education working group will provide direction and guidance. LARA, SHRP, and GPE have a special relationship in that they are all expanding the MoESTS EGR program. Therefore scheduling coordination is essential to ensure that book distribution, teacher training, and M&E and supervision activities are planned and implemented sequentially and evenly spread geographically and institutionally. In order to ensure that LARA is closely aligned to key MoESTS implementing partners, LARA management will participate in the MoESTS meetings. Meetings with MoESTS agencies will also be frequent and include the following: · • Annual Sector Review Meeting; once per year • Education Consultative Committee meeting • Basic Education Working Group meetings. • M&E Technical Working Group meeting • Teacher Training Working Group meeting • Budgeting Working Group meeting • Meeting with MoESTS Focal Coordinati9n (monthly and as required). • Meetings with MoESTS Component Managers (weekly) • EGR Coordination Committee with USAID The project will make provisions for supporting focal persons in the MoESTS for overall coordination and management support for each of the result components. This provision will take an active role implementing LARA activities by MoESTS and through existing structures. With approval of USAID, support will be in the form of laptops, cell phones and wireless modem sticks. Focal persons will provide the consistent leadership link between LARA and MoESTS, as they will be positioned to advocate and encourage organizational support for the expansion of EGR and SRGBV activities through MoESTS systems and agencies in the 28 operational districts supported by LARA. Weekly meetings with USAID will take place and will be supplemented with a topic specific meeting, as needed. Weekly activity reports will be sent by email as a curtesy, outside the requirements of the cooperative agreement, to support frequent and regular information flows with the AOR, the development office manager, and education specialist. The email will include a record of meetings, events, progress, and assistance required by the AOR to facilitate project implementation. Meeting with education partners will occur as needed and include partners with shared interests and goals for EGR (e.g., Peace Corps and Literacy and Basic Education [LABE] and those working in SRGBV (e.g., Elevate Children, Raising Voices, and UNICEF). LARA will actively share resources and utilize materials developed by others and tested as effective. LARA will develop a variety of promotional media to brand the project and provide decision.makers, project partners and the public at large with information about ongoing activities and accomplishments of USAID/ Uganda education programming using the branding and communication strategy. A variety of other media will be added to the literacy campaign, which will largely involve radio messages, SMS texting, informational pamphlets, posters, and interpersonal communication support for extension workers (e .g., flipcharts and possibly video productions). Tasks 3.2.1 Coordination committee meeting (October 2015, December 2015, February 2016, April 2016, June 2016, and August 2016) 3.2.2 Meetings with MoESTS, Basic Education working group, Education Sector Council, and Monitoring and Evaluation working Group (every two months) 3.2.3 Meetings with Focal Coordinator and Component Managers (ongoing) 3.2.4 Meetings with USAID and partners (weekly) 3.2.5 Meetings with SHRP, GPE, and implementation support (when required) 84 USAID I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Work Plan USAID • RTI FROM THE AMERICAN PEOPLE I NT E RN A T I O NA L I Operational Resuits: Annuai work plan de~el~ped and ~~o';~-;d~-~d i~pleme°ntatio~ -pr~gre~s anT°: -, - 1 consistency monitored · · -_ . · - ·: .·. · · ·.. , • • ·- ·." - • ...... - ~ ...... - ...... - . : 3.3 Project Planning and Implementation Activity lead COP Project personnel DCOP and M&E Manager STTA/ Project Coordinator and Associate Non-project personnel Education Specialist and Project Manager Activity participants MoESTS agencies for EGR and VACiS Timeframe October 2015--September 2016 Purpose and rationale The purpose of planning and implementation is to determine a step-by-step road map that guides implementation and enables management to measure implementation progress and consistency. The rationale is to develop a communication and management tool with sufficient specificity to guide project staff and management through a time frame. Description of approach The planning and implementation approach is underpinned by LARA's role to support the GOU and MoESTS implementing partners as to expand EGR and the creation of SRGBV-free schools. Planning is guided by MoESTS' EGR framework and the strategic plan for VACiS and action plan. As LARA is working through the MoESTS system, joint planning will be undertaken to strengthen ownership, avoid duplication, and ensure that the project's activities are in line with MoESTS' priorities and timelines. This annual work plan was developed by LARA technical staff who are responsible for determining annual interventions for the upcoming 12-month period. Planners must consider the implementation context in which LARA operates and opportunities or constraints that support or hinder progress. Interventions are proposed based on broad project work packages, which assist planners to keep focused on the essential inputs to achieve the intended results. Definition of the approach and tasks are determined together through working with MoESTS personnel at various levels and informed by the project's monitoring and evaluation data analysis and learning processes. Interventions are adapted based on project learning. When broad activities are determined for the year, planning meeting are held with key MoESTS partners, who refine and adjust the plans. The annual work plan is then drafted and submitted to USAID on August 31 of each year for approval. Planning requires careful collaboration with existing MoESTS implementing departments. LARA program interventions need to be identified and planned in collaboration with MoESTS implementation agencies rather than as unilateral programs to be designed and implemented by LARA. This may be an iterative process in that the needs of one year may be different from the needs that emerge in a subsequent year. This requires a process of consensus building around planned programming and M&E of results, which leads to further programming. LARA will ensure feedback mechanisms exist to discuss assessment findings and the implication with the objective of accelerating learning and furthering MoESTS VACiS strategy and action plan. To facilitate the coordination and alignment, LARA will compile a technical advisory committee at the district level, including representatives from other relevant departments. In this way other reading and safe school partners and agendas which may impact LARA and MoESTS implementation can also be considered during the planning and operationalization of LARA activities. The use of results-based planning tools to be used to achieve quality and relevant results from each LARA activity is a core element of the LARA approach. The anticipated results will inform work planning strategies, administrative and financial management, reporting capacity building, and technical assistance over the course of the project. LARA will conduct regular monitoring activities to confirm the relevance of the activities indicated within the approved AWP and make adjustments to processes as required. Adjustments to the AWP may require approval from the AOR, depending on the nature of the adjustments. The LARA Activity Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Plan (AMELP) will be reviewed and revised with input from USAID and the P&IE (September 2015). USAID I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Work Plan 85 3.3 Project Planning and Implementation Tasks 3.3.1 District level consultation meetings: 2 meetings/year x 13 districts x 10 people (refreshments provided) (AugusUSeptember 2015) 3.3.2 Monthly technical staff meeting to review implementation progress and review issues arising from M&E activities 3.3.3 District operational plan meetings: Regional coordinators and management attend USAID district operational planning meetings (September 2015) 3.3.4 National-level planning meeting in Kampala with district representatives (August 2015 and August 2016) 3.3.5 Conduct regular monitoring activities to confirm the relevance of the activities indicated within the approved AWP and make adjustments to processes as required. 3.3.6 Conduct regularly scheduled LARA planning and implementation meetings to ensure project coherence and progress. 3.3.7 Prepare AWP and submit to USAID on August 30, 2015 and August 31 , 2016 (for Year 2). Operational Output: Technical and administrative staff skills support the achievement of all project . outputs 3.4 Personnel and Performance Management Activity lead DCOP Project personnel COP and HR Specialist STTA/ Uganda and Regional HR Specialists Non-project personnel Activity participants Technical activity leads Timeframe April 2015-September 2016 Purpose and rationale LARA requires a wide variety of expertise to support the implementation of the EGR and SRGBV through MoESTS. Expertise must be recruited and hired or contracted, internationally and locally, depending on the availability and skill sets. Description of approach 86 USA/D I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Work Plan USAID DJRTI FROM THE AMERICAN PEOPLE INTERNAT I ONAL ~:-i;.----:--...--:-:--:-,-.--.~~-- ~ ---~--;:~-.-~ ~:; ~ ... ~. - ·-,:'\· .... , '• -;-:-- --~-;;.~~-z-;-.-~ _Operational Output: .Technical and administrative staff skills support the achievement of all project : p~t~u!S ., · -.: - ·.. ·· -. . _' . : · · · - · . · · 3.4 Personnel and Performance Management Tasks 3.4.1 Develop list of needed expertise, based on the activities to be included within the AWPs (August 2016 and 2016) 3.4.2 Develop advertising program to solicit CVs of qualified candidates to address the identified needs (as required) 3.4.3 Develop ToRs and job descriptions for all positions for which recruitment processes will be initiated 3.4.4 Conduct selection process in a transparent process particularly in the selection of cooperating country nationals 3.4.5 Each staff member will be given an all-inclusive contract for their services, which will include provisions for salary and statutory benefits, as prescribed by the GOU 3.4.6 Upon completion of the recruitment processes, each newly recruited staff member will participate in LARA orientation to ensure their understanding of the LARA objectives and prof esses and to familiarize them with RTI and/or WV and USAID processes and procedures (August 2015 arid as required) 3.4.7 . Regular staff meetings will be conducted to ensure that all staff members are aware of the programming and gains a sense of inclusiveness and colleg_iality with other LARA staff members. 3.4.8 Performance measurement of staff members will be ongoing, and will be assessed against the job descriptions for each position (after 90 days of probation and annual in April 2016) 3.4.9 Study tour to Kenya to observe Tusome EGR program (May 2016 ~ 3.4.10 Leadership training and annual progress retreat (September 2015, December 2015) ~O~erational Result:· logistics and p~ocurement support tim~ly implementation of project activities and ~~r~_ng ope!~~~~11~J! ~,latf~rm · . · . . · . . .. _· . 3.5 Logistics and Procurement Management Activity lead I DCOP USAID I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Work Plan 87 3.5 Logistics and Procurement Management Procurement Specialist, Senior Financial Specialist, Logistics Officer, and Project personnel . Financial Manager, and M&E Coordinator STIA: RTI Project Coordinator, Project Associate, Contracts Officer, SHRP STTA, non-project Logistics, RTI Nairobi Operations, RTI Headquarters Contracts, Operations, consultants/personnel and IT All technical and administrative personnel to comply with procurement policies Activity participants and procedures. Vendors (both in Uganda and globally) Timeframe April 2015-September 2016 Purpose and rationale The purpose of logistics and procurement is to enable and support timely activity implementation by equipping program staff and partners with the necessary assets, materials, and supplies as well as to ensure a strong operational platform by providing essential transport, communications, and facilities. Through careful planning, integration, and coordination with program staff and senior management, the Logistics and Procurement staff will ensure that program needs are met efficiently, cost-effectively, and in-keeping with USG regulations and RTI policies. Description of approach 88 USA/D I Uganda Uteracy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Work Plan • RTI I NTERNATIONA L ~ Operati~;;al R;~~lt~ - .i ~giirtic-~ - ~nd -p;~~~;e~~nt ~~pp~;t- timely implementation of-project activi.tles and - strong operational platform 3.5 Logistics and Procurement Management Procurement List The following list represents the anticipated equipment that will be procured during FY 2015/2016 in addition to what was specified in the cost application. The Procurement Plan details the procurement of items that support activities in addition to the items that support overall management as listed below: 1. Printers for regional hub offices 2. Laptop computers for EGRA and SRGBV assessments 3. Desktop computers 4. Tablets and cell phone for FAs and for EGRA 5. Basic equipment for the FAs (motorcycle protective gear, life jackets for boats to island schools) 6. Air conditioning units for the LARA office 7. Voice recorders and 8. Scanners for finance and to support teacher training 9. Desks, tables, bookshelves for regional and district offices (based on assessment) In the course of project planning and implementation (since the signing of the LARA cooperative agreement), it has become clear that the procurement of the additional items listed above is essential for the successful implementation of the activities detailed in this work plan. Some additional procurement is required to support a transition and set up of hub offices in the District Education Offices. ·With the rewriting of the March 2016 version of the AWP, and the severance of the World Vision and RTI partnership on LARA, four regional offices will be relocated to District Education Offices. This will required procurement of additional office furniture and equipment. In addition, we increased the number of field assistants to strengthen the community and school level supports. Additional FAs will be enabled with the necessary equipment to mobilize and monitor communities and schools. Tablet computers particularly important for the Field Assistants because it will allow them to report on school visits using an electronic form enabled by the Tangerine® software developed by RTI. If the Field Assistants use the Tangerine system for their school visit reporting, then they can share results with LARA district and Kampala-based staff in real time through a web-based platform, which would allow the entire LARA team to have more updated and relevant context information, identify implementation problems more quickly, and take make more rapid corrective actions. Paper-based forms, on the other hand, lead to long delays between the date that a school visit is conducted and the date that data from the USAID I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Work Plan 89 1r- .~':..of"""-:"-~1~~.ii::. -... - --~- 7 j,-;~ :J.-~~~- ·~""W:~cM~.:.~--~-:...... - \ . . -.. - . ... : . . . . - ..... -:~ 1: r; operationalfResult: fLogistics and·procurementsupport timely 1mplementat1on of pro1ect act1v1bes and • ~J stronifo.peratiorial platform .. ,,. · · .. · · '~· ... · · ...... · · · · , · : . 0 l '~·_,,~ -,.,_~r - .... ·-• • 't ·•~-"" ~~ • _ _; •- •".;_ • .-.... •- 3.5 Logistics and Procurement Management school visit questionnaire is entered and available for use by project management. With consensus building among international education experts and practitioners around the importance of tablets, it will become necessary during the course of the five-year project to purchase the additional tablets in order to remain compliant with recognized best practices. Equipping Field Assistants with Tangerine software and tablets is also important for their professional development because web-enabled educational data management systems are rapidly and widely adopted in international education. Making tablets available to Field Assistants now will help to increase MoESTS and school-level familiarity with tablets and, thus, pave the way for adoption of this essential education data management technology by the MoESTS. Monitoring and evaluation functions will be equipped with a pool · computers and tablets required for transcription and data entry during EGRA and SRGBV assessments in Februa,-Y/ March 2016. In addition to voice recorders, modems and other communication equipment to facilitated data transfers. Procurement for teacher training activity will be undertaken in the first year including scanners to be used to support mobile money transfers and other finance compliance equipment support. Project Vehicles Seven vehicles have been procured for project implementation. As there are five hub offices, LARA has requested additional vehicles from future closing projects. When additional vehicles are required for specific tasks, vehicles will be rented to support activities. LARA is exploring the option of purchasing motorbikes to provide cost effective transport to district offices. Item Quantity Approximate Cost Total Approximate (US$) each Cost (US$) Ford Ranger 5 Toyota Land Cruiser 2 -- Procurement of Goods Other Procurement Bid solicitation for products, including vehicles, will be evaluated using the following criteria, as relevant: • Price and delivery • · Bidder's technical ability • Bidder's experience with similar projects • Operating costs of the proposed equipment over a number of year • Availability and costs for additional spare parts and services • Completeness of data and drawings • Experience in similar training programs 90 USAID I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Work Plan USAID RRTI FROM THE AMERICAN PEOPLE I N TERN A TION A L -- oi:>~-;.;tio--;.;a-1 - Re~u1t: iogi;tic~ and -'"°ocurement support-timely imPiementation ot project activities and- -· strong operational platform ' 3.5 Logistics and Procurement Management Subtasks 3.5. 1 Prepare annual equipment procurement list based on needs and annual inventory review (August 2015 & 2016) ' 3.5.2 Prepare annual procurement plan (October 2015) 3.5.3 Purchase TLM (September/October 2015) 3.5.4 Implement procurement plan (October 2015-September 2016) Operational Results: Timely and accurate data informing project implementation and informed decision making 3.6 Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning, and Adaptation and Reporting Activity lead COP DCOP, M&E Coordinator M&E Officer, Data Management Project personnel Administrator, Program Officers, Field Assistants, SHRP M&E Director RTI Senior International Education Research Analyst, RTI STTA/ Senior SRGBV Research Specialist, Local EGRA Assessors, Non-project personnel Local SRGBV Assessors, Principal Investigator, and P&IE Contractor MoESTS Officials (particularly Uganda National Examination Activity participants Board), CCTs, head teachers, deputy head teachers, and students Timeframe April 2015-September 2016 Purpose and rationale LARA's M&E team gathers, processes, analyzes, and disseminates program information to help stakeholders understand whether the program is on track to meet its stated objectives. The M&E system answers two fundamental questions: 1. Are we doing what we said we would do? 2. Does what we are doing demonstrably contribute to the results and outcomes sought? The data collected through LARA's M&E system will help to answer these questions. Specifically, our M&E strategy will enable LARA to: • Accurately describe and document the interventions undertaken by LARA, so that they can be replicated; • Monitor and report on progress of implementation against clearly defined indicators, targets, and milestones; • Evaluate the effectiveness of interventions in program schools relative to their baseline levels and a comparison group of schools; • Provide data and analysis upon which evidence-based refinements or revisions to our technical approach and implementation management decisions can be made; • Promote transparency and accountability on LARA to MoESTS, USAID, other stakeholders, and beneficiaries at all levels of the system; • Contribute to new knowledge around the experience of P1 to P4 with SRGBV and the correlation to their retention and perseverance in primary school; and USAID I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Work Plan 91 ,.- _ ------r r ~ - - -.. 4--.- ,,...--.- - - ("' .. -- ~:Operational ; Results: Timely and accurate d~ta ihfimning projJct-implementation and informed decision -, ~ making ' · · · . · . · , '- - - • - -" -- - - • - ' & • - 3.6 Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning, and Adaptation and Reporting • Integrate with USAID/Uganda collaborating, learning, and adapting processes and practice. Description of approach With its MoESTS counterparts, the LARA team is building a monitoring .system that documents the contributions of LARA to MoESTS development objectives for primary education, as well as to the Intermediate Results of USAID/Uganda's Country Development Cooperation Strategy results framework. The system will include clear protocols and standard formats to ensure the uniform collection of data, as well as a customized database to store and maintain monitoring data and produce automated reports. · The central AMELP database will be structured and programmed to produce standard reports for LARA and USAID, as well as reports for other audiences, uses, and purposes. The data will flow frqm sources to management systems into a variety of useful automated reports. Data resulting from baseline assessments and special studies will be housed as separate data sets in analytic software (Stata). However, key summary information required for the calculation of performance indicators will also be transferred into the central AMELP database to facilitate the production of integrated reports. As appropriate, these individual data sets and data from the central database will be made available to the external P&IE team and USAID. M&E data collection and review will be fully integrated into program implementation. For example, completing data gathering instruments will be integral to implementing programming activities, such as teacher training, materials distribution, and raising awareness about safe schools. Further, reviewing M&E data will be a key agenda item in LARA programmatic and senior management meetings. LARA M&E staff will be deployed to conduct spot-checks and to quality check data collection in a randomized sample of districts in all participating regions. Gender issues, in addition to other cross-cutting themes, are a key determinant of the effectiveness of project performance. All M&E, as well as reporting will be conducted on a sex-disaggregated basis. The LARA performance indicators have been drafted but need to be finalized and shared with key stakeholders. A comprehensive baseline survey also needs to be completed. Tasks 3.6.1 Finalize, prepare, and submit AMELP (September 2015, 2nd Version March 2016) 3.6.2 Rapid Formative SRGBV Assessment (October 2015 - delayed to May 2016) 3.6.3 School Mapping for Cluster 1 (September 2015) and Cluster 2 (August 2016) 3.6.4 Install and test M&E access daiabase (October - November 2015) 3.6.5 2015 annual report (October 2016) 3.6.6 First quarter 2016 quarterly report (January 2016) 3.6.7 Conduct baseline EGRA.and Primary 2 annual performance assessment (February- March 2016) 3.6.8 Conduct baseline of quasi-longitudinal EGRA (November 2016 in Year 2) 3.6.9 School safety and SRGBV impact assessment baseline (February-March 2016) 3.6.10 Longitudinal case study on SRGBV (May - June 2015) 3.6.11 Second quarter 2016 quarterly report (April 2016) 3.6.12 Third quarter 2016 quarterly report (July 2016) 3.6.13 Quarterly staff learning events (April, December 2016) 3.6.14 Prepare conference materials and presentations (September 2016) Gender equality and social development The LARA M&E system is designed to help assess the level of services received or outcomes achieved by gender. For example, data will be collected and analyzed to determine if meaningful differences in reading performance exist across boys and girls. Collecting data that are disaggregated according to these categories permits us to examine the barriers to learning faced by pupils of different genders and can shed light on differences in their experiences with critical safety issues, such as bullying, corporal punishment, sexual abuse, and gender-based violence. Special consideration has been given in the design of the SRGBV formative assessment study to. ensure that both male and female facilitators and data collectors participate and that Participatory Learning and Action workshops in schools have representations of marginalized children. 92 USAID I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Work Plan USAID a RTI FROM THE AMERICAN PEOPLE I NTERNAT I ONAL -- ~- • - - - ' ------r Operational Results: Timely and accurate data informing project implementation and informed decision ' . making 3.6 Monitoring, Evaluation·, Learning, and Adaptation and Reporting Working with and supporting existing MoESTS systems The LARA team is committed to supporting Uganda's national education policy priorities and complementing existing education programs. As part of this commitment, the indicators selected and approaches to M&E are aligned closely to the MoESTS primary curriculum and policy requirements and the MoESTS National Strategy and Action Plan on Violence Against Children in Schools. Such alignment and collaboration with existing systems helps to strengthen overall ownership of AMELP outputs and outcomes, and deepens understanding and consensus on benchmarks and targets. Working through and supporting MoESTS staff and systems will help to build sustainable local capacity for M&E relating to EGR and safe school environments. In M&E, as in other areas, LARA will provide responsive and empowering technical assistance to the MoESTS to the greatest extent possible. MoESTS officials, DEO staff, CCTs, and community actors in particular will engage directly in LARA M&E actions ranging from data collection via surveys, assessments, classroom observations, and systematic capture of routine administrative data. MoESTS and LARA staff will jointly review and interpret M&E results to improve service delivery. All LARA data collection instruments, as well as the database if desired, will be transferred to the MoESTS after LARA ends. Implications for exit strategy and sustainability Highlighting our commitment to collaborating, sharing, and (informed by M&E) improving implementation, LARA's M&E team will ensure that the MoESTS staff participate in the key review, dissemination, and feedback mechanisms and processes detailed in the AMELP. Specifically, the AMELP incorporates cycles of quarterly reviews and annual planning exercises with key government partners and stakeholders at national and regional levels, as well as opportunities for communication and dialogue on children's reading performance and their safety and retention in school. During the first year of LARA, the M&E team will endeavor to not just include MoESTS staff, but to engage them as deeply as possible in M&E activities to increase their comfort and familiarity with M&E through learning by doing. Through this process, the M&E seeks to build the MoESTS capacity to gather, interpret and use monitoring, evaluation, and assessment data during the course of LARA. . ' ' Operational Result: Timely and accurate financial reports submitted to USAID , I 3.7 Financial Management Activity lead DCOP Finance Manager, Senior Project Accountant (2), Accountants (3), and Grants Project personnel Officer STTA/ STIA: RTI Project Coordinator, Project Associate, and Contracts Officer Non-project personnel All technical and administrative personnel to comply With financial policies and Activity participants procedures Timeframe April 2015-September 2016 . Purpose and rationale Accurate financial management is required to ensure compliance with USAID regulations, as well as to model good practice for MoESTS counterparts. Description of approach USAID I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Work Plan 93 ~. - r -- • - 0 ;.Operational R ~sult: Timely and accurate financial reports submitted to USAID .. . - -. . 3.7 Financial Management Tasks 3.7.1. Prepare annual budgets for AWP, deriving information from task sheets (August 2015 and August 2016) 3.7.2. Develop cost allocation systems to ensure that costs are reported according to activity (July-August 2015) . 3.7.3. Conduct audits of all financial reports, based on monthly site reconciliations, expense accounts, time sheets, and project procurement 3.7.4. · Prepare monthly accrual progress claims for submission of invoices to USAID (monthly) 3.7.5. Prepare financial reports for USAID, as required in the cooperative agreement or as needed (quarterly) 3.7.6. Prepare annual financial reports for USAID, as required in the cooperative agreement (October 2015) 3.7.7 .. Report any suspected incidents of fraud to USAI D Operational Results: Rapid and efficient commencement of project implementation I 3. 8 LARA Result 2 Implementation Approach Adjustment Activity lead COP Project personnel DCOP STTA: Project Manager, Coordinator, and Associate (three international trips x 14 STTA/ days); Grants Manager (3 x regional trips), SRGBV Technical Advisor. Non-project personnel Activity participants All staff Timeframe March 20 -April 30 2016 Purpose and rationale To maximize efficiencies across Result 1 and Result 2, LARA Program will undergo a swift realignment of staff and resources. This realignment will result in a more responsive managerial, technical, and log istical support to the project, whereby staff will be enabled and empowered to adequately plan, implement, and support co re activities. Description of approach RTl's approach to the adjustment of Result 2 implementation approach and expansion to Cluster 2 will occur over a two-month period. The alignment approach crosses all technical, managerial and administrative functions. It is a systematic approach that began on March 20, 2016 and extends until the end date of April 30. This process includes: 1) completing the AME LP revisions for result 2 including revision of Theory of Change, review and revision of results, and revision of indicators; 2) internalizing the Theory of Change into the of the Annual Work Plan; 3) design of SRGBV baseline protocol and adaptation and pilotil]g of tools; 3) redesign of 94 USAID I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Work Plan USAID • RTI FROM THE AMERICAN PEOPLE I N T ERNAT I ONA L 3. 8 LARA Result 2 Implementation Approach Adjustment ·teacher training content to be a Training of Trainers; and 4) review of sub-grant technical proposals; 5) training of sub-grantees in financial and operational requirements. Tasks 3.8.1 Revise result 2 AMELP including revision to Theory of Change, results, and indicators (February 2016); 3.8.2 Rewriting of the Annual Work Plan including an overhaul of result 2 activities in line with the Theory of Change (March 2016); 3.8.3 Design of SRGBV baseline protocol and adaptation and piloting of tools (February/March 2016); 3.8.4 Finalization of teacher training content to be a Training of Trainers (March/April 2016); 3.8.5 Review of sub-grant technical proposals (April 2016); 3.8.6 Design orientation for sub-grants to realign technical approach to the Theory of Change and indicators (April 2016) 3.8. 7 Co-locate four hub offices to MoESTS district education office or district inspection supervision offices 3.8.8 Procure furniture and equipment for district offices 3.8 .9 Review exiting Result 2 staff performance and extend probationary offers 3.8.10 Focus job descriptions,· roles and responsibilities along functional lines: MoESTS systems strengthening, Teacher Training, Support Supervision, Community Mobilization 3.8.11 Recruit local SRGBV expertise; monitoring, evaluation and learning specialist, and program assistant 3.8. 12 Undertake grant management process. 4.2 Budget Overview The budget for Year 1 is estimated to be approximately for the activities planned for April 2015-September 2016. The Year 1 budget by cost elements is shown in Table 10. Table 10: April 2015-September 2016 Budget 4.3 Cost-share Requirements for Year 1 Cost-share plan for Year 1 will change in the light of Result 2 implement. The cost-share for year I is - including agreement with Cotton On Foundation. 4.4 Short-Term Technical Assistance Targeted short-term technical assistance (SITA) supports content design and development. during the life of the project. This involves international SITA. over periods ranging from a few days to several weeks at a time as required. USAID I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Work Plan 95 Table 11 reflects the estimated SITA for October 2015 to September 2016. This table will become firm as project activity timeframes are set and we have more information on SITA availability. This number of SITAs is needed to support capacity-building interventions and contribute to refining materials and process for SRGBV activities. Table 11: Personnel Travel Schedule for October 2015-September 2016 Timeframe STTA Assignment Trips (TBD) Annual Work Plan, Year 2 July/August 2016 ClienUPartner consultation Annual Work Plan Budget, Year 2. March and August · 2 2016 Mid-term budget review Support SRGBV teacher training of Lead April 2016 Facilitators Support revision of SRGBV teacher April 2016 training package April, June, Review I Audit grant management 3 August 2016 Design organizational needs January 0 assessment(s) process and tools Co-design and deliver five-day facilitated December workshop to develop a MoESTS 0 - Communication Strategy Research proof of concept for SBCC and May develop RFA May, August Budgeting for EGR expansion Support SRGBV in AMELP, revise Theory of Change, February 2016 Support SRGBV Baseline IRB application, tool piloting, training of assessors March 2016 Rewrite AWP for Result 2 April 2016 5 Revise Teacher Training Materials May 2016 Train lead facilitators August 2016 Longitudinal Study Preparation 96 USAID I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Work Plan USAID a RTI FROM THE AMERICAN PEOPLE I NTERNAT I O NA L Timeframe STTA Assignment Trips (TBD) Design 1-day of the teacher training on School Climate and Social Emotional Learning Deliver targeted materials package for: (1) teacher "change agents" to go back an April 2016 0 rally schools around positive and support school climate initiatives, social emotional learning, and mixed age student groups for helping each othe February 2016 Support to M&E EGRA 0 Sept -Dec 2015 Developing Year 1 materials - Analyses of pilot data, including the psychometric analyses of item performance, reliability, validity, ca lculations of indices and provide Stata Code Review and advise on the planned calculation of indices for measuring performance on relevant R2 Indicators March 2016 0 Support the following analyses of pilot data, including but not limited to the following : - Principle Component Analyses (PCA) of Attitude Surveys (student, parent, school personnel) and the Student Perceptions of School Climate Survey Rewrite SRGBV Formative Assessment March 2016 Report Work with the sub-grantee awarded to April/May - design proof of concept for SBCC - April Design support of Teacher Curriculum USAID I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Work Plan 97 Timeframe STTA Assignment Trips (TBD) Facilitate writers and publishers June workshop for story cards and books for - Pl and P2 on SRGBV topics August Support to Uganda Literacy Campaign 0 98 USAID I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Work Plan BRTI I NTERNAT I ONAL 4 Risks and Challenges USAID I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Worl 1.1: Improved planning and management of early grade reading Ll.1 Ministry of Education, Science, Technology, and Sports (MoESTS) and educational foundational leaders reach consensus on the organizational requirements for expanding early grade reading (EGR) and retention. 1.1.1.1. Work with MoESTSPermanent Secretary (PS) and USAID to Identify focal person and MoESTS Permanent Component managers Done. October 19th. Yes component managers for the project (September 2015) . SecretarV (PS) and USAJD Identified Confirmation received. 1.1.1.2 Facilitate the foca l person (1) and component ma nagers (2) with communication equipment Focal person and Communications equipment Done. Submitted In Yes (October 2015) component managers provided December to component man11gers. 1.1.1.3 Natlonal and district meetlng(s) with foundational education leaders Rl and R2 Foundationa l education National <1nddistrict Original ly anticipated In process (November, December 2015, May, August 2016) leaders meetings conducted meeting now a series of meetings, 1.1.l.4 Introduce EGR and Retention Task Force to SHRP, LARA, and GPE Interventions EGRand Retention Task Introduction conducted TORS drafted and Jn process {October/November 2015) Force submitted to MOESTS In November. 1.1.1.S Design organizational needs assessment{s ) process and tools (e.g., nnances and budget EGR and Retention Task Assessment designed and Underway In process for EGR or commun ication s)'Stems and requirements for EGR J and gain approval from the EGR and Force approved Retention Task Force to undertake assessment (revised May2016) 1.1.1.6 Thrtt-day needs assessment data collection to be Implemented In three districts. {revised EGRand Retention Task Assessment undertaken Underway No May/June 2016) Force and Assessment Team 1.1.1.7. Quarterly leilrnlng meetings EGRand Retention Task Force. (revised May 2016, and August EGRand Retention Task Quarterly EGRand Retention Linked to 1.1.1.3 No 2016). Force Task Force meetings conducted 100 USAID I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Work Plan USAID liJRTI FROM THE AMERICAN PEOPLE I NTERNAT I ONA L Ll.2 Enhanced technical and loglstlc sldlls of MoESTS to plan, budget, Implement, and II ~ c c monitor EGR rollout b !II ill! a 1111 I 1.1.2.1 Establlsh MoESTS EGR budgettaskgroup(April 2016). MoESTSBudget Task ~oESTSBudget Task Group Recruitment No Grou Members Established underwa b I 1.1.2.2 Design and conduct two high-level policy dl01logue: meeting a round the budget, cost, and MoESTS leadershi p and Policy dialogut!! conducted Upcoming No finance work (revised May 2016). Budget Task Group Members ~I 1.1.2.3 Two day workshop to envision and delineate a detailed outline of a coherent EGR system MoESTSl eadershl p and Two day wo rkshop conducted Upcomi ng No (revised May2016). Budget Task Grou p Members I 1.1.2.4 Worki ng meetings to estimate the mini ma I cost of a fu lly functiona l EGRsystem at sca le MoESTS leaders hip an d Working meeti ngs cond ucted Upcoming No (revised June 2016). Budget Task Group Members 1.1.2.S MoESTS personnel obtain all relevant detalled budgets (e.g., natlonal, department, col lege, MoESTS leaders hip and Relevant detailed budgets Upcoming No <1nddistrict) (revised May-June 20 16). Budget Task Group obtained Members ~Ill I 1.1.2.6 Gather budgets and manual ly load Into analyzable spreadsh~ts(revised May.June 2016). MoESTS leadership and Relevant detalled budgets · Upcoming No Budget Task Group loaded Into analyza bl e II a Members s readsheets ~ I 1.1.2.7 Work with rv1oESTS staff to analyze the budgets for scaling up and sustaining an EGR MoESTS leadership and Budgets analyzed Upcoming No program. Look speclftcally at funds budgeted and spent on curriculum materials, teacher training, Budg@t Task Group school super'lllslon, student assess ment, and funds spent on critical elements of the existing EGR M@mb@rs system (rv'iay-.June 2016). c I 1.1.2.8. Conduct an analysis (July-September, 2016). MoESTS l@ad@rshi p and Analysis conducted Upcoming No l Budget Task Group Members c C'" I USAID I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Adivity Year 1 Work Plan 101 materials developed and distributed for Uir::andaUteracv Campahm 1.1.3.1 National and District Launches (October · November 2015) MoESTS, MoGlSO, Natlonal and District Completed December. Yes district government, Launches conducted LARAschools, and beneficiary population 1.1.3.2 Review the monitoring and evaluatlon (M&E) lmpllcatlons of the Uganda Literacy Campaign Head office staff, AOR, M&E lmpllcatlons reviewed Postponed until No {November 2015). and l&EP February. 1.1.3.3 Establish MoESTS EGRCommunication Group (revised April-May 2016) Basic Education, EGRCommunications Group Postponed until No TIET,NCDC, DES,UNEB, established February. Guldance·and Counsel Ing, Gender Department, special needs educ<1tlon (SNE) 1.1.3.4 Design and deliver five-day facllltated workshop to develop a Communication Strategy Basic Education, Flve-dayfacllltated Postponed. No (April -June 2016) TIET,NCDC, DES, UNEB, workshop delivered and Guidance and Communication Strategy Counsel Ing, Gender developed Department, special needs education (SNE) 1.1.3.S Quarterly EGRCommunication Task Group meetings (June 2016, and August 2016). MoESTSleadershlp and ·EGRCommunication Task No EGRCommunications Group meetings conducted Group Members 1.1.3.6 Assess existing available materials. {revised May·July 2016) MoESTSleadersh ip and Existing available materials Postponed untll In process EGRCommunications assessed February. 1.1.3.7 Translate EGRcommunications materials (e.g., posters, pamphlets, MoESTSguideUnes) MoESTS leadership and EGRcommunications Started. Community In process with writers (December 2015-September 2016) EGRCommunications milterlals translated Moblllzatlon posters Group Members translated. 1.1.3.8 Design Phase 1 for promotional video (revised June 2016) MoESTS leaders hip and lnstructlonal video No EGRCommunlc;itJons developed Group Members 1.1.3.9 Four design meetings develop new materials (May 2016) MoEST5 leadership and Four design meetings No EGRCommunications conducted Group Members 1.1.3.10 Design new material's (September 201S-2016) MoESTSl eadership ilnd New materials designed In progress. In process EGRCommun ications Group Members 1.1.3.11 Print and disseminate materials (e.g. pre-reading booklets, educational leadership for MoESTS,Schools (Head Materials printed and Underway. Yes EGR,library and book mana gement, newsletters, brochures, banners, T-shi rts, caps, notebooks, Te<1chers,Tea chers, disseminated calendars) Learners, SMCs), local partners 1.1.3.12 Key messages for EGRand SRGBVdeveloped by MoESTSfor advocacy work (May· July Community-based Kev messages for EGRand No 20 16) organizations (CBO), SRGBVsent clvll society organizations (CSO) rantees 1.1.3.13 Order and distribute mil rketlng and branding school and office slgnage (February 2016) Schools (Head Teachers) Order and distribute Signs ordered. Yes marketing and branding school and office slanaRe 102 USAID I UgandaLiteracy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Work Plan RRTI I NTERNAT I ONA L USAID I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Adivity Year 1 Worl Subtotal 1.2.2 Stren eted districts 1.2.2.1 Develop supervision training package for model supervision (November 2015-January 2016) LARAstaff Supervision training package Draft prepared, nttds Yes developed assl!!!SsmentIn progress. 1.2.2.2 Establish district supervision working groups (February 2016) Dlstrlcteducatlon and District supervision wo rk ing Done. Yes PTCofficials groups l!!!Stabllshed Yes 1.2.2.3 Implement three-day tralnlng on the supervision model (February 2016) MoESTS, DES,NCDC,DlS, Three-day training conducted Done. Municipal ity Inspector of Schools (MIS), Al/Cl , CCTs Yes 1.2.2.4 Implement a deployment plan for support supervision modi!] in projl!!!Ct districts (February- MoESTS, DES, Deployment plan Done. April 2016) NCDC,015',MIS',Al/CI, AA, Implemented CCTs 1.2.2.5 Blannual supervisory review mtttlngs on cllnlcal support supervision model with CCTs, Coordinating Center Blannual supervisory review Underway. No DISs, DEOs, area lnspl!!!Ctors, AAs, head teachers, and deputy head teachers. (June/August 2015) Tutors (CCT), District meetings conducted Inspectors of Schools (DIS), District Education Officers (OED), area Inspectors, Associate Assessors (AA), head teachers, and deputy head teachers 1.2.2.6 Develop proposal for Chief Administrative Officers (CAO) and DEOs to Increase Inspector CAOs, DEOS,and CCTs Proposal developed Done. Yes support and for primary colleges to Jncreasl!!!CCT engageml!!!nt and 'support to schools to strengthen monltorln11: and accountabllltvsvstems for CCTs. !March 2016 Yes 1.2.2.7 Revl~andadapt the Fleld Assistant (FA) Operational Manu;il (September 2015) FAs Field Assistant Opera tlonal Done. MilnUill reviewed and adapted Yes 1.2.2.8 Hire and provide a five-day Reglonal Project Officer (PO) and FA orlentiltlon ilnd educational POs and FAs Regional POs and FA Done. leadership training on project activities (September - October 2015, March 2016, August 2016) orl ent.atloned and trained on educational leadership 1.2.2.9 FA and PO partlclpatlon in EGRtraining (see activity 1.13) (December 2015, and revlsl!!!d POs and FAs EGRtraining with PO and FA Done~ In process May 2016) training 1.2.2.10 FAs work facllltated: quarterly meeting, transport to schools, equipment for travel !helmet, FAs FAs coordinated In quarterly Done. 1n process ovl!!!fall, boots), phone, corporate airtime, Internet, photocopying, tablets {7 Inch]) (November 2015, meetings, facllltatl!!!d with May transport to schools, and equipped as detailed 1.2.2.11 Monitor FAs for compliance to standard oper 104 USAID I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Work Plan USAID liJRTI FROM T HE AMERICAN PEOPLE I NTERNAT I ONAL LARAM&E, procurement Printing run estimates made Done. Yes and management staff Yes 1.2.3.2 Procure a printing fl rm (September 2015) LARAprocurement and Printing firm procured Done. m 1.2.3.4 Print and qualify checks (October-November 201S) LARAprocurement and Print and quality checks Done. Yes management staff conducted 1.2.3.5 Confirmation of teacher and pupll numbers (I Inked to school mapping) (September 2015 to LARAM&E and Teacher and pupil numbers Done. February 2016 and August 2016) management staff confirmed 1.2.3.6 Procure a logistics company (September 2015 and September 2016) LARAprocurement and Logistics company procured Done In December. Yes manaRementstaff 1.2.3.7 D'evelop a packing list (November 2015) LARA M&E, procurement Packing list developed Draft avallable and Yes and management staff February finalization. 1.2.3.B Conduct route surveys and GPS Map of Schools (December 2015-January 2016) LARAprocurement and Route surveys conducted Postponed until In process logistics staff January 2016. 1.2.3.9 Distribution of books (revised March 2016) Logistics firm and LARA Books Distributed Done. Yes procurement and lo1?lstlcs staff Yes 1.2,3.10 On-the-spot monitoring during distribution (revised to end of March) LARAprocurement, On the spot monitoring Done. logistics, and conducted manaRementstaff 1.2.3.11 Post distribution follow up (revised April-May 2016) LARAprocurement, Post distribution follow up Underway. In process logistics, and conducted manaRementstaff USAID I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Work Plan 105 1.3 Increased community and household level Involvement in promoting l~teracy attainment L 3.1 Provision of Supplementill Reading Materials and Establishment of Materials lending Practices and Systems L a ~.,, ~I 1.3.1.1. Research options for accessing local language materlals for Pl to P4 {May·Jun~ 2016) LARASi:.iff and MoESTS Master trainers oriented Upcoming No Partners lncludlng NCDC L Ii 1.3.1.2 Design Pl·P2 story cards and decodable readers al igned with EGRinstruction with positive LARASi:.iff and MoESTS Pl·P2 story cards and Upcoming No and supportive school messages (July-August 20i6) Partners Including NCDC decoda ble readers designed b II I 1.3.1.3 Procure and distribute storycards (August -Septemeber 2016) LARAStaff and MoESTS Book ca re training developed Upcoming No Partners Incl udi ng NCDC a ~I 1.3,1.4 Working closely with MoESTS,develop lending practices and systems (August 2016) LARASi:.iff and MoESTS Lending practices and Upcoming No Partners Including NCDC systems codified and b- 1 develo12ed 1.3.1.S Contact Books for Africa to begin discussions on procedures for Year 2 (September 2016) LARASi:.iff and Books for Year Two discussions Upcoming No Africa underway--- and reported on Ll Subtot~I - - - 1.3.2 Sodal Behavior ChangeCommunication (SBCC)to Increase Parental Involvement In their Children's Reading Practice 1.3.2.1 Research and develop RFA for the SBCCpr oof of concepte for community reading spaces and LARAStaff and MoESTS SBCCRFA developed Upcoming No parenta l involvement In their children's reading (July· September 2015) Partners 106 USAID I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Work Plan 2.1 Strengthened capad ty of the education system to Impleme nt SRGBV- related policies 2.Ll Strengthen.MoESTS knowledge, commitment and action In SRGBV Drevention 2.1.1.1 Annu.;il work pl annlng {revised October-December, February- Ma rch 2016; and August MoESTSVAC IS Working Annua l work planning and Revised during the In process September 2016) Group performance monitoring with quarter. VACISworking group undertaken 2.1.1.2 Revif!'N AMELP, Theory of Change and AWP with national partners (revised September - Aprll Nation and hub Meetings hel d Underway In process 20161 foundational bodies 2.1.1.3 Engage MoESTSstaf f on TOT curriculum design for adapted from Doorways for teachers. NCDC Technlca l working meetings Upcoming No This activity wll l also be repeated for the student tral nlng (revised to April/ May and August) held 2.1.1.4 2.1.1.4 Support to VACiS working group to identify the aspects of the RTRRguidelines from MoESTS BE/VACIS Policy briefs developed Upcoming No which to develoo content for oolicv briefs (revised Mav-June 2016) Wo rklnR Grou 2.1.1.5 Partici pate In theVACISworklng group meeting and performance monitoring with VACls MoESTSofflcla ls VACIS/BETechnlcal Working Missed November No worki ng group (qua rterl y) Group (TWG) meeti ngs meeti ng 2.1.1.6 Contribute to the Elev<1teC hildren Wo rkshop and CIESb y presenting findings of Monitoring Elevate Chi ldren Paper wrltted and presented Upcoming No and Learning Activities (March and July 2016) Conference Partici pants at Elevate Chlldren Workshop 2.1.1.7 Invite and support MoESTS,MGLSD , Foundationa l Bodies TOT(May 2016). MoESTS, MGLSO, and MoESTS,MGLSD , and Postponed untl l May No Foundational Bodi es Foundational Bodi es present 2.1.L B Undertake activities on domestic and lnternatlona l ly recognized advoca cy days (Day of Girl MoESTS, MGLSO,and MoESTSand MGLSOAdvocacy In process Child, October 6; 16 days of Activism agalnstGBV, November 25-0ecember S; Women's Day, Ma rch Foundatlonal Bodi es Days Supported 8; Day of African Chl1d, June 16th; Education Week,) supporting reduction of SRGBV. 2.1.1.9 Support to MoESTS' chi Id protec don and fol low-up resulting from project activities (added MG LSD and other Minutes of meetings and Underway In process and r evised quarterly). stakeholders documentation of LARA support to major events Subtotal 2.1.2 Enhance MoESTSAb ility to Provide Quality Assurance Monitoring of School Performance Related to SRGBVPrevent ion b Cl a a a I 2.1.2.1. Develop monitoring crlterl<1 for eval uating school performance on 5 key activities: 1) staff MoESTSofficia ls Monitoring criterloi Upco ming No knowledge an d atti tudes about SRGBVa nd gender equa l ity; 2) lmplementatlon of school faml ly developed Initiatives; 3) positive <1nd supportive school el l mate; 4) SRGBV response and prevention lnltliltlves; and 5) Early Wa rning Systems. (May-Ju ne2016) l!ll 2.1.2.2. Engage MoESTSofficla ls at national and district level In revi ewing dr;ift monitoring MoESTS offlclals Draft monitoring criteria Upcoming No l criteria/ indicators and related checkl is t (May-August 2016) reviewed and commented on a ~ ICI ~ I 2.1.2.3. Piiot the school monitoring tools related to the above performance areas (August 2016) School communiti es School monitoring criteri a Upcoming No lloted I 2.1.2.4 Prepare the tools for the fi rst Integrated support supervision schedu le (September 2016) MoESTSo fficloils and Support supervison tools Upcoming No school communities re ared b Sub tot~ 2.1.3 Referral Web Mapping for SRGBVand Community Support for Implementing the RTRRfor SRGBV 2.1.3.1. Research and develop an RFAfor an inltlal proof of concept for a Referral Web related to MoESTS officials' RFA for SRGBVrefer ral web Upcoming No SRGBVthat reinforces and supports the utility of the MoESTSRTRR system, speclflcally for SRGBV proof of conc ept researched (June to September 2016) and developed 108 USAID I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Work Plan USAID •1.NTERNATIONARTIL FROM THE AMERICAN PEOPLE learning 2.2.1.Establlsh Head Teacher and Teacher Change Agents for Supporting Improved School Climate and SRGBVResDonse and Prevention Initiatives In Schools 2.1.1.1. Research and design/adapt the Doorways 111Curriculum, including consultation with LARAResult2Team Training reviewed and Done. Ye• relevant MoESTS staff (January-April 2016) materials adapted 2.1.1.2. Piiot the TOT curriculum for head teachers and teachers (April 2016) Teachers and head Revised version of Doorways Upcoming No teachers Ill In pro~ress 2.1.1.3. Edit and print the final TOT curriculum (Aprll 2016) LARAResult 2 Team Training materials approved Upcoming No 2.1.1.4. Conduct the TOT with lead fadlltators, trainers and head teachers and te<1chers (May 2016) 1,624 head teachers and Training conducted Upcoming No 3,248 appointed teacher change agents In 1,624 No 2.1.1.S Based on onslte Interactions wit h tr<1lned School Change Agents, review the effectiveness of School Change Agents TOT Curriculum reviewed and Upcoming the TOT currlculum and make revisions to the TOT curriculum (June-September 2016) revised USAID I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Adivity Year 1 Worl 2.2.3 sue:e:ort, Sue:ervlslon and Continuous Leamlns: for School Chans:e~ents 2.2.3.1. Once-per-term support vis ts to trained teac her change agent teams on readin~s self- School Change Agents Visits conduct~ Upcoming No assess~t(Ju ne/July - Term 2) and CCTs 2.2.3.2. Collaboration, Learning and Ada patlon revi~and workplan for Year 2 (September/ October Head Teachers and Sel f-eva luation conducted Upcoming No - Term 3) School Change Agents 110 USAID I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Work Plan USAID DJRTI FROM THE A MERICAN PEOPLE I NT ER NAT I ONAL 2.3: Strengthened community commitment and capacity to provide SRGBV prevention and reseonse e:ro rams L a Cl a Cll 2.3.1. Award community sub-grants to establish community change agents and catalyze " communi!l SRGBV rese:onse and e:reventlon Initiatives b II a II II 2.3.1.1 Research and develop RFA for first tranche of community sub-grants LARASl: USAID I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Work Plan 111 N .... USAID D.JRTI FROM THE AMERICAN PEOPLE I NTERNATIONA L 3.1.1 Home Office project managl!lllent plan key start up activities, Aprll 2015 Home office Key start up activities Yes mana 11:ement team lanned 3.1.2 Mobilize sub reci pient (World Vision), April 2015 RTl and World Vision Sub recl plent mobiliz@d Yes ManaR:ement 3.1.3 Branding and Marking plan completed (at award stage), April 2015 Home office and LARA Bra nding a nd Marking plan Yes mana11:ementteam comeleted 3.1.4 Registration and enrollment with various tax entities, May 2015 Home office and lARA Registra tion and enrollment Yes mana11:ementteam com£!1eted 3.1.5 Chief of Party orientatio n and transition to Uganda, May 2015 Home office Chief of Party on-boarded Yes management team and COP 3.1.6 Deputy Chief of Party transi tion to Ugand<1, June 18 2015 Home office Deputy Chief of Pilrty on- Yes management team, COP boarded and DCOP 3.1.7 Establlsh key rel ationships with USAID, April 2015 Home office Relationships with USAID Yes mana11:ernentteam established 3.1.8 Establish key relationships with MOESTS, May 2015 Home office Relations hips with MoESTS Yes management team and establi shed COP 3.1.9 Vehlcle procurement, April 201S and September-October 2015 COP and Procurement Seven veh icles procured Completed in Yes Team m ' 3.1.10 Office located and lease signed, May -June 2015 COP and Procu rement Office lease signed Yes Te;im 3.1.11 Key staff hi red, April - August 201S COP, DCOP, and HR Key staff hired 3.1.12 Hiring all staff begins, May 2015 COP, DCOP, and HR St 3.1.16 S~urityand safety assess ment and training, October and November 2015 COP, DCOP, RTI Security Security Assessment To be updated prio r to In process Advisors, Pax Mondlal undem1ken electlons. 3.1.17 Review of operatlonal policies (Travel Polley, Vehicle Polley, Staff Field Manual),Aprll - COP, DCOP, Home Office Operational pollcles revised Done. Yes October 2015 Management, Finance, and Logistics Tl!!am 3.1.18 Flnanclal and Accounting systems set up (lncludlng trl!!asury), May-August 2015 COP, OCOP, <1ndF i nance Flnancla l and Accounting Done. Yes Team s~stemsestablished 3.1.19 Financial reporting detl!!rmined COP, DCOP, and Finance Flnanclal reporting Done. Yes Team determined 3.1.20 Grants management manual drafted DCOP, Finance and Grants management manual In process Jn process Administration drafted. Manager, and Grants Specialist 3.1.21 Generator for Kampillil Office- 20KVA COP, DCOP, and Generator purchased and Done. Yes Procurement Team In tailed 3.1.22 Air con ditioning Units for Kampala Office-Two large units and six small units COP, DCOP, and Ai r conditioning units Postponed. In process Procurement Team urchased and Installed USAID I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Adivity Year 1 Work Plan 113 3.2.1 Coordination Committee meeting (October, Decemb@r, February, April, June, Ausust) m@@tlng lARAstaff, School Health Coordination Committee On schedule. Yes 3.2.2 Meetings with MoESTS:Basic Education Working group; Education Sector Council; Monitoring MoESTSworking group Meetings held On schedule. Yes and Evaluation, Vlol@nceAgal nst Chlldren, Working Group (every two months) members 3.2.3 Meetings with Focal Coordinator and Component Managers, ongoing. Focal Coordinator and Focal Coordinator and Monthly Yes 3.2.4 Meetings with USAID and partners, weekly USAID and partners Weekly meetings held with Weekly, met 11 times Yes USAIO and p:irtnl!rS durl ng quarter. 3.2.S Meetings with SHRPand GPEand Implementation support (when required) SHRPand GPE Meetings held with SHRPand Yes Subtotal 3.3 Proiect Plannln«i and lmDlementatlon 3.3.1 District level consultatlon meetings: 2 meetings/year x 13 districts x 10 people (refreshments Dlstrlct level District level consultation Complet@d ln August Yes provided) (August/Sept@mber 2015) (February 2016) stak@holders meetings held ;ind September 3.3.2 Monthly technical staff meeting to review Implementation progress and review issues arising Technical team and M&E Monthly technical staff October and Yes from M&E activities TEAM meetings held November completed. 3.3.3 District operational plan meetings: Reglonal coordinators and management art@nd USAID USAID staff and LARA District operational plan Cluster 2 only not No district operational planning meetings (Sept@mb@r2015) R~lon;ilcoordinators meetings conducted rel@'Vant. 3.3.4 National-level planning meeting In Kampala with district repres@ntatlves (August 2015 and District represent<:itlves Natlonal-level planning Yes August 2016) meetings held 3.3.5 Conduct r~ularmonitoring activities to confirm the relevance of the activities Indicated lARA M&E and program Monitoring activities Monitoring of lead Yes within the approved AWP and make adjustments to processes as required staff conducted faclllt<:itors training. Tracker to be developed In 2Q16. 3.3.6 Conduct r~ularlyschedu led LARApl anning and implementatlon meetings to ensure project lARA M&E and program lARA planning and Site monitoring of Yes coherence and progres s staff Implementa tion meetings TOTs. 3.3.7 Pr@p;ueAWP and submltto USAID on August 30, 2015 and August 31, 2016 (for Year 2) LARAM&E and program AWP prepared and submitted Submitted August In process staff 30th, r@'Vlslons of Result2 required. 114 USAID I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Work Plan USAID DJRTI FROM THE AMERICAN PEOPLE I NTERN AT I 0 NA L List of needed eicpertlse Yes (August 2015 and 2016) LARAmanagement and RTI HR within the AWPs Yes 3.4.2 Develop advertising program to soliclt CVs of qualified candidates to address the identified LARAmanagement and Competitive process for needs (as required) RTIHR recruitment Yes 3.4.3 Develop terms of reference (TOR) and job descriptions for all positions for which recruitment LARAmanagement and TOR and Job descriptions for · recesses will be Initiated RTI HR each oosltlon 3.4.4 Conduct selection process in a transparent process particularly Jn the selection of LARAmanagement and Transparent selection Tr<1nsparent selectlon Yes cooperating country nationals RTIHR process process observed. 3,4.S Each staff member will be given an all-1nC)Usive contract for their services, which wlll Include LARAmanagement and Contracts Issued for Done. Yes provisions for salary and statutory benefits, as prescribed by the Government of Uganda (GOU). RTI HR personnel 3.4.6 Each newly recruited staff member wlll participate in LARAorlent 3.4.7 Regular staff meetings conducted to ~sureth 3.4.9 Study Tour to Tusome Project in western Keny 3.4.10 Staff Training (leadership, USAID compliance) and Annual Retreat (September 2015 and TBD) lARAoperatlonal, RTI Leadership Training Annual retreat In process program, USAID I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Work Plan 115 3.6.1 Fln<1llze, prepare, and submit annual monitoring and evaluatlon I earning plan (AMELP) LARAM&Estaff AMELP finallzed, prepared, Subml~d. Iterative .In process (September 201S) and submitted document Revisions ongoing . 3.6.2 Rapid Formative SRGBV Asses sment (September, October, and November 2015) LARAM&E, program, and · Rapid Formatl veSRGBV D 3.6.S 2015 annual report (October 2015) LARA M&E, program, and 2015 annual report Submitted September Yes m<1nagement staff submitted 30th, 201S. 3.6.6 First quar ter 2016 quarterly report (January 2016) LARA M&E, program, and First quarter 2016 report In progress. No manaJZement staff submitted 3.6.7 Conduct basellne Early Grade Readin g AsSessment (EGRA) and Primary 2 annual performance LARA M&E, program and Baseline EGRA and Primary 2 No assessment (February 2016) operatlonal staff, as annual performanc e well as RTI home office assessment conducted statistics unit, P&IE Team 3.6.8 Cori duct baseline of quasi-longitudinal EGRA (February 2016) LARA M&E, operational Baseline of quasl- No staff, and FAs 1ongl tudl na I EGRA conducted 3.6.9 School safety and SRGBV Impact assessment baseline (February 2016) LARA M&E, program , and School safety and SRGBV No operatlonal staff, as Impact assessment baseline well as Rll home offi ce conducted statistics unit , P& lE Team 3.6.10 Longitudinal case study on SRGBV (May 2015) LARA M&E, program, and L.ongltudlnal case study on No operational staff, SRGBV SRGBV conducted Advisor, and FAs 3.6.11 Second .quarter 2016 quarterly report (Aprll 2016) LARA M&E, program, and Second quarter 2016 report No manaizement staff submitted 3.6.12 Third quarter 2016 quarterly report (July 2016) lARAM&E, program, and Thi rd quarter 2016 report No management staff submitted 3.6.13 Quarterly Staff Learning Events (Aprll , December 2016) LARA M&E, program , and Learning meeting minut~. No management staff 3.6.14 Prepare conference materlals and presentation s (September 2016) LARA M&E, program, Conference mater! a Is No M&E, and management developed staff 3.6.lS Travel to CJES LARAM&ETe 116 USAID I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Work Plan USAID BRTI FROM THE AMERICAN PEOPLE I NTE RN AT I O N A L 3.7.1 Prepare annual budgets for AWP, deriving Information from task sheets (August 2015 and LARAprogram, fl nance, Annual budgets prepared for Yes August 2016) · operational, and AWP management staff 3.7 .2 Develop cost allocation systems to ensure that costs are reported according to activity LARAfinance and Costallocatlon system Yes Julv-Aui:i:ust 2015 mana11:ementstaff develooed 3.7 .3 Conduct audits of all financial reports, based on monthly site reconclllatlons, expense LARAf inance and Audits conducted In process. Oi!!:adllnes In process accounts, time sheets, and project procurement management staff being met (lncludlng HR for tlmesheets) 3.7 .4 Prepare monthly accrual progress claims for submission of Invoices to USAID (monthly) LARAfinance staff Monthly accrual progress In proces s and on In process claims prepared and monthly schedule. invoices submitted to USAID 3.7 .5 Prepare financial reports for USAID, as required In the cooperative agreement or as needed LARAfinance staff Quarterly flnanclal reports ln process and on In process 3,7 ,6 Prepare annual flnanclal reports for USAID, as required ln the cooperative agreement (October LARAfinance staff Annual flnanclal reports Submitted. Yes 3.7 ,7 Report any suspected Incidents of fraud to USAID LARAmanagement staff Any suspected incidents of No suspected In process fraud reported to USAID Incidents of fraud, Subtotal 3.8 LARA RestructurinK Operation 3.8.1 Revise Result 2 AMELP Including revisions to the Theory of Change, results, and Indicators LARAM&E, FAs, and Result 2 AMELP revised Underway In process roR:ramstaff 3.8.2 Rewrite the AWP Including overhaul of Result 2 activities LARAM&E, FAs, and Result2 AWP revised Underway ln process roR:ramstaff 3.8.3 Design SRG8V basetlne protocol, adaptation and pllotlng of tools LARAM&E, FAs, and Protocol revised Underway In process roR:ramstaff 3.8.4 Redesign the teacher training content to be training of trainers LARAM&E, FAs, and Redesigned teacher training Underway ln process roR:ramstaff content manuals 3.8.S Review sub-grant technical proposal Program and finance Sub-grant technical proposal Underway In process staff revised 3.8.6 Design orientation for sub-grantees to reailgn technica l approach to Th~ryof Change Program staff Technical Approach to Underway In process Theor~of Chanse Reallsned 3.8.7 Move four hub offices to MoESTSdistrict education offices or Inspection supervision offices Procurement and Four hub offices moved Underway In process loglstlcs 3.8.8 Procure furniture and equipment for district offices Procurement and Furniture and equipment To come In May No logistics procured 3.8.10 Redevelop job descriptions along functional llnes for all technical staff HR Job descriptions redrafted Done Yes 3.8.11 Recruit locai SRGBVexpertlse, MEL, and program assistant HR Positions recr uited Underway In process 3.8.12 Re-orient grant management process Finance staff Grant management process Underway In process re-oriented USAID I Uganda uteracy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Worl Area Action Responsible Timeframe 1.1 Ensuring that the early grade or lower primary (P1-P2) teachers attend EGR and SRGBV trainings 1.2 Commissioner of Basic Education to write to DE Os of the project districts asking them to ensure that head teachers send the early grade/lower • Commissioner primary teachers for the EGR and Basic Education Teacher SRGBV training • DEOs of Program Training on 1.3 The Commissioner Basic Education Districts Immediate EGR and should also write to DEOs not to transfer • Head teachers of SRGBV trained teacher to non-project schools or program primary classes during the project period schools 1.4 Deputy and head teachers should also attend the EGR training so that they can offer support to their teachers 1.5 Ensure consistency of approaches and logistic arrangements (fee, per diems, travel, incidentals) between all EGR trainin9 activities. • Commissioner Basic Education 2.1 Ensuring that the teachers receive and with support from Teacher EGR use the EGR Teachers guides for both the Project to issue· Immediate Materials Local Language and English guidelines on use of teacher EGR materials 3 Ensuring that the learners receive and Commissioner Learner EGR • use the EGR learner primers for both Basic Education Materials and Immediate local language and English. Learners with support from SRGBV teacher need to be able to have contact with print the ~rojectto issue 118 USAID I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Work Plan USAID • RTI FROM THE AMERICAN PEOPLE I NTERNA T I ONA L Area Action Responsible Timeframe reference materials daily/regularly on a ratio of 1: 1. guidelines to materials The ideal is for the learners to be able to districts and point their fingers from letter to letter or schools on use of word to word to make the connection EGR learner between letters and sounds (alphabetic primers for both principle) local language and English • .Commiss ioner Basic Education with support from the project to issue guidelines to districts and 4.1 EGR teachers need to be guided on how schools on how to to effectively utilize the timetabled literacy effectively utilize hour the timetabled 4.2 Teachers trained on SRGBV free literacy hour Time on Task materials should establish safe learning • Commissioner Immediate environment and SRGBV free clubs in Basic education to each of the target schools that should write to the DEOs serve as an advocacy and knowledge to inform head sharing group for other children. teachers of target schools to follow RTRR Guidelines and seek clarification bn systems if required. 5.1 There is a need to identify the key actors • Project Education (at national, district and PTC levels) and Specialist in Teacher define their roles and responsibilities in consultation with Support and providing ongoing support and basic education, Immediate Supervision supervision of EGR teachers in the teacher education, classroom SRGBV in the classroom and NCDC, DES, SHRP within the school environment. and GPE. USAID I Uganda uteracy Achievement and Retention Adivity Year 1 Work Plan 119 Area Action Responsible Timeframe 5.2 Developing a document of the key actors and their roles and responsibilities in · supporting EGR and preventing and responding to SRGBV in Ugandan primary schools 5.3 Teachers need support for adopting the new methodology for teaching of reading in the classroom. In addition to • The project being trained on the EGR methodology technical team teachers need continued follow up (M&E Manager and support. This includes ongoing Safe Learning monitoring of teaching and continual Specialist, Reading feedback on performance Specialist, Senior Education Immediate 5.4 There is need to bring on board all Specialist, Teacher sources of potential support: head teachers, deputy head teachers, CCTs, Training Specialist) in consultation with DEOs/MEOs, DIS/Municipal Inspector of Basic Education, Schools, Associate Assessors DES regional staff, and SMCs. ' ' Teacher Education, NCDC, and DES 5.5 Modifying supervision and monitoring tools to include more specific information about classroom teaching of reading, support to teachers to teach reading, classroom management, assessment and SRGBV response, tracking, referral and response. The Commissioner 6.1 There is need to ensure that the policy of Basic Education to the medium of instruction in the mother write a circular to ~o~guefor lower primary (P1-P3), which project districts and 1s 1n line with the thematic curriculum is Language of primary schools followed by project districts and prim~ry Immediate Instruction reminding them on the schools. The thematic curriculum is built policy of language of on the premise that children learn best instruction in lower when taught in a familiar language in the primary classes (P1- early years of primary school. P3) 120 USAID I Uganda Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity Year 1 Work Plan