Accelere!) Activity 1

IMPROVING READING, ACCESS, AND ACCOUNTABILITY IN THE DRC (ACCELERE!) ACTIVITY 1

QUARTERLY REPORT QUARTER 3, FY2017, APRIL 1 TO JUNE 30, 2017

SUBMITTED SEPTEMBER 19, 2017

CONTRACT NO. AID-660-C-15-00001

United States Agency for International Development (USAID)/Education Office

USAID Contracting Officer’s Representative: Ms. Natasha de Marcken

TABLE OF CONTENTS Table of Contents 2 ACRONYMS 4 1. PROGRAM OVERVIEW/SUMMARY 6 1.1 Program Description/Introduction 7 1.2 Summary of Results to Date-Quarterly Report 9 2. ACTIVITY IMPLEMENTATION PROGRESS 11 2.1 Progress Narrative Summary 11 2.2 Activity Implementation Status 14 2.3 Result Two: Improved Education Quality 26 Result Three: Improved Governance and Accountability by Stakeholders 38 2. Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) 45 Monitoring & Evaluation 45 Operations Research (and Assessment) 48 3. Key Issue Narratives 52 4. INTEGRATION OF CROSSCUTTING ISSUES and USAID FORWARD PRIORITIES 52 4.1 Gender Equality and Female Empowerment 52 4.2 Sustainability Mechanisms 52 4.3 Environmental Compliance 52 4.4 Global Climate Change – NA 53 4.5 Policy and Governance Support 53 4.6 Local Capacity Development 53 4.7 Public Private Partnership (PPP) and Global Development Alliance (GDA) Impacts 53 4.8 Science, Technology, and Innovation Impacts 53 5. STAKEHOLDER PARTICIPATION AND INVOLVEMENT 53 6. MANAGEMENT AND ADMINISTRATIVE ISSUES 53 7. LESSONS LEARNED 54 7.1. Grants 54 7.2. Result 2 55 7.3. Result 3 55 Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning 56 8. PLANNED ACTIVITIES FOR NEXT QUARTER INCLUDING UPCOMING EVENTS56 8.1 General Project Activities 56 Quarterly Report, Quarter 3, FY2017, April-June 2017 Improving Reading, Equity, and Accountability in the DRC (ACCELERE!) – Activity 1

8.2 Grants 57 8.3 Result 1 58 8.4 Result 2 58 8.5 Result 3 60 8.6 Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning and Operational Research 60 9. How IMPLEMENTING PARTNER has addressed A/COR comments from the last quarterly OR annual report 62 ANNEX A. MISSION STANDARD REPORTING (AS ATTACHMENT) 63 ANNEX B. CDCS RESULTS FRAMEWORK (AS ATTACHMENT) 63 ANNEX C. PROGRESS SUMMARY QUARTERLY (SEE BELOW) 63 ANNEX D. Financial Report Q3 (as attachment) 63 ANNEX E. Communications and Outreach Messages (as attachment) 63 ANNEX F. Trip Reports (as attachment) 63 ANNEX C. Progress Summary Quarterly 64 APRIL – JUNE 2017 64

Quarterly Report, Quarter 3, FY2017, April-June 2017 Improving Reading, Equity, and Accountability in the DRC (ACCELERE!) – Activity 1

ACRONYMS

ACCELERE! Accès, Lecture, Rétention, et Redevabilité ALP Alternative Learning Program AL Accompagnateur de Lecture APS Annual Program Statement CAP Centre d’Apprentissage Professionnel CATED Centre d’Appui Technique de l’Education CELTA Centre de Linguistique Théorique et Appliquée COGES Comité de Gestion Scolaire ComCon Comité de Concertation COP Chief of party COPA Comité de Parents COR Contracting Officer Representative CRS Centre de Rattrapage Scolaire DCOP Deputy Chief of Party DFID Department for International Development (UK) DGENF Direction Générale de l’Education Non Formelle DIPROMAD Direction des Programmes et Matériels Didactiques DIVAS Division des Affaires Sociales DRC Democratic Republic of the Congo EAGLE Empowering Adolescent Girls to Lead through Education (USAID) EGMA Early Grade Mathematics Assessment EGR Early Grade Reading EGRA Early Grade Reading Assessment ELAN Écoles et Langues Nationales en Afrique FHI360 Family Health International 360 GDRC Government of the DRC I-READ Improving Reading, Equity, and Accountability in the DRC IT Information Technology M&E Monitoring and Evaluation MAS Ministère des Affaires Sociales MEL Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning MELP Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Plan (Formerly PMEP) MEPSP Ministère de l'Enseignement Primaire, Secondaire et Professionnel MEPT Ministère d’Enseignement Professionnel et Technique ML Mobilisateur de Lecture MOU Memorandum of Understanding NGO Non-Governmental Organization OIF International Organization of Francophony OPEQ Opportunities for Equitable Access to Quality Education (USAID) PAQUED Projet d’Appui à la Qualité de l’Education (USAID) PMEP Performance Monitoring and Evaluation Plan now called MELP PROVED Provincial education office for the MEPSP

Quarterly Report, Quarter 3, FY2017, April-June 2017 Improving Reading, Equity, and Accountability in the DRC (ACCELERE!) – Activity 1

RFA Request for Application RFP Request for Proposals RFQ Request for Quotations SDP School Development Plan SEA Senior Education Advisor SERNAFOR National Training Service (Service National de Formation) SIGE Education Management Information System (Système d'Information de Gestion de l'éducation) SRA School Rapid Assessment STTA Short Term Technical Assistance STS School-to-School International Sous-PROVED Sub-provincial education office for the MEPSP TOT Training of Trainers UKAID United Kingdom Agency for International Development UNESCO United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization UNICEF United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund USAID United States Agency for International Development

Quarterly Report, Quarter 3, FY2017, April-June 2017 Improving Reading, Equity, and Accountability in the DRC (ACCELERE!) – Activity 1

1. PROGRAM OVERVIEW/SUMMARY

Program Name: ACCELERE! Activity 1

Activity Start Date and End May 28, 2016 - May 24, 2020 Date: Name of Prime Implementing Chemonics International Partner: AID-660-C-15-00001 Contract Number:

Family Health International (FHI 360), Cambridge Education (trading as Name of Subcontractors/Sub- Mott MacDonald), and School to School International awardees:

Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education and Initiation into the New Major Counterpart Citizenship (MEPSP) Organizations Ministry of Social Affairs (MAS) Total targeted provinces and subdivisions, including those starting in 2017: Haut Katanga (Lubumbashi 2, Sakania, Kipushi, Likasi, Kambove), Lualaba (Lubudi, Kolwezi 1, Kolwezi 2), Kasai Central (Kananga 1, Geographic Coverage Kananga 2, Dibaya 2, Demba 1, Dimbelenge 1, Kazumba Sud), Kasai (Provinces and Sub-Provinces) Oriental (Mbuji Mayi 1, Mbuji Mayi 2, Mbuji Mayi 3, Kabeya-Kamwanga, Lupatapata), North Kivu, South Kivu, Equateur (Mbandaka 1, Mbandaka 2, Bikoro) and Sud-Ubangi (Gemena 1, Gemena 2, Gemena 3) –26 Total. Reporting Period: April 1, 2017 – June 30, 2017

Quarterly Report, Quarter 3, FY2017, April-June 2017 Improving Reading, Equity, and Accountability in the DRC (ACCELERE!) – Activity 1

1.1 Program Description/Introduction

USAID, in collaboration with Department for International Development (DFID), has committed to implementing a primary education initiative to improve equitable access to education and learning outcomes for girls and boys in the DRC. This collective initiative, entitled ACCELERE! (Accès, Lecture, Retention et Redevabilité or access, reading, retention and accountability), aims to support the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s (GDRC) commitment to free universal basic education and improved learning outcomes as articulated in the GDRC’s Interim Education Plan, the Education Sector Strategy, and other reform efforts in the sector.

As one component of this joint program, Activity 1 of ACCELERE! (ACCELERE!1) is led by Chemonics International under the Improving Reading, Equity, and Accountability in the DRC contract with USAID (AID-660-C-15-00001) awarded with a period of performance of May 2015 to May 2020 and a total estimated cost of $134 million. The consortium’s institutional partners include FHI 360, Cambridge Education (CE) and School-to-School International (STS). In addition, the project has established relationships with Caritas Congo and SIL-LEAD for targeted activities in community mobilization and local language material development respectively.

The purpose of ACCELERE! is to improve educational outcomes for boys and girls in select education provinces in the DRC. To contribute to achieving this purpose, ACCELERE!1 will support education service delivery in public primary schools (including écoles conventionnées run by religious networks) in 26 education sub-divisions across six provinces: Haut Katanga, Lualaba, Kasaï Central, Kasaï Oriental, Equateur and Sud-Ubangi. In addition, Activity 1 will support non-formal alternative/accelerated learning programs (ALPs), including centres de rattrapage scolaire (CRSs) in these 26 sub-divisions as well as in targeted areas of North and South Kivu provinces, and in vocational training centers (centres d’apprentissage professionnel, CAPs) in target areas of the Kivus and conflict-affected zones in Haut Katanga and Lualaba. ACCELERE! I also works to ensure that girls and boys benefit equally from project activities and that all assistance is conflict sensitive and disability inclusive.

ACCELERE! will help strengthen partnerships between government at the national and decentralized levels, between communities and schools, and between the public and private sectors.

ACCELERE!1 is divided into three result areas, depicted in the results framework below.

Quarterly Report, Quarter 3, FY2017, April-June 2017 Improving Reading, Equity, and Accountability in the DRC (ACCELERE!) – Activity 1

*This contract will support local level activities for IR 3.3 while provincial and some sub-province level activities are covered under ACCELERE! Activity 2 project, which includes additional IRs under Result Three, including IR 3.4 (Effective resource allocation and execution in the education sector strengthened) and IR 3.5 (Strengthened systems and capacity at the national, .provincial and school level.

Quarterly Report, Quarter 3, FY2017, April-June 2017 Improving Reading, Equity, and Accountability in the DRC (ACCELERE!) – Activity 1

1.2 Summary of Results to Date-Quarterly Report

Annual Baseline Annual Performance On Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Achieved to the Standard Indicators FY Target Target FY17 FY17 FY17 FY17 End of YYYY Reporting Y/N Period (%) 1. Proportion of students who, by the end of 2015 N/A ------N/A N/A Grade 2 of primary schooling, demonstrate that they can read and understand the meaning of grade level text. " [ES 1-1] 3 Number of learners reached in reading N/A 124,294 - - - - - Y programs at the primary level (ES. 1-5) 4. Number of learners enrolled in primary schools N/A 470,862 464,448 - - - 99% Y and/or equivalent non-school based settings with USG support [ES1-3] 5 Number of primary or secondary educators N/A 3800 461 506 641 17% Y who complete professional development activities with USG support (ES-1.6) 6 Number of education administrators and N/A 1500 1,211 961 1669 111% Y officials who complete professional development activities with USG assistance (ES 1-12) 7 Number of parent teacher associations (PTAs) N/A 936 0 0 320 34% N or community governance structures engaged in primary or secondary education supported with USG assistance (E 1-13) New: Number of primary school educators who N/A 2167 2167 Y 27 complete professional development activities on implementing evidence-based reading instruction with USG assistance (ES-1.7) 29 Number of primary or secondary textbooks and N/A 239,500 2461 8028 222,241 93% Y other teaching and learning materials (TLM) Quarterly Report, Quarter 3, FY2017, April-June 2017 Improving Reading, Equity, and Accountability in the DRC (ACCELERE!) – Activity 1

provided with USG assistance [ES-1-10]

Quarterly Report, Quarter 3, FY2017, April-June 2017 Improving Reading, Equity, and Accountability in the DRC (ACCELERE!) – Activity 1

2. ACTIVITY IMPLEMENTATION PROGRESS

2.1 Progress Narrative Summary

During this quarter, the project made significant progress in its three key result areas during the final trimester of the 2016-17 school year. Principal accomplishments include:

● Increase from 8% (148) to 22% (399) of our currently targeted schools in provinces being served by our grants programs in support of access and retention.

● Finalization and validation of 30 Grade 1, 2, and CRS Level 1 teaching and learning materials in three national languages and in oral French. Please note that these versions of the TLM materials were conditionally approved for printing and testing by USAID during this school year. USAID expects to approve a fully tested version of the TLM during this school year.

● Completion and testing of scope and sequence, lesson plan templates and teacher guides in reading and writing in French for one-time use in Grades 3 and 4 classrooms for school year 2017/18 and for the Grade 3 cohort in school year 2018/19.

● Completion of printing procurement award to two large printing companies. ● Observed positive shift in school directors’ behaviors in supporting teacher difficulties. ● Close to completion of 320 School Improvement Plans (Projets d’écoles) thanks to training sessions for COPA/COGES and school directors and monitoring visits by the network of zonal trainers. ● Increased team collaboration and joint planning and strategy development within R3 team as well as also with R1 and R2 colleagues and ACCELERE!2 and the Integrated Governance Activity (IGA). ● Successful completion of the Data Quality Assessment. ● Completion of Pilot Quarterly Assessment. ● Agreement on a way forward for the Early Grade Reading Assessments (EGRAs). ● Establishment of 3 remaining offices and staffing at 80%. ● Launch of work plan development at central and provincial levels. Result One: The project successfully launched the request for proposals for the procurement of 872,000 student kits and 18,500 teacher kits to increase access and retention in schools. The R1 team participated in the Back to-School task force to prepare the mass mobilization campaign to Quarterly Report, Quarter 3, FY2017, April-June 2017 Improving Reading, Equity, and Accountability in the DRC (ACCELERE!) – Activity 1

increase enrollment of vulnerable and out of school children. The campaign will pay particular attention to the Kasais where the majority of primary schools closed and an estimated 1 million people were displaced due to the recent armed conflict. A final draft of the CAPs needs assessment was completed and is in final review with the Ministère des Affaires Sociales (MINAS). The study will serve as a framework for the project’s CAP program. With respect to the gender sub-IR, the project received approval from USAID for the revised Doorways materials and provided recommendations for reprinting Code of Conduct posters. The gender specialist continued training teachers in SBGV in the Kivus, Lualaba and Haut Katanga provinces.

Result Two: The team received approval of the 30 learning materials for teachers and students in support of the reading program in Ciluba, Lingala, Kiswahili and Oral French. These materials will be used by approximately 16,000 teachers and 800,000 students across the country in Grades 1 to 4. With the approval of the materials, the Chemonics HQ and local procurement team successfully completed the procurement of printing and delivery services of more than 1,000,000 hard copies to serve teachers and students during the upcoming 2017-18 school year. The R2 team was further strengthened with the recruitment of additional materials specialists, graphic designers and a computer specialist to support the production and layout of the materials.

Result Three: The result three team continued to work closely with the Ministère de l'Enseignement Primaire, Secondaire et Professionnel (MEPSP) in Haut Katanga, Lualaba and the Kasais in the support of school leadership and improved management standards. As result, there are now 320 draft school improvement plans for the 2017-18 school year to be validated with the provincial MEPSP authorities. The team actively participated and led working sessions of the canevas in MEPSP provincial promo scolaire meetings. As a result of this consultation, an updated national canevas was finalized containing 11 key education performance indicators to measure the state of the education sector in each province and at the national level during the yearly national promo scolaire in Kinshasa starting on August 9 through the 12.

Monitoring Evaluation & Learning/Operations Research: The M&E team completed the 2016-17 baseline data for the Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Plan (MELP) (formerly PMEP). Data was collected and started to be processed for the remaining 12 sub-divisions provinces, especially those in Equateur and Sub-Ubangi provinces. The baseline data collected will help complete the project’s annual targets. With names of directors and teachers, a database will serve to prefill participant lists to better track an individual’s participation in training, mentoring, and coaching at the local level. A delegation from USAID conducted the second DQA on June 15 in Lubumbashi. The team was able to confirm that the initial recommendations from the first DQA were put in place. During the visit, the delegation discussed the inclusion of

Quarterly Report, Quarter 3, FY2017, April-June 2017 Improving Reading, Equity, and Accountability in the DRC (ACCELERE!) – Activity 1

two new indicators to the project’s MELP. At the end of June, the M&E Senior Advisor participated in a DQA workshop in Kinshasa.

In addition, a pilot activity of the Quarterly Assessment (QA) of students learning took place. QA tools were developed and field tested, followed by an operational administration of the QA in 80 schools in Haut Katanga and Lualaba. The objective of this pilot activity was to both test the QA system and to collect data on student progress. Also, the ACCELERE!1 project continued its implementation of the Operations Research Agenda. In all, four of 14 studies are underway.

Grants: The project’s grants team received approval for six additional grantees to support formal schools bringing the total to ten grants with a total value of $1,349,275. Eight out of the ten awards were funded and have launched activities in four provinces serving children in approximately 450 schools which represents 22% of schools targeted through the project. In addition, the team continued processing with a shortlist of 39 potential awards to serve the CRS’s and CAPs.

OTHER NOTEWORTHY ACTIVITIES

In June, the project launched the planning and development of the Y3 Work Plan with a team- wide workshop at the Beatrice Hotel June 12-16th 2017. The workshop was attended by USAID, DFID and representatives from the Ministère de l’Enseignement Primaire Secondaire et Professionnel (MEPSP) and MINAS.

In line with USAID’s strategy for better collaboration and integration, the project also participated in USAID’s Strategic Collaboration Workshops in Lubumbashi (June 13) and Bukavu (June 21). In Lubumbashi, the ACCELERE!1 provincial team leader participated in two joint presentations regarding improving logistics and infrastructure with the IHAP project and serving vulnerable populations with the Empowering Adolescent Girls to Lead through Education (EAGLE) and ELIKIA projects. In Bukavu, the Chief of Party participated in the workshop with the USAID DRC Education team leader. During the meeting, the ACCELERE!1 Kivu provincial team leaders actively participated and exchanged information with other implementing partners about their respective activities in the USAID TO3 focus zones namely Bukavu city, Kabare, Kalehe and Walungu. Furthermore, the visit provided an opportunity for the USAID delegation and ACCELERE!1 Chief of Party to visit the Nyota vocational training school (an ACCELERE!1 targeted CAP) to better understand its curricular programs and challenges in training young adults in more than a dozen occupations from auto mechanics to basket weaving. Furthermore, this CAP provides graduates access to its own credit union with

Quarterly Report, Quarter 3, FY2017, April-June 2017 Improving Reading, Equity, and Accountability in the DRC (ACCELERE!) – Activity 1

micro-loans for start-up and support after graduation. The team discussed the current challenges to attract vulnerable youth, especially ex-combatants, girls and young women in the province.

Third ACCELERE! I Technical Steering Committee Meeting The ACCELERE!1 team successfully organized the 3rd Technical Steering Committee Meeting on June 7. The meeting was presided by M. Jovin Mukadi, chief advisor to the Minister with the education team leaders for USAID and DFID. The four ACCELERE!1 team leads and representatives of the MINAS and MEPSP government agencies were present. At the meeting, the following topics were discussed related to ACCELERE!1 activities: - Presentation of the ACCELERE!1 teacher and student guides and discussion on the ongoing procurement of the printing and delivery services to MEPSP and MINAS representatives. MEPSP would like to take these materials to other provinces.

- Discussion on the launch of the first EGRA assessment in ACCELERE!1 in October 2017.

- Importance of communication between the ACCELERE! I implementing partners and its key ministry counterparts through a monthly executive bulletin to enable better exchange of the programs milestones and activities.

Potential synergy and collaboration with the World Bank PAQUE project. The Chief of Party (COP) and the R2 lead met with the World Bank (WB) DRC education advisor and two experts from World Bank on June 21 to discuss potential areas of collaboration. During this meeting, the COP and R2 lead provided an overview of the ACCELERE!1 reading program, the materials and approach to teacher training. The WB team asked further questions about the content of each book and approximate costs to include the reproduction and distribution of the ACCELERE!1 guides in the Projet d’ Appui à la Qualité de l’ Education (PAQUED) terms of reference and budget. If the proposed collaboration comes to fruition, the ACCELERE! I materials will go nationwide in 2018.

2.2 Activity Implementation Status

Provincial Level (DO2) – Lives improved through coordinated development efforts At the provincial level, ACCELERE!1 is improving effective collaboration with the other three ACCELERE! activities. Through quarterly meetings, especially in Haut Katanga and the Kasai regions where the four activities are present, each provincial team shared information on their quarterly activities, coordinated interventions in each sub-division, and, most importantly, enabled a more effective communication with the MEPSP and education sector counterparts. The ACCELERE-wide activity team leaders will continue to focus on improving coordination and

Quarterly Report, Quarter 3, FY2017, April-June 2017 Improving Reading, Equity, and Accountability in the DRC (ACCELERE!) – Activity 1

communication among the four activities at the provincial level to find efficiencies in activity implementation and buy-in from local MEPSP counterparts.

During this quarter, ACCELERE!1 focused on scaling up its technical assistance to schools across its eight targeted provinces. The initial six provinces are Haut Katanga, Lualaba, Kasai Central, Kasai Oriental, North and South Kivu. In the remaining two provinces of Sub-Ubangi and Equateur, the project established offices in Mbandaka and Gemena and recruited staff to manage the surge of activities during the upcoming school year 2017-18.

In the initial six provinces, the project also scaled up its technical assistance in its core objectives. The project is targeting increased access of vulnerable children to school through grants and donation of school kits. It has produced, validated, and improved learning materials for students in Grades 1 through 4 in four languages and two school systems (formal and non- formal schools). Finally, the project has provide support to 320 schools with school management plans to be validated in the coming quarter. The team continues working on promoting policy dialogue based on data using the education canevas in preparation for the national promo scolaire in August 2017.

Grants Program For the third quarter of FY17, the project's Grants component, aimed at increasing enrollment and retention, continued its interventions based on the approved annual plan. The Grants component, though still delayed due to onerous compliance requirements that are challenging for local NGOs (Non-Governmental Organizations) to meet, is making steady progress. The team is confident that, with the award of School Improvement Plans (SIP) during the following quarter, it will be able to catch up to its intended coverage goal.

A noteworthy achievement is the successful launch of a Villagers Savings and Credit Cooperatives (AVECs) involving 350 vulnerable children and their parents. The grant enabled the development of income generating activities with parents and students to establish the AVECs in and around Mbuji-Mayi 2 sub-divisions. Evidence indicates that the reduction of school fees has the greatest potential impact for increasing enrollment and retention. For more information on this please see ACCELERE Theory of Change. This approach has indeed yielded similar results in other countries and most importantly in DRC through the Vas y Fille project. ACCELERE!1 will be sure to build on the Vas-y-Filles experience and with this, expand AVECs to other targeted areas based on our Access and Retention strategy.

The Grants team, as part of the work-planning exercise for Y3, is working with the Results and MEL team leaders to establish a means of tracking and measuring the impacts of Grants,

Quarterly Report, Quarter 3, FY2017, April-June 2017 Improving Reading, Equity, and Accountability in the DRC (ACCELERE!) – Activity 1

especially in terms of enrollment and retention. Currently, Grants activities are being tracked through regular visitations.

Technical support and grants for access and retention activities The grant awards focused on identifying local NGOs with strong proposals to increase access and retention of students. The ACCELERE!1 Grants team made significant progress in making up for delays and processed proposals submitted in response to the three Requests for Applications (RFAs). The first RFA focuses on grants for formal schools, while the second and third RFAs focus on NGOs supporting CRS and CAPS respectively.

With respect to the first RFA to formal schools, eight of the ten grants awarded have been funded and have started their grants work in the Haut Katanga, Lualaba and Kasai Oriental provinces. The two remaining awardees will be funded and will start working in July 2017. With the ten initial grants to-date, the project will be supporting access to students in approximately 450 schools which represent about 22% of formal schools targeted in the six initial provinces.

Regarding the second and third RFAs for CRSs and CAPs, the team is evaluating 39 shortlisted proposals for the Kasai Central, North and South Kivu provinces. The proposed process for awarding these grants is set to be finished in time for the 2nd annual work plan and, more specifically, the 2nd Quarterly Work Plan for FY2017.

The table below lists the number of grants awarded and the number under review by province in support of formal schools, CRSs, and CAPs to-date:

Quarterly Report, Quarter 3, FY2017, April-June 2017 Improving Reading, Equity, and Accountability in the DRC (ACCELERE!) – Activity 1

Table below lists status of grant awards for the quarter:

Quarterly Report, Quarter 3, FY2017, April-June 2017 Improving Reading, Equity, and Accountability in the DRC (ACCELERE!) – Activity 1

ACTIVITES EN COURS D'IMPLEMENTATION

APPROBATION TYPE N ᴼ BENEFICIAIRE PROVINCE TITRE ET DESCRIPTION DE l'ACTIVITE DEMARRAGE FIN BUDGET (US$) SOLDE RESTANT S OLDE (%) Ecoles ciblées USAID SUBVENTION

Appui à l'amélioration de l'accès et de la Bureau National Catholique de rétention des élèves dans les écoles primaires FAA KOR 001 KASAI ORIENTAL Approbation N°196 FAA 10-Dec-16 9-Jan-18 140,765.00 77,028.00 55% 30 l’Enfance (BNCE) de la sous - Division de Mbujimayi 2 dans la Province du Kasaï Oriental

Amélioration de l’Accès à l’Education en RDC à Humana People to People Congo FAA HKAT 001 HAUT KATANGA Approbation No FAA travers la Mobilisation Communautaire 5-Mar-17 4-Mar-18 144,542.00 71,539.00 49% 53 (HPP) Educational

Projet d’appui à la diminution des obstacles FAA LLB 001 Caritas Kolwezi LUALABA Approbation N°251 FAA 30-Mar-17 29-Mar-18 137,453.00 115,603.00 84% 16 empêchant l'accès à l'enseignement primaire

Renforcement de la collaboration et du partenariat entre les communautés et les Centre Intégré d’Encadrement de FAA KAC 001 KASAI CENTRAL Approbation N°249 FAA écoles afin d'appuyer l'accès à l'éducation dans 14-Apr-17 13-Apr-18 88,551.00 69,571.00 79% 60 Lukibu (CEILU) la sous division éducationnelle de Kananga1, Province du Kasaï Central, RD Congo Projet de sensibilisation et de mobilisation des parents d’élèves et des membres de la Service d’Appui au Développement communauté pour l’amélioration de l’accès FAA HKAT 007 HAUT KATANGA Approbation N°253 FAA 3-May-17 2-May-18 78,200.00 53,450.00 68% 14 Régional Intégré (SADRI) équitable à l’éducation et à l’apprentissage des filles et des garçons dans la sous-province éducationnelle de Sakania

Appui à l’amélioration de l’accès et la rétention à l’enseignement pour 500 Enfants vulnérables FAA HKAT 002 UMOJA HAUT KATANGA Approbation FAA dans la sous-division éducationnelle de Likasi, à 25-May-17 24-Nov-17 89,981.00 58,804.00 65% 74 travers le renforcement socio-économique des familles

Equipement en mobilier scolaires aux écoles Cooperative de Construction Rurale FAA KAC 002 KASAI CENTRAL Approbation N°269 FAA primaires Publiques de la sous division 24-May-17 23-Nov-17 70,807.00 49,434.00 70% 30 Bidiep (COOBIDIEP) Kananga1 Projet d’appui à l’amélioration de l'accès et FAA KOR 002 Caritas Developpement Mbujimayi KASAI ORIENTAL Approbation N°294 FAA retention des élèves dans les écoles primaires 29-Jun-17 28-Jun-18 78,998.00 78,998.00 100% 46 de la sous division Mbujimayi 1 Appui pour l’accès des enfants vivant avec handicap physique, les albinos et les enfants Union pour le Developpement Intégré FAA HKAT 003 HAUT KATANGA Approbation N°279 FAA nés des parents handicapés à l’école primaire 24-Jul-17 23-Jul-18 89,698.00 83,486.00 93% 50 du Katanga et Kasai (UDIK) dans la sous-division éducationnelle de Lubumbashi 2 Appui aux actions et activités qui promeuvent l’accès, la rétention des élèves, et Bread And Knowledge Too ( BAK- l’amélioration de la qualité de l’enseignement FAA HKAT 004 HAUT KATANGA Approbation N°285 FAA 92,734.00 81,234.00 88% 26 CONGO) primaire dans 34 écoles publiques de la sous division de SAKANIA, province du Haut Katanga année scolaire 2017-2018. 5/30/2017 5/29/2018 Community Mobilization for schooling and 28ème Communauté des Méthodistes Pending Kick off Pending Kick off KASAI CENTRAL TBD In-Kind support in school Kits a,nd book store corners 46,240.00 46,240.00 100% TBD Unies au Congo (CMUCC) meeting meeting in Kananga 2

ENCOURS TOTAL 1,057,969.00 785,387.00 26% 399

Quarterly Report, Quarter 3, FY2017, April-June 2017 Improving Reading, Equity, and Accountability in the DRC (ACCELERE!) – Activity 1

During this quarter, eight of the ten grantees have started activities in their respective provinces. Here is a list of notable achievements in the conflict-affected provinces of the Kasais:

- In Kasai Oriental, the Bureau National Catholique de l’Enfance (BNCE) successfully launched a Villagers Savings and Credit Cooperatives (AVECs) involving 350 vulnerable children and their parents. The grant has enabled the development of income generating activities with parents and students to establish the AVECs in and around Mbuji Mayi 2 sub- division. The income has families to cover the monthly school fees to attend one of the 78 targeted schools in the sub-division that are being served through ACCELERE!1. Student attendance is being monitored by BNCE grantee’s supervisors to ensure they stay in school.

- In Kasai Central, the recent armed conflict resulted in a massive displacement of people away from their villages and schools being abandoned, ransacked and destroyed. Dropout rates in the province have soared. In order to bring children back to school, the ACCELERE!1 grants program has awarded two local NGOs funds to help students return to school.

o First, the Centre Intégré d’Encadrement de Lukibu (CEILU) began its sensitization campaign in the local media working through four local community radio stations: Radio Kasaï Horizon, Channel 13, Full Contact and RTE. The grantee initially trained broadcasters understand the importance of promoting messages to enable children to return to school. The grant will allow participating stations to air a weekly program in the five targeted sub-divisions of Kasai Central. The radio programs in French and local Ciluba language target the whole community, but especially parents of students and school directors returning back to the village. The message revolves around primary school enrollment for all 6 and 7 year olds and free primary education.

o Second, the Cooperative de Construction Rurale Bidiep (COOBIDIEP) received its initial funding to manufacture student desks for schools in the conflict zones. The manufacturing has started and will manufacture about 900 benches to be use atover to 30 schools of the sub-division Kananga 1 at the start of the school year. As part of ongoing monitoring of the active grants, the team conducted the following activities:

- Ongoing follow-up visits to monitor the use of donated materials to the 28 the educational bureaux gestionnaires (BGs) in Haut Katanga and Lualaba provinces.

- Preparation for the next tranche of in-kind grants for BGs in the Kasais, Kivus, Equateur and Sub-Ubangi provinces.

- Continued technical collaboration with the Result 1 team in charge of CRSs and CAPs activities to ensure grantees’ intervention align with the project’s access indicators. Quarterly Report, Quarter 3, FY2017, April-June 2017 Improving Reading, Equity, and Accountability in the DRC (ACCELERE!) – Activity 1

Grants to NGOs to support CRS and CAP in terms of operation, (re) establish new CRSs, and strengthen their management - The grants team shortlisted 39 potential grantees. The team conducted risk assessments and capacity building reviews for 25 of these organizations as part of the required due- diligence in order to approve their scope of work and finalize budget negotiations to be able to complete the award process, and submit to USAID for approval.

Subsidize income generating activities using the parent committees’ action plan in the 26 subdivisions Grants under this sub-result are linked to the development of School Improvement Plans (SIPs) under Result 3. As of June 2017, 320 SIPs are currently in development in four provinces under the supervision of the Senior School Improvement Specialist and the R3 team. The project will most likely use In-Kind and Fixed Amount Awards (FAA) grant mechanisms in support of SIPs. Eventually, for latrines and possible addition of classrooms (in support of increased equitable access and retention), we will use the SAF mechanism. Result One: Equitable Enrollments to a Quality Education Environment Increased The project objective through this result is to achieve increased equitable enrollment to a high- quality education environment. This Result is broken down into four intermediate results (IRs). During this quarter, activities were conducted under three out of the four IRs, which are to reduce barriers to access to schools reduced, increase access to alternative / accelerated learning programs that address out-of-school children and youth needs and improve the quality of education environments.

During this quarter, the main achievement was to finally, though late, complete the delivery of school kits. They were well received and served as an opportunity to reach out to parents and students of these communities. The provincial teams sensitized inspectors and directors on the importance to save the materials for the upcoming school year. As a result of this year’s lesson learned, the project has added additional support to expedite the procurement of learning materials and kits to be distributed in the second trimester. In addition, CRS teacher and student guides for CRS Level 1 (equivalent to Grades 1 and 2 in formal schools) in Oral French and the three national languages were developed and released for printing and distribution (please see Result 2 for further detail). Coordination and planning of upcoming trainings for non-formal schools (CRS) in the two Kivus, and Katanga provinces were done in close collaboration between the R1 Kinshasa team and respective provincial team leaders.

Regarding staffing, the project recruited two national coordinators, for CRSs and CAPs respectfully, as well as R1 provincial Result team leaders. With these positions filled, the R1 component will be able to accelerate the grants and CAPs activities.

Quarterly Report, Quarter 3, FY2017, April-June 2017 Improving Reading, Equity, and Accountability in the DRC (ACCELERE!) – Activity 1

As part of our effort for improved coordination between results, a series of meetings were held jointly with all three results. These meetings provided an overview of the implementation status and progress achieved by the respective activities of each Result team. In addition, the workshops enabled all Result teams to identify synergies and opportunities for collaboration. As a result, the R3 is prioritizing the school improvement plan activities to be able to release grants to support this activity.

Challenges under this set of activities include the delay in the procurement of school kits, the work in support of the Comité de Concertations (COPAs) and Comité de Gestion Scolaire (COGES), and the completion of planned CAPs activities. This is due to stretched management and technical staff. With the hiring of our third Deputy Chief of Party (DCOP) and CAPs coordinator, the CAPs work should be back on track by the end of next quarter. Under Caritas and the hiring of the Community Mobilisers, the COPAS and COGES should also be on track by the end of Q4.

IR 1.1: Barriers to access to schools reduced During this quarter, the team delivered 225,000 kits to students to target schools. Each kit is comprised of a string backpack with four notebooks, pencil, eraser and a box of six coloring pencils for students in Grades 1 and 2. Although the distribution happened in the third trimester of the school year, the kits were well received by Ministry officials, teachers and the students in each school community. As a result, the project has strengthened its relationship with provincial MEPSP authorities and increased interest and support for the activities planned in the next academic year.

R 1.2: Increasing the reach and effectiveness of accelerated and alternative learning programs Under this sub-IR, the R1 team focused its efforts on two priorities in support of objectives of increased access to schools, namely, support of the back-to-school campaign and participation in the grants process to increase enrollment in schools,

Support to the Back to School (BTS) Campaign 2017-18 As part of planning of the BTS 2017-2018 campaign, three preparatory meetings were held between the MEPSP, UNICEF ACCELERE!4 and ACCELERE!1. These meetings helped set a date for the national planning workshop for planning of messaging, budget, and logistics for the BTS campaign. The project collaborated in developing the ToRs of the workshop and preparing the workshop budget. The workshop is scheduled for early July 2017.

Quarterly Report, Quarter 3, FY2017, April-June 2017 Improving Reading, Equity, and Accountability in the DRC (ACCELERE!) – Activity 1

As part of the preparations for the start of the school year, the R1 team leader started preparatory activities for the campaign in Equateur province. The activities completed during the quarter were as follow:

- Meeting with the Provincial Education Director for Equateur during which ACCELERE! I project activities were outlined, more specifically those planned for the mass enrollment campaign.

- Information meeting with the two Sub-Proved from Mbandaka 1 & 2 on the ACCELERE!1 project and the activities planned as part of the campaign. We took this opportunity to collect data on schools in the Mbandaka 1 & 2 subdivision.

- Meeting at Social Affairs Division (DIVAS) with the non-formal education supervisor on CRS activities, as the Head of Division was not able attend the meeting.

- Meeting with managers of community radios working in partnership with InterNews a Mwinda Catholic community radio and radio Mwana belonging to a local organization).

- Meeting with popular theater groups in the province to learn about various partners, their activities, their geographical coverage and their rates.

- Meeting with the Proved and sous-proved as well as other government administrative authorities of the Province.

- Meeting and exchange with Task Force communication officers from UNICEF and from the Educational Province regarding pre-campaign.

- Identification of associations and groups of women at the provincial level to help parents, especially mothers, send their girls to school.

With respect to pre-campaign activities in Sub-Ubangi, the following activities were conducted.

- Meeting with the operating inspector to discuss the objectives of the mission and provincial inspector’s involvement in the next campaign. Emphasis was placed on collaboration between MEPSP structures and those of the Division des Affaires Sociales (DIVAS).

- Working session with Head of the Social Affairs Division and his team to present the mission objectives and preparation of implementation calendar for BTS campaign. MINAS has 11 operational CRSs across the three sub-divisions targeted by the project.

- Working session with the Head of the Gemena 1 sub-division and his team to exchange on the barriers to education for children and the various strategies to be used for the BTS campaign for 2017-2018 School year. Quarterly Report, Quarter 3, FY2017, April-June 2017 Improving Reading, Equity, and Accountability in the DRC (ACCELERE!) – Activity 1

- Working sessions with the Minister in charge of Social Affairs and her Chief of Staff (DIRCAB) including a courtesy visit to the Minister to discuss the objectives of the mission barriers to education for children (girls and boys), and the possibility of involving the Minister in the BTS campaign for 2017-2018. As early as July 2017, the Minister included the objectives of the BTS campaign in the activities for promoting women and girls, to be conducted by the women leaders from the Province.

- Working session with the head of the Gemena 2 sub-division in Bwamanda on the importance of schooling children, barriers to education for children in Bwamanda, involvement of community radio stations, religious and community leaders in the BTS campaign activities, collaboration between the EPSP, and the CRS in establishing links between and organizing capacity building for the CRS supervisors.

- Working session with the Gemena 1 PROVED, Sub-proved, and the Head of the Social Affairs Division exploring various possibilities for collaboration between the EPSP and the DIVAS, analyzing the possible links between the sub-Sectors (formal and non-formal), the involvement of the Task Force in the preparation of the BTS campaign, and identifying barriers to children’s education.

Supporting the CRS and CAPs program The project R1 team continued working closely with the Grants team (see Section above) to closely link the implementation plans of the first group of active grantees to the access objectives under the R1. In addition, the project successfully completed the first draft of CAPs needs assessment in the selected provinces. The draft is currently being finalized and translated into English.

The needs assessment helped identify a total of 268 CAPs, including 85 in the Haut Katanga province, 17 in the Lualaba province, 79 in North Kivu and 87 in South Kivu. Regarding supervisors, 1,847 were identified, including 600 in the Haut Katanga, 100 in the Lualaba, 504 in North Kivu and 643 in South Kivu. CAPs from these four targeted provinces cater to a total of 30,758 students, including 17,089 girls. A total of 5,411 from these students, including 2,678 girls, are affected by conflicts (most IDPs due to conflicts in their communities).

Based on this information, the most relevant information identified was that: - South Kivu has more CAPs than other provinces - The majority of CAPs are private and recognized by the local government - The majority of students are girls i.e. 55.5%. - Most conflict-affected students are in North and South Kivu and some trainers (26.75%) only have primary school-leaving certificates.

Quarterly Report, Quarter 3, FY2017, April-June 2017 Improving Reading, Equity, and Accountability in the DRC (ACCELERE!) – Activity 1

As for the subjects taught, the following are the most attended by the youth in the targeted provinces: masonry, carpentry, general and commercial building electricity, welding, automotive and motorcycle mechanics, culinary arts, upholstery, hairdressing, weaving, artisanal fishing, computer-aided secretarial work, hotel services, and small scale agro-business.

Discussions with the various groups of beneficiaries at the ground revealed several major constraints in the functioning of the CAPs and recommendations were made to address these constraints, thus enabling proper functioning of CAPs. The evaluation further identified key equipment needs as detailed in the various tables included in final report. Training needs have also been identified, particularly in the field of pedagogy and in technical subjects of the various training programs. There was an urgent need to strengthen the capacity of social workers to help make the training programs attractive to youth and young adults. As part of the integration efforts between the grants and R1 components, the project will prioritize the proposals addressing these needs.

Local capacity building activities in support of NGOs supporting access Local capacity-building of targeted NGOs is one of the cross-cutting components of the project in order to focus on sustainable solutions to local needs through better managed, compliant, and effective local NGOs. The local capacity building specialists implemented a series of activities aimed at improving the technical and organizational capacities of the structures that received ACCELERE! Grants under RFA-001 Request for Application. The capacity building mainly focused on organizational assessment carried out in a participatory approach with a dozen members of CEILU-Congo, COOBIDIEP and the 28th Methodist Community in Kasaï Central, UMOJA, HPP and SADRI in Haut-Katanga, and CARITAS Kolwezi in Lualaba.

The activities resulted in providing each of these organizations with an organizational development plan, which gives an overview of the main activities to be conducted as well as priority areas for capacity-building to improve internal controls and management actions. The inherent success in having such capacity-building plans lies in the ownership of the capacity- building process by the local organizations working with ACCELERE!1. This ownership is characterized by self-initiated improvements that enhance their management and technical delivery of services without waiting for ACCELERE!1’s technical assistance. Further, the capacity-building officer actively participated in the grant-allocation process under RFAs 002 and 003, to assist in the prioritization of capacity-building needs for bidders and the choice of the type of grant to be awarded. These bidders are mainly located in Lualaba and Haut Katanga.

Quarterly Report, Quarter 3, FY2017, April-June 2017 Improving Reading, Equity, and Accountability in the DRC (ACCELERE!) – Activity 1

IR 1.3: Improving the quality of the school environment

Validation and approval of Doorways/Opportunity Training Modules and the Code of Conduct against Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) in Schools With respect to the Doorways/ Opportunities modules, the following activities were carried out during the quarter:

- A three-day workshop was organized with representatives of MESPS and culminated in the validation of all three modules which will be used to train teachers, students, and facilitators of the GBV Victims Assistance and Support Committee. Comments and remarks from USAID were accepted and integrated into the modules. These modules include: o Teacher's Guide for training students on the prevention and the response against Gender-based Violence (GBV) in schools (Doorways I) o Training Module for facilitators of the school-based GBV victims Assistance and Support Committee (Doorways II) o Teacher and/or Coach Training Module on Prevention and Response to GBV in Schools (Doorways III) The printing of Doorways modules is scheduled for July 2017 for the training that will begin in North and South Kivu in August 2017 in the CRS targeted by the project ACCELERE!

With respect to the SGBV Code of Conduct, the ACCELERE!1 project aims to disseminate the code of conduct on gender-based violence, a document already validated by the MEPSP and used by the EAGLE project (FHI360) and International Medical Corps. Following USAID's recommendations, ACCELERE!1 will insert the United Kingdom Agency for International Development (UKAID) logo and remove EAGLE’s logo and print through a local printer on a larger, laminated posters that will be distributed during the launch of the school year CRS and CAPs.

With respect to the implementation of this sub-component, project staff worked to help school communities identify focal points for the Gender and Violence Monitoring Committees in formal schools and CRS’s.

At the provincial level, the Gender Specialist worked to support the MEPSP in setting up a prevention and response mechanism against SGBV in schools. Here are highlights of the work developed through June 2017.

- North and South Kivu Provinces: 170 gender and SGBV monitoring committees (SGBV focal points) were set up in the 170 CRCs supported by the ACCELERE!1 project, Quarterly Report, Quarter 3, FY2017, April-June 2017 Improving Reading, Equity, and Accountability in the DRC (ACCELERE!) – Activity 1

composed of 8 members each, with 2 supervisors (male and female), 2 non-parent committee members (COPA) and 4 children (2 girls and 2 boys), with the effective participation of the children. A total of 1,360 resource persons were identified to prevent, listen to victims and refer them to an appropriate care service, depending on the victim's problem.

- Kasai Oriental Province: 199 Gender and SGBV Monitoring Committees in 178 schools and 21 CRSs targeted by the ACCELERE!1 project in the 3 educational sub-divisions 1, 2 and 3 of the former Mbuji Mayi Province, with the participation of children. 1,592 resource persons were identified to prevent, listen to the victims and refer them to an appropriate care service, depending on the victim's problem. Given the security situation prevailing in this province, the two educational sub-divisions of Miabi and Katanda were not visited.

Some adults (teachers, supervisors, and parents) expressed resistance to being elected by the children during the elections of members of the gender and SGBV Monitoring committees in targeted schools. For protecting children against any form of reprisals, the secret ballot method was used for the election.

Some successes have been recorded during these sessions, namely: - The involvement of Provincial education office for the MEPSP (PROVED) and the Urban Social Affairs Divisions in identifying members of gender and SGBV Monitoring committees. - Appointment of a person from the Educational Province Directorate and the Social Affairs Division as a focal point to monitor all aspects related to gender, SGBV, school safety, and CRS. - Election of members (focal points) of the gender and SGBV Monitoring committees by children.

2.3 Result Two: Improved Education Quality

Under Result Two, ACCELERE!1 is working to improve the quality of instruction for boys and girls in the lower grades of primary school. The project focuses primarily on early grade reading in national languages in Grades 1 to 4, French oral language acquisition in Grades 1 and 2, and a transition to French reading acquisition in Grades 3 and 4. Ultimately, the project is working to support an effective transition from national language reading acquisition in Lingala, Kiswahili and Ciluba to French language reading acquisition by the end of Grade 4.

Quarterly Report, Quarter 3, FY2017, April-June 2017 Improving Reading, Equity, and Accountability in the DRC (ACCELERE!) – Activity 1

Achievements during this quarter included the much awaited finalization of 30 different Grade 1, 2, and CRS Level 1 teaching and learning materials in three national languages and oral French following the recommendations of USAID and the Ministry.1 In addition, the team developed, in record time, the scope and sequence and lesson plan templates, conducted testing, and developed teacher guides in reading and writing in French for one-time use in Grades 3 and 4 classrooms for school year 2017/18 and for the Grade 3 cohort in school year 2018/19. The home and field office procurement and operations teams worked intensely to complete the printing procurement on time.

The successful launch of the Orange M-Tew pilot was also completed. This pilot proposes to test the different functionalities of the "M-Tew" platform to support teachers, reading coaches (ALs) and Reading Mobilizers (ML) on best practices in the teaching and learning of reading and writing.

The R2 team was very pleased to learn that, based on regular school visits, a positive shift in the directors’ (ALs) behavior has been detected. School directors, who formerly observed lessons to solely score teachers, have learned to assist teachers and advise them on how to improve their teaching effectiveness. Even administrative school directors are now more often in the classrooms to assist teachers in their lessons and to give models of teaching of reading. Although the information is anecdotal, the project will consider collecting data regarding the shift in attitude during its quarterly FOI assessment to track it with hard data throughout the school year.

Our biggest challenge during this quarter was to make up for delays in the development of materials process. Team cohesion was not complete and the team was stretched thereby making repeated un-necessary unforced errors in formatting, for example. The R2 team, together with project leadership, have taken steps to ensure that the next materials development cycle will include better technical oversight, supervision, team management, and quality assurance.

IR2.1 Quality of instruction at the primary level improved

During the third quarter of year 2, several activities were implemented to advance the activities of Result 2. Below is a summary, in table format for ease of reading, of the activities carried out or delayed per the work plans.

Activities Status Result 2.1: Quality of instruction at the primary level improved 2.1.1 Teaching and learning materials development

1 USAID will provide final approval in FY18 after materials have been field tested. Quarterly Report, Quarter 3, FY2017, April-June 2017 Improving Reading, Equity, and Accountability in the DRC (ACCELERE!) – Activity 1

Development of Grades 3 and 4 French teacher guides (1st Completed edition/using existing materials) Testing and revision of Grade 2 Kiswahili teacher guides and Completed student books (1st edition) and Grade 2 oral French (1st edition) Testing and revision of Grades 3 and 4 French teacher guides Completed (1st edition/using existing materials) Validation of Grade 1 Kiswahili and oral French teacher guides Completed and student books (2nd edition) and Grade 1 Ciluba and Lingala (1st edition) Validation of Grade 2 Kiswahili teacher guides and student Completed books (1st edition) and Grade 2 oral French (1st edition) Validation of Grades 3 and 4 French teacher guides (1st Completed edition/using existing materials) Validation of CRS Level 1 teacher guides and learner manuals Completed in Kiswahili (2nd edition), Ciluba, and Lingala (1st edition) Design of training modules for training on teaching and Completed learning materials Finalization and printing of training modules Completed.

Design of training modules for CRSs Completed Finalization of training modules on teaching and learning Completed materials for CRS level 1

2.1.2 Training of trainers and teachers Training of trainers (TOT), inspectors, and pedagogical Delayed but training of supervisors in the Kiswahili, Ciluba, Lingala, and oral French national training team is program for Grade 1 and 2 and the Grade 3 and 4 French scheduled for mid-July program. NB: Grade 2 program for Ciluba and Lingala is the (Q4) same program as the CRS Level 1 Training of ALs on the use of tablets and phones for data Not Applicable as this collection task is now the responsibility of the MLs. MLs were trained on tablet use for data collection in Quarter 2 (January-February) 2.1.3 Training and support for ALs and supervisors

Quarterly Report, Quarter 3, FY2017, April-June 2017 Improving Reading, Equity, and Accountability in the DRC (ACCELERE!) – Activity 1

Identification of MLs Completed. For Haut Katanga and Lualaba. The recruitment process began in the Kasais, Equateur, and Sud- Ubangi in Q3 Training of TOT on supervision techniques and the professional Completed development and teacher self-evaluation program (ML) Training of TOT on supervision techniques and the professional Completed development and teacher self-evaluation program (CRS) 2.1.4 Support for proximity networks for ongoing teacher and DP training Training of teachers in the professional development and Planned to begin in Q1, teacher self-evaluation program Y3. Result 2.2: Teaching and learning materials used in the classroom effectively Printing of teaching and learning materials in Kiswahili, Ciluba, This process began in Lingala, and oral French program for Grades 1 and 2 and CRS June of Q3 and Level 1, and the Grades 3 and 4 French program (34 materials continues into Q4 for total) scheduled delivery by September of Q4 Result 2.3: Community participation to support school-based and extra-curricular learning strengthened Distribution of community reading materials (activity guide, Procurement process books bank, materials making kit, telephone and Orange sim for began in Q3 and community reading champions) to pilot schools continues into Q4 for scheduled delivery by Q4 Implementation of weekly reading activities lead by the CCLs were identified community reading champions (CCLs) in pilot school and trained in Q3 but the activity start awaits delivery of the materials scheduled for Q4 Implementation of monthly sessions with parents on how to One session was given support reading at home in Q3. The rest will continue starting in Q4 Reading festival in clusters This is scheduled for the end of the pilot (August/September of Q4) Quarterly Report, Quarter 3, FY2017, April-June 2017 Improving Reading, Equity, and Accountability in the DRC (ACCELERE!) – Activity 1

Focus groups and monitoring of the reading activities (SBCC This is scheduled for the study and evaluation of community reading pilot) end of the pilot (August/September of Q4) Focus groups and administration of questionnaires to This is scheduled for communities in the Kasais and Equateur September of Q4 Data analysis and report on SBCC study and evaluation of This is scheduled for community reading pilot to identify potential actions for scale- September of Q4 up Development of "test" SBCC messages to pilot + identification Process began in June of of dissemination modes for these messages Q3 and will continue into Q4 once telephones are distributed to all actors partaking in the pilot Testing SBCC messages to pilot + modes of dissemination Will start in Q4 once telephones are distributed to all actors partaking in the pilot

Recruitment of additional materials development specialists During this quarter, the R2 team grew substantially with the recruitment of ten materials development specialists, four teacher training development specialists, one additional desktop publisher, and one ICT specialist in education. These new members of the team were trained in June on an overview of the project activities, the materials and training development process, the particularities of each language (session given by the Centre d’Etudes en Linguistique Théorique et Appliquée (CELTA)), and the writing of the different text types for children learning to read .

Teaching and learning materials development Grade 3 and 4 program development and finalization: During this quarter, R2's technical team developed and tested the scope and sequence of the lesson plan templates and teacher guides for reading and writing in French for one-time use in Grades 3 and 4 classrooms for school year 2017/18 and the Grade 3 cohort in school year 2018/19. This program aims to improve the reading abilities of children in Grades 3 and 4 who learned to read French in Grades 1 and 2. The program was developed based on existing Grades 3 and 4 student content, namely the Les Champions 3e et 4e A Français student manuals. These manuals were developed and distributed by the Belgian Technical Cooperation (BTC) in all schools of the DRC and approved for use in classrooms by the Direction des Programmes et Matériels Didactiques (DIPROMAD). The lessons approach is

Quarterly Report, Quarter 3, FY2017, April-June 2017 Improving Reading, Equity, and Accountability in the DRC (ACCELERE!) – Activity 1

based on the 2013 national curriculum, which outlines reading and writing standards and was put into experimentation. This contrasts the old program which treats literacy as a sub-subject rather than a subject on its own. This will allow the existing student manuals to be used with the ACCELERE! I approach to reading and writing instruction.

• Materials validation and finalization: In this quarter, the R2 technical team also finalized initial versions of 30 different Grades 1 and 2, and CRS Level 1 teaching and learning materials in three national languages and in oral French following the recommendations of USAID and the Ministry. They also finalized first versions of the above-referenced two sets teaching materials for Grades 3 and 4 French reading program. USAID will validate and approve final versions of materials after field testing and revisions are completed during FY18.

The finalized materials are:

Grade Languages Material Names and ratios planned for Number of Version printing different materials Grade 1 Ciluba, - Teachers’ guide for reading/writing 10 V2 Lingala, (1 per teacher) Kiswahili - Student book (1 per student) - Student take-home book (1 per student) - Posters (1 set or 30 per class) Oral French - Teachers’ guide (1 per teacher) 2 V2 - Posters (1 set or 20 per class) Grade 2 Kiswahili - Teachers’ guide for reading/writing 6 V1 (1 per teacher) - Student book (1 per student) - Student take-home book (1 per student) - Posters (1 set or 20 per class) Oral French - Teachers’ guide (1 per teacher) 2 V1 - Posters (1 set or 20 per class) CRS Level 1 Ciluba*, - Teachers’ guide for reading/writing 10 V2 Kiswahili Lingala*, (1 per teacher) V1 Lingala Kiswahili Student book (1 per student) - and Ciluba - Student take-home book (1 per student) - Posters (1 set or 20 per class)

Quarterly Report, Quarter 3, FY2017, April-June 2017 Improving Reading, Equity, and Accountability in the DRC (ACCELERE!) – Activity 1

Oral French - Teachers’ guide (1 per teacher) 2 V2 - Posters (1 set or 20 per class) Grade 3 French - Teachers’ guide for reading/writing 1 V1 (one-time reading and (1 per teacher) only) writing

Grade 4 French - Teachers’ guide for reading/writing 1 V1 (one-time reading and (1 per teacher) only) writing

* CRS Level 1 materials in Lingala and Ciluba will be used in the Grade 2 formal classrooms.

These documents were validated and approved by USAID and the EPSP for printing. Additionally, the Operations and Procurement teams, in the field and home offices, worked intensively to ensure the printing procurement for the materials was in place in time to ensure that materials will be delivered in schools by the beginning of the school year in September. The printing contract was awarded and the materials were delivered to the printers in April and May.

Technical team capacity building: During this quarter, the materials development team also received training from partner, SIL-LEAD on SynPhony and Bloom software. The training on SynPhony lasted five days (June 19-23) and focused on the use of software as a language analysis tool to draw a logical and a useful progression for the introduction of letters and grammatical particles in each Congolese language (Ciluba, Lingala, and Kiswahili). Content and skills learned from this training will allow participants to perform their own analyses of the languages they are writing in and to make decisions about whether to modify the existing scopes and sequences to make them more “productive” for decodable text writing. The participants of this training included the Reading Advisor, leaders of the materials development language teams, and linguists from CELTA who are also part of the multidisciplinary team of ACCELERE! I. The training on the Bloom software showed participants how to use the SynPhony output to produce decodable texts. It also showed participants how to produce leveled texts using the software following prompts and guidelines for text criteria. This interactive and hands-on training lasted four days (June 26-29) and enabled the participants to come out with a set of draft decodable and leveled texts produced in accordance with the scope and sequence and text leveling criteria validated by the EPSP. From now on, all decodable and level texts will be produced using this software.

Teacher Training Coaching training: From April 20 to May 5, a series of training activities were organized to support the coaches (ALs) of CRS educators in Haut-Katanga, Lualaba, Nord Kivu, and South Kivu. The objectives of these activities were: ● Introduce the roles and responsibilities of reading coaches

Quarterly Report, Quarter 3, FY2017, April-June 2017 Improving Reading, Equity, and Accountability in the DRC (ACCELERE!) – Activity 1

● To use of coaching tools (ex. observation and post-observation tools) ● Learn to assess the state reading in the CRS classroom ● To simulate activities related to best practices in coaching; ● Learn coaching strategies; ● Conduct classroom visits to ensure quality assurance and fidelity to the reading program. A total of 60 trainers from North Kivu, South Kivu, Haut Katanga and Lualaba were trained in coaching, who in turn trained 170 directors (ALs). Preparations for summer trainings: During this quarter, the R2 team, supported by a consultant Ms. Suzanne Simard, developed the training materials on the use of the documents produced for the 2017/18 school year and on gender-sensitive pedagogy and inclusiveness. Specifically, these trainings will cover: ● Lesson planning ● Use of the new national language reading and writing program ● The teaching of reading and writing and oral French ● The application of classroom management techniques: effective teaching, student grouping, materials management, and inclusive education ● Extension of literacy learning at home and in the community ● Maintenance of the school materials distributed ● Participation in coaching and the forum d’échange ● Learning the linguistic basics of the national language of instruction (Congolese language) ● The application of gender-sensitive pedagogy and inclusion strategies

This training will train approximately 15,345 teachers from Grades 1 to 4, 5,586 school directors, pedagogical advisors, and assistant directors, and 469 inspectors. As the training covers materials of different grade levels, non-formal and formal, and four different languages (Ciluba, Lingala, Kiswahili, and French), a total of 14 different training guides were drafted to effectively support trainers at all levels of the training cascade:

Type of training Number of Overview of content Training different duration training guides

Training of national 1 training guide Grades 1-4 and CRS Level 1 14 days training team (Kinshasa) documents, teacher coaching and support, gender-sensitive pedagogy and inclusiveness Training of provincial 3 training guides Grades 1-4 and CRS Level 1 14 days team documents, teacher coaching and (1 per language) support, gender-sensitive pedagogy Quarterly Report, Quarter 3, FY2017, April-June 2017 Improving Reading, Equity, and Accountability in the DRC (ACCELERE!) – Activity 1

(Haut Katanga, Lualaba, and inclusiveness Kasaï Oriental, Kasaï Occidental, Equateur, Sud Ubangi)

Training of inspectors 3 trainings Grades 1-4 and CRS Level 1 14 days and school directors guides documents, teacher coaching and support, gender-sensitive pedagogy (Haut Katanga, Lualaba, (1 per language) and inclusiveness Kasaï Oriental, Kasaï Occidental, Equateur, Sud Ubangi)

Training of 7 training guides Grades 1-4 and CRS Level 1 6 to 8 days teachers/CRS educators (1 par language, documents, gender-sensitive pedagogy formal or non- and inclusiveness (Haut Katanga, Lualaba, formal and by Kasaï Oriental, Kasaï degree) Occidental, Equateur, Sud Ubangi)

The training of the national team comprising the R2 team and the members of DIPROMAD, National Training Service (SERNAFOR), CELTA, MINAS and the Pedagogical University began on June 19 of this quarter. The teams will be deployed in provinces starting July 12. They will give the provincial training of trainers and thereafter perform spot-checks and provide support to the following trainings through August 31.

Teacher follow-up and support

Following the training of coaching in April to May, three days of quality assurance follow-ups were conducted by R2 team members in the classrooms. These activities took place in Lubumbashi, Kapemba, Katuba Kasumbalesa, Kipushi, Likasi and Kambove, Ruashi, Kolwezi, Mukoma, Goma and Bukavu. From this activity, a total of 97 visits were conducted to see how ALs were performing as coaches. The CRS center directors and school directors observed the teachers/center educators as they gave the lesson of reading and assisted as needed. At the end of each lesson, coaches led a post-observation discussion with each educator so that they could take stock of the lesson and identify the issues to be remediated.

From these visits, we detected a positive shift in the directors’ (ALs) behavior. School directors, who formerly observed lessons to solely score teachers, have learned to help teachers overcome their difficulties. Even administrative school directors are now more often in the classrooms to Quarterly Report, Quarter 3, FY2017, April-June 2017 Improving Reading, Equity, and Accountability in the DRC (ACCELERE!) – Activity 1

assist teachers in their lessons and to give models of teaching of reading. Still, our spot checks confirmed the importance of ongoing support to the school directors (ALs) in reading methodologies which are new to them. This ongoing support is provided by frequent Reading Mobilizer (MLs) support visits and through specific exchange forum to effective practices for reading instruction.

IR2.2 Teaching and Learning materials used in the classroom effectively

During this quarter, the project delivered the Y2 materials originally scheduled for Q2. The project experienced a series of delays in the development of the materials and distribution of these materials throughout the year. For this reason, the project has significantly increased its international and more importantly local capacity to develop the materials more expeditiously and with the expected quality. This year’s lesson learned has resulted in the project starting the second cycle of TLM printing in the first quarter of 2017. A total of 194,500 teaching and learning materials were distributed to students and CRS learners in the targeted provinces of Haut Katanga, Lualaba, North and South Kivu. These materials include student / learner books and take-home books that were validated and approved in July 2016. These materials began to be used in classrooms in time for students use in the third trimester of the school year.

IR2.3 Community participation to support school-based and extra-curricular learning strengthened

During this quarter, two pilot activities were started to assess the feasibility and effectiveness of the approach for scale up in the 2017/18 school year.

Community reading pilot: The community reading pilot activities were implemented in 16 schools in Likasi and Kipushi plans to test the following approach: - Parental involvement in reading activities at the community level with links to the school community - Active community engagement to support reading at the school and the provision of resources to promote reading - Promote local knowledge using local narratives and folktales as resources for reading and learning - Infuse a culture of reading among students at the school and at the community levels

The approach was inspired by the work of Vas-y-Filles combined with the experience of the PAQUED project on the Centre d'éveil de lecture communautaire (ECEL). This approach has as a key actor, the Community Reading Champion (CCL), a community-selected volunteer

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responsible for facilitating community reading activities. They work with MLs, COPAs, COGES and MobiComs. As volunteers, the CCLs will have a telephone and Orange credit to facilitate reporting on the activities to the MLs as well as to ask for support if necessary. These phones will also be used as a means of disseminating SBCC messaging through M-Tew, tracking and reporting activities, and consulting the ML and the AL.

This pilot is scheduled from June 2017 to August 2017. The main activities of this pilot include: ● 2 weekly "reading club" sessions with two groups of pupils (one with Grades 1 and 2 children and one with Grades 3 and 4 children). o The Grades 1 and 2 session focuses on the national reading in national languages, while the Grades 3 and 4 session focuses on supporting reading in French. o Sessions will be conducted by the CCLs but supported by volunteer family members of the students. o The CCLs will be given a “community reading activity” guide with fun, engaging, age-appropriate session templates for reading and writing activities. A book bank with colorful leveled and read-aloud books in national language and in French will be distributed by the project to be used during the sessions. A kit for making materials for parents and children to make materials such as a letter strips, posters, and group books.

● Monthly reading awareness session with parents on key themes on how to support their children’s reading development at home. o The CCL has scripted session templates to guide the group discussion on the given theme.

● Community Reading Festival bringing together one or more communities in a cluster to showcase the reading and writing of their children (readers’ theater, books and poems, and presenting books written by children during the sessions). o The CCL has examples of activities in their activity guide to organize these festivals in their communities.

To date, the community reading activity guide and the Community Reading Champions Training Module have been drafted and finalized. In May, an orientation and information session for school directors and COPA presidents on the community reading activities and the M-TEW pilot was conducted. Following this, the committees of parents (Assemble General) in the pilot communities elected their Community Champions (CCLs). Finally, in early June, the CCLs were trained with their directors (ALs), MLs, and the COPA president on the community reading activities. An operational SBCC research study will accompany the ongoing monitoring of this pilot to help the project identify salient and promising activities for scale up. Quarterly Report, Quarter 3, FY2017, April-June 2017 Improving Reading, Equity, and Accountability in the DRC (ACCELERE!) – Activity 1

Sensitization component using the M-TEW Orange tool to support teachers, reading coaches, and reading mobilisers on best practices for reading. M-Tew pilot: The "M-Tew" pilot began right after the signing of the MOU with Orange in March 2017. This pilot proposes to test the different functionalities of the "M-Tew" platform to support teachers, reading coaches (ALs) and Reading Mobilizers (ML) on best practices in the teaching and learning of reading and writing. This pilot also proposes to test the possibility of using M-Tew to assist the Community Reading Champions (CCLs) in the implementation of community reading activities and to deliver Social behavior change communications (SBCC) messages surrounding reading support at home and to help establish a culture of reading.

This pilot will be conducted in the same 16 schools in Likasi and Kipushi as the community reading pilot. In April 2017, an initiation to M-Tew training was given by Orange to 10 members of the ACCELERE! team. Following this, a one-week trial period of the M-Tew platform was launched to give participants the opportunity to test the platform. At the end of this period, a series of meetings of the training participants were held to evaluate the training and to define the messages to be sent during the trial period. Then, the ALs from the 16 pilot schools were equipped with a telephone to test the use of the different M-Tew functionalities for two weeks. These two weeks helped to evaluate whether the platform use was understood by ALs and to test some initial messages. The findings revealed that ALs had little trouble using the platform. All but one responded to the question sent out for answer and many used the platform to follow-up on the status of the start-up of the community reading activities. This confirmed that the platform as configured had no issues and that the training on the platform was sufficient to allow for proper use by users. After this test, the purchase of 200 telephones was undertaken for distribution to the CCLs and teachers. These phones are expected to be distributed in July.

Meanwhile, a technical team made up of different representatives from ACCELERE!’s three result areas, communications, IT, and gender are writing messages, brief surveys and multiple choice questions to reach the different targets groups. For example, each week will have a theme. From this theme, several messages, multiple choice questions, and surveys will be drawn up relating not only to the implementation of lessons or reading activities but also to parental involvement, gender sensitive actions and how to ensure access and retention at school.

Sensitization component using the M-TEW Orange tool The M-Tew platform features four functionalities: polling, multiple choice questions, SMS messaging (push SMS), and questions-answers using voice or SMS. The aim of the pilot is to determine whether M-Tew platform can help support various stakeholders, namely teachers, ministry inspectors and school principals or ALs, project reading mobilizers, and community

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reading champions. This will help ACCELERE! I to draw the lessons for a possible scale-up during the 2017-2018 academic year.

For the piloting, three different functionalities have been proposed, targeting different audiences: - Teachers: They can send SMS messages based on a theme of the week and questions- answers system called (USSD) with voice or SMS options to enable teachers to ask questions or raise issues.

- Ministry inspectors and school principals or ALs: They can also SMS messages based on a theme of the week and questions-answers interface (USSD) for voice or SMS to enable teachers to ask questions or raise issues and Polling. In order to capture the students and teacher’s performances.

- Project Reading Mobilizers or MLs (Mobilisateurs de Lecture): SMS (idem for the ALs and teachers) and multiple choice questions so they can answer questions regarding the activities conducted at school.

- Volunteer CLCs: Voice or SMS to ask questions or raise difficulties encountered at the level of community reading activities. In addition, there is polling to follow-up of community reading activities on a weekly and monthly basis (attendance); follow-up of community reading activities (fair, contests, etc.); and ensure whether the books banks are used (how many books have been borrowed, how many are available in the bank).

The pilot, which started in May 2017, will be implemented in the same schools that were selected for piloting community reading activities (in KIPUSHI and LIKASI). The aim of the pilot is to determine whether M-Tew platform can better help support the various stakeholders mentioned above. This helps ACCELERE! I to draw the lessons for a possible scale-up during the 2017-2018 academic year.

Result Three: Improved Governance and Accountability by Stakeholders

Over the course of this last quarter, the team have progressed with activities under IR 3.1 and IR 3.2, whilst advancing with the set up and implementation of activities under IR 3.3.

Key achievements, in the quarter include good progress in the implementation of the first version of the School Management and Support Framework (SMSF) with trainings held for inspectors on the use and implementation of the SMSF. In this context, an important number of schools received support for the development of the school improvement plans (Projets d’écoles) through training sessions for COPA/COGES and school directors and monitoring visits by the Quarterly Report, Quarter 3, FY2017, April-June 2017 Improving Reading, Equity, and Accountability in the DRC (ACCELERE!) – Activity 1

network of zonal trainers. Focal points are now in place at sub-provincial and provincial level to further support the scale up of the preparation and implementation of SIP. This quarter provided various opportunities to strengthen team collaboration and joint planning and strategy development within in R3 team but also with R1 and R2 colleagues and ACCELERE! Activity 2 and the Integrated Governance Activity (IGA).

Activities we had planned related to the Observatoire Congolais de la Lecture (OCL) – support to a new review of the reading road map and the first meeting of the OCL members - saw some delay due to availability of ministerial staff. We are following this issue closely with our Ministry counterparts to keep the momentum created with the official establishment of the OCL.

R3 Team Retreat (23-28 May 2017, Kinshasa) The R3 team organized a week-long retreat to review progress to date while also developing a governance strategy to guide future R3 work. During the retreat, the team worked on: the R3 governance strategy; the Y2 Q 4 work plan; a first draft of the Y3 work plan ahead of the Y3 planning workshop; a draft Community Engagement Strategy for R3; and the clarification of communication and operations processes. A total of 10 staff members attended the retreat, three of whom are women and two delegates from Cambridge Education. The retreat provided a key opportunity for team building and enabled the team to work towards creating a common strategic vision, and also to define the interactions with Results 1 and 2 as well as ACCELERE! Activity 2.

Coordination workshop with R1 and R2 Workshops held jointly with R1 and R2 provided an overview of the implementation status and progress achieved by the respective activities of each Result. In addition, the workshops enabled all Results to identify synergies and opportunities for collaboration.

Coordination and planning meeting with ACCELERE! Activity 2 and IGA (31 May 2017) With the forthcoming launch of IGA, which shares common objectives with both R3 and ACCELERE! Activity 2 with a focus on governance, the three projects met to identify synergies and to agree on a framework for collaboration.

Staffing and Recruitment During this reporting period, the team have recruited key STTA to support the Community Engagement work (the Community Engagement Specialist) and also to take over the School Leadership and Improvement Specialist role. The R3 team welcomed Sabine Kube-Barth as the new Technical Director for the team, taking over from Stephen Blunden. Mr. Blunden has moved to support the ACCELERE! 2 team and so remains a key part of the close collaboration

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across the two ACCELERE! governance teams. Additionally, the recruitment process was launched during this last quarter for a Program Assistant to support the smooth running of R3 activities, focusing on strong planning and budgeting skills. This position will be filled during the next reporting period.

Presentation of R3 activities in Equateur (June 8 to June 27 ) preparation for the roll-out to two new provinces in Y3, Equateur and Sud-Ubangi, members of the R3 team visited Mbandaka and Bikoro during June to present an overview of the ACCELERE!1 R3 activities. The team took the opportunity to also report on a sample of 90 COPA, COGES, and Reseaux de Proximité of the 930 schools targeted in these two provinces.

IR 3.1 Development and implementation of policies for improved access and learning strengthened This quarter has seen some notable advancements in the R3 policy work, particularly with the work on the Status of Education Briefs. Following on from the pilots in Y1 on the Status of Education Brief in Haut-Katanga, Y2 has seen a deeper understanding of the need and potential impact this process and activity can have, particularly at the sub-divisional level. We also have a greater understanding of the Promotion Scolaire process, and the need for more reliable data at every level of this cycle. The R3 team are now working with 13 sub-divisions to develop their own Status of Education Brief (tableaux de bord de sous-division), based on an agreed set of indicators from the Promotion Scolaire canevas. This means that the sub-divisions have made progress in collecting and analyzing their school census data, to better understand the performance of the schools in their sub-division against the indicators, and this will then feed into the provincial and national level Promotion Scolaire conferences. This work is the first step in ensuring that the Promotion Scolaire process is more effective in ensuring greater governance and accountability, with R3 focusing on the availability and understanding of data at the school and sub-divisional levels to inform decision making and school management.

Observatoire Congolais de la Lecture (OCL) and Reading Roadmap Following the establishment of the Observatoire Congolais de la Lecture, conversations were held with MEPSP with a view of publishing the list of members of the Observatory. In the meantime, the setting up of the OCL Commission and the review of the Reading Roadmap have been scheduled for July 2017. Linked to the Reading Roadmap activities, the R3 team, supported by local STTA, supported the development of a draft communication strategy to promote the teaching of reading in national languages during this quarter.

This activity was carried out as follows: - Development of key messages for communication around teaching reading national languages at the elementary school level.

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- Survey between April 10 and May 5 on the perceptions of parents, school directors and teachers with regards to the teaching of reading in national languages. - Workshop between May 8 and May12 on the consolidation of a Communications Strategy, attended by 36 participants.

Status of Education brief and Promotion Scolaire The workshop for the review of the newly implemented ‘canevas’ for the Promotion Scolaire, originally scheduled to take place during this quarter, has been postponed to July due to the unavailability of ministry staff. The terms of reference for the workshop and the texts to be examined have been identified and already made available to the Secretary General for dissemination.

Continuing the work under the Status of Education Brief, R3 facilitated a workshop, between April 5 and April 7, which aimed to streamline the format of the sub-division report cards (Tableaux de Bord), which equate to a sub-divisional level status of education brief. A total of eight participants discussed and proposed the validation format and framework.

A workshop on the preparation of the sub-divisional report cards (status of education briefs at the sub-divisional level) of the 13 sub-divisions in four provinces, Haut Katanga; Lualaba; Kasai Central; and Kasai Oriental, took place between April17 – May1. The 13 report cards were prepared based on the indicators of the Promotion Scolaire and data obtained from EMIS. The main recommendation of the workshop was the need for all sub-divisions to use this data to develop and implement a roadmap for the upcoming school year.

IR 3.2 School leadership and management strengthened Under IR3.2, this past quarter has seen several key areas move forward, in particular under the School Management and Support Framework (SMSF). It has been a key quarter in terms of consolidating guides and materials and moving towards equipping the targeted sub-provincial teams in implementing better support to schools. The focus has been on the school development planning process, termed ‘projets d’école’. Previously, we have referred to the School Improvement Plan (SIP) process under IR3.3, with the focus on community engagement in this critical process. However, with the progress with the SMSF process, the R3 team recognize the importance of the SDP cycle in good school leadership and management. Hence, we have included School Improvement Plans (SIP) (Projets d’école) work under IR3.2 and IR3.3, with a focus on training school directors, COGES and sub-divisional offices in how to develop and then effectively use SIPs for improved school management processes. Implementation of SIP approved by education authorities will be partly supported by R1 grants work.

The wider context of the SMSF links to ensuring that the school managers and sub-divisional offices not only better understand what ‘quality’ looks like in terms of school performance, but are also better able to plan, manage, and support schools to improve performance. As part of the framework, a list of 20 achievable standards for quality schools was developed, covering school Quarterly Report, Quarter 3, FY2017, April-June 2017 Improving Reading, Equity, and Accountability in the DRC (ACCELERE!) – Activity 1

governance, teaching and learning conditions, and the school environment. The first of these standards explicitly targets improved learning outcomes in reading and various others cover enabling conditions for improving the teaching and learning of reading in schools. The SMSF provides guides and training on how to plan towards reaching those standards. The R3 SMSF work is aiming to build local capacity at the sub-divisional level to better support schools to achieve tangible improvements, using the SIPs as a key tool. This work is cross-cutting to ACCELERE!1, as SIPs encompass access, quality, and governance, and this tool, and the activities surrounding it, provide a backbone to ensuring sustainability in the wider ACCELERE!1 work, with the aim that the support provided by R1 and R2 becomes owned and embedded at the local level once the project has ended.

School Monitoring and Support Framework (SMSF) Training of Master Trainers, Kasai Central – May 18 to May 20 2017 This training enhanced the capacities of master trainers and allowed them to develop the pedagogical sheets of the training modules that they will use during the different training sessions.

Training of COGES, including School Directors, on the development of School Development Plans (Projets d’Ecole – School Improvement Plan SIP) Training of 315 COGES took place in Haut Katanga, Lualaba, and Kasai Central. A total of 755 COGES members participated across all three provinces, 25% of whom were women. The training lasted for seven days. This training focused on how to develop good quality school development plans, using guides created under the SMSF. The Grants and R3 teams are in discussion with respect to the type of support that each school will receive that will include refurbishment of classrooms as well as improved quality and learning. The Mechanisms that will be used will most likely be a combination of In-Kind and Fixed Award Amount Mechanisms.

Monitoring and follow-up of the Projets d’Ecole/ SIP elaboration processes (12-24 June 2017) The R3 Provincial School Improvement Specialists (PSIS) of Haut Katanga, Lualaba, and Kasai Central have been monitoring the process for the development of the school improvement plans in their respective province. The mid-term review workshop, scheduled for July 2017, will enable further evaluation and assess progress.

Training of Focal Management Points of the School Improvement Plans, of school directors and of partners 49 Focal Points (16% women) received training on the Education Sector Strategy, their roles and responsibilities, as well as on the appropriation and manipulation of the three databases of the school development plans. The training resulted in the development of a Roadmap for each Focal Point.

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Training of school directors on leadership and management (3-6 June 2017) The training took place between June 3 and June 6 and was attended by school directors and deputy school directors from 70 schools in Kasai Oriental (among them, 13 women). It focused on key tools and techniques for good administration management.

IR 3.3. Community and civil society oversight and accountability at local and provincial level increased The IR3.3 work this quarter has focused on consolidating learning from across ACCELERE! I and ACCELERE! 2 to feed into the community engagement strategy, led by the newly recruited Community Engagement Advisor. This has included a field visit to review the experience and data already known to ACCELERE! I on the current functioning of COPA and COGES, while also coordinating with ACCELERE! 2 colleagues and participating with in their activities for a wider understanding of the civil society work undertaken so far.

Design and adaptation of the R3 Community Engagement Strategy (April-May 2017) A draft Community Engagement Strategy for improved accountability and oversight was discussed and developed during the R3 team retreat in May 2017. It will be further revised and improved based on field data in the following quarter, while also moving to implementation. The strategy is linked to the SMSF work and aims at enhancing community engagement in the development and implementation of school improvement plans (SIP). One of the aims of the SIP is to improve the teaching and learning of reading in the schools.

Mission to consolidate the Community Engagement Strategy in Haut Katanga (18 June – 2 July 2017) Between late June and early July two R3 staff members undertook a field mission in Haut Katanga to consolidate the Community Engagement Strategy. Among others, they were able to visit a number of schools, members from the parents’ association (APE) and partners of the IRC Tuungane project financed by DFID. Data collected during the mission has made it possible to enrich and consolidate the draft Community Engagement Strategy. In addition to the R3 specific field missions focusing community level work, during this period, the Community Engagement Specialist also undertook a review of the existing ACCELERE!1 M&E database on COPAs and COGES to inform R3 and wider ACCELERE!1 community engagement going forward. This review found that:

Six out of 956 schools do don’t have COPA; only four COPA have a female representation rate of less than 20%; 36 COPA have not been renewed for more than five years; only four of them have not held two AGMs in 2016. Regarding the availability of

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reports and documents, more than one third of COPA do not have minutes of their AGMs. With regards to the COGES, 75 school do not have a COGES; 279 have no female members; 46 held no meetings in 2016; and 441 had no meeting minutes.

As a result, a number of key actions and measures to be taken have been identified for the next quarter.

The combination of the ongoing field level work with communities and the existing data collected by ACCELERE!1 will enable the Community Engagement Advisor to target the R3 and wider ACCELERE!1 activities going forward in areas where more attention is needed, with the view of increasing the percentage of COPA and COGES functioning according to their regulations.

Participation in ACCELERE! 2’s workshop on the Strategy for the Advocacy Campaign for the Education Budget On April 13, R3 took part in a workshop on the Strategy for the Advocacy Campaign for the Education Budget (2017-2020) organized by ACCELERE! 2 in Kinshasa. During the workshop, a proposal was prepared for the engagement of communities in the advocacy campaign to take place between 2017 and 2020. Participants at the workshop identified aspects of the strategy which offer opportunities for collaboration between R3 and ACCELERE! 2, more specifically, the involvement of community leaders in the publication of key messages and the dissemination of tools such as posters, radio and television broadcasts, participatory theatre, and communications through churches and mosques.

Participation in the workshop on the ACCELERE!1 Grants strategy (20-21 April 2017) Organized in Kinshasa between April 20 and April 21, the objective of this workshop was to achieve a consensus on a description and granting approaches for ACCELERE!1, taking into account the particular characteristics of the beneficiaries. More specifically, the workshop focused on the procedures outlined in the USAID-approved Grants Manual used by ACCELERE! for each category of beneficiary (formal and non-formal) and sought to propose clarification and amendments to current procedures. Finally, the workshop highlighted the constraints and challenges of the Grants Strategy. Participants felt that the process was too cumbersome and proposed to the PMU a less complex plan to allow beneficiaries to access grants.

Training of COPA on their roles and responsibilities (26-28 May 2017) A total of 210 members of COPA benefited from this training. By the end of the training session, participants had become familiar with Education Sector Strategy and were more comfortable

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with their own roles and responsibilities. Following the training, the participants should be able to set up and organize COPA networks.

2. MONITORING, EVALUATION AND LEARNING (MEL) A key achievement this quarter was the successful completion of the Data Quality Assessment (DQA). Though the timing was not ideal as it prevented the MEL director from attending the Work Planning workshop, the DQA will USAID to be able to report on additional standard indicators for the current year's PPR.

Monitoring & Evaluation

Completion of 2016-17 baseline data collection The third quarter began with the preparation of data collection across 12 additional educational Sub-Divisions to be brought on board during project FY3. The M&E team held a 5-day workshop in Goma (from April 5 to April 10) in order to plan and develop intervention strategies in the field. The workshop also provided an opportunity to strengthen the team's competencies on performance indicators and collection and reporting tools. The team then deployed in the 4 provinces where the collection took place between April and May, in order to guide the local teams on the collection and supervision tools, the intervention strategies on the ground and the Methods of collection. These local collection and supervision teams for collecting data in schools and catch-up centers, mainly composed of the DRC’s formal and informal education system members, have made it possible to collect data in 1,871 educational structures including 34 CRS. Thanks to this collection, ACCELERE!1 will be able to finalize its Master School list and better plan its interventions. Here is a glance at the school distribution by province. The Kasais have 48% of the targeted formal schools, while the Kivus have almost 60% of all CRS’s served by the project.

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Support to learning materials and kit procurement and distribution

During this quarter, the MEL team significantly contributed to the distribution of school kits and educational materials to students in Grades 1 and 2 in primary school and to Level 1 learners in CRS, developing and pre-filling out the distribution cards. The forms, pre-filled with the identifiers of each school and/or CRS, and the quantities planned per unit, were given to each PTL. Before the effective start of the activity, the team trained distribution teams on how to complete the form in order to guarantee the quality of data. The form explains how to use the tool and defines the roles and responsibilities of each stakeholder before, during and after distribution. After the activity, the team proceeded to enter the data in order to inform the related performance indicators. Quarterly Report, Quarter 3, FY2017, April-June 2017 Improving Reading, Equity, and Accountability in the DRC (ACCELERE!) – Activity 1

Implementing project-wide information system to report on project indicators

For the installation of an integrated digital data management system, Activity 1 was visited by FHI360's Director of Information Systems and Policies. Working sessions were held with the Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Director to identify the needs and determine the stages for the development of the platform, its installation and implementation in ACCELERE! I provincial office, both at national and provincial levels. This will include development of mobile data collection tools and platform for the November round of data collection and gathering of GPS coordinates of target schools.

Second Data Quality Assessment

Further, the MEL Director actively participated in the Data Quality Assessment organized by USAID on two standard indicators to be reported on in the current year's PPR. These are the following indicators: ● The number of primary school classes supported by the US Government that receive a complete set of essential reading materials: although this new indicator is not included in the list of 41 indicators approved by USAID as part of the performance indicators monitoring plan, USAID Washington requires reporting on this indicator. The objective of the DQA was to ensure that ACCELERE!1 has a system in place to collect and report on data. This indicator will be added to the ACCELERE!1 indicator list. o DQA Result: ACCELERE!1 took steps to report on this information to USAID. The distribution sheet, as a collection tool, incorporates a break-down of data per pedagogical class. The members of the mission in charge of the DQA were satisfied with the collection tool and the tool of exploitation of the collected data. ACCELERE!1 also developed the Performance Indicator Reference Sheet (PIRS). The members of the mission reviewed the sheet and were satisfied with it ● The number of parent associations or community-based management structures supported by the US Government and engaged in primary or secondary education: This indicator is already included in ACCELERE!1's performance indicator list but has not been reported on last year due to delays in the implementation of the activities program. The mission wanted to ensure that ACCELERE!1 would be able to report on this indicator during this fiscal year. o DQA Result: ACCELERE!1 took steps to report on this information to USAID. The distribution sheet, as a collection tool, incorporates a break-down of data per pedagogical class. The members of the mission in charge of the DQA were satisfied with the collection tool and the tool of exploitation of the collected data. ACCELERE!1 also developed the Performance Indicator Reference Sheet (PIRS). The members of the mission reviewed the sheet and were satisfied with it o DQA Result: The PIRS for this indicator exists and complies with USAID recommendations. However, the project has only just started its work with COGES and COPAS and data has yet to be collected. The mission asked ACCELERE!1 to

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develop a response to specify whether the project can report on this indicator and, if so, specify the activities to be implemented and expected results for this fiscal year. This second DQA session was also an opportunity for USAID to see to the implementation of the recommendations of the DQA held in October 2016, namely: ● Drafting of Quality Assurance and Data Quality Control guidelines to ensure compliance and integrity of the data collected and reported on, and the integration of these guidelines into the PIRS, ensuring their application in all SEA activities implemented. ● Data collection for indicators on the number of trained teachers and students reached through reading interventions and to ensure that separate PIRS have been prepared and used to inform these indicators ● Collaboration with EAGLE to avoid double counting of data by USAID for the 12 schools shared by the two projects in the city of Lubumbashi. The USAID team concluded that all the recommendations from the first DQA held in October 2016 have been addressed and implemented. All members of the mission were satisfied with the measures taken by ACCELERE!1.

As a follow-up to the second DQA, the MEL director was able to participate in the FY17Q4 work plan development workshop. And as part of the partnership with the Ministry of Education, she also participated in meetings organized by partners to support the SIGE through the DEP/DIGE in connection with the collection of data for the financial year 2017-2018 with a view towards the preparation of EPSP statistical yearbook.

In the provinces, the MEL team supported the technical teams in carrying out activities related to: the identification of gender focal points in the two Kasais(Central and Oriental) and the two Kivus, the training of trainers to support reading teachers in Haut Katanga, the training of the reading champions in Lubumbashi, and the establishment of the focal points of the community management structures (COPA and COGES) on the development of the School project and of the School dashboard in Haut Katanga, the Lualaba and the 2 Kasai.

Operations Research (and Assessment)

Two significant achievements took place during this quarter. The first is conducting the Pilot Quarterly Assessment, and the second is the agreement on a way forward for the EGRAs under this project. In addition, the ACCELERE! I project continued progress in implementing the Operations Research agenda by starting three additional studies and completing qualitative data of TMIS Phase 2.

The main challenge faced this period consisted of delays in conducting data collection for two Operations Research studies (Sociolinguistic Mapping and Teacher Language Ability) before the end of the school year. The ACCELERE! I project has since stepped up efforts to address this through the process of identifying and contracting a local organization (CENADEP) to provide

Quarterly Report, Quarter 3, FY2017, April-June 2017 Improving Reading, Equity, and Accountability in the DRC (ACCELERE!) – Activity 1

qualified data collectors and data collection services for multiple efforts in addition to Operations Research, such as EGRA and project data collection and school mapping.

1. Assessment of student achievement The ACCELERE!1 project has planned to carry out a Quarterly Assessment (QA) of students' achievements in order to regularly collect information on the progress made by the students benefitting from the project’s. This will allow the project to monitor the progress and effectiveness of the program, and to make mid-course corrections in order to improve the expected results.This assessment is a pilot for the project. Lessons learned will be used to carry out the next planned QA at the end of each quarter of the next school year.

During the 2016 - 2017 school year, the evaluation was carried out for the first time during this quarter in May 2017 in Haut Katanga and Lualaba. 1,600 pupils, 800 of whom were first and 800 of the second year of 80 schools in the provinces of Katanga and Lualaba, were assessed from May 8 to June 1by Reading Mobilizers (Mobilisateurs de Lecture, MLs) who were recruited and trained from April 21 to April 25 in Lubumbashi.

The content of these assessments reflects the project curriculum and were based on the ACCELERE materials and methodology. The ACCELERE! curriculum is structured on a quarterly basis and these QAs will be used to measure whether students have learned the materials given in each period. In principle, the ACCELERE! I QA will be administered three times each year - each corresponding to one quarter of the school year and the same number of students per province.

The data collection of this QA was carried out by the MLs who were recruited and trained for this purpose. To ensure data quality, 57 ML were pre-selected to attend training on the procedure for administering the QA tool and data collection techniques. Given that student assessment should take place at the same time with the collection of fidelity of implementation (FOI) data by the same MLs, training on the procedures for administering the QA was conducted at the same time with that of FOI. During the 5 days, 57 ML took the training, two days on the FOI tool, two days on the QA and one day for field testing. A committee of 4 trainers was constituted to select 50 best MLs of 57 trained. Based on criteria established by the committee and the performance of the MLs observed on the ground, 50 ML were used to conduct the assessments.

For this quarter, the assessment of students took place from May 8 to June 1 by 50 ML. Each ML was assigned either 1, 2 or 3 schools in which 10 first-year students and 10 second-year students were assessed. Each student was given a series of 5 oral tasks that each student had to answer in 10 minutes. Data collection was carried out using the Tangerine software, which directly evaluated students by entering data into a tablet and transferring data directly to a server.

Quarterly Report, Quarter 3, FY2017, April-June 2017 Improving Reading, Equity, and Accountability in the DRC (ACCELERE!) – Activity 1

The major challenge faced during this time was the coincidence of the period of data collection with the period of the state examinations, so data collection started very late in some sites in the province of Lualaba.

2. Qualitative study on motivation of teachers - TMIS Phase 2: The second phase of the qualitative study on the factors influencing teacher motivation that began in the second quarter of this year continued in Kinshasa with interviews with a few key people in the education sector at the national level. The interviews in Kinshasa were planned for the second quarter of the year but they were delayed because of the availability of the interviewees, which consisted mainly of high-level officials from the ministry of education, and other central level education stakeholders. In addition, to the interviews, data entry and cleaning took place during this period. Conducting these activities completed the qualitative data collection of phase 2. TMIS was designed as a 3-part study where the results of quantitative data of Phase 1--which were shared with USAID, DRC educational authorities at the central level in Kinshasa and the regional level of Haut Katanga—serve as the basis for the Phase 2. The next quarter will be devoted to the analysis and drafting of the report and the design of the teacher motivation strategy to be piloted during the next school year.

3. Early Grade Reading Assessment During this quarter, several meetings were held to address the question of how best to organize the multiple EGRAs within the ACCELERE! I project. These sessions followed up on the various discussions that have begun since the previous quarter between ACCELERE! I, MECC and USAID experts on possible options for carrying out the EGRA evaluations that meet specific requirements.

After analysis and discussion of the three possible options proposed (see Table below), option B was chosen and validated by USAID. This option involves conducting two internal EGRA assessments in October / December 2017 and October / December 2018 and an external final evaluation by MECC in October / December 2019.

Different EGRA Options:

Oct 15 to Oct 16 to Sep Oct 17 to Sep Oct 18 to Sep Oct 19 to Sep Oct 20 to Sep 16 17 18 19 20 Dec 20

Project Haut Katanga All provinces All provinces All provinces No Reading + Lualaba intervention Program Roll

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Out

EGRA RTI EGRA 2017: EGRA 2018: EGRA 2019: EGRA 2020: (Option A) Baseline ACCELERE! MECC, ACCELERE! MECC 1 Monitoring Midline 1 Monitoring Endline

EGRA RTI EGRA 2017: EGRA 2018: EGRA 2019: (Option B) Baseline ACCELERE! ACCELERE MECC 1 Monitoring !1 Endline Monitoring

EGRA RTI EGRA 2017: EGRA 2018: EGRA 2019: (Option C) Baseline ACCELERE! MECC MECC 1 Monitoring Midline Endline

4. Launch of the four studies of the Operational Research (OR) Plan During the quarter, three more studies of the proposed fourteen research topics were approved in the ACCELERE!1 to start and as presented in the approved Operations Research Plan submitted to USAID. During this quarter, four concepts were proposed for the following studies:

● SBCC (Study 11) -- to start in Q4. ● Teacher Language proficiency and pedagogical skills (Study 4) to Start in Q4. ● Sociolinguistic mapping of school communities (Study 5) to Start in Q4.

Studies 4 and 5 were planned to start during this quarter but were postponed to Q4 to allow adequate time for hiring data collectors, training them on data collection tools.

5. Research group meeting for ACCELERE!1

Quarterly Report, Quarter 3, FY2017, April-June 2017 Improving Reading, Equity, and Accountability in the DRC (ACCELERE!) – Activity 1

ACCELERE!1Ops Research Working Groups was convened and agreed to meet once a quarter to share and discuss Ops Research studies. For this third quarter, the research group met on June 8. The meeting focused on updating the Operational Research Plan.

3. KEY ISSUE NARRATIVES

MAIN THEME Basic Education – This issue has been covered in the sections above.

OTHER THEMES: Children in Adversity: No updates.

Democracy, Rights, and Governance (DRG) Integration: No updates.

Science Technology and Innovation (STI): Please see report on sub-IR 1.2 related to the implementation of the M-Tew platform and MEL for digital integrated database and gathering of school GPS coordinates.

Youth Development (YDV): Please see reporting under IR 1.2 related to vocational training centers (CAPs).

Gender-based Violence (GBV): Please see reporting under Sub-IR 1.4 related to the approval of materials and launch of monitoring committees.

4. INTEGRATION OF CROSSCUTTING ISSUES AND USAID FORWARD PRIORITIES

4.1 Gender Equality and Female Empowerment

The project is integrating the gender and SGBV methodology and learning materials to the national school director and teacher training programs to be launched in August 2017 to raise awareness and mitigate SGBV incidents in targeted schools.

4.2 Sustainability Mechanisms

No updates to report at this time.

4.3 Environmental Compliance

No updates to report at this time.

Quarterly Report, Quarter 3, FY2017, April-June 2017 Improving Reading, Equity, and Accountability in the DRC (ACCELERE!) – Activity 1

4.4 Global Climate Change – NA

4.5 Policy and Governance Support

Please see Result Three.

4.6 Local Capacity Development

The project’s Local Capacity Development Specialist started field visits to assess the capacity of local NGOs recipients of one-year grants through ACCELERE!1. As a result of each assessment, the specialist is developing customized training programs to support identified weakness of local grantees.

4.7 Public Private Partnership (PPP) and Global Development Alliance (GDA) Impacts

The project started is partnering with Orange in the pilot of the M-Tew platform in 10 Kipushi schools. The started testing the platform to share pedagogical content in digital tablets to share short instructional videos on best practices for teaching and learning originally developed by the EPSP with the support of the PROSEB project.

4.8 Science, Technology, and Innovation Impacts

No updates to report at this time.

5. STAKEHOLDER PARTICIPATION AND INVOLVEMENT Note: This section has been covered in the text above.

6. MANAGEMENT AND ADMINISTRATIVE ISSUES The project successfully fielded two expatriates to support the project namely Ms. Donna Coulibaly as Operations Deputy Chief of Party and Mr. Paul McHaffey as Director of Security.

During this quarter, the Home Office fielded Chemonics Comptroller during the period of June 6 to June 16 to better understand the operations challenges the project is facing and create the foundation for cohesive strategy to address the symptoms that had been observed in the support functions of finance, procurement, HR, and grants. The findings were shared with USAID and are now part of the systems improvement plan that is in place. In addition, the project has updated the staffing plan according to Comptroller’s findings. To provide additional support through university graduates, the project implemented an internship program for short term assignments.

Quarterly Report, Quarter 3, FY2017, April-June 2017 Improving Reading, Equity, and Accountability in the DRC (ACCELERE!) – Activity 1

The project hired additional HR staff to help manage the remaining recruitment in the operating six offices: Kinshasa, Lubumbashi, Goma, Kananga, Mbuji Mayi and Goma. The Bukavu office make-ready process was complete and staff started working this quarter. In addition, offices were identified and leases signed for the remaining two provinces of Equateur and Sub-Ubangi. Procurement of office furniture, computers and generators for these offices was complete and items delivered.

7. LESSONS LEARNED Outlined below is a sample of key lessons learned during FY17 Q3:

7.1. Grants

Reducing school fee reduction/elimination: It may be possible only with thoughtful and sustainable actions that take into account the general condition of the parents of vulnerable students and their involvement. This requires, concomitantly, the granting of IGAs alongside the creation of AVECs (Village Savings and Credit Association).

Use of block grants: The AVEC approach and use of blocks grants require the use of specific skills. An AVEC expert and another Construction Expert will have to be recruited for block grants with a view to quantifying the funding levels of the block grants.

Wider buy-in to grants program: The operationalization of the block grants requires defining of a clear approach to grants program with regards to the compensation of work as form to pay school fees for vulnerable students and the involvement of the key stakeholders such as the Proveds, Sub-Proveds, COGES and COPAs). The operationalization of school projects and improvement plans also requires a clear definition of Grants' interventions. The success of NGOs in the use of software for grant applications require capacity building through guidance and coaching in the form of hands-on exercises.

Complexity of grants application for local NGOs: Despite pre-award bid workshops, many local NGOs don’t have the experts in house to present fully executable applications resulting in very intense coaching and guidance to reach the award. In addition, the local grants team continues to need support from international grants experts to manage the process and liaise with the project’s PMU in charge of final compliance review and approval. The project will seek a senior expert to accelerate the grants component and expenditure projections for the year.

More intense capacity building for NGOs identified: In the post-award phase, the overarching finding from monitoring active grantees is the need of additional coaching and more active

Quarterly Report, Quarter 3, FY2017, April-June 2017 Improving Reading, Equity, and Accountability in the DRC (ACCELERE!) – Activity 1

support of the Local Capacity Building Specialist to ensure the grantee is on the right track to meet its grant results within the agreed scope of work.

7.2. Result 2

The importance of ongoing support and training: Quality assurance monitoring visits in the field revealed that the more teachers receive ongoing support and training the more teachers have mastery of evidence-based effective classroom practices. This finding is justified by the acquisition of reading skills in an identifiable number of school pupils visited by partners in Haut Katanga and in the Kivus. Therefore, the project is in the process of hiring enough MLs to support the ALs in schools at a ratio to 6-10 schools per ML. This intensive support to the coaches will help them better accomplish their roles as coaches hence, helping the teachers to feel supported in applying new reading instruction practices.

The necessity for more human resources: As noted above, insufficient time for development coupled with the late recruitment of desktop publishers and materials development specialists indicates a need for the recruitment of some new staff to ensure a smooth start to the materials development process in August. As a result, 10 new staff are being recruited to support materials development and desktop publishing. In addition to this, a detailed process map for materials development was developed at the workplan meeting to provide a big picture of the process so that all involved better understand the materials development process.

Collaboration with the MEPSP and USAID is essential: Continuous collaboration with USAID and the EPSP / MINAS (multidisciplinary team) teams throughout the materials development process will allow for a smoother validation process of materials and on-time printing. As was done with the development of Grades 3 and 4 materials, ACCELERE! I intends to share lesson plan templates and a summary of the approach with USAID and the EPSP/MINAS at the beginning of the process. As such, we intend to continue with this collaboration to ensure a common vision.

7.3. Result 3

Revival of COPAS and COGES: The PSIS supervision reports and the field visits to community schools demonstrate the importance of taking a proactive stance towards reviving COPA and COGES in accordance with the texts that created them, as well as towards the capacity-building and role-definition of school management committee vis-à-vis parent committee (COPA) and their openness to other community actors (community leaders, influential people, customary or local authorities etc.). In the Community Engagement Strategy, we will have to work on both the Quarterly Report, Quarter 3, FY2017, April-June 2017 Improving Reading, Equity, and Accountability in the DRC (ACCELERE!) – Activity 1

attitudes, knowledge and skills of all these actors in order to enable the community dynamics that are essential for the improvement of schools though the school development plans.

Promoting community participation: This is an ambitious undertaking: working with communities takes time. It will be necessary to demonstrate patience when working with community actors identified in the draft Community Engagement strategy to empower them in order to be able to achieve transformative change in schools. More community awareness-raising will be required to engage them in this process.

Promoting more communication and collaboration with governance partners: A focus in this past quarter has been on communication and collaboration, and a key lesson learned for the R3 team is the importance of proactively working closely with internal and external partners who have a governance focus. While open communication is instrumental, taking further steps to ensure that teams actively work together in the design and implementation of activities, both at the central and provincial level, is vital.

Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning

Working with and through ministry structures: Importance of capacity building of MESPS data and active involvement of local authorities contribute to the quality and success of the activities implemented.

Importance of school calendar: The availability of schools and inspectors does not depend only on the elementary school calendar but also on the key events at the secondary level.

8. PLANNED ACTIVITIES FOR NEXT QUARTER INCLUDING UPCOMING EVENTS

8.1 General Project Activities

● Manage Kinshasa office move to new location on Lukusa Avenue. ● Complete recruitment according to the updated staffing plan to accelerate project implementation.

● Consolidate and complete start-up phase of the Mbandaka and Gemena offices including the induction and coaching of new provincial team leaders and their staff on Chemonics policies and procedures.

Quarterly Report, Quarter 3, FY2017, April-June 2017 Improving Reading, Equity, and Accountability in the DRC (ACCELERE!) – Activity 1

● Provide operational, financial, and procurement support for the launch of national trainings in the reading program in six provinces in preparation for the start of the 2017- 18 school year.

● Continue tracking the status of major procurement activities especially those going to schools such as learning materials, teacher and student kits, 10 additional vehicles for the remaining four provinces and connectivity via satellite to improve coordination with the Kinshasa head office.

● Conducting quarterly planning meeting with PTLs and Result team leaders to monitor quarterly progress in each result areas and province in order to maintain the pace of activities each month to meet contractual deadlines and budget milestones.

● Engagement with USAID, DFID and ACCELERE! I partners to improve communication with the Ministry counterparts.

● Carry out consultation process and buy-in of the national and provincial counterparts for MEPS and MINAS, as well as, other local partners on the Y3 activities.

● Finalize and submit the ACCELERE! I Y3 work plan and annexes.

8.2 Grants

● Review of grant applications submitted to the Home Office for the ACR 001: finalize 3 remaining grant applications and preparation of the agreements.

● Allocation of grants and Kick off meetings / launch of activities of new grants approved under RFA 001 in Haut-Katanga; Lualaba and Kasai Central.

● Organize or conduct the Evaluation Committee for Applications submitted by the Management Offices (MINAS and Youths) from Kasaï Oriental, Kasaï Central, Haut- Katanga, North Kivu, and South Kivu to Lubumbashi.

● Preparation of grants agreements, negotiation memo, after finalization process review of pre-selected grant application files for CAP and CRS support.

● Launch of the request for grant application or RFA No. 004 for the Provinces of Equateur, Sud-Ubangi.

● Conduct an induction mission on the grant application under RFA 004. This mission aims to strengthen the CSOs from Mbandaka and Gemena with a view to helping them to apply, thus increasing their chances of achieving success during the qualifying test.

● Follow-up of Grantees activities in the provinces / field visit and payment of milestones reached. Quarterly Report, Quarter 3, FY2017, April-June 2017 Improving Reading, Equity, and Accountability in the DRC (ACCELERE!) – Activity 1

● Conduct Institutional Diagnostic Workshops with NGOs under contract with ACCELERE! I on ACR No. 001 to develop the Grantees capacity building plan in grant management: monitoring and coaching and institutional development, particularly in Mbuji Mayi.

● Development of terms of reference on Grants support by developing the Village Savings and Credit Associations, Grants support for Income-generating activities, Gender, support for school projects, School Improvement Plans, and operational research and / or evaluation of Grants' impact in reducing school fees.

8.3 Result 1

IR 1.1 Barriers to access to schools reduced ● Support the procurement of teacher and student kits for the 2017-18 school year. ● Launch the BTS campaign in Equateur, Sub-Ubangi and Haut Katanga in collaboration with ACCELERE! 4 UNICEF. ● Finalize block grant strategy to support school fees for vulnerable children.

IR 1.2 Increasing access to alternative/accelerated learning programs that address out-of- school children and youth needs ● Launch first tranche of grants for CRS and CAPs ● Choosing the modules and the training for strengthening the CAPs, in line with recent research in terms of demand and employment market ● Finalize selection of CAPs in Haut Katanga, Lualaba and the Kivus.

IR 1.3 Strengthening community and school collaboration and partnerships to support access to education ● Revive COPAs, COGEs members and community through the BTS campaign. ● Purchasing materials for the campaign.

IR 1.4 Improving the quality of education environments ● Printing of validated Doorways materials and code of conduct posters. ● Distribution of Doorways materials. ● Training of CRS in gender and SBGV starting in the Kivus. ● Induction and training of focal points on gender-based violence in school environment in target schools, CRS, and CAPs.

8.4 Result 2

IR 2.1: Quality of instruction at the primary level improved Quarterly Report, Quarter 3, FY2017, April-June 2017 Improving Reading, Equity, and Accountability in the DRC (ACCELERE!) – Activity 1

2.1.1 Teaching and learning materials development: ● Develop scope and sequence and templates for Grade 3 French reading and national language program (Kiswahili, Ciluba and Lingala). ● Develop scope and sequence and templates for Grade 2 program in Ciluba and Lingala ● Develop scope and sequence and templates for the Grade 1 and 2 math program in Kiswahili.

2.1.2 Training of trainers and teachers: ● Train the provincial team on the use of Grade 1 to 4 teaching and learning materials in the national and French language (oral and reading) and on gender-sensitive pedagogy and inclusivity for 14 days. ● Train school directors and inspectors on the use of Grade 1 to 4 teaching and learning materials in the national and French language (oral and reading) and on gender-sensitive pedagogy and inclusivity for 14 days. ● Train teachers on the use of Grade 1 to 4 teaching and learning materials in the national and French language (oral and reading) and on gender-sensitive pedagogy and inclusivity for 6 to 8 days. ● Train CRS educators on the use of CRS Level 1 teaching and learning materials in the national and French language (oral) and on gender-sensitive pedagogy and inclusiveness for 8 days. 2.1.3 Training and support for ALs and supervisors: ● Identification and recruitment of new MLs in the new provinces (Kasaï Occidental, Kasaï Oriental, South Ubangi, Equateur, North and South Kivus) ● Training new MLs in the new program (they will participate in the training of inspectors / directors and assist in teacher training).

IR 2.3: Community participation to support school-based and extra-curricular learning strengthened: ● Distribution of materials (activity guides, book banks, materials making kit, telephone + Orange SIM for CCLs). ● Implementation of the weekly community reading sessions led by the CCLs. ● Implementation of parent awareness sessions on how to support their children in reading. ● Implementation of a reading festival in each pilot community. ● Focus groups and the implementation of the SBCC study to monitor the pilot to draw lessons learned for scale up. ● Test M-Tew messages (SBCC SMS messages and other features) in the pilot communities. Quarterly Report, Quarter 3, FY2017, April-June 2017 Improving Reading, Equity, and Accountability in the DRC (ACCELERE!) – Activity 1

8.5 Result 3

General: ● Regular joint coordination meetings with R1 and R2 on policies to be developed and updated.

● Regular planning and coordination meetings with ACCELERE! 2 on activities aimed at improving the governance of the education sector.

● Preparation work for Operations Research Study. ● Engagement with other projects focusing on governance in the education sector, such as the new IGA project.

IR 3.1 ● Workshop on the OCL ● Second review of the Reading Roadmap ● Validation of the sub-division report cards ● Support for the establishment of sub-provincial education committees and the implementation of sub-divisional annual work plans IR 3.2 ● Evaluation of the SMSF pilot and the school development plans in four provinces ● Provincial review of progress with SMSF tools and guides ● National workshop following provincial level reviews to evaluate progress Development of training modules for school directors on management and leadership ● Continuation of the school director training series (Modules 1 and 2) in four provinces and evaluation IR 3.3 ● Follow-up and monitoring of grant requests for the implementation of school development plans ● Consolidation of the draft Community Engagement Strategy

8.6 Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning and Operational Research

● Initiating the process of installing digital Information System for the integrated management of the data in all ACCELERE! I offices

● The submission to USAID of the updated version of the Performance Indicators and Targets.

● Support for the activities implemented by the technical teams ● Preparations for the implementation of EGRA at the beginning of Y3 Quarterly Report, Quarter 3, FY2017, April-June 2017 Improving Reading, Equity, and Accountability in the DRC (ACCELERE!) – Activity 1

● Conducting quarterly assessments of students reading achievement ● Conducting the Studies on Community Engagement, Language Ability and Sociolinguistic Mapping

● Preparations for the first internal EGRA in October 2017 ● Preparation for three operational studies to be carried out at the beginning of the 2017 - 2018 school year and to the updating of the Operational Research Plan.

Quarterly Report, Quarter 3, FY2017, April-June 2017 Improving Reading, Equity, and Accountability in the DRC (ACCELERE!) – Activity 1

9. HOW IMPLEMENTING PARTNER HAS ADDRESSED A/COR COMMENTS FROM THE LAST QUARTERLY OR ANNUAL REPORT USAID’s key remarks and Chemonics’ responses to the FY2017 Q1 and Q2 Quarterly Report

The project received recommendations and will address them in Q4 report and the FY18 Work plan.

Quarterly Report, Quarter 3, FY2017, April-June 2017 Improving Reading, Equity, and Accountability in the DRC (ACCELERE!) – Activity 1

ANNEX A. MISSION STANDARD REPORTING (AS ATTACHMENT)

ANNEX B. CDCS RESULTS FRAMEWORK (AS ATTACHMENT)

ANNEX C. PROGRESS SUMMARY QUARTERLY (SEE BELOW)

ANNEX D. FINANCIAL REPORT Q3 (AS ATTACHMENT)

ANNEX E. COMMUNICATIONS AND OUTREACH MESSAGES (AS ATTACHMENT)

ANNEX F. TRIP REPORTS (AS ATTACHMENT)

Quarterly Report, Quarter 3, FY2017, April-June 2017 Improving Reading, Equity, and Accountability in the DRC (ACCELERE!) – Activity 1

ANNEX C. PROGRESS SUMMARY QUARTERLY

APRIL – JUNE 2017

The project received recommendations and will address them in Q4 report and the FY18 Work plan.

Quarterly Report, Quarter 3, FY2017, April-June 2017 Improving Reading, Equity, and Accountability in the DRC (ACCELERE!) – Activity 1

The list of indicators is based on the approved MELP (PMEP) approved January 18, 2016. List to be updated based on pending approval of revised Indicators, Targets, and PIRS. Achieved progress versus planned for the period disaggregated by gender, geographic area and other relevant factors (use table below). Deviation Narrative: Provide a brief explanation of why the target was not met or exceeded wherever the result is ten percent (10%) greater or less than the current FY target. Target Rationale and Other Explanation: Explain the basis for out-year targets reported. Data source information should also be included here.2

Table 1(a): PMP Indicator progress - USAID Standard Indicators and Project Custom Indicators

Reporting Frequency Annual Baseline data FY 2017 Quarterly Status – FY 2017 Comment(s) per the Performa Data PMEP nce Ind # Indicator Source Annual Annual Achieved Cumulativ Year Value Cumulativ Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 to Date e Planned e Actual (in %) target Program Objective : Improved educational outcomes for boys and girls in select educational provinces of the DRC Percent of learners Baseline Annual 2015 3% N/A N/A ------N/A Based on recent who demonstrate : RTI/ discussion with reading fluency and EdData USAID, comprehension of EGRA ACCELERE!1 will 1 grade level text at the conduct internal end of grade 2 with EGRA in Y3 and Y4 USG assistance (ES. 1-1)

2 As previously noted, population-based targets (i.e. related to the number of schools, out-of-school children, students, teachers, etc.) are being developed now that the list of the project’s target subdivisions has been finalized. These targets and progress related to them will be reported in the upcoming Annual Report. Quarterly Report, Quarter 3, FY2017, April-June 2017 Improving Reading, Equity, and Accountability in the DRC (ACCELERE!) – Activity 1

Number of Grade 4 Baseline Annual 2015 10% N/A N/A ------N/A Based on recent students who after : RTI/ discussion with four years of EdData USAID, schooling or its EGRA ACCELERE!1 will equivalent (Niveau 2 conduct internal 2 in an ALP) are able to EGRA in Y4 read and comprehend grade-level text in the appropriate Congolese or French language [outcome, contract] Numbers of learners ACCEL Annual N/A -- 124, 294 124, 294 124, 294 ------100% Target and data collect receiving reading ERE!1 are annual. interventions at the database/ 3 primary level and/or school equivalent non-school enrollme based settings [output, nt record custom] Number of learners ACCEL Annual 2015 151,82 470,862 470,862 470,862 ------100% Targets and data enrolled in primary ERE!1 4 collect are annual. schools and/or database 4 equivalent non-school based settings with USG support [output, SFA 3.2.1-14] Number of teachers / Project Semi- N/A -- Teachers training in educators / teaching records annual reading program is assistants who rescheduled for Q4 successfully completed in-service 5 training or received 3800 506 461 506 641 17% intensive coaching or mentoring with project support. [output, SFA 3.2.1- 31]

Quarterly Report, Quarter 3, FY2017, April-June 2017 Improving Reading, Equity, and Accountability in the DRC (ACCELERE!) – Activity 1

Number of Project Semi- N/A -- Figure include traning administrators and records annual on SDP and SRC, and officials successfully TOT for reading 6 1500 1669 1,211 961 1669 111% trained with USG program in CRS support. [output, SFA 3.2.1-3] Number of parent- Project Semi- N/A -- Figure include training teacher associations or Records Annual of COGES members similar “school” on SDP 7 936 320 0 0 320 34% governance structures supported [output, SFA 3.2.1-18] Ind#8: Number of Project Annual N/A -- public-private Records partnerships (PPPs) 8 2 0 0 0 0 0% supporting project outcomes [output, SFA PPP5] Result 1: Equitable enrollments to a quality education environment increased Number of additional ACCEL Annual N/A -- 27,368 27,368 27,368 ------100% Target and data collect learners enrolled in ERE!1 are annual primary schools or Database equivalent non- school-based settings 9 from improved retention through U.S. government and UKAID support [Outcome, contract] Percentage of enrolled ACCEL Annual N/A -- N/A 80% 80% ------N/A Target and data collect learners who continue ERE!1 are annual 10 on to next grade Database (Promotion Rate) [Outcome, custom] Ind#11: Number of ACCEL Annual N/A -- 119,370 116,548 116,548 ------98% Target and data collect 11 new entrants in ERE!1 are annual primary schools or Database Quarterly Report, Quarter 3, FY2017, April-June 2017 Improving Reading, Equity, and Accountability in the DRC (ACCELERE!) – Activity 1

equivalent non- school-based settings with U.S. government and UKAID support [Outcome, contract] Percent of conflict- CAP / Annual Y3 TBD N/A N/A ------N/A Activities in CAPs affected youth in MAS will start in Y3 targeted CAP classes records demonstrating a 12 minimum level of key competencies for workforce-readiness [outcome, custom] Percent of targeted Project Annual N/A N/A TBD 0 0 0 -- -- 0% school-communities records taking actions to 13 increase student access, retention, and/or completion [outcome, custom] IR 1.1: Barriers to access for primary education reduced Figure represent Number of children in school bags with targeted school- furniture distributed to communities learners from formal Project 131,98 14 receiving material Annual N/A N/A 318,999 134,666 0 2685 -- 42% and non formal Records 1 support to access schools in Haut education Katanga, Lualaba, [output, custom] North and South Kivu, and Kasai Oriental Number of classrooms Project Annual N/A N/A N/A 0 0 0 -- -- 0% Classroom repairs (not built or repaired with Record construction) expected 15 U.S. government and as part of Y3 UKAID support programming [output, custom] IR 1.2: Access to alternative/accelerated learning programs that address out-of-school children and youth needs increased 16 Number of CRS Project Annual N/A N/A N/A 0 0 0 N/A Quarterly Report, Quarter 3, FY2017, April-June 2017 Improving Reading, Equity, and Accountability in the DRC (ACCELERE!) – Activity 1

established with Record project support [output, custom] Number of CRS Project Annual N/A N/A 278 244 244 214 -- -- 88% Figure for Q3 receiving project Record represent training for support to increase CRS directors in 17 access to high quality reading program. learning [output, custom] Number of youth in Project Annual N/A N/A N/A ------N/A The full slate of targeted CAPs who Record activities with CAP complete project- begin in Y3 18 supported vocational training [output, custom] IR 1.3: Community and school collaboration and partnerships to support access to education strengthened Percent of targeted Project Annual N/A N/A TBD 0 0 ------N/A Grantees capacities school-communities Record are being strengthened receiving project grant to be able to funds to improve implement and 19 equity of access, monitor grants retention, and/or activities at school completion [output, level custom] Percentage of targeted Project Annual N/A N/A 90% 38% 38% ------42% ACCELERE!1 sub provinces reached Record supports local with campaigns for campaigns for school mobilizing access and retention in 20 stakeholder support 5 SPs in Kasai Central for school access, and Kasai Oriental, retention, or out of the 13 SP completion [output, targeted this year custom] IR 1.4: Quality of education environments improved Number of USG Project Annual TBD TBD TBD 0 0 0 -- -- 0 Criteria are developed 21 supported schools or record with Ministry partners. Quarterly Report, Quarter 3, FY2017, April-June 2017 Improving Reading, Equity, and Accountability in the DRC (ACCELERE!) – Activity 1

learning spaces meeting criteria for safe schools program [output, SFA 3.2.1- 40] Number of school- Project Annual N/A N/A TBD 0 0 83 0 -- N/A Doorways modules community actors record shared with school 22 trained in safe school community actors and methods tested in schools and [output, custom] classrooms. Percentage of schools ACCEL Annual N/A N/A TBD3 Formal : Formal : ------(and non-formal ERE!1 66% 66% equivalents) Database 23 benefiting from Non Non health-related Formal : Formal : interventions 47% 47% [output, custom] Result 2: Education quality improved Percent of teachers Classroo Annual N/A N/A 30% 0% 0% 0% -- Activity done. Data implementing the m under analysis project-supported observati 24 reading and math on / FOI programs with tool fidelity. [outcome, custom] Percent of observed Classroo Annual N/A N/A 65% 0% 0% 0% -- Activity done. Data classrooms in which m under analysis every child has a observati 25 project-provided on student manual and at least 75 percent are observed using them

3 ACCELERE! 1 will not implement health-related interventions in school and non-formal equivalents but will monitor if these schools and non-formal equivalent benefit from health-related interventions as per Contract requirement :”The Contractor must develop synergies and leverage health-related interventions to enable girls and boys in target schools to benefit from health campaigns and interventions, such as deworming and micronutrient supplementation to increase persistence and attainment in primary schools or its equivalent. Quarterly Report, Quarter 3, FY2017, April-June 2017 Improving Reading, Equity, and Accountability in the DRC (ACCELERE!) – Activity 1

during reading lessons. [outcome, custom] Percent of targeted COPAs/ Annual N/A N/A 50% 0% 0% 0% 0% school-communities COGES supporting school- record. based or extra- Project 26 curricular Site visit opportunities for learning [outcome, custom] IR 2.1: Quality of instruction at the primary level improved Percentage of targeted Attendan Annual N/A N/A 85% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% Teachers training schools where all ce scheduled for Q4 teachers in targeted sheets, grades/levels have project 27 been trained in the record project-supported reading program approach [output, custom] Percentage of targeted Reading Semi- N/A N/A 60% 30% 0% 18% -- 30% Activity done. Data teachers receiving at support annual under analysis least one reading tool 28 support visit per month [output, custom] IR 2.2: Teaching and learning materials used in the classroom effectively Each CRS educator Number of textbooks and Director get 3 and other teaching Teaching materials. and learning materials Project Semi- 222,24 Inspectors trained for 29 N/A N/A 239,500 222,241 2465 8028 93% provided with USG record annual 1 the training of CRS assistance [output, educator and director SFA 3.2.1-33] get in addition the national program for

Quarterly Report, Quarter 3, FY2017, April-June 2017 Improving Reading, Equity, and Accountability in the DRC (ACCELERE!) – Activity 1

reading and writing in Congolese language Number of primary New indicator. classroom that receive a complete set of Project Annual 2017 2900 2900 2957 -- -- 2957 102% essential reading record instructional materials with USG support IR 2.3: Community participation to support school-based and extra-curricular learning increased Percent of targeted Project Annual N/A N/A 30% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% Grants activities school-communities record started with selection receiving project grant of grantees that will 30 funds to increase implement and learning [output, support school- custom] communities Result 3: Governance and accountability by stakeholders improved Percentage of Project Annual N/A N/A 40% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% ASchool assessment assessed schools record activity will be done meeting minimum in Y3 standards as defined 31 by School Management and Support Framework (SMSF) [outcome, custom] Percent of targeted MEPSP Annual N/A N/A 50% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% sub provinces (SubProv implementing new or ed level) modified laws, and 32 policies, regulations, project or guidelines record supported by project interventions [outcome, custom] Percentage of trained Project Annual N/A N/A TBD 0% 0% 0% 0% N/A School director 33 school directors record assessment is part of meeting minimum the school assessment Quarterly Report, Quarter 3, FY2017, April-June 2017 Improving Reading, Equity, and Accountability in the DRC (ACCELERE!) – Activity 1

standards for school activity leadership and school management [outcome, custom] Percentage of targeted Project Annual TBD TBD TBD 0% 0% 0% -- N/A Data under analysis school communities record; with COPA and COPAs/ 34 COGES that both COGES function according to record EPS-INC decrees [outcome, custom] IR 3.1: Development and implementation of policies for improved access and learning strengthened Number of laws, GDRC Annual N/A N/A 5 0 0 1 0 20% policies, regulations, record or guidelines developed or modified to improve primary 35 grade reading programs or increase equitable access [output, standard, SFA 3.2.1-38] Number of multi- GDRC Semi- N/A N/A 20 0 0 4 0 20% stakeholder meetings record annual related to the development or 36 implementation of policies for improved access and learning [output, custom] IR 3.2: School leadership and management strengthened 37 Percent of school- Project Annual N/A N/A 60% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% Activity scheduled for communities that record. Q3 receive a School SPR Performance Review reports visit from education authorities [output, Quarterly Report, Quarter 3, FY2017, April-June 2017 Improving Reading, Equity, and Accountability in the DRC (ACCELERE!) – Activity 1

custom] 38 Number of school Project Semi- N/A N/A TBD 464 0 0 464 N/A Schools director and directors and assistant record annual assitants director directors trained in trained on school school leadership and report card and school management as development plan, as supported by the part of school project [output, leadership and custom] management IR 3.3: Community and civil society oversight and accountability at local and sub-province levels increased 39 Percentage of targeted SDP Annual N/A N/A 30% 0% 0% 0% 0% school-communities report. that develop quality Project school development report plans [outcome, custom] 40 Number of targeted COPAs/ Annual N/A N/A 40% 0% 0% 0% 0% school-communities COGES that Institute a School record Report Card [output, custom 41 Percentage of school- COPAs/ Annual N/A N/A 15% 0% 0% 0% 0% communities whose COGES school development record, plans are implemented Project with support of record private sector actors [outcome, custom]

Quarterly Report, Quarter 3, FY2017, April-June 2017 Improving Reading, Equity, and Accountability in the DRC (ACCELERE!) – Activity 1

INDICATOR PMP PPR Data DISAGGREGATED BY Baseline value FY 2017 Quarterly Results - FY2017 Annual Comments Indicator? Indicator? Source Performance (Y/N) (Y/N) achieved todate (in %) Province Other (Gender, Sector, Year Value Annual Annual Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Institution, Age, etc.) Planned Cummulati Cummulative ve Actual Target Number of solutions proposed by selected Yes No Kwilu Type of Institutions TBD TBD TBD institutions to address identified constraints Number of solutions proposed by selected Yes Kinshasa institutions to address identified constraints Number of solutions proposed by selected Yes Maindombe institutions to address identified constraints Number of laws and regulatory frameworks adopted and/or improved at the national level as a Yes No N/A TBD TBD TBD TBD result of USG assistance. Number of policy reforms/ regulations/ administrative procedures drafted and presented Yes Yes Sector 1 1 1 TBD for public/ stakeholder consultation as a result of USG assistance Number of coalitions or networks strengthened to Yes No Sector N/A N/A N/A N/A fulfill its mandate as a result of USG assistance Number of civil society organizations engaged in advocacy interventions as a result of USG Yes Yes N/A 18 35 50 TBD assistance Number of institutions/organizations making significant improvements based on Yes Yes Type of Institutions 1 1 1 TBD recommendations made via USG supported assessments Percent of selected institutions that strengthened implementation of targeted laws, policies, and/or Yes No Type of Institutions TBD TBD TBD TBD programs based upon institution-specific core services, using USG assistance

Percent of USG-assisted consensus-building processes (multi-party, civil/security sector, and /or Yes No Type of Institutions N/A N/A N/A N/A civil/political) held that result in an agreement Number of person-days of USG-supported Yes No TBD Total N/A N/A N/A N/A technical or managerial training and/or mentoring Number of person-days of USG-supported technical or managerial training and/or mentoring Yes Male provided by national-level technical units to sub- national entities Number of person-days of USG-supported technical or managerial training and/or mentoring Yes Female provided by national-level technical units to sub- national entities Number of person-days of USG-supported technical or managerial training and/or mentoring Yes Adults provided by national-level technical units to sub- national entities Number of person-days of USG-supported technical or managerial training and/or mentoring Yes Youth provided by national-level technical units to sub- national entities Amount of Congolese non-government funding resources made available for targeted sectors as a Yes No TBD Sector TBD TBD TBD TBD result of USG activities Average budget execution rates for selected Yes ? Total N/A N/A N/A N/A institutions Average budget execution rates for selected Yes Haut Katanga Total institutions Average budget execution rates for selected Yes Health institutions Average budget execution rates for selected Yes Education institutions Average budget execution rates for selected Yes Agriculture institutions INDICATOR PMP PPR Data DISAGGREGATED BY Baseline value FY 2017 Quarterly Results - FY2017 Annual Comments Indicator? Indicator? Source Performance (Y/N) (Y/N) achieved todate (in %) Average budget execution rates for selected Yes Lualaba Total institutions Average budget execution rates for selected Yes Health institutions Average budget execution rates for selected Yes Education institutions Average budget execution rates for selected Yes Agriculture institutions Average budget execution rates for selected Yes Kasai Central Total institutions Average budget execution rates for selected Yes Health institutions Average budget execution rates for selected Yes Education institutions Average budget execution rates for selected Yes Agriculture institutions Average budget execution rates for selected Yes Kasai Orientale Total institutions Average budget execution rates for selected Yes Health institutions Average budget execution rates for selected Yes Education institutions Yes Agriculture Yes South Kivu Total Yes Health Yes Education Yes Agriculture Number of CSOs using accountability tools (such as scorecards and audit reports) to monitor and/or Yes No TBD Type of CSOs N/A N/A N/A N/A demand improvement of financial management and/or service delivery Yes Total Haut Katanga Total Malaria Diarrhea ARI Lualaba Total Malaria Diarrhea ARI Kasai Central Total Malaria Diarrhea ARI Kasai Orientale Total Malaria Diarrhea ARI South Kivu Total Malaria Diarrhea ARI Number of adults and children currently receiving Yes Yes TBD Total 17 27 37 TBD Number of adults and children currently receiving Female antiretroviral therapy in targeted areas Number of adults and children currently receiving Male antiretroviral therapy in targeted areas Number of adults and children currently receiving Youth antiretroviral therapy in targeted areas Number of adults and children currently receiving Adults antiretroviral therapy in targeted areas INDICATOR PMP PPR Data DISAGGREGATED BY Baseline value FY 2017 Quarterly Results - FY2017 Annual Comments Indicator? Indicator? Source Performance (Y/N) (Y/N) achieved todate (in %) Number of adults and children currently receiving Under 5 antiretroviral therapy in targeted areas Number of adults and children initiating TB Yes Total TBD TBD TBD TBD Lualaba Female Male Youth Adults Under 5 Haut Katanga Female Male Youth Adults Under 5 Kasai central Female Male Youth Adults Under 5 Kasai Oriental Female Male Youth Adults Under 5 Percent of learners who demonstrate reading Yes Total TBD TBD TBD TBD Lualaba Female Male Haut Katanga Female Male Kasai Central Female Male Kasai Oriental Female Male Number of health care facilities supported and/or Yes No Total Lualaba N/A Haut Katanga N/A Kasai central N/A Kasai Oriental N/A TBD TBD TBD TBD Percent of population who use selected facilities Yes Total South Kivu Female Male Youth Adult North Kivu Female Male Youth Adult N/A N/A N/A N/A Number of learners enrolled in primary schools Yes Yes Total 312356 2660060 346128 TBD TBD Female Male Percent of health centers implementing a minimum Yes No Total N/A N/A N/A N/A South Kivu N/A North Kivu N/A Number of USG assisted organizations and/or service delivery systems strengthened who serve Yes Yes TBD Type of Institutions 437 189 0 467 vulnerable populations. Percent of annual provincial budget allocated to Yes No Total N/A N/A N/A N/A

INDICATOR PMP PPR Data DISAGGREGATED BY Baseline value FY 2017 Quarterly Results - FY2017 Annual Comments Indicator? Indicator? Source Performance (Y/N) (Y/N) achieved todate (in %) Lualaba Sector Haut Katanga Sector Kasai Oriental Sector Kasai central Sector Targeted tax revenue collected Yes No Total N/A N/A N/A N/A Lualaba Sector Haut Katanga Sector Kasai Oriental Sector Kasai central Sector Targeted tax revenue allocated Yes No Total N/A N/A N/A N/A Lualaba Sector Haut Katanga Sector Kasai Oriental Sector Kasai central Sector Amount of Congolese non-government funding Yes No Total N/A N/A N/A N/A Lualaba Sector Haut Katanga Sector Kasai Oriental Sector Kasai central Sector Average budget execution rates for selected Yes No Total N/A N/A N/A N/A Lualaba Sector Haut Katanga Sector Kasai Oriental Sector Kasai central Sector Number of children and youth out of school Yes No TBD Total TBD TBD TBD TBD Female Male 0-17 years 18+years Number of citizens participating with CBO/CSO Yes No Total N/A N/A N/A N/A South Kivu Female Male Youth Adult North Kivu Female Male Youth Adult Percent of female participants in USG-assisted Yes Yes Total 40 55 50 TBD South Kivu Youth Adult North Kivu Youth Adult Percent of CSOs/Advocacy groups that report that Yes No Total TBD TBD TBD TBD South Kivu Sector North Kivu Sector Number of consensus building forums (multi-party, civil/security sector, and/or civil /political) held with Yes No TBD N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A USG assistance Number of policy reforms/ regulations/ administrative procedures drafted and presented Yes Yes TBD Sector 1 1 1 TBD for public/ stakeholder consultation as a result of USG assistance INDICATOR PMP PPR Data DISAGGREGATED BY Baseline value FY 2017 Quarterly Results - FY2017 Annual Comments Indicator? Indicator? Source Performance (Y/N) (Y/N) achieved todate (in %)

Number of CSOs using accountability tools (such as scorecards and audit reports) to monitor and/or Yes No TBD Type of CSOs N/A N/A N/A N/A demand improvement of financial management and/or service delivery

Number of ethnic/community-based violent Total TBD TBD TBD TBD incidents in target communities Yes No South Kivu N/A North Kivu N/A Number of community development plans Baseline + Baseline + Total Baseline Baseline + 10% integrating equitable, locally-produced solutions to 20% 30% Yes No resolve conflicts South Kivu N/A North Kivu N/A Number of new groups or initiatives created through USG funding, dedicated to resolving the Yes Yes TBD N/A 50 0 0 TBD conflict or the drivers of the conflict Number of CSOs using accountability tools (such as scorecards and audit reports) to monitor and/or Yes No TBD Type of CSOs TBD TBD TBD TBD demand improvement of financial management and/or service delivery Number of publications or conference presentations produced by Congolese researchers Baseline + Baseline Yes No TBD N/A Baseline Baseline +5 as a result of USG assistance on the subject of 10 +15 conflict resolution Number of participatory community conflict Baseline + Baseline + Total Baseline Baseline + 5 analyses conducted 10 20 Yes No South Kivu N/A North Kivu N/A Percent of USG-assisted consensus-building Total N/A N/A N/A N/A processes (multi-party, civil/security sector, and /or Yes No South Kivu N/A civil/political) held that result in an agreement North Kivu N/A Number of community development projects Baseline Baseline Baseline Total Baseline implemented maintained +5 +10 Yes No South Kivu Sector North Kivu Sector Number of community structures with activities to Total N/A N/A N/A N/A support male and female citizen engagement in Yes No South Kivu Sector local governance, conflict resolution, and services North Kivu Sector Number of learners enrolled in primary schools Total 312356 2660060 346128 TBD and/or equivalent non-school based settings with Female USG support Male South Kivu Youth Yes Yes Adult Female Male North Kivu Youth Adult Percent of health centers implementing a minimum Total N/A N/A N/A N/A package of activities in target health zones Yes No South Kivu N/A North Kivu N/A Prevalence of stunted children under five years of Baseline Baseline value - Baseline Baseline Total age value 2% value -4% value- 6% Female Yes No South Kivu Male Female North Kivu Male Number of farmers who have applied improved 1455 + FFP Total 35205 35368 33750 technologies or management practices with USG baseline INDICATOR PMP PPR Data DISAGGREGATED BY Baseline value FY 2017 Quarterly Results - FY2017 Annual Comments Indicator? Indicator? Source Performance (Y/N) (Y/N) achieved g g p todate (in %) assistance Female Yes Yes South Kivu Male Female North Kivu Male Number of mine sites validated and certified Total N/A N/A N/A N/A Yes No South Kivu N/A North Kivu N/A Number of local women participating in a Total 144 0 0 174 substantive role or position in a peace building Yes Yes South Kivu N/A process with USG assistance North Kivu N/A Percent of target population reporting increased Total 40 55 50 TBD agreement with the concept that males and females Female should have equal access to social, economic, and Male political opportunities South Kivu Youth Yes No Adult Female Male North Kivu Youth Adult Number of internally displaced, refugee and host Total TBD TBD TBD TBD population beneficiaries provided with basic inputs Emergency for survival, recovery, or restoration of productive FA capacity Yes No TBD Wash NFI IDP Number of health care facilities supported and/or Total N/A N/A N/A N/A rehabilitated Yes No South Kivu N/A North Kivu N/A Number of children treated for acute malnutrition Total 44000 44000 44000 44000 Female South Kivu Yes No Male Female North Kivu Male Number of people assisted through livelihood Baseline+160 Total 310,250 295,850 282,890 restoration activities ,000 Female Male South Kivu Youth Yes No Adult Female Male North Kivu Youth Adult Number of people benefiting from food assistance Total 480000 432,000 388,000 349,000 and seed protection rations to facilitate returns Female Male South Kivu Youth Yes No Adult Female Male North Kivu Youth Adult Number of USG assisted organizations and/or service delivery systems strengthened who serve Yes Yes TBD Type of institutions 437 189 0 467 vulnerable populations. Baseline Baseline Number of vulnerable people benefiting from USG- Total Baseline Baseline +1000 supported social services +2000 +3000 INDICATOR PMP PPR Data DISAGGREGATED BY Baseline value FY 2017 Quarterly Results - FY2017 Annual Comments Indicator? Indicator? Source Performance (Y/N) (Y/N) achieved

todate (in %) supported social services. Yes Yes TBD Female

Male Number of people reached by a USG funded Baseline Baseline Total Baseline Baseline +1000 intervention providing GBV services. +2000 +3000 INDICATOR PMP PPR Data Source DISAGGREGATED BY Baseline value FY 2017 Quarterly Results - FY2017 Annual Comments ( Deviation towards the results and key issues) Indicator? Indicator? Performance (Y/N) (Y/N) achieved todate S/N (in %) Province Other (Gender, Sector, Year Value Annual Planned Annual Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Institution, Age, etc.) Cummulative Cummulativ Target e Actual

Project Objective: Improved educational outcomes for boys and girls in select educational provinces of the DRC

Activity-level outcome indicators

Percent of learners who demonstrate reading fluency Baseline : RTI/ Based on recent discussion with USAID, A1 will conduct internal # and comprehension of grade level text at the end of Yes Yes EdData EGRA 2015 3% N/A N/A - - - - N/A EGRA in Y3 and Y4. grade 2 with USG assistance (ES. 1-1

Percentage of Grade 4 students who after four years Baseline : RTI/ of schooling or its equivalent (Niveau 2 in an ALP) are Based on recent discussion with USAID, A1 will conduct internal No No EdData EGRA 2015 10% N/A N/A - - - - N/A able to read and comprehend grade-level text in the EGRA in Y4. appropriate Congolese or French language

Cross-Activity output indicators

Haut Katanga Formal / Boys 35186 ------Haut Katanga Formal / Girls 33908 ------Haut Katanga Formal / Total 69094 ------Haut Katanga Non Formal / Boys 1865 ------Haut Katanga Non Formal / Girls 2178 ------Boys Formal: Haut Katanga Non Formal / Total 53244 4043 ------Lualaba Formal / Boys 18058 ------Girls Formal: Targets and data collect are annual. Lualaba Formal / Girls 51533 17625 ------Numbers of learners receiving reading A! 1 Lualaba Formal / Total 35683 ------interventions at the primary level and/or equivalent No Yes database/school N/A -- 124,294 Boys Non 100% Lualaba Non Formal / Boys 380 ------non-school based settings [output, custom] enrollment record Formal: 9221 Lualaba Non Formal / Girls 329 ------Girls Non Lualaba Non Formal / Total Formal: 10742 709 ------Nord Kivu Non Formal / Boys 3788 ------Total: 124,740 Nord Kivu Non Formal / Girls 4296 ------Nord Kivu Non Formal / Total 8084 ------Sud Kivu Non Formal / Boys 3188 ------Sud Kivu Non Formal / Girls 3939 ------Sud Kivu Non Formal / Total 7127 ------Haut Katanga Formal / Boys 72523 ------Haut Katanga Formal / Girls 67515 ------Haut Katanga Formal / Total 140038 ------Haut Katanga Non Formal / Boys 4370 ------Haut Katanga Non Formal / Girls 4826 ------Haut Katanga Non Formal / Total 9196 ------Lualaba Formal / Boys 39636 ------Lualaba Formal / Girls 38799 ------Lualaba Formal / Total 78435 ------Lualaba Non Formal / Boys 1089 ------Boys Formal: Lualaba Non Formal / Girls 940 ------215,278 Lualaba Non Formal / Total 2029 ------Kasai Central Formal / Boys Girls Formal: 56175 ------207,923 Kasai Central Formal / Girls 54042 ------Targets and data collect are annual. Number of learners enrolled in primary schools A! 1 Kasai Central Formal / Total Boys Non 110217 ------# and/or equivalent non-school based settings with Yes Yes database/school 2015 151,824 470862 Formal: 99% Kasai Central Non Formal / Boys 948 ------USG support [output, SFA 3.2.1-14] enrollment record 19,107 Kasai Central Non Formal / Girls 1246 ------Girls Non Kasai Central Non Formal / Total Formal: 2194 ------Kasai orientale Formal / Boys 22,140 46944 ------Kasai orientale Formal / Girls 47567 ------Total: 464,448 Kasai orientale Formal / Total 94511 ------Kasai orientale Non Formal / Boys 1002 ------Kasai orientale Non Formal / Girls 999 ------Kasai orientale Non Formal / Total 2001 ------

Nord Kivu Non Formal / Boys 6642 ------Nord Kivu Non Formal / Girls 7732 ------Nord Kivu Non Formal / Total 14194 ------Sud Kivu Non Formal / Boys 5056 ------Sud Kivu Non Formal / Girls 6397 ------Sud Kivu Non Formal / Total 11453 ------Haut Katanga Male 130 11 92 Haut Katanga Female 64 1 43 Haut Katanga Total 194 12 135 Lualaba Male 10 0 0 Lualaba Female 8 0 0 Lualaba Total 18 0 0 No Figure for Q3 include Mobilisateurs de lecture (ML) Nord Kivu Male 60 0 0 training in Fidelity of Implementation and Quaterly Nord Kivu Female 78 0 0 Number of teachers / educators / teaching assistants who Assessement, Training of trainer for CRS, and training T:641 successfully completed in-service training or received Nord Kivu Total 138 0 0 for Community Reading Champions de lecture (HK) Yes Project records N/A -- 3800 H: 381 17% intensive coaching or mentoring with project support. Sud Kivu Male F:261 48 0 0 Teachers training in reading program is rescheduled for [output, SFA 3.2.1-31] Sud Kivu Female 63 0 0 Q4 Sud Kivu Total 111 0 0 Kasai orientale Male 0 3 0 Kasai orientale Female 0 0 0 Kasai orientale Total 0 3 0 Kasai Central Male 0 26 0 Kasai Central Female 0 4 0 Kasai Central Total 0 30 0 Haut Katanga Male 460 464 416 Haut Katanga Female 141 120 125 Haut Katanga Total 601 584 541 Lualaba Male 179 216 197 Figure for Q3 include several trainings held by R3 on Lualaba Female 29 32 49 school development project and school report card in Lualaba Total 208 248 246 Haut Katanga, Lualaba, Kasai Central and Kasai Kasai Central Male 0 99 287 Oriental. Figure include also training of trainers for Kasai Central Female 0 25 82 reading program in CRS (HK), training of grantees to T: 1669 Number of administrators and officials successfully Kasai Central Total 0 124 369 strenghthen their organisationnal capacity (HK, Lualaba, No Yes Project records 1500 M: 1302 111% trained with USG support. [output, SFA 3.2.1-3] Kasai orientale Male F: 367 0 4 277 Kasai Central and Kasai Oriental). Kasai orientale Female 0 1 65 Annual cumulative actual represent the sum of people Kasai orientale Total 0 5 342 trained during this quarter as people targeted for training are the same. Nord Kivu Male 109 0 66 Annual report will report on unique individual trained Nord Kivu Female 29 0 18 durng the year. Nord Kivu Total 208 0 84 Sud Kivu Male 99 0 59 Sud Kivu Female 38 0 28 Sud Kivu Total 137 0 87 Haut Katanga -- -- 120 Figure for Q3 represent training of COGES members on Number of parent-teacher associations or similar “school” Lualaba -- -- 55 school development plan and school report card. No Yes Project Records N/A -- 936 320 34% governance structures supported [output, SFA 3.2.1-18] Kasai Central -- -- 75 COGES reps were made of 1 school director, 1 teacher, # Kasai orientale -- -- 70 1 COPA member.

Discussion started with Orange but no agreement signed Number of public-private partnerships (PPPs) supporting No No Project records (Disaggregate Title) N/A -- 1 0 0 0 0 at this point. A MOU with TFM is on the process project outcomes [output, SFA PPP5]

Result 1: Equitable enrollments to a quality education environment increased Outcome-level indicators used to measure achievement of Result 1 Haut Katanga Boys 11522 ------Number of additional learners enrolled in primary Haut Katanga Girls 12975 ------A! 1 schools or equivalent non-school-based settings from Haut Katanga Total T: 27368 24497 ------Target and datat collect are annual No No database/school N/A -- 27368 B: 12617 100% improved retention through U.S. government and enrollment record Lualaba Boys G: 14751 1095 ------UKAID support. [Outcome, contract] Lualaba Girls 1776 ------Lualaba Total 2871 Haut Katanga Boys 83% ------Haut Katanga Girls 84% ------Lualaba Boys 77% ------A! 1 Percentage of enrolled learners who continue on to next Lualaba Girls T: 77% 79% ------Target and datat collect are annual No No database/school N/A -- TBD B: 72% N/A

No No database/school N/A -- TBD B: 72% N/A grade (Promotion Rate) [Outcome, custom] enrollment record Kasai Central Boys G: 81% 55% ------Kasai Central Girls 77% ------Kasai orientale Boys 82% ------Kasai orientale Girls 84% ------Haut Katanga Boys 21,851 ------Haut Katanga Girls 21,767 ------Haut Katanga Total 43,618 ------Lualaba Boys 10,605 ------Lualaba Girls Boys Formal: 10,399 ------Lualaba Total 50,149 21,004 ------10,756 ------Kasai Central Boys Girls Formal: Number of new entrants in primary schools or Kasai Central Girls 49,414 10,515 ------A! 1 Target and data collect are annual. equivalent non-school-based settings with U.S. Kasai Central Total 21,271 ------No No database/school N/A -- 119,370 Boys Non 98% government and UKAID support [Outcome, enrollment record Kasai Orientale Boys Formal: 7,746 9,646 ------contract] Kasai Orientale Girls 9,907 ------Girls Non Kasai Orientale Total 19,553 ------Formal: 9,239 Nord Kivu Boys 2,830 ------Nord Kivu Girls Total: 116,548 3,238 ------Nord Kivu Total 6,068 ------Sud Kivu Boys 2,207 ------Sud Kivu Girls 2,827 ------Sud Kivu Total 5,034 ------

Percent of conflict-affected youth in targeted CAP classes A! 1 database/CAP demonstrating a minimum level of key competencies for No No Y2 TBD N/A N/A ------N/A Activities in CAPs will start in Y3 enrollment record workforce-readiness [outcome, custom]

Percent of targeted school-communities taking actions to increase student access, retention, and/or completion No No Project Records N/A - N/A 0% 0% 0% 0% N/A [outcome, custom] Output-level indicators by Intermediary Result under Result 2

IR 1.1 : Barriers to access for primary education reduced Haut Katanga Formal / Boys/G1 801 17070 -- Haut Katanga Formal / Girls/G1 774 16321 Haut Katanga Formal / Total/G1 1575 33391 Haut Katanga Formal / Boys/G2 544 12038 Haut Katanga Formal / Girls/G2 471 11390 Haut Katanga Formal / Total/G2 1015 23428 Haut Katanga Non Formal/Boys/L1 41 1634 Haut Katanga Non Formal/Girls/L1 54 1690 Haut Katanga Non Formal/Total/L1 95 3324 Lualaba Formal / Boys/G1 9318 Lualaba Formal / Girls/G1 9226 Lualaba Formal / Total/G1 18544 Lualaba Formal / Boys/G2 6878 Number of children in targeted school-communities Lualaba Formal / Girls/G2 6544 Learners received each a school bag with school books, colouring T= 134,666 receiving material support to access education Lualaba Formal / Total/G2 13422 book, pencil, eraser and paintbox.. Figure for Q3 represent learners No No Project Records N/A - 318999 B=67,621 42% [output, custom] Lualaba Non Formal/Boys/L1 G=67,045 345 grade 1 and grade 2 in formal schools, and learners level 1 in non Lualaba Non Formal/Girls/L1 316 formal schools. Lualaba Non Formal/Total/L1 661 Kasai orientale Formal / Boys/G1 7157 Kasai orientale Formal / Girls/G1 7330 Kasai orientale Formal / Total/G1 14487 Kasai orientale Formal / Boys/G2 6623 Kasai orientale Formal / Girls/G2 6736 Kasai orientale Formal / Total/G2 13359 Nord Kivu Non Formal/Boys/L1 2842 Nord Kivu Non Formal/Girls/L1 3373 Nord Kivu Non Formal/Total/L1 6215 Sud Kivu Non Formal/Boys/L1 2330 Sud Kivu Non Formal/Girls/L1 2820 Sud Kivu Non Formal/Total/L1 5150 Number of classrooms built or repaired with U.S. government and UKAID support [output, custom] No Yes Project Records N/A - N/A ------N/A

IR 1.2: Access to alternative/accelerated learning programs that address out-of-school children and youth needs increased Number of CRS established with project support [output, Project Records N/A - N/A - custom] No No N/A Haut Katanga - 37 -- 37 -- Lualaba - 8 -- 8 -- Number of CRS receiving project support to increase access Kasai Central - 15 -- 0 -- Figure for Q3 represent training for CRS directors in No No Project Records N/A 278 250 90% to high quality learning [output, custom] Kasai orientale - 21 -- 0 -- reading program. Nord Kivu - 80 -- 86 -- Sud Kivu - 83 -- 83 -- Number of youth in targeted CAPs who complete project- supported vocational training [output, custom] No No Project Records N/A - N/A - N/A

IR 1.3: Community and school collaboration and partnerships to support access to education strengthened Percent of targeted school-communities receiving project grant funds to improve equity of access, retention, and/or completion [output, custom] No No Project Records Kasai orientale N/A - N/A 0 0 ------N/A

Project Records Haut Katanga - 0% ------Campaigns for school access and retention are Percentage of targeted subprovinces reached with Lualaba - 0% ------campaigns for mobilizing stakeholder support for school No No N/A 90% 38% 42% conducted at the beginning of school year access, retention, or completion [output, custom] Kasai Central - 33% ------Kasai orientale - 60% ------IR 1.4: Quality of education environments improved Number of USG supported schools or learning spaces Criteria developed with Ministry partners and presented to local meeting criteria for safe schools program [output, SFA No No Project records N/A - N/A ------N/A 3.2.1-40] partners.

Kasai Central Male 0 61 -- -- Doorways modules shared with school community actors and Number of school-community actors trained in safe school No Project records Kasai Central Female N/A - N/A 83 0 22 -- -- N/A tested in schools and classrooms. Focal point are being identified at methods [output, custom] No Kasai Central Total 0 83 -- -- school level. Training scheduled for Y3 Haut Katanga Formal 59% ------Haut Katanga Non Formal 11% ------Lualaba Formal 68% ------A! 1 will not implement health-related interventions in school and non-formal equivalents but will monitor if Lualaba Non Formal 25% ------Formal: 65% Formal: 65% Formal: 65% these schools and non-formal equivalent benefit from Percentage of schools (and non-formal equivalents) A! 1 database/CAP Kasai Central Formal 72% ------No No 2016 Non Formal: Non Formal: 100% health-related interventions such as deworming and benefiting from health-related interventions enrollment record Kasai Central Non Formal Non Formal: 45% 33% ------45% 50% micronutrient supplementation to increase persistence Kasai orientale Formal 70% ------and attainment in primary schools or its equivalent.as Kasai orientale Non Formal 86% ------per Contract requirement. Nord Kivu Non Formal 79% ------Sud Kivu Non Formal 35% ------Result 2: Education quality improved Outcome-level indicators used to measure achievement of Result 2 Haut Katanga G1/Male 0% -- -- Haut Katanga G1/Female Haut Katanga G2/Male Classroom Percent of teachers implementing the project-supported Haut Katanga G2/Female No No observation / FOI N/A -- 30% 0% 0% FOI activity scheduled for Q3 reading and math programs with fidelity. [outcome, custom] tool Lualaba G1/Male Lualaba G1/Female Lualaba G2/Male Lualaba G2/Female 0% -- -- Percent of observed classrooms in which every child has a Haut Katanga Formal/G1 0% -- -- project-provided student manual and at least 75 percent are Classroom Haut Katanga Formal/G2 Classroom observation will be conducted along with observed using them during reading lessons. No No N/A -- 65% 0% 0% observation Lualaba Formal/G1 FOI Lualaba Formal/G2 Percent of targeted school-communities supporting school- COPAs/COGES Haut Katanga Formal 0% ------based or extra-curricular opportunities for learning No No record. Project Site N/A -- 50% 0% 0% [outcome, custom] visit Lualaba Formal 0% ------Output-level indicators by Intermediary Result under Result 2 IR 2.1: Quality of instruction at the primary level improved Percentage of targeted schools where all teachers in targeted Reading support Haut Katanga Formal 0% ------grades/levels have been trained in the project-supported No No N/A -- 85% 0% 0% Teachers training scheduled for Q4 tool reading program approach [output, custom] Lualaba Formal 0% ------Percentage of targeted teachers receiving at least one Haut Katanga G1/Male -- 25% reading support visit per month [output, custom] Haut Katanga G1/Female -- 15% Haut Katanga G2/Male -- 21% Reading support Haut Katanga G2/Female G1:18% -- 15% No No N/A -- 60% 30% tool Lualaba G1/Male G2: 17% -- 18% Lualaba G1/Female -- 12% Lualaba G2/Male -- 14% Lualaba G2/Female -- 15% IR 2.2: Teaching and learning materials used in the classroom effectively Haut Katanga Formal/G1/Male/Student 1602 34,140 Haut Katanga Formal/G1/Female/Student 774 32,642 Haut Katanga Formal/G1/Total/Student 2376 66,782 Haut Katanga Formal/G2/Male/Student 1088 24,076 Haut Katanga Formal/G2/Female/Student 471 22,780 Haut Katanga Formal/G2/Total/Student 1559 46,856 Haut Katanga Non formal/L1/Male/Student 82 3,268 Haut Katanga Non formal/L1/Female/Student 108 3,380 Haut Katanga Non formal/L1/Total/Student 190 6,648 Haut Katanga Formal/G1/Male/Teachers 416 Haut Katanga Formal/G1/Female/Teacher 390 Haut Katanga Formal/G1/Total/Teacher 806 84 Haut Katanga Formal/G2/Male/Teacher 286 Haut Katanga Formal/G2/Female/Teacher 338 Haut Katanga Formal/G2/Total/Teacher 624 63 Haut Katanga Non formal/L1/Male/Teacher 3 Haut Katanga Non formal/L1/Female/Teacher 9 Haut Katanga Non Formal/L1/Total/Teacher 531 12 21 Haut Katanga Non Formal/administrators 181 -- Lualaba Non Formal/administrators 38 Lualaba Formal/G1/Male/Student 18,636 Lualaba Formal/G1/Female/Student 18,452 Lualaba Formal/G1/Total/Student 37,088 Lualaba Formal/G2/Male/Student Total Students: 13,756 212,395 Lualaba Formal/G2/Female/Student 13,088 Number of textbooks and other teaching and learning Lualaba Formal/G2/Total/Student Total 26,844 materials provided with USG assistance [output, SFA 3.2.1- No Yes Project Records N/A -- 239,500 93% Lualaba Non formal/L1/Male/Student Teachers: 690 33] 9,846 Lualaba Non formal/L1/Female/Student 632 Lualaba Non formal/L1/Total/Student All : 222,241 1322 Lualaba Formal/G1/Male/Teachers Lualaba Formal/G1/Female/Teacher Lualaba Formal/G1/Total/Teacher 54 0 Lualaba Formal/G2/Male/Teacher Lualaba Formal/G2/Female/Teacher Lualaba Formal/G2/Total/Teacher 0 Lualaba Non formal/L1/Male/Teacher Lualaba Non formal/L1/Female/Teacher Lualaba Non Formal/L1/Total/Teacher 0 Nord Kivu Non formal/L1/Male/Student 5,684 Nord Kivu Non formal/L1/Female/Student 6,746 Nord Kivu Non formal/L1/Total/Student 12,430 Nord Kivu Non formal/L1/Male/Teacher Nord Kivu Non formal/L1/Female/Teacher Nord Kivu Non Formal/L1/Total/Teacher 3486 Nord Kivu Non Formal/administrators 874 Sud Kivu Non Formal/administrators 783 Sud Kivu Non formal/L1/Male/Student 4,660 Sud Kivu Non formal/L1/Female/Student 5,640 Sud Kivu Non formal/L1/Total/Student 10,300 Sud Kivu Non formal/L1/Male/Teacher Sud Kivu Non formal/L1/Female/Teacher Sud Kivu Non Formal/L1/Total/Teacher 2,289 Haut Katanga 1,419 Number of primary classroom that receive a Lualaba 589 complete set of essential reading instructional No Yes Project Records 2017 2900 2900 2957 102% Nord Kivu 671 materials with USG support Sud Kivu 117 IR 2.3: Community participation to support school-based and extra-curricular learning increased

Percent of targeted school-communities receiving project Grants activities started with selection of grantees that Project Records N/A -- 30% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% grant funds to increase learning [output, custom] will implement and support school-communities

Result 3: Governance and accountability by stakeholders improved

Outcome-level indicators used to measure achievement of Result 3 Percentage of assessed schools meeting minimum standards as defined by School Management and Support Framework No No Project Records N/A -- 40% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% School assessment activity will be done in Y3 (SMSF) [outcome, custom] Percent of targeted sub provinces implementing new or modified laws, policies, regulations, or guidelines supported MEPS-INC by project interventions [outcome, custom] No No (SubProved level) N/A -- 50% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% and project record

Percentage of trained school directors meeting minimum School director assessment is part of the school standards for school leadership and school management No No Project Records N/A -- TBD 0% 0% 0% 0% N/A [outcome, custom] assessment activity Percentage of targeted school communities with COPA and Activities to train and strenghen COPAs and GOGES COGES that both function according to EPS-INC decrees No No Project Records N/A -- TBD 0% 0% 0% 0% N/A [outcome, custom] started. Output-level indicators by Intermediary Result under Result 3 IR 3.1: Development and implementation of policies for improved access and learning strengthened Number of laws, policies, regulations, or guidelines developed or modified to improve primary grade reading No No GDRC record N/A -- 5 0 0 1 0 20% Promo Scolaire Outline programs or increase equitable access [output, standard, SFA 3.2.1-38]

Number of multi-stakeholder meetings related to the Workshop held in each province to share and trained development or implementation of policies for improved No No GDRC record N/A -- 20 0 0 4 0 20% access and learning [output, custom] stakeholders on promo scolaire outline IR 3.2: School leadership and management strengthened Percent of school-communities that receive a School Performance Review visit from education authorities No No Project Records N/A -- 60% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% Activity re scheduled for Y3 [output, custom] Haut Katanga Male 114 Haut Katanga Female 39 Haut Katanga Total 153 Lualaba Male 54 Lualaba Female 10 Number of school directors and assistant durectors trained Schools director and assitants director trained on school Lualaba Total M= 367 64 in school leadership and management as supported by the No Project Records N/A -- TBD F= 97 N/A report card and school development plan, as part of Kasai Central Male 65 project [output, custom] T= 464 school leadership and management Kasai Central Female 23 Kasai Central Total 88 No Kasai orientale Male 134 Kasai orientale Female 25 Kasai orientale Total 159 IR 3.3: Community and civil society oversight and accountability at local and sub-province levels increased Percentage of targeted school-communities that develop quality school development plans [outcome, custom] No No Project Records N/A -- 30% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0%

Number of targeted school-communities that Institute a School Report Card [output, custom]. No No Copa/Coges records N/A -- 40% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0%

Percentage of school-communities whose school development plans are implemented with support of private No No Copa/Coges records N/A -- 15% 0% 0% 0 0 0% sector actors [outcome, custom]

ANNEX B. CDCS RESULTS FRAMEWORK—ACTIVITY CROSSWALK017, APRIL – JUNE 2017

Submitted as part of the ACCELERE! 1 Quarterly Report (Quarter 3, FY 2017, Apr-Jun 2017).

DISCLAIMER

The author’s views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government.

Development Objective Development Objective 2: Lives improved 1: Selected national- Transition Objective 3: through coordinated, level institutions more Foundation for durable sustainable effectively peace strengthened in development implementing their Eastern DRC approaches in selected mandates regions

IR 1.1 Capacity to identify IR 2.1 Local service Report page IR 3.1 Practical solutions to Implementation constraints to development delivery institutions number specific drivers of conflict Activities and propose solutions strengthened. reference identified and accepted. increased. IR 2.2 Citizens empowered IR 3.2 Promising IR 1.2 Capacity to create to access quality services. interventions to establish policy and legal frameworks IR 2.3 Provincial and local or solidify peace in targeted sectors stakeholders adopt implemented. improved. common goals and agenda IR 3.3 Humanitarian and IR 1.3 Capacity to for accountable governance. protection services implement selected policies, provided. laws, and programs

DISCLAIMER

The author’s views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government.

enhanced.

IR 1.4 Congolese resources made available for selected sectors.

Grants for local NGOs serving formal schools in H Katanga, Lualaba, p. 14-16 2.1.1 Kasai Oriental and Central

Grants for local NGOs serving CRS in H p. 18-22 2.2.1 Katanga, Lualaba, Kasai Oriental and Central

Grants for local NGOs serving conflict- p.18-22 3.1 affected areas in the Kivus

Back to school campaign focused on p.20-21 2.2.1 out-of-school children

DISCLAIMER

The author’s views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government.

Local capacity building support for local p. 22-23 2.1 grantees

Adaptation, validation and training in materials in H Katanga p. 23 2.2 3.2 and North & South Kivus against Gender- Based School Violence

Development and testing of teaching and learning materials for early grade reading 2.2.1 3.2.1 and comprehension in p.25-28 Kiswahili, Ciluba, Lingala and Oral French

Training and follow up of Kiswahili teachers in H Katanga and Lualaba p. 30-32 2.2.2 with pilot group of reading coaches (MLs)

DISCLAIMER

The author’s views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government.

Initial training and support to school communities to improve support for school-based and p. 33 2.2.1 extra-curricular learning in targeted school in four provinces

Piloting of online platform (M-Tew) to support teacher p. 34 2.2.1 trainng and coaching and peer-to-peer support

Development of a national education brief (canevas) based on provincial EB p.37 1.1 2.3.1 focused on key education sector indicators

Development of local p. 38-40 1.1 2.3 school improvement DISCLAIMER

The author’s views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government.

plans to improve schools and increase accountability at the local level with provincial authorities, school directors, members of the school committees (COGES) and COPAS

Assessing student achievement through p.44 2.2 quarterly assessments of targeted schools

Conducting operational research activities in support of p. 45 2.2 teacher with non- monetary incentives (TMIS phase 2)

Discussions on EGRA p. 45 2.2.1 strategy and timeline

DISCLAIMER

The author’s views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government.

ANNEX C. PROGRESS SUMMARY QUARTERLY APRIL – JUNE 2017

Submitted as part of the ACCELERE! 1 Quarterly Report (Quarter 3, FY 2017, Apr-Jun 2017).

The list of indicators is based on the approved MELP (PMEP) approved January 18, 2016. List to be updated with new updated MELP. Achieved progress versus planned for the period disaggregated by gender, geographic area and other relevant factors (use table below). Deviation Narrative: Provide a brief explanation of why the target was not met or exceeded wherever the result is ten percent (10%) greater or less than the current FY target. Target Rationale and Other Explanation: Explain the basis for out-year targets reported. Data source information should also be included here.1

Table 1(a): PMP Indicator progress - USAID Standard Indicators and Project Custom Indicators

Ind Indicator Data Reporting Baseline data FY 2017 Quarterly Status – FY 2017 Annual Comment(s) # Source Frequenc Perform y per the Annual ance Cumulati Annual PMEP Valu Q Achieve Year ve Cumulati Q1 Q2 Q3 e Planned ve Actual 4 d to target Date (in %) Program Objective : Improved educational outcomes for boys and girls in select educational provinces of the DRC Percent of learners who Baseline Annual 2015 3% N/A N/A ------N/A Based on demonstrate reading : RTI/ recent fluency and EdData discussion with 1 comprehension of grade EGRA USAID, A1 will level text at the end of conduct grade 2 with USG internal EGRA assistance (ES. 1-1) in Y3 and Y4

1 As previously noted, population-based targets (i.e. related to the number of schools, out-of-school children, students, teachers, etc.) are being developed now that the list of the project’s target subdivisions has been finalized. These targets and progress related to them will be reported in the upcoming Annual Report.

Table 1(a): PMP Indicator progress - USAID Standard Indicators and Project Custom Indicators

Ind Indicator Data Reporting Baseline data FY 2017 Quarterly Status – FY 2017 Annual Comment(s) # Source Frequenc Perform y per the Annual ance Cumulati Annual PMEP Valu Q Achieve Year ve Cumulati Q1 Q2 Q3 e Planned ve Actual 4 d to target Date (in %) Number of Grade 4 Baseline Annual 2015 10% N/A N/A ------N/A Based on students who after four : RTI/ recent years of schooling or its EdData discussion with equivalent (Niveau 2 in EGRA USAID, A1 will an ALP) are able to read conduct 2 and comprehend grade- internal EGRA level text in the in Y4 appropriate Congolese or French language [outcome, contract] Numbers of learners A! 1 Annual N/A -- 124, 294 124, 294 124, 294 ------100% Target and data receiving reading database collect are interventions at the /school annual. 3 primary level and/or enrollm equivalent non-school ent based settings [output, record custom] Number of learners A! 1 Annual 2015 151,8 470,862 470,862 470,862 ------100% Targets and enrolled in primary database 24 data collect are schools and/or annual. 4 equivalent non-school based settings with USG support [output, SFA 3.2.1-14] Number of teachers / Project Semi- N/A -- Teachers 5 3800 506 461 506 641 17% educators / teaching records annual training in

Table 1(a): PMP Indicator progress - USAID Standard Indicators and Project Custom Indicators

Ind Indicator Data Reporting Baseline data FY 2017 Quarterly Status – FY 2017 Annual Comment(s) # Source Frequenc Perform y per the Annual ance Cumulati Annual PMEP Valu Q Achieve Year ve Cumulati Q1 Q2 Q3 e Planned ve Actual 4 d to target Date (in %) assistants who reading successfully completed program is in-service training or rescheduled for received intensive Q4 coaching or mentoring with project support. [output, SFA 3.2.1-31] Number of Project Semi- N/A -- Figure include administrators and records annual traning on SDP officials successfully and SRC, and 6 1500 1669 1,211 961 1669 111% trained with USG TOT for support. [output, SFA reading 3.2.1-3] program in CRS Number of parent- Project Semi- N/A -- Figure include teacher associations or Records Annual training of similar “school” COGES 7 936 320 0 0 320 34% governance structures members on supported [output, SFA SDP 3.2.1-18] Ind#8: Number of Project Annual N/A -- public-private Records partnerships (PPPs) 8 2 0 0 0 0 0% supporting project outcomes [output, SFA PPP5]

Table 1(a): PMP Indicator progress - USAID Standard Indicators and Project Custom Indicators

Ind Indicator Data Reporting Baseline data FY 2017 Quarterly Status – FY 2017 Annual Comment(s) # Source Frequenc Perform y per the Annual ance Cumulati Annual PMEP Valu Q Achieve Year ve Cumulati Q1 Q2 Q3 e Planned ve Actual 4 d to target Date (in %) Result 1: Equitable enrollments to a quality education environment increased Number of additional A! 1 Annual N/A -- 27,368 27,368 27,368 ------100% Target and data learners enrolled in Databas collect are primary schools or e annual equivalent non-school- based settings from 9 improved retention through U.S. government and UKAID support [Outcome, contract] Percentage of enrolled A! 1 Annual N/A -- N/A 80% 80% ------N/A Target and data learners who continue Databas collect are 10 on to next grade e annual (Promotion Rate) [Outcome, custom] Ind#11: Number of new A! 1 Annual N/A -- 119,370 116,548 116,548 ------98% Target and data entrants in primary Databas collect are schools or equivalent e annual non-school-based 11 settings with U.S. government and UKAID support [Outcome, contract] 12 Percent of conflict- CAP / Annual Y3 TBD N/A N/A ------N/A Activities in

Table 1(a): PMP Indicator progress - USAID Standard Indicators and Project Custom Indicators

Ind Indicator Data Reporting Baseline data FY 2017 Quarterly Status – FY 2017 Annual Comment(s) # Source Frequenc Perform y per the Annual ance Cumulati Annual PMEP Valu Q Achieve Year ve Cumulati Q1 Q2 Q3 e Planned ve Actual 4 d to target Date (in %) affected youth in MAS CAPs will start targeted CAP classes records in Y3 demonstrating a minimum level of key competencies for workforce-readiness [outcome, custom] Percent of targeted Project Annual N/A N/A TBD 0 0 0 -- -- 0% school-communities records taking actions to 13 increase student access, retention, and/or completion [outcome, custom] IR 1.1: Barriers to access for primary education reduced Figure represent school bags Number of children in with furniture targeted school- distributed to communities receiving Project 14 Annual N/A N/A 318,999 134,666 0 2685 131,981 -- 42% learners from material support to Records formal and non access education formal schools [output, custom] in Haut Katanga, Lualaba, North

Table 1(a): PMP Indicator progress - USAID Standard Indicators and Project Custom Indicators

Ind Indicator Data Reporting Baseline data FY 2017 Quarterly Status – FY 2017 Annual Comment(s) # Source Frequenc Perform y per the Annual ance Cumulati Annual PMEP Valu Q Achieve Year ve Cumulati Q1 Q2 Q3 e Planned ve Actual 4 d to target Date (in %) and South Kivu, and Kasai Oriental Project Annual N/A N/A N/A 0 0 0 -- -- 0% Classroom Number of classrooms Record repairs (not built or repaired with construction) 15 U.S. government and expected as UKAID support part of Y3 [output, custom] programming IR 1.2: Access to alternative/accelerated learning programs that address out-of-school children and youth needs increased Number of CRS Project Annual N/A N/A N/A 0 0 0 N/A established with project Record 16 support [output, custom] Number of CRS Project Annual N/A N/A 278 244 244 214 -- -- 88% Figure for Q3 receiving project Record represent support to increase training for CRS 17 access to high quality directors in learning reading [output, custom] program. Number of youth in Project Annual N/A N/A N/A ------N/A The full slate of targeted CAPs who Record activities with 18 complete project- CAP begin in supported vocational Y3 training [output, custom]

Table 1(a): PMP Indicator progress - USAID Standard Indicators and Project Custom Indicators

Ind Indicator Data Reporting Baseline data FY 2017 Quarterly Status – FY 2017 Annual Comment(s) # Source Frequenc Perform y per the Annual ance Cumulati Annual PMEP Valu Q Achieve Year ve Cumulati Q1 Q2 Q3 e Planned ve Actual 4 d to target Date (in %) IR 1.3: Community and school collaboration and partnerships to support access to education strengthened Project Annual N/A N/A TBD 0 0 ------N/A Grantees Percent of targeted Record capacities are school-communities being receiving project grant strengthened to 19 funds to improve equity be able to of access, retention, implement and and/or completion monitor grants [output, custom] activities at school level Project Annual N/A N/A 90% 38% 38% ------42% A! 1 supports Record local campaigns Percentage of targeted for school sub provinces reached access and with campaigns for retention in 5 mobilizing stakeholder 20 SPs in Kasai support for school Central and access, retention, or Kasai Oriental, completion [output, out of the 13 custom] SP targeted this year IR 1.4: Quality of education environments improved Number of USG Project Annual TBD TBD TBD 0 0 0 -- -- 0 Criteria are 21 supported schools or record developed with

Table 1(a): PMP Indicator progress - USAID Standard Indicators and Project Custom Indicators

Ind Indicator Data Reporting Baseline data FY 2017 Quarterly Status – FY 2017 Annual Comment(s) # Source Frequenc Perform y per the Annual ance Cumulati Annual PMEP Valu Q Achieve Year ve Cumulati Q1 Q2 Q3 e Planned ve Actual 4 d to target Date (in %) learning spaces meeting Ministry criteria for safe schools partners. program [output, SFA 3.2.1-40] Project Annual N/A N/A TBD 0 0 83 0 -- N/A Doorways record modules shared Number of school- with school community actors community 22 trained in safe school actors and methods tested in [output, custom] schools and classrooms. Percentage of schools A! 1 Annual N/A N/A TBD2 Formal : Formal : ------(and non-formal Databas 66% 66% equivalents) benefiting e 23 from health-related Non Non interventions Formal : Formal : [output, custom] 47% 47% Result 2: Education quality improved 24 Percent of teachers Classro Annual N/A N/A 30% 0% 0% 0% -- Activity done.

2 A! 1 will not implement health-related interventions in school and non-formal equivalents but will monitor if these schools and non-formal equivalent benefit from health-related interventions as per Contract requirement :”The Contractor must develop synergies and leverage health-related interventions to enable girls and boys in target schools to benefit from health campaigns and interventions, such as deworming and micronutrient supplementation to increase persistence and attainment in primary schools or its equivalent.

Table 1(a): PMP Indicator progress - USAID Standard Indicators and Project Custom Indicators

Ind Indicator Data Reporting Baseline data FY 2017 Quarterly Status – FY 2017 Annual Comment(s) # Source Frequenc Perform y per the Annual ance Cumulati Annual PMEP Valu Q Achieve Year ve Cumulati Q1 Q2 Q3 e Planned ve Actual 4 d to target Date (in %) implementing the om Data under project-supported observat analysis reading and math ion / programs with fidelity. FOI tool [outcome, custom] Percent of observed Classro Annual N/A N/A 65% 0% 0% 0% -- Activity done. classrooms in which om Data under every child has a observat analysis project-provided student ion 25 manual and at least 75 percent are observed using them during reading lessons. [outcome, custom] Percent of targeted COPAs/ Annual N/A N/A 50% 0% 0% 0% 0% school-communities COGES supporting school-based record. 26 or extra-curricular Project opportunities for Site visit learning [outcome, custom] IR 2.1: Quality of instruction at the primary level improved Percentage of targeted Attenda Annual N/A N/A 85% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% Teachers 27 schools where all nce training teachers in targeted sheets, scheduled for

Table 1(a): PMP Indicator progress - USAID Standard Indicators and Project Custom Indicators

Ind Indicator Data Reporting Baseline data FY 2017 Quarterly Status – FY 2017 Annual Comment(s) # Source Frequenc Perform y per the Annual ance Cumulati Annual PMEP Valu Q Achieve Year ve Cumulati Q1 Q2 Q3 e Planned ve Actual 4 d to target Date (in %) grades/levels have been project Q4 trained in the project- record supported reading program approach [output, custom] Percentage of targeted Reading Semi- N/A N/A 60% 30% 0% 18% -- 30% Activity done. teachers receiving at support annual Data under 28 least one reading tool analysis support visit per month [output, custom] IR 2.2: Teaching and learning materials used in the classroom effectively Each CRS educator and Director get 3 teaching Number of textbooks materials. and other teaching and Inspectors learning materials Project Semi- trained for the 29 N/A N/A 239,500 222,241 2465 8028 222,241 93% provided with USG record annual training of CRS assistance [output, SFA educator and 3.2.1-33] director get in addition the national program for reading and

Table 1(a): PMP Indicator progress - USAID Standard Indicators and Project Custom Indicators

Ind Indicator Data Reporting Baseline data FY 2017 Quarterly Status – FY 2017 Annual Comment(s) # Source Frequenc Perform y per the Annual ance Cumulati Annual PMEP Valu Q Achieve Year ve Cumulati Q1 Q2 Q3 e Planned ve Actual 4 d to target Date (in %) writing in Congolese language Number of primary New indicator. classroom that receive a complete set of essential Project Annual 2017 2900 2900 2957 -- -- 2957 102% reading instructional record materials with USG support IR 2.3: Community participation to support school-based and extra-curricular learning increased Project Annual N/A N/A 30% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% Grants activities Percent of targeted record started with school-communities selection of receiving project grant grantees that 30 funds to increase will implement learning [output, and support custom] school- communities Result 3: Governance and accountability by stakeholders improved Percentage of assessed Project Annual N/A N/A 40% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% ASchool schools meeting record assessment minimum standards as activity will be 31 defined by School done in Y3 Management and Support Framework

Table 1(a): PMP Indicator progress - USAID Standard Indicators and Project Custom Indicators

Ind Indicator Data Reporting Baseline data FY 2017 Quarterly Status – FY 2017 Annual Comment(s) # Source Frequenc Perform y per the Annual ance Cumulati Annual PMEP Valu Q Achieve Year ve Cumulati Q1 Q2 Q3 e Planned ve Actual 4 d to target Date (in %) (SMSF) [outcome, custom] MEPS- Annual N/A N/A 50% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% Percent of targeted sub INC provinces implementing (SubPro new or modified laws, ved 32 policies, regulations, or level) guidelines supported by and project interventions project [outcome, custom] record Percentage of trained Project Annual N/A N/A TBD 0% 0% 0% 0% N/A School director school directors meeting record assessment is minimum standards for part of the 33 school leadership and school school management assessment [outcome, custom] activity Percentage of targeted Project Annual TBD TBD TBD 0% 0% 0% -- N/A Data under school communities with record; analysis COPA and COGES that COPAs/ 34 both function according COGES to EPS-INC decrees record [outcome, custom] IR 3.1: Development and implementation of policies for improved access and learning strengthened Number of laws, GDRC Annual N/A N/A 5 0 0 1 0 20% 35 policies, regulations, or record

Table 1(a): PMP Indicator progress - USAID Standard Indicators and Project Custom Indicators

Ind Indicator Data Reporting Baseline data FY 2017 Quarterly Status – FY 2017 Annual Comment(s) # Source Frequenc Perform y per the Annual ance Cumulati Annual PMEP Valu Q Achieve Year ve Cumulati Q1 Q2 Q3 e Planned ve Actual 4 d to target Date (in %) guidelines developed or modified to improve primary grade reading programs or increase equitable access [output, standard, SFA 3.2.1-38] Number of multi- GDRC Semi- N/A N/A 20 0 0 4 0 20% stakeholder meetings record annual related to the development or 36 implementation of policies for improved access and learning [output, custom] IR 3.2: School leadership and management strengthened 37 Percent of school- Project Annual N/A N/A 60% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% Activity communities that record. scheduled for receive a School SPR Q3 Performance Review reports visit from education authorities [output, custom] 38 Number of school Project Semi- N/A N/A TBD 464 0 0 464 N/A Schools directors and assistant record annual director and directors trained in assitants

Table 1(a): PMP Indicator progress - USAID Standard Indicators and Project Custom Indicators

Ind Indicator Data Reporting Baseline data FY 2017 Quarterly Status – FY 2017 Annual Comment(s) # Source Frequenc Perform y per the Annual ance Cumulati Annual PMEP Valu Q Achieve Year ve Cumulati Q1 Q2 Q3 e Planned ve Actual 4 d to target Date (in %) school leadership and director trained management as on school supported by the project report card and [output, custom] school development plan, as part of school leadership and management IR 3.3: Community and civil society oversight and accountability at local and sub-province levels increased 39 Percentage of targeted SDP Annual N/A N/A 30% 0% 0% 0% 0% school-communities that report. develop quality school Project development plans report [outcome, custom] 40 Number of targeted COPAs/ Annual N/A N/A 40% 0% 0% 0% 0% school-communities that COGES Institute a School record Report Card [output, custom 41 Percentage of school- COPAs/ Annual N/A N/A 15% 0% 0% 0% 0% communities whose COGES school development record, plans are implemented Project with support of private record

Table 1(a): PMP Indicator progress - USAID Standard Indicators and Project Custom Indicators

ANNEX E SUCCESS STORIES – Version Facebook

Success Story 1 :

ACCELERE !1 FACILITE L’IMPLICATION DES PARENTS DANS LA LECTURE Dans les communautés rurales, beaucoup de parents n’ont pas le temps pour encadrer leurs enfants après l’école. En mai 2017, après la distribution des kits scolaires aux élèves par le projet ACCELERE !1 avec le financement de l’USAID, Mme Françoise Kasongo Wa Ilunga, parent de l’élève NKULU René de la 1ère année à l’EP songe Mutumba, dans la Sous Division de Lubudi /Cité de Lubudi, dans la province de Lualaba, a gagné le pari. Elle s’est engagée à répéter régulièrement les leçons de Kiswahili à la maison avec son enfant. Elle a été motivée par la réception par ce dernier du cahier d’exercices qui comprend les leçons apprises en classe, document qu’elle n’a jamais vu auparavant.

Success Story 2 :

DIRECTEURS DES ECOLES S’ENGAGENT A LA SCOLARISATION DES ENFANTS VULNERABLES A l’issu de la séance de sensibilisation organisée par l’ONG UMOJA, le 24 Mai 2017, dans le cadre du Projet FAA HKAT 002, sous le financement de l’USAID et UKAID, à travers le projet Accelere !1, 65 chefs d’établissements des écoles publiques de la sous-division éducationnelle de Likasi, dans le Haut Katanga, ont signé un acte d’engagement pour améliorer l’accès et la rétention à l’enseignement en faveur des orphelins et autres enfants vulnérables de cette province.

NOTE : Photos in Annex E

ANNEX E. COMMUNICATIONS AND OUTREACH MESSAGES APRIL – JUNE 2017

Submitted as part of the ACCELERE! 1 Quarterly Report, Quarter 3, FY 2017, Apr-Jun 2017.

ACCELERE! 1 SOCIAL MEDIA MESSAGE

Accelerate learning to read: USAID/UKAID ACCELERE! program in the DRC magnifies student learning by promoting reading in national languages. For the DRC, this will mean teaching kids to read in Swahili, Ciluba and Lingala first. https://www.usaid.gov/what-we-do/education/improving-early-grade-reading

ACCELERE! 1 SUCCESS STORY See below.

Quarterly Report, Quarter 3, FY2017, Apr-Jun 2017 Improving Reading, Equity, and Accountability in the DRC (ACCELERE!) – Activity 1 August 4, 2017

SNAPSHOT A mother becomes a local reading ambassador

In rural communities, many parents are reluctant to send their children to school because they are part of the household workforce. For those parents who succeed in enrolling their children in school, they are often not interested nor aware of the importance of encouraging their children to read at home. Today, thanks to the ACCELERE! 1 project, this mindset is changing with many parents. They are determined to devote time towards their children’s education after school. A relevant case of the impact of the ACCELERE! I reading program was recorded after the distribution of the kits to the students in the Lubudi in the province of Lualaba. Mme. Françoise, mother of René Nkulu attending 1st grade at Mutumba primary school, assists her child every afternoon by practicing reading with the ACCELERE!1 take-home student guide. Mme. Françoise says that she was motivated to help her child with the arrival of the donated guides that contains stories that René learns in class. “Such a nice document, I have never seen before!” she commented. Since the distribution of these guides, she is committed to practicing Kiswahili regularly with her child after school. She thanks the ACCELERE! I project for producing these learning materials in local languages especially developed for Congolese children. Motivated by her own child’s Mother helping her son practice success, she has become a reading ambassador to her reading after school with the take- fellow parents. She encourages them to practice reading home student guides donated by with their own child at home, thus contributing to their ACCELERE!1 own child’s academic success.

PHOTO: ACCELERE! 1

Photo : ACCELERE !1 Pius Muzito Mobilisateur de Lecture, axe Lubudi-Mazangule 18 Mai 2017

ANNEX E. COMMUNICATIONS AND OUTREACH MESSAGES APRIL – JUNE 2017

Submitted as part of the ACCELERE! 1 Quarterly Report, Quarter 3, FY 2017, Apr-Jun 2017.

ACCELERE! 1 SOCIAL MEDIA MESSAGE

Accelerate learning to read: USAID/UKAID ACCELERE! I program in the DRC magnifies student learning by promoting reading in national languages. For the DRC, this will mean teaching kids to read in Swahili, Ciluba and Lingala first. https://www.usaid.gov/what-we-do/education/improving-early-grade-reading

ACCELERE! 1 SUCCESS STORY See below.

Quarterly Report, Quarter 3, FY2017, Apr-Jun 2017 Improving Reading, Equity, and Accountability in the DRC (ACCELERE!) – Activity 1 August 4, 2017

SNAPSHOT School directors commit to help disadvantaged children in Likasi

On May 24th, 2017, 65 Schools directors in Likasi in the province of Haut Katanga signed a commitment letter to improve access to schools for and to ensure the retention of orphans and other disadvantaged children. UMOJA NGO, a beneficiary of the grants program funded by USAID and UKAID through Accelere! 1 project, organized the signing ceremony during the awareness- raising session. The signatories of this commitment have agreed to: - Promote a differentiated pedagogy, which is a process whereby teachers recognize the variety of individual needs in their classrooms and plan to provide for those needs as effectively as possible in order to give every student the opportunity to learn to the best of their ability; - Adapt educational objectives to consider the nature of orphans and other disadvantaged children; - Review policies and practices of schools to meet the diversity of students; - Reduce barriers to access and retention to education for children living with albinism and others disabilities by adapting the internal environment of the classroom to their cater to their special needs; - Appoint teachers who will be responsible for ensuring respect and inclusive education in schools; - Increase the importance of in-service teacher trainings concerning inclusive education; Photo of the Commitment Letter - Establish strategic units in schools to develop individual signed by 65 school directors to student plans; and support disadvantaged children in Likasi - Develop a school’s support guide for teachers who work with orphans and other disadvantaged children in schools.

Photo : ACCELERE !1 - Teddy Matadi, Grants Manager

ANNEX F. TRIP REPORTS QUARTER 3, FY2017, APRIL – JUNE 2017

Submitted as part of the ACCELERE! Activity 1 Quarterly Report (Quarter 3, FY 2017, Apr-Jun 2017).

DISCLAIMER The author’s views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government.

Cambridge, ACCELERE! Activity 1 Trip Reports

Contract no. AID-660-C-15-00001

DISCLAIMER The author’s views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government.

ACCELERE! Activity 1Trip Report

Contract no. AID-660-C-15-00001

Produced by: Jemima Morrow, Technical Project Manager, Result 3 Arrival Date: 11th June 2017 Departure Date: 20th June 2017 Attachments: n/a

DISCLAIMER The author’s views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government.

Trip Goal and Objective:

The aim of this trip was to participate in the Year 3 (Y3) planning workshop, focusing on the progress of work under R3. The trip also served to help orient the new Cambridge Education Technical Director and provide a status update of R3 progress in Year 2.

Activities:

Planned Tasks Comments Participate in and contribute to the Year 3 Complete work planning session

Work with Technical Director to review R3 Complete progress and draft R3 Year 3 workplan

Work with R3 lead to finalise recruitment In process – the job offer was advertised and and hiring of a R3 Program Assistant interviews will take place shortly following shortlisting. Conduct performance check in with Complete Community Engagement Advisor

Issues & Recommendations:

Following on from the Result 3 retreat in May 2017, the team was well placed to participate fully in the Year 3 planning workshop. It also provided a great opportunity to dig deeper into cross-cutting issues with other teams within A!1. As highlighted in the previous trip report, this is a good start and the discussions should continue on a regular basis to ensure that R3 governance work spans across the other result areas. This will help build in sustainability into the work under R1 and R2.

It was useful that A!2 colleagues attended the Year 3 planning workshop, and we recommend that this continues going forward but also that A!2 are invited to present their plans also in subsequent planning workshops. This will enable greater collaboration between the two teams.

Next Steps:

- Complete draft Year 3 workplan - Review Operations Research studies and ensure these are included in the Y3 workplan - Coordinate with A!2 colleagues on drafting a joint governance workplan

DISCLAIMER The author’s views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government.

ACCELERE! Activity 1 Trip Report

Contract no. AID-660-C-15-00001

Produced by: Sabine Kube-Barth, Technical Director, Result 3 Arrival Date: 11th June 2017 Departure Date: 16th June 2017

DISCLAIMER The author’s views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government.

Trip Goal and Objective:

The aim of this trip was to participate in the Year 3 planning workshop in Kinshasa, working with the Result 3 team to review current R3 progress and planning.

Activities:

Planned Tasks Comments Participate in and contribute to the Year 3 Completed work planning session

Work with Technical Project Manager to Completed review R3 progress and draft R3 Year 3 workplan

Issues & Recommendations:

The sessions organized during the one week retreat for all A!1 were a perfect occasion to further explore synergies between the three result areas and to foster collaboration around a joint strategy and theory of change. Having such an opportunity to learn from other result areas, and to get to know colleagues better is a very important moment in the life of a project and should definitely be repeated, even if in smaller groups. Discussions with PTL provided interesting perspectives on the work and challenges at the provincial level and briefed these colleagues on the particular needs of R3 at provincial level and work to come.

Next Steps:

- Follow up on discussions held with the operational research team to feed into updated research plan - Follow up on discussions with the capacity building specialist to see how possibilities for cooperation on BGP and COPA/COGES - Organize regular exchange with colleagues from R1 and R2 for greater synergies and collaboration Further exchange with A!2 and within A!1 on a joint governance approach and ways to address the school fee issue.

DISCLAIMER The author’s views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government.

ACCELERE! Activity I Trip Report

Contract no. AID-660-C-15-00001

Produced by: Jemima Morrow, Technical Project Manager, Result 3 Arrival Date: 22nd May 2017 Departure Date: 2nd June 2017

DISCLAIMER The author’s views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government.

Trip Goal and Objective:

The goal of this trip was to facilitate an internal R3 retreat, to focus on where the field team are, to deliver progress against the Year 2 workplan, and to perform a technical review of the R3 strategic approach to date.

Activities:

Planned Tasks Comments Facilitate the Result 3 retreat, working with Completed the R3 lead to plan and deliver sessions around team management, roles and responsibilities, communication, workplanning, quality assurance, and a review of current technical progress

Work with the R3 team to draft the Quarter Completed 4 workplan and the initial draft of the Year 3 Result 3 workplan

Conduct Mott MacDonald mandatory Completed training on ethics and health and safety with all R3 staff members

Conduct performance check-ins with the Completed four Provincial School Improvement Specialists (PSIS) hired in January

Conduct interviews and finalise recruitment In progress – this will be finalized in of final PSIS subsequent visits due instability in Kananga and a review of the team structure currently in progress Launch recruitment for a R3 Program In progress – this will be completed in the Assistant, a long term local position subsequent visit for the Year 3 planning workshop

Issues & Recommendations:

The Result 3 retreat was the first opportunity to bring the whole team together and review not only progress but also our overall strategy. It proved incredibly useful, and so the

DISCLAIMER The author’s views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government.

recommendation is to ensure quarterly team meetings to share learning, plan together and also review our strategic vision in light of experience during this quarter. It is recommended that this is built into our Result 3 workplans going forward.

The retreat highlighted where there are ongoing difficulties in some areas with the team. One being that the team is dispersed across several provinces and so regular, meaningful communication can be challenging. The R3 field team requested that better communication tools should be provided and used on a regular basis to enable effective collaboration across the provinces.

During the retreat, the R3 team held meetings with R1 and R2 colleagues, as well as a workshop with A!2 colleagues. These meetings highlighted the need for more effective collaboration from the R3 team to ensure that governance activities are cross-cutting across A!1, and that we are working hand in hand with our governance colleagues on A!2. The recommendation here is that the collaboration moves away from just attending meetings and inviting colleagues to workshops, and we move to designing activities together and drafting joint workplans with A!2 to ensure greater collaboration takes place in the last quarter of Year 2 and moving into Year 3.

The team found it useful to work together to develop a R3 theory of change and governance strategy. This provided a useful opportunity, with the whole team present, to ensure that all our activities link to our overall strategic vision. As part of the quarterly team meetings, it is recommended that we conduct a review of activities against the theory of change and governance strategy to check we are on track, and adjust as necessary.

Next Steps:

- Include quarterly team meetings in Year 3 workplan - Draft monthly reporting templates and reporting process for the team to share knowledge and experience, as well as obstacles and lessons learned on a monthly basis - Facilitate the drafting of a joint workplan with A!2 colleagues, especially for sub-divisional level activities

DISCLAIMER The author’s views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government.

ACCELERE! Activity 1 Trip Report

Contract no. AID-660-C-15-00001

Produced by: Sabine Kube-Barth, School Governance Specialist, Result 3 Arrival Date: 22nd May 2017 Departure Date: 2nd June 2017

DISCLAIMER The author’s views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government.

Trip Goal and Objective:

The aim of this trip was to provide technical support to the Result 3 team during the Result 3 internal retreat. The technical support focused on the progress of the School Monitoring Support Framework (SMSF), while also providing overarching guidance to the Result 3 field team. This trip also served as an orientation into the Result 3 work, as I am due to take up the Technical Director role shortly for Result 3.

Activities:

Planned Tasks Comments Informing SMSF implementation strategy by Partly completed undertaking the following: o Presenting findings from a review The approach to the SMSF review has of the SRA100 and draft SMSF changed documents to the Education Policy Advisor and School A collaborative process is under way to take Improvement Advisor stock of the implementation of the SMSF so Working closely with the o far, including tools developed, and structures Education Policy Advisor and School Improvement Advisor to and procedures put in place conduct a review of current progress of the SMSF This assessment is done by stakeholders at all levels of implementation (school directors, trainers, trainers of trainers, sub- provincial focal points, provincial focal points, etc.). It will be consolidated by the Result 3 team later (September 2017).

Attend and contribute to the Result 3 Completed Strategic meeting, specifically on guiding the strategy for IR3.2 and the implementation of SMSF

Support the development of the draft R3 Completed – to be presented at the Year 3 Governance strategy planning workshop

DISCLAIMER The author’s views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government.

Support a joint workshop between A!1 R3 Completed and A!2 Support meetings between A!1 R3 and R2 Completed and R1

Issues & Recommendations:

1. The staff retreat was a very important moment in the implementation process of R3. It allowed team members who are working in different provinces to come together and share experience. It helped largely to foster a common understanding of the strategic objectives of our work and the theory of change behind it.

2. As the R3 team has grown much bigger, challenges in internal communication, information sharing and collaboration have come up. Roles and responsibilities within the in-country team needed to be refined. And expectations from the HQ backstopping team clarified. The retreat was a good way to voice all these issues and discuss solutions all together. Various concrete procedures will be put in place to improve information management and technical quality assurance.

3. R3 has a key role to play in supporting the two other result areas, with its focus on systems strengthening, governance and accountability. Following the staff retreat, the full R3 team met representatives of R1 and R2 to share information on the activities implemented and to discuss areas for synergies, support and collaboration. These meetings were again very helpful for the R3 to position our own activities in the wider A!1 perspective and to launch better collaboration and information sharing.

4. A!1 R3 and A!2 share governance and accountability as key technical areas. Both programme component areas implemented by Cambridge Education will further facilitates linkages and collaboration. The planning process for R3 for Year 3 and A!2, which was in the process of refining its implementation strategy. was a good moment for exchange on a joint governance strategy and streamlined processes for working with the government at the various levels.

Next Steps:

- See to organize meetings of all R3 once in a quarter, for joint planning for the next quarter and for discussions and exchange around a selected technical theme - Add internal deliverables to quarterly work plans for better information sharing within the team and quality assurance - Organize regular meetings with R1 and R2 - Organize regular meetings with A!2 on joint work around the governance agenda

DISCLAIMER The author’s views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government.

School To School, ACCELERE! Activity 1 Trip Reports

Contract no. AID-660-C-15-00001

DISCLAIMER The author’s views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government.

ACCELERE! Activity 1 Trip Report

Contract no. AID-660-C-15-00001

Produced by: Abdechafi Boubkir, Senior Program Manager Arrival Date: June 8th, 2017 Departure Date: June 17th, 2017

DISCLAIMER The author’s views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government.

Introduction:

Under a subcontract with Chemonics, STS’s Senior Program Manager, Mr. Abdechafi Boubkir, travelled to Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) from June 6th , 2017 -17th, 2017 to provide technical and management support to ACCELERE! Activity 1 and STS field staff. This report describes the objectives of this trip, activities performed, and a summary key points, observations, and next steps.

Travel Objectives:

Mr. Boubkir’s Scope of Work (see Annex A) consisted of the following objectives:

Main objective: To contributing to ACCELERE! Activity 1 (A!1) Year 3 (Y3) Work Planning sessions

Secondary objectives: - Operational Research Plan: In preparation for Y3 work planning, work with A!1 partners to identify areas for improvement with regards to Operations Research for the coming project year; - Quarterly Assessments: Discuss successes, challenges, and areas for improvement with the Quarterly Assessments (QA) process; - STS activities: With Senior Research and Assessment Manager, develop a plan for all STS activities under A!1 and identify local staffing needs and home office technical and management assistance.

Activities:

During this trip, Mr. Boubkir carried out the following activities in in Kinshasa:

- Met with all Result leads and senior A!1 management to make decisions about the Operations Research agenda, Quarterly Assessments plan, EGRA, and psycho-social tools for teachers; - Contributed to the 4-day Annual Plan Development workshop for A!1 Year 3; - Met with A!3 MECC project to make decisions about the design of EGRA monitoring and impact evaluations; - Met with USAID to decide on EGRA monitoring and impact evaluation options; - Developed detailed implementation plan for STS activities in Y3.

Note that most of these activities were carried out with STS Senior Technical Advisor and President, Dr. Mark Lynd.

DISCLAIMER The author’s views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government.

The following is a description of these activities, organized by objective.

1: Contribute to A!1 Y3 Work Planning: Objective: To contribute to ACCELERE!1 (A!1) Year 3 (Y3) Work Planning sessions Mr. Boubkir took part in the work planning sessions. Mr. Boubkir contributed to the sessions in two distinct ways. First, he contributed the different sessions by sharing thoughts, ideas, and questions. He also took part in all the related activities. Second, Mr. Boubkir organized several meetings with different A!1 members to discuss their activities and potential synergies with STS’s activities.

1: OPERATIONS RESEARCH PLAN Objective: In preparation for Y3 work planning, work with A!1 partners to identify areas for improvement with regards to Operations Research for the coming project year.

Mr. Boubkir organized A!1 Operations Research Working Group meeting on June 8th, 2017. The committee meets on a quarterly basis to discuss Ops Research studies, suggest modifications, and coordinate efforts in Operation Research. See Annex B for this quarter’s agenda. During this meeting, members got an update on ongoing studies, discussed the purpose, structure, and content of the Operations Research Plan and shared ideas for additional studies that might be conducted. Result 1 Lead indicated the relevancy of Study 2 (School Safety) and discussed the potential of R1 leading it.

Result 3 Lead demonstrated interest in proposing two new studies under Ops Research that would encourage the operationalization of the Observatoire de la Lecture. One of the requirement of the Observatoire de la Lecture is to conduct studies of interest to the education community in the DRC. Result 3 leads argued that conducting two studies under Ops Research would speed up the process of the operationalization of the Observatoire. The suggestion was welcomed by the Committee and Result 3 leads were asked to submit more details on the two studies in time for the updating of the Ops Research Plan, due in August 2017.

Finally, participants in the meeting indicated that a few studies might be joined for example, studies 11 and 12, both about community engagement, and 2 and 3 (School Safety and Safe School Model, respectively). The purpose of this suggestion was to allow for the possible addition of new studies. The meeting participants agreed that STS would request input from all partners about new studies, or modified study designs of others before the end of July to integrate changes in the Ops Research Plan before August 30th, 2017.

DISCLAIMER The author’s views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government.

2: QUARTERLY ASSESSMENTS

Objective: Discuss the process of Quarterly Assessments and how to improve it.

STS organized several meetings with A!1 partners –Chemonics and FHI360-- to discuss the pilot Quarterly Assessment that had taken place in April/May 2017. The purpose was to discuss lessons learned, the challenges faced during the process, the collaboration between partners and the future iterations of the QA. The main decisions from the meetings were: • Hiring of MLs: Chemonics to recruit MLs in all the regions with a ratio of 6-10 schools per ML • Supervisory authority over MLs: Mr. Souleymane Kante, as the DCOP, and Ms. Gamou Mbodje, as the Director of MEL, are to be informed and copied on all requests for MLs and data collections. • Mr. Kante will work on a plan to manage MLs. • Tablets: o Chemonics to procure 416 new tablets (400 plus 5% replacement tablets) o There is a need for hiring a person to manage all tablets for the different data collections (QA, FOI, EGRA, M&E, Ops Research studies), including programming tablets • Planning of future QAs: Given the large number of schools, grade levels, languages etc., the number of QAs could be too large to implement. Decision was made that future QAs would focus on Grade 1 in Quarter 1 of Year 3 (November/December 2017), Grade 2 in Quarters 2 and 3, March and May, 2018 respectively, in all languages. Focus would also be on Level 1 in the CRSes which is similar to Grade 2 in normal schools.

3: EGRA/SSME

Objective: Develop the implementation plan for the Year 2 internal EGRA, planned for October/November 2017

One of the highlights of this trip to the DRC was the development of multiple plans for the rollout of EGRAs under the A!1 project and USAID’s decision about one of these plans. Mr. Boubkir and Dr. Lynd’s travel to the DRC coincided with the visit of Ms. Gaelle Simon of Management Systems International (MSI). As partner with the MECC project, MSI is responsible for planning and leading the implementation of the external EGRA midline and endline assessments for A!1. STS is responsible for planning and leading, among other things, the A!1 monitoring EGRA of the project.

DISCLAIMER The author’s views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government.

STS and MSI organized several meetings to discuss different aspects of the EGRA assessments, and develop several rollout plans that meet a few requirements such as the use of RTI 2015 EGRA as a baseline and the possibility of comparability between results across all EGRA studies (internal and external), (See Annex C for the rollout design). MSI and STS came up with three plans and presented them to USAID on June 16th, 2017. The following attended the meeting: • USAID: Natasha DeMarcken, Julie Columbo, Lothempo Vindtou, and John Stamm • Accelere! Activity 1: Joshua Kunin-Goldsmith, Sergio Ramirez-Mendez, Mark Lynd and Abdechafi Boubkir • Accelere! Activity 3: Gaelle Simon; Elizabeth Cunnimgham, MECC (MSI and IBTCI, respectively).

Mr. Lynd, Mr. Boubkir and Ms. Simon presented the different options and highlighted the pluses and minuses for each plan. USAID decided on one option that consists of the following:

• The RTI 2015 EGRA be used as a baseline for all ensuing EGRAs on A!1 • Counterfactuals be established for the 2019 endline. Schools in sub-provinces falling outside of A!1’s intervention zones would be used on a matched-pair basis as counterfactuals for the A!1 endline. • STS would conduct internal EGRAs for monitoring purposes in Oct-Dec 2017 and in 2018. Additionally, the 2017 EGRA would add sub provinces that had not been included in the 2015 EGRA baseline. • MSI would conduct the endline EGRA in Oct-Dec 2019.

Outstanding Achievements:

Two achievements stand out during this trip. The first is the EGRA rollout plans and the decision for the years to come. The significance of the decision is that the project will be able to conduct an EGRA for monitoring purposes and learn about how students are learning from the project interventions. The presence of MSI’s Ms. Gaelle Simon in country made the task of discussing and coming up with plans easier as Mr. Lynd, Mr. Boubkir and Ms. Simon met several times in the hotel and in the office to iron out details and cope up with answers to difficult questions. During the process, we developed a few versions of the rollout plans, deleted plans, and added other as we went until we agreed on three plans to present to USAID. The second was the development of a detailed workplan for STS activities in Y3. This plan has been shared with Chemonics and is integrated in the overall for A!1 Y3 workplan. The main highlights of the plans are: • Coordination of Operations Research studies • Conduct of Teacher Motivation and Incentives Study • Conduct of 2017 EGRA • Conduct of Quarterly Assessments

DISCLAIMER The author’s views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government.

• Development of tools for teachers to diagnose and address psychosocial issues in the classroom

Next Steps and Recommendations:

1. Draft a memo summarizing decisions taken on EGRA design for monitoring and impact evaluation purposes. 2. Begin preparing for the monitoring EGRA to be conducted between October and December 2017-. 3. Draft theory of change and fidelity of implementation concept notes for the overall project and, more specifically, for the use of grants to alleviate the problem of school fees. 4. Update the Operations Research Plan, incorporating suggestions from A!1 senior leadership. 5. Revise the Quarterly Assessment plan to reflect decisions taken about grade levels to be tested and the timing of QA in government and CRS schools.

DISCLAIMER The author’s views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government.

Annex A: Scope of Work

DRC I-READ/ACCELERE Project CONTRACT AID-660-C-15-00001 Scope of Work

Position: Senior Program Manager

Proposed Consultant Name: Abdechafi Boubkir

Estimated Level of Effort: 8 days

Estimated Dates: June 6 –June 17, 2017

Assignment Location: Kinshasa, DRC

Objectives/Trip purpose:

The main objective of this trip is to contribute to ACCELERE!1 (A!1) Year 3 (Y3) Work Planning sessions. In addition, Mr. Boubkir will work on the following:

Operational Research Plan: In preparation for Y3 work planning, work with A!1 partners to identify areas for improvement with regards to Operations Research for the coming project year;

Quarterly Assessments: Discuss successes, challenges, and areas for improvement with the Quarterly Assessments (QA) process;

STS activities: With Senior Research and Assessment Manager, develop a plan for all STS activities under A!1 and identify local staffing needs and home office technical and management assistance

Tasks:

Mr. Boubkir will carry out the following specific tasks:

• Meet with A!1 senior leadership and key representatives of different partners; • Participate and contribute in the Y3 Work Planning sessions of the A!1 project; • Lead discussions with all A!1 partners and Results Leads on the modifications to propose in the Operations Research Plan at study level and with regards to overall management of the

DISCLAIMER The author’s views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government.

Operations Research component of the project; • Contribute to a Quarterly Assessments feedback/discussion session with A!1 partners. The purpose of the session is to review the QA process, the roles and responsibilities of the different partners, the MLs, and to come up with suggestions for the improvement of this process in anticipation of the planned increase in the scope of the project’s activities during Y3 (new Provinces, languages and grades); • With Senior Advisor, work with the Director of M&E on identifying areas where STS could provide additional assistance to the project’s monitoring and evaluation efforts; • Assist with the development of the Y2 Internal EGRA/SSME workplan; • Work with Senior Research and Assessment Manager to develop STS’s internal Y3 workplan, identifying local staffing needs and home office technical/management assistance and potential travel timelines

Deliverables:

• Trip Report • A draft workplan for STS’s activities in Year 3 of the ACCELERE project • Implementation Plan for internal YR 2 EGRA to be conducted in October/November 2017

DISCLAIMER The author’s views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government.

Annex B: Agenda for A!1 the Working Group Meeting (June 8th, 2017) Agenda

1) Mots d’ouverture……………………………………………………………………………………………………...... ……………………………………………… Sergio

2) Mis à jour sur les études en cours……………………………………...... ………………………………………………………… Discussion ouverte

3) Les études à faire durant Y3…………………………………………..………..………...... ……………………………………………………… Discussion ouverte

a) Sélection des études…………………………………………………………...... ………………..………..………..………..………..……………… Discussion ouverte

b) Timeline de la modification du design …………………….……………………………………………………… Discussion ouverte

4) Mise a jours du plan…………………………………………………………..………..………..………...... ……………………………………………………….…… Abdechafi 5) Autres ? Fin de la réunion

DISCLAIMER The author’s views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government.

ANNEX C: ACCELERE! Activity I EGRA Design Options of Internal (Monitoring) and External (Impact) Evaluations

Prepared by Gaëlle Simon, Mark Lynd, and Abdechafi Boubkir NB: This version was shared with USAID for the June 16 meeting.

INTRODUCTION The purpose of this document is to discuss options for rolling out EGRA for the remainder of A!1. Three rollout options are presented below. Before considering which option to choose, we will discuss types, uses, and timing of the different EGRAs.

TYPES AND USES OF EGRAs The characteristics of two types are identified here by purpose: monitoring and impact evaluation.

Monitoring EGRA: • Conducted by A!1 (internal) • Will not use counterfactuals • Information used to provide feedback to A!1 to make midcourse corrections (not impact) • Will be compared to baseline

Impact Evaluation (IE): • Conducted by an external party (MECC) • Will use counterfactuals. MECC suggests including counterfactuals using the non-intervention schools included in the baseline. MECC will use a matching strategy, such as propensity score match, to determine the final selection of comparison schools where needed. • Information used to report impact of A!1 (not monitoring) • Will be compared to baseline

ROLLOUT OPTIONS OF EGRAs The table below summarizes three options for the timing and type of data collection:

Table 1: Different EGRA Rollout Options

Oct 15 to Oct 16 to Oct 17 to Oct 18 to Oct 19 to Oct 20 to Sep 16 Sep 17 Sep 18 Sep 19 Sep 20 Dec 20 Intervention Haut Katanga No All provinces All provinces All provinces roll-out + Lualaba interventions EGRA 2017: EGRA 2018: EGRA 2019: EGRA 2020: EGRA RTI Baseline A!1 MECC A!1 MECC (Option A) monitoring midline monitoring endline EGRA 2017: EGRA 2018: EGRA 2019: EGRA RTI Baseline A!1 A!1 MECC (Option B) monitoring monitoring endline EGRA 2017: EGRA 2018: EGRA 2019: EGRA RTI Baseline A!1 MECC MECC (Option C) monitoring midline endline

DISCLAIMER The author’s views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government.

Each option is described below:

Option A: two monitoring & two IE measures, midline and endline. This option is optimal in terms of measurement because it includes 2 internal monitoring EGRAs and midline and endline IE measures. This option assumes A!1 will be continue at least until March 2021 to allow enough time for reporting since the endline would be conducted Oct-Dec 2020. This option also assumes the external evaluator will be contracted to perform through this date. Note that A!1 is currently scheduled to end in May 2020, with a possible extension thru October 2020. Note also that MECC is scheduled to end in January 2021. An extension of MECC is not currently being discussed. Unless extended, MECC would not be able conduct the endline in October 2020, while it is in close-out mode.

Option B: two monitoring and one IE measure, endline. This option assumes no extension of A!1 or MECC. This option provides more data for the project than Option C; however, it provides only one IE measure at endline. Option B is preferable if the primary concern is obtaining data for internal purposes.

Option C: one monitoring & two IE measures, midline and endline. This option also assumes no extension of A!1 or MECC. This option provides more IE data than Option B; however, it provides only one internal monitoring measure. This option is preferable if the primary concern is having two IE measures after the baseline.

RECOMMENDATION: Option B. First, having two rounds of EGRA for internal monitoring provides the project with more information that can be used to improve project performance, especially in the second half (October 2018), during which the project will be seeking information on how the design is being received in an expanded coverage area. Second, having both rounds of EGRA under the control of the project makes it possible to use this exercise for other project M&E purposes as well – e.g., additional data collection tools, visiting “struggling schools” identified via fidelity of implementation, etc. Note that comparisons across time points would not be lost with this option since the same tools would be administered to the same cohorts at the same time points, so trends could continue to be analyzed even though it is not an external exercise.

WHAT EACH EGRA WILL MEASURE (with option B)

EGRA 2017 – A!1 Tools: same as the baseline Coverage: − For monitoring: Haut Katanga + Lualaba provinces. Possibility of adding 2 to 4 schools from Lubudi sub- province in Lualaba which was not included in baseline. − To augment the sample for IE: Equateur (Ingende sub-province) and Sud Ubangi (Businga sub-province) provinces. Target 40 new additional non-intervention schools. Purpose: − monitoring in sub-provinces where interventions started during the 2016-2017 school year. − augment counterfactual sample from the baseline to improve the sample size for the impact evaluation.

EGRA 2018 – A!1

Tools: same as the baseline Coverage: All intervention sub-provinces included in the baseline, plus 2 to 4 additional schools in each intervention sub-province not included in the baseline. Purpose: monitoring in all intervention sub-provinces

EGRA 2019 - MECC

DISCLAIMER The author’s views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government.

Tools: same as the baseline or new tools equated to baseline tools Coverage: Same provinces and sub-provinces as baseline, with augmented counterfactual in Equateur and Sud Ubangi Purpose: endline impact evaluation

DISCLAIMER The author’s views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government.

Attachment: COMPARISON OF THE BASELINE SAMPLED SUB-PROVINCES AND A!1 TARGET SUB-PROVINCES

The proposed options build upon the sample used for the 2015 EGRA baseline conducted by RTI and ensure that results from the A!1 intervention schools can be compared across the internal and external data collections.

Of the 25 A!1 target sub-provinces listed in the table below1, the baseline includes 18 target sub-provinces and 123 intervention schools. In the 12 non-targeted sub-provinces included in the baseline, 107 non-interventions schools were sampled2 (See table below for more details).

This table summarizes the sample used for the baseline within A!1 intervention areas and the number of counterfactual schools.

Table 2: Number of Intervention and Counterfactual Schools from the Baseline # of intervention # of non- Province Sub-provinces schools in A!1 intervention schools Total areas outside of A!1 areas LUBUMBASHI 2 7 7 SAKANIA 4 4 KIPUSHI 5 5 Haut Katanga LIKASI 11 11 KAMBOVE - - 0 KAMINA 1 23 23 Total Haut Katanga 27 23 50 LUBUDI - - 0 KALEMIE 12 12 KASAJI 9 9 Lualaba MUTSHATSHA 3 3 KOLWEZI 1 4 8 KOLWEZI 2 2 6 Total Lualaba 6 24 30 MBUJI MAYI 1 4 4 MBUJI MAYI 2 6 6 MBUJI MAYI 3 4 4 Kasai Oriental MIABI 7 7 KATANDA - - 0 KABINDA 1 5 5 KAMIJI 14 14 Total Kasai Oriental 21 19 40 KANANGA 1 9 9 Kasai Central KANANGA 2 5 5 DEMBA 1 - - 0

1 A!1 is intervening in 26 sub-provinces. One intervention sub-province was recently divided into 2. This table will be updated to reflect that change. 2 The 2015 baseline sample included 10 schools in the Tshikapa sub-province which at the time was part of the province of Kasaï Occidental. Following the redistricting, Tshikapa became a sub-province of the Kasaï province and is thus excluded here from the intervention and non-intervention samples. DISCLAIMER The author’s views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government.

# of intervention # of non- Province Sub-provinces schools in A!1 intervention schools Total areas outside of A!1 areas DIMBELENGE - - 0 DIBAYA 1 - - 0 KAZUMBA SUD 8 8 KAZUMBA NORD 7 7 KAZUMBA 10 10 CENTRE KAMUESHA 10 10 TSHIKAPA EST - - - KITANGA / 1 1 TSHIKAPA OUEST Total Kasai Central 22 28 50 MBANDAKA 1 7 7 MBANDAKA 2 4 4 Equateur BIKORO 12 12 INGENDE 8 8 Total Equateur 23 8 31 GEMENA 1 19 19 GEMENA 2 5 5 Sud Ubangi GEMENA 3 - - 0 BUSINGA 5 5 Total Sud Ubangi 24 5 29 Grand Total 123 107 230

We propose to combine the provinces, and thus sub-provinces, by year of entry into the project and by national language of intervention. Assessment results would thus be presented by “cohort.” Provinces would be combined as follows:

Table 3: Number of Schools by Cohort, 2015 baseline Non- National Intervention Cohorts Year of entry Provinces intervention Language schools schools PY 1 + PY 2 Haut Katanga + Cohort 1 Kiswahili 33 47 (2015 + 2016) Lualaba Kasaï Oriental + Kasaï Cohort 2 Tshiluba PY 3 (2017) 43 47 Central Equateur + Sud Cohort 3 Lingala PY 3 (2017) 47 13* Ubangi *To be increased to 47 schools with data collection in comparison sub-provinces in October 2017.

DISCLAIMER The author’s views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government.

ACCELERE! Activity 1 Trip Report

Contract no. AID-660-C-15-00001

Produced by: Mark Lynd, Senior Advisor and President Arrival Date: June 8th, 2017 Departure Date: June 17th, 2017

DISCLAIMER The author’s views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government.

Introduction:

Under a subcontract with Chemonics, STS’s Senior Advisor and President, Dr. Mark Lynd travelled to Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) from June 8th, 2017-17th, 2017 to provide technical and management support to ACCELERE! Activity 1 and STS field staff. This report describes the objectives of that consultancy, activities undertaken, and a summary of the consultant’s observations.

Trip Goal and Objective:

According to the Scope of Work (see Annex A), the main objective of this trip was to contribute to ACCELERE 1 (hereafter called A!1) Year 3 planning sessions and to provide technical leadership in the following areas: 1. Operational Research Plan: Discuss with A!1 partners areas of improvement of the Plan in preparation for the updating of this Plan, which is due on August 31th , 2017; 2. Quarterly Assessments: Discuss the process of Quarterly Assessments and how to improve it; 3. EGRA/SSME: Lead discussions with ACCELERE!1 partners and-- if necessary-- USAID, to finalize the overall design and plan for all EGRA assessments throughout the life of the project and to approve the implementation plan for the Year 2 internal EGRA, planned for October/November 2017.

Activities:

During this trip, Dr. Lynd carried out the following activities in in Kinshasa:

- Met with Result leads and senior A!1 management to make decisions about the Operations Research agenda and Quarterly Assessments plan - Participated in the 4-day Annual Plan Development workshop for A!1 Year 3 - Met with MSI to make decisions about the design of EGRA monitoring and impact evaluations - Meeting with USAID to make a decision about EGRA monitoring and impact evaluation options

Note that these activities were carried out with team member Abdechafi Boubkir, Senior Program Manager for School-to-School International on the A!1 project.

The following is a description of these activities, organized by objective.

DISCLAIMER The author’s views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government.

1: OPERATIONS RESEARCH PLAN

Objective: Discuss with A!1 partners areas of improvement of the Plan in preparation for the updating of this Plan, which is due on August 31th, 2017

Dr. Lynd met with A!1 Result Leads and Senior Management to discuss the purpose, structure, and content of the Operations Research Plan; to solicit ideas for additional studies that might be conducted; and to prioritize which studies should be conducted in the coming year. The purpose of these discussions was threefold: first, to solicit input from project leadership in order to incorporate their thinking into the Year 3 work plan to be developed the following week; second, to identify areas of synergy between Result areas or instances where some studies could be combined; and third, to collect this information for inclusion in the revised Operations Research Management Plan, due in August 2017. For a summary of topics discussed and decisions taken, see the meeting minutes prepared by Mr. Boubkir.

2: QUARTERLY ASSESSMENTS

Objective: Discuss the process of Quarterly Assessments and how to improve it

In a series of meetings, Dr. Lynd and Mr. Boubkir met with A!1 senior staff to discuss lessons learned from the first piloting of quarterly assessments led by School-to-School International in April/May 2017 in the DRC. Topics included improving communication between STS and A!1 management in the DRC, optimizing the use of the Reading Monitors (Mobilisateurs de Lecture or MLs), and decisions concerning which grade levels to assess in government schools and in CRSs. For a summary of topics discussed and decisions taken, see the meeting minutes prepared by Mr. Boubkir.

3: EGRA/SSME

Objective: Lead discussions with A!1 partners and if necessary, USAID, to finalize the overall design and plan for all EGRA assessments throughout the life of the project and approve the implementation plan for the Year 2 internal EGRA, planned for October/November 2017.

The timing of the visit of Dr. Lynd and Mr. Boubkir coincided with the visit of Ms. Gaëlle Simon from Management Systems International (MSI). MSI (and IBTCI) holds the MECC contract for A!3 and is responsible for planning and leading the implementation of the external midline and endline assessments for A!1, to be conducted as EGRAs. STS is responsible for planning and leading, among other things, the A!1 monitoring EGRA in Years 2 and 4 of the project.

DISCLAIMER The author’s views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government.

In a series of meetings, Lynd, Boubkir, and Simon discussed several scenarios for conducting these EGRAs, and in the end, recommended the following: • That the 2015 EGRA be used as a baseline for all ensuing EGRAs on A!1 • That counterfactuals be established for the 2019 endline. Schools in sub-provinces falling outside of A!1’s intervention zones would be used on a matched-pair basis as counterfactuals for the A!1 endline. • That STS would conduct internal EGRAs for monitoring purposes in Oct-Dec 2017 and in 2018. Additionally, the 2017 EGRA would add subprovinces that had not been included in the 2015 EGRA baseline. • That MSI would conduct the endline EGRA in Oct-Dec 2019.

On the final day of their consultation, Lynd and Boubkir, along with Ms. Simon, presented three options, including the recommendation described above, to Natasha DeMarcken and her education team at USAID, including Joshua Kunin-Goldsmith and Sergio Ramirez-Mendez, Chemonics, Julie Columbo, Lothempo Vindtou, and John Stamm, USAID. Gaelle Simon; Elizabeth Cunnimgham, MECC (MSI and IBTCI, respectively). Following a detailed discussion of each option, DeMarcken and the team agreed that the one described above was preferable and asked for a memo summarizing the deliberations, decisions, and next steps, which was submitted on June 23rd.

Other comments:

1. The importance of decisions around EGRA design. The most important accomplishment of this consultancy was the design decisions taken by A!1, MECC, and USAID concerning the nature, purpose, and timing of the monitoring and impact evaluation EGRAs. These decisions will make it possible to begin planning the 2017 EGRA for A!1 and more broadly, to ensure coordination between A!1 and A!3 on the different EGRAs, samples, and data sets. 2. Additional achievements. As a team, Lynd, Boubkir, and STS employee Wilfred Mpwate prepared a work plan for Year 3 for activities in STS’ scope of work, including the following: • Coordination of Operations Research studies • Conduct of Teacher Motivation and Incentives Study • Conduct of 2017 EGRA • Conduct of Quarterly Assessments • Development of tools for teachers to diagnose and address psychosocial issues in the classroom 3. Theory of Change and Fidelity of Implementation. In consultation with Sonia Arias, Technical Director, A!1; Sergio Ramirez, COP, A!1 and Souleymane Kante,

DISCLAIMER The author’s views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government.

DCOP/Technical, A!1, Lynd developed a framework for understanding the theory of change for A!1 overall as a project. Based on these discussions, STS agreed to draft a concept note proposing a theory of change A!1 that could be tested using fidelity of implementation (FOI) measures. It was emphasized that FOI should not overburden A!1 M&E staff and should conform to their existing program of data collection and analysis to the extent possible. STS also agreed to draft a theory of change focused on the use of grants to alleviate the problem of school fees.

Next Steps and Recommendations:

1. Draft a memo summarizing decisions taken on EGRA design for monitoring and impact evaluation purposes 2. Begin preparing for the monitoring EGRA to be conducted Oct-Dec 2017 3. Draft theory of change and fidelity of implementation concept notes for the overall project and, more specifically, for the use of grants to alleviate the problem of school fees 4. Update the Operations Research Plan, incorporating suggestions from A!1 senior leadership 5. Revise the Quarterly Assessment plan to reflect decisions taken about grade levels to be tested and the timing of QA in government and CRS schools

DISCLAIMER The author’s views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government.

Annex A: Scope of Work

Position: Senior Advisor

Proposed Consultant Name: Mark Lynd

Estimated Level of Effort: 8 days

Estimated Dates: June 6th – June 16th , 2017

Assignment Location: Kinshasa, DRC

Objectives/trip purpose: The main objective of this trip is to contribute to Accelere! Activity 1 Year 3 planning sessions and to provide technical leadership in the following areas: • Operational Research Plan: Discuss with A!1 partners areas of improvement of the Plan in preparation for the updating of this Plan, which is due on August 31th , 2017; • Quarterly Assessments: Discuss the process of Quarterly Assessments and how to improve it; • EGRA/SSME: Lead discussions with A!1 partners and-- if necessary-- USAID, to finalize the overall design and plan for all EGRA assessments throughout the life of the project and approve the implementation plan for the Year 2 internal EGRA, planned for October/November 2017.

Tasks: Dr. Lynd will carry out the following specific tasks: • Meet with Accelere senior leadership;

• Participate and contribute in the Y3 Planning Sessions of the ACCELERE!1 project;

• With Senior Program Manager, lead discussions with all A!1 partners and Results Leads on the modifications to propose in the Operations Research Plan at the levels of studies to be conducted and overall management of the Ops Research component of the project;

• With the Senior Research and Assessment Manager, lead a feedback/discussion session with A1 partners. The purpose of the session is to review the QA process, the roles and responsibilities of the different partners, the MLs; and to come up with suggestions for improvement of this process in anticipation of the planned increase in the scope of the project’s activities during Year 3 (new Provinces, languages and grades);

DISCLAIMER The author’s views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government.

• With Senior Program Manager, work with the Director of M&E on identifying areas where STS could provide additional assistance to the project’s monitoring and evaluation efforts;

• Review existing EGRA materials and assist in developing the EGRA/SSME workplan;

• As STS Technical Lead on ACCELERE!1 project, review and approve STS activities plan for the next several months

Deliverables: • Trip Report • The implementation plan for the Year 2 internal EGRA • A list of areas of improvements for the Operations Research Plan

DISCLAIMER The author’s views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government.

Annex B: ACCELERE! Activity 1 EGRA Design Options of Internal (Monitoring) and External (Impact) Evaluations

Prepared by Gaëlle Simon, Mark Lynd, and Abdechafi Boubkir NB: This version was shared with USAID for the June 16 meeting.

TYPES AND USES OF EGRAs The characteristics of two types are identified here by purpose: monitoring and impact evaluation.

Impact Evaluation (IE): • Conducted by an external party (MECC) • Will use counterfactuals. MECC suggests including counterfactuals using the non-intervention schools included in the baseline. MECC will use a matching strategy, such as propensity score match, to determine the final selection of comparison schools, where needed. • Information used to report impact of A!1 (not monitoring) • Will be compared to baseline

ROLLOUT OPTIONS OF EGRAs The table below summarizes three options for the timing and type of data collection:

Table 1: Different EGRA Rollout Options

DISCLAIMER The author’s views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government.

Each option is described below:

WHAT EACH EGRA WILL MEASURE (with option B)

EGRA 2018 – A!1

EGRA 2019 - MECC

DISCLAIMER The author’s views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government.

Attachment: COMPARISON OF THE BASELINE SAMPLED SUB-PROVINCES AND A!1 TARGET SUB-PROVINCES

Of the 25 A!1 target sub-provinces listed in the table below3, the baseline includes 18 target sub-provinces and 123 intervention schools. In the 12 non-targeted sub-provinces included in the baseline, 107 non-interventions schools were sampled4 (See table below for more details).

This table summarizes the sample used for the baseline within A!1 intervention areas and the number of counterfactual schools.

3 A!1 is intervening in 26 sub-provinces. One intervention sub-province was recently divided into 2. This table will be updated to reflect that change. 4 The 2015 baseline sample included 10 schools in the Tshikapa sub-province which at the time was part of the province of Kasaï Occidental. Following the redistricting, Tshikapa became a sub-province of the Kasaï province and is thus excluded here from the intervention and non-intervention samples. DISCLAIMER The author’s views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government.

DISCLAIMER The author’s views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government.

ACCELERE! Activity I Trip Report

Contract no. AID-660-C-15-00001

Produced by: Fernanda Gandara, Research Team Representative Arrival Date: April 15th, 2017 Departure Date: April 28th, 2017

DISCLAIMER The author’s views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government.

Introduction:

Under a subcontract with Chemonics, STS’s Research Team Representative Dr. Maria Fernanda Gandara travelled to Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in the period of April 15-28 2017 to provide technical support to ACCELERE! Activity 1 and STS field staff in relation to the Quarterly Assessment (QA) activity. This is the trip report for this travel.

Trip Goal and Objective:

The objectives of this trip were:

• To lead the implementation of the pilot Quarterly Assessment in the provinces of Lualaba and Haut Katanga, including the training and monitoring of Mobilisateurs de Lecture (MLs)

• To support the School-to-School’s new hire, Willy Mpwate, with the challenges of the upcoming operational data collection of the QA.

Activities:

This was Ms. Gandara’s fourth trip to the A!I project. The main activities for the trip were related to the QA (a) pilot and (b) operational experiences. In particular, the main activities were the following: 1. Supervising and co-leading the training of local data collectors with regards to the tool (QA) 2. Selecting the final group of MLs 3. Leading the pilot of the tool (QA) 4. Analyzing the pilot data and come up with a final tool (QA) 5. Plan the upcoming operational data collection of the QA (May 2017) 6. Support Mr. Mpwate in his monitoring duties with regards to the operational data collection

Supervising the training of local data collectors with regards to the tool (QA) A first activity in this trip was to supervise and co-leading the training of A!1 Mobilisateurs de Lecture (ML) who are assigned by the project to collect QA data. The training took place the

DISCLAIMER The author’s views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government.

first week of the trip and was held together with FHI’s training on Fidelity of Implementation (FOI) and Coaching tools. The FOI and QA tools are administered together, so it was appropriate to train MLs at the same time, on both sets of instruments. The training of MLs took place in Lubumbashi and lasted 5 days, between April 17th, 2017 and April 21st, 2017. Specifically, the training on the QA tool took place April 19th, 20th, and 21st (piloting). See Appendix A for more details.

Supervising and co-leading the training meant on one hand, to prepare all the materials (the slideshows, the guides, the feedback forms) and on the other hand, to support Mr. Mpwate in the duties of delivering the content. As a supervisor Ms. Gandara kept track of time, made decisions as to which activities to prioritize, and intervened every time she had to clarify some concept around the tool or the data collection. In addition, Ms. Gandara regularly checked that Mr. Mpwate had all the information or materials he needed to succeed in his duty.

Last, Ms. Gandara gathered feedback from MLs, regarding both the tool and the training, to ensure that future efforts around the QA are fruitful and more effective (see Appendix B).

Selecting the final group of MLs

Ms. Gandara was also in charge of leading the selection of the final group of MLs after the training, based on a performance review. To that end and with the collaboration of Chemonics and STS staff, she determined criteria under which to evaluate the performance of MLs. Since the task consisted on selecting 50 out of 57 participants, it was easier to focus on the “least performing” MLs. Based on a rubric of 6 different criteria (1-punctuality, 2-regularity in performance, 3-their ability to manipulate the tablets, 4-other issues (for example, we had an ML who had sight problems), 5-efficacity in the field, and 6-their Swahili expertise) Ms. Gandara lead the selection of 8 MLs that were underperforming, and conducted a meeting with local staff to rank all these 8 MLs from best to worst. The final decision was to keep one among the 8 MLs and to leave the rest as “reserve”, with the priority given to the best ranked MLs.

Leading the pilot of the tool (QA)

The last day of the training (Friday 21st) consisted of piloting the QA and FOI tools in the field. MLs were assigned to 10 different schools selected based on location convenience. With regards to the QA, MLs were supposed to work in pairs in order to provide Inter Rater Reliability data, and were initially supposed to administer as many QAs as they could up to 10.

DISCLAIMER The author’s views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government.

Ms. Gandara lead the pilot process, by visiting the different sites, and by making decisions about how many QAs to administer based on the different conditions they faced at school. Ms. Gandara was also in charge of uploading the pilot tool to the corresponding tablets – the QA tool is administered using tablets – and revised the tool a number of times to ensure that MLs could capture all the information needed to make final decisions about the tool.

Analyzing the pilot data and come up with a final tool (QA)

As part of the piloting duties, Ms. Gandara oversaw the analysis the pilot data collected on April 21st. MLs were assigned one of two forms of the same assessment, and collected data on 190 and 220 administrations of each form respectively. Because some MLs had minor problems with some administrations, and because some children did not respond to several tasks, the final data set used to analyze pilot data was slightly smaller (150-167 for Form A, and 149-205 for form B, depending on the task). Ms. Gandara analyzed the data, computed item statistics, reliability analyses, and based on the length it took MLs to administer the whole battery, made decisions as to which tasks or items to keep and which ones to remove from the tool. Ms. Gandara finalized the tool and coordinated with STS staff to program the new tool in Tangerine.

Plan the upcoming operational data collection of the QA (May 2017)

After the tool was finalized, Ms. Gandara and STS HO colleagues programmed the tool in each of the MLs’ tablets, and together with Mr. Mpwate, they ensured that all MLs were familiar with the changes and with the new tool they had to use in the upcoming data collection. Ms. Gandara also supported local staff in generating the information needed to allocate each ML to a set of schools, to identify which schools corresponded to evaluation schools, and to reallocate MLs so that there was a balance in terms of tasks among them (for example, to ensure that all MLs had to go to at least one evaluation school).

Planning for the operational data collection meant, as well, assigning a pace to the data collection efforts so as to ensure that all data was collected before schools closed. Planning also comprised security and logistic aspects (e.g. to make sure that MLs and monitoring leads had enough telephone credit to communicate on a regular basis).

DISCLAIMER The author’s views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government.

Support Mr. Mpwate in the monitoring duties with regards to the operational data collection

Ms. Gandara left the country before the operational data collection began, and Mr. Mpwate and Ms. Jacqueline Mweze were in charge of monitoring the data collection especially in terms of pace, completion, and effectiveness of the MLs in the field. Ms. Gandara worked with Mr. Mpwate and Ms. Mweze to come up with a concrete monitoring plan, including documentation to monitor daily achievements of ML. Ms. Gandara also made sure to include FHI’s input and to make sure that Mr. Mpwate and Mrs. Mweze oversaw the monitoring of the FOI data collection.

Other activities:

During the trip, Ms. Gandara conducted discussions about the potential uses of the QA data, with the M&E lead Ms. Gamou Mbodj. In particular, Ms. Gandara proposed a rollout of the activity for the upcoming years and potential indicators that could be used consequently.

Ms. Gandara also helped coordinating the efforts of FHI 360, Chemonics, and STS in their shared goal of collecting data from schools.

Next Steps:

1. Analyze operational QA data 2. Support the production of the final QA report

DISCLAIMER The author’s views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government.

Appendices Appendix A. Training Agenda AGENDA (STS) PREMIER JOUR Temps Heure 1 Introduction 30 9:00 - 9:30 2 Le but et caractéristiques de l'évaluation trimestrielle 60 9:30 - 10:30 Break (15 min) 3 Utilisation de Tangerine 30 10:45 - 11:15 4 Administration de l'outil - TACHE 1 Explication 30 11:15 -11:45 Simulation pratique 45 11:45 -12:30 Déjeuner (1 heure) 5 Administration de l'outil - TACHE 2 Explication 30 13:30 - 14:00 Simulation pratique 45 14:00 -14:45 Break (15 min) 6 Administration de l'outil - TACHE 3 Explication 45 15:00 - 15:45 Simulation pratique 60 15:45-16:45 7 Débriefing de la journée 15 16:45 - 17:00 DEUXIEME JOUR Temps Heure 1 Quelques éclaircissements 30 9:00 - 9:30 2 Administration de l'outil - TACHE 4 Explication 30 9:30 - 10:00 Simulation pratique 45 10:00 - 10:45 Break (15 min) 3 Administration de l'outil - TACHE 5 Explication 30 11:00 - 11:30 Simulation pratique 45 11:30 - 12:15 4 Echantillon et sélection 30 12:15 - 12:45 Déjeuner (1 heure) 5 Le pilotage 90 13:45 - 15:15 6 Administration de l’outil complet 30 15:15 - 15:45 Break (15 min)

DISCLAIMER The author’s views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government.

7 Des questions finales sur les outils et son 60 16:00 - 17:00 administration, et sur le pilotage

Appendix B. Feedback

Feedback sur les évaluations trimestrielles Nom : ______Post nom : ______1. Est-ce que vous étiez à l’aise avec… ? Cerclez l’option qui corresponde.

Tâche 1: Noms et sons des lettres Très à l'aise Un peu à Pas du tout à Les instructions l'aise l'aise Très à l'aise Un peu à Pas du tout à La gestion du stimulus l'aise l'aise Très à l'aise Un peu à Pas du tout à L’administration de la tâche complète l'aise l'aise Tâche 2 – Décodage Très à l'aise Un peu à Pas du tout à Les instructions l'aise l'aise Très à l'aise Un peu à Pas du tout à La gestion du stimulus l'aise l'aise Très à l'aise Un peu à Pas du tout à L’administration de la tâche complète l'aise l'aise Tâche 3 – Identification des syllabes, toutes les sous-tâches Très à l'aise Un peu à Pas du tout à Les instructions l'aise l'aise Très à l'aise Un peu à Pas du tout à L’administration de la tâche complète l'aise l'aise Tâche 4 – Combinaison des syllabes Très à l'aise Un peu à Pas du tout à Les instructions l'aise l'aise Très à l'aise Un peu à Pas du tout à L’administration de la tâche complète l'aise l'aise Tâche 5– Vocabulaire Très à l'aise Un peu à Pas du tout à Les instructions l'aise l'aise Très à l'aise Un peu à Pas du tout à La gestion du stimulus l'aise l'aise

DISCLAIMER The author’s views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government.

Très à l'aise Un peu à Pas du tout à L’administration de la tâche complète l'aise l'aise

2. Quelle est votre préférence en regardant les instructions ? Cerclez une option : Que les instructions soient en Que les Que les instructions Français et vous traduit au instructions soient soient en Swahili sauf les moment de donner les en Swahili et vous commentaires pour les instructions aux enfants les-lisez MLs, qui peuvent être en Français

3. Quel aspect du processus était essentiel pour que vous puissiez faire un bon travail en administrant l’outil ?

4. Quel aspect vous a empêché de faire un meilleur travail en administrant l’outil ?

5. Dans votre avis, comment est-ce que l’évaluation peut être améliorée ?

Merci !

DISCLAIMER The author’s views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government.

FHI 360, ACCELERE! Activity 1 Trip Reports

Contract no. AID-660-C-15-00001

DISCLAIMER The author’s views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government.

ACCELERE! Activity I Trip Report

Contract no. AID-660-C-15-00001

Produced by: Maryvonne Denauw, Reading Specialist Arrival Date: May 4th, 2017 Departure Date: May 18th, 2017

DISCLAIMER The author’s views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government.

Trip Goal and Objective:

1. Guide and assist in the development of teacher guides and posters for the Grade 2 oral French and the updated Grade 1 oral French materials 2. Develop the scope and sequence for the French Grades 3 and 4 reading program 3. Guide and assist in the initial development of teacher guides, student materials, and posters for the French Grades 3 and 4 reading program 4. Contribute to the development of teacher and master trainer training on the reading program for Grades 1 and 2 oral French 5. Assist with other activities as directed by the Senior Education Advisor

Mme Denauw a travaillé à distance du 10 mars au 13 avril, pour une durée totale de 13 jours pour : • Aider à l’élaboration de la proposition de la méthode « adaptée » pour les élèves de 3ème et 4ème année en lecture en français. • Finaliser le scope and séquence de 3ème année. • Finaliser le lexique du guide des enseignants de 1ère année

Elle s’est ensuite rendue à Kinshasa du 4 mai 2017 au 18 mai 2017 inclus, pour fournir une assistance technique à l’équipe au niveau de la finalisation du développement des matériels « guide de l’enseignant » pour la stratégie de 3ème et 4ème année et en français pour le projet ACCELERE ! Activity1, sous la supervision de Nathalie Lounge, Technical Monitor et de Leila Bogoreh, Senior Education Advisor (SEA). Elle a travaillé, 13 jours pour :

À Kinshasa principalement avec 2 équipes dans le but • De réviser toutes les leçons de français 3ème année; • De participer aux discussions relatives à l’harmonisation des matériels des deux niveaux; • De rédiger l’introduction des deux guides; • De proposer une illustration pour la première couverture des guides et partager avec l’illustrateur pour faciliter l’ébauche.

DISCLAIMER The author’s views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government.

Activities:

DIFFICULTES SOLUTIONS Logistique Les bureaux vont déménager dans 2 mois Les équipes sont en surnombre dans Prévoir un bureau par langue les bureaux 1 imprimante pour 2 bureaux Pas d’internet Un internet pour chaque ainsi que quelques modems La photocopieuse est à l’étage Harmonisation dans le niveau 3ème Partage avec les équipes sur les corrections de forme et et entre les niveaux (3&4) de fond

Lien entre le texte et les outils de la Proposition d’activités qui permettent à l’élève de langue : inexistants rattacher ce qu’il apprend au texte et à la compréhension

Next Steps and Recommendations

STRATEGIE AN 3 – Lecture français La convergence Revisiter les sons-lettres connus en langue nationale pour la mise en place de la convergence vers le français Les formations au niveau Les attitudes de l’ens. face à l’inclusion pédagogique Les attitudes de l’ens. face à la remédiation

La maîtrise des contenus Proposer des formations de la maîtrise de l’enseignement du et en français comme langue d’enseignement. Les enseignants Les formations au niveau doivent maîtriser « les manières de formuler une question ou académique une réponse » - les phrases synonymes … Travail sur la langue et le renforcement de la maîtrise de la langue en situation. (jeux, saynètes) La formation des rédacteurs Comment écrire une histoire Comment utiliser un scope pour le fusionner aux leçons Comment adapter des activités spécifiques en lien avec le scope Formation d’approfondissement et Les attitudes pédagogiques renforcement Les routines La convergence L’équité La bonne gouvernance La pertinence des questions

DISCLAIMER The author’s views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government.

L’évaluation formative et la rétroaction immédiate (réponse correcte, incorrecte, partielle, non réponse) Les félicitations et les encouragements : oui mais comment ?

DISCLAIMER The author’s views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government.

ACCELERE! Activity I Trip Report

Contract no. AID-660-C-15-00001

Produced by: Nathalie Louge, Education Technical Advisor Arrival Date: June 5th, 2017 Departure Date June: 21st, 2017 Attachments: Annexes

DISCLAIMER The author’s views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government.

Trip Goal and Objective:

During this trip, I participated in the Year 3 workplanning workshop with ACCELERE! Activity1 partners, MEPS-INC, USAID, and other education stakeholders. In addition to this, I assisted the R2 team in finalizing the master trainer and teacher trainings for the national language reading program and oral French program for Grades 1 & 2, CRS 1 and the program for Grades 3 and 4 French reading. I was not able to accomplish the development of a scope and sequence for Grades 1 to 4 for all national languages and French because the local team was occupied in preparing for the training and beginning the TOT for the trainings this summer. Therefore, this scope and sequence task will begin in mid-August when the trainings are completed. Finally, I was not able to assist in compiling lessons learned for the community reading and Orange pilot because the pilots have only begun. I did assist in tasks to ensure a smooth start-up and I will assist in compiling lessons learned for scale-up once the pilots are over in August 2017.

Activities:

Planned Tasks Comments Participate in Year 3 Workplan workshops A Gantt-chart outlining all planned activities and meeting to share Year 2 planning will be shared with Chemonics by the June schedule and priorities with MEPS-INC, 30th deadline to serve as a basis for the USAID, and other education stakeholders provincial year 3 activity planning. Assist the R2 team in finalizing the master This task was shared with Suzanne Simard’s trainer and teacher trainings for the national SOW. Ms. Simard reviewed and finalized the language reading program and oral French teacher training modules, and I reviewed and program for Grades 1 & 2 and the program finalized the TOT training modules (see for Grades 3 and 4 French reading attached training modules). Assist the R2 team developing a scope and This was not completed but will be started in sequence for Grades 1 to 4 for all national August. languages and French, as per USAID’s request in their recommendations provided in April 2017 Assist the R2 team in compiling lessons This was not completed due to the pilots learned from the community reading pilot only starting in June. I did assist in starting up and Orange pilot the pilots but will help compiled lessons learned in August.

Issues & Recommendations:

DISCLAIMER The author’s views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government.

Roles and responsibilities: during the work planning meeting, it was found very helpful to map out the roles and responsibilities of different field actors. While this was started during the work planning, it needs to be finalized and widely shared with all project actors. This will enable everyone to visualize how these actors interact with different beneficiaries to the project and how they are to coordinate with each other to accomplish certain activities. A draft of these roles and responsibilities is included in the annexed files to this report.

Next Steps:

Next training cycle. For the December trainings, it is recommended that planning for these trainings in multiple sites starts as early as September. Terms of reference and printing needs for the trainings should be sent by September 30th, 2017 to Chemonics operations team for the December trainings. Responsible parties: Professional development advisor (Erik Kabitswa)

Materials development process for Year 3. During this trip, a detailed process map was developed to ensure a smooth materials development process that accounts for lessons learned, proper piloting of existing materials in classrooms, and built-in time for revisions by FHI360’s quality assurance team. The materials development process for Year 3 will officially begin August 21st, 2017 after the Inspector/director training. It will follow the attached process map for materials development. Responsible parties: Reading Advisor, Aliou Seck (Lead) and Nathalie Louge (technical support)

Hiring MLs in all new regions. The on-time implementation of many of the planned Year 3 activities depends on the hiring of MLs by August 2nd, 2017. This is to take advantage of the Inspector/School director training so MLs can be simultaneously trained on the various reading program materials being launched in school year 2017/18. It is imperative they are trained on this before they are trained on the fidelity of implementation tracking, coaching, quarterly assessments, and the community reading activities in early October. Hiring them later will require ACCELERE! Activity I staff to schedule a completely different training to onboard the MLs. Therefore, recruitment for MLs in Kasaii central, Kasaii Oriental, Equateur, and Sud Ubangi should be launched by June 30th , 2017 and all MLs need to be hired (at least on provisional consultancy agreements by) August 2nd , 2017. Responsible parties: HR and PTLs

Community reading pilot: To ensure effective piloting of the community reading pilot, it is essential that book banks for the 15 communities be procured and distributed by June 30th, 2017.

DISCLAIMER The author’s views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government.

Responsible parties: Procurement in Lubumbashi and Hortense Bulungu (for follow- up of activities).

Orange reading pilot: To ensure effective piloting of the Orange pilot, it is essential that phones for the 200 teachers and ~20 community reading champions (CCLs) be distributed by June 30th, 2017. The ICT in education R2 hire (Serge Tsimba) should be deeply involved in following up on the use of Orange M-tew in collaboration with Chemonics IT (Hommel Kabeya) and Hortense Bulungu. Responsible parties: Operations in Lubumbashi (for distribution) and ICT in education R2 hire (Serge Tsimba), Chemonics IT (Hommel Kabeya) and Hortense Bulungu (for follow-up of activities).

Development of a training plan. During the work planning meeting, the R2 team decided it was necessary to develop a training plan specifying the various training activities scheduled from now through the end of the project. The purpose of the plan is to give a global view of all training activities to be expected for smoother planning. This plan will be shared with other partners to maximize opportunities for coordinated training efforts. This plan will include everyone from teachers to community reading champions to R2 staff to ALs to MLs. A draft plan is to be developed by September 15th , 2017. Responsible parties: Professional Development Advisor (Eric Kabitswa), Alex Kabeya (R2 lead), and Aliou Seck (Leads) and Nathalie Louge (technical support)

DISCLAIMER The author’s views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government.

ANNEXE 1. Les rôles et responsabilités des acteurs du terrain ACCELERE! Activity 1

Acteur MEPSP ou Lieu Rôle/responsabilités Niveau de Projet soutien Inspecteur MEPSP Capital • Mène les formations des inspecteurs itinérants et directeurs d’écoles Soutiens provincial chargé provincial • Participe à la revue des données du projet provincial de la formation et • Participe dans la revue du projet et dans la gestion adaptive management du projet inspecteurs de pool Conseillers MEPSP Capital • Mène les formations et offrir du soutien technique aux directeurs d’écoles Soutiens pédagogiques Écoles provincial • Participe à la revue des données du projet provincial conventionnées Lead du résultat 2 Projet Capital • Mène les formations des inspecteurs itinérants et directeurs d’écoles Soutiens provincial provincial • Offrir du soutien technique aux inspecteurs et les directeurs d’écoles provincial • Participe à la revue des données du projet • Participe dans la revue du projet et dans la gestion adaptive management du projet • Fait la liaison entre les acteurs MEPSP Provincial et le projet ACCELERE! Activty I Inspecteurs MEPSP Province • Mène les formations des directeurs d’écoles 25-80 écoles itinérants • Mène la supervision d’enseignement (dépends du • Offre un soutien technique aux directeurs d’écoles et aux enseignants nombre d’inspecteurs) Mobilisateurs de Projet Province • Fait la liaison entre les écoles et le projet ACCELERE! Activty I En moyenne lecture (MLs) • Appui le projet ACCELERE! Activty I dans la mise en œuvre les formations face à 6-10 écoles face (soutiens techniques et logistique) • Appui les accompagnateurs de lecture dans leurs activités d’accompagnement. • Communique avec l’inspecteur de leurs écoles pour échanger sur les besoins en d’accompagnement spécifiques aux cours de lecture. • Forme et appui les champions communautaires de lecture.

DISCLAIMER The author’s views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government.

• Visite chaque école de sa zone au moins une fois par trimestre afin de mener une collecte des données sur l’accompagnement, la fidélité de mis en œuvre et de mener des évaluations trimestrielles des élèves en lecture. • Fait la liaison avec le ML pour assurer la coordination entre l’école et la communauté. Accompagnateurs MEPSP École • Joue le rôle de l’accompagnateur de lecture (AL) pour observer les enseignants et 1 école de lecture/ conduit les entretiens post-observation tous les 10 jours Directeurs (ALs) • Joue le rôle du chef de la Cellule (peut être représenté par le coordinateur de réseau élu par les enseignants) • Fait la collecte des données de l’école sur l’utilisation des matériels et du programme de lecture par les enseignants. Coordinateur of MEPSP École • Organise des réunions hebdomadaires au niveau unité pédagogique/cellule de base 1 école Cellule de base • Si le coordinateur n’est pas le directeur d’école, faire la liaison avec le directeur d’école toutes les semaines pour identifier les besoins basés sur les observations et pour les mettre à jour sur les forums d’échange. • Compléter le suivi des activités de forum d’échange.

Coordinateur of MEPSP Réseau • Organise des réunions mensuelles en REP 2 à 5 écoles the Réseau d’école • Faire la liaison avec les directeurs d’écoles pour identifier les besoins et les succès environnantes d’École de à être partagés. Proximité (REP) • Complete les fiches pour le suivi des activités de forum d’échange du projet . Enseignants MEPSP Classe • Participer activement en forum d’échange hebdomadaire. 1 ou plus • Participe aux entretiens post-observation du ALs niveau dans • Réfléchir sur leur pratique de classe et cherche à améliorer les compétences en une classe lecture de leurs élèves. Champions Communauté Communauté • Choisit par l’Assemble des parents. 1 école et sa communautaires école • Fait la liaison entre l’école et la communauté de l’école communauté de lecture • Mène des clubs de lecture hebdomadaire pour les élèves de 1e a la 4e A avec (volontaires l’appui des membres de famille volontaire.

DISCLAIMER The author’s views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government.

sélectionnés par • Conduit des séances mensuelles de sensibilisation avec les parents pour leurs la communauté) montrer comment ils peuvent soutenir leurs enfants en lecture à la maison et de les encourager à surmonter les défis pour soutenir leurs enfants en lecture. • Coordonner à la fin de l’année un festival de lecture où les élevés présentent leurs compétences de lecture et productions écrites aux membres de la communauté. • Coordonner avec les COGES, COPA, Mobilisateurs de Lecture, et MobiCom pour soutenir les écoles dans les activités de lecture. Mobilisateurs Communauté Communauté • Appui la communauté scolaire dans la mise en place d’un COPA et COGES En moyenne Communautaire école fonctionnel. 6-10 écoles (Mobicom) • Soutiens les COPAs et COGES dans l’élaboration d’un plan d’amélioration de (les mêmes l’école. zones que les • Appui la communauté dans leurs évaluations de l’école (school report card). MLs) • Fait la liaison avec le ML pour assurer la coordination entre l’école et la communauté.

DISCLAIMER The author’s views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government.

PROCESS MAP DE LA PRODUCTION DES LIVRES

Identification des livrables (workplan)

Pré-rédaction (Instrumentalisation des langues, plans de séquence, unités martyres et testing des unités martyre) R2 et Ministère de l EPSP

Validation des documents de base

Activités spécifiques: 1. Rédaction des matériels 2. Révision au fur et à Développement des Révision/ Intégration mesure par FHI360 guides, livrets et des commentaires 3. Testing de chaque cahiers + Testing R2 et Ministère chapitre 4. Intégration des modifications suite au testing

5. Mise en page continue 6. Spécification Validation technique pour Ministère de l EPSP et procurement USAID: 7. Relecture finale

DISCLAIMER The author’s views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government.

PROCESS MAP DE LA FORMATION DES ENSEIGNANTS (préparation du terrain)

Elaboration TDR et lettre d’autorisation pour signature du IG et SG R2

Identifier et /ou contacter les autorités provinciales

Séance d’orientation avec les autorités provinciales*

Etablir la liste des Identification des Identification des participants par formation: sites de formation formateurs • inspecteurs/directeurs/conse PTL provinciaux illers pédagogiques • enseignants M&E et PTL

Etablir et envoyer les • invitations des La lettre doit être signée par les autorités provinciales participants par pour les participants formation : dans les provinces • inspecteurs/directeurs/conseillers (formateurs provinciaux, pédagogiques inspecteurs/directeurs/co • enseignants nseillers pédagogiques, PTL t R2 t EPSP i enseignants. • La lettre doit être signée par les autorités centrales Formation des formateurs pour les participants de de l’équipe nationale l’équipe nationale qui R2 viennent de l’EPSP. NB. Pour toutes formations et séances Formations en cascade: d’orientation, envoyer • Formation formateurs provinciaux le rapport aux • inspecteurs/directeurs/conseillers autorités provinciales pédagogiques avisées au début du • enseignants processus DISCLAIMER R2 et EPSP The author’s views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government.

ACCELERE! Activity I Trip Report

Contract no. AID-660-C-15-00001

Produced by: Suzanne Simard, Consultant Arrival Date: May 21st, 2017 Departure Date: June 8th, 2017

NOTE: Templates, revised units of the Guide, Livret and Cahier were sent to the Senior Education Advisor, Technical Advisor, the R2 Team Leader and team leaders. Training guides and PPTs were sent to the Senior Education Advisor, the Training Director and team leaders.

DISCLAIMER The author’s views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government.

Trip Goal and Objective:

Support the ACCELERE! Activity 1 (A!1) formal and accelerated learning program (ALP) materials development and training teams in developing and revising Instructional and learner materials reading program in Swahili, Ciluba, Lingala and oral French, specifically: a. Conduct training of new technical staff b. Draft training plan and materials for Grades 1 and 2 teachers (and trainers) c. Draft training plan and materials for Level 1educators (and trainers)

Activities:

Planned Tasks Comments Conduct training of new technical staff Conducted June 5th and 6th, 2017. All technical staff attended (participant list available upon request) Draft training plan and materials for Grades 1 Drafted Swahili, Ciluba and Lingala Grades 1 and 2 teachers (and trainers) and 2 training guides and hand outs and sent to team leaders for page numbers before compiling final version. Reviewed Grades 3 and 4 French teacher guides and sent back to team leader Draft training plan and materials for Level Drafted Swahili, Ciluba and Lingala ALP Level 1educators (and trainers) 1 training guides and hand outs and sent to ALP team leader for page numbers before compiling final version

Issues & Recommendations:

• Upon arrival in Kinshasa, the needs of the project did not correspond to the SOW. It was agreed with the Technical Advisor and the R2 Team Leader to focus the consultancy work on the deliverables outlined in the SOW as well as needed Technical Support as follows: a. Support the formal Swahili team in planning and drafting Grade 2 b. Support all three Congolese language teams (formal program) in developing a cahier that supports reading and writing learning through a home school partnership. c. Support the Lingala and Ciluba teams in adapting Swahili ALP materials for Level 1

DISCLAIMER The author’s views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government.

Next Steps:

• For a more effective production of Grades 3 and 4/ALP Level 2, it is recommended to plan Scope and Sequences that are linked between the formal and non-formal program to facilitate material development, adaptation and production. Also it is crucial to incorporate in the Scope and Sequence, in order to bridge strategies (for teacher and students) between Congolese languages and French. Additionally, templates for each material and its variation from formal to non-formal, and for different Congolese languages should be developed before production begins to avoid re-writes.

• All material development team members would benefit from a training in writing text for children. During the consultancy, many texts had to be re-written several times as writers don’t have a firm grasp of how to develop story lines, develop characters, include CVCs, incorporate new vocabulary and structures, develop coherent and clear non-fiction text with main ideas, etc. Such a training is crucial before the beginning of production of formal Grades 3 and 4/ALP Level 2 materials as it will improve material development through more effective production and higher quality texts.

DISCLAIMER The author’s views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government.