Interethnic Integration in Education Project

QUARTERLY PROGRAM PERFORMANCE REPORT No. 13

January 1, 2015 – March 31, 2015

Students from PS Mirche Acev and PS Bajram Shabani on a joint outing

Submitted by: Macedonian Civic Education Center (MCEC) under Cooperative Agreement No. AID-165-A-12-00002

USAID Interethnic Integration in Education Project QUARTERLY REPORT #13, January 2015 – March 2015

TABLE OF CONTENTS Page

1. Background 3

2. Progress Towards Objectives 4

3. Crosscutting Activities 7

4. Project Activities 11

4.1. Community Outreach 11

4.2. Capacity Building of School Management and Teachers 15

4.3. Demonstration Schools 24

4.4. Providing Incentives to Schools and Communities 31

5. Lessons learned 37

6. Activities to Increase Participation of People with Disabilities (PWDs) 38

7. Activities in the next reporting period 39

8. List of appendices 41

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USAID Interethnic Integration in Education Project QUARTERLY REPORT #13, January 2015 – March 2015

MACEDONIAN CIVIC EDUCATION CENTER (MCEC) USAID INTERETHNIC INTEGRATION IN EDUCATION PROJECT (IIEP)

QUARTERLY PROGRAM PERFORMANCE REPORT No. 13

Cooperative Agreement No: AID-165-A-12-00002 Progress Report No: 13 Reporting Period: January 1, 2015 – March 31, 2015

1. BACKGROUND

On December 2, 2011, the Macedonian Civic Education Center (MCEC) signed the Cooperative Agreement with USAID agreeing to provide support to USAID’s Interethnic Integration in Education Project (IIEP).

IIEP is a four-year, USD 5.2 million initiative targeting all primary and secondary schools in . The main objective of IIEP is to build awareness and provide diversity training, technical assistance, and incentives to school boards, directors, teachers, and administration officials in support of interethnic integration in education. It will build broad public understanding on the benefits for all citizens as a result from integrating Macedonia’s education system. IIEP will also create the political, social and economic environment need for Macedonia to achieve sustained interethnic integration in schools, in other educational institutions and eventually all of society. Complementing this, the project team will strengthen the capacity of school staff, students and parents to address issues of diversity and equity in their schools and communities.

Project’s approach is comprised of four mutually-supporting and inter-related components.

1. Community Outreach; 2. Capacity Building of School Management and Teachers; 3. Demonstration Schools; and 4. Providing Incentives to Schools and Communities.

Students, parents, teachers, administrators and school board members in all primary and secondary schools across Macedonia will be the primary focus of project activities. Additionally, BDE advisors and education inspectors at national and regional level will also be central to achieving sustained change and will actively participate in capacity strengthening activities. Achieving success also demands that IIEP actively engages stakeholders in schools, communities and local governments in the integrated mix of project activities.

MCEC is implementing IIEP on behalf of USAID in partnership with educational institutions in Macedonia (Bureau for Development of Education, National Examination Center, State Education Inspectorate, Vocational Education and Training Center) and local NGOs (Center for Human Rights and Conflict Resolution, Loja, Sumnal, Multimedia, My Career, Macedonian Institute for Media and Youth Education Forum).

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USAID Interethnic Integration in Education Project QUARTERLY REPORT #13, January 2015 – March 2015

2. PROGRESS TOWARDS OBJECTIVES

During the reporting period the following was accomplished:

Crosscutting Activities: . IIEP Work Plan for 2015 activities prepared and approved by U