Government of Nepal, Ministry of Education, Science and Technology Ass istance to Basic Education: All Children Reading (ABE-ACR) USAID’s Early Grade Reading Program (EGRP) in Nepal Final Progress Report, Years 1–5: March 2015–October 2020 VOLUME 1 OF 3: NARRATIVE REPORT REVISED October 30, 2020 This publication was prepared for review by the United States Agency for International Development. It was prepared by RTI International. Assistance to Basic Education– All Children Reading (ABE-ACR) USAID’s Early Grade Reading Program (EGRP) in Nepal Final Progress Report, Years 1–5: March 2015–October 2020 VOLUME 1 OF 3: NARRATIVE REPORT Contract No. AID-367-TO-15-00002 Prepared for Shannon Taylor Director, Education Development Office United States Agency for International Development/Nepal GPO Box No. 295 U.S. Embassy, Maharajgunj Kathmandu, Nepal Prepared by RTI International P.O. Box 12194 Research Triangle Park, NC 27709-2194 Telephone: 919-541-6000 http://www.rti.org/ The authors’ views expressed in this report do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government. Cover photo: Early grade students going home after a productive day at school, Kanchanpur. Photo credit: Merit Maharjan. Table of Contents Page List of Figures ............................................................................................................. v List of Tables ............................................................................................................ vii List of Abbreviations ................................................................................................. viii 1 Project Summary Information .......................................................................... 1 2 Executive Summary ......................................................................................... 1 3 Overview of the Country Context ..................................................................... 6 4 Program Overview ........................................................................................... 8 5 Results and Impact ........................................................................................ 10 5.1 Impact Evaluation Findings ................................................................. 10 5.2 Performance Evaluation Findings ....................................................... 18 5.3 Summary of Research Studies ........................................................... 21 5.4 Status of Deliverables ......................................................................... 23 5.5 Monitoring of Outputs.......................................................................... 25 6 Major Activities and Achievements ................................................................ 33 6.1 IR 1: Improved Early Grade Reading Instruction ................................ 33 6.1.1 Sub-IR 1.1 Evidence-based EGR instructional materials designed, distributed, and in use .............................................. 34 6.1.2 Sub-IR 1.2 In-service professional development for teachers in public schools on reading instruction and the use of the materials provided ................................................... 43 6.1.3 Sub-IR 1.3 Monitoring and coaching for teachers in early grade reading instruction provided ........................................... 49 6.1.4 Sub-IR 1.4 Classroom-based and district-based early grade reading assessment processes improved ...................... 52 6.2 IR 2: Improved National and District Early Grade Reading Service Delivery ............................................................................................... 57 6.2.1 Sub-IR 2.1 Early grade reading data collection and analysis systems improved ...................................................... 57 6.2.2 Sub-IR 2.2 Policies, standards, and benchmarks that support improved early grade reading instruction institutionalized......................................................................... 60 6.2.3 Sub-IR 2.3 Planning and management of financial, material, and human resources devoted to early grade reading improved ..................................................................... 62 EGRP in Nepal, Final Progress Report, March 2015–October 2020 iii 6.2.4 Sub-IR 2.4 National standards for early grade reading improvement adopted and geographically expanded ............... 72 6.3 IR 3: Increased Family and Community Support for Early Grade Reading .............................................................................................. 74 6.3.1 Sub-IR 3.1 Community awareness of the importance of early grade reading and language for reading instruction as appropriate increased .............................................................. 74 6.3.2 Sub-IR 3.2 Family engagement to support reading increased ................................................................................. 85 6.3.3 Sub-IR 3.3 PTA/SMC ability to contribute to quality reading instruction increased ................................................................ 89 6.3.4 Sub-IR 3.4 Parent and community capacity to monitor reading progress increased ...................................................... 94 6.4 Monitoring and Evaluation .................................................................. 95 6.4.1 Sub-IR 4.1 Develop and implement an internal M&E system for regular program monitoring .................................... 96 6.4.2 Sub-IR 4.2 Conduct EGRA/EMES Assessment ..................... 100 6.4.3 Sub-IR 4.3 Update PMP and Capture Data for PMP Indicators ............................................................................... 102 6.4.4 Sub-IR 4.4 M&E Capacity Building of EGRP staff .................. 106 6.5 Systems Strengthening and Sustainability ........................................ 107 6.6 Gender Equality and Social Inclusion ............................................... 115 6.7 Management and Administration ...................................................... 118 7 Challenges and Solutions ............................................................................ 130 8 Lessons Learned and Recommendations ................................................... 133 9 Funds Obligated and Dispersed .................................................................. 137 10 Summary of Grant Implementation and Appraisal ....................................... 138 11 Conclusions ................................................................................................. 141 iv EGRP in Nepal, Final Progress Report, March 2015–October 2020 List of Figures Figure 1: EGRP by the numbers .......................................................................... 2 Figure 2: Cohort-wise rollout of interventions and assessment phases ............. 11 Figure 3: Program impacts in grades 1–3 at midline: Students with Nepali as L1, and L2 ...................................................................................... 13 Figure 4: Summary of key endline findings ........................................................ 14 Figure 5: Endline results: Average oral reading fluency, non-Nepali versus Nepali speakers, Cohorts 1 and 2 combined, by grade ...................... 16 Figure 6: Learners categorized by proficiency levels at endline, by cohort and grade ............................................................................................ 17 Figure 7: Recommendations from the follow-up performance evaluation of EGRP .................................................................................................. 20 Figure 8: EGRP results framework .................................................................... 33 Figure 9: IR 1 activity flow .................................................................................. 34 Figure 10: EGRP support to GON to institutionalize EGR-related assessments ....................................................................................... 53 Figure 11: Steps followed for developing student literacy benchmarks ................ 60 Figure 12: Process for revising NEGRP core document ...................................... 63 Figure 13: Categories of participants in the LEU capacity-development workshops (N=6,290 ) ......................................................................... 67 Figure 14: Numbers of participants at sessions to disseminate EGRA midline results ................................................................................................. 72 Figure 15: Numbers of district participants in reading festival/Reading Day celebrations, by sex ............................................................................ 85 Figure 16: Participation in local reading materials development, by ethnic group................................................................................................... 88 Figure 17: Monitoring or verification mechanisms to ensure quality in SMC grant documentation ........................................................................... 91 Figure 18: Number of schools selecting different uses for their SMC grants in Cohort 1 districts (N = 440) ................................................................. 92 Figure 19: Number of schools selecting various uses for their SMC grants in Cohort 2 districts (N = 1,060) .............................................................. 92 Figure 20: Participants in annual SIP review workshops, by organization type (N = 121,713) .....................................................................................