USAID CBJ FY 2002: Jamaica

Summary: Jamaica's education system continues to struggle from the effects of economic stagnation and fiscal constraints of recent years. This has led to the compounding of systemic problems such as overcrowding, lack of teaching materials and equipment, and a large number of "untrained" teachers (i.e., teachers who complete secondary school but do not obtain a teaching diploma). These systemic weaknesses are reflected in poor attendance (although access to education is universal) and poor performance on standardized tests. Approximately 50% of students in fourth grade do not meet the minimum standards of reading competency. Scores in fourth grade mathematics are equally poor, and performance in both areas continues to decline through sixth grade. In addition, approximately 80,000 adolescents are not in school and are at risk of dropping out of school. Approximately 10,000 adolescents aged 10-14 years are not enrolled in school and 4,000 10-18 year-olds drop out of school each year.

The overall purpose of this objective is to improve the numeracy and literacy skills of targeted youth (6 -14 years of age) through formal, school-based interventions as well as through the non-formal, non-governmental organizations (NGO) based interventions targeting "at-risk" youth. The following results are expected to lead to positive changes in literacy and numeracy: improved quality of teaching; increased school attendance; improved management of schools; and improved NGO delivery of literacy programs.

To address systemic weaknesses of the primary school system and improve the performance of children in mathematics and reading, USAID's program provides integrated packages of interventions directed at primary schools serving children in low-income communities throughout the island. These interventions are customized to meet the specific needs of each of the 72 target schools. They include provision of teaching and learning materials for mathematics and reading; governance and leadership training for school principals and school boards; introduction of improved educational technology; in-service and pre-service teacher training; nutritional support to poor students; and parenting education and training. To address the needs of the 80,000 adolescents who have dropped out and are at risk of dropping out of school, USAID works with local NGOs to provide remedial education and training to reinstate these youth in school and to improve their social and job skills and reproductive health.

The two major ongoing activities are: The New Horizons for Primary Schools Activity (NHA) and The Uplifting Adolescent Project II (UAP II). An additional, discrete activity, Improving Educational Quality (IEQ) II activity, supports interventions to revise the teacher training college curricula to better prepare teachers to deliver the national primary school curriculum.

Key Results: Achievement is based on the improvement of students' scores on standardized language and mathematics tests (grade three and grade six). The percentage of children reaching near mastery (50% correct on standardized tests) continues to increase for all grade six students. The performance of grade six girls in language arts was 47% in 1999 increasing to 64% in 2000; while for boys it was 20% (1999) and 35% (2000). There was also significant improvement in math scores: 24% (1999) rising to 41% (2000) for girls; and 9.9% (1999) to 25% (2000) for boys. These grade six outcomes exceeded expectations.

Performance and Prospects: Success in mathematics and language art scores can be largely attributed to the new integrated approach used by NHA numeracy and literacy specialists. This approach utilizes several integrated interventions designed to address in-service training of approximately 800 classroom teachers, including teaching principals and 156 resource teachers in 72 schools. Five major student-centered approaches are: clinical supervisory; demonstration teaching; utilization of teacher portfolios; inter and intra-school classroom observation; and sharing best practices. Under the Improving Education Quality activity, the primary curriculum has been revised for teachers colleges and will be reviewed in the near future. This curriculum will then be implemented in colleges during 2001-02, with additional training provided for tutors.

In an attempt to increase school attendance of NHA schools, there was an increase in the percentage of teachers using incentive strategies from 50% to 70%. Strategies included special attendance awards given to classes and grades at the end the school term, and special learning activities such as video presentations and learning games. To persuade the entire community on the importance of raising educational standards, NHA initiated a Parent Education and Training Program to assist in establishing study circles, and workshops; and to increase parent involvement in schools.

School management, as measured by the existence and implementation of school development plans, has been strengthened through assistance under the NHA. All NHA schools now have plans in place. Efforts will now be directed to strengthen the quality of those plans while measuring the extent of implementation (revised indicators will be developed). In addition, governance and leadership training modules have been developed, administrative computer suites installed, and the percentage of principals using computers increased. With the installation of customized software, principals and staff will receive further training that will enhance school management during 2002.

Last year the UAP provided technical assistance and training to NGOs to improve managerial capabilities and expand programs in remedial literacy and numeracy, social skills, reproductive health/HIV/AIDS activities, and pre-vocational training to "at-risk" youth (10-14 years old). The number of NGO sites achieving the literacy teaching standard for "at-risk" youth has improved markedly. The standard includes student test scores, teacher qualification, use of Jamaica Movement for Adult Literacy (JAMAL) materials, use of JAMAL/UAP methodology, and student/teacher ratio.

The FY 2001 CSD funds will be used for quality of teaching, school attendance, and management of schools components ($1,944,000), and for the NGO delivery of literacy programs component ($925,000). The FY 2001 DA funds will be used for reproductive health activities under the NGO delivery of literacy programs component ($100,000). The FY 2002 CSD funds will be used for quality of teaching, school attendance, and management of schools ($2,803,000), and for NGO delivery of literacy programs ($875,000).

Possible Adjustments to Plans: The indicator "school management plans designed and implemented" will be revised. In addition, a model Early Childhood Development pilot program will be added.

Other Donor Programs: The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) is providing a major education sector loan ($31.5 million) to improve primary education under a new Primary Education Support Project (2000-2005). Areas of focus include the quality of teaching, institutional strengthening, and improving school infrastructure. It is hoped that the IDB will continue to work to revise the teacher training college curricula in the other six courses, since USAID through the IEQ/Jamaica project is addressing four. In addition, UNICEF is engaged in early childhood education, and the World Bank in secondary education.

Principal Contractors, Grantees or Agencies: U.S. partners include Juárez and Associates Incorporated. Non-U.S. partners include Peoples Action for Community Transformation (a local umbrella NGO), the Ministry of Education and Culture, and local NGOs.

Jamaica 532-004

U.S. Financing

(In thousands of dollars)

	Obligations		Expenditures		Unliquidated
Through September 30, 1999	17,247	DA	16,520	DA	727	DA
	4,314	CSD	2,411	CSD	1,903	CSD
	0	ESF	0	ESF	0	ESF
	0	SEED	0	SEED	0	SEED
	0	FSA	0	FSA	0	FSA
	0	DFA	0	DFA	0	DFA
Fiscal Year 2000	749	DA	317	DA
	2,982	CSD	2,422	CSD
	0	ESF	0	ESF
	0	SEED	0	SEED
	0	FSA	0	FSA
	0	DFA	0	DFA
Through September 30, 2000	17,996	DA	16,837	DA	1,159	DA
	7,296	CSD	4,833	CSD	2,463	CSD
	0	ESF	0	ESF	0	ESF
	0	SEED	0	SEED	0	SEED
	0	FSA	0	FSA	0	FSA
	0	DFA	0	DFA	0	DFA
Prior Year Unobligated Funds*	0	DA
	0	CSD
	0	ESF
	0	SEED
	0	FSA
	0	DFA
Planned Fiscal Year 2001 NOA	100	DA
	2,869	CSD
	0	ESF
	0	SEED
	0	FSA
	0	DFA
Total Planned Fiscal Year 2001	100	DA
	2,869	CSD
	0	ESF
	0	SEED
	0	FSA
	0	DFA
			Future Obligations		Est. Total Cost
Proposed Fiscal Year 2002 NOA	0	DA	431	DA	18,527	DA
	3,678	CSD	4,191	CSD	18,034	CSD
	0	ESF	0	ESF	0	ESF
	0	SEED	0	SEED	0	SEED
	0	FSA	0	FSA	0	FSA
	0	DFA	0	DFA	0	DFA

Jamaica

Activity Data Sheet

Jamaica 532-004

U.S. Financing