Evaluation of the Global Education Project in CARK Countries (Central Asian Republics and Kazakhstan)

Detailed description of project Back

The Global Education (GE) Project was planned by the Faculty of Education, University of Plymouth, England, for the UNICEF CARK (Central Asian Republics and Kazakhstan) Area Office as a 78-month project. At the planning phase it involved five countries – Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan – but it took off in 2003 in the first four countries only. The GE project has been actually piloted in a limited number of experimental schools in Kazakhstan (20 schools), Uzbekistan (51 schools), Kyrgyzstan (20 schools), and Tajikistan (15 schools). A limited number of education staff (teachers, principals, inspectors, administrators, etc.) also received GE training.

The GE concept aims (i) to conceptualize and create a global curriculum which develops the capability of reflecting on the world in its dynamic globalization; and (ii) to develop the teachers’ capability to learn and teach through an interactive and participatory learning process which itself mirrors in microcosm an ever-developing and ever-changing world. After three years of piloting the GE Project, a mid-course (formative) evaluation of the GE Project has been called for. The main objectives of the formative evaluation are:

• To assess the potential of the project to be replicated and scaled up within concerned countries with the view of documenting and disseminating the best practices piloted in the project, in order to contribute meaningfully to the Education Sector Reform underway in these countries (including an assessment of the sustainability of the project, the degree of ownership by concerned governments and other stakeholders, and an assessment of the actual possibilities for the “best practices” experimented through the GE initiative to be mainstreamed in the education policies, strategies and plans);
• To make recommendations regarding the future of the GE Project in terms of feasibility for scaling-up, replicability and mainstreaming within a reasonable timeframe and at a cost which is affordable to UNICEF Country Programmes in CARK and the respective Ministries of Education;
• To identify possibilities to reconcile the worthy/successful elements of the GE concept and philosophy with the UNICEF-driven “Child-Friendly School” approach in case the project cannot be replicated, scaled up or mainstreamed in the education systems within a reasonable timeframe at an affordable cost.

Type of services provided

PROMAN is providing the services of a multi­disciplinary Team of 2 senior experts. The Team Leader is responsible for investigating the potential of the project to be scaled up and for assessing possibilities to mainstream the worthy elements and best practices of the project into government policies. He ensures the oversight and coordination of the entire evaluation and reporting work. His Colleague assesses the changes induced by the GE pilot project at school level in terms of teaching and learning environment, curriculum revision, teachers capacity and teaching methods, examination methods, school governance and management, parents and teachers participation. Together they:

• Study available documentation;
• Develop evaluation tools such as guidelines for structures interviews focus groups discussions (FGD) and questionnaires for a wide range of stakeholders in pilot and non-pilot schools;
• Collect data in close collaboration with UNICEF Country offices and local consultants including visits, interviews, distribution and collection of questionnaires;
• Administer and analyse questionnaires in relation with information gathered during interviews, FGDs and class visits;
• Process data, apply statistical analysis, interpretation and conclusions;
• Draft report and present conclusions.