INCLUSIVE EDUCATION

Foundational skills are critical determinants of young children's educational success. Proficiency in literacy, numeracy, and social-emotional learning provides the fundamental building blocks for academic achievement across subjects and grade levels, and equips children with essential skills to navigate the world around them and become active members of society. Yet globally, estimates suggest that by the age of ten, nearly 3 out of 5 children will be unable to read a simple text designed for their age (World Bank, 2022). Children from marginalised groups, including girls and learners with disabilities, are even more at risk of not developing the necessary skills for school success, due to attitudinal and environmental barriers that hinder their access to education and quality learning. This points to an urgent need to strengthen all learners’ access to quality of education in the early years, including through age-appropriate curriculum and strategies, such as play-based pedagogy, and teacher professional development (Bendini & Devercelli, 2022). 

The Enhancing Quality and Inclusive Education (EQIE) project is a five-year quality education initiative being implemented by Right To Play and partners in five countries (i.e., Ethiopia, Lebanon, Mozambique, Palestine, Tanzania) from January 2020 to December 2024. Working with Ministries of Education and other education stakeholders the project aims to use the power of play and creative pedagogies to (a) improve learning outcomes (in reading and socioemotional skills) among lower primary grade 1- 4 school children, and (b) increase enrolment and retention of out-of-school girls and children with disabilities (CwDs). 

ImpactLoop was awarded to lead a mixed-methods midline impact evaluation in Tanzania and Ethiopia that seeks to draw causal conclusions about the effects of two critical aspects of the EQIE project on improving teaching quality and students’ learning outcomes (in literacy and SEL skills): (1) In-service teacher professional development through training, coaching, and mentoring, and professional learning communities/ communities of practice in play-based learning (PBL) pedagogy, and (2) after-school supplemental learning activities at the community and household level. This mixed-methods quasi-experimental impact evaluation will use EGRA, ISELA, and other assessment tools, such as the classroom mood meter. 

Team members are Dr Jeevan Lohani, Dr Richard DLC Gonzales, Dr Sophia D’Angelo, Ashmika Gouchwal, Daud Siwalaze, and Desalgn Shanko.