Training and Technical Assistance

The Southern Sudan Interactive Radio Instruction (SSIRI) project is a program of the Southern Sudan Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MoEST). It is funded by United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and administered by Education Development Center (EDC). Four SSIRI activities provide learning opportunities for children, adults, and teachers in Southern Sudan.

The ERP/EQUIP1 program encourages systemwide reforms by experimenting at lower levels of the educational system (i.e., schools, community, and local government authorities) to test and demonstrate effective strategies for educational improvement. Egypt’s newly developed educational standards provide the framework for the reform overall and the project activities in particular.

IDEJEN is an EQUIP3 Associate Award which was launched in 2003 to provide education and job training for youth ages 15–24 with little to no formal education. IDEJEN provides program participants support in the areas of employability and skills training, basic and vocational education, job placement and small business development. In addition to working directly with youth, IDEJEN provides technical support to different government ministries and is assisting in the development of the National Youth Policy and the Policy on Nonformal Basic Education.

The Educational Quality Improvement Program 3 (EQUIP3) is a Leader-with-Associate Award that is designed to improve earning, learning, and skill development opportunities for out-of-school youth in developing countries.

The Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) program is designed to increase opportunities for students and teachers to learn about and use information technologies within the contexts of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The program supports both youth-based projects with strong emphases on career and educational paths, and comprehensive projects for students and teachers.

Through the cross-sectoral Global Workforce in Transition (GWIT) initiative, EDC provides technical assistance to developing countries in linking workforce and economic development strategies to promote job creation and a more skilled workforce. It helps countries increase the relevance and responsiveness of their education and training systems to immediate and longer-term economic needs. Since its start in July 2002, GWIT has conducted labor market and competitiveness assessments, devised local workforce development plans, and evaluated workforce programs.

In collaboration with EDC’s Education, Employment, and Community Programs, ERO promotes and supports the Ford PAS program. Ford PAS includes an interdisciplinary high school curriculum that challenges students academically and develops their problem-solving, teamwork, and communication skills. We provide ongoing technical assistance for all schools and partners implementing Ford PAS by hosting an interactive Web site and toll-free hotline, designing and conducting an annual national networking and training conference, and offering professional development activities.

USAID, an independent agency that directs the U.S. federal government’s humanitarian assistance program in many sectors, extends aid to countries that are recovering from disaster, works to reduce poverty, and engages in democratic reforms. The Assistance to Basic Education (ABE/BE) initiative is an IQC (Indefinite Quantity Contract) designed to support USAID country offices worldwide by offering them the means to rapidly access high-quality and cost-effective technical expertise and implementation support for their basic education interventions.

USAID’s Decentralized Basic Education (DBE) Program Objective 2 seeks to improve the quality of teaching and learning in Indonesia’s public and private sector primary schools. DBE 2 builds upon successful aspects of recent initiatives in Indonesia to improve educational quality through new attention to strengthening teacher training and improving school learning environments. The DBE 2 Partnership works with public and private sector partners to develop a more comprehensive system of teacher professional development.

The Zambia QUESTT Project aims to improve the quality of basic education delivery systems and to mitigate the impact of HIV/AIDS on children’s educational experiences (both in and out of government schools). To accomplish these objectives, QUESTT is leading several initiatives to improve teacher practice through the integration of Interactive Radio Instruction (IRI) in government schools and technology-based interventions. These interventions include the use of video and cell phone communication for both in-service and preservice teacher support.