Introduction

Education Development Centre, Inc (EDC) has been awarded. Award number 621 A-00-07-0000300 from the U.S. Agency for international Development (USAID) entitled Radio Instruction to Strengthen Education. The aim of this project is to contribute to the efforts of Tanzania Government in increasing access to quality learning programs for a children disadvantaged by poverty, gender, ethnicity, disability and distance from school as a strategy to achieve Universal Primary Education.

The core strategy of the RISE project is to strengthen social emotional and instructional support from community and school that enable learning achievement for underserved children. Interactive Radio Instruction is at the centre, guiding trained mentors and teachers while being supported by community and primary school. This strategy aims to provide children of extreme poverty with both the entry level skills and continued support needed to progress to the upper level of schooling.

Objectives of the Project

RISE project addresses USAIDS Annual programme statement on proving basic education activities to underserved children with special emphasis on three objects.

•  Increase learning opportunities for pre-primary and primary aged children to improve retention and completion.

•  increase access to learning for underserved children and

•  Selected strategic support for sector policy reforms.

To achieve the intended objectives, RISE will develop and/or adapt IRI programs with support materials for pre-primary and early primary and visit communities to establish community based “Tucheze, Tujifunze” play to learn clubs as well as pilot IRI in sixty (60) primary schools. In mainland Tanzania RISE will assist isolated commitments specifically pastoralist and coastal villages, to establish Mambo Elimu Community leaving centres (MECLC) and will work with Ministry of Education and Vocational Training and Tanzania Institute of Education to introduce IRI into government primary schools.

Project Location/Area

RISE is working in Tanzania mainland as well as in Zanzibar .In Zanzibar RISE operates in Unguja and Pemba .In Tanzania mainland RISE is working in four regions – Mtwara (Urban and Rural districts) Lindi (Urban and Rural,districts ) Tanga (Kilindi District) Manyara (Kiteto and Ngorongoro districts.)

Project Impact

Zanzibar

In two districts 7500 Children in Pre School , first and second grade will improve their Mathematics, Kiswahili and life skills in Play to learn clubs that utilize a trained parent mentor. Mentors will be supported by 278 locally produced IRI programs and educational play materials. Sixty (60) early primary classroom teachers will use IRI to reinforce government curriculum competencies and enrich learning environment for an additional 2700 children. Total number of 10,200 children will be reached.

Tanzania Mainland

In four mainland regions (seven districts) RISE will expand the reach of the popular IRI program, Mambo Elimu to reach (4500) children who currently do not have access to primary education. RISE will establish 100 Mambo Elimu Community learning centre and provide materials and training to mentors to facilitate the accelerated four years program of primary education over the course by two calendar years thus enabling these children to join their peers in formal primary school for standard five . Total number of 4500 children will be reached.

Partners:

Education Development Centre Inc EDC

Ministry of Education and Vocational Training Tanzania mainland Zanzibar .

Tanzania Institute of Education

Tanzania Broadcast Services

Voice of Tanzania Radio Zanzibar

Activity Duration

2 years 2006 - 2008