Most Significant Challenges

2022-01-27 17:02:30 a1/p1

education Task FORCE

1. Most Significant Challenges

Immediate (Now-1mo): Since schools abruptly closed due to Covid-19, Uzbekistan’s education system faces systemic challenges, such as lack of comprehensive emergency response/management system aimed to enable learning continuity; weak ICT infrastructure and lack of resources for using high-tech channels and tools to organize learning and assessment process; urgent need for developing online/video teaching-learning materials and remote extracurricular activities; lack of process for school transfer/final exams and university entrance exams during lockdown;, and lack of teachers’ skills to deliver distance/online lessons.

Short-Term (1-3mo): Need for developing learning recovery plan when schools/pre-schools reopen, including safe school/preschool guidelines; need for curricula reforms, need for improving the quality of teaching and learning materials and capacity of teachers in distance education methods.

Medium-Term (3-6mo): Enhancing the system’s emergency response capacity; development of ECE/ECD practices and use of distance learning, facilitation and support in implementing the for developing learning recovery plan when schools/pre-schools reopen; lack of psychological and psychosocial support to parents and children.

Long-Term (6mo-) Need for development of a long-term emergency management and distance learning strategy with introduction of more advanced in distance learning tools; reforming the curricula and teaching methods.

2. Consolidated value proposition

As seen from the inventory table, there is some time lag in addressing the existing challenges within various timeframes due to need for processing of operations, resource and consultants’ mobilization. While some of immediate challenges have been and are being supported through advisory assistance, others will take longer to attend.

Immediate (Now-1mo): ADB, WB and UNICEF have already provided knowledge product/services and advisory support is assessing the systems immediate needs and proposing recommendations on strategic planning to ensure learning continuity through introducing distance learning and assessment. UNODC ROCA produced materials to support extracurricular activities and risk mitigation measures for kids and parents in time of lockdown.

Short-Term (1-3mo): Development partners’ short-term assistance plans are focused on improving the institutional framework for distance learning, improving the quality of teaching-learning materials, and increasing teachers capacity in distance learning; facilitating extracurricular activities for kids and parents support through development of knowledge products to guide parents in distance learning process and render psychological support.

Medium-Term (3-6mo): Medium-term assistance will focus on assisting MoPE and MoPSE in developing learning recovery approaches, development of MoPE’s own integrated distance education and M&E/assessment platform; developing and introducing alternative education delivery systems for ECE and general secondary education continuity.

Long-Term (6mo-) Assistance to MoPE and MoPSE will focus on enhancing the education system’s emergency response capacity; learning recovery and facilitation of safe environment and risk communication when schools/pre-schools reopen; introduction of blended learning into education process. MoPSE will also be assistance in studying the ECE practices in emergency situation, development and introduction of distance learning platforms for ECE/ECD.

3. Critical gaps

Gap 1: Support for establishing IT infrastructure - assistance in procuring necessary equipment and devices for distance learning, student/teacher training to use distance-learning and teaching skills and tools

Gap 2: Online/real-time teacher feedback and support arrangements for students during video-lessons; support in developing and introducing efficient support channels/tools and interactive feedback training for teachers.

Gap 3: Online mentoring for teachers and educators to support distance learning activities, methodologies, and pedagogy.

Gap 4: Deeper Psychosocial Support (PSS) programming to address needs of teachers, learners, and parents coping with education demands as a result of COVID-19.

Gap 5: Future skills for high school graduates – provision training support to improve students’ digital literacy and acquiring various distance learning skills.

4. Contributing agencies:

ADB, WB, UNICEF, UNODC ROCA

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