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http://ecde.aau.edu.et/jspui/handle/123456789/80| Title: | Assessment of the Status of O-Class in Four Regional States of Ethiopia |
| Authors: | Tirussew Teferra, PhD, Professor Belay Hagos, PhD |
| Keywords: | Research Report World Bank Assessment of the Status of O-Class |
| Issue Date: | 2016 |
| Publisher: | The World Bank Group |
| Abstract: | Assessing the status of O-Class (profiling, identifying gaps and opportunities, and suggesting interventions) in four regional states of Ethiopia (Amhara, Beneshangul-Gumuz, SNNP, and Tigray Regional States). |
| Description: | Executive summary of the study Quality early years‟ education and care have historically been linked to a number of positive developmental, educational, and health outcomes both in the short as well as long terms. These contributions were increasingly appreciated among the various stakeholders in the last couple of years eventually shaping not only academic discourse but also development agenda, educational policy, and legislative frameworks even in countries to which early childhood education and care were considered a “luxury” and were “safely” avoided. In a similar vein, early childhood education and care happened to get a renewed interest in Ethiopia after long years of silence. The internal educational dynamics coupled with international child rights movement, that resided in inventing the CRC document as well as many other declarations like „educational for all‟, seemed to fuel formulation of an ECCE Policy in the Ethiopian soil. This legislative policy framework was considered as a breakthrough to stirring up ECCE implementation with a renewed momentum and commitment from the government and other actors. In fact, different modalities were strategized in this policy document to expanding the nearly insignificant 2.9% access as well as nurturing the quality aspect. As promised in the policy framework to continuously look for and institute other feasible modalities as well, the Federal Ministry of Education was able to introduce O-Class as an alternative mode of delivery for the greater majority of marginalized urban poor as well as rural children. O-Class is basically a nine months school readiness program attached to government primary schools for children aged 5 to 6 years. Although there are some preliminary evidences and data about it, the program has never been rigorously and comprehensively assessed and, hence, our knowledge is limited. This study aimed at assessing the status of O-Class (profiling, identifying gaps and opportunities, and suggesting interventions) in four regional states of Ethiopia (Amhara, Beneshangul-Gumuz, SNNP, and Tigray Regional States). Three woredas and nine schools were selected as a sample from each region based on location of woredas (central, midway, and remote areas) and ranks of schools (high or first rank, average or second rank, and low or third rank). Accordingly, a total of 12 (4 regions X 3 locations) woredas and 36 schools in these three woredas (1 school from each of the three ranks X 3 woredas X 4 regions) were selected. Data sources were interview with woreda education office heads (12 interviewees) and O-Class facilitators (36 interviewees), FGD with parents of O-Class children (36 FGDs), and anecdotal observation of the outdoor and indoor facilities, activities and interactions of each of the 36 schools (36 observation sessions). Data analysis involved a continuous data reduction process through extraction of codes, categories and bigger themes. The overall data thematizing and analysis yielded that O-Class in the study sites was found to retain some strengths, opportunities, and contributions. But as a new program, it was found to have many problems that require immediate interventions. These problems relate to the very purpose of O-Class; identity concerns; infrastructural, resource and budgetary constraints; centration of orientation mainly to the upper group of ECCE children; professionalism somehow compromised, and problem of partnership. In order to overcome these problems, it was recommended to take important measures including establishment of O-Class as a program, service, or system; upgrading the professional competence of actors involved in the program delivery; carrying out some construction and maintenance to make services more accessible to children; preparing aids and resources including arrangement of some feeding program; building partnership among stakeholders; and, finally, establishing at least one demonstration O-Class in each woreda. |
| URI: | http://ecde.aau.edu.et/jspui/handle/123456789/80 |
| Appears in Collections: | Research report/ journal article, book/ proceeding chapter, |
Files in This Item:
| File | Description | Size | Format | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment of the Status of O-Class Final Report (1).pdf | 2.04 MB | Adobe PDF | View/Open |
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