Peru, Improving Basic Education in Piura (IBEP): March 2001–March 2012
Sector: Education and Education Reform
Region: Americas and the Caribbean
Funded by:
Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)
Total Value: Canadian contribution: C$6.7 million
Partners and Counterparts:
In Canada: York University of Calgary, 2004–2007)
In Mexico: Autonomous University of Baja California, Graciela Cordero (2004–2007)
In Peru: Universidad de Piura, (2004–2007), Institute for Peruvian Studies, (2004–2007)
Purpose
To contribute to human development and improvement of social capital in rural Piura. The project objective is also to influence national and regional education policies.
Challenge
Although Peru has made strides in basic education, many of its regions (including Piura) are isolated and do not receive the support required to deliver quality education due to lack of viable road access and means of transportation. The project’s challenges include:
- helping parents and communities to understand the importance of education for their children
- encouraging parents to send their children to school at regulation age
- monitoring the quality of the system
At the classroom level, the challenge is to improve pedagogical practices that would lead to increased student learning outcomes.
Approach
Agriteam uses a collaborative and participatory approach to working with parents, local governments, the education district offices and the Regional Department of Education to identify the major causes of poor student learning outcomes and to agree on sustainable solutions. These include building the capacity of beneficiaries and government counterparts and providing technical assistance, teacher mentoring in the classroom and continued professional development for teachers.
Project Description
Phase I of the project (2001–2009) is taking place in three provinces of the Piura Department. It focuses mainly on community mobilization for initial and primary education and on improving teacher practices. IBEP supports national efforts to establish a supportive rather than punitive environment by helping counterparts to:
- develop and implement management approaches to support devolution of authority to local school networks
- strengthen the management and pedagogical skills of principals and teachers at the school level
Student-centred approaches and a strong emphasis on integrated learning (reading, writing and mathematics) are producing impressive results in learning outcomes.
Results
Policy influence: The IBEP model has been adopted by the Regional Government of Piura to increase students’ learning outcomes and improve the quality of education.
Education impact: Students’ literacy (reading, writing and mathematics) surpasses the national literacy average by over fifty percent (69% vs. 15% at the national level—2007 results).
Pedagogical effectiveness: Rural public schools have improved their pedagogical efficiency with student-focused instruction for learning outcomes. These schools now have better-equipped teachers via a methodology that applies teacher monitoring (accompaniment) as an essential element for success.
Reading communities: Rural municipalities, schools, and local communities are committed to social mobilization activities for education. They are participating in opportunities and mechanisms to develop reading and communication.
School completion: The percentage of students completing primary education at regulatory age has gone from 60.7% in 2003 to 80% in 2007.
Behavioural changes: The project’s benefits have reached 109 communities, 4700 children, 203 teaching staff and 75 principals.
Systemization: The five most successful project strategies have been systemized for dissemination with education agents, government and the Ministry of Education.
Project Director
Robb McCue
robbm@agriteam.ca
