| Project Title: CIVIC EDUCATION PROJECT
PROGRESS REPORT 02 SEPTEMBER 2005 – FEBRUARY 2006
Project Number: EuropeAid/1186788/C/SV/UA
Beneficiary Country: Ukraine
| Project Partner | EC Contractor | MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND SCIENCE OF UKRAINE
Address:
10, Permoha Avenue,
01135, Kyiv, Ukraine
Tel. Nr. (380 44) 4861038
Fax: 4861038
Contact Person: Mr Polyansky Pavlo,
Director of the Directorate of Pre-school and Secondary Education
Signature
| CAMBRIDGE EDUCATION, part of the Mott MacDonald group
Head Office Address:
Demeter House
Station Road
Cambridge CB1 2RS, UK
Tel. Nr. (+44)1223-578500; Fax Nr. (+44)1223-578501
e-mail: Marion.Young@camb-ed.com
Contact Person: Marion Young, Project Director
Cambridge Education, 16 Kudryavskaya Street,
Office 3, 04053 Kyiv;
Tel: (+380-44) 4665467; 2386389; 5685780
Fax: (+380-44) 2308102
Contact Person: Mr. David Royle,
Project Team Leader Tel: 80973700724
Signature
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Date of report: 29 March 2006
Reporting period: September 2005 – February 2006
Author of report: International Team Leader
EC M& E team _________________ _________________ _____________
[name] [signature] [date]
Project Manager _________________ _________________ _____________
[name] [signature] [date]
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. PROJECT SYNOPSIS
2. SUMMARY OF PROJECT PROGRESS DURING THE REPORTING PERIOD
3. SUMMARY OF PROJECT PLANNING FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE PROJECT
4. PROJECT PROGRESS DURING THE REPORTING PERIOD
5. PROJECT PLANNING FOR THE NEXT REPORTING PERIOD (MARCH - AUGUST 2006)
6 TABLES FOR SECTIONS 4 AND 5
ANNEXES
1 Updated list of pilot schools
2 Kherson pilot oblast workshop programme
3 Concept paper
4 Special Needs concept paper
5 Second Monitoring Report
6 Conference reports
7 Extra-curricular activities conference programme
1 PROJECT SYNOPSIS
Project title:
Project number:
Country:
| CIVIC EDUCATION
EuropeAid/1186788
Ukraine
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1.1 Project objectives and beneficiaries (from the project Terms of Reference –ToR)
The overall objective is to introduce civic education as a ‘mandatory training’ (sic) in secondary schools in Ukraine.
Specific objectives
1. Development of the national civic education curriculum
2. Introduction of training in civic education at Pedagogical Universities (PUs) and In-service Teacher Training Institutions (ITTIs)
3. Adaptation of materials for the education of children with special needs
4. Support for the activities of the Civic Education Teachers’ Associations and Unions
5. Support for extra-curricular democracy promoting activities.
Three additional objectives have been added:
6. Dissemination of project information/results; 7 Supply contract; 8 Project management.
Main project beneficiaries and partners
Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine (MoES) PUs and ITTIs Pilot schools in Kyiv City, Vinnytsia, Volyn and Kherson oblasts National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine Academy of Pedagogical Sciences of Ukraine (APS) Civic Education, History and Social Sciences Teachers’ Associations.
1.2 Expected outputs/results (from ToR)
Specific objective 1 Development of the national civic education curriculum
Agreement on educational goals, content of civic education and related competences Sample lesson plans developed and piloted Relevant teaching materials developed and piloted.
Specific objective 2 Introduction of training in civic education at Pedagogical Universities and In-service Teacher Training Institutions
Survey of results of donor projects in teacher training completed and published Sample curriculum plans developed and piloted in PUs Social Science Chairs established as resource centres for teaching civic education Sample training and re-training plans developed and piloted in ITTIs Pilot oblast ITTIs become resource centres for teaching civic education, benefiting teachers from other oblasts State programmes for retraining teachers of social sciences developed.
Specific objective 3 Adaptation of existing teaching materials for the education of children with special needs
Specific objective 4 Support for the activities of the Civic Education Teachers’ Associations
Specific objective 5 Support for extra-curricular democracy promoting activities
Additional objectives
Specific objective 6 Dissemination of project information and results
Development of dissemination plans and project press releases and newsletter Design of project website and e-forum; assistance with teacher association websites Dissemination of project information and results to all stakeholders, Final conference preparation and delivery.
Specific objective 7 Supply contract
Development, publication and distribution of a students’ book Development of monitoring and evaluation criteria.
Specific objective 8 Project management
Establishment of project working groups Selection of pilot schools Selection of national and international experts and planning of their inputs Establishment of project office and working procedures with MoES and oblasts.
Project start date: 6 March 2005 Project duration: 36 months.
2. SUMMARY OF PROJECT PROGRESS DURING THE REPORTING PERIOD
(1 September 2005 – 28 February 2006)
Mobilisation of international consultants. A short-term International Extra-curricular Activities Expert was appointed in October 2005 and a Special Needs Education Expert was appointed in November 2005. The first input of the new International Curriculum Development Expert began on 20 February. The International Teacher Training Expert left the project in mid-September 2005 for urgent personal reasons and subsequently resigned. A short-term replacement was approved by the Delegation on 28 February.
Appointment of national experts. 39 national short term experts were contracted during this period: Special Needs Education, Teacher Training, Publicity, Website Development (two); in addition to members of the five working groups (30 in total) and four pilot oblast liaison officers.
Establishment of working groups. Five working groups were operational by the end of the period.
Pilot oblasts and pilot schools. Additional pilot schools were added in consultation with the Ministry’s Scientific and Methodological Centre, the Special Needs Education Working Group and the Ministry of Education and Science in order to ensure an inclusive approach by the project to the delivery of civic education to students of all abilities. The final list is enclosed as Annex 1.
Project liaison officers were appointed for each pilot oblast, based in the oblast In-service Teacher Training Institution (ITTI) in each case. Pilot school workshops for school directors from pairs of oblasts were held in Kherson, Lutsk and Vinnytsia in November, December and January. A further workshop for Kyiv City directors will take place in March. The Kherson programme is attached as Annex 2.
Concept papers. Following comments received from the Delegation on the inception report, a meeting was held in September with the Ministry and World Bank to discuss broadening the project approach and closer synergy with the new World Bank project. The resulting concept paper is enclosed as Annex 3. The concept paper prepared by the International Special Needs Education Expert is also enclosed as Annex 4.
Project monitoring. The second Monitoring Unit report (November 2005, enclosed as Annex 5), rated the project ‘good’ on all aspects but raised questions about the effectiveness of implementation and some delays to planned activities.
Project Steering Group. Proposals made to the Ministry in March 2005 were updated during this period and the membership of the Group was approved by the Delegation in February 2006. The first meeting is expected in March or early April.
Publicity and dissemination. The project was represented at four conferences in December: two in Berlin (Annex 6) and two in Kyiv. There was a project conference in Kyiv in early February (programme enclosed as Annex 7 – full report to follow) to discuss and disseminate good practice nationally and internationally in extra-curricular activities Press releases were produced for all main activities and a project leaflet produced in February.
Project office. A temporary office matching the 30 square metres specified in the Terms of Reference (10 per international long-term expert), funded from the incidental expenditure budget, was established from September and became permanent, with the Delegation’s approval.
3. SUMMARY OF PROJECT PLANNING FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE PROJECT
The project differs from previous projects in that it (a) integrates a number of components; (b) includes Special Needs Education; (c) includes pre-service teacher training. Key project objectives include the training and retraining of teachers to teach civic education and cross-curricular themes, the publication of a teachers’ manual for all teachers, the organization of extra-curricular activities through mini-projects, support for teacher’ associations and for children with special educational needs and their teachers.
Meetings with the Ministry and other stakeholders during the inception phase confirmed that civic education will remain an optional subject in Grades 9-11 and will only become a compulsory subject in Grade 12 with the current cohort of students in 2012. However, it was agreed in September that the project should broaden its approach and ensure greater synergy with the World Bank’s (WB) Equal Access to Quality Education Project. A concept paper supplementing the inception report was developed and agreed (Annex 2).
The project will look at the delivery of civic education through the specified group of related socio-humanitarian subjects: history, economy, law and philosophy, rather than solely through the compulsory Grade 11(12) programme Individual and the World. It is clear that the MoES also supports the ‘institutionalisation’ of civic education in all schools by raising the awareness of all subject teachers and the provision of training and guidance in how they can contribute to the development of civic education competencies.
The project intends to ensure that there is an inclusive approach to civic education, with equality of access for all students, including those with special educational needs and those in vocational education and the active involvement and participation of school managers and school communities (student councils, parents, local stakeholders, NGOs, employers etc.). To that end the number of pilot schools has also been increased.
Activities will take into account key national policy documents and European approaches to citizenship education, as well as the continuity between the different stages of education.
4. PROJECT PROGRESS DURING THE REPORTING PERIOD
(SEPTEMBER 2005 – FEBRUARY 2006)
4.1 General issues
Project management and implementation. The decision not to appoint a national project coordinator or team leader has resulted in an increased workload for the international team leader and office manager; there is no national counterpart with an overview of the whole project with whom strategic decisions can be made or discussed. The resignation of the long-term International Teacher Training Expert during this period and the lengthy process (more than six months) of finding, and getting approval for, a suitable replacement for the International Curriculum Development expert (who resigned in June 2005) inevitably affected project implementation (something highlighted in the Monitoring Unit’s second report in November 2005). Despite these constraints, the project did move forward significantly, as indicated below, and now has the necessary momentum.
Working groups. The remaining working groups were set up during this period and all five groups largely completed their initial activities, as detailed in the ToR. The emphasis is now on coordination between working groups and on the implementation of activities, based on the analyses they have carried out.
Pilot oblasts. Most pilot school directors have been briefed about the project and shared their experiences of delivering civic education. A further workshop is planned in Kyiv in March to complete the process. Additional institutions have been added to ensure that the project adopts an inclusive approach which meets the requirements of students with special educational needs and those in vocational schools.
Concept papers. Two concept papers were produced: one following a meeting with the Ministry, the Delegation and the World Bank to discuss broadening the project approach and closer synergy with the new World Bank project; the second was produced by the International Special Needs Expert at the end of her first input.
Project offices. The project was without office space for a period of six months. This was a contributory factor to the implementation delay identified in the second monitoring report. The Delegation approved the renting of temporary offices (using the incidental expenditure budget) between September and November 2005; these offices have now become permanent for the life of the project instead of the arrangement with the Ministry assumed in the ToR. The ToR specified 30 square metres in total, based on 10 per long-term international exert, taking no account of working space for office staff, other international and national experts, or of meeting space. The limited office space has also made it more difficult to coordinate and integrate the work of the long-term national experts. Project meetings are generally being held in pilot schools, ITTIs and long-term experts’ offices. This is not entirely satisfactory but manageable.
4.2 Progress on specific project outputs
4.2.1 Output 1 Curriculum Development. The Curriculum Development Working Group largely completed its analysis of existing documentation and programmes of study by the end of the period. The outputs will be shared with other working groups and then with other stakeholders at a round table before the final document is presented to the Ministry in April.
4.2.2 Output 2 Teacher Training. The working group drafted outlines of both the eight-hour cross-curricular training module and the 72-hour course for specialist teachers of civic education. A short-term national expert was approved to support the group, especially in the absence of the long-term international expert, and to assist with coordination with curriculum development activities and the new World Bank project’s activities. A new short-term International Teacher Training Expert was approved at the end of February and his first input will be in April. The new International Curriculum Development Expert will meanwhile also assist with coordination across the two components during his first input (until end March).
4.2.3 Output 3 Special Educational Needs. The working group was established and recommended additional pilot schools to ensure that the needs of all students with any kind of special need (including gifted students, those with physical or mental disabilities and those in vocational education) are covered by the project, as well as their teachers and carers. Short-term international and national experts were appointed and a concept paper produced. The international expert made two short inputs in 2005 and began a third during the reporting period. The working group began its needs analysis in January 2006 for completion by the end of March.
4.2.4 Output 4 Support for Teachers’ Associations. Two short-term national experts were appointed to support the creation of new, or the further development of existing teachers’ association websites. The project supported the attendance of teachers’ association representatives at two separate civic education conferences in Berlin in December 2005 and a teachers’ association conference held in Kyiv in the same month.
4.2.5 Output 5 Support for extra-curricular democracy promoting activities. The working group agreed a broader framework for its activities under the overall heading of ‘Civic Education in Action: youth-school-community’ and training materials and a website (www.citizen.org.ua) were developed. A conference with this theme was held in February in Kyiv with 170 participants to discuss best practice in Ukraine and internationally. Training workshops started in February in pilot and other oblasts to brief schools on the mini-project scheme and election-related activities. They will be completed in March. A short-term international expert was appointed to support the election activity in particular.
4.2.6 Output 6 Dissemination of project results. A short-term national expert was appointed in December 2005. Press releases and newspaper articles were produced on project activities in Kyiv and in the pilot oblasts and a project leaflet was produced in February in Ukrainian and English. The content of the first newsletter was developed during January and February for publication in March, to coincide with an EU project exhibition. It was agreed with the Delegation that there was no need for a specific project website; project information will instead be featured on teachers’ association websites and the Ministry of Education’s website.
4.2.7 Output 7 Supply contract. The international and national tender processes both failed and, as result, the budget allocated was lost. The Delegation’s view is that, in view of the tender difficulties, it is more appropriate for the Ministry or the World Bank project to supply textbooks. The project will instead focus on the development and dissemination of a comprehensive teacher’s guide.
4.2.8 Output 8 Project management. A second report was produced by the Monitoring Unit in November 2005, which was critical of the speed of project implementation, indicating a delay of one to two months (attributed to issues such as the lack of permanent office space, coordination delays and a perceived reduction in project activity).
Project offices were finally established in September 2005, six months after mobilisation, and made permanent in December 2005 (funded from the incidental expenditure budget). Monthly project management meetings were begun in February 2006 to ensure the sharing of information and coordination of activities once all working groups were fully active and all pilot oblast liaison officers had been appointed and to coincide with the inputs of the Special Needs and Curriculum Development International Experts. The membership of the Project Steering Group was finalised and approved in February and the first meeting is expected during March or in early April.
Following the meeting in September with the Delegation, the Ministry and the World Bank to discuss broadening the project approach and closer synergy with the new World Bank project, a concept paper was produced as a supplement to the inception report.
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4.3 Deviations from original planning and reasons
Inception report. A supplementary concept paper was produced following the September 2005 meeting with the Ministry, the Delegation and the World Bank which proposed a broadening of the project approach and closer synergy with the new World Bank project.
Long-term national experts. The decision not to appoint a national counterpart for the international team leader and coordinator of the work of the long-term national experts and their components has significantly increased the team leader’s workload and that of the office manager and has had a negative impact on project efficiency. It is expected, however, that coordination will be improved through the regular monthly project management meetings and the arrival of the new international experts.
Project liaison officers from each pilot oblast (based in oblast ITTIs, since these are seen as the key implementing institutions and ones which should benefit from capacity building) have been appointed instead of regional coordinators, with a reduced amount of time.
Working groups. Five working groups have been fully established, although the materials development group now has a reduced role following the failure of the students’ book supply contract tender process. A new group will be formed to develop the teachers’ guide, drawing on other groups and new expertise.
Pilot oblasts. The number of schools has been increased to ensure an inclusive approach to the delivery of civic education, in line with the concept paper. The project also intends to involve as many oblasts and schools as possible in its activities and to reflect, consolidate and disseminate national best practice, wherever it is to be found. The extra-curricular activities conference held on 3 February 2006 was an example of this.
Project offices. The agreement of the Delegation in November to fund permanent project offices from the incidental expenditure budget has improved the effectiveness of project management and communications. Venues for meetings are generally being provided free of charge in pilot institutions, in liaison with the Ministry of Education.
4.4 Specific action required
Project management. Coordination and information sharing need to be ensured though the monthly management meetings involving all national and international experts, the pilot oblast liaison officers, working group chairpersons and the Ministry liaison person. The team leader needs to agree a date with the Ministry for the first six-monthly meeting of the Steering Group.
Teacher’s Guide. The content and development process needs to be established and a new development group established, drawing on other working groups and additional expertise.
International expert inputs. The first inputs of the new Curriculum Development and Teacher Training experts will be used to develop a plan for future inputs and to clarify remaining component priorities.
5. PROJECT PLANNING FOR THE NEXT REPORTING PERIOD
(MARCH – AUGUST 2006)
5.1 General summary
Project management. There will be monthly project management meetings and working groups will work closely together to coordinate project component activities and ensure an inclusive approach. The Special Needs group will have a significant cross-component role.
Short-term international expert inputs will be planned during this period, if required, to assist with and facilitate this process.
Working groups. Chairpersons will need to take responsibility for information sharing and arrange meetings in addition to project management meetings, as necessary, to ensure effective coordination. Groups will also need to work according to the outputs specified in the inception report and related concept paper.
Pilot oblasts. A final introductory meeting will be held with the Kyiv City pilot school directors/deputies in March and a plan produced for the future anticipated involvement of pilot schools, in conjunction woth the project liaison officers and working groups.
5.2 Specific project outputs
5.2.1 Output 1 Curriculum Development
The Curriculum Development Working Group will complete its analysis of curriculum documentation and share this with other working groups. There will be reviews by three specialists from the Academy of Pedagogical Sciences (APS), an ITTI and a school and a round table with 30-40 project stakeholders broadly as noted in the ToR (Ministry, teachers, ITTIs, APS, Academy of Science) before making recommendations to the Ministry (followed by further discussions as necessary). Some of the working group members may also participate in the planning of the teachers’ guide.
5.2.2 Output 2 Teacher Training
The Teacher Training Working Group will further develop and finalise the eight-hour in-service retraining programme for subject teachers and the 72-hour in-service training programme for specialist civic education teachers including related training materials, draw up a piloting programme and deliver training workshops. Group members will also contribute to the development of the teacher’s guide. Short-term international expert inputs will be planned during this period to assist with these activities.
5.2.3 Output 3 Special Educational Needs
The Special Needs Working Group will discuss and implement the main conclusions arising from its needs analysis, in consultation with the Ministry of Education and pilot oblasts. It will also work with the other working groups in finalising the content of the teachers’ guide and to ensure that project activities are as inclusive as possible, and meet the needs of all students and teachers.
5.2.4 Output 4 Support for Teachers’ Associations
The short term-national experts will complete their work on the association websites. The project will continue to provide support for approved association activities and will facilitate access to European and international resources, for example subscriptions to the UK Association for Citizenship Teaching journal (approved in February).
5.2.5 Output 5 Support for extra-curricular democracy promoting activities
The working group will further review the needs of the main teachers’ associations and what assistance the project can give to assist with sustainability. It will also plan for the future use of short-term international expert inputs to assist with implementation of its activity plan, within the ‘Youth Acts’ framework, specifically the ‘Youth elect’ programme and mini-projects. The www.citizen.org.ua website will be further developed.
5.2.6 Output 6 Dissemination of project results
The project will be represented as appropriate at national and international conferences and exhibitions, for example at the EU project exhibition on 23 and 24 March and the Nova Doba conference in April. The first newsletter will be disseminated, monitored and evaluated and the second drafted for publication in September/October. The project leaflet will be updated and reprinted and press releases produced on project activities. Project information will be highlighted on teacher association, Ministry of Education and European websites and articles published in national and European journals.
5.2.7 Output 8 Project management
The Project Steering Group will have its first meeting. Liaison meetings will be arranged with the new World Bank project team to coordinate activities based on the concept paper developed in September 2005.
It is anticipated that there will be a short-term international input (subject to approval by the EC Delegation) to look specifically at gender equity issues, in relation to the completed SEN needs analysis and the analysis of the Curriculum Development Working Group, also taking into account the plans of the new World Bank project and the forthcoming intervention by the EU in this area.
5.3 Factors affecting project success
Inception report. Effective synergy with the World Bank’s (WB) Equal Access to Quality Education Project depends on the effectiveness and frequency of liaison meetings, following project launch in mid-March.
Project management. Effective coordination and information sharing will depend on the success of the monthly project management meetings and the pro-active collaboration of working group chairperson and the active support of national and international experts.
Pilot oblasts. The four pilot oblasts are crucial to the success of the project and it will be important that the liaison officers are fully effective in coordinating the implementation of project activities and their monitoring and evaluation. The schools have also expressed a wish for a more explicit formal ‘order’ or written confirmation of their participation in the project, either from the Ministry or from the oblast Education Department via their rayon. The project is in discussion with the Ministry about how best to do this.
Project offices. The project has limited office accommodation and will continue to rely on the good will of national and international project team members and on cost-free meeting venues for working groups, pilot oblast meetings and training activities.
5.4 Proposals for adjustments to overall project planning and implications
Allocation of expert time. A further review and possible reallocation of long-term international time will be necessary following the first inputs of the new International Curriculum and Teacher Training Experts, taking into account the needs and priorities of the main working groups.
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