Strengthen literacy and numeracy skills and assessment for early grades in collaboration with the Bureau for Development of Education, the State Examination Center, and other relevant education institutions. Build school capacity to promote student achievement in literacy and numeracy.

Reading and Numeracy Assessment - Administer USAID-developed, locally adapted Early Grade Reading Assessment (EGRA) and Early Grade Mathematics Assessment (EGMA) tools and use the collected data to support teachers, schools and institutional decision-making.

Professional Development - Improve teaching and student achievement in reading and numeracy by providing professional development activities to early grade teachers based on assessment data.

Learning Communities - Build learning communities within the schools, and regional networks that support teacher professional development and promote teacher “leaders.”

Digital Learning Resources - Engage tailored, digital reading and numeracy resources in form of audio books, story books and educational games.

Family and Community Involvement - Create community initiatives that foster reading and numeracy knowledge and skills among children of diverse ethnic and social backgrounds, children with special needs, and children in institutions.

Expected Results/Impact

• Locally-adapted reading and math assessment tools (EGRA and EGMA) will be aligned with the national curriculum, and state education officials and school representatives will be trained as EGRA and EGMA administrators. 
• Early grade literacy and numeracy instruction materials will be developed, instruction and ultimately student achievement in these areas will be improved.  
• Learning communities that support teacher professional development will be created.
• An increased number of learning resources for students and teachers will be used inside and outside the classroom, and will be available online as part of the digital library.
• Community participation and family involvement to foster reading and numeracy skills will be increased. Inclusion of children of different ethnic and social backgrounds, children with special needs, and institutionalized children will be increased.