JICA’s Support to Mathematics Education in Developing Countries International Congress on Mathematics Education (ICME) JICA’s Support to Mathematics Education in Developing Countries 13 February 2015 Atsushi MATACHI Senior Advisor (Basic Education) Japan International Cooperation Agency

Japan’s ODA and JICA JICA is the executing agency of Japan’s ODA. JICA Official Development Assistance Bilateral Multilateral Technical Cooperation Loan Grant Aid JICA

JICA’s Assistance in Basic Education 　　　●→ Regional Cooperation in Math & Science (2003-) - Kenya - Honduras 　　●→ Math & Science Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers (JOCV) (60’-) 　　 ●→ Technical Cooperation in Basic Education (1994-) 　　　●→ Technical Cooperation in Education Management (1998-） 　　　●→ Primary School Construction (90’-) Sin2ce the beginning of the 1990s, JICA has strengthened the support to the Basic Education Sector in developing countries.

Focused Areas of JICA’s Technical Cooperation in Basic Education Universal Access to Quality Basic Education 1. Improving Access to Education School construction Non-formal education / girls education 2. Improving Quality of Education Teacher education and training (Math&Sci) Improving teaching and learning approach Developing teacher’s guides/students’ workbooks 3. Improving Educational Management - Training on local educational administrators - School management

JICA’s Technical Cooperation in Education JICA’s Technical Cooperation Projects by Areas (%) (103 Projects in 1994-2012)

Major Focuses of JICA’s Projects for Teacher Education (Math&Sci) So far: Improving teaching and learning approach (pedagogy) Establishing In-Service Education and Training (INSET) system for teachers - Cascading approach - School-based approach (Lesson Study) Developing Teacher’s guides/students’ workbooks

Case 1: Improving Teaching Approach and Establishing INSET system in Kenya Strengthening of Mathematics and Science in Secondary Education (SMASSE) 1998-2003 (Phase 1) /2003-2008 (Phase 2)

Context of SMASSE Shortage of human resources for industrialization and technological progress Low academic performance in M&S Shortage of qualified teachers in M&S Too much theories without experiments and activities Lack of skills for material development Ad-hoc basis INSET for teachers

Purposes of Kenya SMASSE <Teaching and learning Approach> To develop skills of teachers to conduct lessons that are interesting and understandable for students <INSET system> To establish a system for continuous in-service education and training for mathematics and science teachers

Teaching and Learning Approach ASEI lesson: that allows students to think and find solutions on their own Teacher provides solutions Students find solutions Lecture-based Activity-based Theory-based Conventional apparatus Improvised materials Experiment-based

Establishing an INSET System (Cascade Approach) Learner-centred approach 60 National Trainers <INSET contents > <Transfer > National Training 900 District Trainers 900 District Trainers <Transfer > 100 District INSET Center District Training 14,000 M&S Teachers Schools <Practice> Lesson

Regional Cooperation in Africa Senegal SMASE projects in 14 countries Niger Burkina Faso Sierra Leone Experience sharing among 27 countries in Africa ・Third-country training in Kenya ・Experience sharing with other countries in Africa Ethiopia Nigeria Ghana Uganda S. Sudan Kenya Rwanda Tanzania Angola Malawi Between continents Collaboration between Asia and Africa (Malaysia, etc.) Zambia （As of Apr. 2013）

Case 2: Lesson Study in Zambia 2005-2007 (Phase 1) / 2008-2011 (Phase 2) / 2011-15 (Phase 3)

Context Poor performance of pupils in Science and Mathematics. Existence of Government Policy on INSET and School-based Continuing Professional development (CPD) Need to develop a sustainable and cost-effective CPD programme. Ensures minimum disturbance of teaching-pupil contact time.

Three Functions expected from Lesson Study As a tool to change lessons that are more interesting and more understandable for students →To explore a good lesson in Zambia As a tool to allow teachers to participate in continuous professional development 　　→To change the attitudes of teachers As a tool to revitalize the existing system of school-based INSET 　　→To make school-based INSET as part of daily life

How Lesson Study is Implemented Implementation Guideline by the Ministry Implementing in the existing framework of the School Programme of the In-service for the Term (SPRINT). For both Primary & Secondary (G1-12) Starting from Science & Mathematics as entry and extended to other subjects Requested all schools to implement Participated by Teachers, Teacher educators, School managers. LS Facilitators selected among teachers and trained at local workshops and abroad.

Cycle of Lesson Study 1. Define problems /challenges. 8. Compile and share the reflections. 2. Plan the lesson collaboratively. 7. Discuss the lesson and reflect again. 3. Implement the demo-lesson. 6. Teach the revised lesson. 4. Discuss the lesson and reflect on its effect. 5. Revised the lesson.

Case 3: Developing Teacher’s Guides in Honduras Project for the Improvement of Teaching Method in Mathematics (PROMETAM) 2003-2006 (Phase 1) / 2006-2011 (Phase 2)

Context Context： Low completion rate at primary level（Gross enrolment rate: 90%⇔Completion rate: Less than 60％） Inadequate capacities of teachers (Insufficient subject content knowledge and pedagogical skills) 13-year experience in dispatching Japanese volunteers in mathematics education

Developing Teacher’s Guides Purpose of the Project: To improve teaching method at primary level by using teachers’ guides Major activities: Developing teachers’ guides for primary mathematics Developing learners’ workbooks for primary mathematics Conducting In-service teacher training Monitoring and evaluation Training counterparts

Teachers’ Guides and Students’ Workbooks

Impact of PROMETAM Nationwide distribution of teachers’ guidebooks and students’ workbooks, later adopted as textbooks Other countries in Central America are interested in the guidebooks and workbooks, and requested Japan to assist in strengthening mathematics education with the same approach as Honduras. 　 ⇒Regional cooperation with other countries in Central America, e.g., Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua,, Dominican Republic.

Lessons Learned from the past experiences of JICA’s projects Easy to change lesson delivery superficially, but difficult to change essentially (profoundly) .→ Develop core personnel. Incentives are needed for teachers to participate in CPD → Formulate a policy. Interventions to teachers only are not enough.→ Need interventions to students. Examinations are not aligned with teaching method.→ Align the three levels of curriculum. Teaching time is not enough→ Increase school hours. Holistic approach and systemic change are needed!

From now on: Holistic Approach for Quality Learning Holistic approach to improving quality of learning which deals with curriculum, textbooks, lesson delivery, students’ learning and assessment in combination with human resource development, policy formulation for systemic change leading to improving learning environment. Examination/ Assessment Improving Quality of Learning Curriculum/ Textbook Learners/ Learning Lesson Delivery (Teaching Capacity)

Case 4: Improving Assessment (Developing Test Items) in Ethiopia Enhance the quality of curriculum strategy Intended curriculum Intended curriculum Implemented curriculum Achieved curriculum Curriculum Curriculum Classroom lessons Assess -ment improve lessons By improving question items

Case 5: Student Workbooks in Niger

Results of the student learning assessment Average score per grade Grade mark 1st 1.8 / 12 2nd 9.8 / 24 3rd 13.4 / 24 4th 16.5 / 24 5th 20 / 24 6th 22.9 / 24

10% of the 3rd grade students got a zero 3rd and 4th grade students 10% of the 3rd grade students got a zero

Three main factors to improve basic knowledge and skill Learning time Learning Tools Facilitation (Teacher’s quality) Approximately 200 hours supplementary lesson per year secured by the community.

Contents of math workbooks Self-study tool Arithmetical exercises of the four basic operations and the concept of the numbers Step by step learning according to their own ability

Supplementary Group Studies

JICA Project Mapping on “Improving Quality of Learning” Myanmar Primary Textbook Revision(all subjects), Teacher Education & Examination In-service training= INSET Pre-service training=PRESET Examination/ Assessment Improving Quality of Learning Curriculum/ Textbook Learners/ Learning Palestine Primary Math & Sci Textbook Revision (under way) Ethiopia Examination consistent with Curriculum, Textbooks & Lessons Bangladesh Curriculum & Textbook Revision and INSET in Math & Sci Zambia Lesson Study focusing on Kyozai-Kenkyu Niger, Senegal Self Study Math Work Book Lesson/ Teaching (Teaching Capacity) PNG TV Program /Curriculum reform Cambodia Developing Teachers’ Guide in Sci & Math Morocco Wrong Answer Analysis, developing Teaching & Learning Material, Providing INSET Burkina Faso, Senegal, Uganda, Rwanda, Malawi INSET in Sci & Math, Nationwide Nicaragua, PRESET, Maths