Stakeholder discussions meeting Challenges and development objectives in the education sector Bishkek, 21 October 2011

WB – Civil Society Engagement in KR Programme of large meetings on strategy & themes Smaller meetings, both WB and CSO-initiated. – Specific topics – Relevant WB specialists for the discussion – A summary of the main issues raised sent to participants. – A list of points the Bank accepts and those it rejects summarized, relevant reasons provided.

Key Challenges in Education Sector Quality – Significant achievement gaps in reading, math and science (NSBA & PISA) Equity – Disparity in access, spending and outcomes (access to pre-school, textbooks, varied per student spending, mixed learning results) Efficiency – low teacher-student ratio, (school network/class size; teacher management, performance & deployment )

Objectives of World Bank Support for Education Support policies and investment that improve learning for all Kyrgyz children Making schools more successful Making teachers more effective Enhancing capacity to assess, monitor and evaluate learning results

Rural Education Project Objective – to improve learning and learning conditions in primary and secondary schools with priority attention to rural schools Years – May 2005 – March 2011 Amount – Grant 15 million USD

Results of the Rural Education Project Improved learning Two national sample-based surveys of achievement at Grades 4 and 8 were conducted (2007 and 2009) noted improvement in the performance of students in Issyk-kul and Talas oblasts from 2007 to 2009 Most significant changes in were shown by 8 th Grade students of Talas oblast, where the share of students demonstrating below basic results reduced from 91% in 2007 to 73% in 2009 in Math. In Issyk-kul oblast the share reduced from 79% to 66% in the same period. Positive changes observed in Reading in Talas oblast among Grade 8 students who showed the worst results in 2007 when almost 85% of students were underperforming and received below basic scores. In 2009 the figure reduced to 70%, while in Issyk-kul oblast the figure reduced by from 68% to 59%.

Results of the Rural Education Project Improved learning conditions, e.g. improved textbook provision and quality 39 titles of textbooks (total 7,597 copies) were distributed to all Tajik schools 4 titles of textbooks (total of 40,000 copies) were supplied to Russian schools 12 titles of textbooks in Uzbek were reprinted (total of 96,000 copies) 4 titles of textbooks in Kyrgyz (total of 160,000 copies) were printed 9 titles of textbooks and teachers’ methodological manuals were developed and published in 4 languages (total of about 950,000 copies)

Results of the Rural Education Project Grade 2 textbooks in Mathematics and Native Land Study were developed and delivered to all schools (total of 227,546 copies) Primary school textbooks developed based on new curriculum: – Kyrgyz language (as native language) – Grade 2, 3,4 – Kyrgyz language (as foreign language) – Grade 2,3,4 – Russian language (as native language) – Grade 2, 3,4 – Russian language (as foreign language) – Grade 2,3,4 – Native land study – Grade 3,4 – Mathematics – Grade 3,4 – Music – Grade 2,3,4 – Drawing – Grade 2,3,4