1. 2017 UNICEF Contribution to Quality Basic Education in Zanzibar
Zanzibar AJESR Meeting
19-21 February 2018
2017 UNICEF Contribution to
Quality Basic Education in Zanzibar

2. Key elements covered UNICEF Program and outputs in TCO
Progress and key achievements
Link of UNICEF Funded Activities to the ZEDP II KPIs
Summary of research undertaken and any research needs going forward
Key challenges affecting implementation of activities
Key recommendations for next year’s implementation

3. 2016-2021 UNICEF Education Programme Outcome and Outputs
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OUTCOME:
Enhanced equitable and inclusive access to quality basic education and lifelong learning
Output 1: Quality Formal Basic Education - enhanced capacities to deliver quality and relevant formal basic education
Output 2: Equity and Inclusive Education - increased capacities to ensure inclusive access and completion of basic education, especially for the most vulnerable children and adolescents, in a safe and protective environment
Output 3: Policies, Strategies and Plans - improved capacities to formulate, implement and monitor evidence-based policies, strategies and plans

4. Progress and key achievements for last year
Output 1
UNICEF partnered with MECP-Z in supporting improving quality of pre-primary Education using low-cost approach.
87 pre-school teachers in 40 schools were trained for 6 months on child-centred teaching methodology and on development of age- appropriate low-cost teaching and learning materials using locally available materials (also include mentoring, improved teaching and learning environment – securing classrooms)
Supported MoEVT in the dialogue with stakeholders on the establishment of community based pre-schools centres in two districts of Chake-Chake and West B to increase timely enrolment of pre-school children.
Supported SUZA in the development of Bachelor’s Degree Programme in Education majoring in Early Childhood Education (B.Ed. ECE).
Supported a research study at pre-primary - Measuring Early Learning Quality and Outcomes (MELQO) study.

5. Progress and key achievements for last year cont’d…
Output 2
Supported MoEVT in strengthening Inclusive Education (IE) through:
procurement of teaching and learning materials for learners with special educational needs
Training of IE staff on distance learning in special education
Supported OOSC study to map school capacity to absorb out of school children in Zanzibar.
Supported Ministries of Finance and Education to analyze Education Sector’s National Budget.
Education has been highly prioritized by the RGoZ, the MoEVT is estimated to receive 18.1% of total national resources in FY 2017/18, up from 14.5% in the previous year, second only to the Ministry of Construction, Communication and Transport.
 Education spending has averaged between 16% to 22% over the past decade, close to the Education for all commitment of 20%. The education sector budget increased by TShs 58 billion in real terms, a 62% increase on the previous year.
Zanzibar has the second highest percentage of the budget dedicated to education in east Africa (behind Kenya) and above the average for sub-Saharan Africa (16.6 per cent).
While the Government’s prioritization of education is high, as a small government with a young and growing population, there are still insufficient resources available to provide basic education for all.
Large increases in the budget for pre-primary, primary and secondary schools are being prioritized for the pressing need of reducing overcrowding in schools. A Presidents Fund has been established with the aim of increasing the budget for classroom furniture (however it would be advisable to redirect this important financial instrument to first increase the number of classrooms, and then focus on desks)
Some inequalities exist in the education sector. Income can be a barrier to accessing school, especially pre-school. Children with disabilities are much less likely to attend school. There are also major disparities in pupil classroom ratios between districts.

6. Progress and key achievements for last year cont’d…
Output 3
Provided technical support on the preparation and finalization of ZEDP II 2017/18 – 2021/22
Provided leadership and coordination of development of funding proposal for Global Partnership for Education (GPE) that has its major focus on pre-primary education (as well as on inclusive education)
Enhanced capacities of MoEVT staff and CSOs/NGOs supporting education in Zanzibar understanding SDG4 and alignment of ZEDP II with set targets.
Initiated a dialogue with SUZA on the establishment of Diploma in Education Leadership and Management (DELMA) programme with the purpose of enhancing head teachers leadership and management skills.

7. Progress and key achievements for last year cont’d…
Other interventions
Supported MoEVT to develop, launch and disseminate the Zanzibar National School WASH guidelines
Trained teachers from 20 primary schools on School WASH guidelines as a process of scaling up the programme
Supported training of 200 focal teachers on issues of Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) and Nutrition.

8. Link of UNICEF Funded Activities to the ZEDP II KPIs
Output
ZEDP II KPIs
2017
Source
Quality Formal Basic Education
Participation rate in organized learning one year before the official primary school age entrance (NER)
34.6%
(35.5 girls, 33.7 boys)
EMIS, MoEVT (2017)
Equity and Inclusive Education
Number of primary school-age out of school
Percentage of youth (15-24) not in education, employment or training
140,000
(4-15 years)
Zanzibar OOSC Study 2017 (2017 OCGS Projection and 2014/15 HBS Survey Estimates)
Primary education completion rate
84%
Drop-out rate in primary education (Zanzibar only)
18.4%
EMIS, MoEVT 2017
SWASH
Proportion of schools with access to basic drinking water - sanitation services in schools
89% pre-primary
85% primary
EMIS, MoEVT 2016

9. Summary of Research Undertaken
Out of School Children study – Mapping school capacity to absorb out of school children in Zanzibar. Key findings include:
about 140,000 (4-15 years) out of school children
overcrowded classrooms
shortage of teacher capacity to absorb additional children
poverty
lack of interest
school’s associated costs (uniform and food), and
general low level of parental engagement.
Approximately 140,000 children (4-15 years) are out of school. Reasons include: Poverty, lower educational attainment of the household head, living in a rural area, and being male, are all factors associated with a higher likelihood of 4-15 year olds being out of school. Boys are systematically more likely to be out of school than girls, at each level of schooling, with the gap between boys and girls widest at the secondary level.
lack of interest in schooling, age and illness, disability, physical school environments, a lack of trained teachers, physical and sexual violence in schools and some gender specific barriers also play a role.
Shortage of infrastructure - inequality in its distribution across districts

10. Summary of Research Undertaken cont’d…
Measuring Early Learning Quality and Outcomes (MELQO) study – assessed quality of pre-primary and learning outcomes and establishes an important baseline for school readiness in Zanzibar at the beginning of the school year. Key findings include:
Overall, pupils entering Standard 1 have varied performance on school readiness skills related to the curriculum areas in Zanzibar

11. Any research needs going forward?
As a result of OOSC study, MoEVT and other partner can engage in the following research:
A country-wide research to understand the scope and scale of the exclusion of children with disabilities
Research to understand alternative learning system and whether it really does successfully help children get integrated into regular classes.
Fee free education policy – a research down to the school and community level to a) understand how the free education policy is meant to work, b) what the key bottlenecks in its implementation are, and c) how the policy can be improved?
Research to understand the experience of over-age children, and how they can be encouraged to start school on time but also how the school environment can be made more supportive to retain them and guarantee their success will be particularly informative.
2. Does the current model of ALC provision successfully improves learning outcomes and allows for integration, and if not, how can it be improved?
4. OOSC research in other contexts indicates that over-age children are amongst the most likely to drop out and have lower learning outcomes compared to children that start school on time.

12. Key challenges affecting implementation of education programmes
Shortage of infrastructure is a major challenge (overcrowded classes). Many school-aged children still have no access to pre- primary education.
The introduction of pre-primary in already overcrowded primary schools has created learning challenges. A costed assessment of infrastructure needs has to be undertaken, findings discussed and strategies developed.
Inadequate availability of teaching and learning materials and teacher shortages especially in rural areas very much affect quality of learning.
Lack of technical and logistics capacity to scale-up and monitor programme implementation. There is need to mobilize resources to address scale-up of successful interventions.
The limited use of evidence from research, assessments and evaluations to inform policy dialogue in terms of policy and programme efficiency (ECE financing, textbook policy, equitable teacher distribution, etc.) remains a challenge.
Lack of effective monitoring and accountability for quality improvement.

13. Key recommendations for next year’s implementation
Enhance children's access to quality pre-primary education through:
Development of Pre-primary Teacher Training Curriculum
National INSET Strategy
Pre-school literacy
Support community initiatives for pre-school education
Start enhancing formal pre-primary models in schools by focusing on improving teacher quality and parenting education
Increase learning opportunities and learning environments for children with different abilities through
improve school accessibility including equipped Inclusive Education resource rooms and T&L materials
In-service training of Inclusive Education teachers
Enhance second chance learning opportunities for Out of School children and adolescents (Out of School Children Study, revision of Alternative learning Curriculum, life skills education)
Harmonize CELMA (Mainland) curriculum to DELMA (Zanzibar) with the purpose of improving leadership and management skills for head teachers
Support Teacher Absenteeism study.

14. Thank You!