Transforming Teachers’ Practices in Afghanistan

Dr. Mir A. TajikFebruary 20, 2013

Afghanistan

Current Scenario of Education

• Decades of war (which still continues) has devastated every sector including education

• Teachers either left the country or joined the warlords’ army

• Schools & Universities were bombed or turned into prisons or militants camps

• Girls were banned from going to schools

• Mass exodus of the critical mass / social capital

Key Issues

• Lack of qualified & trained teachers resulting in recruitment of untrained and old age teachers

• Poor, unhygienic and unsafe physical facilities

• Outdated curriculum and ineffective exam system

• Centralized & bureaucratic management structures

• Lack of encouragement for private sector to invest in education

Educational Initiatives

In order to transform the education system the following initiatives have been taken:

•The Afghan govt. has given significant priority to education;

•Country-wide efforts for educational reform;

• Funding from international agencies;

•Curriculum frameworks and standards are being developed

•Capacity building & construction of schools

AKU-IED Initiatives

AKU-IED started its capacity building initiatives in Afghanistan in 2004 in collaboration with:

• Aga Khan Foundation, Afghanistan

• Aga Khan Education Service, Afghanistan

• German Embassy in Kabul

• GIZ Afghanistan

• Ministries of Education & Higher Education, Afghanistan

Objectives

To develop the capacity of Afghan teachers, teacher educators, and school leaders for effective delivery of curriculum, instructions, leadership practices, and school improvement programs.

Capacity Building Programs

• Enroll Afghan Students in MEd program;

• Offer tailor-made Certificate Courses;

• Offer Continuing Professional Education Courses;

• Arrange Alternate Exposure Visits;

• Conduct Policy Dialogues

• Provide School-based Support System

Evaluation Study

• The study was grounded in the “Objective-based” framework (Owen & Rogers, 1999);

• The study focused on AKU-IED’s program objectives:

• Knowledge Enhancement (Improved knowledge and understanding of teaching & learning, pedagogies, assessment, leadership & management….)

• Skills Development (Improved skills such as reflective practice, classroom management, leadership…)

• Application of Knowledge and Skills (application of new knowledge & skills in their schools….)

• Dispositions (positive attitudes and values….)

Research Questions

• The study was guided by the following questions:

•What were the stakeholders’ expectations of the AKU-IED’s programs?

• To what extent these expectations were met by the programs?

• In what ways these programs have contributed to capacity building at individual and institutional level?

Methodological Frame Work

• The study questions were addressed by using Guskey’s framework (2002) of exploring:

•Participants’ & stakeholders’ reactions to the programs;

•Participants’ & stakeholders’ learning from the programs;

•Organizational support and change;

•Application of new knowledge and skills

Sample

• Research Participants included:

•Randomly selected graduates/participants;

• School heads / administrators;

• Leadership of partner organizations;

•Officials from MoE & District Education Departments

•Graduates’ fellow teachers and students

•Programs Facilitators

Data Collection

• Data collection by neutral teams;

• Questionnaire;

• Semi-structured interviews (individual & focused-groups);

• Observations;

• Document Analysis;

• Facilitators Reflections.

Findings

1. Stakeholders’ Reactions/Expectations

• Welcome by teachers community, Academics

• Reluctance & apprehensions by some in Governance and Management

• High expectations – AKU can solve all problems

• Sensitivities around religious identities

• Comfort about cultural similarities

• Perceptions about themselves being knowledgeable and thus no need for any PD program

Findings

2. Unlearning and Relearning

•Moving away from ‘learning by listening’ to ‘learning by doing’

•Changing the culture of ‘Islamization’ of teaching and learning’ practices

•Departing from delivering sermons to focusing on skills development of teachers

•Moving away from producing ‘good’ disciples to active learners and critical thinkers

•Seeing themselves as a community of learners rather than as isolated individuals

Findings

3. Revisiting Practices / Values•Breaking the boundaries of gender segregation, regionalism, and hierarchies

•Moving away from pessimism to optimism towards peace, development, and educational reform

•Making maximum use of available resources rather than lamenting the scarcity of resources

•Thinking globally

Findings

4. Enhanced Knowledge and Skills

•Generating/acquiring knowledge beyond the textbooks

•Engaging students in discussions/debates on topics relevant to daily life (social cohesion, peace, tolerance)

•Getting into the habit of reflection – questioning one’s own ideas / actions/ leadership style

•Beginning to give constructive feedback than unnecessary praise or mere criticism

•Learning new, more enjoyable ways of teaching and learning / leadership

Findings

5. Application of new knowledge and skills

a) At Classroom Level:

•Introducing activity-based and learner-centred teaching methods in schools;

•Use of formative assessment, focusing on assessment for reinforcing learning;

•Curriculum enrichment and use of supplementary materials in schools;

•Interactive and less formal environment

Findings

5. Application of Knowledge and Skills

b). At School Level:

•Introducing PD activities for fellow teachers (seminars, workshops, critical friends)

•Organizing co-curricular activities (debates, celebration of important days, guest speakers, seminars)

•Delegation of tasks and team work (school development plans, committees…)

•Parent –Teachers Committees

Findings

5. Application of Knowledge and Skills

c) At Community Level:

•Community mobilization towards education / school

•Resource generation (established computer labs, libraries, built washrooms through community support)

•Strong school-community coordination in increasing access

•Gender awareness and participation

•Community education

Conclusions

• Cultural awareness and background in Islamic education greatly helped to avoid sensitivities and to make the content and pedagogy relevant for participants;

• School improvement is possible through developing critical mass at each district;

• The MoE needs to devolve the management to districts and then to schools;

• There is a need for the international agencies working in Afghanistan to work in coordination to achieve the synergy required to bring about educational reform