Client Name: Central Square Foundation (CSF)
Location: Banaskantha, Ahmedabad, Narmada, Dang, and Porbandar.
Background Context: Gujarat piloted the Activity Based Learning (ABL) method of teaching in 256 primary schools. Since then, it has been scaled up across the state in 22,000 schools for grades 1 and 2, as the Pragna program.
The Department of Education, Government of Gujarat in partnership with Central Square Foundation, sought to improve early learning among children in the state. An assessment of the Pragna program was envisaged to enhance effective early learning systemic solutions.
Objectives
Development Solutions was commissioned to undertake an evaluation to understand the following objectives:
- Appropriateness of Pragna for early learning
- The fidelity of the Pragna program, its effectiveness, and its outcomes – both intended and unintended
- The facilitators and barriers to the program
- Is the Pragna methodology appropriate for students’ age and learning process?
Approach and Methodology
- Method/ Design: Mixed- methods: Quantitative teacher surveys and classroom observations, literature review, curriculum review, qualitative interactions like in-depth interviews and focus group discussions (FGD)
- Key Respondents/ Informants: Students, teachers, state, district, block, cluster and school level stakeholders, Director-Gujarat Council of Educational Research and Training (GCERT), QE cell members, CSF experts
- Key Areas of Inquiry: Schedule and learning environment of Pragna classes, Teaching and Learning Material (TLM), the conduct of common instruction and Pragna process, students' ability to transition in groups/lead learning in the Pragna process and challenges in the facilitation of Pragna, support systems for implementation of Pragna
- Sample: Teacher survey 400 (Banaskantha-205, Ahmedabad-71, Narmada-63, Dang- 33, Porbandar-28); Classroom observations-400 (Banaskantha-205, Ahmedabad-71, Narmada- 63, Dang- 33, Porbandar-28)
Impact
Recommendations to strengthen the implementation of the Pragna program were provided to the Department of Education, Government of Gujarat. These recommendations included strengthening the conduct of the Pragna classes, improvements to the curriculum and teaching, and learning materials, and strengthening support systems including monitoring, capacity building, and handholding support for program implementation.
Contact
17/109, Lower Ground Floor, Vikram Vihar, Lajpat Nagar IV, New Delhi – 110024