Seventh Six-month progress report for project

REPORT COVER PAGE

Participating UN Organization:	Cluster:
UNESCO	B – Education Sector Outcome Team

Project No. and Project Title:	Report Number:
B1-08: Literacy and Life Skills Development	7

Reporting Period:	Project Budget [and revision if applicable]:
1 July – 31 December 2007	US$ 2,230,400

List Implementing Partners:	Geographic Coverage/Scope:
Ministry of Education Directorates and Governorates of Education UN partner: UNOPS, UNICEF NGOs: Movimondo, Armadilla, AMAR International Charitable Foundation and Norwegian Church Aid	MOE Iraq (a) Baghdad (Resafa 1 and Resafa 2); (b) Dyala (Ba'qouba); (c) Al-Muthanna (Samawa).

Abbreviations and acronyms:	Project Status: Duration/Closed Project/Timeline Extension:
- NFE = Non-Formal Education. - EFA = Education for All. - CLCs = Community Learning Centres. - NLRC = National Literacy Resource Centre. - MOE = Ministry of Education. - MDGs = Millennium Development Goals. - NGOs = Non-Governmental Organizations.	Project Duration: One Year (August 2004 – August 2005). 1st project Extension was approved until 31Dec. 05 Second Extension was approved until 30 Sept. 06 Third Extension was approved until 31 March 07 Fourth Extension was approved until 30 June 07. Fifth Extension was approved until 31 Dec. 07. Budget Revisions: The first budget revision was approved on 13 December 2006. The 2nd budget revision was approved on 25 March 2007. The 3rd budget revision was approved on 25th November 2007. ** The project was operationally closed on 31st December 2007.

Report Formatting Instructions: We kindly ask that you review the instructions below and follow them in the preparation of your report:	Number all sections and paragraphs as indicated below	Format the entire document using the following font: 12point _ Times New Roman & do not use colours.	Highlight any new challenges/constraints, mitigation strategies and lessons learned during the reporting period as well as monitoring processes and assessments, evaluations and studies undertaken/published in the period. Attach documents.	Attach any available photos relevant to the project.

NARRATIVE REPORT FORMAT

Purpose

Provide the main objectives, outcomes, outputs of the programme/project:

Objectives of the Programme/Project:

The overall objective of the project is to provide the basis for strengthening personnel and institutional capacities at national, governorate and local levels in policy design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of literacy and NFE. Specific objectives are:

To provide and revitalise, in a short period of time, the knowledge-base required for designing and implementing large-scale, effective NFE programmes based on community mobilization in collaboration with the government drawing on the United Nations Literacy Decade; EFA Dakar (2000) goals and the Millennium Development goals;

To establish a National Literacy and NFE Resource Centre (NLRC) and setting up five pilot Community Learning Centres (Baghdad 3, one each in Erbil and Samawah);

To support innovative projects and programmes with a view to reducing the alarming illiteracy rate in general and that of women in particular and promote “learning to live together”;

To build and strengthen the capacity of the Non-Formal Education sub-sector of the MOE;

To provide literacy and NFE vocational training for empowering adult women;

Outcomes of the Programme/Project:

A National Literacy and NFE Resource Centre (NLRC) established along with a set of programmes of non-formal education to ensure the sustainability of the five pilot Community Learning Centres (CLCs);

Development of literacy and livelihood skills, enhancing local capacity, generation of gainful employment and an entrepreneurial culture;

Advocacy programmes and campaigns utilizing national and local media to ensure socio-economic transformation and empowerment of adult women in addressing the right to education that seeks to generate partnership towards democratic change.

Outputs of the Programme/Project:

In close collaboration with the government and NFE/literacy stakeholders:

A National Literacy and NFE Resource Centre (NLRC) will be established along with a set of programmes of non-formal education to ensure the sustainability of the five pilot Community Learning Centres;

Development of literacy and livelihood skills, enhancing local capacity, generation of gainful employment and an entrepreneurial culture;

Multi-media literacy training materials developed especially by involving media and developing existing projects;

National/sub-national networks strengthened;

Holistic information on literacy and NFE experiences and development opportunities; locally specific development needs of the poor assessed;

Local and national facilitators of community-based literacy and NFE programmes trained and re-trained;

Consolidation of on-going literacy and NFE programmes and initiation of innovative pilot projects and;

Advocacy programmes and campaigns utilizing national and local media to assure socio-economic transformation and empowerment of adult women in addressing the right to education that seeks to generate partnership towards democratic change and for raising and seeking technical and financial commitments.

Explain how the programme/project is relevant to the following benchmarks:

UN Assistance Strategy for Iraq,

UN Millennium Development Goals,

Joint Needs Assessment ,

Iraqi National Development Strategy

In order to meet the pressing demand for literacy and NFE and to contribute to the achievement of national EFA and MDGs, the proposed project establishes a National Literacy Resource Centre (NLRC) within the authority of the MOE. The major thrust of the project is to provide a basis for building indigenous NFE and literacy networks, thus strengthening the capacity of MOE and providing technical input for other NGOs and government organizations involved in literacy and NFE activities. If the task of providing educational opportunities is not addressed immediately, illiteracy will continue to multiply leading to compounding numbers of unemployed youth and adults.

As such, this project fits well within the framework of the UN strategy for assistance to Iraq as well as within the Millennium Development Goals. The project addresses directly the MDG goal related to the participation of children (Goal 2: “ensuring that all boys and girls complete a full course of primary education”). Further, the project contributes to the achievement of gender equity and equality in girls’ participation, retention and provision of relevant and quality education (Goal 3: “eliminating gender disparity in primary and secondary education”). Also, this project intends to generate employment opportunities in Iraq by offering opportunities for the participants to acquire specific training skills that could be applied in other contexts.

The Joint Needs Assessment and the National Development Strategy (NDS) analysed the status of education in Iraq in 2003. It was noted in both documents that enrolment rate decreased alarmingly and that students were dropping out from schools, mainly for economic reasons. The documents also list recommendations that aim at restoring the Iraqi education system to the level of the early 1980s, where the literacy rate was 96% of the total population. The Literacy and Life Skills Development project was designed in the year 2004 to respond to the immediate educational needs of women and girls who dropped out from schools or who had never had the opportunity to enrol in the Iraqi formal system, in order to avoid further deterioration in their educational status and to overcome the gender gap which was highest in the northern region, especially that the literacy rate back then was 20% lower for women than men.

Indicate the main implementing partners, their roles and responsibilities, and their interaction with the Agency

Ministry of Education and Directorates and Governorates of Education:

MoE and DoEs cooperated with UNESCO in several aspects, mainly:

Identification of sites for setting-up the NLRC and CLCs in the three targeted governorates.

Nomination of directors for these centres.

Nomination of officials and community members for participation to capacity building programmes within the project.

Receipt and verification of goods and supplies procured by UNESCO.

UN Partners:

UNOPS: Assisted UNESCO in the procurement of the third batch of equipment for income-generation skills.

UNICEF: was not an implementing partner, however, being the Sector Coordinator, it played an important role in following-up on the project and ensuring that no overlap with other agencies occur during implementation. It also recommended several NGOs that could be helpful to the implementation of the project.

UNIDO, ILO and UNHABITAT: Although not an implementing partner, cooperation and coordination is ensured within the cluster activities.

NGOs:

Movimondo undertook the Needs Assessmment Survey on Non-Formal Education and Literacy status in Iraq, due to its network inside Iraq. The assessment was conducted during 2005.

Armadilla undertook a needs assessment on out-of-school children in Iraq. This survey was conducted in 2006 and the final report is available with UNESCO.

AMAR International Charitable Foundation is co-implementing with UNESCO an activity on Literacy and Peace Education in the Southern Marshlands, targeting adult illiterates and semi-literates.

Norwegian Church Aid: is implementing an activity in Basra that aims at establishing a Youth Centre for children aged 7 – 14 years in order to provide them with the opportunity to undertake literacy classes and learn some vocational skills.

Human Resources

National staff (programme):

6 National Staff NO levels partially co-shared with other projects

9 National Staff GS levels partially co-shared with other projects

1 National Staff GS level full time

International Staff

1 Project Manager based in Amman (full time)

Methods of Operating

Summarize the implementation mechanisms primarily utilized and how they are adapted to achieve maximum impact given the challenging operating context.

UNESCO implemented the project inside Iraq with limited human resources on the ground. The project was designed to respond to literacy and NFE needs even if security issues prevented international staff from working in Iraq. Making use of innovative collaborative approaches with partners, the UNESCO team worked with hundreds of institutions inside and outside Iraq to provide supplies, services, policy advice and capacity building. The implementation depends on national experts, local contractors, and NGOs thereby building capacity and providing income-generation opportunities.

UNESCO’s team of programme monitors inside Iraq have been playing a crucial role in the follow-up on activities that relate to the rehabilitation of the centres' buildings, receipt of equipment and furniture, as well as liaising with the MoE to obtain necessary information in a timely manner. In addition, the monitors performed regular visits to the project sites, providing comments and reports on the progress of certain activities handled by the MoE. As for refurbishment of the centres, UNESCO hired a consulting firm to monitor the progress of the rehabilitation works and provide monthly reports.

Although there were delays experience in the distribution of all equipment and furniture to the five targeted centres in the project, all equipment and furniture was distributed by November 2007. The purchase of furniture was done locally in Iraq. As for the equipment, all procurement was subject to international competitive bidding processes. Due to time constraints and the need to procure some tools locally in Iraq, the procurement of the third batch of equipment was handed over to UNOPS.

Provide details on the procurement procedures utilized and explain variances in standard procedures.

The procurement of equipment and furniture were subject to UNESCO’s manual and procedures of bidding processes. For contracts amounting to more than US$100,000, the offers/proposals are examined by the Contracts Committee established at UNESCO Headquarters. Upon obtaining the approval, UNESCO Iraq Office moves to the contracting stage. As for the third batch of equipment, as it involved the procurement of large amounts of small tools available on the local market, UNESCO decided to hand over the procurement to UNOPS due to time limitations given UNOPS’ stronger presence in the field and wider networks of distribution.

Provide details on the monitoring system(s) that are being used and how you identify and incorporate lessons learned into the ongoing programme/project.

UNESCO followed closely the project implementation through its programme monitors in Baghdad and Erbil. Those monitors provide updates on a regular basis and when specifically requested to do so. Through site visits, they are able to comment and report on the progress of certain activities handled by the MoE. As for refurbishment of the centres, UNESCO hired a consulting firm to monitor the progress of the rehabilitation works and provide monthly reports. In some cases, UNESCO would request NGOs to monitor certain activities being implemented in some districts that are considered highly-tensioned and where UNESCO monitors are not capable of accessing due to security considerations.

Report on any assessments, evaluations or studies undertaken.

A Needs Assessment Survey was designed to collect basic quantitative data and qualitative information as a means for developing a national policy document as well as for planning the future activities in other governorates. Specifically, the needs assessment survey on Literacy and NFE status in Iraq was to identify and respond to the educational needs of illiterate and semi-literate population groups (aged 18+). UNESCO completed the needs assessment survey on NFE/literacy status in Iraq using diverse samples from households in the north, centre and south of Iraq with particular emphasis on urban, semi-urban, rural and remote rural areas. A full project evaluation is planned for spring 2008. By this time the NLRC and CLCs will have become fully operational. UNESCO undertook regular monitoring and evaluation on the project’s activities, which permitted following alternative implementation modalities whenever time deviations were noticed.

Results

Provide a summary of programme/project progress in relation to planned outcomes and outputs; explain any variance in achieved versus planned outputs during the six month reporting period.

Output 1:

National Literacy and NFE Resource Centre (NLRC) established along with a set of non-formal education programmes and five pilot Community Learning Centres;

Activities undertaken include:

Refurbishment of the NLRC and 4 CLCs sites. This included fixing the electrical points, white-washing, fixing sewage systems and water supplies. The fifth CLC was not accessible due to prevailing security situation. However, MoE committed itself to rehabilitating the centre on its own.

Procurement of necessary furniture and equipment to the centres: The equipment was identified by the MoE in accordance with the income-generation skills, which were determined for each CLC. This included computer laboratories, sewing, food production, beauty parlors, painting and English Language. Final distribution from central warehouses to the centres is pending for the CLC in Resafa 1 (Baghdad). As for the centres in Dyala, Al-Muthanna, Karkh 2 (Baghdad) and Resafa 2 (Baghdad), the furniture and equipment have been installed and a training cadre was appointed in each CLC. Below are more details on CLCs:

The CLC in Al-Muthanna is to be officially inaugurated on 1st March 2008 in the presence of representatives from the governorate council and representatives from the MoE and its DoE in Al-Muthanna. The centre is operational and is targeting the following number of beneficiaries per income-generating skills:

60 students for sewing.

45 students for computer skills.

27 students for literacy classes.

18 students for beauty parlor.

12 students for food processing.

After completion of the rehabilitation works and equipment installation in the Dyala CLC, it was decided that the centre will be inaugurated on 13th March 2008.

The rehabilitation works in the CLC in Resafa 2 were suspended due to the security situation. Accordingly, it was decided that the CLC was to be based in the NLRC (Baghdad) and accordingly the equipment and furniture were installed there.

The CLC in Resafa 1 was fully rehabilitated. However, during clashes with MNF-I, considerable damage was done to the Centre for which rehabilitation shall cost 23.44 million Iraqi Dinars. In this regard, funding has been requested from responsible entities to compensate for the damange.

Output 2:

Development of literacy and livelihood skills, enhancing local capacity, generation of gainful employment and an entrepreneurial culture;

Activities undertaken include:

The CLCs aim to enhance the skills of the semi-literate and literate population groups. As mentioned above, the centres will be declared officially operational soon in early 2008 cooperation with and ownership of communities. Adults, particularly women in the economically active age-group, will be the target beneficiaries of the literacy, livelihood skills, income generation and poverty reduction projects.

Additionally, a Youth Centre was established in Basra in cooperation with the Norwegian Church Aid that provides literacy and skills-development programs to children aged 7-18. The main objectives of this programme are:

to support the integration between non-formal and formal education by providing youth with resources that are not available in the state schools;

to equip youth with skills that correspond with the market needs such as ICT and fluency in English;

to eliminate illiteracy among children, especially those who live in the Marsh areas;

to provide youth with employment and help them secure their future;

to protect children’s welfare, development and health and promote child rights;

to involve the community and parents by inviting them to the center’s monthly events and;

to assist Iraqi children in communicating with their peers across borders by linking the center in Basrah with a similar one in Jordan.

To date, 88 children have been trained in computer skills, 25 in Arabic handwriting, 48 girls in sewing, 420 children in physical fitness, 30 students in art activity, 22 boys in maintenance for electrical machines and equipment, 15 children in cultural activities, 36 children in internet skills, 11 in drama and 22 in home craft activities.

In cooperation with the AMAR International Charitable Foundation, UNESCO is also implementing the "Literacy and Peace Education" programme in the southern marshlands since 2006. This activity has been formulated within the objective to develop (at both national/local levels) appropriate and effective responses to address peace education and the urgent and immediate basic learning needs of the Iraqi people, piloting in the Marshlands as a first step. The focus of the project is the provision of peace education and learning opportunities to adult illiterates (and semi-literates aged 18 years and above). Following the successful implementation of a first phase beginning 1 September 2006 which benefiting around 1,800 students, another two phases followed to build on initial progress. In the fall of 2007, the beneficiaries sat for official exams and are supposed to obtain official certificates for completion of primary education by the Iraqi MoE.

Output 3:

Multi-media literacy training materials developed.

Activities Undertaken include:

All related activities completed and reported on previously.

Output 4:

National/sub-national networks strengthened

This has been ensured throughout the activities of the project's implementation. The Community Learning Centres will be opened in cooperation with and ownership of communities. The project seeks to build strong networks of literacy and NFE programmes with NGOs, government organizations, international agencies and public institutions (such as libraries). The National Literacy Resource Centre will restore linkages with its sister organizations in Baghdad, Samawah and Dyala and eventually in other governorates to share and improve experience in literacy activities. Additionally, this project will increase people’s ability to access learning materials, thus strengthening networks through empowering people to share views, discuss problems/issues and find common solutions.

Output 5:

Holistic information on literacy and NFE experiences and development opportunities; locally specific development needs of the poor assessed

Activities Undertaken include:

A needs assessment survey on Literacy and NFE status in Iraq in order to identify and respond to the educational needs of illiterate and semi-literate population groups (aged 18+) was conducted during 1st July 2005 - 31st October 2005 and the report is available with UNESCO.

Output 6:

Local and national facilitators of community-based literacy and NFE programmes trained and re-trained;

Activities Undertaken include:

This activity, as previously reported, completed in July 2006. It had involved the organization of a training workshop in Cairo during July 2006 in order to train NFE facilitators, animators and volunteers on managing NFE programmes in Iraq. About 17 Iraqi persons participated to this workshop, including the directors of the CLCs and the director of the NLRC.

Output 7:

Consolidation of on-going literacy and NFE programmes and initiation of innovative pilot projects;

Activities Undertaken include:

This output will be realized once the centres are officially opened in early 2008 and become fully operational. By August 2007, 95% of supplies had been delivered to the end destination.

Output 8:

Advocacy programmes and campaigns utilizing national and local media to raise awareness about literacy and to support empowerment of adult women in addressing the right to education.

Activities Undertaken include:

Advocacy materials were prepared with consideration given to the Iraqi context. These materials comprise wallpapers, posters, leaflets, T-shirts and video and radio spots. These materials are to be used for launching a Literacy Campaign throughout Iraq for awareness-raising on the importance of education, especially under the current security situation. This campaign is anticipated to coincide with the EFA Week activities during the last week of April 2008.

Report on progress made toward the achievement of specific medium-term outcomes of the programme/project as a result of the achieved short-term outputs during this reporting period.

The project was successful in achieving almost all short-term outputs, comprising all hardware and software components of the programme. As outlined above in 4.1, short-term outputs achieved include the procurement of equipment for centres, a training workshop on the development for literacy primers, a needs assessment survey, a training of NFE facilitators, and the preparation of advocacy materials.

However, the NFE programmes to be incorporated within the targeted centres and which constitute the main thrust of this project will only start in early 2008 with the official opening of the centres. Once the centres begin operation and the programmes start running, a more precsie analysis of the actual impact will be possible. Accordingly, the medium-term outcomes cannot be measured at this moment.

Report on the key outputs achieved in the six month period including # and nature of the activities (inputs), % of completion and beneficiaries.

Please refer to the following:

IV Results – Question 4.1.

Explain, if relevant, delays in programme/project implementation, the nature of the constraints, lessons learned in the process and actions taken to mitigate future delays.

The project has been ongoing for the last three years due to delays in implementation stages. These delays and variations are due to the following factors:

The prevailing security situation in Iraq restricts MOE and UNESCO staff movement. One CLC was seriously damaged during fighting involving MNF-I forces right after completion of its rehabilitation, while another CLC was not accessible for security restrictions and accordingly, could not be rehabilitated.

The continuous delay in the decision-making process as well as regular turn-over at the MOE. This factor excluded the possibility of field visits to the sites of the NLRC and CLCs during the first year of the project. As a result, there were substantial delays in the identification of the sites and their need for minor repairs.

Some logistical problems have been encountered with regard to the bidding process for rehabilitation of the centres.

MOE central warehouses have often been overloaded with equipment. Accordingly, UNESCO had been requested to delay the delivery of the last batch of equipment, which affected negatively the timely implementation of the project and its implementation rate.

Several delays in the distribution of all equipment and furniture to the five targeted centres in the project. The distribution was agreed to be under the full responsibility of the MOE. However, the delay in this activity pushed back the whole project's timeframe. UNESCO continues to monitor the progress of this activity closely. The MOE recently informed UNESCO that most of the equipment and furniture have been distributed and that this activity is anticipated to be completed by end March 2008.

List the key partnerships and collaborations, and explain how such relationships impact on the achievement of results.

The key partnerships and collaborations in this programme are with a number of NGOs and contractors of the private sector, which provided great and efficient support in monitoring and implementing activities on the ground (where UNESCO monitors could not reach). The two helped in pushing forward the implementation process through their skills, presence, and experiences in the field as well as through their knowledge of the history and background of certain areas.

Summarize achievements against planned results for cross cutting issues: security, gender, human rights, employment (including # of short and/or long-term jobs created), and environment.

The project aims at empowering girls and women and equipping them with income-generation and life skills that will lead to job creation and self-confidence. Unfortunately, no figures are available regarding long-term and short-term jobs created as the learning centres are not yet operational. However, the holistic approach of the project seeks to encourage women's participation in the community in order to demolish the gender gap.

Through this project and through the component on Peace Education and Literacy, the semi-literate and illiterate people in the Southern Marshlands are given lessons in human rights, freedom of expression, peace and democracy, etc. This project has been trying to tackle most of the cross-cutting issues and matters that need to be treated in the Iraqi context. Environment issues are tackled within the life skills programme to enhance the community’s awareness of preserving the environment and environmental responsibility.

Future Work Plan

Summarize the projected activities up to the end of June 2008 indicating any major adjustments in strategies, targets or key outcomes and outputs planned.

The project is operationally closed; however, UNESCO is currently working on designing and reproducing literacy advocacy materials for delivery to Baghdad and Erbil before the EFA Week in April 2008. The advocacy campaign aims at providing more visibility to UNESCO's established community learning centres and to the importance of literacy and life and income-generating skills for illiterates and semi-literates.