THE United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has partnered with the Ministry of Education to improve reading and mathematics standards in 250 poor-performing primary schools across the island.

This, through the USAID/Jamaica Basic Education Project — an initiative in support of the island’s Education Transformation programme, which among other things, is designed to improve teacher training to improve instructional practices.

“This intervention is considered highly critical as it was specifically developed to address the findings of the Task Force of Education Reform Jamaica (2004), which highlighted the chronic underperformance of students and established performance targets for reading and mathematics to be attained by 2015,” said chief of party and project director Dr Jean Beaumont in a written response to Career & Education queries.

The, which targets children aged six to nine, is being implemented through US-based contractor Juárez and Associates, Inc and a team of local personnel who report to USAID Jamaica and the permanent secretary of the Ministry of Education. It is jointly funded by the USAID and the ministry and will run for four years, beginning in January 2010. It will end in 2013.

“Data gathered by this project over the past two years reveal that the performance standards at grade one to three is still a concern. Despite the emphasis of this project on training to improve instructional and leadership quality, there are other factors that impact learning targets such as nutrition, special learning needs and the inability of classroom teachers to cope with these needs and other social issues. A holistic approach is desirable,” Beaumont said.

“Data gathered by this project over the past two years reveal that the performance standards at grade one to three is still a concern. Despite the emphasis of this project on training to improve instructional and leadership quality, there are other factors that impact learning targets such as nutrition, special learning needs and the inability of classroom teachers to cope with these needs and other social issues. A holistic approach is desirable,” Beaumont said.

As such, she said that the project involves a menu of activities which include conducting surveys in schools and, among key stakeholders, developing assessment instruments in reading and mathematics at grades one and two and training administrators to administer the assessments.

It also involves developing checklists to provide classroom teachers with a reference guide to identify specific needs among students and providing curriculum support for teachers and principals to maximise the delivery of the curriculum.

“This includes the development of standards and benchmarks for both reading and mathematics and a scope and sequence for the teaching of mathematics in grades one, two, and three,” Beaumont said.

She noted that training modules are also developed and training for teachers, principals and education officers implemented to support effective teaching, learning and school management practices in the 250 schools under the project.

Further, it provides reading and mathematics instructional material and technology equipment to some schools — also in support of teaching and learning.

Support is also provided to the ministry through each regional office while feedback and analysis of data in support of greater accountability are also provided. In addition, annual assessments are conducted in select schools to determine performance standards among students in grades one to three.