Tigray Development Association (TDA) is actively working towards improving the quality of education in Tigray. We are working on the recovery, reconstruction, and restocking of schools’ facilities and supplies. Moreover, ensuring that the quality of education is maintained, TDA has launched a back-to-school campaign aimed at enrolling out-of-school children.
In collaboration with the Luminos Fund Ethiopia, the Tigray Development Association is providing educational opportunities to out-of-school children in the Endemekoni woreda of the South Tigray Zone. The Second Chance program provides transformative education to 750 of out-of-school children, helping them to catch up to grade level, reintegrate into local schools, and prepare for lifelong learning. The program is an existing evidence-based accelerated learning model that targets marginalized out of school children ages 9-14, teaches basic learning competencies, and covers the first three years of schooling in just 10 months. Second Chance readies students to succeed as they transition into third or fourth grade at the local government schools and embark on a path of lifelong learning. Over 90% of the students who start the program are expected to transition back to mainstream school. The program’s core is a joyful, play- based pedagogy that puts the child at the centre of the learning relationship. In addition, child protection policy is strictly followed in implementing the project.
The initiative is currently in its second phase (grade 2). The facilitators involved in the program have received comprehensive training on Phase II playbook utilization and how to use the specific pedagogy of the program, the Activity Based Learning (ABL). Moreover, psycho-social support (PSS), trauma healing, and socio-emotional learning SEL trainings were given to facilitators, supervisors, and coordinator of the program. Assessments are conducted by the facilitators of each class every Friday afternoon and remedial classes are conducted for the low achievers on Saturdays. We also have conducted rounds of assessments and the results shows us learning is taking place at a very good pace.
Other key component of the project is the home-grown school feeding (HGSF). It involves the moms of every child who are taking care of the catering. School feeding menu is prepared and the moms have received training on food preparation. Moreover, the caterers get paid for their services and in collaboration with the Endamokoni woreda administration and the Dedebit microfinance we are working on facilitating loan for the self-help groups of the moms in order to enable them to create a sustainable job that will further allow them support their kids go to school after the students join the public school.