Strengthening Education
Elementary students in Zamboanga City, in the conflict-affected Mindanao region of the Philippines, work intently on a math project, guided by a textbook donated by USAID. (Photo: Rojessa Tiamson-Saceda/EQuALLS2 Project)
ASIA BUREAU
EDUCATION PROGRAMS
Bangladesh, Burma, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Pakistan, and Tajikistan
CONTACTS
Aleksandra Braginski
Education Team Leader
Tel: (202) 712-4297
Email: abraginski@usaid.gov
Mitch Kirby
Senior Education Advisor
Tel: (202) 712-5554
Email: mkirby@usaid.gov
Overview
Asia's development depends on the ability of governments in the region to expand access to quality and relevant education for the region's growing population of children and youth. Throughout the region, USAID partners with governments, schools, communities, non-governmental organizations, and the private sector to support improvements in primary, secondary, and tertiary education. Programs in a few countries in the region also focus on early childhood education.
Programs
Improving Basic Education
USAID improves education for children in grades K-12 through enhanced school management, governance, and classroom instruction programs; training for teachers and school administrators; and integration of technology to improve teaching and, where appropriate, learning. To increase the impact of USAID's basic education investments, the Agency's 2011 education strategy calls for greater selectivity and focus in order to improve reading skills among students.
In Bangladesh, USAID supports training for preschool and early primary school teachers to improve children's skills and performance in literacy, numeracy, and critical thinking. The USAID-funded television program Sisimpur (Bangla version of Sesame Street) reaches 9 million children each week, preparing them to succeed in early primary school.
In Indonesia, the U.S. government is partnering with the Ministry of Education and local government officials to improve teaching and learning for children in grades 1-12. A decentralized, school-based approach to management and evidence-based teaching methods and materials have raised student learning outcomes in language, math, and science and directly benefitted more than 362,600 students in 1,880 schools and 51,880 teachers and administrators. USAID also partners with the private sector to enhance the relevance of education to the workplace.
In Cambodia, USAID supports government and non-governmental organizations to improve the quality and relevance of education through a new national curriculum that reinforces math, science, social studies, and language skills. In targeted schools using the new curriculum, the number of children continuing on to secondary school increased by 80 percent or more.
Strengthening Higher Education
USAID's higher education programs support and strengthen host country universities through faculty and academic program development, scholarships, and partnerships with U.S. universities. In Kyrgyzstan, USAID supports a program that provides low-interest loans to students. These loans are disbursed by two Kyrgyz financial institutions and are backed by USAID loan guarantees to ensure sufficiently low interest rates. In Indonesia, USAID fosters partnerships between U.S. and Indonesian universities at both the management and technical levels.
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