Post on 11-Mar-2023
Education in the Middle East and Asia: Issues, Challenges and ROTA’s InterventionsEpifania A. Amoo-AdareResearch Specialist, ROTA
Presentation Overview
Research Design & Development Purpose/ Goal Background (organizational context) Key Questions Methods & Sample Limitations Findings
Education Issues/Challenges (Middle East, Asia) ROTA’s Interventions (Historic, Current and Future)
Next Steps
Research Design & Development – Purpose/ Goal
To determine the key education challenges in the two regions where ROTA conducts business
To outline and examine ROTA’s programming responses in light of the challenges identified
To serve as a tangible reflection of how ROTA contributes to addressing educational challenges
To form a platform for the development of a comprehensive research strategy
Research Design & Development - BackgroundOrganizational Context – QNV & QF
Qatar’s National Vision (QNV) 2030 – Advanced Society (knowledge- versus carbon-based)
human development social development environmental development economic development
Qatar Foundation (QF) - Innovative Education and Research
Education Science and Research Community Development Corporate Joint Ventures
Reach Out to Asia (ROTA) - Towards Education for All; Today, Tomorrow and Forever...
“…I love my teacher. She is a role model for us. She has taught us things which I hadn’t heard in my entire life. In addition to reading and writing, we are learning the art of calligraphy. This is so exciting. We are also learning Maths.”
literacy student,
Afghanistan
“It really opens our eyes to what the real world is like. There is so much more than ourselves and our majors and our dreams. It really taught me that I am one person in the world who just got lucky being born in this country to live such a life.”
volunteer (Indonesia trip), university student, Qatar
Research Design & Development - BackgroundOrganizational Context - ROTA
Donor and Implementer (since 2005) 5 objectives (access, quality, youth, advocacy, and institution
building) 5 programming areas (international education development, youth
development, literacy education, volunteerism, and ICT in education) 27 international projects, 10 local initiatives 12 countries in 2 regions 41 staff with 18 nationalities 22 partners (14 implementing, 7 funding) approx. $36.8mn commitment to date Direct Beneficiaries (63,770 students, 2,235 teachers, 400
youth, 135 migrant workers, 950 volunteers, 103 schools) Establishment of a Technical Support Unit (in 2010)
Research Design & Development - Background
12 countries in 2 regionsMiddle East
Iraq Lebanon Occupied Palestinian
Territories Qatar Syria Yemen (pending)
Asia Afghanistan Bangladesh Cambodia Indonesia Nepal Pakistan
Research Design & Development – Key Questions
What are the key education challenges within the Middle East and Asia, particularly as relate to children and youth in the countries within which ROTA works?
What has been ROTA’s response to these education challenges in the past, and what are its future plans (i.e., as outlined in the strategic plan)?
Research Design & Development – Methods & Sample
Methods Desk Review (project documents, literature review, web-based sources)
Informal Discussions Participant Observation (meetings, events, technical support, etc.)
Interviews (one-to-one)
Sample ROTA staff (criterion-based sample of 23 individuals)
Research Design & Development – Limitations
Vast Scope of WorkChanging Landscape1 year duration (June 2010-July 2011)1 researcherLiterature (English only)Project documents (proposals and partner reports only)
Human Subjects (interview transcripts)
Research Design & Development – Preliminary Findings Education Challenges
Middle East AsiaYouth Concerns
3.6bn under age 30
Bulge (60% under age 30)
access to education unemployment
access to education unemployment
Quality of Education
72 mn OSCY for primary71mn OSCY for secondary
54% OSCY are female
teacher quality, salary & attendance
passive/ rote learning
curriculum relevance
high drop-out and incompletion rates
difficulty unifying systems
teacher quality, salary & attendance
passive/rote learning
curriculum relevance
high drop-out and incompletion rates
low education financing
Research Design & Development – Preliminary Findings
Education ChallengesMiddle East Asia
Conflict/ Emergency/ Crisis
50% of OSCY in CAFS
lack of infrastructure
governance issues corruption IDP, Returnee &
Refugees education under
attack
lack of infrastructure
governance issues corruption IDP, Returnee &
Refugees education under
attackOut-of-School Children & Youth (OSCY) 27mn OSCY affected by conflict
(90% IDPs)
5.7mn in Arab States opportunity costs cultural attitudes
(including desired job type preferences)
18.4mn in South &West Asia;
9.5mn in East Asia & Pacific
opportunity costs cultural attitudes
Research & Development
inadequate or missing data
limited communications infrastructure
inadequate or missing data
limited communications infrastructure
Research Design & Development – Preliminary Findings
ROTA InterventionsYouth Concerns youth development (local &
global) school construction Disaster Risk Reduction
trainingQuality of Education school rehabilitation
teacher training (local & global)
sports development training environmental education international volunteer trips
Conflict/ Emergency/ Crisis
relief work emergency education psychosocial support Disaster Risk Reduction
training literacy education (local)
Out-of-School Children & Youth (OSCY)
school construction Non-Formal Education (primary) vocational training
Research & Development foundational research research strategy (pending)
Research Design & Development – Preliminary Findings
ROTA Interventions (Contd.)Pakistan
Challenges 7mn OSCY (primary); 25mn (secondary) 50% school children (age 6-16) cannot
read a sentence under 1.5% of GDP going to public
schools need additional 100mn rupees ($1.2mn)
pa to meet basic education goals 15-20% of public sector teachers
absent, on a given day (relatively well paid)
30% live in extreme poverty 13-20% of average rural family’s
income towards educationInterventions
BaghMardenSWAT
$5,660,948 commitment
school construction (21 schools) school rehabilitation (80 schools) emergency education (IDP children) psychosocial support (IDP children) sports development training teacher training
Research Design & Development – Next Steps
Complete research study Complete staff interviews and FGDs Extend to partner and Doha-based expert interviews Analysis and write up
Explore areas relevant to geographical context and ROTA’s road map
Character and needs of OSCY Education at secondary age-level Emergency education (e.g., for IDPs, refugees) Youth development for global citizenship Sports and education
Develop research strategy Goals and Objectives Themes, Topics & Type Partnerships (funding, research, etc.) Capacity Building Dissemination (academic, policy-making, advocacy)
THANK YOU!Epifania Amoo-Adareeamooadare@qf.org.qa+974 4454 1645http://www.reachouttoasia.org/