USAID Awards $12 Million for New Education Project

A small-scale pilot program called PEAKS (Participation, Education, and Knowledge-Strengthening), in Central Eurasia, will be implemented by four partner organizations: Academy for Education Development, OSI, Save the Children, and Abt Associates.

PEAKS is aimed at improving the quality of teaching and learning; building analytical capacity; improving the management and culture of schools; decreasing the drop-out rates; and increasing attendance rates. Specific focus will be given to children from rural areas and girls education. The project will also support community centers and community schools as a key factor in improving educational quality of all children, but particularly of children from low-income families and girls.

OSI’s activities in PEAKS will focus on establishing and supporting activities of professional teacher associations; offering a comprehensive approach to education change through combined OSI programs (Step by Step, Reading and Writing for Critical Thinking, and School Improvement) developing professional development schools as resource models at regional levels; piloting community centers in underserved, remote rural areas.

A launch seminar for the PEAKS Project is planned in Almaty, Kazakhstan, in March 25–29, 2003.