Back to School

Feb 2016 - December 2016

The purpose of this partnership was to support MEHE centrally and in the field, as well as other (I)NGOs, to reach RACE objectives, enabling all children to fulfill their right to education. Technical Support Ana Aqra developed a unified Retention Support (RS) program in partnership with British Council and MEHE through CERD. The development of a six-level curriculum in the Arabic language, based on the Lebanese Curriculum Learning Outcomes, which MEHE/CERD later adapted in order to regulate the implementation of Retention Support programs by all implementing partners. Moreover, Ana Aqra provided technical support to MEHE through CERD to support the development of a unified Community Based Early Childhood Education (CBECE) package. Ana Aqra participated actively in the MEHE-UNICEF technical committee as resource specialists in NFE and ECE; supported design and development of the package with CERD and other education partners; and supported CERD in the training and coaching of education partners on the use of the package. Back To School & Retention Support Ana Aqra implemented the unified RS program to benefit 6,208 children at risk of dropping out as well as provided HWS to 5,413 vulnerable children enrolled in public schools in Beirut, Mt Lebanon, Bekaa/Baalbek and North Lebanon. Ana Aqra supported the ongoing Back to School, stay in School initiative through implementing a series of social mobilization and community engagement activities aiming to increase awareness of parents and caregivers on the education services provided by MEHE, and ensure on-time enrolment of children in age-appropriate grades in formal education. Through the outreach activities performed, the following learners were referred to formal education programs; 616 children joined ALP programs, 243 children joined 1st shift schools, and 2,052 children joined 2nd shift schools. Access & Integration Ana Aqra implemented the CBECE program with 2,432 children aged 3-6 years old and their families, who have no access to KG, prioritizing those about to enroll in Grade 1 for the 2016/17 school year. Who are we impacting? - 44 schools - 14,053 learners - 976 teachers

QTL

Dec 2016 - Sep 2019

This three-year partnership with CARITAS Switzerland (CaCH) aims at enhancing the quality of teaching and learning for vulnerable Lebanese and Syrian Refugee Children in the public schools. 25 schools (21 public schools and 4 semi-private schools) in the North, Bekaa, Mount Lebanon and Beirut regions will participate in the project. These schools will provide retention intervention in the form of homework support and summer remedial programs to a total of 3,600 learners and their teachers and other school staff. In the short term, QTL aims to enhance and validate the existing Balanced Literacy Approach, used by Ana Aqra within the retention support program, into an improved QTL model. This enhanced and validated BLA model will hence introduce improved methods to strengthen and improve the performance of education practitioners in public schools. In the long term, education practitioners benefiting from the outcomes of QTL will transfer their acquired knowledge into mainstream education. Key stakeholders from the Lebanese University (LU) – Faculty of Pedagogy, and MEHE - DOPS, PMU, and CERD, as well as the University of Teachers Education- PH Zug in Switzerland, are engaged to provide their expertise to ensure the project's progress. Two memorandums of understanding were signed between Ana Aqra and the LU - Faculty of Pedagogy and between Ana Aqra and CERD in order to facilitate cooperation. These MOUs are valuable stepping stones in expanding Ana Aqra’s educational work with the help of the academic and governmental sectors.

RACE

Jan 2018 - Jan 2019

This partnership aims at enrolling and retaining children in formal education as per the national education strategy, RACE. Retention Support The Retention Support program will benefit 4,800 children who are at risk of dropping out of formal education in schools in Beirut, Mt Lebanon, Bekaa/Baalbek and North Lebanon. Access & Integration Ana Aqra will implement the CBECE program with 2,700 children aged 3-6 years old and their families, who have no access to KG, prioritizing those about to enroll in Grade 1 for the 2016/17 school year. 2,000 out-of-school children aged 7-14 years old will also benefit from the Basic Literacy & Numeracy program.

CHILD

Nov 2020 - Aug 21

In response to Beirut Blast, the CHILD project was implemented in 2021 in collaboration with Caritas Switzerland (CACH) and Caritas Austria (CAUT) in partnership with Caritas Lebanon (CL) and Seenaryo. The project had two goals: delivery of quality education and child protection. Quality education activities proposed included delivery of a remote regulated non-formal early childhood education program for 500 Syrian refugee children and a homework support program for 700 Lebanese learners enrolled in seven public schools. Both programs included the the delivery of the Quality Teaching and Learning (QTL) approach, developed by AAA and supported by CACH, as well as the promotion of secure, safe, and participatory school environments. To help with the recovery of education delivery following the blast, further enhance recovery of education delivery after the blast, the project provided training and ongoing coaching to 40 teachers, as well as integrated psychosocial support (PSS) curricula targeting children and their caregivers. In addition, teachers were given a self-care package and all seven schools were equipped with materials supporting education delivery (technological devices, stationary/ home-schooling kits) for 700 learners.

I Can Always Learn

Nov 2020 - Feb 22

In partnership with a generous donor who wishes to remain anonymous, Ana Aqra completed the “I Can Always Learn” project that was designed in response to the exacerbating disruptions in education caused by the spread of COVID-19 and the adverse implications of Lebanon’s dire economic situation. The program aimed to fill preexisting gaps caused by either non-stimulating environments for children who are not yet enrolled in school or school disruptions for those who are. Via remote learning, the project provided early childhood and retention support education services to children ages 4-6 and 6-8 respectively. The project also delivered the “I Can Also Teach” program, which engaged community takeholders, particularly parents and caregivers, in supporting the active learning environment by building their capacities and skills in early literacy and child development milestones. Through teacher training and coaching sessions, the project built the teachers’ capacities in quality teaching and learning and teachers adopted their best practices in support of distance learning.

International Rescue Committee

Retention Support Program is a program In partnership with the International Rescue Committee (IRC) and funded by The Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM), the Program aimed to provide homework support to 500 at-risk Syrian refugee girls and boys enrolled in five public schools. The program utilized a blended modality of face-to-face and distance learning to improve school performance and increase retention rates. Implementing teachers received capacity building based on the 'Quality Teaching and Learning' model and were equipped with resources aligned with the curriculum. Parents and caregivers were engaged and provided with instructional materials for well-being and creating supportive home learning environments.

Nataf3al

Jan 21 - Mar 24

In collaboration with a consortium led by the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) and project funded is by dedicated the to Agence ensuring Franthe aise de retention D of all veloppement students (AFD), and the their successful Nataf3al completion of education. By establishing schools as comprehensive support systems, the project aims to empower students to overcome future shocks in education and the wider local and national context. Over a three-year period, the project will support 20 public schools in Beirut, Mount Lebanon, Beqaa, Baalbek, and Akkar, targeting the most vulnerable areas. Through partnerships with the Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MEHE), the center for education research and development (CERD), and consortium members including Ana Aqra, Amel Association, and International Alert, Nataf3al will impact over 12,000 learners, 600 teachers, and 3,200 parents