OECS Academic Recovery (ARP)

Key details

Background

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, in March 2020, Member States of the OECS closed schools and began exploring strategies to mitigate the impact of the crisis on the education sector. The Education Development Management Unit (EDMU) of the OECS Commission developed an Education Sector Response and Recovery Strategy to COVID-19, and OpenDevEd (ODE) was contracted to develop an Academic Recovery Programme (ARP) to target at-risk, vulnerable, and marginalised students who had only limited access to teaching and learning during the lockdown, as well as those who were struggling academically before the onset of the pandemic.

Our Approach

The Academic Recovery Programme was co-designed in consultation with education stakeholders from four OECS focus countries (Dominica, Grenada, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines), aimed at ensuring core dependent competencies – such as in mathematics, literacy, and social skills – commensurate to a Grade 3 skill level. The programme uses a range of approaches to support learning inside and outside of the classroom and is designed to harmonise with existing recovery and support initiatives in each country. An agile methodology allows for the reiteration of activities to effectively adapt to the contexts and needs of learners, overseen by EDMU officials

contribution

OpenDevEd staff conducted the following tasks:

• Rigorous literature review of ARPs conducted globally and in the region, with situational analyses of the four focus countries
• Interviews and workshops with education stakeholders to gain insights on the anticipated ARP structure/functions
• Development of an evidence-based needs assessment tool to identify at-risk children and those likely to benefit most from the ARP
• Development of the ARP, including the incorporation of stakeholders at all levels, policy recommendations and teaching/training requirements, accelerated learning strategies, and sustainability planning for programme continuation
• Implementation of ARP pilot schemes in focus countries

The focus of the second phase of the ARP covered a scaling up of the original programme to the wider group of 10 OECS Member States. This included:

• Reviewing and revising the ARP, incorporating a guiding strategy for Ministries of Education to support accelerated learning, and outlining evidence-based approaches to support programme implementation
• Development of an OECS Declaration on Education
• Integrating with other programmes being implemented in the region (including the LAC Reads Capacity Program and Let’s REAP!), as well as incorporating the involvement of key education stakeholders from NGOs to community organisations

outcomeS

Key outcomes of the programme include:

• Informed by the data collected, developed the OECS Declaration on Education, outlining the Organisation’s vision for education, harmonization of education policy, and the role of partnership and collaboration in supporting the achievement of the vision. This will be a key document in guiding the regional integration of education across the OECS Member States for years to come.

Documents

First phase (ARP I)

• Outputs
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  Haßler, B., Megha-Bongnkar, G., Regis, C., & Blower, T. (2021). OECS Academic Recovery Programme - Outputs Register (OECS Academic Recovery Programme Report No. 7). Open Development & Education. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4743541
• Selected bibliography
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  Haßler, B., Megha-Bongnkar, G., Regis, C., & Blower, T. (2021). An Academic Recovery Programme for the OECS Member States (OECS Academic Recovery Programme Report No. 3). Open Development & Education. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4780102

  Haßler, B., Adam, T., Blower, T., & Megha-Bongnkar, G. (2021). Academic Recovery Programmes in the Eastern Caribbean — Literature Review (OECS Academic Recovery Programme Report No. 1). Open Development & Education. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4780577

  Haßler, B., Megha-Bongnkar, G., Regis, C., & Blower, T. (2021). An Academic Recovery Programme for the OECS  Member States: Pitch Deck (OECS Academic Recovery Programme Report No. 4). Open Development & Education. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4780107

  Haßler, B., Megha-Bongnkar, G., Regis, C., & Blower, T. (2021). Final Report and Recommendations (OECS Academic Recovery Programme Report No. 6). Open Development & Education. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4603101

  Haßler, B., Megha-Bongnkar, G., Regis, C., & Blower, T. (2021). Concept Note for the Implementation of the Academic Recovery Programme (OECS Academic Recovery Programme Report No. 5). Open Development & Education. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4780110

  Haßler, B., Blower, T., Megha-Bongnkar, G., & Regis, C. (2021). Academic Recovery Programme: Synthesis of Qualitative Data and High-level Overview (OECS Academic Recovery Programme Report No. 2). Open Development & Education. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4780099
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  Haßler, B., Megha-Bongnkar, G., Regis, C., & Blower, T. (2021). Implementation Planning: Parental Support for the Academic Recovery Programme (OECS Academic Recovery Programme Implementation Planning Tool No. 2). Open Development & Education. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4555966

  Haßler, B., Megha-Bongnkar, G., Regis, C., & Blower, T. (2021). Implementation Planning: SPED Support Plan Template (OECS Academic Recovery Programme Implementation Planning Tool No. 5). Open Development & Education. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4743617

  Haßler, B., Megha-Bongnkar, G., Regis, C., & Blower, T. (2021). Implementation Planning: SPED Internal Referral Form (OECS Academic Recovery Programme Implementation Planning Tool No. 4). Open Development & Education. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4743615

  Haßler, B., Megha-Bongnkar, G., Regis, C., & Blower, T. (2021). Implementation Planning: SPED Referral Flowchart (OECS Academic Recovery Programme Implementation Planning Tool No. 3). Open Development & Education. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4743613

  Haßler, B., Megha-Bongnkar, G., Regis, C., & Blower, T. (2021). Implementation Planning Tool (OECS Academic Recovery Programme Implementation Planning Tool No. 1). Open Development & Education. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4779907

  Haßler, B., Megha-Bongnkar, G., Regis, C., & Blower, T. (2021). Concept Note for the Implementation of the Academic Recovery Programme (OECS Academic Recovery Programme Report No. 5). Open Development & Education. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4780110
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  Haßler, B., Megha-Bongnkar, G., Regis, C., & Blower, T. (2021). Implementation Guidance: Slide Deck for Teacher Professional Development (OECS Academic Recovery Programme TPD Guidance No. 3). Open Development & Education. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4603116

  Haßler, B., Megha-Bongnkar, G., Regis, C., & Blower, T. (2021). Implementation Guidance: Teacher Professional Development [Facilitators Version] (OECS Academic Recovery Programme TPD Guidance No. 1). Open Development & Education. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4555958

  Haßler, B., Megha-Bongnkar, G., Regis, C., & Blower, T. (2021). Implementation Guidance: Teacher Professional Development [Teachers Version] (OECS Academic Recovery Programme TPD Guidance No. 2). Open Development & Education. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4555960
  
  
• See more in our Evidence Library

Second phase (ARP II)

• Outputs
• Selected bibliography
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• See more in our Evidence Library