Education Innovations in Tajikistan .

Tajikistan’s long-term goal of nurturing a qualified workforce and national strategies for advancing education and development are shaping a vision for a modern education sector. The USAID Tajikistan Read with Me (RWM) project, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Science (MoES) and its affiliates, procured and developed age-appropriate supplementary reading materials for students in first through fourth grades. RWM and MoES also trained teachers and other educators in competency-based literacy standards. To develop innovative approaches to reading, RWM aimed to build partnerships with the private sector, parent-teacher associations, and local organizations. In addition, the project strengthened the capacity of MoES to support early grade reading and invest in its development. RWM built learning environments, such as inclusive and child-friendly classrooms, in which Tajikistan’s young learners thrive. At the same time, RWM supported teachers through school-based training that enabled teachers to engage communities in cultivating a strong reading culture.