American Councils for International Education is partnering to advance educational assessment in Uzbekistan through the USAID All Children Succeeding Activity (ACS). This initiative, backed by a $25 million investment over five years, focuses on enhancing foundational skills among primary school students in Uzbekistan through inclusive education, including assessment activities and stakeholder engagement.
The goal of USAID's All Children Succeeding Activity is to support the Government of Uzbekistan in providing inclusive, high-quality, and equitable education in foundational skills for school-aged children. The expected outcomes of the ACS are: specialized support and teaching materials promoting inclusion, improved teacher professional development, and effective and sustainable education system reforms. This support is possible because the Government of Uzbekistan has taken decisive action to secure the rights of children with disabilities, with the goal of increasing the percentage of schools that are inclusive. The program is implemented by Creative Associates International in partnership with American Councils, the Center on Disability and Inclusion at Syracuse University, Praxis Plus, and the Nationwide Movement ‘Yuksalish’.
A team of American Councils’ specialists, including Dr. Todd Drummond, Director of Assessment and Education Services, visited Uzbekistan from April 26 to May 8, to conduct stakeholder meetings and assessment activities. This visit built upon initial discussions held between January and April 2024, aimed at understanding the current assessment landscape in Uzbekistan.
Initial meetings with the Ministry of Preschool and School Education (MoPSE) led to collaboration with the Scientific-Practical Center for Teaching Excellence and International Assessment (PIIMA). American Councils also engaged with other critical stakeholders, including the Avloniy National Research Institute of Professional Development, the Republican Scientific-Methodological Center for the Development of Education, and independent assessment specialists, to ensure a comprehensive approach to the project.
On May 3, USAID’s All Children Succeeding Activity organized a workshop in Tashkent that brought together stakeholders from various educational agencies. The workshop focused on assessment discussions with stakeholders, identifying collaboration areas, gathering additional capacity needs information, and building a shared understanding of formative and standardized assessments.
Following the workshop, the USAID All Children Succeeding Activity’s team presented a draft roadmap for the 2024-2025 work plan during a final meeting with key stakeholders. This roadmap outlines proposed workshops and activities leading to the creation of the Primary Foundational Learning Assessment, set to be implemented next year.
American Councils remains committed to supporting Uzbekistan’s educational development by enhancing assessment capabilities and fostering collaboration among stakeholders. Through these efforts, USAID All Children Succeeding Activity aims to improve educational outcomes and contribute to the long-term success of students in Uzbekistan.