The USAID-funded, nationally focused Developing Rehabilitation Assistance to Schools and Teacher Improvement program (D-RASATI) overarching goal is to support the Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MEHE) improve the performance of the Lebanese public school system. The D-RASATI program addresses the underlying reasons hindering the delivery of high-quality education in par with the privat
e school system. D-RASATI’s phase 2 (D-RASATI 2, October 2013 – September 2015) is a $24.5 million, two-year project which builds on the achievements of phase 1 and contributes to the implementation of MEHE’s Education Sector Development Plan. D-RASATI 2 is the second phase of D-RASATI and is implemented by World Learning and a consortium of partners and service providers which include America Mid-EAST Educational and Training Services (AMIDEAST), the American University of Beirut (AUB), the American Language Learning Center (ALLC) and Digital Opportunity Trust (DOT). Its main objectives are to enhance the learning environments in public schools and provide dynamic learning opportunities for school administrators and teachers, while increasing parent and community involvement in the public school system development. The project involves staff from the Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MEHE) and from the Center for Education and Research and Development (CERD) in each of its components to embed institutional capacity building, operational and technical know-how in the structure of Lebanon’s public school system. Aside from training, D-RASATI 2’s activities encompass the development of key strategy and guidance documents for MEHE; such as, a set of standards for Extra-Curricular Activities (ECA), Leadership Development (LDP), School Improvement (SIP), and Community Engagement (CE) that contribute to MEHE’s Effective School Profile (ESP); a comprehensive national strategy to promote ECA within the education system including seven ECA modules for schools; an ICT action plan to guide the deployment of ICT to the entire public school system; and training of trainers (TOT) training materials on ICT, ECA, LDP, and SIP/CE. D-RASATI 2 provides key interactive learning opportunities to the administrators of the public school system on approaches to school development through the LDP and SIP. This is coupled with continuous mentoring and coaching and small grants to put learning into action. The project also provides teachers with training on the English language to improve the delivery of teaching in English, intensive coaching on how to integrate ICT in the classroom and training on the organization and delivery of extra-curricular activities. D-RASATI 2 provides equal opportunity to women and men, girls and boys to benefit from all its activities. In all its activities, D-RASATI 2 also pays particular attention to, and targets, schools located in communities hosting a high concentration of Syrian refugees to support the Lebanese government efforts in alleviating the extra pressure exerted on the public education system as a result of the Syrian crisis. Aside from focused training on emergency in education, stipends will be made available to 65 schools to finance teaching and learning materials to satisfy the needs of the increased student population.
