RFI-263-21-00001-Teacher Preparation Activity.pdf

Request for Information: RFI-263-21-00001 Teacher Preparation Activity

Issuance Date: April 4, 2021 Response Due Date: April 18, 2021 Response Email Address: sbiblawy@usaid.gov

The Unites States Agency for International Development Mission in Cairo, Egypt (USAID/Egypt) is contemplating a new five-year, $23-28 million activity to improve the quality and relevance of teacher preparation in Egypt so that pre- and in-service teachers maximize student learning. The activity will establish an undergraduate teaching program and a postgraduate teaching diploma for primary-grade teachers in multiple public universities across the country. It will also provide related technical assistance for counterpart ministries at the central level.

This Request for Information (RFI) intends to provide public information to parties interested in USAID/Egypt programs and to collect information and recommendations.

This RFI is issued solely for informational and planning purposes – it does not constitute a request for proposal or application, nor promise to issue a future solicitation. This request for information does not commit the U.S. Government to procure any supply or service. Further, USAID/Egypt is not seeking proposals or applications at this time. Interested parties are advised that the U.S. Government will not pay for any costs associated with responding to this RFI. Responding to this RFI will not give any advantage to any organization in any subsequent procurement.

If a future solicitation is issued, it will be announced on one of two U.S. government sites (www.grants.gov or beta.sam.gov) depending on the type of instrument selected. All interested parties must respond to that solicitation announcement separately from any response to this announcement.

We welcome feedback on the attached Teacher Preparation Activity overview, and in particular, we appreciate insights on the following questions:

Questions:

1. Would a more effective teacher preparation degree program help incentivize talented university students to pursue an undergraduate teaching degree? Please explain using examples.

2. How can postgraduate diplomas be successfully linked to in-service teaching standards? Please provide examples of successful activities from the region or globally.

3. Is it within the manageable interest of this activity to address primary-grade, pre-service teacher preparation for both the multidisciplinary and English language tracks?

4. What are the critical gender and inclusion considerations for this activity?

mailto:sbiblawy@usaid.gov

5. What kind of private sector engagement could most effectively enhance teacher preparation programs? Please use specific examples to explain how.

6. How can this activity leverage technology to optimize teacher preparation at Faculties of

Education and foster long-term, scalable outcomes?

7. What are the risks associated with this type of activity? How can these be mitigated?

8. Would your organization be interested in submitting a proposal/application for this activity?

Which institutions would you consider as part of a broader partnership?

Please send all responses to this RFI via email to Sherry Biblawy at sbiblawy@usaid.gov by the date indicated above with the subject “RFI-263-21-00001, Teacher Preparation Activity”. Responses must be limited to seven (7) pages and include the organization’s name, address, point of contact, and e-mail address. You will receive a confirmation acknowledging receipt of your response, but will not receive feedback on any comments or suggestions.

Thank you for your assistance and valuable feedback to USAID.

Sincerely, /s/

Justin Gunnoe Contracting/Agreement Officer USAID/Egypt

Attachment: 1 - USAID/Egypt Teacher Preparation Activity Overview mailto:sbiblawy@usaid.gov

USAID/Egypt Teacher Preparation Activity Overview

Activity Goal

The activity goal is to improve the quality and relevance of teacher preparation in Egyptian higher education institutions so current and future teachers advance student learning outcomes through implementation of the Ministry of Education and Technical Education’s (MOETE) reform.

This activity should:

1) Create and implement a practice-based1, experiential undergraduate teaching program in Faculties of Education;

2) Introduce a one-year postgraduate diploma to strengthen in-service teachers’ pedagogy according to international best practices and the requirements of the MOETE’s new curriculum; and

3) Provide technical assistance to the MOETE and the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research (MOHESR) to strengthen their institutional capacity for pre-service teacher training and planning across ministries at the central level.

This activity will equip current and future educators with the knowledge and skills to teach according to the MOETE’s curricular reforms. The activity will create partnerships between Egyptian public universities and U.S. universities to improve knowledge sharing and exchange of best practices. Finally, it will integrate technology for improved education results across all components.

Scope

The anticipated scope of this activity is pre- and in-service teacher preparation programs in the primary-grade, multidisciplinary track. USAID/Egypt, the MOETE, the MOHESR, and the implementing partner will determine target universities based on an initial landscape analysis and consideration of geographic diversity, need, motivation, and feasibility.

Background

In 2017, the MOETE introduced its “Education 2.0” reform agenda to transform the Egyptian education system. A central pillar of this reform is teacher professional development. The MOETE seeks to build a cadre of well-trained educators prepared to deliver its revised curriculum using twenty-first century pedagogical skills. By supporting and motivating teachers through technology-enhanced professional development opportunities, the MOETE expects that Egyptian educators will develop active, participatory teaching styles that exemplify a learner-centered approach to education.

1 Practice-based teacher education is an approach to professional training that provides teacher candidates with opportunities to practice new skills with close coaching and performance assessments. Candidates gain deep content knowledge so they can adapt material in flexible ways for diverse students. (“Practice-based Teacher Education.” TeachingWorks, University of Michigan. Accessed March 2021) https://www.teachingworks.org/work-of-teaching/practice-based-teacher-education https://www.teachingworks.org/work-of-teaching/practice-based-teacher-education

As part of its reform, the MOETE replaced the subject-specific curriculum with a new multidisciplinary curriculum for kindergarten through third grade. Primary school teachers are expected to teach all grade-level subjects, with the exception of elective courses like the English language.

Faculties of Education

Changes in the MOETE’s approach to teaching and curriculum design require Faculties of Education to adapt and provide future teachers with the necessary skills to teach the new curriculum using twenty-first century pedagogical methods. Currently, there is a mismatch between the skills taught at Faculties of Education and the skills teachers need in the classroom. Many Faculties of Education rely on lecture-style learning with a theoretical rather than practical focus, and some Faculties of Education have not revised their curriculum since the 1990s. Meanwhile, most third and fourth year teaching practicums offer limited opportunities for students to receive constructive feedback from supervisors or peers to improve their teaching. As a result, few graduates gain the skills or classroom experience to be effective twenty-first century educators.

Most Faculties of Education have not updated their programs to align with the requirements of the MOETE’s new curriculum. Inconsistent information sharing between the MOETE and MOHESR has further limited public universities’ abilities to adapt to changing demands.

Compounding these challenges, Egypt’s centralized university placement system often funnels Egypt’s brightest and most talented students away from Faculties of Education and toward other fields of study, like medicine or engineering, based on their “thanaweya amma” test scores. For students within the Faculties of Education, higher-scoring students tend to be steered toward or self-select the secondary school track, in part due to the potential to supplement their income through private tutoring. Despite the known benefits of strong foundational learning, this system leaves little incentive for high-achieving students to become primary school teachers.

Continuing Education

As part of the Education 2.0 reform, the MOETE has introduced extensive training to give existing teachers the skills to implement its new vision for student learning. USAID/Egypt and the MOETE have partnered through the Teach for Tomorrow Activity to redesign the teacher continuous professional development system and link it with effective teacher licensure, accreditation, and incentives. While opportunities for continuous professional development are growing, high-quality postgraduate certifications for primary school teachers are scarce and do not align with current MOETE needs. The Ministry urgently needs its in-service teachers to master the skills required to implement the education reform.

Government Coordination

There is a strong and positive relationship between the MOETE and MOHESR. Enhancing the coordination between these Ministries is essential to ensure that teacher preparation at public universities is relevant and responsive to the evolving needs of public schools under the Education 2.0 reform.

Faculties of Education at 26 Egyptian public universities operate under the Supreme Council of Universities, which approves new degree programs and curricula and coordinates with the MOETE and MOHESR. Recently, Faculties have designed new credit-hour and fee-based programs that give them limited autonomy to design/revise curricula and test new models before scaling them. For example, USAID/Egypt’s STEM Teacher Education and School Strengthening Activity designed a fee-based, one-year postgraduate program for STEM school teachers and leaders. This activity facilitates collaboration between the Faculties of Education and STEM high schools so that the universities’ teacher preparation programs respond to the actual needs of the STEM schools.

Activity Components

THIS ACTIVITY will support teacher preparation through three components:

1. Pre-Service Teacher Training: Create and implement a high-quality, practice-based undergraduate program for the primary school teacher track in the Faculties of Education at select public universities. This component will include a teaching practicum.

2. Postgraduate In-Service Teaching Diploma: Introduce a one-year, postgraduate diploma in the majority of Faculties of Education at public universities to strengthen current primary school teachers’ pedagogy according to international best practice and the requirements of the MOETE’s new curriculum. This component should complement the MOETE’s teacher professional development plans.

3. Technical Assistance: Provide technical assistance to the MOETE and the MOHESR at the central level to strengthen institutional capacity to plan and implement pre-service teacher training across ministries. Assistance could include creating partnerships that bring together academia, government, and the private sector to develop innovative solutions for teacher preparation.