Lifelong Learning Project

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in Guatemala intends to issue a Request for Proposals (RFP) for an anticipated five-year, cost plus fixed-fee award, with three-year base and two one-year option periods.  

The Lifelong Learning Project aims to improve education quality and access for underserved populations, e.g., indigenous children and out-of-school youth.  This project will provide technical assistance needed to improve the quality and equity of students' reading outcomes.  Technical assistance must focus on increasing teacher effectiveness; improving classroom learning environments; fostering effective first and second language (Mayan languages and Spanish) acquisition and reading; extending learning opportunities to underserved populations, especially girls and indigenous groups; and expanding parents', communities' and stakeholders' participation in student learning.  Reading outcomes must be improved through the Ministry of Education (MOE) structure reaching as many schools as possible.  On the other hand, this project seeks to enable youth mostly in the Western Highlands (WH) region, (specifically in Quetzaltenango, Huehuetenango, San Marcos, Totonicapán, and Quiché) to achieve greater economic self-reliance and higher levels of civic engagement and educational achievement.  The contract will provide Guatemalan youth with increased flexible education, economic and civic participation opportunities with the aim of increasing stability and economic growth in the WH.  

This project will have the following two components:

-Component A: Learning to Read
-Component B: Education for Employment and Lifelong Learning

Component A under this contract will be a direct follow-on to the Education Reform in the Classroom (REAULA)  Project (2009-2013) currently implemented by Juarez and Associates, Inc.