Project profile — Gender-Inclusive Radio-Based Education in the DRC – Response to Coronavirus (COVID-19)

• Congo, Democratic Republic (100.00%)

• Education, Level Unspecified: Education policy and administrative management (11110) (5.00%)
• Basic Education: Primary education (11220) (35.00%)
• Education: Lower secondary education (11260) (35.00%)
• Water And Sanitation: Basic sanitation (14032) (25.00%)

• Gender equality (significant objective)
• Environmental sustainability (cross-cutting) (not targeted)
• Participatory development and good governance (not targeted)
• Trade development (not targeted)
• Biodiversity (not targeted)
• Climate change mitigation (not targeted)
• Climate Change Adaptation (not targeted)
• Urban issues (not targeted)
• Desertification (not targeted)
• Children's issues (significant objective)
• Youth Issues (significant objective)
• Disaster Risk Reduction(DRR) (not targeted)
• Disability (significant objective)
• Indigenous Issues (not targeted)
• Nutrition (not targeted)
• ICT as a tool for development (not targeted)

This project aims to improve learning outcomes for out-of-school children, particularly girls and children with disabilities, in conflict-affected and marginalized communities in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The project builds on a 4-year pilot project implemented by War Child Canada that used interactive radio instruction to reach learners unable to participate in the formal school system. The project aims to scale-up the radio-based education approach to ensure continuity of education for learners affected by school closure, and to support COVID-19 prevention messages. Project activities include: (1) providing training to 100 education assistants and ministry personnel in Interactive Radio Learning and gender-responsive education; (2) broadcasting of accelerated learning curriculum in three new DRC provinces (Haut Katanga, Ituri and Tanganyika); (3) supporting learners through access to education assistants via toll-free hotline and on-air question and answer period following radio broadcasts; (4) developing and broadcasting of daily radio spots with messaging on health education, gender-based violence and the importance of girls’ education; and (5) providing water, sanitation and hygiene support to identified education structures based on rapid needs assessment to facilitate the back to school campaign. This project expects that an additional 366,937 (of which 184,569 are girls and 182,368 are boys) crisis-affected learners have access to quality education.

The expected outcomes for this project include: (1) increased access to safe and secure learning environments following COVID-19 crisis; (2) increased capacity of the Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo to prepare and respond to school interruption; and (3) increased support for the eventual transition back to school for crisis-affected learners.

Results achieved as of the end of the project (December 2022) include: (1) delivered refresher training to key project stakeholders between April 2021 and March 2022; (2) trained 128 key ministry staff on Interactive Radio Instruction (IRI) model implementation (including 52 women); (3) trained 80 Education Assistants (EAs) on the IRI model and on how to provide support to crisis-affected learning remotely (including 34 women) and 52 master trainers trained on IRI model and on how to provide support to crisis-affected learning remotely (including 15 women); (4) provided 2,426 out-of-school children with IRI classes in the 2021-2022 school year (including 972 girls); (5) rehabilitated 10 learning centres in the first year of the project; (6) provided 70 education facilities with water, sanitation and hygiene equipment; (7) provided 462 out-of-school children with school supplies in the project’s first year In the second year, the distribution of school supplies targeted IRI centers to ensure sustainability; (8) engaged 7,000 community members through community sensitization sessions coordinated by local Civil Society Organizations; and (9) provided six radio stations with broadcast radio lessons, messaging on COVID-19 information, the importance of education for all children and the importance of women’s inclusion in decision-making.

• Proactive disclosure
• Related activities: Making Waves: Gender-Inclusive Radio-Based Education in the Democratic Republic of Congo