The positive impact of Getting Ready for School

The American Institutes for Research (AIR) was commissioned by UNICEF to annually undertake an independent evaluation of whether and to what extent the Getting Ready for School programme achieved its aims in the six pilot countries – Bangladesh, China, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Tajikistan, and Yemen. In some of the countries, AIR was able to implement a Randomised Control Trial design; in others, they used a quasi experimental design. Both qualitative and quantitative data was collected.

Getting Ready for School materials in Yemen.

AIR found positive impacts overall. In all six countries, they found strong interest and enthusiasm in the programme, along with high programme attendance and thus a large increase in on-time primary school enrolment.

AIR noted exceptionally positive results in Bangladesh and Yemen, in particular. AIR attributed this success to the involvement of the families and communities from the outset of the project.

AIR suggested increasing the numbers of Getting Ready for School sessions per week in order to ensure children and their communities fully benefit from the programme.