Deadline: 12 August 2019
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) mission in Georgia is seeking applications for a Cooperative Agreement from qualified entities to implement the Achieving Student Centered Education for a New Tomorrow (ASCENT).
The purpose of the Achieving Student Centered Education for a New Tomorrow (ASCENT) program is for the education system to implement sustainable student-centered reform in primary grades. The reform will focus on the subject areas of literacy, numeracy, problem-solving and critical thinking skills. At the same time, the program will promote deep-rooted systemic change, leaving behind a legacy of educational institutions with both the ability to independently make evidence-based decisions and the know-how to implement them in an inclusive, logical, and sustainable way. The program will ensure the participation of girls, ethnic minorities, and children with disabilities.
Capitalizing on the Georgian government’s unprecedented commitment to modernize the country’s educational system, the activity will be implemented in close coordination with the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture, and Sports (MoESCS), and looks specifically to actualize its support for student-centered instruction. The activity will also closely coordinate with donors such as the World Bank, which is planning to provide significant budget support and technical assistance for student-centered learning. (The World Bank intends to focus on introducing digital technology in the learning process and improving school management practices, activities that are complementary but distinct from ASCENT.)
Objectives
ASCENT has three objectives:
- Objective 1: Current primary grade teachers and administrators implement student-centered curricula.
- Objective 2: Future teachers acquire student-centered teaching skills and future administrators acquire relevant instructional leadership skills.
- Objective 3: Educational policies are developed with the use of data and evidence.
Award Information
Subject to funding availability and at the discretion of the Agency, USAID intends to provide $7,000,000 in total USAID funding over a 4 year period.
Program Beneficiaries
- Primary grade students and their families
- Primary grade teachers and administrators
- Public and private universities
- Local NGOs and disabled-persons organizations
- MoESCS policy makers and relevant officials
Eligible Applicants
- U.S. and non-US organizations may participate under this NFO.
- USAID welcomes applications from organizations which have not previously received financial assistance from USAID. USAID will not accept applications from individuals.
- Applications for renewal or supplementation of existing projects are eligible to compete with applications for new Federal awards.
- Applicants must have established financial management, monitoring and evaluation processes, internal control systems, and policies and procedures that comply with established U.S. Government standards, laws, and regulations. The successful applicant(s) will be subject to a responsibility determination assessment (Pre-award Survey) by the Agreement Officer (AO).
- The Recipient must be a responsible entity. The AO may determine a pre-award survey is required to conduct an examination that will determine whether the prospective recipient has the necessary organization, experience, accounting and operational controls, and technical skills – or ability to obtain them – in order to achieve the objectives of the program and comply with the terms and conditions of the award.
How to Apply
Applicants should submit their applications via email at the address given on the website.
For more information, please visit https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=317635