EDUCATION REFORM PROGRAM - STRATEGY FOR 2000

 

 

The  Montenegro Education Reform Project proposed here is a collaborative endeavor of the Montenegrin Ministry of Education, IEP and OSIM.  Its main target is the reform, and restructuring of the education system in Montenegro based on the principles of quality of provision and equality of opportunity. The program for the education reform will be developed by a team within the Ministry of Education with the expert, logistical and financial support of IEP and OSIM. A principal feature of the program is that it will explicitly ensure that the restructured and reshaped education system, which will be a product of the change process, will be sustainable within the resources normally available to the Montenegrin government.

 

Program areas:

 

Based on initial needs assessments and agreement between the Ministry of Education and IEP the following areas have been identified as priorities for the Education Reform Project:

  • finance and planning,

  • establishing an effective and sustainable dynamic for improvement (i.e. quality assurance, assessment  and inspection), 

  • teacher training and teacher education,

  • curriculum development and textbooks, and

  • creating a consensus for change (building consensus among community, parents, business, and other stakeholders in the  education system)

Project description:

 

The project will be implemented in three stages:

 

1. Capacity building for informed decision making regarding the features of the education reform

This phase will establish a Change Unit in the Ministry of Education cooperating with IEP and OSIM. After starting with an introductory workshop, there will be two main strands of activity.

  1. Providing an overview of successful models of the education system in different Western and transitional countries through demonstration seminars and subsequent country visits. The seminars will bring together selected country teams to offer their models of education system in a discursive manner, highlighting merits and backlashes, pros and cons, strategies tried out, challenges faced and open dilemmas of the education system of the respective countries. Based on these further focused country visits by representatives of the Montenegrin Ministry of Education will be scheduled. Two initial demonstration seminars are envisioned: one covering models of Western education systems, and one covering models of education reforms in countries in transition.

  2. Providing consultancy by international experts for each program area. Experts will be recruited by IEP and their consultancy will consist of three aspects of engagement. In the first preparatory consultancy the visit to Montenegro will focus on carrying out a needs assessment in joint action with the Ministry of Education for the respective program area, thus enabling the Ministry representatives for future assessments and jointly gaining insight into the problems targeted by the program area. The second step will consist of organizing an education seminar for each program area by the lead expert-consultant and other experts, for the Ministry representatives and other stakeholders in the system. The third step will be an active consultancy of the expert in framing the reform outlines jointly with the Ministry and helping to set up the concrete elements of the restructured system.

2. Framing the outline of the education reform

By the end of the first stage of the program, two things will have been achieved.  Firstly, the establishment and development of a Change Unit within the Ministry; and, secondly, the creation of a cadre of professionals with enhanced planning and development skills within the Ministry.  Strong links with external professional help and consultancy will also have been established.   The second phase will plan the shape and form of the actual reform program, and its various elements.  This phase will embody a strong line of consultation and consensus building amongst all stakeholders.  The product of this phase will be an agreed upon outline of reform with all operational and logistical aspects envisioned.

 

3. Setting up the reform

The Final phase will be the delivery of the program of change itself.

 

Governance:

 

Responsibilities for the realization of the project will lie within the Change Unit set up by the Ministry of Education, consisting of a lead expert for each program area and a Coordinator of the Unit; the expert team of consultants set up and coordinated by IEP; and the Education Coordinator of OSIM. A liaison group between the Ministry, IEP and OSIM will coordinate the commencement of the project and the setting up of the further management teams.

 

Time line of activities:

 

December 1999-February 2000:

  • Setting up the Change Unit by the Ministry of Education

  • Setting up the Consultant-Expert Team by IEP

  • Commencing line b) of the 1. Phase of the project

February-April 2000:

  • Organizing an introductory workshop and the two seminars for country models from line a) phase 1.

  • Continuing and finalizing first consultancy visits from line b) phase 1.

May-July 2000:

  • Carrying out program area focused education seminars from line b) phase 1.

  • Focused country visits by Ministry of Education representatives (1-2 visits)

September-December 2000:

  • Continuation of focused country visits by Ministry of Education representatives (1-2 visits)

  • Phase two: Framing the reform outline and conducting public discussions

  • Starting program activities in program area: creating a consensus for change

January-June 2001:

  • Setting up the education reform in Montenegro in all program areas

September 2001:

  • First year of the reformed education system - monitoring

Activities in 2000

  1. Organizing a 2 day introductory workshop on education reform in February for MoE in Podgorica.

  2. Holding a  demonstration seminar in March 2000 with the purpose of informing MoE and key education stakeholders about selected models of education reform in carried out in Central and Eastern European  countries: 4 days, 4 representatives of 3  countries as presenters, 25 local representatives of MoE and stakeholders, 2 translators, 3 OSIM and 3 IEP representatives.

  3. Holding a  demonstration seminar in April 2000 with the purpose of informing MoE and key education stakeholders about selected Western models of education systems: 4 days, 4 representatives of 3 Western countries as presenters, 25 local representatives of MoE and stakeholders, 2 translators, 3 OSIM and 3 IEP representatives.

  4. Organizing study visits for representatives of MoE’s Change Unit and other key educationalists with the purpose of gaining in-depth understanding of the whole context of a well functioning education system. Three host countries will be selected contingent upon the two demonstration seminars. The visits will convey a delegation of 10 persons from Montenegro, and last for 12 days each.

  5. Providing consultancy by international experts for each program area. The responsibility of the experts will be to provide insights for MoE and stakeholders into best solutions, open dilemmas and possible problem areas regarding each of the reform foci, and thus foster both decision making and the ongoing reform process.

    There are 5 program areas, for each area 1-3 experts will be engaged.

    The engagement will have three phases, needs assessment, educational seminar and follow up consultations.

  6. Starting program activities in program area "Creating a consensus for change". This program area being the major support for framing the education reform in the country, is the first aspect of reform to be started. Activities in 2000 will consist of 3 major events (public debates) involving all stakeholders in the education system, facilitated by international experts and providing also international input. Also many follow-up events in terms of public discussions and media campaigns are envisioned.

Breakdown of activities and responsibilities:

 

IEP responsibilities:

 

0. Programme Management

Project Management

   - Provide 1 full time (in Podgorica) and 2 part time (in Budapest) staff members as Project Consultants/Coordinators

   - Provide administrative  support in Budapest for 2000

Equipment

   - Provide 2 computers and printers, internet for use by MoE in Podgorica

   - Provide office supplies for MoE reform team

 

1. Introductory workshop on education reform

Conference Preparation

   - Selection and briefing of international experts

   - Providing appropriate Conference materials

Presenters

   - Coverage of airfare, fees and daily expenses for 9 presenters

Translators

   - Coverage of translators' fees

   - Rent for translators' equipment

 

2. Demonstration seminar on education reform in countries in transition

Conference Preparation

   - Selection and briefing of international experts

   - Providing appropriate Conference materials

Presenters

   - Coverage of airfare, fees and daily expenses for 9 presenters

Translators

   - Coverage of translators' fees

   - Rent for translators' equipment

Accommodation and Meals

   - Accommodation and meals for presenters, translators, consultants and participants

   - Refreshments during Conference days

Social Events

   - Welcome Dinner

   - Excursion and Farewell Dinner

Follow-up Activities

   - Report publishing

 

3. Demonstration seminar on models of Western education systems

Conference Preparation

   - Selection and briefing of international experts

   - Providing appropriate Conference materials

Presenters

   - Coverage of airfare, fees and daily expenses for 9 presenters

Translators

   - Coverage of translators' fees

   - Rent for translators' equipment

Accommodation and Meals

   - Accommodation and meals for presenters, translators, consultants and participants

   - Refreshments during Conference days

Social Events

   - Welcome Dinner

   - Excursion and Farewell Dinner

Follow-up Activities

   - Report publishing

 

4.Study visit for representatives of MoE

Preparation of Visit 

   - Selection and briefing of host country experts in 2 countries

   - Developing the study visit plan

Organization of Visit

   - Covering travel costs for 2 visits for 10 representatives from Montenegro each

   - Covering accommodation costs and per diems for 2 visits for 10 representatives  each

   - Covering translation fees for 2x7 days

   - Fee for Host Team Leader

   - Programme Funds  for host country institutions

 

5. Consultancy

Needs Assessment Phase

   - Selecting and briefing international experts  

   - Covering travel costs, fees, accommodation, per diem for the 5 experts for 7 days

   - Covering assessment related material costs

   - Translator’ fees for 5x7days

Education Seminars

   - Preparation of the 5 seminars (selecting and briefing international experts, seminar agenda)

   - Covering costs for 3 experts per seminar (fees, travel, accommodation, per diem)

   - Covering expenses of translation (translators’ fees, accommodation, equipment rental)

   - Accommodation, meals, refreshments and social events during the seminars

Follow up Consultations

   - Briefings and agenda development with 1 expert per Area

   - Covering travel costs, fees, accommodation, per diem for the 5 experts for 7 days 

   - Covering assessment related material costs

   - Covering expenses of translation 

 

6. Creating Consensus for Change

   - Selecting and briefing international experts-facilitators, agenda development 

   - Covering travel costs, fees, accommodation, per diem for 2 experts for 3  2-day discussions 

   - Covering meals and refreshment and local transportation for 45 participants

   - Covering translation related costs (fees, equipment)

   - Providing accompanying materials, background readings

  

MoE Responsibility:  

 

0. Programme Management

   - Establishing and full-time work of a team of 5 people acting as a Change Unit (CU) in MoE

   - Part time secretary and translator for reform support activities

   - Other staff and management support up to one full-time work load

Equipment

   - Provide office space, supplies, phone, fax, etc. for CU

 

1. Introductory workshop on education reform

Conference Preparation

   - Selection/Briefing of local participants

Participants

   - 2-days work-time of 30 participants

 

2. Demonstration seminar on education reform in countries in transition

Conference Preparation

   - Selection/Briefing of local participants

Participants

   - 6-days work-time of 30 participants

   - local transportation costs (bus rental)

Social Events

   - 1 social event for conference participants and presenters

Follow-up Activities

   - Writing a follow up report, editing, graphic design

   - Distribution of report and 10 local follow up public discussions lead by the 5 authors

   - Local coordination  of discussions

   - Local transportation and per diems of discussants/authors

   - Advertising of discussions

   - Feed-back report on public discussions

 

3. Demonstration seminar on models of Western education systems

Conference Preparation

   - Selection and briefing of participants

   - Preparing conference materials in local language

Participants

   - 6-days work-time of 30 participants

   - Local transportation costs (bus rental)

Social Events

   - 1 social event for conference participants and presenters

Follow-up Activities

   - Writing a follow up report, editing, graphic design

   - Distribution of report and 10 local follow up public discussions lead by the 5 authors

   - Local coordination  of discussions

   - Local transportation and per diems of discussants/authors

   - Advertising of discussions

   - Feed-back report on public discussions

 

4.Study visit for representatives of MoE

Preparation of Visit

   - Selection/briefing/coordination of  representatives for the 2 visits

   - 1 month full time preparation of 10 local experts for each visit

Organization of Visit

   - Local experts'  salary during visit

Follow up activities

   - Evaluation of visit

   - Writing partial reports and unified overview

   - Presenting outcomes in 5 local 2-day workshops

   - Accommodation, per diem and travel costs for workshop leaders

   - 4 day engagement of 20 participants per workshop

   - Participants' meals and refreshments

   - Coordination  of workshop activities

   - Feedback report on workshops

 

5. Consultancy

Needs Assessment Phase

   - CU members full time engagement

   - Full-time 1 month engagement of 3 local sector experts for each of 5 program areas

Follow-up activities : compiling assessment related materials, editing, printing 2 Discussion Forums for each of 5 Program Area

   - Local experts (presenters and facilitators) discussion preparation and delivery

   - Meal and refreshments for 50 participants each

   - Local transportation

Education Seminars

   - Selection and briefing of participants

   - Preparing conference materials in local language

   - 6-days work-time of 30 participants

   - Local transportation costs (bus rental)

   - 1 social event for conference participants and presenters

   - Writing a follow up report for each area, editing, graphic design

   - Distribution of report and 10 local follow up public discussions lead by the 5 authors

   - Local coordination  of discussions

   - Local transportation and per diems of discussants/authors

   - Advertising of discussions

   - Feed-back report on public discussions

Follow up Consultation

   - 1month full time work for CU members

   - 1 month part time work for 3 local experts for each of 5 Areas

 

6. Creating Consensus for Change

Preparation of Debates

   - Selection of local participants

   - Local organization of 3 debates

   - Preparation of debate materials

Delivery

   - 3-day work time of 30 participants

   - Local travel expenses

   

 

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