Building educational resilience in Kyrgyzstan

Kyrgyzstan’s education system, like many others worldwide, faced unprecedented challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Prolonged school closures led to significant learning losses among students, particularly affecting those in remote and underserved areas.

In response, the Ministry of Education and Science (MoES), supported by UNICEF, launched the project ‘Ensuring quality education for children affected by COVID-19’ to ensure the safe reopening of schools and provide equitable learning opportunities to all children.

What did we study?

ACER evaluated the project to understand the effectiveness of 3 interventions within the project: Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH), Infection Prevention and Control (IPC), and catch-up learning.

The project provided WASH and IPC supplies and training to establish safe learning environments within schools. Complementing these efforts, a catch-up learning programme was implemented to bridge the learning gaps caused by prolonged school closures during the pandemic. These measures were further reinforced through teacher training in pedagogical skills and digital literacy, which enabled teachers to support vulnerable students and ensure no child was left behind.

The project was implemented from August 2021 to 2024 and covered grades 5 and 6 students in 460 prioritised schools across all 7 oblasts of Kyrgyzstan, including areas affected by the pandemic and cross-border conflicts.

The initiative exceeded its targets by:

• training 10,320 teachers on functional literacy
• engaging 20,565 children in the catch-up learning programme
• educating 231,139 children and 12,603 teachers in WASH training and IPC.

How did we evaluate the project?

We evaluated the project using the OECD DAC criteria—relevance, coherence, effectiveness, efficiency, impact, sustainability, and cross-cutting issues, and implemented a theory-based evaluation combined with a retrospective Theory of Change (ToC). We adopted a mixed-methods approach to generate results from both quantitative and qualitative data.

The ACER team conducted field visits to train enumerators, pilot survey instruments, and meet key stakeholders during the data collection phase. The data collection included surveys with 92 school administrators and 184 teachers, 16 in-depth interviews with key stakeholders, and 10 focus group discussions.     

What did we find?

The evaluation showed that the project was highly relevant and effective in meeting the needs of students during the pandemic.

WASH and IPC interventions improved hygiene practices and established safer school environments — essential for safe reopening. The distribution of WASH supplies and training led to fewer illnesses and higher attendance. Complementing this, the catch-up learning programme mitigated learning losses. The survey showed that 84% teachers observed improvements in students’ performance, and the majority of parents also reported positive changes, specifically in their children’s motivation and independence.

A parent whose child studied at a school in Bishkek shared,

She does everything on her own without reminders. She might go to bed at 4 AM, sometimes she has drawing assignments that she works on until 4 AM, then sleeps for a couple of hours and goes back to school at 7. I’m amazed. Once, she couldn’t solve a math problem, went to her father, and he brushed her off, saying he didn't understand math. She was upset, went to bed, and in the middle of the night woke up shouting, “I solved it!” and went to write it down in her notebook.

The project enhanced teachers’ digital literacy through online training platforms and introduced innovative teaching methods to address foundational learning gaps. Teachers gained improved skills in modern assessment methodologies. However, limited internet connectivity in remote areas and varying levels of digital competence restricted the full potential of these initiatives.

What are the implications of the findings?

There are strong indications of sustainability of the interventions. Local authorities and educational bodies have ensured the ongoing use of WASH standards and catch-up learning models.

The trained teachers are confident in maintaining new skills in WASH and catch-up learning, although there are concerns about the persistence of these practices among students. With continued support from the government and local communities, including these practices in standard school routines and national education policies is expected to have a lasting effect.

ACER’s evaluation provides essential insights that guide UNICEF and MoES in scaling these educational initiatives. First, initiating WASH training at the kindergarten level is crucial to instil lifelong healthy habits. Second, ongoing efforts for digital training are vital so that teachers can fully integrate technology in their instruction. Lastly, strengthening parental engagement can create a supportive learning environment for students.

From a policy standpoint, the evaluation emphasises the need to institutionalise standardised WASH and catch-up learning measures within national education frameworks to ensure consistent, system-wide adoption. The findings call for strategic reforms across 3 key areas: teacher development, digital infrastructure, and competency-based assessments.

Central to these efforts is the adoption of gender-responsive and inclusive practices that cater to all students.

While the project supported immediate recovery efforts, the evaluation found the interventions are robust and relevant in strengthening national preparedness for future challenges.     

For more information on the project, write to: india@acer.org.