International Development Grant
Access to Quality Education in Bihar
Project Number: CA-3-S065532001
Status: Closed
Country/Region:
Maximum Contribution: $1,787,441.00
Start Date: April 24, 2012
End Date: March 31, 2016
Duration: 3.9 years
Project Description
The project's objective is to transform the lives of 17 830 disadvantaged and marginalized children in poor neighbourhoods in three districts of the state of Bihar India by improving access to and quality of education. The project provides training and mentoring in child-centred teaching methods to teachers at preschool and primary levels. It also provides training and mentoring to village education committees and school management committees to help them better manage community schools. The project builds upon significant gains achieved through a network of neighbourhood-level learning support centres that provide after-school support to preschool and primary school children. The project is implemented by Aga Khan Foundation Canada in partnership with Aga Khan Foundation India and Aga Khan Rural Support Program. During the first year a local Patna based education and child rights focused non-government organisation Nidan is also helping to implement the project.
Expected Results
The expected intermediate outcomes for this project include: a classroom environment that is more supportive of a successful transition by students into early primary school; increased gender-balanced participation by community members in school management; and increased participation by girls in formal and non-formal education.
Progress & Results Achieved
Results achieved as of February 2016 include: (1) more grade school children are enrolling in primary schools (grades 1 3) and Early Child Development (ECD) Centres; (2) children’s abilities in literacy and numeracy increased by 17.5% on assessments; (3) 1 528 adolescent girls belonging to historically marginalized groups were provided with educational opportunities they otherwise would not have had access to; (4) 286 adolescent girls from Girls’ Education Centres successfully transitioned to government schools to complete their education; (5) 135 girls enrolled into the National Institute of Open Schooling to take their Grade 10 Board Examinations; (6) 214 girls received vocational training in areas such as basic computer literacy sewing design and spoken English according to their interests and skills ; (7) 758 girls received solar lamps that allowed them to study well into the night; (8) in total 60 ECD centers were operational in project areas including 20 in Patna (urban) and 40 in the rural districts of Muzzafarpur and Samastipur; (9) parents are increasingly involved in school activities and in their children’s education; and (10) adolescent girls’ perception of parental support for their education significantly improved rising by 27.0% between the beginning and end of project.
Key Information
Executing Agency:
Aga Khan Foundation Canada
Reporting Organization:
Global Affairs Canada
Program:
YFMInternaAssistPartnershp&Programing Br
Last Modified:
September 19, 2025
Development Classifications
DAC Sector:
Aid Type: Donor country personnel
Collaboration: Bilateral
Finance Type: Aid grant excluding debt reorganisation
Selection Mechanism:
Pre-APP