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Building professional competency for poverty reduction
- 1. BUILDING PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCY FOR POVERTY REDUCTION An overview of the PRAM Initiative – a professional education program for agricultural development workers in Laos
- 2. The developmental context The development challenges we face and the context of poverty reduction efforts in Laos
- 3. Poverty in Laos 27% of population - less than USD 1 / day 74% of population – less than USD 2 / day Agriculture: 41% of GDP, 80% of employment National Growth and Poverty Eradication Strategy
- 4. Is the situation getting worse? Increased vulnerability because of: – Climate change – Environmental degradation – Reduced food security – Economic crisis, increasing energy costs
- 5. Outline of the PRAM curriculum PRAM: Poverty Reduction and Agricultural Management – a capacity building program for agricultural extension working in Laos
- 6. PRAM Goals To make an immediate and measurable impact on poverty in southern Laos To build capacity of local government workers to reduce poverty
- 7. Four strategic aims of the Lao Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry Achieve food security for the country Assist communities to develop agricultural production for cash Stabilize shifting cultivation to alleviate poverty Sustainably develop forests
- 8. Approaching the challenge Requires two approaches Long term - gradual development of existing systems of professional training and education. Yield results in 10 years+ Short-term – need new model for professional development (capacity building) that will help MAF respond to urgent national problems.
- 9. The immediate demand Greater effectiveness of district level government officers 3000 in seven southern provinces alone Urgent need to reduce rapid destruction of natural environment (deforestation, dam construction) Urgent need to mitigate impact of negative environmental changes
- 10. The immediate demand Students: mid-career district level extension officers with high school or vocational qualifications linked to official Ministry systems of staff promotion Courses taught near workplace four week blocks, after which students return to their stations Project-based learning, Problem-based leaning key for addressing linkages between environment and poverty reduction “Fitness for Purpose” approach to quality assurance
- 11. PRAM Components A MAF perspective Theory Skill building Community assignments
- 12. The developing focus of capacity building for poverty alleviation What do Districts HRD emphasis officers need to in the past know? Knowledge- based courses What do HRD emphasis District in the future officers need to do? Work-based courses
- 13. What do District officer need? PRAM Good skills + Building competence Assessment Good knowledge + Good staff Good attitude for poverty reduction
- 14. Key attributes Reaching out to professionals – a degree program that targets District agricultural government extension officers from Southern Laos. Establishing regional standards – developing transboundary collaboration and establishing regional standards for agricultural extension and professional education for poverty reduction Providing a choice - of what, when and where they study. All students study part-time Increasing access to education – developing a harmonized approach to agricultural education, farmer extension and community development. Measuring “fitness for purpose” – students are assessed on the basis of their ability to reduce poverty in poor communities in the Districts they work both during and after their studies
- 15. Key attributes Students can study courses at any educational institutions which is a member of the PRAM Consortium Consortium members follow agreed norms and standards established for PRAM course delivery and assessment. Key components of norms and standards: Problem-Based Learning approach to teaching Fitness for Purpose approach to assessment
- 16. Curriculum structure PRAM curriculum still being developed. Alliance of educational institutions and development agencies responsible for developing curriculum agreed to three main types of courses: Orientation courses Core courses Elective courses
- 17. PRAM curriculum structure outline Composed of two Parts: All students need to take these courses before they begin the Core Orientation courses courses (20 credits) Students mid-career professionals who have wide range of backgrounds and professional experience Full time study to “immerse” students in a learning environment Compulsory courses for registered students Core courses – Part-time study for students (20 credits) – Practical assignments in workplace and community – Basic competencies (knowledge + skills + attitude) – General courses for poverty reduction and food security Elective courses for registered and non-registered students – Project based learning Elective courses – Workplace teaching (20 credits) – Impact on poverty required for course completion
- 18. Orientation course Part 1 (9 credits) Introduction to Agriculture English language Thai language Computer skills Introduction to Education Part 2 (9 credits) Science and Mathematics Environment and Society Communication Team Work and Facilitation Basic Accounting
- 19. Core courses Agricultural Communication How to work with communities Human relationships Mediation skills Negotiation skills Facilitation skills Health and Sanitation Food security International standards quarantine Public health and sanitation Notifiable diseases Animal management for good health Basic disease understanding and diagnosis Agro-Ecology Environmental management Biodiversity Conservation Pollution control management International conventions
- 20. Core courses Agricultural Management Admin-management skills Policy and planning Planning methods Proposal writing Project management Donor liaison Natural Food Security Basic food productivities skills Food from natural recourses Food security Preservation Post-harvest processing Indigenous food knowledge Poverty Mitigation Dimension of poverty Poverty causes Poverty management Inequalities Poverty reduction policies Gender
- 21. Core courses Field Research Methods Field research design Statistics Research with communities and farmers Data analysis and presentation Report writing Data-Information management processing Agricultural Extension Extension approaches Techniques Rural leadership Rural finances Group formation TOT teaching PRAM Seminar Students present seminar based on a subject related to their work and poverty reduction.
- 22. Elective courses Series of graded community development projects (PbL) Consortium able to provide a wide range of courses – students select according to job requirements. Also available to district officers without registering for the full degree program Students specialize in a subject area (e.g. Animal Health, Fisheries). Requirement to achieve measurable poverty reduction outcomes “Examiners” include farmers and poor families
- 23. Fitness for purpose Developing a fitness for purpose approach to professional education for poverty reduction
- 24. Measuring impact at the community level Did this course lead to a measurable reduction in poverty? A “fitness for purpose” approach to education Examples Increased availability of nutrients in diet Increased knowledge for treating goat health problems New crops planted New sources of protein (frogs, insects) farmed
- 25. Quality Assurance Board Comprising 2 – 3 members from all stakeholders Each PRAM course delivery institution has its own QA and curriculum development committee Two-way process
- 26. PRAM poverty reduction framework Lao National Poverty Eradication Strategy 2020 Goal Poverty Reduction Fund responsibility MAF responsibility (with other Ministries/agencies) Improving Employment Providing Basic Needs livelihoods opportunities Poorest Poor Not poor Student indicators for learning success Small but sustainable increases Families with an in living standards of families income equivalent Housing and of >180,000 Kip clothing within 47 poorest districts of Laos per person per Health and month Schools and Measurable impacts on the sanitation Food education livelihoods and well-being of Families impacted security poor families beyond the by student provision of their Basic Needs activities will NOT Community be used to participation Roads access and Measurable changes that can be measure learning and action communication independently verified by local success communities and external evaluators The 6 Basic Needs
- 27. The 6 Basic Needs Food security Enough food for basic requirements (2100KCal/person/day, importance of fat in diet of young children to absorb vitamins) Enough food for entire year Food supply not highly vulnerable Importance of building resilience in food supply to combat climate variation and climate change Importance of poor communities to recover food supply quickly from external “shocks” or disasters Focus of PRAM student projects
- 28. The 6 Basic Needs Health and sanitation Access to clean and safe water Access to health care services Importance of developing security to health care service access (ability to “pay” for family health care when there is a critical need) Health care “micro- insurance” through securing livestock health
- 29. The 6 Basic Needs Schools and education Basic access to primary education Includes ensuring effectiveness of basic school education Includes non-formal education and training, access to new information and learning to ensure provision of Basic Needs Includes effectiveness of awareness raising and learning to exploit new opportunities for basic survival
- 30. The 6 Basic Needs Housing and clothing Ensuring families have basic shelter and sufficient clothing all year Importance of improving resilience to increasing climate variation. Shelter less vulnerable to flooding and storms Importance of families having a secure place to live Importance of having basic cooking and household equipment
- 31. The 6 Basic Needs Roads, access and communication The importance of developing reliable contact with the “outside” to reduce vulnerability Includes basic access to buses and having money to travel for emergencies (e.g. health) Developing effective access to basic government services
- 32. The 6 Basic Needs Community participation and action Ensuring ability to effectively participate in development Developing opportunities to be innovative and creative (take small risks for improvements) Importance of ensuring communities and individuals are able to take responsibility for improvements The importance of the capacity for community mobilization and organization
- 33. Some lessons learned An overview of the lessons learned by the PRAM stakeholders over the last three years
- 34. The need for a local-level focus Savannakhet University DLF/MAF lead process, but difficult to coordinate Necessary for local coordination (local university) Local university issue degree Need to focus at lowest level of staff and poor areas Poor districts Jut Sum Technical Service Centers (TSC’s)
- 35. International partnerships The Wetlands Alliance AIT, CORIN-ASIA, WWF, World Fish Role changed, need to accommodate change Difficult to understand, complicated Thai agencies Local-local collaboration very effective MoU useful for administration Vocational vision very useful Easy to find good lessons for students and information Language differences small (compared with English) Donor organizations Flexibility and understanding from Sida (supportive donor) PRAM designed for easy donor support International NGO approach different (project approach)
- 36. Facilitating partnerships Important attributes Ability to identify new opportunities Neutrality, respected Informed, but independent Breaking with traditions “Technical” input requirment Focus on establishing process not output Curriculum content locally derived Facilitation skills central importance: partnership development workplan development monitoring (Quality Assurance) goal/objective reinforcement
- 37. DLF perspective of PRAM institutional partnerships National University of Champasak Na Gair Agricultural Pakse Agricultural Laos/Savannakhet Provincial Authorities College College University Salavan Provincial MAF Personnel Authorities National and Regional coordination Department Attapue Provincial Savannakhet province Department of Authorities WAP Provincial coordination for Vocational Education Southern Laos Xe Kong Provincial MAF Planning Department Northern province Planned Authorities WAP Provincial coordination for Department of Kammouane Northern Laos Agronomy Provincial Authorities DLF Luang Prabang Planned Bolikhamsai WAP National coordination Provincial Authorities Provincial Authorities Xieng Kuang Provincial Authorities Savannakhet Provincial Authorities International coordination WAP Secretariat Private Sector – CAAT MAF Bilateral donors UDICAD SEAFDEC World Bank/ADB
- 38. Supporting teaching development Opportunities to test and develop new approaches re-evaluate learner needs Project/Problem-based learning appropriate for (MAF) professional development similar to development agency “capacity building” Developing confidence Only one of the ways to do this Key element for effective development Importance underestimated
- 39. Supporting QA development The need for regional/international certification/quality assurance Jointly developing “fitness for purpose” concept Development of a Quality Assurance Board (QAB) Facilitating continuous quality improvement Merging “development” QA with education QA Exams, student assignments, academic assesments Logical Framework (OVI’s) Most Significant Change (MSC)
- 40. Future directions and challenges Some ideas for developing the PRAM initiative and issues that need to be addressed for scaling-up
- 41. Regional expansion On-going dialogue to establish PRAM- like programs in Philippines, East Timor, Thailand, Burma and Vietnam Cambodia Fisheries administration (part of MAFF) will: Organize a national meeting to discuss how to initiate PRAM in Cambodia Open discussions with national universities to develop collaboration of a PRAM initiative Draft PRAM project proposal and invite PRAM stakeholders from Laos to share ideas and submit jointly to donors
- 42. The challenge of learning from the past and each other How can students learn from past students? How can teachers learn from past teachers? How can we empower students, give them the 'big' picture - that there are others like them - how do you link them?
- 43. The challenge of information and records management What is the best way to collect and manage the assessment information coming from teachers and students? What is the best way to record and store Significant Change Stories? How can pictures and videos best be stored and shared? Where is the best place to keep student records? Where do we keep records of meetings and agreements on approach and methodology?
- 44. The challenge of communication Teachers wish they had easier way to contact students How can communication be improved teacher-teacher, student-student, teacher-student? Teachers were impressed by students from different areas working together on their projects How can teachers get more real-time information from the students?