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Influencing Government Systems for Holistic Education.

What influences decisions in government and increases intrinsic motivation for government officers to pursue holistic learning for all children? What makes it work better in some systems over others? Through our engagement with education systems across East Africa, ALiVE has learned that influencing government decisions is a complex and context-specific endeavour. Progress is rarely linear; it requires patience, adaptability, and a deep understanding of government action’s motivations and structures. Our progress has been uneven across our four jurisdictions (Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania Mainland, and Zanzibar). However, promising entry points emerged, particularly within curriculum development and teacher training, where government actors have demonstrated an openness to collaboration. These breakthroughs underscore the importance of identifying and investing in the system’s most responsive areas. At the same time, it draws insights into the enablers, relational dynamics, and contextual factors that compel actions for systemic uptake and ownership across the region. In this blog post, we share some of the key learnings from ALiVE’s experiences in engaging government stakeholders as to what influences their decisions and increases their motivation to pursue holistic education for all children: Data-driven insights and successful case studies across the four Jurisdictions of our work (Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania Mainland, and Zanzibar) have been crucial in opening spaces for meaningful engagement with government Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs). Using the findings from phase 1, Action for Life Skills and Values (ALiVE)  has provided robust evidence and irrefutable data that has opened up access to government spaces and motivated deeper collaboration between government officials and the ALiVE initiative. Data-driven insights and successful case studies have also helped policymakers understand the potential benefits of adopting ALiVE strategies, providing tangible evidence of the initiatives’ positive impact on education outcomes. Some of these case studies include: the school and community immersions that aimed at gathering insights on how teachers, school leaders, parents, and the wider community are supporting the nurturing of values and developing skills among children, which helped policymakers understand the potential benefits of adopting ALiVE’s proposed strategies into the education system. Some of the strategies embraced and being spearheaded by government systems in the four jurisdictions include the collaborative development of evidence-based learning progressions (in Tanzania and Uganda), the Value-based education pilot (in Kenya), the large scale assessment of learners in grade three using a collaboratively developed contextualized tool (in Zanzibar), integration of life skills and values in teacher training (in Kenya) and capacity enhancements for curriculum and assessment specialists (in Uganda, Tanzania Mainland and Zanzibar). Other initiatives that have seen strong support from system actors include developing modules and resource materials for nurturing life skills and values across the region and the collaborative research initiative with curriculum institutions, regional universities, and the teacher service commission (for the case of Kenya). A key lesson is that evidence-based research demonstrating the potential benefits of specific interventions or policies encourages government participation and engagement in the collective pursuit of holistic learning for all children. However, the challenge lies in maintaining momentum and securing long-term government buy-in, particularly as priorities and stakeholders’ interests evolve. As we dive deeper into pursuing impact at scale, we strive for credible data and evidence to sustain the effect of the ALiVE initiative across the region, even as we engage with the evidence to inform policy and practice around competence-based education. It underscores the importance of understanding and responding to the priorities and goals of key stakeholders, ultimately strengthening partnerships and maximizing the effectiveness of collaborative initiatives. Navigating complex bureaucratic structures, overcoming potential resistance to change, and ensuring sustained government engagement and buy-in over the long term remain daily challenges in ALiVE. However, our engagements with the education systems across the three East African countries of Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania have shown that aligning ALiVE activities with government priorities and ongoing initiatives increases motivation for collaboration. Reading into government priorities and responding to the prioritized strategic goals of the education systems enhanced buy-in from the system actors, such that, it is not unusual to find directors, commission secretaries, and commissioners commit to 3 whole-day meetings facilitated by ALiVE technical teams targeting specific aspects of work that are of interest to the system and support holistic learning for all children. In some cases, our role ended as conversation starters, and government departments steered the conversation further, taking strategic decisions and actions that furthered the initiative to deliver on heights. Examples of such cases include the value-based education pilot in Kenya by KICD, enhancing the implementation of CBC through lesson planning in Uganda by NCDC, and developing skills frameworks for prioritized skills in the national curriculum in Zanzibar by ZIE. The main focus of Action for Life Skills and Values (ALiVE), is integrating life skills and values assessment into curriculum, pedagogy, assessment, and teacher training, for holistic child development across the education systems of three East African Countries. This systems-level work involves a comprehensive methodology of clarifying vision, conducting a systems-wide analysis, identifying key levers within the system, envisioning future changes, establishing existing capacity within the collaborative to respond to the identified need, while developing the strategy for delivering the system change ambition along with learning approaches. Identifying areas where ALiVE can add value to existing government efforts in a diversified way, such as developing learning progressions for skills in upper primary and lower secondary school grade levels in Uganda, working with teacher training colleges in Kenya, and reviewing the curriculum for teacher training in Zanzibar, are all examples of how ALiVE read into the government’s priorities and aligned the program to respond to the need of the education system in each country. The process adopts a partnership model that involves co-designing initiatives from beginning to end. The approach has increasingly positioned ALiVE as a government ally. As such, we have collaboratively co-designed assessment tools for classroom use, co-developed and piloted nurturing approaches for value-based education, and co-developed training modules for teacher training institutions. Throughout these processes, ALiVE has learnt that governments are motivated by initiatives that foster solid alliances and collaborative relationships

Navigating the Complexities of Collaborative Work

When working with diverse teams, managing the complexity of networks or systems and varying paces of work often comes up. How is collective impact and success pursued in such an arrangement? How are the challenges experienced and navigated to achieve the common goal? Our efforts as the Action for Life Skills and Values in East Africa (ALiVE), in navigating the complexities of collaborative work have been one of steady progress and meaningful learning. Through our collective efforts, we have come to appreciate the core elements that make collaboration possible and powerful. Our data and reflections have revealed that practical and efficient communication, a shared commitment to clear and common goals, adaptable leadership, and a spirit of cross-cultural openness have been instrumental in strengthening our work together. These elements have laid a strong foundation for trust, mutual respect, and continuous learning. The pursuit of collective impact has meant more than just working side by side—it has involved recognizing and valuing the unique capabilities within our team, building relationships rooted in trust, and creating space for honest conversations and shared lessons. As we reflect on our journey, several important lessons and insights have emerged from this experience. 7 Key Lessons from the ALiVE Initiative The ALiVE Program has three key Pillars: The Systems Shift Pillar (outcome area 1), the Assessment Shift Pillar (outcome area 2), and the Learning Hub (outcome area 3). Within the distributed leadership structure, each pillar has regional staff (CO-PI and Regional Managers) and country staff, which include country managers, program officers, and program assistants per Implementing Partner Organization Lesson 1: ALiVE team’s true strength lies in its diversity of perspectives, backgrounds and skills. A key challenge to ALiVE’s collaborative work lies within the very thing that makes us strong, our team composition. The ALiVE team comprises of members of diverse educational backgrounds, skill sets, varying levels of exposure, and experiences. This composition means that there are varying levels of understanding and interpretation of the same issue across the board, which can slow progress or hinder collective pursuit. There was a need for leadership to create feedback loops at various Pillar levels (Implementing partner level, country-level, and regional level) and make space for team members to regularly express their concerns or suggestions for improving the collaboration. A key lesson was that the potential for misunderstanding is very high if our perspectives do not align. We must, therefore, allow diversity to emerge and become a point of strength and a spring of creativity, problem-solving, and innovation. We must intentionally appreciate and value this diversity for enriched collaborative processes and outcomes. And this realization gives us traction toward the pursuit of collective impact. Lesson 2: Communication is the lifeblood of successful collaborative processes. Another significant challenge in the initial stages stemmed from a lack of communication, often characterized by silo mentalities within the team. Siloing within pillars or country teams hindered the flow of information and coordination, impeding the overall progress of the initiative for several months. There was a need for more clear, consistent, and honest team communication as a lever for collective impact. As a result, regular meetings, joint planning sessions, and transparent communication channels were adopted to burst the silos and to facilitate alignment, decision-making, and progress tracking. Several platforms have since been created to improve communication and information flow among leadership and teams. Leveraging both in-person and virtual platforms, conferences, one-to-one conversations, WhatsApp chats, monthly calls, and meetings have been valuable avenues for fostering collaboration, alignment, and clarity of vision. Regular updates, discussions, and emails also help ensure everyone was updated on crucial program information. We appreciate now more than ever that pursuing collective impact necessitates establishing diverse communication channels where all team members feel present, and their contributions are heard and valued. Effective communication is not only the linchpin that gives life to our collective pursuit of impact but also the very blood within its veins. Lesson 3: ALiVE is a dynamic and complex program: continuous role clarification is necessary and crucial. Without a clear understanding of roles and responsibilities, there was a risk of duplicating efforts. To solve this, pillar leads have continued to clarify pillar goals among ALiVE teams and the intersection of the pillars to foster a sense of unity and direction toward collective impact. Developing an annual activity implementation plan and schedules has proven essential in streamlining processes, ensuring timely execution, and preventing undue pressure on teams. Regular check-ins, meetings, and preparations of joint work plans have provided essential touchpoints for aligning efforts, addressing challenges, and capitalizing on learning opportunities. The key takeaway is that structured interactions foster cohesion and synergy among team members, creating a learning environment and culture that encourages creativity and innovation in achieving program goals and objectives. Cutting down on abrupt meetings also reinforced mutuality and trust-building efforts with partner organizations. Lesson 4: Managing team dynamics requires flexibility and adaptability. At the start of ALiVE Phase 2 in 2023, ALiVE had eight collaborating organizations. Today, that number has risen to 14 with the recent onboarding of six new partners for the subnational work in Kenya. With varying streams of work and priorities across the fourteen collaborating organizations, alignment can be challenging. As a solution, organizational leads and their teams have anchored the initiative within strategic priorities. They have proactively embraced adaptability to accommodate team members’ varying workplaces, even as they consistently clarify expectations among their teams. The centrality of flexibility and adaptability in managing the complexity of team dynamics cannot be over-emphasized. Lesson 5: Team health and well-being must always be a priority. Another key challenge was that the team was often overworked and overstretched. This realization came from a six-month leadership coaching with Collective Rising Leadership Institute (CRLI), in which the metaphor of the “Busy Bee” best described our team’s way of being. This meant the staff often worked beyond the recommended 8 hours a day and sometimes on the weekend to meet deliverables and deadlines. Most of the time, they spent long hours in meetings,

Unlocking the power of values and life skills in context: VaLI-A Conference Report

The Conference highlighted the need to establish a contextual understanding of life skills education in the varied contexts. The database will exhibit robust evidence and provide an avenue to learn about the best practices on nurturing life skills and values, and where the adapt/adopt the ALIVE tools for assessment of life skills and values will be stored. It will also help the various institutions to engage in what is already going on. In the database there will be documented success stories on curriculum implementation within the classroom and how this is translating into acquisition of actual skills among the learners. The curricular used by different training institutions do not adequately incorporate life skills assessment and methodologies. Further, the in-service teachers do not have a common understanding of values and Life skills. It is recommended that the teacher education curriculum should include the concept and practices and how to contextualize and nurture them. It is recommended that there is a need to develop materials to support the retooling of all teachers across the country. Develop a module for teacher training that integrates pedagogical practices and methodologies for assessing and nurturing life skills and values. Read full report

Developing and Using ALiVE’s Assessments of 21st Century Skills

For the last 3 years, 20 organisations and members of the Regional Education Learning Initiative (RELI) have been on a process of learning how to develop and use contextualised assessments of 21st century skills. This document summarises key lessons learned over an 18-month process that started in August 2020 assembled 47 East Africans to develop contextualised tools and conduct an assessment covering over 100 districts in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. This learning process covered three competencies and one value: problem solving, collaboration, self-awareness and respect, respectively. Download

Growing Together through ALiVE

A brief consolidating lessons learned from the ALiVE’s organisational growth as of December 2022. This learning has been collected over the course of nearly two years of programme implementation and has been gathered and synthesised by the ALiVE team as going forward. Download