Quality Instruction Towards Access and Basic Education Improvement (QITABI) 2

Program Description

Quality Instruction Towards Access and Basic Education Improvement (QITABI) 2 program aims to improve the reading, writing, and social and emotional learning skills for more than 300,000 students at public primary schools in Lebanon.

QITABI 2 is a continuation of the successful Quality Instruction Towards Access and Basic Education Improvement (QITABI) program launched in 2014.

QITABI means ‘my book’ in Arabic and the program’s main goal is to improve the reading, writing, math, and social and emotional learning skills of more than 300,000 students attending primary public schools in Lebanon. Many of these students reside in under-resourced rural areas and include Syrian refugees, who have struggled with getting to and staying in school to learn these basic skills. QITABI is the culmination of USAID 15-plus year investment in Lebanon’s public education sector that includes the Developing Rehabilitation Assistance to Schools and Teacher Improvement 2 program (D-RASATI 2), also led by World Learning. In the second phase, starting  in 2020, QITABI 2 began rolling out its QITABI Arabic literacy program to all primary public schools in Lebanon to improve early grade reading outcomes.

Due to the worldwide pandemic, the program is developing free online learning materials to support all students in Lebanon from grades 1 to 6. This is part of the nationwide plan to pivot to distance learning due to the COVID-19 lockdown and closure of schools. QITABI 2 is developing approximately 500 mini animated lessons covering the Lebanese curriculum in Arabic, English, and French.

Homebound students will also benefit from online social and emotional learning activities that will equip them with lifelong skills. These activities engage parents in their children’s education and help children identify and express their emotions at home. Through these mini lessons—available for all students—QITABI 2 is leveraging technology to ensure students grow into life-long learners. A plan to engage strategically with the private sector will ultimately lead to Private Public Partnerships and Private Sector Engagement (PSE) to enhance all primary school students’ learning outcomes.

QITABI 2 is designed to build the Lebanese public education system’s institutional capacity for sustainability and self-reliance. World Learning Lebanon is managing and implementing the QITABI 2 program in close coordination with the Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MEHE) and Center for Educational Research and Development (CERD). Program implementation partners include American Lebanese Language Center, Ana Aqra’ Association, International Rescue Committee, and Management Systems International (MSI).

Read a case study of QITABI 2 from Harvard University’s INEE QELO SEL Mapping Project here.

Keep up with the latest information on QITABI by following the program on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.