For Immediate Release
Press Release
In June more than 30,000 early grade students attended summer reading and math camps organized with support from the USAID Okuu Keremet! project and the Ministry of Education and Science of the Kyrgyz Republic. More than 600 schools and 43 public libraries across the Kyrgyz Republic hosted these camps. The camps offered fun and practical learning experiences for children during their summer holidays to reinforce their functional literacy skills.
“We spend two hours a day on different activities such as reading new books, discussions and theater performances by children. Children practice math to solve problems from real life. They also dance and play games. All these activities help develop students' skills of working in teams and independently, listening, and quick response skills” says Ainagul Razzakova, a primary school teacher from Suzak district of Jalal-Abad oblast.
She is one of 1,200 teachers who attended the training on how to organize reading and math camps. USAID developed and provided teachers with a guidebook on extracurricular activities. The guidebook provides step-by-step instructions on various games and activities that help develop reading and math skills at different levels.
“I would really like that every child could participate in the camp and that they were held every year! We visit the local library and read books every day. We play outdoors a lot, draw on stones and on asphalt. This is better than just staying home in the summer.” says Datkaiym Beishenkulova, a grade 4 student from Naryn.
“Our main goal is to improve reading and math skills of early grade students. We’re working with the Ministry of Education to introduce innovative teaching methods such as the summer camps around the country, so that children are learning all year” said Kaya Adams, USAID/Kyrgyz Republic Mission Director.
USAID Okuu Keremet! is a five-year project designed to help improve learning outcomes in reading and math among grades 1-4. Working in 1,686 target schools in the Kyrgyz Republic, the project aims to improve teaching quality in reading and math, increase out-of-school learning opportunities, and strengthen the primary education system.
