Scaling Innovative Elements of a Preschool Education Project in Kyrgyzstan
by Nazira Dusheeva, Aleksander Ivanov, Janyl Bokonbaeva, Julia Levin
This study sets out to explore the feasibility of scaling a World Bank-funded project on inclusive preschool education in Kyrgyzstan to expand the knowledge base on scaling innovation in education.
First, the study investigates the project in depth to better understand which elements can be considered innovative, whether these elements can be brought to scale, and how. A variety of methods are employed, including document analysis, semi-structured interviews, and a focus group discussion. Second, a feasibility analysis is conducted to explore the capacity and necessary next steps for scaling. Based on a review of the literature on scaling innovations and the results of the present study, the ways in which successful elements of inclusive preschool education can be scaled in Kyrgyzstan and similar contexts are highlighted.
This study finds that the project features several innovative approaches that lend themselves to scaling. The project generated high-quality teaching and learning materials by employing a multi-stakeholder approach. These materials were then used to implement preschool education based on a novel shift-based approach, which increased cost efficiency and leveraged existing networks across the country. The project also jumpstarted the implementation of inclusive early childhood education. The impact and efficiency of the project were measured by way of successfully utilising standardised assessment tools for monitoring and evaluation.