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A bi-monthly newsletter sponsored by OSI's Education Support Program, the Open Society Education News highlights upcoming events, new publications,
and all of TOL's education articles. Subscribers to this newsletter will also receive notifications about opportunities to contribute to
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New generation of textbooks for children in Tajikistan
After several years of textbook development and huge lobbying efforts by OSI Tajikistan, the Foundation’s Textbook program has achieved a major success.
The project, started in 2001, promoted more democratic processes of textbook development and publishing. The Foundation supported open competition,
new approaches to textbook writing, authors’ training and piloting textbook manuscripts, and development of a new system of textbook evaluation.
At its February 8, 2006, session, the Collegium at the Tajik Ministry of Education approved a new English-language textbook for grade 5
developed with OSI Tajikistan and ESP support. The textbook is accompanied by a methodological book for English-language teachers. The
Collegium also adopted a new curriculum for English language for grade 5.
In addition, OSI Tajikistan has received a letter from the deputy minister that the history textbook for grade 10, also developed with OSIT and
ESP support, is approved and recommended to schools. There is great hope that the ministry will support a large print-run of the history textbook.
The book’s authors were officially included in the group of textbook authors of social sciences. The ministry has requested the authors to start writing
a history textbook for grade 11.
The new generation of textbooks is based on modern education methodology. The emphasis is on a child-centered approach, appropriateness
of the text to the student’s age, and the development of critical-thinking skills. The textbooks are designed to help students think creatively and become
active citizens, so that they may help support the development of democratic processes in their country.
For more information about the project, contact: j.kholova@osi.tajik.net.
Report on Podgorica
Teacher education and training in South East Europe
The South East Europe Education Cooperation Network (SEE ECN) is finishing the RE:FINE-supported project
“Enhancing Professional Development of Education Practitioners and Teaching/Learning practices in SEE countries.
”The project coordinator is the Center for Education Policy Studies, Slovenia. The project aims to develop an exhaustive study of how
the system of preservice teacher education and in-service training in 11 SEE countries works in practice - in faculties and in
schools - which will lead to recommendations for improvement. All countries have conducted a survey, prepared national reports, and
presented and discussed them at national round tables. Project teams from the participating countries presented their reports at
a workshop held in Podgorica, Montenegro, on February 3-5, 2006. The goal of the workshop was to harmonize national reports and identify the
common areas of further work on enhancing the professional development of educators in SEE countries.
Based on the national reports and conclusions from the workshop, the regional overview will be prepared and published around
mid-April 2006 in languages of the region. Country reports, survey instruments, and other project products in
English are available here.
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