Cultivating Inclusive and Supportive Learning Environment Program (CISLE)

Queen Rania Teacher Academy (QRTA) implemented a twenty two months program "Cultivating Inclusive and Supportive Learning Environment" (CISLE) in cooperation with the Ministry of Education (MoE) to support MoE's efforts in ensuring that all children–local residents and Syrian refugees–are afforded an equal opportunity to acquire a purposeful and meaningful education in a safe, inclusive and supportive learning environment. The program, supported by USAID, targets public schools which host Syrian refugees in the northern and central governorates and has four (4) objectives:

• enhancing the capacity of teachers to integrate and increase the participation of displaced refugee students in Jordan's public schools,
• increasing local community awareness, responsibility, advocacy and participation in the target schools,
• promoting supportive and inclusive learning environments in Model Community Schools (MCS), and
• strengthening Community-School Support Connections (CPSCs) through Lifelong Learning and Extra-Curricular Projects.

This evaluation, conducted by the external evaluation team of CONSULTUS Company, is a summative evaluation of the program that used a mixed method approach in evaluation using both quantitative and qualitative data and a variety of evaluation tools (questionnaires, focus group discussions, open-ended questions and reports) to highlight the achieved results, to showcase the role of the activities under the program in building meaningful education in an inclusive and supportive environment and to apply the results of the program to other similar emergency environments. The quantitative and qualitative results clearly show that the program has been highly effective in building a safe, supportive, and inclusive learning environment. Mean results were good for all sub-activities within the two tracks of CISLE in public schools.

The objectives of the First Track (Building teachers capacities to promote safe, inclusive and supportive learning environment for displaced refugee students in Jordan's public schools through psycho-social support and interactive pedagogy) were 83% accomplished. Teachers' skills and application of the principles of this track has increased from 68% to 88%. The Majority of participants said that they greatly benefited from the program especially in the psychosocial side, where they confirmed that it helped them better engage the Syrian students and motivate group work.

The satisfaction level of Syrian students with the school environment has increased from 71% to 80% and their satisfaction with teachers' support from 74% to 82%, while satisfaction with peers and colleagues from 71% to 76%. The pre-survey results showed that 37% of teachers face problems dealing with psychological, behavioral and academic issues of Syrian refugees, while the percentage went down to 28% after the program interventions.

The objectives of the Second Track, Model Community schools, were also largely accomplished: reading clubs 89% and Arabic Literacy Training 74%. Teachers' skills increased from 67% to 87% in the Reading Club and from 59% to 82% in the Arabic Literacy Training.