We have seen the transformative power of education, which begins with and is directed to the needs of each learner, but radiates out to families, community and society. For this far-reaching impact, access to school is not enough. By providing ongoing teacher training and development, technical and curriculum development assistance to private, non-profit schools, as well as public schools and Ministries of Education, AVSI works to improve the entire school environment, taking care to ensure academic and social learning outcomes are being met, including through evaluation and research to identify best practices.

Broadening the idea of "quality"

AVSI can attest that achieving change through education is not simply a matter of enrollment rates and size of education budgets. Nor, in AVSI’s vision and experience, is quality education the automatic sum of many parts including adequate infrastructure, books and learning resources, and even teachers with minimum certification. In other words, material and financial inputs—measured in terms of budgets and achievement scores in math and language only—are not the only factors for a strong and effective education system.

Click here to learn more about AVSI's experience of quality education (Coming soon)

A.   Primary and secondary education: improving the quality of education is a cross-cutting concern for AVSI in each of the schools connected with the Distance Support Program, particularly through teacher training and ongoing professional development courses, and initiatives to strengthen parent involvment groups.

B.   Tertiary education: AVSI is directly involved in the development of curriculum, formation of faculty and other ongoing support in several growing universities.

Haiti, South Sudan

C.  Educational resource and training centers: to consolidate our experience in strengthening education quality, AVSI has supported the foundation of innovative, locally-based centers which act as reference points throughout their regions, specializing in training and development for education professionals.

• Albania - Kardinal Mikel Koliqi Center Shoqata Internacionale per Solidaritetin (SHIS)
• Uganda - The Permanent Center for Education