Center for Modern Education and Care, Addim-Addim (Step by Step in Azerbaijan) - Azerbaijan

Program Image

Program

  • Type of Program: Infants - primary school
  • Age Served: 0 and 10 years
  • Funding Sources: OSI New York, OSI-AF Azerbaijan
  • Presenter: Ulviya Mikailova (Program Director)
  • Address: 117(A), Ac. Hasan Aliyev Str.
    Baku, Azerbaijan 370110
  • Telephone: (99412) 98 69 10
  • Fax: (99412) 98 69 34
  • Email: [email protected]

Program Purpose

Improvement of Early Childhood education through incorporating the human rights and democratic values in the society, and supporting community and parental involvement in education.

Program Description

Step by Step program is called Addim-Addim in Azerbaijan and follows the goal of establishing an open society in a country where a closed society previously existed. Step by Step Project began operating in 1998 as one of the regional projects financed by the Open Society Institute (OSI) New York together with the National Foundation, i.e., Open Society Institute - Assistance Foundation Azerbaijan. In 2002 the Step by Step Program applied for registration as a Center for Modern Education and Care.

The Program plays a key role in the process of education reform. In this context, it is important to emphasize that Step by Step is the only program in country dealing with reform of preschool education. Since its inception Step by Step Project has grown from nine kindergartens in five towns to its current level, which constitutes 153 classrooms in 53 kindergartens, and 79 classrooms in 43 primary schools. There is also an active collaboration with 9 Universities in the training and retraining of teachers.

Azerbaijan should be considered another success. The project enjoys recognition from the Ministry of Education and each of the Universities in the country. The results of the project are currently manifested in substantial progress of children in all domains. Currently, there exists an interest in reforming the Early Childhood educational curriculum, an active internship program in cooperation with the Pedagogical Institute, and a collaborative effort directed to the Higher Education Initiative. Step by Step Azerbaijan works closely with teachers and writers encouraging the publication of books to fill a gap of good instructionally proper children's books within the country.

Since the start of program development in 1998 a group of the best and most enthusiastic teachers has been trained and certified as program trainers. Step by Step AZ has established 9 Training Centers that currently provide training for teachers, parents and community, as well as ongoing training for those who have already been involved in the program. Plans are underway for the Step by Step training centers to provide different training programs, to become alternative institutions for the retraining of teachers in Azerbaijan, as well as to sustain their present level of performance. Program development strategy in Azerbaijan from the very beginning envisages the following focal points:

  • Geographically wide expansion, so in 12 regions of country teachers, parents, and children implement the program together.
  • Minority involvement into the process of program because Azerbaijan is a multinational country.
  • Adaptation and institutionalization of program. At present Step by Step program is an integral part of the education reform process in country and recognized by the Ministry of Education as the first and the only alternative technology for Early Childhood education. Step by Step program is included in the curricula of pedagogical universities and colleges and teacher re-training institutes nationwide.

Most Unique Program Feature

Quality of services maintenance in the field of Early Childhood Education through countrywide network of training centers, that function as a network of alternative teacher re-training institutions.

Edited by Michael Kalinowski