The overall goal of the People, Rules and Organizations Supporting the Protection of Ecosystem Resources (PROSPER) program is to introduce, operationalize, and refine appropriate models for community management of forest resources for local self-governance and enterprise development in targeted areas of the country. The three primary objectives of the program are:
- Expand educational and institutional capacity to improve environmental awareness, natural resource management, biodiversity conservation, and environmental compliance;
- Improve community-based forest management leading to more sustainable practices and reduced threats to biodiversity in target areas;
- Enhance community-based livelihoods derived from sustainable forest-based and agriculture-based enterprises in target areas.
One of the key activities identified to support attainment of Objective 1 was the following:
Activity 1.1: Collaboratively support the development and/or modification of primary, formal and non-formal school curricula to increase knowledge and understanding related to natural resources, their management, and the related rights and responsibilities of government and citizens
In order to achieve Activity 1.1, Tetra Tech ARD’s scope of work (SOW) calls for it to conduct an initial review of existing curricula to determine how PROSPER can integrate themes related to Liberia’s biological resources and threats to their sustainability, global climate change issues, various agency management of the nation’s resources, and citizens’ NRM rights and responsibilities into existing lesson plans. To support the PROSPER team in conducting the review and in developing/modifying curricula, the SOW directs the program to constitute a Curriculum Development Working Group (CDWG) composed of participants from the Ministry of Education (MOE), USAID Liberia’s Teacher Training Program (LTTP), Core Education Skills for Liberian Youth (CESLY), Buchanan Renewables, ArcelorMittal, and NAEAL—all involved (at that time) in the development of formal and non-formal curriculum development or delivery.
The constitution of the Curriculum Development Working Group is listed as a Contract Deliverable (no. 25). Although PROSPER’s monthly and quarterly reports from 2012 provide information on the process followed in forming the CDWG and the main activities carried out with the CDWG, USAID requires a separate report formally documenting the achievement of the deliverable. The present report is submitted in fulfillment of that requirement. The next two sections provide: 1) a brief history of the establishment of the CDWG and, 2) a timeline of CDWG establishment and summary of its principal activities. Appendices to the present report provide a selection of background documents on the constitution of the CDWG and its operations, including meeting minutes. Specifically, Appendix I includes notes from consultative meetings with USAID and the Liberia Education Team (Appendix 1.1); Agenda for the introductory meeting with MoE where the collaboration was first discussed (Appendix 1.2); a concept note prepared in preparation for activities to be conducted under Activity 1.1 (Appendix 1.3); a summary of discussions had between PROSPER and MoE staff regarding curriculum strengthening (Appendix 1.4); and an email that provides PROSPER management with an internal update on progress of the CDWG (Appendix 5). These documents serve to further document the process followed to establish the CDWG. Appendix II contains documents that demonstrate the operations of the CDWG. This includes an invitation to the first CDWG meeting (Appendix 2.1) and meeting minutes documenting the proceedings from several meetings (Appendices 2.2-2.4).