Edukans Q-card: improving school quality

The Edukans EDU Q-card is a digital monitoring tool which assists stakeholders to assess the quality of the provided education and giving control over the improvement process back to schools. The approach of the tool enables a school to assess and improve its own standards across various educational areas and involving all stakeholders: government, teachers, management, learners, parents and community.

The EDU Q-card evaluates five crucial educational areas in order to achieve better learning outcomes: 1. an appropriate learning environment;
2. effective learning processes;
3. quality teaching by motivated and well-trained teachers;
4. competent school management;
5. active parents and community involvement.

The success of the Q-card is because of direct support, comprehensive and effective training, a short feedback loop, on-the-spot written reports which are made online or offline.

The Q-card can be easily upscaled and used by the entire spectrum of educational organisations. Being supportive to government departments, universities, teaching institutions and schools.

Good quality education is expected to eventually break the cycle of poverty in all developing countries. Education helps individuals to succeed in their professional careers, stimulate healthy life styles, close the gender gap, and promote human rights. Governments and schools in developing countries struggle to measure and improve education quality. To be able to do so, education professionals (school-managers and inspectors) need practical tools to measure education quality and provide useful feedback for quality improvement in the school and in the classroom. In practice, comprehensive, practical and easy to use tools are often lacking. Existing tools used by school inspectors to monitor school quality are often too complex to use and fail to provide meaningful feedback to schools. In the light of this, Edukans designed a new, quality, assessment tool which is practical, interactive and easily accessible: the EDU Q-card. 

The Edukans Q-card is a tool which assists stakeholders to assess the quality of the provided education and giving control over the improvement process back to schools quickly and cost effective. If used by stakeholders, they will detect the problem, will start working on it, causing effect in every classroom across the globe, reaching over 1 billion children in schools.

The Edukans EDU Q-card targets primary and secondary schools following a hybrid bottom-up approach. The tool offers guidance for assessing, monitoring, and improving education and the quality of schools. The success of the Q-card is  a hybrid solution which consists of direct support, comprehensive and effective training, a short feedback loop and on-the-spot written reports which are made online or offline. So it can be even used when schools are remote and have low connectivity.

With the bottom-up approach the Edukans Q-card aims to help schools to improve their learning conditions from classroom to community. On top of the continuous improvement that is provided, it requires engagement of parents, teachers, school management, school inspectors and teaching training colleges. 

The EDU Q-card evaluates five crucial areas of good education in order to achieve better learning outcomes.The Q-card facilitates the dialogue between all stakeholders and sets the first steps into action for example by supporting teachers to adapt their pedagogy. The instrument encourages schools to formulate a school improvement plan.

After first use, the EDU Q-card can be used to do regular monitoring of the implemented educational adaptations. The tool is simple to adopt, easy to integrate in existing systems and cost-effective.

Let's face an uncomfortable truth. Education systems in many countries are failing, amplified by the COVID19 crisis. By 2030, half of the world’s children will be failing to learn – most of them in Africa and the Middle East. How can we expect these children to succeed without knowing how to read and count properly?

No teacher in the world wants his or her learners to fail. We need to stop expecting better outcomes with the same approaches. We need to understand why education isn't working and how we can achieve better learning outcomes for children. The Edukans EDU Q-card digital monitoring and assessment tool is the solution to access this understanding and to achieve this goal. 

Edukans strives, as an international non governmental organization, to fulfill United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 4. Providing high-quality, equal and inclusive education to children (and youth); which is accessible to girls and children in a vulnerable situation. After the pandemic it is of importance that the disruption in education is mapped out and strategically approached to make sure that primary and secondary school learners receive the support they need to develop the skills and competencies they need to thrive in the 21st century. 

Edukans has over 15 years experience in supporting quality education in developing countries. Our mission is to provide high quality education that equips learners in shaping their future with confidence. We prioritise active rather than passive learning so that learners come to own what they are taught. Edukans believes in the power of an individual’s own talents; in skills such as critical and creative thinking to achieve solutions. And especially in the positive benefit of taking personal responsibility throughout the learning process.The Edukans EDU Q-card assessment tool is developed especially for use in developing countries. 

Edukans understands that the greater the number of key education partners involved in the project, the higher the chance of success. That is why the Q-card tool is developed in collaboration with the University of Amsterdam, together with the stakeholders that use it, which are: regional and national education departments, school inspectors, teachers, teacher training institutes and schools. Edukans tries to perfectly sync with the needs of these stakeholders. The Edukans Q-card is scientifically validated and is past testing and pilot stage and is ready for upscaling. The insights gathered in the pilots demonstrate that the addressed domains of the Q-card are seen as relevant and are profoundly valued by the stakeholders. These domains are: active learning, differentiated teaching and qualified teachers, good leadership and cooperation within schools. 

The Edukans EDU Q-card tool and indicators ensure that inspection and the school’s own practices are perfectly coordinated. Based on the agreed evaluation, the school chooses three areas for improvement that can be monitored with extra care and attention by the inspectorate.

The Q-card also requests parents to participate in the education policy and choices of their childrens school. Such involvement has a significant positive effect on the children’s motivation and reduces drop-out rates.

The Edukans Q-card provides comprehensive and effective answers to the questions asked by teachers and commits them to action. Schools who are already working with Q-card are very enthusiastic:

‘The EDU Q-card is a very good innovation within our system, because it helps with the supervision of the teacher, the school administration, the pupil, the parents and the entire community. It’s very important to use this system.’- says Norah Kaddu, teacher, Centre Coordinating Tutor, Uganda, Nakasongola

Edukans believes that understanding the problem is the first step in addressing it and solving it. The Edukans EDU Q-card assessment tool offers clarity and perspective on the education challenges that need to be faced by 1 billion young learners today, especially those in developing countries.

Edukans EDU Q-card helps all young learners to have access to quality, safe, and equitable learning environments.

The tool facilitates the increased engagement of learners by especially creating awareness amongst stakeholders of the importance of effective teaching and learning. Resulting in lowering the dramatic dropout and raising completion rates. 

The EDU Q-card can be used in low-connectivity settings. To make stakeholders aware of the physical safety and mental health of learners, social and emotional wellbeing indicators are part of the tool. Other indicators are on teaching and learning which are very relevant to provide support in creating equitable classrooms.

Based on a study by the University of Amsterdam, 15 years education experience and the track record of international NGO Edukans the EDU Q-card was developed. 

A focus group study was carried out to examine the content validity of the Q-card. The focus group included representatives from different groups of education professionals. During the study, further valuable information was obtained in three aspects: item relevance and clarity; missing concepts and overlapping items; instrument appearance and design.

The digital instrument was pre-tested in 400 schools in different countries. The extensive testing of the EDU Q-card confirmed the validaty and reliability of the tool. The tool is continously assessed and refined. All those that have been using the Edukans Q-card are pleased with its results and effect.

The Edukans EDU Q-card is ready for further development and upscaling.

Edukans is an international NGO with an international team of over 45 fulltime and parttime staff members, half is locally based. We also work with local partners. 

Two fulltime staff work on the Edukans EDU Q-card supported by measurement and evaluation staff, funding staff, marketing and communication staff.

Edukans has over 15 years experience in providing quality education. It is our mission to realise quality education for marginalized people, to equip teachers with skills to make impact and absorb knowledge and to mobilize awareness (citizenship) and support in society, especially support by the educational sector. 

The Edukans EDU Q-card program manager Dik Verboom has experience in basic education (accessibility, quality, sustainability) and is the developer of the Edukans Starschool model and the Q-card digital assessment tool. He has been working for Edukans for more than ten years. 

Our program developer basic education Mark Hoeksma has a university teaching qualification at the University of Amsterdam. With a lot of grassroot experience as a senior trainer at Edukans, he has developed the Edukans Q-card together with local stakeholders and two universities. And of course with his colleague Dik.

In its contacts with its target group, partners, suppliers, customers, volunteers and staff Edukans seeks for a high standards of integrity diversity, equity, and inclusion. Edukans and all its partners are personally and collectively responsible for practising in accordance with and propagating a high standard of integrity and professionalism in their work.

This system of integrity consists of the following focus areas: abuse of power, financial breaches and interpersonal violations. Edukans has appointed an integrity officer. On the Supervisory Board there is one member appointed as the person with ultimate responsibility for the integrity policy.
All Edukans staff participate in an online course about integrity. This course
contributed to reflecting on proper and improper conduct and the many grey
areas there between. Integrity is a fixed topic of conversation in
performance reviews.

Edukans has a code of conduct. The code of conduct states which conduct is
considered appropriate or inappropriate. The code of conduct is signed by all staff, volunteers and members of the Supervisory Board. For all new staff (and volunteers and interns) it is obligatory to present a Certificate of Conduct. 

All Edukans staff, volunteers and partners sign the Child Protection Policy. 

Edukans has been ISO-certified since 2006. ISO 9001 is an internationally recognised standard for quality management. In 2020 Edukans was assessed again and we meet the criteria for the standard of ISO 9001:2015.
The main objectives of the ISO certified quality system are:
• continuous and cyclical learning process that is regarded meaningful by staff;
• customer-oriented working method;
• transparent organisation with clear communications

The team at Edukans believes in the amplifying effects of the digital Edukans EDU Q-card for the education system. We want all children to be able to shape their future with confidence by providing quality education. This can only be done if we provide teachers insight in solutions and equip them with skills to make impact and built resilience and confidence with learners to absorb knowledge. 

Solve can help Edukans in achieving this by:

• Providing access to contact with donors, information on funding, access to grants and investments.
• Contact with peers to exchange knowledge, provide support, offer inspiration and guidance
• Recognition by government officials. 
• Contact with research organizations, educational organizations and the Solve alumni team to do further improvements on the innovation. 
• Access to mentorship, coaching, and strategic advice from experts for further upscaling of the Q-card innovation and building a stronger business plan
• Join a powerful network of impact-minded social entrepreneurs with dedicated spaces to meet
• Access to the Solve and MIT networks.
• Gain exposure in the media and at conferences.
• Access relevant in-kind resources such as software licenses and legal services from Solve Member and partner organizations. 

In the following areas Edukans needs support to upscale the EDU Q-Card monitoring tool to more schools and countries

Business model: a partner or research organization that can provide advise on how to efficiently and cost-effectively introduce the Q-card to more countries in the world and to more classrooms.

Financial: Edukans needs a donor that will commit long term, for at least 2 years. Ideally a donor that has access to and wants to cooperate with the national governments of developing countries.

Public relations: A partner or communication organization that supports us on free base in the development and implementation of a marketing strategy of the Edukans EDU card tool.

Product/service distribution: we look for partners that are in close contact with national governments and education organizations that have access to the schools.

Edukans would like to partner with potential partners in the following sectors:

• Peer and local embedded organizations (GIZ, GPE, Mulago, ELMA)
• Philantropic companies and donor organizations (USAID, Porticus, Ford, Hewlett) 
• Government officials (starting with African Countries)
• Research organizations and educational experts
• Educational organizations 
• Social entrepreneurs 
• Marketing and communication experts.

To assist with obtaining funding, formulating a strong business and marketing plan to reach upscaling of the Edukans Q-card to have more impact and be valuable for more learners.

Edukans with our education in emergencies program provides opportunities for school-age children (between 6 and 18) and youth (between 16 and 24 years old) to complete a full cycle of primary and secondary education. The best way to support refugee resilience, self-reliance and integration and being part of the economy is through quality education.

The digital Edukans EDU Q-card is part of our education in emergencies program that supports the inclusion of Internally Displaced People (IDP) and refugee children and young people into formal education systems, so they can benefit from an accredited education that allows them to progress through all levels of the education system. Young people are provided with opportunities for post-primary education, including technical and vocational education and training, or agricultural training so they can find a job or create their own business. As not all children and young people are able to participate in a formal education, we support also non-formal learning opportunities that enable out-of-school children and other young persons to benefit from education.

Investment by the Andan prize in the Q-card monitoring tool as part of the Edukans education in emergencies program is of important value not only for society, but for business as well. Education builds sustainable societies, improves long-term economic growth, contributes to the development of a healthy workforce, expands business opportunities, and boosts wages. Research shows that for every $1 invested in a child’s education, there is a $53 return to the company at the start of employment.(www.gbc-education.org) 

Edukans works on grass root level in Africa and sees that girls and women are not able to fully enjoy their rights in life and governments insufficiently deliver on their responsibility of promoting gender equitable educational systems, resulting in poor outcomes for girls and women in the economy and wider society. A stronger civil society is needed to balance this, and hold governments and the private sector accountable.

Edukans with its digital Q-card tool and supporting program provides access to quality education for girls. Education is the most viable vehicle for empowering girls and enabling them to speak for themselves, providing confidence. The monitoring tool gives female leaders and teachers a voice in discussions and helps to create safe learning environments, keep girls in school and inspire future leaders. Females in communities provide alternative values and norms leading to social and educational change. Parents and communities are necessary to hold school management accountable for equitable education and creating safe learning environments.

Increasing gender-sensitive accountability mechanisms in the assessment tool are necessary for the implementation of policies that amongst others ensure girls stay in school. With support of the Innovation for Women prize these mechanisms can be put in place.

No we do not want to apply for the AI for humanity prize.