Literacy landscape assessment in the Democratic Republic of the Congo: assessment report

In November 2019, USAID requested support from the Monitoring, Evaluation, and Coordination Contract to conduct a literacy landscape assessment to identify opportunities and challenges in reading literacy outcomes for Batwa children, girls, and children with disabilities in the provinces of North Kivu and South Kivu in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The assessment questions were as follows: AQ1. What impact may present policies/practices at local/national levels have on the literacy learning and reading skill acquisition of Batwa children, girls, and children with disabilities in Nord Kivu and South Kivu? AQ2. What do formal/informal learning environments (where literacy learning occurs) look like for Batwa children, girls, and children with disabilities in Nord Kivu and South Kivu? AQ3. What are common knowledge, beliefs, and practices around literacy and language among Batwa children, girls, and children with disabilities in Nord Kivu and South Kivu? This assessment highlights the areas where support could be most beneficial and identifies the available options for public school or community-based responses to reading acquisition challenges. The assessment results will inform future USAID/DRC literacy programming in eastern DRC.