"This [IFERB] programme changed everything. I used to find school uninteresting. With the help of the interactive courses and activities, learning has become a lot more enjoyable and exciting. Now, I eagerly anticipate each class."

"Children who do not take part in group assignments on a regular basis, have started to participate."

"[IFERB] has developed learner's curiosity, broken classroom monotony, it is learner-centered, the content covered from one subject applies to other learning areas, improves learner's mastery of content, the content relates to day- to- day life situation i.e making a shopping list, and also learners make good use of the available resources in the environment i.e characteristics of living thing"

"I was never aware of the reality of using unclean water. When I learned about it in an IFERB project, I looked around with fresh eyes and saw the extent to which many members of my community were vulnerable without even knowing about it. From that day onwards, I consider it my responsibility to raise awareness regarding the importance of drinking clean water. It is now my mission to ensure one day all the people in my village will have access to clean drinking water"

"Parents' relationship with the teachers has definitely improved through continuous interactions over a period of 3 months. Not just that, parents' relationship with their own child has also improved since they got some time together to interact and be a part of the project's execution”

"At the start, we were having a problem getting the students in the class, but once we started the class, the kids enjoyed so much that they came by themselves. Most of the time attendance was more than 95 percent which is really good."

"The project 'Make your own ID Card' helped me learn more about my own identity and the identity of my family members."

"The 'Animal Park' project clearly enhanced their general knowledge about wildlife. They worked on this by dividing different animals according to their habitats. Developing knowledge on animal kinds, their nature, physical appearance and physical features. They came up with their own Animal Reserves, learnt about food chains and food webs. Lastly, they ended up creating amazing essays on 'Life of animals in a zoo'. Overall great experience."

"During the 'Less is More' project, students designed solutions to their current problem using mathematical models. The instructional design gave students the opportunity to develop knowledge and skills through engaging projects set around challenges and problems they may face in the real world. It was inquiry-based where students presented their problems, research process, methods, and results. Students became financial advisors in this project."

"The students found that the 'family tree project' provided a sense of identity through time, and helped children understand who they are in the world. It creates connection. Children often can't see past themselves and the little world that revolves around their day to day lives. It made the family members and the students connect with each other and engage in the project. A family tree is a fun and educational way to introduce kids to history and research tools, because it gives them a personal connection to the information they learn. A detailed family tree is an informative resource for teaching kids more about themselves and their personal family history.”

"Project based learning was something new for us. After doing all these projects, our students' confidence level has risen a lot. Even during the lockdown period, our students are engaged."

"Students became creative storytellers as they learned to narrate and retell stories in their own words and in the language they knew best"

"Development of skills such as communication and spoken English was seen and acknowledged by the students, teachers and parents alike. Students also got more and more confident while conversing about project topics and registered a high retention rate since the mode of learning was action-oriented"

"I would like to do PBL again with the children. PBL enhances a child's comprehension skills and creative skills."

"I enjoyed when I had set up my own store and made currencies while playing."

"PBL encourages low-resource activities. My favourite PBL resources were 'Make your poem' and 'Be your own author'. This allowed children to explore and give voice to their imagination."

"Most of the Class 4 students in all states where the program was implemented showcased their conceptual and creative skills in the project 'Build your Dream house', and a few students of the class 5 were able to use their learnings at home and guide their parents on budgeting after doing the 'Less is more' project"

"Now I know how to say what I feel"

“Children who do not take part in group assignments on a regular basis, have started to participate. They were able to comment on the forum even though they had not done so before.” 

“The Ukrainian version of the program ensured that Ukrainian children were not just passive spectators, but active participants. They felt secure and valued, knowing that there was something available in their own language.”

“I am delighted with the content that we were provided with. We will reuse them every six months. Throughout the training process, the most valuable insights for me were the practical tips, suggestions, and guidance on how to effectively utilize our resources while working with children. I learned how to foster cooperation without using coercion, and how to encourage children to actively participate.”

"Each episode of the series serves as a reflection of the students' own lives. It implies that through watching the series, the children receive practical advice and recommendations on how to solve their own worries and concerns. This lesson promotes self-reflection, problem-solving skills, and the application of the series' content to real-life situations."

"One recurring theme when it came to student feedback was the improvement in children's communication skills. Several children mentioned that they learned how to effectively talk to their peers and express their feelings. This indicates that the series played an important role in enhancing their interpersonal communication abilities, enabling them to establish meaningful connections with others."

"Community and solidarity in the face of war and crisis are very important. The series encourages students to open their hearts and develop empathy towards the challenges faced by Ukrainian children and youth in their adaptation process. This lesson fosters a sense of compassion, understanding, and support for others who are going through similar difficulties."

"The series highlights the idea that regardless of one's background or origins, people share common problems and joys. This lesson promotes empathy, understanding, and the recognition of shared humanity among the students. ("No matter where we're from, we're the same. We have the same problems and joys.")

"This program changed everything. I used to find school uninteresting. With the help of the interactive courses and activities, learning has become a lot more enjoyable and exciting. Now, I eagerly anticipate each class."

"I never imagined that education could be so thrilling. The program introduces us to new topics and gives us fresh explanations for them. It's like discovering a whole new world of knowledge!"

"The program has transformed my teaching. My lessons are now more interesting and engaging thanks to the thorough curriculum and fun resources. My students now learn with greater enthusiasm and motivation. It really transforms!"

"Through project-based learning, children increased their engagement and positive attitude towards learning. EAA packages aimed at complementing the implementation of PBL methodology with a focus on literacy, numeracy, and psychosocial skill."

"The EAA packages were simple to implement as they included a variety of exercises with many images, making it very child friendly. Similarly, they helped the children to cultivate skills needed to thrive in a school environment. With the goal of providing meaningful access to learning opportunities, children increased their motivation for learning, and acquired basic knowledge on how to build self-reflect and self-esteem."

"The EAA educational resources on numeracy supported the 6 to 8 year old students successfully as students who had almost zero knowledge on basic numeracy were able to make simple additions after the completion of the project."

"Using innovations such as the Activity Bank for Disabilities empowers caregivers to impart lifelong learning. This benefits children with disabilities both in and out of school and enhances access to learning opportunities."

"One child has recorded milestones such as being able to pick up food from a plate, hold a pen and scribble in a book since the activity bank training."

"Improvement was noted in independent feeding and motor coordination,  understanding of the home environment, increased physical activity and ability to perform activities of daily living, improved posture, and enhanced proprioceptive skills."

For the immediate beneficiaries of this project, we are confident the skills developed during this pilot will continue to be valuable and encourage ongoing learning within families. The facilitators involved in this project have been eager to explore how to use some of these resources with partners and support at-home learning for the children involved.

"The level of children’s hands-on work was another standout accomplishment as evidenced by the pieces of work in some of the project schools. Traditionally, most of the teachers’ instructional practices rarely involve children in hands-on activities. Most practical work ends up as demonstrations by teachers while learners answer questions based on the demonstrations. However, during the IFERB projects, the learners were responsible for their own learning and did the outlined activities."

"Doing the project 'Designing your own Comic Book' made me talk more to my Father and Uncle"

"The endline survey findings demonstrated that the IFERB projects intervention had a positive impact on enhancing students’ skills and competencies which included numeracy, literacy, communication, critical thinking, exploration, creativity and both independent and cooperative learning."

"Teachers said that they learned many skills which they integrated into their teaching with traditional school subjects, such as being more creative in distance teaching and learning in addition to designing lessons that use the direct environment of the students and do not require a screen."

"Parents also shared that their children enjoyed the projects, particularly 'My Pop-Up Restaurant' and 'Around the World in 46 Days' as they found the activities engaging and simple to follow given that they included concepts that were covered previously in school. One teacher said that one of the mothers was so excited that she drew her own family tree [for the 'My Family Tree' PBL project] and shared it with the teacher in addition to her child’s family tree. "

"One student kept looking after his lentil plant which he planted for the 'Adventures in the Plant Kingdom' PBL project. One week after the project ended, the student sent the teacher a picture of the plant to share with her his/her happiness with the growth of the plant."

"One of the mothers shared that her daughter did not like school at all. Nevertheless, through the IFERB pilot, the girl changed her conceptualization of the school. She started to love and enjoy learning. The mother expressed her gratitude to the teacher."

"The IFERB project “Why all the plastic” inspired several students to take an interest in the issue of plastic pollution within their own communities. Three active students conducted nearly thirty awareness sessions in different areas of their community focused on environment-friendly use of plastic and alternate solutions, encourging recycling as a method of countering the negative impact of single-use plastic. To lead by example, the students designed about thirty multipurpose handbags created from used cardboard and cloth."

"I was never aware of the reality of using unclean water. When I learned about it in an IFERB project, I looked around with fresh eyes and saw the extent to which many members of my community were vulnerable without even knowing about it. From that day onwards, I considered it my responsibility to raise awareness regarding the importance of drinking clean water. It is now my mission to ensure one day all the people in my village will have access to clean drinking water."

"My daughter and I learned a lot of new concepts together in the days of lockdown. In the IFERB toolkit, the first project is about COVID-19 and it equipped us with authentic information that we were not aware of before. We trusted rumors/myths we had heard from people around us. Now, I along with my family members read the IFERB toolkit and learn something new every day."

"IFERB presented parents with a unique opportunity to learn with their children, this continued interaction has the potential of transforming the relationship the two have and influencing it in a positive manner. Most parents became aware of their children's abilities and hidden talents through the projects; the children experienced an increase in their confidence level with positive encouragement from their parents."

"The exploratory method used in IFERB projects has been highly successful with students as they feel like active participants of their learning instead of just quiet students in a classroom listening to the teacher without much opportunity of participation. The projects within IFERB ensure two-way communication, making the child an equal participant in the process."

"I remember more with projects. I learned a lot!”

"Students became enthusiastic about and interested in learning and attending school thanks to the IFERB program. Learners were looking forward to learning."

"During the Focus Group Discussions, teachers expressed excitement to gain new skills, notably the evaluation methods. 'I improved my critique of learners,' said one teacher. Another teacher said, 'I could assess all types of learners, including those who were not great writers.'” 

"IFERB has developed learner's curiosity and broken classroom monotony. It is learner-centered and the content covered from one subject applies to other learning areas and improves learner's mastery of content. The content relates to day- to- day life situations and also learners make good use of the available resources in the environment"

"These projects are not static, they are dynamic. They are fitting the current trends in education and our new education system. IFERB makes learning interactive and learner-centered."

"Students' performance in the subject areas has improved. Learners' communication skills, creativity, critical thinking, drawing, coloring, and participation in class all improved."

"The projects contributed to widening students’ horizons. The new style of teaching and learning, project-based learning, promoted students’ creativity and interaction with the surrounding environment. For example, in the “Make your own Paper Figure” project, students gained multidisciplinary skills, exploring the human body, its function and autonomy, and making their own sensory flip book exploring the 5 senses."

"The IFERB PBL project goes one step further than the academic curriculum as it helped students develop Social-Emotional Learning skills, and 21s skills such as critical thinking, collaboration, problem-solving, and communication."

"The IFERB PBL projects improved parental engagement unprecedentedly in supporting their children’s learning, and it encouraged them to help and reinforce their children’s learning and skills by using simple tools that are available at home, and with no need for an internet connection."

"Teachers and parents commented that they started to see a change in attitude in students. Teachers noticed that students are always on time, and sitting, waiting for the IFERB lesson to start-which was out of the ordinary. Moreover, the PTA representatives also added that their kids are very excited about the IFERB lessons and noticed a more responsible, confident attitude from the children in the area."

"Students are able to absorb the information from the projects much better than in traditional lessons."

"Most teachers who were involved were volunteer teachers who were not qualified enough in skills and pedagogical practices. They expressed that they gained basic skills in very effective and learner-centered teaching methods. Parents also had the opportunity to learn how to help their children learn."

"During the project 'Be your own Author', students were able to create their own story. They learnt new words and their meaning, and spelled them correctly. Student learned a lot. They learned how to create a story in sequence, they drew pictures, and improved their craft skills. This project has made a big change in some students. Students were motivated as they enhanced their vocabulary, sequenced their stories, drew and even learned some grammar. They felt more confident."