4
Learning environment
it is unimaginable to teach subjects like physics or chemistry. Consequently, students have a hard time understanding material and this leads to less interest in these subjects. Education reform has also subtracted hours from these subjects, which are now taught less.” Figure 36. Heating and electricity function consistently. Percentages of youth agreement in Tajikistan (by all)
Tajikistan 50
Percent
40
38.8
30
25.6 21
20
13.2 10 0.7
0 Fully Agree
Somewhat Agree
Somewhat Disagree
Fully Disagree
I Don’t Know
Tajikistan respondents highlight similar issues. Students in Ayni District say they mostly do not have the necessary equipment for science classes, and what they do have “is outdated since it is inherited from the Soviet times. They are out of order, and there is no reason to use them.” One in Panj District also notes the need for “elevators in tall buildings,” particularly to accommodate the needs of students with disabilities. Many young people in each country also call for sports facilities, which they indicate are an important piece of education quality. Kosovo youth are interested in sports opportunities, including playing fields and, in at least one case, a swimming pool. “In my opinion, a well-equipped gym for students to use is as necessary as the library. I’m discontent about this matter,” one young person says in Georgia. “Gyms would help us think more about having a healthy lifestyle,” another student adds. Where sports halls and gyms already exist, however some youth report that they “don’t have any of the necessary equipment.” Boys in Zafarobod District, Tajikistan, similarly say, “Sports facilities are in bad condition, and there is little sports equipment. Some schools don’t have a gymnasium, and in winter, we hold physical training in classrooms or do something else because we don’t have opportunities to do things outside.” Young males in rural Vanj District in Tajikistan’s GBAO region are pleased with some improvements that have been made to schools, but call for more rehabilitation of school sports facilities and grounds, noting that their sports facility has badly needed repair since the earthquake that took place in Tajikistan in January 2010. Overall, youth in rural areas in Georgia and Tajikistan are a bit less enthusiastic about their satisfaction with facilities and equipment, but there are more pockets of full disagreement in urban areas. Several other groups in Tajikistan are similarly less enthusiastic and slightly more likely to disagree than their respective counterparts that facilities are adequate, including females, older youth, absentees and dropouts.
Books – quality, access and content Youth in each site repeatedly say they experience several similar problems with the books they need for their classes: there are too few of them; they cost too much; they are not available in the language they need; and they are often outdated, damaged and/or are changed too frequently. These problems with books present
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Demand for Education Innovation: Adolescent and youth perspectives on education quality in the CEECIS Region