Multigrade education: application and teacher preparation in Egypt

Abstract

This research study falls within the realm of exploratory work on a particular mode of delivering education. It aims to explore the rationale and implications of multigrade education both globally and nationally. It focuses more closely on the teacher preparation processes. The study looks at the general global perspective regarding this kind of education and its best practices. It sheds some light upon its assets in addition to the challenges involved. This research strives to examine the various forms of application of multigrade schooling in Egypt and the teacher preparation programs involved in the process.

In more specific terms this study mainly focuses on a current policy concern, which is the issue of teachers' qualifications and certification in hard to reach areas employing a multigrade mode of delivering education. The study tries to compare the performance of paraprofessional teachers who are non-university graduates to university and Faculty of Education graduates and hence aims to shed light on policy decisions needed to be made with regard to the needed qualification. The study relies on field research conducted in eight multigrade schools in Egypt in Giza governorate to meet such objectives.