The Access to Education program has now provided technological equipment and teacher training in ten large schools in the region, so far impacting hundreds of students. We have 20 other schools that have been equipped with solar panels and will be future opportunities for the Access to Education program.

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With access to electricity through solar power, these schools are utilizing projectors, laptop computers, and audio systems, plugging them into the solar systems through inverters provided. The whole system was designed to function with minimal energy use, powered by the panels and batteries provided. The teachers are able to use the system for teaching and improved access to curriculum, and the school can host extracurricular activities such as school clubs and parent meetings. We expect an increase in these activities during the day and especially at night since the school will have functioning lights.

 

Through our program we have observed that school attendance decreases as grades advance, especially among males at the start of secondary school. With this enhancement of curriculum and increase in activities we anticipate improved school attendance in these higher grades. The measurable outcomes for this program will be the level of teaching and extra-curricular activities during the day, level of teaching and extra-curricular activities during the night, and school attendance. The goal is at least a 30% increase in activities overall and in attendance by 3rd to 5th grade students. These will be evaluated using a school survey as well as a report of school attendance records. The activity and attendance levels will be measured quarterly and will be statistically analyzed. The target beneficiary group will be the teachers and students in the Matagalpa region, with an anticipated participation of 60 teachers and 2000 students