Sponsored by UNICEF, the Formative Evaluation Study was conducted to obtain the following information on the school readiness activities run through the Para(ward)-workers and Para-Kendros in the hill districts.

• Nature of application of interactive, child-centered teaching/learning process inside the learning centers 
• Status of children’s acquisition of the defined learning competencies 
• Status of various supportive activities e.g., TOT, Para-workers’ training, supervisors’ orientation and training, and refresher training courses carried out so far and
• Outcome of application of the resource materials.

Specific objectives of the study were:

• Find out whether the Para-workers were able to facilitate the activities to enhance children’s learning as per teacher’s guide book
• Assess to what extent each child was actively engaged in different activities
• Find out how effective the teachers found the training in conducting the sessions 
• Find out to what extent teachers were able to make effective use of the teacher’s training inside the classroom while conducting different sessions
• Establish learning achievement of the children by assessing acquisition of the defined skills, abilities and knowledge by them
• Find out whether the materials always reached the centers on time
• Find out how effectively the materials were being used by the Para center workers
• Find out which materials the Para center workers found more useful and suitable for the children and why
• Find out whether and how these materials helped the Para workers realize their targets (holistic development) set for the pre-school children
• Find out how useful and effective the teachers found the support provided by the supervisors
• Analyze the findings and produce a report including recommendations for further improvement, if any

The study was implemented by collecting data about a sample of 120 Para-Kendros in three upazilas, interviewing a total of 487 respondents including 120 Para-workers, 238 members of Para Centre Management Committee (PCMC), 110 primary school teachers, 10 trainers, and 9 organizers, who were associated with the Para-Kendro activities (child development and pre-school activities). Data were also gathered through class-room observations in all the 120 Para-Kendros and assessing children’s achievements with a sample of 515 children.