Loading the content... Loading depends on your connection speed!

Jobs Login Register
Snap Plaza 8th floor, Bole Next to The Millennium hall. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Job Description:

Terms of Reference - Assessment of Educational Actors’ Capabilities to Implement Accelerated  Learning Models and/or Programs in Ethiopia

Introduction

Ethiopia has made remarkable progress towards girls’ education, with substantial increases in preprimary, primary and secondary school enrolment. However, the number of out-of-school children (OOSC) remains high. A recent study by the Ministry of Education, in collaboration with Luminos Fund and UNICEF, on the magnitude of out-of-school children in Ethiopia indicates that there are over 13.3 million children out-of[1]school across the country, from ages 4 to 16 years old (6 million pre-primary OOSC, 4.5 million primary OOSC, and 2.8 million lower secondary OOSC). Among these, 64.5% of pre-primary OOSC, 23% of primary OOSC, and 53.5% of lower secondary OOSC are girls, showing that there are still fewer girls in the education system than boys.

To address the problem of out-of-school children, the Ethiopian government and its partners have implemented accelerated learning programs that aim to bring children who have been excluded back into mainstream education. These programs are critical to meet the government’s aspirations in the Ethiopian Education Development Roadmap (2018-30) and the Education Sector Development Program VI (ESDP VI) (2020/21 – 2025/26) to transform the education system and improve on quality, relevance, and equitable access from pre-primary to secondary school levels.

The government is now working towards scaling the implementation of accelerated learning programs across the country to reach the growing number of out-of-school children. Aligned with this effort, with the financial support of the Graça Machel Trust through African Child Policy Forum, Luminos Fund is implementing a new research project called Back2School, which seeks to generate evidence and knowledge on accelerated learning programs in Ethiopia and see how those programs can be further improved, adapted and scaled-up across the country. The project builds on a review of the Second Chance Accelerated Learning Program in Ethiopia, Tanzania’s accelerated learning program - Complementary Basic Education for Tanzania (COBET) – and othersimilar programs in Ethiopia and Kenya in order to refine a model of accelerated learning that can be adapted and scaled-up in the three countries.

One of the key activities under the Back2School project is to assess educational actors' capabilities. This assessment will interrogate how feasibly distinctive elements of the enhanced COBET model could be woven into the scaled Accelerated Learning Program already underway in Ethiopia. The assessment will involve document reviews, in-depth interviews and focus group discussions with key education stakeholders at national, regional and woreda levels with the aim to identify key approaches/strategies to adapt, implement and scale an enhanced model in Ethiopia.

The purpose of this ToR is, therefore, to invite interested consultants to submit technical and financial proposals to undertake an assessment of educational actors’ capabilities to implement accelerated learning models and/or programs in Ethiopia.

Purpose and specific objectives of the assessment

The main purpose of this assessment is to evaluate educational actors’ capabilities in Ethiopia and document their strengths, gaps, good practices and lessons to implement accelerated learning models/programs in Ethiopia.

Specifically, the assessment intends to achieve the following objectives:

  • Identify key actors that are implementing any form of accelerated learning program for children such as OOSC, girls, and various marginalized children, and identify actors that have a stake in accelerated learning programs in Ethiopia
  • assess the profile of the major educational actors that are implementing, coordinating, overseeing, and guiding accelerated learning programs, including from the government sectors, and local and international NGOs, community-based organizations, faith-based organizations, etc.
  • examine strengths, gaps, good practices, and lessons of these actors in terms of leading, implementing, guiding, and scaling accelerated learning programs in their respective operation areas.
  • organizational capacity assessment and analysis of the educational actors on the basis of their sole responsibilities in line with promoting ALP.
  • Assess the distribution of these actors’ operational areas in terms regions, zones, woredas and kebeles.
  • assess the breath and width of their program in terms of reach and quality 
  • assess their experiences, staffing (in terms of educational background and additional training on accelerated learning), and budgeting 
  • assess the educational actors’ relationship with each other and between non-state and state actors. 
  • identify challenges that educational actors’ face during the implementation and scaling of accelerated learning programs

Scope of work

The assessment will explore and document all educational actors who are currently implementing and/or scaling accelerated learning programs in Ethiopia to provide access to education for out-of-school children, particularly girls. While the assessment will cover all governance tiers from the woreda to federal level, it should focus on the core governmental and non-governmental actors that have a clear role in the implementation and /or scaling of accelerated learning in Ethiopia. The result of this assessment will provide a detailed picture of the prevailing capacity of Ethiopian education actors to introduce, implement and scale the refined accelerated learning model to be developed by Back2School at the end of the project period. Hence, the scope of the assessment is limited to those actors who already have some exposure or involvement in the ALP project, as opposed to all actors in the education sector more broadly.

Methodology

The rapid assessment will use both quantitative and qualitative research design to collect both primary and secondary data. The data collection methods will mainly include a desk-based review of relevant documents, key informant interviews with relevant experts and officials, in-depth interviews with senior government actors and local and international NGOs, etc., focus group discussions and on-site observations. Research participants will be drawn from both governmental and non-governmental organizations, including but not limited to, the Ministry of Education, Regional Education Bureaus, woreda level education offices, and program implementers of accelerated learning. Data will be analyzed and reported in a standard scientific method

Deliverables

The consultant(s) will be expected to provide the following deliverables: 

  • Inception report which includes a proposed conceptual framework, methodology, data collection methods and tools, and detailed work plan with proposed timeline.
  • An assessment report of a maximum of 25 pages long, excluding annexes. The report must include, among others, an introduction, executive summary, methodology, discussion of key findings, conclusions, and recommendations.

Timeframe

The estimated duration of the assignment is 30 days. The consultant will submit a clear work plan with specific timelines, which will be reviewed and agreed on at the beginning of the consultancy work. The consultant is expected to deliver according to the following indicative timeline below:

Key Milestone Timeline

  1. Application deadline June 3, 2022
  2. Notification of the winning consultant June 8, 2022
  3. Signing of contract June 9, 2022
  4. Submission of the inception report June 14, 2022
  5. Submission of the first draft report July 20, 2022
  6. National validation workshop August 2, 2022
  7. Revision and submission of Final rapid assessment report August 5, 2022
Job Requirements:

Relevant qualification and experience and technical proposal

This will account for 70% of the assessment score. Service providers/consulting firms shall fulfil the following competency, knowledge, and skills requirements. 

  • Substantive knowledge and understanding of the education sector in Ethiopia and some African countries.
  • Demonstrated experience and expertise in conducting stakeholder mapping and analysis for programs.
  • Experience in conducting mixed research data collation, synthesis, and ability to write a strong analytical and actionable report.
  • Ability to conceptualize and analyze problems and to identify key issues and underlying action-oriented recommendations.
  • Fluency in English and Amharic (Ability to communicate in multiple local languages is advantageous)
  • Excellent writing and presentation skills in English. 

Education

  • A minimum of a master’s degree in education, organizational development or other related social science is required. A thorough knowledge of Ethiopian education system, with particular emphasis on alternative basic education and accelerated learning programs in Ethiopia and abroad is essential.

The service providers must clearly indicate key personnel to be involved in this work. In cases of group-based applications, Luminos Fund expects a gender balanced team. Core team members are expected to have:

  • At least eight years of relevant professional experience.
  • Demonstrated experience in doing similar assessments even in another sector.
  • Observe and adhere to Luminos Fund child protection and safeguarding policies and procedures.
  • Good command of report writing skills in English language.
  • Excellent analysis, coordination, and management skills
  • Good interpersonal skills and capacity to liaison with actors from various sectors

Posted:
05.27.2022
Deadline:
06.03.2022
Job Category:
Consultancy and TrainingEducationSocial Sciences and Community
Consultancy and Training, Education, Social Sciences and Community
Employment:
Location:
Addis Ababa
Luminos Fund Luminos Fund

Share Page

Close