CALL FOR CONSULTANTS Back2School Project in Ethiopia – A Rapid Assessment of Accelerated Learning Programmes in Ethiopia

  • Contractor
  • Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
  • TBD USD / Year
  • ACPF profile




  • Job applications may no longer being accepted for this opportunity.


ACPF

Terms of Reference (TOR)

  • Introduction
    Ethiopia has made remarkable progress towards girls’ education, with substantial increases in pre-primary, primary and secondary school enrolment. However, the number of out-of-school children (OOSC) still remains high. A recent study by the Ministry of Education on the magnitude of out-of-school children in Ethiopia indicates that there are over 13.3 million children out-of-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 programmes that would help bring children who have been excluded from school back into mainstream education. These programmes are critical to meet the government’s aspirations in the Ethiopian Education Development Roadmap (2018-30) and the Education Sector Development Programme 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 the scaled establishment and implementation of accelerated learning classes across the country to reach the growing number of out of school children.
    Aligned with this effort, in collaboration with Luminos Fund and with the support of the Graça Machel Trust (GMT), ACPF has initiated a new project called Back2School, that seeks to generate evidence and knowledge on accelerated learning programmes in Ethiopia and see how those programmes can be further improved, adapted and scaled-up across the country. The project builds on a review of Tanzania’s accelerated learning programme – Complementary Basic Education for Tanzania (COBET)- draws lessons from similar programmes in Ethiopia and Kenya, and works to refine strategies and approaches of accelerated learning for adaption and scale-up in the three countries.
    One of the key activities under the Back2School project is to assess existing accelerated learning programmes in Ethiopia in terms of their strengths, gaps, impact and lessons. The purpose of this TOR is, therefore, to invite interested consultants to submit technical and financial proposals to undertake a rapid assessment of accelerated learning models and/or programmes in Ethiopia.
  • Aim and objectives of the assessment
    The main aim of the assessment is to examine existing accelerated learning models in Ethiopia and document their strengths, gaps, good practices and lessons. Specifically, the assessment intends to achieve the following objectives:

     assess the relevant national policy frameworks, including those on education, and their implication for the implementation of accelerated learning programmes;
     explore the conceptual framework, methodologies and strategies of implementation of existing accelerated learning models; and
     examine strengths, gaps, good practices and lessons of accelerated learning programmes in re-integrating out-of-school rural children, particularly girls into the mainstream education system in Ethiopia.

  • Scope of work
    The rapid assessment will identify and document all available accelerated learning models and programmes that are designed and implemented in Ethiopia to provide access to education for out-of-school children, particularly girls. It will start by examining if and how relevant laws and policies have created an enabling policy environment for accelerated education in the country. It will then assess how each of these accelerated learning models work- their curriculum, pedagogy, assessments, teacher training guides, classroom infrastructure and sizes, teaching and learning materials, gender and disability inclusive approaches, community mobilisation strategies, livelihood supports, and monitoring and evaluation systems. The assessment will also analyse the impact, achievements and scalability of the models and draw lessons that can be used to improve existing accelerated learning programmes in Ethiopia.

  • Methodology
    The rapid assessment will use a 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 OOSGs, focus group discussions and on-site observations. Research participants will be drawn both from governmental and non-governmental organisations, including but not limited to, the Ministry of Education, Regional Education Bureaus, woreda level education offices, schools, and programme implementers accelerated learning. Data will be analysed and reported in a succinct report.

  • Deliverables
    The consultant(s) will be expected to provide the following deliverables:
    a) Inception report which includes a proposed conceptual framework, methodology, data collection methods and tools, and detailed work plan with proposed timeline.
    b) A rapid assessment report of a maximum of 40 pages long, including annexes. The report must include, among others, an executive summary, problem statement, 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:

  • No Key Milestone Timeline

    1 Notification of the winning consultant April 6, 2022

    2 Signing of contract April 11, 2022

    3 Submission of the inception report April 18, 2022

    4 Submission of the first draft report May 20, 2022

    5 National validation workshop June 2, 2022

    6 Revision and submission of Final rapid assessment report June 17, 2022

  • Required qualifications

  • Postgraduate or other advanced university degrees in education; educational innovation curriculum development; education planning and management;

  • • At least 10 years of experience in curriculum development and assessment; pedagogy and delivery; educational research; and policy analysis; Track record in undertaking educational research, especially in undertaking systematic evaluations of educational models or services

  • • Excellent knowledge of the education sector and stakeholders in Ethiopia;
    • Proficiency in English is a requirement.
    • Knowledge of Ethiopian local languages is an asset

How to apply

How to apply
Interested and qualified candidates are requested to send their technical and financial proposals of not more than five pages and a CV (of not more than three pages) to: [email protected] by 1 April 2022.

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

  


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