Uganda: Baseline study for “Supporting Transition and Early Preparation to School” (STEPS) in Western Uganda

1. Background

Build Africa is an international NGO with one office in the UK, supporting organisations in Kenya and Uganda. It aims to improve the quality of education and support livelihoods by developing the capacity of communities. Build Africa is supporting projects in Kumi, Bukedea, Ngora, Palisa and Kibuku in the East and Masindi, Kiryandongo, Oyam and Buliisa in the West, working with school communities to support them to improve the quality of education they provide for their children. Build Africa Uganda has recently started implementing a project in Western Uganda which focuses on improving the learning of children in their first three years of primary school, by working with teachers, parents and older children to support the young children’s education.

Find Build Africa on http://www.build-africa.org for more information.

2. Project context

Only a third of children in Uganda are able to read and comprehend a basic sentence by P3 and as many as 19% of children are repeating the first few years of primary schoolⁱ. This is attributed to the lack of child friendly teaching and overly harsh discipline methodsⁱⁱ. Additionally, Uganda has one of the highest teacher absenteeism rates in the worldⁱⁱⁱ, with teachers attributing this to poor motivation from a lack of training and support, as well as a lack of status and recognition.

A quality education demands attention to context of the curriculum, the nature of the teaching and the quality of the learning environment^iv; child wellbeing at school is fundamental to successful learning. However, child wellbeing at the target schools is exceptionally low with young children and children from vulnerable groups worst affected. High percentages of primary aged children experience bullying from teachers (anywhere from 46 – 86%) as well as from other children (56%)^v.

In addition, in Uganda, only 14% of children enrol in ECD classes^vi. This means that for the majority of children, parents are their first educators; however only 25% of parents are actively supporting learning at home^vii with high adult illiteracy^viii limiting direct parental support and tracking of pupil learning.

3. Project description

STEPS is working with children, parents and teachers in 10 schools to ensure P1 to P3 school children in rural West Uganda have the fundamental skills that they need for future learning and achievement. The STEPS project is being implemented in schools in Masindi, Kiryandongo and Buliisa, where a wide variety of local languages are spoken.

Project outcomes:

Outcome 1

Young girls and boys receive both academic and social support for their learning, in and out of school, ensuring that they acquire the fundamental skills they need in order to achieve a good level of educational attainment.

Outcome 2

Teachers are skilled and inspired, which ensures they provide child friendly and good quality teaching, improving children’s engagement in class.

Outcome 3

Older children are empowered to mentor younger children, becoming an additional source of help to younger children resulting in improved learning and emotional support for those younger children at school.

Outcome 4

Parents are equipped to champion their children’s education, ensuring children are prepared for school and their learning is nurtured resulting in a positive learning culture for children at home.

1. Baseline purpose and scope The objectives of this baseline are to:
2. provide benchmark measures against the project’s logframe indicators
3. provide comparative analysis of the academic and social performance of children who have attended ECD and of those who have not attended
4. develop tools and methods to assess whether there have been any unexpected outcomes for older children engaged in the project, along with guidance for using these methods throughout the project lifetime
5. pilot project indicators and update data collection tools to include sufficient guidance and instruction

This project has been developed following an extensive assessment of the needs of children in schools in the implementation area, including a review of existing research, analysis of Build Africa’s own learning and a consultation exercise with pupils, teachers and parents. As a result, this baseline will not include a needs assessment component.

4. The scope of this consultancy is to:

1. Clarify the technical aspects of how the research will be conducted in an inception report
2. Review existing data collection tools for collection of both quantitative and qualitative data and update instructions/guidance to ensure that tools are administered to a high quality
3. Recruit and train data collectors
4. Oversee data collection and entry
5. Conduct data validation and analysis to produce benchmark measures against project indicators
6. Analyse the validity and reliability of the indicators and data collection tools
7. Propose recommendations for amendments to indicators and/or data collection tools where necessary
8. Draft, revise and finalise the baseline study report Intended use of study results

Beyond the scope and timeline of this consultancy, the data provided from the baseline exercise will be used throughout the project and in particular at the end of the project, as a point of comparison against the most recent data collection to assess progress.

The data that is collected and analysed during the baseline exercise will be used immediately to report to the project donors and may be used by Build Africa to review the current sequencing and frequency of activities, based on the baseline findings.

Based on the recommendations in the baseline study; indicators, data collection tools and project milestones may be revised.

5. Methodology

The baseline study will take a mixed methods approach, as the project logframe includes both quantitative and qualitative indicators.

All data – both quantitative and qualitative – collected by the baseline study must be disaggregated by sex, beneficiary group and age group (for children only); i.e., data records should include whether each response was provided by a male or female respondent and whether that person is a child in the first three years of primary school, an upper primary school child, a parent, or teacher.

The baseline study will include the following research methods:

The baseline study will include the following research methods:

a)**Quantitative (primary)**

1. Social skills assessment for pupils in the first three years of primary school
2. Literacy and numeracy assessments for children in the first three years of primary school
3. Participatory sessions with young children, resulting in statistically reliable quantitative data
4. Questionnaires with older primary school children
5. Questionnaires for parents, particularly on knowledge, attitudes and practice with regard to supporting young children’s development of literacy and numeracy skills
6. Observing a statistically significant sample of teachers’ lessons and classroom environment
7. Questionnaires for teachers, regarding their use of teaching and learning materials and the availability of such materials

b) Qualitative

1. Participatory sessions with pupils in the first three years of primary school
2. Semi-structured interviews with District Education Officials c) Quantitative (secondary)
3. Review of schools records, in particular of enrolment, pupil attendance, repeaters data and teacher attendance

Data analysis will be guided by the indicator definitions in the project logframes. Quantitative data analysis will require statistical calculations. Qualitative data analysis will require a rigorous approach, such as a thematic network analysis.

It will be necessary for the appointed consultant to calculate scientifically valid sample sizes for key direct beneficiary groups, such as P1-P3 pupils, older pupils who will support P1-P3 pupils, parents and teachers.

1. Tasks, deliverables and suggested timeframe The required consultancy deliverables are:
2. A detailed inception report, including a detailed workplan, detailed methodology for both data collection and analysis, sample size calculations, draft data collection tools and outline of the baseline report
3. Recruitment and training of data collectors, ensuring consistency of translation from data collection tools written in English to local language during data collection exercise
4. A draft baseline report, including accurately analysed data against each of the project indicators, evidence-based findings regarding the usefulness of indicators and the validity and reliability of the data collection tools with lessons learned and recommendations. Also to include the comparative analysis of children’s outcomes based on whether they attended ECD or not; and the guidance on measuring unexpected outcomes for older children.
5. A de-brief meeting with Build Africa Uganda’s Head of Programmes and Area Programme Manager for Masindi to discuss how measures were developed and how, when and by whom data may be collected throughout the project lifetime
6. All typed data sets from both quantitative and qualitative data collection, clearly labelled and provided in accessible electronic formats in English. Quantitative data must be supplied in Excel format.

The consultant will also be responsible for:

1. Holding an inception meeting with Build Africa staff and reviewing any relevant documentation to gather background information
2. Drafting an inception report (as above)
3. Incorporating feedback on inception report into planned approach and activities
4. Organising the logistics for field travel
5. Recruiting and training data collectors with the necessary skills and local languages, who can work to a high standard
6. Supervising and quality assuring field data collection and entry
7. Conducting participatory data collection in sampled schools
8. Providing the typed raw data to Build Africa contact staff (as above)
9. Analysing and synthesising both qualitative and quantitative data
10. Submitting a draft report, with accompanying data analysis to Build Africa contact staff for feedback
11. Incorporating feedback and submitting a final report that responds to the key objectives of the baseline study and provide clear measures against the indicators and evidence-based findings, as well as robust recommendations which can be directly applied to Build Africa’s programming

Build Africa will be responsible for:

1. Preparing relevant documentation and making it available to the consultant
2. Holding an introductory Skype call with the consultant to provide background information and to finalise timelines and expectations
3. Organising logistics for field travel and data collection exercise
4. Reviewing the inception report and providing the consultant with specific and timely feedback
5. Providing support to the recruitment and training of data collectors if necessary
6. Reviewing both draft baseline reports and providing the consultant with specific and timely feedback
7. Managing and supporting the consultant throughout the baseline study
8. Prioritising and attending a de-briefing meeting with the consultant

Below is a proposed timeline for this consultancy work. It can be used as a guideline and applicants may adjust timelines and tasks in their proposals, retaining the same deadline of Friday 27^th November for delivery of the finalised report. Please note that delayed delivery of the final report will result in a reduction of consultancy fees paid.

ActivityTimeframe (to be completed by) Briefing meeting Thursday 24 September Review of TOR and project documents and other relevant n/a external evidence Development and submission of the inception report Friday 3 October (including detailed methodology and revised data collection tools including detailed guidance) Field work (training of data collectors, data collection and Friday 6 November de-briefing) Data entry, analysis and writing of draft report Friday 13 November Revision and finalisation of the report and delivery of data Friday 27 November sets

6. Budget

The total budget for this consultancy, including all expenses and taxes is USD 10,300 / UGX 28,000,000

Please note that fees for daily rates should be in line with previous work undertaken. References will be taken.

7. Skills and qualifications of consultant

We welcome applications (within budget) of small evaluation teams of two consultants and would recommend this approach to ensuring a rigorous baseline study that uses appropriate pedagogic methods for assessing numeracy, literacy and for observing teachers’ lessons.

The consultancy team should consist of one or more consultants who meet the following requirements:

1. Significant experience of working in senior management roles in education in similar contexts (essential);
2. Masters’ degree in a relevant Social Science discipline coupled with advanced skills in research methodologies (preferred);
3. Demonstrable experience of leading baselines and/or evaluations of development projects (essential);
4. Excellent knowledge of, and experience of administering, appropriate literacy and numeracy assessments for pupils in the early years of primary education (essential);
5. Experience of training data collectors to administer literacy and numeracy assessments (essential);
6. Significant skills and experience in quantitative data collection and analysis (essential);
7. Experience of collecting, analysing and synthesising qualitative data using a rigorous approach (essential);
8. Excellent communication skills including report writing (essential); Experience of overseeing and training data collectors, including providing a quality assurance function (essential);
9. Experience of working with young children, facilitating participatory approaches to data collection (essential);
10. Able to reliably access the Internet, as well as relevant national policy/planning documents and surveys (essential);
11. Experience of working in Uganda or East Africa (essential);
12. Fluent English in both writing and speaking (essential);
13. Willingness to familiarise self with, and sign up to abiding by, Build Africa’s Child Protection Policy

(essential).

^1.Build Africa Uganda, average P1 and P2 data over 94 schools in North West regions

^2.Economic Policy Research Centre, 2010, ‘does teaching methods and availability of teaching resources influence pupils performance: Evidence from four districts in Uganda’

^3.At the primary school level, teacher absenteeism ranges from 11% to 30%. In Uganda the absenteeism rate is 27%. Transparency International, The Global Corruption Report: Education, 2013

^4.UNICEF, UN Women, UN, 2012, Access to Quality Primary Education in Rural Societies of Uganda

^5.UNICEF Uganda, 2013, Assessing Child Protection, Safety & Security Issues For Children in Ugandan Primary and Secondary Schools

^6.UNESCO, 2012, Global Education Digest 2012: Opportunities Lost – The impact of Grade Repetition and Early School Leaving

^7.http://allafrica.com/stories/201210020972.html?page=2

^8.The Impact of Parental Involvement on Children’s Education – Department for Children, Schools and Families (2008)

To apply, please complete a copy of the “STEPS baseline study: application form” document and submit with a copy of your CV (and the CV of any other proposed consultants for this assignment, if applying as a team) and a detailed budget in Excel by midnight on Wednesday 16^th September, by emailing babirye@build-africauganda.org

Please do not submit past work or any additional documents with your application or your application will be automatically disqualified.

Closing date: Wednesday 16^th September, midnight