Country: Uganda
Closing date: 13 Sep 2015
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 is about to start implementing a project in Eastern 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 environmentiv; 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 classesvi. This means that for the majority of children, parents are their first educators; however only 25% of parents are actively supporting learning at homevii with high adult illiteracyviii limiting direct parental support and tracking of pupil learning.
Within the target districts of Bukedea and Ngora, only 10% of children in P3 are able to read a text from the P2 syllabusix. The relationship between early reading skills and long term academic survival is well establishedx. Poor attainment and high repetition contributes to high dropout rates and low completion rates with only 23% of children in these districts completing P7, compared to 54% nationallyxi.
3.Project description
The ILEAP project will ensure that boys and girls in P1 to P3 receive support for their learning, both in and out of school, ensuring that they acquire the fundamental skills they need in order to achieve a good level of educational attainment. Over three years, ILEAP will work directly with more than 23,000 of the most disadvantaged pupils, including those with disabilities, orphaned children and those from elderly headed or child-headed households. Interventions have been designed to ensure that young children have more opportunities to reach their potential and to establish the foundations they need to support future learning and achievement.
Using a holistic approach, ILEAP will engage with pupils, teachers and parents to build a support network around the youngest school children. ILEAP will work with teachers and parents to promote the importance of early learning. By providing adults with tools to better support early learning, they can establish a positive start for young children in their education.
This project will work with at least 23,000 children from 40 schools as well as over 9,000 parents and 160 teachers. The project will run from 1st October 2015 until 30th September 2018 in Ngora and Bukedea in Eastern Uganda. It is being funded by Big Lottery Fund.
The project has four intended outcomes:
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.
2)Teachers are skilled and inspired, which ensures they provide child friendly and good quality teaching, improving children’s engagement in class.
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.
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.
4.Baseline purpose and scope
The objectives of the baseline are to:
a)Develop appropriate data collection tools to collect both quantitative and qualitative data according to the project’s logframe indicators
b)Pilot project indicators and data collection tools
c)Provide benchmark measures against the project’s logframe indicators
This baseline study will not include a needs assessment component.
The scope of this consultancy is to:
-Clarify the technical aspects of how the research will be conducted in an inception report
-Design data collection tools for collection of both quantitative and qualitative data
-Train data collectors
-Oversee data collection and entry
-Conduct data validation and analysis to produce benchmark measures against project indicators
-Analyse the validity and reliability of the indicators and data collection tools
-Propose recommendations for amendments to indicators and/or data collection tools where necessary
-Draft, revise and finalise the baseline study report
5.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.
6.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 and beneficiary group; i.e., data records should be kept at the respondent level and should include information as to whether each respondent is male or female; and whether that person is a young pupil, older pupil, parent, teacher or other community member.
The baseline study will include the following research methods:
a) Quantitative (primary)
-Social skills assessment for pupils in the first three years of primary school
-Literacy assessment for pupils in the first three years of primary school
-Numeracy assessment for pupils in the first three years of primary school
-Questionnaire for pupils in the first three years of primary school
-Questionnaire for older children, who will provide support to pupils in first three year of primary school
-Questionnaire for parents
-Participatory ranking with pupils in the first three years of primary school
-Observing a statistically significant sample of P1-P3 lessons, generating an assessment of whether teaching methods are child-friendly and good quality (using a tool with a defined minimum standard)
b) Qualitative
-Participatory sessions with pupils in the first three years of primary school
-Semi-structured interviews with District Education Officials c) Quantitative (secondary)
-Review of schools records, in particular of enrolment, pupil attendance and repeaters data
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.
- Tasks, deliverables and suggested timeframeThe required consultancy deliverables are:
-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
-Training of data collectors, ensuring consistency of translation from data collection tools written in English to local language during data collection exercise
-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
-A de-brief meeting with Build Africa Uganda’s Head of Programmes and Area Programme Manager for Kumi to discuss how measures were developed and how, when and by whom data may be collected throughout the project lifetime
-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:
-Holding an inception meeting with Build Africa staff and reviewing any relevant documentation to gather background information
-Drafting an inception report (as above)
-Incorporating feedback on inception report into planned approach and activities
-Training data collectors with the necessary skills and who can work to a high standard
-Supervising and quality assuring field data collection and entry
-Conducting participatory data collection in sampled schools
-Providing the typed raw data to Build Africa contact staff (as above)
-Analysing and synthesising both qualitative and quantitative data
-Submitting a draft report, with accompanying data analysis to Build Africa contact staff for feedback
-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 UK and Build Africa Uganda will be jointly responsible for:
-Preparing relevant documentation and making it available to the consultant
-Holding an introductory Skype call with the consultant to provide background information and to finalise timelines and expectations
-Organising logistics for field travel and data collection exercise
-Reviewing the inception report and providing the consultant with specific and timely feedback
-Providing support to the recruitment and training of data collectors if necessary
-Reviewing both draft baseline reports and providing the consultant with specific and timely feedback
-Managing and supporting the consultant throughout the baseline study
-Ensuring that technical feedback from partner organisations is represented in the feedback presented to the consultant
-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 20th 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.
Activity
Timeframe(to be completed by) Briefing meeting
Monday 21st September Review of TOR and project documents and other relevant
n/a external evidence Development and submission of the inception report
Wednesday 30th September (including detailed methodology and draft data collection tools) Field work (training of data collectors, data collection and
Friday 30th October de-briefing) Data entry, analysis and writing of draft reports
Wednesday 11th November Revision and finalisation of the report and delivery of data
Friday 20th November sets
8.Budget
The total budget for this consultancy, including all expenses and taxes is £6,300 / UGX 25,910,000
Please note that fees for daily rates should be in line with previous work undertaken. References will be taken.
9.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:
-Significant experience of working in senior management roles in education in similar contexts (essential);
-Masters’ degree in a relevant Social Science discipline coupled with advanced skills in research methodologies (preferred);
-Demonstrable experience of leading baselines and/or evaluations of development projects (essential);
-Excellent knowledge of, and experience of administering, appropriate literacy and numeracy assessments for pupils in the early years of primary education (essential);
-Experience of training data collectors to administer literacy and numeracy assessments (essential);
-Significant skills and experience in quantitative data collection and analysis (essential);
-Experience of collecting, analysing and synthesising qualitative data using a rigorous approach (essential);
-Excellent communication skills including report writing (essential);
-Experience of overseeing and training data collectors, including providing a quality assurance function (essential); Experience of working with young children, facilitating participatory approaches to data collection (essential);
-Able to reliably access the Internet, as well as relevant national policy/planning documents and surveys (essential);
-Experience of working in Uganda or East Africa (essential);
-Fluent English in both writing and speaking (essential);
-Willingness to familiarise self with, and sign up to abiding by, Build Africa’s Child Protection Policy
(essential).
iBuild Africa Uganda, average P1 and P2 data over 94 schools in North West regions
iiEconomic Policy Research Centre, 2010, ‘does teaching methods and availability of teaching resources influence pupils performance: Evidence from four districts in Uganda’
iiiAt 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
ivUNICEF, UN Women, UN, 2012, Access to Quality Primary Education in Rural Societies of Uganda
vUNICEF Uganda, 2013, Assessing Child Protection, Safety & Security Issues For Children in Ugandan Primary and Secondary Schools
viUNESCO, 2012, Global Education Digest 2012: Opportunities Lost – The impact of Grade Repetition and Early School Leaving
viihttp://allafrica.com/stories/201210020972.html?page=2
viiiThe Impact of Parental Involvement on Children’s Education – Department for Children, Schools and Families (2008)
ixUWEZO 2012: Are our children learning, annual assessment
xUSAID, An Opportunity to Learn: A high impact strategy for improving educational outcomes in Developing Countries
xiJICA 2012, Basic Education Analysis Report, Uganda
How to apply:
To apply, please complete a copy of the “ILEAP 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 Sunday 13th 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: Sunday 13th September, midnight