Consultancy

Save the Children International

“Lufwanyama Education Project End of project evaluation”

Project Background and context

Save the Children is the world’s leading independent organization for children. Our Vision is a world in which every child attains the right to survival, protection, development and participation. Save the Children (SC) has worked in Zambia to promote the fulfillment of children’s rights since 1987. Save the Children works across five thematic areas namely education, health & nutrition, child rights governance, child poverty and child protection.

Save the children Zambia, with support from Save the Children Korea is implementing an integrated quality basic education and ECCDE services in community schools in Lufwanyama district of Zambia. The project life is three years starting from September, 2015 and already more than two and a half years of implementation have elapsed. Based on the donor agreement, the project will conclude in September, 2018.

Project Goal

Increase access to integrated quality basic education and ECCDE services in community schools in Lufwanyama by 2018.

Objective: Improve access to Early Childhood Care Development and Education (ECCDE) services for children aged 3-6 and Primary school aged children especially girls and other marginalized children.

The purpose of the end line evaluation study

The purpose of the end line study is to evaluate Lufwanyama Education Project after 3 years of implementation. The evaluation will therefore establish project achievements against planned targets, measuring, quality of learning environment as well as access to quality ECCDE and Primary Education through infrastructure development at both ECCD and primary. .The study will also examine community participation, level of community engagement and satisfaction.

Scope and coverage

The study will be undertaken in Lufwanyama district where SC is implementing the Korean Education Project in six community schools. Data will be collected from all the target project sites namely Kansato, Fipokola, Kafwaya, Kalima, Fisebaula and Kafubu west community schools.

This will also include data collection from communities around the LEP supported schools and ECCDE centres.

Study questions

The study will try to answer the following research questions;

1. Assessment of access to quality education

To what degree has the project contributed to access to quality education in primary schools and ECCDE centres for children aged 3-6 years and of primary school going age especially girls and other marginalized school going groupings?

2. Assessment of quality of learning environment

How has the project contributed to the quality learning environment of Early Childhood Care Development and Education (ECCDE) services for children aged 3-6 and primary education in the projects impact areas?

3. Children and Community engagement

To what degree are the children and the community satisfied with the project and how are community structures involved in the management of school affairs including support and maintenance of school infrastructure in the impact area?

4. Progress against Key performance indicators

To what degree have key project indicators changed over the project`s life span in the six operational sites?

Methodology

The consultant is expected to develop a robust study methodology in line with the evaluation scope and coverage anchored on mixed methods and this will form part of the expression of interest. However, the methodology will be refined in consultation with the client. Data will be collected from both Primary schools and ECCDE centres in the six project sites. The focus will be on improved access, quality learning environment, primary schools and ECCDE teachers including retention.

Additional methodical considerations will call for the consultant to:

  • Undertake in- depth review of relevant (Demographic Health Survey, Save the Children Monitoring Evaluation Accountability and Learning framework and baseline studies, and project documents) International, National and organisational documents to help focus the study and triangulation of results;
  • Collect quantitative and qualitative primary data using a variety of methods and tools consisting of both techniques. Data points will include interviews with learners from interventional sites, key informants with Ministry of Education Officials, teachers ,civil society representatives and focus group discussions with community members
  • Perform data cleaning and analysis using appropriate statistical packages with succinct analysis procedures; clearly capturing all key performance indicators. The analysis of findings should also appropriately compare findings between boys and girls and where necessary adult male and females
  • Participatory approaches with the involvement of project stakeholders will be expected;

Ethical Considerations

Ethical considerations regarding data collection, including confidentiality, Do No Harm approaches and promotion of voluntary participation must be clearly highlighted in the methodology. Planning should take into consideration Ethical Checking Requirements in country.

5. Key deliverables of the consultancy

  • Provide inception report, outlining the key scope of work and intended work plan of the analysis, and evaluation questions, to be submitted within 3 days of commencing the consultancy.
  • Develop data collection tools
  • Collect and analyse data
  • Present a preliminary report to Save the Children for review.
  • Incorporate comments and feedback from Save the Children
  • Finalize and present an evaluation report
  • Submit final report x 3 hard copies and soft copy
  • Produce a research brief/Summary
  • Prepare a power point presentation of findings at a forum to be organised by Save the Children
  • Share raw data set in soft copy with Save the Children

NOTE: The Final Report will be submitted within 5 days after receiving comments from SC. The content and structure of the final analytical report with findings, recommendations and lessons learnt covering the scope of the evaluation should meet the requirements of SC quality evaluation criteria and should be in the following format:- Executive summary (1-2 pages) -Introduction including background information, project brief (3 page) – Description of the evaluation including scope purpose of the evaluation (2) methodology (3 pages) Data analysis, presentation and discussion (10)- Key findings, including best practices and lessons learned (4-5 pages) -Conclusions and recommendations (3 pages) – Appendices: Charts, terms of reference, field visits, people interviewed, documents reviewed.

The consultant is expected to deliver on all the tasks for comments and feedback within the agreed timeline.

Study proposed timelines and costs

The consultancy is expected to start in September 2018 and the study should be completed within the period of six weeks.

The consultant should propose the cost of undertaking the study, this should be part of the submitted Expression of Interest and it will be reviewed and agreed upon with the client. Save the Children will provide all logistical support as well as enumerators for data collection.

Required profile of the consultant/team

The consultant/team must demonstrate the following qualifications in order to be eligible for this assignment:

  • A recognised university degree, Education, Demography/Statistic or related social science (at a minimum of masters’ level but preferably at doctorate level).
  • 5-10 years’ experience in conducting high level studies especially education research
  • Previous experience of working with children, using participatory child-friendly assessment/research/evaluation methodologies.
  • Ability to collect data using digitalised pltoforms like Survey CTO, ODK & KOBO Collect, etc.
  • Strong analytical skills in both qualitative and quantitative data analy
  • Previous experience of engaging civil society organisations, national partners and key government staff in the development and implementation of assessments/evaluations.
  • Evidence of having done similar work within Zambia especially in set ups as the project area (Rural areas)
  • High proficiency in written and spoken in English
  • A demonstrated high level of professionalism and an ability to work independently and in high‐pressure situations under tight deadlines.
  • Strong interpersonal and communication skills including experience of working within multi-cultural teams.

The consultant/team must ensure a gender mix in the evaluation team.

Procedures of application and documentation

Expressions of interest must include a CV of the applicant and CVs of Team, summary of relevant experience to the assignment, three referees with clear contact details (e-mail and cell phone), Concept paper (maximum 6 pages) with methodology, description of tools, method of analysis, work plan and budget in relation to the assignment.

Applications should be delivered in hard copy not later than 28th September 2018 before 17:00 hours to the address below, clearly indicating on the envelope “Lufwanyama Education Project End of project evaluation”

The Human Resource & Administration Manager, Save the Children, Plot No. 16794, Diplomatic Centre, Mass Media, Postnet 487, P/Bag E891, Lusaka, Zambia. Please ensure that you mention www.gozambiajobs.com as the source of this job advertisement.


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