REQUEST FOR CONSULTANTS TO CONDUCT BASELINE ASSESSMENT

The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) is a global humanitarian organization with a mission to work with people in poverty and distress to create just and positive change. ADRA Somalia belongs to the world wide network, comprised of more than 130 supporting and implementing country offices. ADRA Somalia is seeking to recruit a consultant to conduct baseline assessment in Banadir, Jubbaland, South West, Hir-Shabelle and Galmudug states of Somalia.**

1. PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVE OF THE CONSULTANCY

The purpose of the consultancy is to generate comprehensive baseline information on the current education services in the project’s implementation locations in Federal Government of Somalia and Member States. The information will inform MYRP education programming in these regions and support implementing partners to understand and monitor the progress and results of their education interventions in the regions.

The overall objective of the baseline survey is to generate baseline data, both qualitative and quantitative, by analyzing it to provide statistical information that will set benchmarks for the project’s take off and provide the overall direction based on the present provision of education services in south central Somalia.

The specific objectives of the consultancy are to:

1. Generate baseline data that will identify and set benchmarks and milestones in order to reveal the current situation of education service in all the above stated regions and assist project partners to better monitor and measure progress achieved through its education interventions in the regions. The data should cover, the following key sectors: Basic Education, Education in Emergencies, Alternative Basic Education (ABE), Non Formal Education, Teacher Training and MoE Capacity Strengthening. Specific data on access/enrolment rate, quality of education, learning outcomes, relevance of education, internal efficiency at State/Fderal levels, gender equity and equality, protection, disability, community resilience and preparedness among other key parameters, should be compiled.
2. Conduct a needs assessment for 64 public schools that are being targeted by the ECW MYRP, covering the current status of enrolment, infrastructure, learning and teaching force, learning resources and curriculum, extra-curricular activities etc.
3. Conduct an assessment of the current capacity of education authorities in the target regions of Banadir, Jubbaland, Southwest, Hirshabelle and Galmudug in planning, delivery and monitoring of resilient education at all levels
4. Design a monitoring and evaluation framework for the project, which will include contextually relevant set of resilient education baseline tools for use by implementing partners in the life of the project, as well as for adaptation in education baseline surveys in other areas of operation.
5. Impart education project staff and Ministry staff in the target regions and partners participating in the baseline survey with relevant skills in collecting and analyzing data and effectively reporting on resilient education baseline surveys. This will be gained through training and working together with staff and partners during the consultancy.
6. SCOPE OF WORK

The consultancy falls under the ECW MYRP project funded by Education Cannot Wait, implemented by ADRA (Grantee), Concern Worldwide, Africa Education Trust (AET) and FENPS, local NGO. in partnership with the Federal Ministry for Education, Culture and Higher Education in Mogadishu, and regional administrations of Jubbaland, Southwest, Hirshabelle and Galmudug.

The consultant will be expected to undertake the following tasks:

1. Participate in briefing and consultative meetings on the assignment at Mogadishu and State level with Ministry officials.
2. Familiarize with the local education context, past and ongoing EiE and resilience education projects, the Education Sector Strategic Plans, and the ECW MYRP project document.
3. Review extensively all relevant reports, studies and surveys on the education sector in South Central Somalia, and synthesize the information to ensure that data collection focusses on areas not covered by current literature.
4. Evaluate the project log-frame in detail, and propose revisions to the proposed indicators where necessary, based on the findings of the baseline survey.
5. Assess the overall design strategy and implementation approaches of the ECW MYRP programme and propose methods of ensuring that the project is implemented in a relevant, effective, efficient and achieves maximum impact and complementarity with other actions.
6. Design and deliver a 3-day training for the education project staff (and partners) on key aspects of the baseline survey including how data will be collected (process, methods, and tools), analyzed, interpreted, and reported.
7. Constitute the survey team (in agreement with Ministry and grantee).
8. Set off the survey team to pre-test and refine the data collection tools and to collect required data.
9. Enter and analyze the baseline data (jointly with select education project staff partners – for learning purposes). Relevant data analysis software such as SPSS will be used.
10. Debrief education project management staff from the consortium agencies and the respective Ministries on the process and preliminary findings of the baseline survey.
11. Prepare and submit comprehensive, well-structured report of the baseline survey.

Profile of the consultant

Essential

· Post graduate degree in education from a recognized institution of higher learning.

· Extensive experience in research including designing and conducting (education) baseline surveys.

· Knowledge and experience of using participatory methodologies in monitoring and evaluation of education work in a developing country context.

· Knowledge and understanding of emergency education management systems.

· Proficiency in computer skills.

· Understanding of education in a developing country.

· Excellent facilitation and report writing skills in English language.

· Extensive experience of delivering training workshops.

· Familiarity with the Somali context and education sector in particular.

Desirable:

· Experience of working in a politically insecure environment.

· Familiarity with donor funded education programmes in Somalia.

· Familiarity with previous work of similar nature will be an added advantage.