Somalia has made significant progress on basic education, access indicators, for instance, gross enrolment rate increased from 23% in 2006 to 58% in 2016 and a slight dip to 41% during the 2017 drought situation. Other than gross enrolment rate increase, gender gap in both primary and secondary school has steadily narrowed down since 2006. Whereas there was marked improvement in access resulting from increased enrolment of learners, education quality indicators have not been progressed along with the access indicators. It is estimated that 15% to 20% of fourth graders in the country are unable to recognize or read single words (African Educational Trust, 2012). This demonstrates the lack of sufficient foundational literacy, which jeopardizes ability of enrolled students to achieve higher levels of learning and education. While some children eventually catch-up with appropriate grade level literacy and numeracy, a number of children end up completing primary education cycle while lacking essential basic literacy (Protopapas, Sideridis, Mouzaki, & Simos, 2011). When children attend school and are not able to gain fundamental learning outcomes, it is huge waste of human and financial resources. Insufficient learning outcomes bulges already high in illiteracy rates complicating empowerment efforts and efforts to contribute to peaceful country (UNDP, 2012).

The education sector in the country is faced with complex and multidimensional challenges ranging from non-coherent curriculum, reliance on untrained teachers, shortage of teachers, poor school infrastructure and weak governance and regulation in the education sector (Hussein, 2015). Previous efforts focused on reviving education system as a whole by increasing access to education and school dropout (Ministry of Human Development and Public Services & UNICEF, 2013). As the country moves towards more stability, there is need to assure inclusive and equitable quality education for all children in order to realize Goal 4 of Sustainable Development Goals. One of the major goals Save the Children International (SCI) seeks to achieve is to ensure all children have achieved the required literacy and numeracy competencies by the time they leave primary school. To attain this goal, SCI has to rely on previous studies to design interventions. However, in conflict and humanitarian settings globally, education quality has received insufficient attention, policy-makers and programmatic interventions are focused on restoring access to education (Ratcliffe, Perry, Boak, Smith, & Todd, 2009; Winthrop & Matsui, 2013; Burde, Guven, Kelcey, Lahmann, & Al-Abbadi, 2015).

In Somalia, there is no systematic research, with only limited data about learning achievements across Somalia. Available learning achievement assessments are either project-based or limited to a few regions. Conflict not only limits regular access to schools, but also exposes learners and teachers to abuse, violence and discrimination with social and psychological effects hence adversely impacting quality and learning outcomes (Cervantes-Duarte & Fernández-Cano, 2016). These effects are not only limited to children alone, it also affects caregivers and teachers, resulting into increased aggression against children and reduced adult involvement in children’s education activities. Elsewhere, parental interventions to help them contribute to their children’s at-home learning show larger significant effect size on students’ literacy attainment among disadvantaged households (Terlitsky & Wilkins, 2015; Dowd & Pisani, 2013).

The contextual factors affecting student learning occur at four different levels: Student/family, Classroom, School and Country/systems. These factors are intricately linked and operate in the above levels as input, process and outcome. This calls for a wider view of learning outcomes at these levels as well as through the dynamic model view. The proposed study therefore seeks to identify the most important factors and practices that could be hindering children from achieving age and grade appropriate literacy levels in primary schools in Somalia. This will help to inform interventions design among education actors across the country. In this line, SCI is seeking a consultant to undertake a formative research on literacy levels across Somalia, and associated factors that affect realization of the learning outcomes (or interventions) with the objective of identifying and quantifying the best possible set(s) of interventions

CONSULTANT QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

Essential

1. Consultant preferred from institutional/ team of experts with background in education and social science.
2. At least a Master’s Degree in Education or other related Social Sciences. A PhD would be preferred.
3. At least 5 years’ experience of research on Education especially children’s learning outcomes. SCI-Somalia is interested to verify related assignments conducted in the past 2 years.
4. Demonstrable experience in working in conflict prone countries such as Somalia.
5. Demonstrate advanced capacity and proven experience in literature review and quantitative and qualitative data management and analysis
6. The consultant or co-consultant is expected to speak in Somali. And has no access limitations in moving from region to another.
7. The consultant is expected to meet the terms and work conditions stipulated in SCI contract including Save the Children child safeguarding policy.

The Organisation

We employ approximately 25,000 people across the globe and work on the ground in over 100 countries to help children affected by crises, or those that need better healthcare, education and child protection. We also campaign and advocate at the highest levels to realise the right of children and to ensure their voices are heard.

We are working towards three breakthroughs in how the world treats children by 2030:

• No child dies from preventable causes before their 5th birthday
• All children learn from a quality basic education and that,
• Violence against children is no longer tolerated

We know that great people make a great organization, and that our employees play a crucial role in helping us achieve our ambitions for children. We value our people and offer a meaningful and rewarding career, along with a collaborative and inclusive environment where ambition, creativity, and integrity are highly valued.

Application Information:

Interested individuals must submit a technical and financial proposal of a maximum of five (5) pages

Including:

• A cover letter introducing the consultant and how the skills and competencies above are met, with concrete examples as appropriate.
• An expression of interest including proposed methodology, time schedule, and work plan for carrying out the consultancy.
• A CV detailing relevant skills and experience, including 3 contactable referees.
• Reasonable budget breakdown and cost consideration commensurate to expected deliverables.

Interested applicants are requested to send their applications to .

A copy of the full role profile can be found at www.savethechildren.net/careers

We need to keep children safe so our selection process, which includes rigorous background checks, reflects our commitment to the protection of children from abuse.

All employees are expected to carry out their duties in accordance with our global anti-harassment policy.

Disclaimer:

Save the Children International does not charge any kind of fee at whichever stage of the recruitment process and does not act through recruitment agents