Title of Consultancy / advisory: Developing of Early Childhood Education Policy and Minimum Standard Framework for Somaliland.

1. Introduction

The Somaliland National Education Policy 2015 – 2030 envisions education as a means to prepare all learners to become life-long learners equipped with the skills, knowledge and attitudes to be successfully productive citizens. The mission of National Education of Somaliland is to provide a quality and relevant education that will prepare every student to be successful in life with partnership of its parents and communities.

Pre-primary or Early Childhood Education (ECE) is one the main Somaliland Education System and Sector Profile along with the primary, secondary, vocational, and higher education. The MOES has adopted ECE as a strategy for promoting lifelong learning among children since the development of the first five years’ education strategic plan from 2012 to 2016. Education research shows that ECE encourages the holistic development as well as confidence and self-esteem of the child, and yields significant long-term benefits such as regular attendance, cognition and academic achievement, grade progression, and completion of the school cycle, among other benefits. However, the subsector is not yet fully integrated into the formal education system and most children access ECE through Quranic schools providing children with spiritual and moral education through understanding and teaching of the Holy Quran. The majority of children attending Quranic Schools are of school age and often attend alongside with primary education and limited attention is given to areas of holistic child development, numeracy and literacy, and social-emotional competencies required for effective learning in early grades of formal education. The MoES piloted small scale ECE program intervention with Faro Foundation, a non-governmental Organization, and some privately run foundations such as private schools in urban areas have introduced pre-school learning that is outside of government regulation.

2. Some of the key challenges in the ECE sub sector

• The Somaliland National Education Policy include some direction on ECE but there is no ECE policy to govern its development and provide detailed guidance on the specifics of developing and managing ECE.
• There is no standardized curriculum for ECE or assessment tools for ensuring continuous child development and measuring its learning outcome.
• ECE teachers are often inexperienced and unqualified, with no national ECE teacher-training curriculum available and no proper training provided for the teachers.
• Availability of limited learning, development and play materials for teaching and learning activities
• The MoES estimates ECE enrolment at around only 3.2%, however, there is no clear data systematically documented within the education information system.
• Lack of awareness among communities on benefits of ECE for children.

3. Somaliland Education Sector Strategic Plan, ESSP (2017-2021) priority areas on ECE Program.

Learning from the first five years ESSP (2012-2016), the second ESSP (2017-2021) gives due emphasis on the development and promotion of the ECE Subsector. The development of ECE is an integral part of all the ESSP Policy Priority areas on improving access, quality, equity, system building, financing, monitoring and evaluation of the education sector. The following specific priority activities are planned in the ESSP.

• Conduct ECE awareness raising campaigns at all community levels through local media
• Expand access of ECE centres in main cities in the six main Regions of Somaliland
• Recruit and train ECE teaching workforce
• Finalization of ECE policy framework
• Develop ECE curriculum framework and minimum standards for ECE facilities for national roll-out

Taking into account the implementation of the planned activities in the current ESSP, Save the Children jointly with MoES developed a three years Education Sector Plan Implementation Project with the support of Global Partnership for Education (GPE) to support the MoES and contribute to the implementation of the strategic plan. The Project support to ECE includes

• Development and validation of Somaliland ECE Policy Framework and Minimum Standards, including Health and Safety.
• Development and Validation of Somaliland ECE Curriculum for 3-5 year olds.
• Development and Validation of Somaliland ECE Teacher Training Curriculum (6 months).
• Training of ECE teachers through the six-month Somaliland ECE Teacher Training Program.

4. Objective and purpose of the consultancy work

The objective of this consultancy work is mainly to develop, validate and produce relevant and ECE Policy Framework and Minimum Standards for Somaliland that will inform and guide the design, planning, implementation and monitoring of practical and contextual ECE Program

5. Methodology and scope of work

In order to develop practical and relevant policy framework, the consultant will apply a combination of methodologies including

Desk Review

The consultant will conduct desk review on available secondary data, reports, plans and policy documents on ECE in Somaliland to understand the status of the sub-sector. The consultant will also review the regional experience in East Africa to inform the development of the policy.

Consultative Meetings

The consultant is expected to conduct wider consultation with relevant education stakeholders in Somaliland. These include the senior management and field experts of the MoES at different levels (Central, Regional, District, School) and education development partners to get wider insight and perspectives of the education sector including achievements and challenges of the ECE sub-sector.

Field Visits

The consultant will visit some ECE Program implemented by the MoES and other private institutions to understand better the level and quality of ECE planning, implementation and monitoring of the sub-sector in Hargeisa.

6. Deliverables

The consultant will produce final ECE Policy and Minimum Standard Document that is reviewed, validated, accepted and approved by the Ministry of Education and Science. The final product is the property of the Somaliland Ministry of Education and Science

7. Time frame

The consultancy is expected to be completed within 35 days and this can be reviewed as necessary

8. Qualification and experience requirement

• Advanced degree in education or related social sciences
• At least seven years of relevant experience mostly in supporting education sector and experience in policy and strategy development
• Have hands-on experience with designing, implementing and monitoring Education Programs including ECE.
• Specific knowledge of the education sector in Somalia/Somaliland more advantageous
• Availability and commitment to complete the assignment within strict deadlines;
• Computer literacy and familiarity with Microsoft Office; Ability to speak and write the Somali language is highly preferable

Period of Consultancy: 35 working days

Consultant/Advisor type required: Individual or Firm

Responsibility for Logistics arrangements and Costs:The applicant will cover for any Logistics arrangements and costs; including food, accommodation and local transport.

Taxation Provisions: Applicant shall be responsible for all Taxes arising from the consultancy in line with the Somaliland Tax regulations applicable at the SCI contracting office named above

Travel requirements:The applicant will cover for any travel cost (if any).

Security requirements: Applicant will comply with standard Save the Children Security procedures, including the completion of SCI online security training prior to travel to Somaliland (if applicable)

Evaluation Criteria:The applicant must meet the above required qualifications and experience.