Terms of Reference (ToR) for Final Evaluation
1. General Information
Post/Title:
Final Evaluation of the Education Sector Program Implementation Grant (ESPIG)
Program
GPE Funded ESPIG
Reporting to:
Program Manager- Education Sector Program Improvement Grant
Duration
40 working days
Closing date
26nd Jun, 2022
2. Background Information
2.1. About Education Sector Program Implementation Grant (ESPIG)
The Global Partnership for Education (GPE)-funded Education Sector Program Implementation Grant (ESPIG) is aligned with the priorities of the Federal Government of Somalia’s Education Sector Strategic Plan (ESSP 2018-2020). The overall objective is to increase access to quality education for more than 50,000 out-of-school children; enhance the quality of primary education; and improve the capacity of the Ministry of Education, Culture and Higher Education (MOECHE) at Federal/Member States to regulate and manage the education sector. The Federal Government of Somalia Ministry of Education, Culture and Higher Education (MoECHE) is implementing the grant in collaboration with the Federal Member States Ministries of Education in Jubaland State, South West State, Galmudug State, Hirshabelle State and Benadir regional administration with CARE as the grant agent and Concern Worldwide as sub-contractor.
The main objective of the ESPIG is to improve equitable access to and quality of education outcomes for all Somali primary school children through strengthened system capacity to design evidence-driven Education Sector Strategic Plan (ESSP) reforms, and collaborate effectively with partners in their implementation. ESPIG was envisioned to maximize the potential of development investments in education in Somalia through the combination of four key principles:
The program’s five components are described below:
2.2. Program beneficiaries
Direct program beneficiaries includes: (i) about 50,000 out-of-school poor or marginalized primary children who will benefit from school inclusion grants; (ii) about 600 Community Education Committees who will benefit from training to improve inclusion, security and learning at their schools; (iii) 6,570 teachers who will benefit from teaching guides associated to the new curriculum; (iv) 240 primary pre-service student teachers who will benefit from new teacher training institutes; (v) 2,000 teachers benefitting from tailored in-service teacher training; (vi) 297,168 grade 1-8 pupils who will receive textbooks linked to the new curriculum; (vii) 150 education officers will benefit from professional development to improve skills in planning, coordination and monitoring.
3. Objective of the Final Evaluation
The Education Sector Program Implementation Grant (ESPIG) is seeking to procure the services of a consultancy company to conduct a final evaluation to assess the extent to which the stated objectives and ESPIG components were achieved (or not) in the project i.e. the extent to which the expected results of the ESPIG intervention have been achieved. The evaluation should generate relevant findings, lessons learned and recommendations to guide and inform on the best practices and strategies/approaches for improving other future phases and education programs. The final evaluation will have full participation of the project staff and key stakeholders.
3.1 Specific Objectives of the Final Evaluation
The consultant will critically evaluate the outputs and outcomes achieved under each component and how those have influenced the situation of target groups and beneficiaries. This will require critical examination of the individual activities to understand their contribution towards achievement of the results. The consultant is expected to reference changes in target groups, final beneficiaries and school conditions at the end of the project vis a vis the endline and baseline. The specific objective of the evaluation is to evaluate the outputs and outcomes achieved under each component and the project’s overall relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, validity of design, sustainability, factors affecting performance, alternative strategies and its strengths and weaknesses. In addition, the final evaluation also intends to specifically assess the uses and implementation of the second tranche of capitation grants.
Overarching evaluation questions: The final evaluation will be guided by the overarching questions below;
Table 3 : Overarching questions
1
Effectiveness
2
Efficiency
3
Relevance
4
Sustainability
5
Impact
6
Lessons and recommendations
Specific evaluation questions: The assessment of the program components will be based on specific evaluation questions guided by the overarching questions above. The specific evaluation questions under each component are listed below:
Component 1: Equitable access to quality education
Main activities:
Evaluation questions
Given the large scale implementation of capitation grants, the assessment of this subcomponent will include an extensive review of expenditure at school level and enrolment and attendance records. This aspect of the assignment will include both an evaluation of the impact of the grants as well as an independent verification of their implementation and use.
Component 2: Enhanced quality of education, leading to grade-appropriate improved learning outcomes
Main activities
Evaluation questions
Component 3: Enhanced system capacity to regulate and manage the education sector
Main activities
Evaluation Questions
Component 4: Build a strong framework for program monitoring, accountability and communication
Main Activities
Evaluation Questions
Cross-cutting Issues: Particular attention will be given to cross cutting issues such as special needs and inclusion, gender, vulnerable and marginalized groups, human rights, child protection and safeguarding, and health and hygiene promotion in the project. A conflict-aware, do-no-harm approach has been used to implement activities.
4. Technical Approach and Methodology
The consultancy company is expected to propose a relevant methodology to assess the intervention’s contribution to the Somali education system, responding to the evaluation questions above. In addition, the evaluation will assess the program’s relevance, efficiency, sustainability, coordination, and lessons learned**. The selected methodology should be able to show the extent to which the program achieved its intended results thus far and reached the intended target populations. The proposed methodology should also allow the program to identify and quantify the impact of contextual factors on the expected results.
4.1 Document Review
The consultant will be expected to review all relevant documentation in order to understand the assignment and the context beforehand. This will enable the consultant to gather secondary data that will complement the primary data that will be collected. CARE will provide other relevant documentation on implementation once services are contracted.
4.2. Primary Data Collection
The primary data will be collected from various qualitative and quantitative data collection methods namely:
Other methods may be added as appropriate.
The proposed methodology should mirror the baseline and midline studies. It is expected, however, that the use of capitation grants and new enrolment associated to them will need to be verified in a larger sample of schools (minimum 210), which will overlap partially with the longitudinally tracked baseline and midline sample of 171 schools.
4.3. Data Collection, Processing and Analysis
The consultant is expected to train enumerators on data collection methodologies and tools; quality assurance’; confidentiality; ethics and informed consent. CARE Somalia will provide training on child protection and prevention of sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse (PSHEA) and require all enumerators to comply with its PSHEA and child protection policy. In addition, the consultant will be expected to supervise data collection in the field, translation, and transcription of qualitative data, ensuring quality is maintained throughout the entire process. The data collection tools will be prepared and shared with CARE before the training and thereafter piloted and revised accordingly after the pre-test exercise to ensure they are acceptable and match the program’s needs. The Consultant will then analyze the data collected, prepare the final evaluation report and present the findings, conclusions and recommendations to CARE who will then share it with consortium partners, the donor and other key stakeholders.
5. Deliverables
Deliverables under this consultancy will include the following:
6. Duration and Time
The exercise is expected to commence immediately the contract is signed by all parties. The estimated deadline for completion is July 30, 2022.
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Tasks
Duration (Man days)
Literature review/Desk Review
2
Preparation of inception report, data collection tools, translation into Somali and testing/revision of tools
5
Travel to and from target locations
2
Enumerator training
3
Field data and information collection
15
Data and information analysis
6
Report writing and presentations
7
Total
40
7. Desirable Qualifications:
This assignment requires previous experience in evaluating large-scale system development programs and in particular, large-scale education programs, preferably in the region and/or in Somalia. In addition, the consultancy company should have experience in working in fragile, conflict-affected contexts. The consultant will be required to devise appropriate strategies to generate as much information as possible within the allocated period, considering the ongoing crisis and potential challenges to reach some locations.
Education and background required:
8. Core Values & Critical Key Competencies
9. Administrative/ Logistical Support
9.1 Budget
The consultancy company will submit to CARE a financial proposal covering consultancy fees, operational costs and reimbursables, in line with the methodology described in the technical proposal.
9.2 Schedule of payment
The following payments will be paid to the consultant based on an agreed upon mode of payment.
The payments will only be made when the deliverables have been assessed and approved by CARE-SOM against the set quality standards.
9.3 Logistics
CARE will provide the following support towards the successful execution of this consultancy:
10. Conditions of Work
The ESPIG MEAL Lead will coordinate activities related to this consultancy in Somalia. CARE USA’s Senior Research and Learning Advisor will provide technical assistance to the evaluation process. The MEAL Lead and the Senior Research and Learning Advisor will review and approve the deliverables. The consultant will be required to abide by the organization’s applicable rules and regulations, code of conduct and child safeguarding policy. CARE upholds the principle of working independently of political, commercial, military, or religious objectives. CARE has a zero-tolerance approach toward sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse, and child abuse.
11. How to apply
All interested consultants/firms are requested to write an expression of interest following the attached EOI format ONLY by email to: SOM.Consultant@care.org. Please indicate ‘Final Evaluation – Education Sector Program Implementation Grant’’ as the subject heading. Application deadline 27 JUN, 2022. Any canvassing will lead to automatic disqualification.
All interested consultants/firms are requested to write an expression of interest following the attached EOI format ONLY by email to: SOM.Consultant@care.org. Please indicate ‘Final Evaluation – Education Sector Program Implementation Grant’’ as the subject heading. Application deadline 30 JUN, 2022. Any canvassing will lead to automatic disqualification.