Africa Educational Trust (AET) is an Internationally acknowledged expert in providing education solutions for children and young people in African countries with fragile conflicted or post-conflict economies. Our programmes and projects are delivered on the ground using experienced local staff who understand the challenges and complexities of providing education in their insecure communities. Where many INGOs refuse to operate, AET is there ensuring children and young people still have the chance to get an education and the skills they need to get employment. Many of our projects focus on particularly marginalized groups within those communities, such as women and girls, people with disabilities, internally displaced people and returning refugees. Working closely with individuals, families and communities we also partner with state entities to capacity build whole country education systems and engender long-term sustainable solutions to education problems.
Project overview
High levels of unemployment and widespread poverty among the youth characterise most regions of Somaliland largely due to inadequate economic opportunities and low level competences in education and skills training. It is against this backdrop that Africa Educational Trust (AET) secured funding to implement a project dubbed Developing Appropriate and Relevant Education and Training for Pastoralist Youth (DARET3) In Somaliland. The main objective of DARET 3 Project was to contribute towards equipping young women and men in Somaliland with livelihood skills so that they could play meaningful roles in the social and economic development of their communities as well as preparing themselves to be effective future leaders. The DARET 3 Project was largely informed by the thinking which appreciates that education needs to be more than equipping beneficiaries with the basic competences of reading, writing, arithmetic and / or vocational skills. The project was implemented by AET in four regions of Somaliland, namely, Marojideh (Hargeisa), Awdal (Boroma), Togdheer ( Burao) and Sahil (Berbera). Slightly over 600 youth and adults benefitted from the project
The project had targeted that at least 621 youth would demonstrate confidence and competence in the application of literacy and numeracy skills in livelihood activities of their choice at community level. Literacy and numeracy interventions were therefore rolled out in the four project sites concurrently. The literacy and numeracy classes involved the teaching of functional literacy and numeracy for levels 1 and 2 after which tests developed by the Ministry of Education Department of Non Formal Education (NFE) were administered to the beneficiaries. A summative evaluation of the project carried out in February 2018 established that most of the learners targeted by the project performed poorly in numeracy compared to literacy in the final exams administered by the Department of Non Formal Education in the Ministry of Education. It is against this background that AET is seeking a consultant to undertake a rapid assessment of the beneficiaries to establish the factors that may have contributed to their poor performance in numeracy and to make recommendations to address this in the next iteration of DARET. Findings and recommendations should also have a wider perspective that could be applicable to other Somali contexts outside the nomadic community.
Consultancy Objectives:
· Investigate the factors that may have led to poor performance in numeracy among DARET 3 beneficiaries in Somaliland
· Make appropriate recommendations to enhance performance in numeracy among DARET beneficiaries
· Propose where findings could have wider application in Somali communities outside the specific nomadic community
Scope of work
The consultant is expected to undertake the following tasks:
· Undertake a short review of NFE numeracy research in Somaliland/Somalia to inform the assessment.
· Focus group discussions with key stakeholders.
· Interviews with key informants.
· Participatory research with target group
Deliverables
The consultant is expected to deliver the following outputs for this assignment
· Develop and submit an inception report, including any background research data;
· Development and finalization of the data collection tools with field staff participation;
· Produce draft report
· The final report shall be submitted electronically and in two hard copies to the Executive Director, Africa Educational Trust
Methodology
The research method shall be through both qualitative and quantitative methods based on participatory research methodology with target communities involving girls, boys, women and men
Time frame
The consultant will come with a technical proposal indicating the number of days (10 days maximum) for the consultancy work with a realistic action plan. The date and the time frame for executing the work will be jointly agreed between the consultant and AET
Supervision and Management
The overall supervision of the consultant will rest with AET, the contracting agency. The consultant will report to the Executive Director (or a designated manager). The AET Regional Manager based in Hargeisa will provide day-to-day supervision and support to the consultant
Terms and Conditions
· Logistics: The consultant’s travel from base to the field and back after the end of the contract, food, and accommodation will be covered by AET
· Professional fee: The consultants will come up with their own rate as part of the financial proposal
· Tax and insurance: The consultant shall be responsible for his/her income tax and/or insurance during the assignment
· Code of conduct & safeguarding: Based on AET’s code of conduct, which all staff members must adhere to, the consultant is bound by the principles and conditions of this code of conduct. The consultant is also expected to comply with AET’s standards of safeguarding for children and vulnerable adults
· A contract will be signed between AET and the consultant before commencement of the work which will detail additional terms and conditions of service, aspects on inputs and deliverables
All expressions of interest should include:
· Technical proposal(maximum eight pages) highlighting: a brief explanation about the consultant with particular emphasis on previous experience in this kind of work: profile of the consultant, understanding of the TOR, the task to be accomplished as well as draft work plan
· Financial proposal: the financial proposal should provide cost estimates for services to be rendered including daily consultancy fees but excluding accommodation and living costs; transport cost; stationeries and supplies needed for data collection
· Copy of CV, testimonials and at least two copies of reports of similar work undertaken elsewhere
Profile of the Consultant
· Qualification: Post graduate degree in Education from a recognized institution of higher learning
· At least 5 years’ experience in undertaking non-formal education related research in Somalia
· Excellent facilitation and report writing skills in English language
· Familiarity with the Somali context and Education sector in particular
Application procedure
Interested consultants who meet the conditions specified herein are invited to submit their technical and financial proposals including proposed work plans, CVs and a clear demonstration of understanding and interpretation of this Terms of Reference (TOR) by 24th December, 2018 to the HR on:[email protected]
More Information
- Job City Hargeisa, Somaliland