TERMS OF REFERENCE (TOR)
TO CONDUCT READING SKILLS ASSESSMENT IN SC INTREVENTIONS SCHOOLS IN AMHARA AND SNNPR REGIONS
Improving the Quality of Inclusive Basic Education and Children Wellbeing Project
Save the Children (SC) is the world's leading independent organization for children around the world. It has a vision of creating a world in which every child attains the right to survival, protection, development and participation. Its mission is to inspire breakthroughs in the way the world treats children, and to achieve immediate and lasting change in their lives. To achieve its global vision and mission, it employs three basic strategies: capacity building of stakeholders and partners, service delivery, and advocacy.
Save the Children operates across all regions in Ethiopia and education is one of the intervention areas to ensure child protection, survival and development. SCI’s education, interventions have been conducted in collaboration with Regional Education Bureaus, Woreda Education offices and local NGOs. Although Ethiopia has made significant progress with access to basic education, much remains to be done with addressing the quality and equity of education. For instance, the National Learning Assessment report (2012) and Early Grade Reading Assessment (EGRA 2010) indicate that quality of education needs closer attention and intervention. Save the Children had education intervention in particular reading skill enhancement in the past four years in Amhara and South Omo. SC has found out that the result is encouraging. Save the children is concluding its support and would like to conduct the final reading assessment.
The purpose of this ToR is to call potential consulting firms to apply for conducting reading skills assessment of children in Amhara region and South Omo Zone. The overall aim is to assess the status of the reading skills of children and use the results of the assessment as an input to improve our intervention as well to use it for future programming
a) Assess student’s reading skills of students who completed grade three and are just starting their grade four education in the sample schools.
b) Fssesment nof the reading skills ld like to conduct the final reading assessment. ind out factors that contributed to the improvements or deterioration of the reading skills of children.
The task specifically requires to:
2.1 Assess children’s reading ability based on the five reading skills (disaggregated by gender and disability)
2.2 % of grade three children ’in SCI schools able to perform at expected level with literacy test result (Disaggregated by boys/Girls, woreda and zones)
2.3 Assess % of teachers applying reading skill enhancement in and out of school
Key questions to be addressed, among others, include:
a) What strategies are followed currently to implement reading skills enhancement?
b) Are these strategies effective to enhance reading skills?
c) How are parents, community members, government bodies, teachers and children engaged in students reading skills enhancement?
d) What is the status of performance of children in reading and comprehension?
e) Percent of teachers in SC target schools are engaged in supporting/strengthening children’s reading skills in and outside the school compound?
f) How effective are trained teachers in helping children learn how to read?
g) How are children with disabilities supported to improve their reading skills?
h) What basic educational materials were provided to schools, reading buddies and camps?
i) What are the major opportunities to be exploited further? What barriers are there currently affecting children reading and writing in mother tongue?
The reading assessment work encompasses developing instrument to collect data, analyze data and prepare report on the status of reading skills of grade three children. This will be done in 4 woredas of South Omo and 10 woredas of Amhara region.
The task includes specifically:
a) Studying the reading skills assessment tools prepared in Amharic. SC will provide the EGRA tool used at previous assessment, and this should be used to ensure comparability.
b) Review and update background data collection tools including home environment and the reading environment within community.
c) Using the available tools to collect data from a sample of 73 schools (47 in Amhara and 26 in South Omo)
d) Assess the institutional arrangement and involvement of wider stakeholders including the government to enhancing efficiency, effectiveness to sustainability of achievements.
e) Flag any lessons and challenges affecting the project progress
f) Analyzing the data collected and preparing a report.
g) Validating the draft report in the presence of Save Children and government education staff
h) Finalize the report incorporating the feedback from the validation workshop.
i) Submitting the final report in hard and soft copies
The reading assessment should assess grade 3 level of literacy. To achieve this, the assessment will be conducted for sampled students who have just started their grade four education in October 2018 (start of Ethiopian academic year). As the school calendar year in Ethiopia ends in June it will not be feasible to conduct the literacy test for grade 3 students in September 2018. Due to this reason the test will be conducted in October for grade 4 beginner students, using the grade 3 testing instruments.
The test will be done in a sample of 73 sample schools (47 schools in Amhara and 26 schools from South Omo) that are part of the schools on which QLE assessment was conducted. 20 students will be sampled from each school and the total sample size for the literacy test will be 1,460 grade three children (940 in Amhara and 520 in South Omo). The class register (attendance sheet) should be utilized to draw random samples of students for the test.
The list of woredas and sample size will be as indicated below.
a) In Amhara region: Chilga, Lay Armachiho, Tach Armachiho, Wogera, Dembia, Debark, Ebinat, Libokemkem, Metema, Derra and Quara
b) In South Omo Zone: Benatsemai, Dassenech, Hammer, and Nyangatom
The consultant(s) is expected to
4.1 To present his concept paper for education staff of SC at head office beore entering contract agreement.
4.2 Study the reading skills assessment tools prepared in Amharic.
4.3 Enrich background data collection tools used for baseline assessment including home environment and the reading environment within community.
4.4 Produce inception report, containing technical and financial proposal
4.5 Use the available tools and newly developed tools to collect data from a sample of 73 schools ( 47 in Amhara and 26 in South Omo)
4.6 Analyze the data collected and prepare a report.
4.7 Validate the draft report in the presence of save children and government education staff
4.8 Finalize the report incorporating the feedback from the validation workshop.
4.9 Submit the final report in hard and soft copies
Technical Proposal should describe:
· Background and experience of the consultants/firm and or individuals’ skills and professional mix of the team proposed to carry out the service.
· Adequacy and technical quality of the proposal for meeting the TOR, proposed scope and focus.
The end line reading assessment will be carried out using different methodologies (qualitative and quantitative). Specifically, available standardized reading assessment test (EGRA) will be used, and needs to be administered. In addition, the consultant should suggest a methodology answering the questions not directly related to the reading assessment. Secondary data could be used, as appropriate, for enriching the report. For this, the team is expected to develop details of the methodology. The sample size of the study should consist of 73 schools from Amhara region and South Omo Zone for administering the actual reading test.. For other information the consultant could reduce the sample size. Consultation has to be made with parents, teachers, supervisors, community and children regarding factors supporting and affecting the enhancement of reading skills of children.
The development of the tools has to focus on:
a) Study EGRA reading tests used for baseline assessment and administer them as they are. However, the consultant is expected to enrich the other tools used for the baseline assessment.
b) Observation check list for assessing the school and reading environment within community
c) FGD with children, teachers and community
d) Triangulation of quantitative and qualitative data
· 7-8 years direct related consultancy experience in one or more professional disciplines with a Master’s degree, or equivalent combination of relevant education and experience in languages education, statistics or Social work, with sound knowledge in basic education and literacy skills development of children.
· Theoretical base in subject area, with ability to translate theory into practice.
· Excellent understanding and experience in basic education program and child protection.
· Adequate experience and evidence of documentation work.
· High quality writing and reporting skills and proven records in different similar works.
Two teams are required to be formed and deployed at the same time to the two locations: One to Amhara region and the other to South Omo Zone of SNNPR, in order to respond to the urgency of the task.
Data quality assurance will be done by SCN MEAL team. Ten percent of the data collection tool will be randomly sampled and verified in the field. A tolerable error of 15 percent on the sampled tool is acceptable. Besides, MEAL team will administer data quality assurance during the collection of data in the field. In addition, another 10 percent of the data entered in database software will be verified by crosschecking with the filled in data for which 15 percent error will be tolerated. Failure to pass the data quality assurance will imply recollection of data or reentry - whatever applicable.
The duration of the assignment shall not take more than 40 working days including travel, field work, report preparation and submission of the final work. The consultant should indicate a breakdown of timeframe showing the detail work plan and expected dates for each phase of the assessment undertaking.
No. | Activities | Due period | Remark |
1. | Inception report submission and review | 3 days | Including weekends |
2. | Assessment tool development | 5 days | ‘’ ‘’ ‘’ |
3. | Data collection | 7 days | ‘’ ‘’ ‘’ |
4. | Data encoding | 5 days |
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5. | Data organization and analysis | 3 days | ‘’ ‘’ ‘’ |
6. | Report writing | 10 days | ‘’ ‘’ ‘’ |
7. | Report validation | 1 days | ‘’ ‘’ ‘’ |
8. | Report Finalization | 4 days |
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9. | Report submission | 1day |
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· Logistics:
ü The consultant will be responsible for using hisown vehicle for data collection
ü The consultancy firm will be responsible to cover per-diem for its team members but SCI will provide vehicles for transportation and periderm for its staff during the validation workshop.
· Professional fee: the consultant has to reflect professional and per-diem rate in the financial proposal
· Tax and insurance: SC will deduct 2% tax based on TIN or 30% withholding tax
· The consultant should respect and comply with the Save the Children’s Child Safeguarding policy.
· Contract: a contract agreement will be signed between the consultant and SC immediately after the selection process and the contract assignment will be effective from the date the agreement is signed.
10.1 The consultant will:
· Submit covering letter which express consultant interest to carry out the work, technical and financial proposal with clear statement of the proposed methodologies.
· Lead consultations process, with all informants of the evaluation and responsible for validity of the information and outline the roles of each of the team members proposed to undertake the consultancy work
· Arrange logistic for the study
· Administer data collection, data entry and analysis of questionnaires and key informant interviews;
· Reviewing and understanding the project LFA and address them through evaluation tools
· Have a briefing meeting with the project staff before the start of the field exercise
· Undertake other activities stated in the scope of the work and this ToR;
· Produce reports depicting contextual information and distinctly separated for the two area;
· Review and incorporate feedback received from SC and donor
· Responsible for the tasks specified and for making sure quality of work is done in the agreed timeframe and meeting the required standard.
· Adhere to the SC’s Child Safe Guarding Policy and Code of Conduct. The consultant shall sign the SC’s code of conduct
· Following the field work an overall review workshop will be held to consolidate inputs, recommendations
· Upon completion of the overall review workshop, a final report will be produced with specific action points, and make recommendations for adjustments. The report will be shared with all partners and the donor.
10.2 Save the Children will:
· Ensure involvement of government stakeholders as a members of the evaluation team and also informants;
· Provide the necessary reference documents for the consultant (e.g. Logical framework analysis of the project, periodic reports and etc.)
· Support in facilitating consultation meetings with the relevant bureaus and offices;
· Ensure contacts in areas of the study
· Review the draft report and provide feedback to the consultant on time;
· Facilitate other works as per the specified activity plan/ToR;
· Effect payments of the service as per the contract agreement and on accomplishment of the task according to the service agreement.
The end line report incorporating the feedback from SC Ethiopia will be submitted in both soft and hard copies in 7 days after receiving comments from Save the Children and partners. The content and structure of the final analytical report with findings, recommendations and lessons learnt covering the scope of the assessment should meet the requirements as stated in the TOR and should include the following:
Potential consultants are required to submit the following documents together with their technical and financial proposal.
The consultant/s prepares and submits two types of proposals, the technical and financial proposals. The technical proposal takes the lion share of the score allotted to the proposal which is 60% and 40% of the score goes to the financial proposal. The technical proposal will be evaluated using the following criteria.
s/n | Selection criteria | Points | Remark |
1 | Team composition | 12% |
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1.1 | 7-8 years direct related consultancy experience in one or more professional disciplines with a Master’s degree, or equivalent combination of relevant education and experience. Theoretical base in subject area, with ability to translate theory into practice. | 3 |
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1.2 | Composition and qualifications of the team members | 4 |
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1.3 | Experience of the firm in conducting consultancy work with similar projects, with particular focus on reading assessment | 5 |
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2 | Understanding the TOR | 8% |
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2.1 | Clear presentation of the tasks indicated in the TOR within the proposal | 3 |
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2.2 | Critical analysis and comment on the strength and weaknesses of the TOR | 5 |
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3 | DESIGN OF the Reading Assessment | 25% |
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3.1 |
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3.2 | Comprehensiveness of conept | 10 |
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3.3 |
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3.4 | Data collection procedures suggested by the consultancy firm | 5 |
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3.5 | Data presentation and methods of analysis preferred | 10 |
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4 | Assessment Plan | 15% |
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4.1 | Number and the quality of enumerators proposed | 3 |
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4.2 | Logistics (Transportations, resources etc.) suggested | 3 |
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4.3 | Fairness in the distribution of activities against the time allotted for the evaluation | 5 |
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4.4. | Total Number of days suggested to conduct the task | 4 |
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| Total | 60% |
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Once the consultant selected, the following terms of payment will apply: -
7-8 years direct related consultancy experience in one or more professional disciplines with a Master’s degree, or equivalent combination of relevant education and experience in languages education, statistics or Social work, with sound knowledge in basic education and literacy skills development of children.
· Theoretical base in subject area, with ability to translate theory into practice.
· Excellent understanding and experience in basic education program and child protection.
· Adequate experience and evidence of documentation work.
· High quality writing and reporting skills and proven records in different similar works.
Two teams are required to be formed and deployed at the same time to the two locations: One to Amhara region and the other to South Omo Zone of SNNPR, in order to respond to the urgency of the task.