Background

The MoE in Ethiopia, with support of the international development partners such as UNICEF, has greatly increased access to ECE for the young children to develop their school readiness skills. The gross enrolment rate (GER) in pre-primary education (organized early learning) has grown from nine per cent in 2010 to 45 per cent in 2019/2020.The increase can be largely attributed to the effort of the MoE to set up the 1-year pre-primary O-class for the young children before they enter Grade 1 and to encourage the Regional Education Bureaus (REBs) and NGOs to implement the non-formal 2-month Accelerated School Readiness (ASR) and Child-to-Child Approach to School Readiness (CtC) programmes in areas where the O-class or 3-year kindergarten is not available.

If the contract type is individual contract, human resources will determine the level and corresponding fee range based on the complexities of the assignment and the competencies and responsibilities required of the consultant to fulfill their specific tasks and produce the expected deliverables It is always advisable to tie the fees to the deliverables, rather than monthly salary.

Education Statistics Annual Abstract 2012 E.C (2019/2020), Ministry of Education (2020).

Early childhood education (ECE), pre-primary education, and organized early learning are equivalent in this ToR.

However, disparities in pre-primary enrolment remain among the regions and population groups, with the children who are impacted by displacement or live-in refugee settings, pastoralist communities, and poor rural or urban areas being more disadvantaged.

The national ECE Diagnosis in 2019 identified several systematic bottlenecks in access to quality play-based early learning.  The gap in legislation at national /system level including the lack of clear national legislative definition that pre-primary education is compulsory and lack of a costed ECE strategic operational plan to reach access and quality goals in the Education Sector Development Plan (ESDP) with basic quality, including what financial and other resources (e.g. teachers/facilitators, facilities, and early learning materials) are needed to reach the goal.

At the sub-national level, a significant gap is limited capacity of implementing national policy, strategies, and standards, contextualization of the national play-based ECE curriculum and limited application of child-centered and play- based early learning in the different regions. In addition, the distribution of and training on the ECE curriculum are ineffective, and it leaves many ECE teachers/facilitators grappling with little practical guidance for their pedagogical practices. Another gap is that parents/caregivers are rarely engaged or empowered to support play-based early learning, although they are well-positioned to do so. Furthermore, toys and other early learning materials are lacking, and the quality of the locally produced toys and other early learning materials tend to be low age inappropriate, which also hampers play-based early learning.

Thus the LEGO foundation supported project “Play Based Early Learning through System Strengthening Approach’’  has been designed to strengthen national and sub-national education systems to better plan, finance, and implement ECE services, and  to provide access to play based early learning with enhanced preprimary/O-class quality 15,000 boys and girls aged 4-6 years old who are impacted by internal displacement in the three target regions (Oromia, Amhara, and Benishangul-Gumuz) access play-based early learning with enhanced quality preprimary/O-class.

A Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) plan has been developed to scope what will be measured and tracked in the lifetime of the project by describing what and how will be monitored and evaluated as well as how learning will be shared. The key indicators in the MEL plan focus on impact of the project on the early learning environment and children’s learning outcome. This indicator requires the use of the MELQO tools adapted for Ethiopia.

Purpose: Ensure quality of the baseline survey for the LEGO play based-early leaning/preprimary education project through training on MELQO data collection tools, guidance and technical support on data analysis and reporting for selected colleges of teacher Education (CTE) in Oromia, Amhara and B/Gumuz regions who will conduct baseline assessment for implementation of play-based preprimary education project.

Objectives of the consultancy

The monitoring evaluation and learning plan has been developed to ensure the results of the project on play- based learning are achieved and leaning identified and shared. Implementation of the MEL plan requires to provide rigorous scientific data that enables to measure the success of the project, understand the challenges, and design appropriate measures to improve programme. The major indicators in the MEL plan focus on impact of the project on the early learning/ O-class environment and children’s learning outcome. These indicators require the use of the MELQO tools adapted for Ethiopia.

This consultancy primarily focuses on the overall quality assurance of the data collection, analysis and reporting of the baseline survey for play- based early learning through system strengthening for three regions (Oromia, Amhara and B/Gumuz). The baseline survey is expected to answer fundamental questions about the quality of learning in preprimary/ O-class through observation, interview, focus group discussion, and survey, as well as reviewing of documents and school records based on the MELQO tools to measure early learning environment /MELE and child learning outcome /MODEL.

Thus, in depth understanding of the MELQO tools and methods is critical for the quality of the data collection, analysis, and reporting. The purpose of this consultancy is to provide technical support to the CTEs by training on MELQO tools and methodology and support for the data analysis and reporting. The consultant will thereby lead and provide effective training on MELQO data collection tools and ensure the quality of the data analysis for the baseline survey and reporting through provision of guidance, training and technical support to the CTE’s who will be responsible for the data collection, analysis and reporting of the baseline survey using the MELQO tools. The consultancy has two major objectives:

Provide training of trainers from selected CTEs of the three target regions (Oromia, Amhara and B/Gumuz) who will provide training for the data collectors and coordinate the data collection and analysis

Ensure quality of data analysis and reporting of the baseline through guidance and technical support to the CTE.

Specific Activities and Tasks

• The lead consultant (NOD) will devise appropriate methodology to achieve the deliverables with quality and work closely with the consultant (NOC) and the CTEs to undertake the following activities:
• Provide 4 days training in Addis Ababa for 20 persons from selected 4 colleges of teacher education in Oromia, Amhara and B/Gumuz regions on MELQO tools and methodology.
• Develop guideline and tools for data analysis to support the CTEs
• Review three draft baseline reports from CTE’s (one for each region) and ensure quality
• Review and finalize three presentations on the findings of the study drafted by the CTEs (one for each region).
• Prepare and submit monthly reports with deliverables

Expected Deliverables

• Report of the training on MELQO tools provided to CTEs (pre and post training test results/scores, # of participants, topics for training, issues and concerns raised, action points)
• Guideline and tools for data analysis of the baseline survey (data analysis guideline/manual, data analysis tools with detail explanation including with supplies/equipment and technical//IT skills required)
• Report on orientation of the CTEs on data analysis tools (# of participants, orientation structure, concerns raised, issues identified for further additional support)
• Written feedback with suggested alternative on the three draft baseline assessment/survey reports submitted by the CTEs
• Finalized presentation of the study findings to be presented by the CTEs in regional validation workshops
• Monthly consultancy reports on deliverables (process indicators /details and deliverables for the month)

Reporting and Supervisor

• The lead consult (NOD) will submit one combined/summary report and individual report monthly to the Early Childhood Education Specialist in Learning and Development Section, UNICEF for the deliverables in the month. The consultant will work closely with the assistant consultant (NOC) selected CTEs in the three regions and UNCEF.

General Conditions: Procedures and Logistics

Responsibilities of the consultant:

• Provide own workspace, computers, tablets, software for data analysis, and other necessary resources.
• Organize own transport for commuting to UNICEF ECO or another venue in Addis Ababa for consultation meetings, training, and related meetings.
• Ensure meaningful involvement of key stakeholders specifically the respective CTEs and UNICEF
• Ensure and complete all tasks on this assignment with quality.
• Keep UNICEF updated on progress, challenges, and strategies to deal with the challenges
• Comply with the COVID-19 regulations and directives of the Government and relevant COVID-19 guidance of UNICEF.

Responsibilities of UNICEF ECO

• Provide essential background information and relevant documents.
• Connect the consultant with key stakeholders, in this case respective CTE team undertaking and coordinating the baseline survey in the three regions.
• Provide funding for carrying out the specific tasks that are defined in the ToR, including consultancy fees per HR rates according to deliverables.
• Co-chair the meetings organized with the CTEs and
• Provide funding and technical support to the MoE/REBs to organize the MELQO training, consultation meetings to review the deliverables and provide feedback, and validate the final report

Level: NOD

Duration; 15 November 2021 – March 2022 (4 months)

Reporting to: Early Childhood Education Specialist with oversite support of Education M&E Specialist Objectives of the consultancy

Key Competencies, Technical Background and Experience Required

• The lead consultant (NOD) should have extensive research experience on early childhood education and training on MELQO tools and implementation and adaptation of the tools.
• The lead consultant (NOD) needs to possess the following:
• Doctoral or MA Degree level qualification in Education and /or related social studies area of qualification and specialization.
• Minimum of 8/10 years working experience in education.
• Demonstrated extensive experience on early childhood education programme development and research.
• Technical expertise and experience in development, adaptation and implementation/survey using the MELQO tools
• Experience and training as a MELQO trainer/master trainer
• Excellent computer skill
• Ability to meet and keep to strict deadline
• Excellent written and spoken English
• Excellent interpersonal and team working skills