UN Children's Fund ,Consultancy - Evaluation on the contribution of the UNICEF school construction component to the overall programme goals of access, quality and systems Jobs in Malawi

Closing date: 07 Jun 2015

CONSULTANCY
POSITION

Evaluation on the
contribution of the UNICEF school construction component to the overall
programme goals of access, quality an
d systems capacity enhancement.

VACANCY#:
UNICEF/MLW/2015/025

1.BACKGROUND

School
infrastructure development component under the child friendly schools programme
of the current UNICEF MCO country programme has been designed to contribute
chiefly to two key components of the national Education Sector Implementation
Plan (ESIP)

I. improved access
to equitable education

II. improved and
relevant quality education

Access and quality
of education in Malawi has long been affected by an extreme shortage of
classrooms. While primary enrolment increased by 45% between 2004 and 2013, the
number of primary classrooms rose by only 12%. A recent study (USAID, 2014)
identified classroom shortage as one of the major factor leading to student
absenteeism, repetition and dropouts. Analysis of PET-QSD Survey data also
confirms this. Hence, the target of the Malawian education sector as laid out
in the ESIP II (2013/14 – 2017/18) is to construct at least 20,000 classrooms
to meet increasing population of school age children.

The proposed
evaluation is important in assessing the extent to which the School
Construction Component enables UNICEF Malawi to contribute to those broad
objectives for key learner outcomes in education.

This evaluation will
assess the extent to which the School Construction component of the Child
Friendly Schools Programme has contributed to a) the development of standards,
and capacity for their implementation within the wider BEYD goals of
strengthening institutional capacity and b) the learning environment.

UNICEF is therefore
seeking to hire a consultant to Evaluate on the contribution of the UNICEF
school construction component to the overall programme goals of access, quality
and systems capacity enhancement.

1) To determine
school infrastructure contribution to the basic education programme objectives
of improving access and quality through child friendly school construction and
design

2) To assess
effectiveness and efficiency of the inputs and processes

3) To identify
lessons learnt and provide recommendations for future of school infrastructure
and other strategies in the new 2017-2021 country programme

The evaluation is to
improve UNICEF’s accountability and provide for lessons learnt on schools
infrastructure projects. Findings from the evaluation will support UNICEF and
its key partner the Ministry of Education to make evidence based decisions for
future programming and planning within the field of education.

2.SCOPE OF WORK

Within the OECD
evaluation framework (relevancy, effectiveness, efficiency, impact and
sustainability) the key dimensions to be evaluated will be threefold focusing
on expected outputs linked to learner outcomes; processes; and the chosen
inputs and particularly the child friendly education and the school improvement
approach.

The impact
evaluation is to focus mainly on 35 primary schools constructed in 5 districts
of Malawi under the BEYD Child Friendly Schools Programme between 2012 and
2015. Whereas the type and level of construction and subsequent interventions
vary between school sites, the consultant will have to apply relevant and
applicable assessment, examination and review methods as appropriate in order
to fulfil the outlined scope of work. Each dimension is laid out below with key
supporting questions and tasks intended to assist and guide (but not limited to)
the evaluator in his approach.

1. Assess
the focus of the School Construction Component in line with the BEYD education
outcome objectives where possible given that the country programme still has
one year to go;

· Were the programme
objectives appropriate in the overall problem context; needs and priorities?

· What value (and
for whom) did the School Construction add relative to other education
initiatives?

· Given progress to
date, are the School Construction objectives still relevant?

2. Examine
efficiency, effectiveness and sustainability of the School Construction
Component inputs and processes;

· How well did the
various activities transform the available resources into results?

· What measures were
taken to ensure cost-effectiveness in procurement and implementation?

· What measures were
taken to ensure effective financial implementation, monitoring and reporting?

· How well did the
School Construction predict and react to risks?

· To what extent did
the project enable local participation and ownership of the project?

· To what extent
will maintenance be sustained by local partners/beneficiaries once the funding
comes to an end?

3. Examine
key outputs and standards in light of the child friendly quality framework

· To what extent did
the School Construction deliver expected results?

· To what extent has
the design enabled the improvement of the school environment?

· How well has the
School Construction component contributed to the improvement of standards and
systems; especially in terms of institutional capacity?

· To what extent was
progress made against key objectives of improving access and quality of
education?

ØIncreased enrolment

ØDecreased drop out

ØImproved pass rates

4. Assess
the extent to which the School Construction Component of the programme has
ensured capacity of key stakeholders through participation, training and
guidelines;

· The evaluation
will examine impact of the approach in terms of contributing to establishment
of systems/institutional capacity;

· The evaluation
will consider extent to which policies and strategies have been established
including cross-sectoral and gender responsive approaches;

· The valuation will
examine extent to which capacity of stakeholders and ensured ownership
including participation, maintenance and monitoring.

5.Review the overall safety and
inclusiveness of the school environment, the level ground and environment.

· How well did
stakeholders (head teachers, teachers, school management committee members and
students) in the targeted schools participate in the process; by providing
leadership harmonization, utilization and maintenance of the built environment?

· What are the key
factors most likely to provide an understanding of success or bottlenecks
associated with the implemented interventions in the targeted schools?

In choosing
evaluation methodology, it is a give n that improving the quality education and
achieving a child friendly school environment can never depend on infrastructure
or school construction alone. The quality of education is a a multiplicity of
interrelated in and out-of-school factors that are socio-economic and cultural
in nature. The construction component evaluation will apply methods that take
into account and control for other variables known to be directly related to
the quality of education. This can include variables such as availability of
qualified teachers, access to teaching and learning materials, socio-economic
background and other relevant factors within the context of Malawi.

3.EDUCATION AND WORK EXPERIENCE

Advanced
university degree (Masters or PhD) in Education and environmental
psychology with a focus on learning facilities and/or an architecture and
specialize in learning facilities both with research experience (including
statistical analysis).
8
years’ experience in programme evaluation within the field of education;
preferably in design, construction of school buildings, school
infrastructure (school water systems, and toilet facilities), and school
ground planning and development.
Proven
capacity to conduct research at a national scale, including capacity to
work with national level partners as well as management, analysis, and
interpret large sets of data.
Excellent
analytical and writing skills.
Demonstrated
ability to meet deadlines.
Excellent
communication and negotiation skills and fluency in English written and
verbal.

4.DURATION

50 Days

How to apply:

1.METHOD OF APPLICATION

Qualified candidates
are requested to submit:-

A cover
letter, no longer than 2 pages, and curriculum vitae of the proposed
members of the team (national team), showing how the consultant meets the
required qualifications, experience and expertise.
A
technical proposal, no longer than 3 pages, highlighting:
How
they have understood and interpreted the assignment and any suggestions to
improve the outcomes of the assignment.
The
proposed methodology that the consultant will utilize, including sampling
frame, data collection methods and tools, processing, analysis and
interpretation and reporting framework.
Logistics
and resources requirements, e.g. transport, perishables etc.
Any
ethic concerns that could affect people involved in the study
Financial
proposal, no longer than one page, including all eligible fees, (salaries,
transportations and Daily subsistence allowance for data collection and
fieldwork, communication costs.

iv. Personal History
Form (P-11 form) (which can be downloaded from our website at http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/index_53129.html)
and attach copies of their certificates.

Applications should
be sent on or before 08
June 2015 to the following address:hrmalawi@unicef.org

NOTE:

· UNICEF is
committed to gender equality in its mandate and its staff. Well qualified
candidates, particularly females are strongly encouraged to apply.