Thursday, June 16, 2011
TERMS OF REFERENCE
Project: Support to IDP education and pupils Transition from AABE to Formal School in Puntland Country: Puntland, Somalia
Period for evaluation: August 2009 – May 2011
(A). Project Background
After the collapse of the Somali State in 1991, Somalia has remained without a Central Government and has been the site of intense factional fighting and civil war. Widespread insecurity, famine and a return to traditional clan based governance ensued. The situation for returnees, Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and refugees is amongst the worst in the world. Chronic insecurity and humanitarian emergencies have led to massive displacement. Since 2007 the security and humanitarian situation in Somalia and in particular South Central has had an impact on Somaliland and Puntland with major spill-over effects and increased displacement. Displacement caused by insecurity and conflict continued with the IDP population reaching 1.4 million people. According to the Food Security Analysis Unit (FSAU) there are 3.2 Million people in need of humanitarian assistance in Somalia (2010) which is 43% of the population. Coping mechanisms for host families in many parts of Somalia have already been stretched to the limit over the past years, and the overall crisis facing the growing IDP population has been compounded by the effects of drought, deepening insecurity, hyperinflation (especially of food) and currency devaluation.
In Puntland, the humanitarian access is substantially hindered by lawlessness characterized by piracy, suicide bombing, carjacking and kidnapping for ransom. It is estimated that Puntland has over 104,000 IDPs with limited access to humanitarian support. There are over 28,000 IDPs (4666 households) in Bossaso and 45,000 IDPs (7,500 households) living in Galkaiyo alone in 13 settlements. This is the highest concentration of IDPs in Puntland. Conditions in the settlements are varied including contaminated water and inadequate sanitation facilities, lack of access to basic social services, rampant diseases, and regular outbreaks of fire/arson. In all locations, about 25% of the IDP population is under 5 years, 35% aged between 6 and 18 years while 40% are above 18 years. With increasing number of IDPs and returnees, there has been a growing strain on the limited resources that are available.
A large proportion of school age children in the settlements are out of school largely due to household financial constraints some related to education financing and poor school facilities. Hence, there is limited access to education with over 75.3% of IDP school age children out of school mainly due to lack of school fees and other education related costs . From 2008-2010, NRC supported Education, school construction and Shelter projects in the IDP settlements of Puntland to improve living conditions for the displaced. The strategy NRC has used over the years is to strengthen operations, increase the number of targeted beneficiaries and strengthen links across projects targeting displaced persons while taking into consideration host communities for the sake of integration, acceptance and do no harm. Based on NRC experience with the displaced population in the region, NRC has adopted an education intervention model that will respond to challenges of accessing basic education by financing IDP households. The Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) project that was initiated in 2009 is ongoing until May 2011 aimed at supporting the pupils transiting to upper primary.
The ‘Support to IDP education and pupils’ transition from Accelerated Alternative Basic Education (AABE) to Formal School in Puntland’ is a pilot project that explores the CCT through the distribution of vouchers in order to enroll and retain transiting students from non-formal to formal primary education. The direct beneficiaries of the project are the learners who graduated from the AABE projects in May 2009 and transited to formal education in ten schools in Bosaso, Puntland. The partnership to carry out the pilot of the project was agreed and signed between NRC and UNICEF who are the implementing organization and donor respectively. The evaluation of the project will cover the period August 2009 – May 2011.
This project is implemented in community owned or public schools within or in the vicinity of high density IDP/Returnees settlements in Puntland (Bossaso settlements). The primary beneficiaries are:
• Children residing in IDP settlements who have previously attended schooling under the non-formal ABE project but are not able continue with formal schooling due household financial limitations or livelihood demands • Children residing in IDP settlements who have discontinued formal schooling due household financial limitations or livelihood demands • Children residing in the neighborhood of IDP settlements who have previously attended schooling under the non-formal ABE arrangement but are not able continue with formal schooling due household financial limitations or livelihood demands • Children residing in the neighborhood of IDP settlements who have discontinued formal schooling due household financial limitations or livelihood demands.
While secondary beneficiaries are:
• Households with the primary beneficiaries whose opportunity cost of children’s schooling should be reduced • Pupils, teachers and CECs in participating schools whose facilities and systems should be improved • Education authorities at national and regional level whose capacity should be enhanced
(B). PROJECT OBJECTIVES:
Overall objective
The overall objective of NRC’s interventions in Puntland is to enhance protection and promote the rights of displaced persons in humanitarian need by improving living conditions and seeking durable solutions.
Specific objectives
The specific objectives for this project are:
• To enable displaced and other vulnerable children in the IDP settlements to access quality primary education • To improve the capacity and quality of learning environment in schools hosting displaced and other vulnerable children
(C). Purpose of the evaluation and intended use
The evaluation is intended principally for determining the impact of the project, learning and accountability purposes. It is expected to generate relevant findings on the impact of the pilot project, lessons learnt, and recommendations which will be shared with the key stakeholders of the project and used by the implementing agencies to guide and inform future similar projects and programs in Puntland. The evaluation will also assess the performance of the project against key parameters including the project’s relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, sustainability, timelines of activity implementation, and its strengths and weaknesses. The final evaluation report will also be shared with key stakeholders of the project, most importantly the donor (DFID), UNICEF, MOE, local education authorities, and other actors in Puntland.
(D). Scope of work and methods
The evaluation will cover the accomplishment of all the expected results as outlined in the project document and detailed in the annual work plans during the period of august, 2009 – May 2011. All the different project components and activities stated in the approved logical framework matrix will be assessed
The methodology should include:
Document review: Desk study review of all relevant Project documentation, including but not limited to:
• NRC policy Paper • NRC Education policy and NRC education handbook • NRC evaluation Policy • Conditional cash transfer project proposal and logical framework matrix • Project reports submitted to and approved by the donor • Various terms of references and training reports. • All presentations by NRC on the project at different forums
Field visits: The evaluation team should visit majority of schools in Bosaso that the project was implemented.
Interviews of beneficiaries: This would include and not limited to focus group discussions, Semi-Structured Interviews (SSI), Observations with children at the schools (target children) and their parents.
Interviews with NRC staff, Ministry of Education Officials and partners in education sectors; The Evaluation team will interview NRC staff in Bosaso, MOE/REO Officials, Head teachers, Teachers, CEC/IDP committee on the project.
(E). EVALUATION PRINCIPLES:
The evaluation will be guided by the following ethical rules/considerations;
• Openness – of information given , to the highest possible degree to all involved parties • Publicity/public access- to the results when there are not special considerations against this • Broad participation- the interest parties should be involved when relevant/possible • Reliability and independence - the evaluation should be conducted so that findings and conclusions are correct and trustworthy. • Triangulation of primary data
(F). SPECIFIC ISSUES TO BE COVERED;
The Evaluation team will be guided to carry out their tasks by applying the following criteria based on the OECD/DAC and defined in the NRC Evaluation Policy. The question under each criterion is meant to guide the evaluation team in focusing on key issues for NRC.
Relevance/appropriateness: The main focus will be on the appropriateness of the project’s concept and design to the overall situation of Puntland Education System. In particular: • Extent to which the stated objectives correctly address the problems and real needs of the target groups (transiting school children, school heads/teachers, parents, CECs). • Relevance of project design within the framework of Ministry of Education program and policy guidelines.
Efficiency: The main focus will be on how well the project activities transferred the available resources into the intended results in terms of quantity, quality, and timeliness through sustainable and participatory processes. In particular: • Whether similar results could have been achieved more or by other means at lower cost in the same time. • Whether project activities were done right i.e. on time, in expected quantity and quality, and through participatory processes. • General implementation and management of the project in terms of quantity, quality, and timeliness of inputs and activities, adherence to work-plans, action-plans, logical framework, and budgets. • Adequacy of management arrangements as well as monitoring and evaluation • The degree to which the project has encouraged full involvement of all the stakeholders (MOE/REO, Parents, CECs, Children, schools etc ) • Responsiveness of project management to changes in the environment in which the project operates
Effectiveness: The main focus will be on extent to which the project achieved its stated results and purpose in a sustainable way. In particular;
• The progress made in achieving the results of the project at all levels. The project Logical Framework will be used as the basis for analysis and assessment. • Efforts made in capacity building of the MOE, REOs, schools head teachers , teachers’ and Community Education Committees for schools and whether the strategies are working or not working and why? • Project’s management of risks taking into views the stated risks and assumptions.
Coordination:
• The degree to which the project has encouraged full involvement of all the stakeholders (MOE/REO, Parents, CECs, Children, schools etc ) • The degree to which the project has involved other actors in the regions, how it has been involving partners as UNICEF among others. • The degree has also involved other projects within NRC and other departments.
Impact: The main focus will be on whether the project has contributed to the overall objective, specific changes that the project has brought about in the lives of target groups (teachers, children, etc), and impacts realized or likely to be realized in relation to cross cutting issues such as gender, environment and child protection. In particular;
• Achievements of the project against the original results (outcomes), outputs, and activities specified in the project log frame. • Level of awareness of the stakeholders, particularly the MOE, schools, parents, and children. • Level of ownership of the project by the MOE, School community and their commitment to support the project after the expiry of the project period. • Extent to which the project has impacted on teaching and learning.
Sustainability: The main focus will be on whether the outcomes and changes brought about by the project are likely to continue after the end of the project and whether they can be sustained at the sector level, in particular;.
• Level of which the MOE/local Education authorities/school management own the project objectives and results • Policy support available to the project from the MOE and governments Puntland • Institutional capacity of the MOE and its local structures to continue the project activities after the end of the project, including good will and financial and technical capacities.
Cross cutting issues:
• Gender : How has the Voucher Project adapted a gender sensitive approach • Protection: How has the Voucher project ensured that protection concerns are put
(G). Evaluation team
The Evaluation team will be composed of a lead consultant/or consultancy firm and a local/national consultant who understands the local context of Puntland, Somalia. The team leader (lead consultant) will lead the work of the team and will be responsible for completing the report. The team leader should have skill and proven background in humanitarian assistance, Postgraduate qualification (Masters or above) in Education or in a discipline relevant to this assignment with a minimum of 10 years experience. The National team member should also have at least a degree in education/or social science with proven experience of similar works.
(H). Steering committee
The steering committee will be composed of NRC Education project Manager based in the field, NRC Area Manager, NRC Education Manager in the country Office (Nairobi) and the NRC monitoring and evaluation Officer. The NRC Education Project Manager in the field is the main responsible person and will be coordinating the whole process. The main function of the steering committee will be to select the evaluators, review preliminary findings/recommendations and establishing dissemination and a utilization strategy. The main function of the project manager based in Bossaso will be, preparing of the terms of reference (in close collaboration with the stakeholder and members of the steering committee), administration and overall coordination including monitoring progress.
(I). Timeframe and budget considerations
The whole process of the evaluation will have a time frame of 21 working days starting from 27th June 2011 and ending on 23rd July 2011. The evaluation team is scheduled to start its work in Nairobi (NRC country Office) from 27th June 2011 to 1st July 2011 then will conduct field visits during the period of 4th July 2011 to 12th July 2011. The remainder of the days will be used to provide both preliminary findings and final report. Note that working days in Somalia is from Saturday to Thursday.
The stipulated budget frame is 6000 USD excluding air travel to the field, transport cost to sites and the cost of the national/local consultant.
Technical proposals should be forwarded to admin_pl@som.nrc.no and copied to ho_pl@som.nrc.no not later than 30th June 2011. The technical proposal should be submitted with appendices of CV and two reports of similar work.
(J). Reporting
At the end of the schools visits in Bosaso the evaluation team will hold a workshop with NRC management team, main stakeholders and other relevant staff of the NRC office Identified by the steering committee to discuss the preliminary findings of the evaluation exercise. A draft report should be submitted not later 14th July 2011. The completion date for the final evaluation report will be, on 23rd July 2011, the consultant having addressed NRC’s comments as appropriate. Difference of opinion between the team members regarding the conclusions/recommendations will reflected in the report.
The evaluation report should consist of:
• Executive summary and recommendations • Main text, to include index, emergency context, NRC mandate, evaluation methodology, commentary and analysis addressing evaluation purpose and outputs to include a section dedicated to the issue of particular lessons-learning focus, conclusions. • Appendices, to include evaluation terms of reference , maps , sample framework and bibliography All Materials collected in the undertaking of the evaluation process should be lodged with the NRC Area Manager prior to the termination of the contract.
(K). Follow up
The final report will make the basis for a management response and an action plan to follow up recommendations provided by the evaluation team.
For the follow up of the Evaluation the Education Project Manager is the main responsible involving the Area Manager & the program development unit where deemed relevant. The Management response, responding to the recommendations, including an action should be prepared by the project Manager not later than 2 months after receiving the final report. It is the responsibility of the project Manager to ensure that the realizations of these plans are monitored and documented. The Area Manager will share the Evaluation report with the country head office in Nairobi, who will share with Head quarters in Oslo and be available for all NRC staff via NRC’s intranet pages and on the NRC inter-net.
Sincere,
Norwegian Refugee Council
Date:
The above conditions are hereby accepted:
Date:
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