A CONSULTANT TO CONDUCT PROCESS EVALUATION AND ASSESSMENT

REQUEST FOR CONSULTANTS TO CONDUCT PROCESS EVALUATION AND ASSESSMENT

The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) is a global humanitarian organization with a mission to work with people in poverty and distress to create just and positive change. ADRA Somalia belongs to the worldwide network, comprised of more than 130 supporting and implementing country offices. ADRA Somalia is seeking to recruit a consultant to conduct a process evaluation and assessment of the EU Project “STRENGTHENING EDUCATION AND TRAINING IN SOMALIA” (SETS ) Project.

1. PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVE OF THE CONSULTANCY

This consultancy seeks to provide a comprehensive process evaluation and assessment of the ongoing SETS II project interventions and activities across implementation locations in Somalia. The resulting information will serve several key purposes: it will evaluate the project’s progress in achieving its defined outputs and activities. Additionally, it will offer critical insights to guide programming in these regions as the projects enters the last phase of implementation, enabling consortium partners to refine and adapt their strategies for greater impact. Furthermore, the findings will support consortium partners by strengthening their capacity to understand, monitor, and evaluate the progress and results of the SETS II project effectively.

The specific objectives of the consultancy are:

a) Progress Assessment and Performance Tracking
This consultancy will gather and analyze comprehensive data to evaluate the current state of education services provided under SETS II in the target regions. This analysis will enable consortium partners to effectively monitor and assess progress toward achieving SETS II objectives while also offering actionable insights to inform and refine future education interventions. The data collection process will focus on parameters critical to understanding the project’s progress until year II, including access, equity, relevance, quality, and completion. The process assessment will capture specific indicators including enrollment and attendance rates, quality and relevance of teacher training provided by the project, internal efficiency, equity considerations, the integration and use of ICT in schools, protection measures, disability inclusion, community resilience, preparedness, and gender-related aspects.

2. SCOPE OF WORK
The consultant will be responsible for conducting a thorough process evaluation and assessment of the ongoing SETS II project activities. The specific tasks include:

i. Participate in Briefing and Consultative Meetings: Engage in initial discussions with consortium partners and relevant stakeholders, including representatives from the Federal and State Ministries of Education, to understand the project’s objectives, context, and expectations for the consultancy.
ii. Familiarize with the SETS II Project and Education Context: Review SETS II project documents and other relevant materials, including the ESSP, project baseline and progress reports.
iii. Design and Refine Evaluation Tools: Develop data collection tools tailored to assess progress against SETS II objectives. These tools should capture key parameters, including access, equity, relevance, quality, and completion, as well as specific indicators including enrollment and attendance rates, teacher training quality, ICT integration, protection measures, disability inclusion, and gender-related aspects. Refine the tools through stakeholder consultations and pre-testing.
iv. Facilitate Data Collection and Analysis: Coordinate the collection of qualitative and quantitative data from all target regions. Guide and train the data collection team to ensure consistency and reliability. Use appropriate software, such as SPSS, to analyze the data and draw insights into the progress and challenges of the project.
v. Assess Project Progress and Performance: Evaluate the extent to which SETS II has achieved its defined outputs and activities until end of year II, focusing on key parameters like access, equity, quality, and completion. Examine how teacher training, ICT integration, protection measures, and other initiatives have impacted education services in the target regions.
vii. Provide Actionable Recommendations: Based on the findings, identify strengths, weaknesses, and areas requiring improvement. Propose actionable strategies to help consortium partners refine and adapt their programming for the final phase of the project, ensuring maximum impact.
x. Prepare and Submit the Final Report: Develop a comprehensive report that documents the findings, conclusions, and recommendations of the process assessment. The report should include detailed analysis, insights into the project’s progress, and practical recommendations for improving implementation strategies.

3. PROFILE OF THE CONSULTANT

Essential:
• Post graduate degree in education from a recognized institution of higher learning.
• Extensive experience in research including designing and conducting (education) surveys and assessments.
• Extensive understanding of the Somali context and education sector in particular
• Fluent in both Somali and English languages
• Knowledge and experience of using participatory methodologies in monitoring and evaluation of education work in a developing country context.
• Knowledge and understanding of education management systems.
• Proficiency in computer skills.
• Understanding of education in a developing country.
• Excellent facilitation and report writing skills in English language.
• Extensive experience of delivering training workshops.
Desirable:
• Experience of working in Somalia.
• Familiarity with donor funded Education programmes in Somalia.
• Familiarity with previous work of similar nature will be an added advantage.