Tenders Are Invited For Consultant Situation Analysis Of Barriers And Bottlenecks To School Participation And Learning Outcomes

Tenders Are Invited For Consultant Situation Analysis Of Barriers And Bottlenecks To School Participation And Learning Outcomes Open For South African Nationals Only Unicef Works In Some Of The WorldS Toughest Places To Reach The WorldS Most Disadvantaged Children To Save Their Lives To Defend Their Rights To Help Them Fulfill Their Potential Across 190 Countries And Territories We Work For Every Child Everywhere Every Day To Build A Better World For Everyone And We Never Give Up For Every Child Empowerment1 Background And JustificationThe South African Government Has Identified The Improvement In The Quality Of Basic Education As Its Number One Priority As Articulated In The National Development Plan Vision 2030 With The Achievement Of High Levels Of Participation During The Compulsory Years Of Schooling Aligned To The Mdgs The Department Of Basic Education Dbe Blueprint Action Plan To 2019 Towards Schooling 2030 Is Now Focused On Improving Efficiency And Quality Of Learning Outcomes As Aligned To The Sdgs Despite Year On Year Improvements In Matric Pass Rates Since 2015 Performance At The Lower Ends Of The System Point To A Learning Crisis According To The 2016 Progress In International Reading Literacy Study Pirls 78 Of Primary School Children Are Unable To Read With Meaning 29 Are Unable To Read At All 1 Similarly Very Low Levels Of Performance Are Reported In Grades 9 Through The 2015 Trends In Mathematics And Science Study 2 Grade Repetition Is Also High Increasing From 8 During Primary School To 15 In Secondary School 3 Although Drop Out Is Largely A Feature Of Secondary Education Grades 10 10 6 Grade 11 13 4 4 Almost 15 Of Learners Do Not Complete Grade 9 In A Country Confronting The Triple Challenges Of Poverty Inequality And Unemployment Factors Such As Violence Pregnancy And Hiv Are Impacting On Childrens Ability To Stay In School And Perform To Their Full Potential Physical Violence Sexual Violence And Bullying Are Rife Taking On Gendered Dimensions Based On Unequal Power Relations Amongst Others Despite Progress In Decreasing Hiv Incidence In Sa Up To 1 300 Adolescent Girls And Young Women Are Still Infected Weekly 5 Prevalence Rates Among Young Women Are Nearly Four Times Higher Than Among Young Men Childbearing Also Begins Early With Reports That Nearly 21 Of Girls Aged 15 19 Years Have Ever Been Pregnant 6 Unicef Is A Key Partner Of Dbe In Addressing The Barriers And Bottlenecks To System Efficiency And Quality Of Learning Outcomes In This Regard It Is Embarking On A Partnership With The Hempel Foundation To Improve Learning Outcomes In The Early Grades And To Increase Retention Within The Schooling System For Girls By Addressing Factors Such As Violence Pregnancy And Hiv And Aids To Inform The Partnership Unicef Requires Expert Support To Undertake A Rapid Situation Analysis In This Regard Scope Of Work2 1 Goal And ObjectivesThe Goal Of This Assignment Is To Undertake A Rapid Situation Analysis On The Patterns Of School Participation Patterns Of Learning And Barriers And Bottlenecks Of School Participation And Achievement The Situation Analysis Must Give A Clear Understanding Of Why Girls And Boys Drop Out Repeat School Fail To Achieve And How These Issues Manifest E G By Gender Age Geographic Location Language And Or Racial Groups National And Provincial Level Data Must Be Reported With Identification Of Provinces Most In Need Of Intervention For Each Of The Factors Similarly Targeting Must Also Consider Gender Grade And Geographic Location The Specific Objectives Are To Identify And Analyse Trends Past Five Years Where Possible In Grades 1 9 On The Following School Enrolment Retention Drop Out And Repetition Learning Outcomes Linkage Between Early Learning Achievement And Later School Drop Out Violence Teen Pregnancy And Hiv Incidence And Prevalence To Identify And Review Barriers And Bottlenecks To Education Participation And Learning Outcomes Grade 1 9 With A Focus On Violence Against Children In Schools And Its Impact On School Participation Teen Pregnancy And Its Impact On School Participation Hiv And Aids Incidence And Prevalence Factors That Impact Learning Outcomes Particularly In The Areas Of Literacy And Numeracy In The Early Grades Conduct Qualitative Assessment Validation Of Findings From The Desk Analysis Conduct A Horizon Scanning Of Previous Or Existing Initiatives Aimed At Improving Literacy And Numeracy For Primary Schools Through Use Of Technology Make Recommendations On The Implications Of The Trends In Data And Information On Achievement For Education Policy And Programming 2 3 Activities Tasks And Deliverables2 3 1 ActivitiesThe Consultant Is Expected To Develop An Inception Report That Is Consulted With The Unicef Education Section And That Will Include Interpretation Of The Terms Of Reference Approach That Will Be Taken For The Assignment And Workplan For The Consultancy Lead All Relevant Activities To Obtain The Necessary Data Including But Not Limited To Liaising With Relevant Partners Including The Department Of Basic Education To Access And Verify Data Developing And Administering Research Or Other Tools Organize Analyse And Present The Data And Information In A Coherent Manner Identifying Critical Persons For Consultations Interviews Focus Group Discussions Fgds And Conducting Consultation Interviews Fgds Collect Review And Analyse All Relevant Data And Information On The State Of Girls And Boys Participation And Achievement In School Including But Not Limited To Documentary Analysis And Literature Review Survey And Administrative Data On Education And Consultations Key Informant Interviews And Focus Group Discussions Develop An Annotated Bibliography Of All Data Sources Present A Draft Report For Review By Unicef South Africa And Incorporate Suggested Changes And Improvements Present A Final Report And Powerpoint Presentation Present Findings Powerpoint Presentation At A Workshop With Unicef And Key PartnersTable 1 Timeframe And DeliverablesDeliverable S Estimated Timeframe Working Days Inception Report With Workplan Key Indicators To Be Included In Report5 Working Days After Signing Of The ContractAnnotated Bibliography Including Persons For Consultation Interviews10 Working Days After Signing Of The ContractDraft Report20 Working Days After Signing Of The ContractFinal Report30 Working Days After Signing Of The ContractPowerpoint Presentation30 Working Days After Signing Of The Contract2 3 2 Report Outline The Situation Analysis Report Should Contain The Following Components A Executive Summary 1000 Words Maximum B Introduction Methods Findings Conclusion And Recommendations C References Annexes2 3 3 Timeframe Deliverables And PaymentDeliverable S Estimated TimeframePayment ScheduleInception Report Workplan Key Indicators To Be Included In The Report5 Working Days After Signing Of The Contract30 Of FeeAnnotated Bibliography Information Sources Including Persons For Consultation Interviews10 Working Days After Signing Of The Contract70 Of FeeDraft Report20 Working Days After Signing Of The ContractFinal Report30 Working Days After Signing Of The ContractPowerpoint Presentation30 Working Days After Signing Of The Contract2 3 4 Required TravelThe Consultant Maybe Required To Travel To Attend Meetings With Unicef And Other Partners And Or To Conduct Consultations Interviews Fgds These Must Be Stated In The Proposal And Must Include Purpose Location Estimated Number Of Days And Costs 3 Desired Competencies Technical Background And ExperienceThe Following Are Desired And Applicants Will Be Strictly Weighed Against These Criteria The Consultant Individual Contractor Shall Have At Least A Masters Degree In Statistics Economics Education Social Sciences Or Related Field Demonstrated Experience Capacity And Knowledge In Research Identification Review And Analysis Of Information Data And Information From Secondary Sources Experience Of Completing A Situation Analysis For A Un Agency Or Similar International Organisation Is Desirable An Understanding And Knowledge Of The South African Situation In Particular Early Childhood Development And Basic Education The Issues Information And Data Sources Available At Least 8 Years Relevant Work Experience Related To The Work Required In This Assignment Strong Analytical And Writing Skills Ability To Conceptualise Plan And Prepare Written Materials In English Availability To Work Under Tight Timeframes 4 Administrative Issues4 1 The Contract Will Be Managed By Unicef The Consultant Individual Contractor Shall Have Regular Consultations With Unicef As Needed Either In Person Or Telephonically These Consultations May Bring About Slight Deviations In Agreements And The Work Assignment This Includes An Inception Discussion To Ensure That Aspects Of The Work Assignment Are Understood Clearly 4 2 Unicef Is Responsible For The Monitoring Of The Implementation Of This Assignment And Shall Execute This In A Professional And Consultative Manner Throughout The Term Of The Contract 5 Conditions5 1 Ethical And Technical Requirements5 1 1 The Consultant Shall Undertake To Adhere To The Following A The Consultant Shall At All Times Keep Information Obtained During The Work Assignment Confidential And Shall Not Circulate The Documents Or Any Part There Of At Any Stage To Any Party Without The Explicit Written Permission Of Both Unicef B The Consultant Shall Not Publi

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