Somalia: Request for Proposal: Skills for Life in Somalia - Situational Analysis and Needs Assessment Study

NOTE: PLEASE REFER TO ATTACHED REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL FOR THE FULL INFORMATION PERTAINING TO THIS CONSULTANCY.

Terms of Reference

(REF: NAI/ED/15/2014; ISSUE DATE: 29^thAPRIL 2014)

Skills for Life in Somalia

Situational Analysis and Needs Assessment

Introduction

Literacy is a fundamental human right and is an enabling right for the pursuit of other human rights. Literacy is at the core of education and especially Education for All, with its focus on basic education. Acquisition of literacy skills is critical for individuals to cope with their economic and social life. Particularly for adults, participation in literacy programmes has a variety of benefits ranging from having improved self-esteem, empowerment and creativity to critical thinking. This, in turn, would also help individuals gain other benefits, such as improving health, preventing HIV and AIDS, participating in the political process, among others. Literacy empowers learners especially women in taking informed decisions critical to both the household and the community levels. Evidence shows the direct correlation between level of education of mothers and participation of their children, especially girls in the school, particularly at a critical stage of basic education.

Education is an integral component in rebuilding Somalia, particularly in the South and Central areas, where the majority of the population has largely been deprived of education due to lack of consistent centralized governance. Economic and environmental factors have seen a country-wide shift from traditional pastoralist and agricultural livelihoods to a high degree of urbanization; lack of education limits the employability of new rural-to-urban migrants. The most recent report by UNDP (2012) on the status of Human Development in Somalia clearly indicates the direct effect of decades-long conflict in very low levels of literacy among youth (48.3% between 14 and 29 years) and adults (31.4% for 15 years above) with significant gender and geographical disparities (at least the difference of 10 percentage point between the sexes and three geographical zones). The 2007 data revealed approximately 4.4 million out of school children.

In this context, marking the 40^thAnniversary of a highly successful National Literacy Campaign conducted in 1964, in partnership with Al-Maktoum Foundation, UNESCO and Somali Federal Ministry of Education, together with State Ministries of Education, are launching a project titled ‘Skills for Life in Somalia:Improving Literacy levels and life skills among Youth and Women’ with the principal objective of improving the education and livelihood conditions to diverse groups, ranging from youth to adults with particular focus on young and adult women, by making available learning opportunities to out of school youth (between 14 and 29 years old) and adult illiterates (15 years above), with particular focus on women.

Due to the socio-economic and environmental context of adult learners, especially women, there is need to study and assess the role of learning in everyday context of a Somali adult. Carefully planned and evidenced based approach towards provision of quality literacy programme that is both context specific and need-based. This approach will help the programme to have a greater impact among the learners and in a sustainable manner. . To undertake a situational analysis and needs based assessment, UNECO is calling for interested parties (hereafter referred to as the Consultancy) to submit a technical and financial proposal for the above mentioned assignment.

The Assignment: Tasks, Deliverables and Profile of the Consultancy:

Under the overall authority of the Director, UNESCO Regional Office for Eastern Africa and the direct supervision of Programme Specialists for Education, and in partnership with Somali Federal Ministry of Education and State Ministries of Education, the Consultancy shall undertake

1. A situational analysis inclusive of youth and adult literacy programmes since 2000,
2. A mapping of literacy providers (NGOs) and their core areas of provision of literacy skills,
3. A needs assessment on the learning context of adult learners particularly women with clear identification of implementation gaps and recommendations for further development of the literacy programme.
4. A Training Needs Assessment of the providers

In particular, the Consultant shall undertake the following tasks taking into account the diverse settings of Somalia and deliver corresponding outputs:

Task:

1. A detailed analysis of conceptual framework of literacy and non-formal education for youth and adults and of current policy and legislative frameworks covering literacy and non-formal education for youth and adults
2. A analysis of the state of literacy and non-formal education from learner perspective with specific focus on youth & women
3. A detailed mapping and analysis of all types of providers of literacy and non-formal education and their programmes (curricula, assessment, facilitator/educator training, learning materials, etc.) since 2000. The analysis should look at both the quality of learning and its relevance to the learner and the impact of the programmes on the livelihood of the learner.
4. A needs assessment of the providers of literacy to understand their strengths, capacity gaps and training needs, including from a gender perspective.
5. Presentation of the key findings and recommendations to the project’s stakeholders.

Deliverables

1. Inception report describing the methodology, including the types of data collected, tools of assessment to be used to undertake the assignment, as well as a work plan with clear expected output for each activity;
2. Draft Assessment Report
3. Final Assessment Report incorporating comments and suggestions provided, complete with Preface, notes, references, and annexures, ready for publication
4. PowerPoint Presentation summarizing methodology, key findings and recommendations

Profile of the Consultancy:

• Academic qualification in education in particular literacy, adult education and non-formal education, or related fields;
• Knowledge and understanding of the Somali national and regional development and education context, policies and education system with particular emphasis on literacy, adult education and non-formal education
• Knowledge, understanding and professional experience related to gender and development with particular emphasis on education
• Professional experience working in Somalia in education in particular in the field of literacy, adult education and non-formal education an asset.
• Good track record of research and analytical skills

Duration and Commencement of the Assignment:

The expected duration of the assignment is three months from the date of the singing of the contract between UNESCO and the successful Consultant. The Consultancy is expected to commence no later than 1th June 2014 and to be completed by no later than 30^thAugust 2014.

Contractual arrangements:

UNESCO will meet the cost of the assignment to be undertaken. Remuneration and contractual arrangements shall be determined by UNESCO Human Resource Management policies governing the engagement of consultancy.

Interested parties shall prepare an application file comprising four parts: (1) Letter of Interest, (2) Curriculum Vitae(s); (3) technical proposal outlining the methodological issues; and (4) financial proposal on the cost associated with the above assignment in two separate envelopes (the first containing the first three parts and the second containing the financial proposal). The application file can be submitted in sealed envelopes to :

The Director

UNESCO Regional Office for Eastern Africa

United Nations Avenue, Gigiri, Nairobi, Kenya

P.O.Box 30592-00100, Nairobi, Kenya

The deadline of receipt of application file is 12:00 noon, East Africa Standard Time, 16^th May 2014.