There are many factors that affect a child’s learning including being undernourished and coming to school on an empty stomach. Evidences confirm that the problem of low female literacy rates starts with low primary school enrollment, particularly in areas of high food insecurity. The provision of food in, and through, schools is considered to be one way of enrolling more girls in school, keeping them enrolled, and enhancing their adult well-being and productivity as a result.
Children’s overall concentration and attendance can be improved if they are fed each morning. According to the WFP School Feeding Investment Cost-Benefit Analysis Ethiopia Report (2017), school feeding has a direct impact on education and learning outcomes when it is reinforced by other interventions. Regular school meals positively impact enrolment rates (increased by 8 and 6 percentage points for boys and girls respectively), attendance levels (increased by 3 percentage points for boys and no change observed with girls) and dropout rates (declined by 5 and 6 percentage points for boys and girls respectively).[1]
Policy makers, local and international organizations use different interventions to target various groups within a population through different programs to address the problem of hunger and malnutrition. The Comprehensive Home – Grown, Inclusive, Learning and Development School Feeding Project (CHILD-SFP), being implemented from December 2020-June 2022, will provide equitable access to safe and inclusive and high-quality pre- primary & primary education for students with disabilities (SWD), IDPs, and Host Communities in 13 targeted Woredas of 5 regions, through the provision of school feeding and associated activities such as delivery of energy saving modern institutional stoves, WASH & capacity building trainings for teachers and PTSA members.
Incognizant of the above, SCI would like to understand the effects of the project against its pre-established targets and outcomes. Accordingly, this TOR is prepared to conduct a study on the effect of school feeding on enrolment and learning outcomes in CHILD-SFP implementation woredas.
Comprehensive Home-grown, Inclusive, Learning and Development School Feeding Project (CHILD SFP) is a one-year Save the Children project funded by Global Partnership for Education (GPE). It aims to improve access and retention of students in pre-primary and primary schools including girls, students with disability (SwD) and IDPs; strengthen the resilience and capacity of regional emergency response as well as improve learning & development outcomes of students. Through the provision of school feeding and associated activities such as delivery of energy saving modern institutional stoves, WASH & capacity building trainings for teachers and PTA members, the project aims to provide equitable access to safe and inclusive and high-quality pre- primary & primary education for students.
CHILD –SFP is operational in 13 woredas within 5 regions of Ethiopia: Afar (Assaita, Abaala and Afambo), Amhara (Sahla, Tsagbgi and Abergelie), Oromia (Lege Hida, Gura Dhamule and Rayitu) Somali (Filtu, Mubarak and Kedaduma) and Sidama (Boricha). This project assumes to be implemented in 499 schools located in the 13 project woredas; and targets 163,021 children, Students with Disabilities (SwD), teachers, Parent Teachers Association (PTA) members and education experts as well as cooks. CHILD –SFP will be implemented in partnership with government (Ministry of Education, Zone and Woreda education office and school) and the Ethiopian School Meal Initiative to promote system strengthening and facilitate sustainability.
The project plans to attain the following outcomes:
· Improve access and retention of 163,021 children (87,750 or 54% girls) in 499 pre-primary and primary schools including girls, SwDs and IDPs;
· Strengthen the resilience and capacity of regional emergency response; and
· Improve learning and development outcomes.
CHILD-SFP is managed by SCI and aims to support education, child development and food security in targeted woredas. The project also supports capacity development and enhance the monitoring and reporting system of the partners. Sustainability is an important consideration, and the project is expected to work to support government and community ownership. The project anticipates to achieve its outcomes through strong partnership with Ministry of Education, regional education bureaus, Woreda education offices, PTSAs, and the community members. It also works in partnership with Ethiopia School Meal initiative in Waghimra Zone of Amhara region.
The main objective of this study is to examine the influence of school feeding on primary school enrollment and improvements in learning outcome with emphasis to girl students in CHILD-SFP target schools as well as to assess the difference between the students who finish the whole portion of the daily meal and those who do not in terms of expected improvement outcomes.
Specifically, the study aims to:
a) Assess whether there is significant difference in learning outcome and other improvement measures between those students who finish the whole portion of the daily food provided to them and those who share their food with their younger/ older siblings;
b) Investigate the effect of the school feeding on school attendance and academic achievement (including enrolment and attendance, retention, drop out and absenteeism, as well as attentiveness for better learning achievements) of students in targeted schools with emphasis to girls students
c) Examine the effects of school feeding on nutritional status of school children in target schools;
d) Assess the relevance, efficiency, sustainability, strengths, weaknesses and key challenges of the school feeding to inform future project development in Ethiopia;
e) Investigate availability of key WASH facilities, kitchen and other utilities in the target schools;
f) Document key findings and make innovative recommendations that will mitigate the challenges experienced in delivering the school feeding in the intervention schools. The findings will be used to inform strategic as well as operational decision-making as outlined in the project document.
The study intends to assess the effect of SFP on school performance (specifically, academic achievement enrollment and attendance rate in 2020/21 A.Y and 2021/22 A.Y of preprimary and primary school children who are receiving support under CHILD- SFP. The research will collect cross sectional and time series data for students’ enrollment, attendance and academic achievement.
The research area is delimited to three purposefully selected woredas of the five implementation regions. The research participants will be both girls and boys students including the students with disabilities and from IDPs, teachers, PTA members, school principals and government bureau representatives.
Moreover, the student research participants’ age ranges [7-24]. The sample grade ranges [3-8] in the current Academic Year (2021/22) will be purposefully taken as the research participants. The rational to select the grade level is based on the assumption of existing previous 2 years academic record in grades with similar medium of language. The selection helps the researcher to see the baseline and follow up period difference in their status of attendance and academic achievement.
5. Methodology
To answer the objectives of the study, a participatory approach involving different stakeholders and partners will be preferred. To assess the effects of school feeding in the selected project areas, the consultant shall use different data collection and analysis methods. In this regard, the consultant may use desk review of relevant documents; secondary data (including enrollment and learning outcome information as well as baseline data); key informant interviews with relevant organisations, partners, and stakeholders; quantitative survey with students & parents; and observations to check availability of basic facilities and infrastructures.
The evaluation will assess both direct & indirect, and intended & unintended effects of the projects. The consultant is expected to employ suitable evaluation approach and design to assess the contribution of the project on key project outcomes (such as learning outcomes & enrollment), disaggregated by gender and disability. In this regard, the firm shall propose its evaluation design (experimental, quasi-experimental or before-and-after) including how comparison group will be established. The evaluation will use OECD-DAC and other suitable criteria to assess the effects of the project on key outcome indicators.
Considering the above, the consultant is expected to propose suitable design, rich methodology and work plan to effectively undertake the assignment. Technical proposals shall include evaluation design, sample frame, sampling methods & sample size (number of schools and final respondents), field procedures and quality assurance mechanisms.
6. Deliverables
I. Review the ToR and other program documents/ reports of CHILD-SFP.
II. Produce inception Report: i) draft Inception report, and ii) final inception report (including methodology, work plan & data collection tools)- incorporating feedback from Save the Children
III. Conduct data collection, data cleaning and data management and analysis including verifying collected data against original data collection tools. Identify any challenges with data quality.
IV. Produce the first and second draft study report using SC template.
V. Conduct presentation of study findings in a validation workshop
VI. Final study report and study brief
Roles & Responsibilities of SC:
§ Provide briefing about the project and on how to prepare an inception report to the winning consultant
§ Provide all relevant background documents and data to the winning consultant
§ Provide feedback on inception report and data collection tools
§ Supervise the process of data collection and analysis to ensure quality
§ Review the draft report in light of the ToR, signed agreement and inception report.
§ Arrange/ facilitate meetings with beneficiaries and stakeholders
§ Effect payments pursuant to the agreement signed with the consultant.
Roles & Responsibilities of the Consultant:
· Attend SCI’s briefing session about the project and on how to develop an inception report.
· Prepare and submit an inception report (as per SCI guidance) along with the tools.
· Deploy pertinent qualified and experienced team members for the assignment.
· Be responsible for the collection, entry, and analysis of evaluation data and all costs associated to this.
· Work on and submit a draft evaluation report to Save the Children
· Present evaluation findings and recommendations to a validation workshop.
· Produce final evaluation report as per the inputs of the validation workshop.
· Prepare two pages of evaluation synthesis as per SC’s template.
The payment for the assignment will be undertaken in three stages. The First, upon submission of inception report, the second after completing the first draft of the study and the third upon submission of the final report incorporating all the comments and feedbacks from the project team.
Overall the task shall be completed within two months after commencement of the services. The consultant is suggested to complete the task as per the below timeline.
All data and products of the evaluation are the property of Save the Children. Therefore, the consultant shall not be entitled either directly or indirectly to make use of the report for other purposes without the prior written consent of Save the Children.
Save the children will evaluate the technical and financial proposals out of 60 and 40% respectively. Technical proposals that scored 45 and above out of 60 points will qualify for the next step (interview), which if successful will proceed to the final step (financial analysis). Details of the technical evaluations criteria include:
Technical design and Methodology · Clearly articulated the objectives of the study · Suitability of the evaluation methods (experimental, non-experimental, etc.) to objectives of the study · Robust and appropriate methodology (sampling, data collection methods, etc.) | 20% 5% 5%
10% |
Capability and experience · Strong previous experience in conducting evaluations & assessments · Specific experience in conduction similar assignments in the education sector | 10% 5% 5% |
Work plan · Reasonable & responsive work schedule as per the ToR | 5% 5% |
Organisation and staffing | 5% |
· Sufficient number of (two or more) core experts proposed as per the ToR · Additional support staff (survey experts, data managers, etc.) are included | 3% 2% |
Qualification and experience of key staff · Qualification of the core staff (advanced University degree in education, pedagogy, & related fields) · Experience of the core staff in conduction/leading evaluations and assessments · Specific experience of the proposed staff in evaluations or assessments in the education sector | 20%
5% 5% 10% |
The consultancy firm should have similar experience in the project areas in Ethiopia. A research team proposed by the supplier shall comprise of core experts with relevant qualifications and experience to conduct the assignment. The team should also have prior experience in surveys, evaluations, development of survey tools, and qualitative interviews. The team that the firm assign shall possess the following:
· Advanced university degree in Education, Pedagogy or any other related field pertinent to the assignment.
· Any specialized training on research methodology (with concentration on Education related fields preferred).
· Proven research/survey experience as a lead consultant with particular emphasis to education sector in Ethiopia.
· Proven and excellent knowledge of data analysis and familiarity with applications relevant to data analysis (e.g. STATA, SPSS, etc.).
· Proven experience in quality technical writing skills (sample of previous works to be attached).
· Previous working experience with Save the Children and/ or other INGOs in the area of education with substantial involvement in education program assessments, surveys, evaluations and/or reviews of projects (documents to be attached).
· Demonstrated ability to work in a multicultural environment and establish effective team work and relationships.
· Minimum of 10 years of relevant professional experience.
Field staff: - The consultancy firm is responsible to assign experienced field staff, including supervisors, data collectors and qualitative researchers. However, profile and experience of the field team will not be considered in the evaluation of proposals. The field team need to have the following profile:
· Have first degree (B.A) in relevant fields.
· Have previous experience in conducting surveys.
· Fluent in English and local languages of the regions in which they are assigned to.
· Excellent report writing skills.
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