Senegal: Consultant for the data analysis and write up of a mapping study on learning assessment systems in Sub-Saharan Africa

Context:

The global learning crisis has been documented in the Education for All (EFA) Global Monitoring Report 2013/4 and figures show that it is more prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). The region is home to 17 of the 21 countries for which data are available, where more than half of the children were not learning the basics. This has been confirmed by several learning assessment surveys conducted throughout the region. In addition, disparities in learning outcomes suggest that the factors that marginalize certain groups have not only failed to be mitigated by education, but have in fact been exacerbated by other factors.

Aware of these concerns and the need to promote effective strategies to improve learning, the Teaching and Learning: Educators' Network for Transformation (TALENT) was set up in 2016, within the framework of the coordination of SDG 4 in West and Central Africa. As of today TALENT’s steering group is composed of ADEA-NALA, ANCEFA, CONFEMEN (and its PASEC programme), Education International, UNESCO (and its institutes), UNHCR and UNICEF.

TALENT's focus is teaching and learning, to support effective learning in line with the needs of 21st century learners in sub-Saharan Africa. TALENT's average interventions are the exchange of experiences, expertise and knowledge; the production of research; and capacity building in the SSA country.

In order to achieve its objectives TALENT aims to publish a mapping study on the status of national learning assessment systems in Sub-Saharan Africa. Between 2017 and 2019 a series of surveys have been conducted to gather information on the structure of national learning assessment systems and identify common trends and needs in terms of capacity development across the region.

Mission:

Available data is of three types:

· Data from an online survey of national learning assessment. In total, 33 countries submitted their data between May and June 2019;

· Data on indicators 15 of the GPE Results Framework collected in about 20 countries between October and November 2018

· Lists and characteristics of large-scale evaluations conducted in 14 countries in the region (questionnaires collected in November 2018).

The main mapping study will serve as an information and advocacy document for the establishment or improvement of national learning assessment systems (i.e. the set of "policies, structures, practices and tools that generate and use information on student learning") to achieve the SDG4.

The mapping to be produced should be available in three forms:

· A short document (less than 15 pages) easily accessible to non-specialists;

· An infographic highlighting major trends per sub-regions or countries;

· An online database accessible to the wider public showing basic characteristics of the national learning assessment systems in the region.

The consultant will be responsible for the production of the main short study. The consultant should also provide recommendations on how to translate into visual form the key messages and information through infographics and on the online knowledge platform (SSA-learning assessment database).

TALENT envisages this publication to answer to the following key questions:

· Do national evaluation policies exist or not? Or better, are they well explicit and well integrated in the national education policies system?

· What types of assessment are conducted by countries?

· What is the recurrence of these assessments?

· What is the governance structure of the national assessment system?

· What areas and skills are assessed?

· How are the assessment results disseminated?

· How are the assessment results used?

· How are teachers trained in assessing students?

· What are the challenges expressed by national director of learning assessment systems?

· What conclusions can be drawn in terms of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats to measure the achievement of the SDG4 learning targets?

The list of questions is not exhaustive and additional elements may be included after reviewing the technical proposal from the consultant and throughout the assignment. Upon review of the available data the consultant may also deem necessary to collect some complementary data. This suggestions will be evaluated and addressed based on the available resources.

This is an home-based assignment. The consultant will need to have its own laptop, adequate equipment and access to a high quality internet connection. If travel to Dakar (Senegal) will be deemed necessary, the consultant will need to include it in the financial and technical proposal. The assignment must be completed by 20 October 2019.

Tasks:

The selected consultant will need to accomplish the following tasks:

· Review the data collected through the various surveys and submit recommendations on the data of completing the existing datasets with some additional, easily accessible source of data;

· Review national education plans and Ministry of education websites to collect complementary information on national learning assessment systems;

· Produce a first draft of the short study and share it with relevant stakeholders for feedback;

· Integrate feedback from all relevant stakeholders and submit the final version of the study;

· Provide recommendations of the development of an infographic capturing key messages of the study;

· Provide recommendations for the set up of the online database.

Qualifications:

Skills required to carry out this assignment:

· Capacity to work with quantitative and qualitative data, evaluate survey questionnaires and synthesize information;

· Excellent writing skills;

· Ability to work under pressure and pay attention to detail and quality of work;

Languages:

Excellent knowledge of English or French. Working knowledge of the other language is required;

Required education and experience :

· Advanced university degree in Education, Development studies, Economics, Statistics or related field;

· At least 8 years of relevant professional experience in education data analysis in Sub-Saharan Africa and/or in another region (basic knowledge of challenges of the education sector in Sub-Sahara Africa is required);

· Proven record of papers publication on education systems and learning assessments ;

· Previous experience with a UN agency is an asset.

Please send your CV, references of similar studies you have conducted and your financial and technical proposal (no more than 5,000 characters, including a tentative calendar) to d.ruscelli@unesco.org and m.gueye@unesco.org. The deadline for applications is 03 September 2019. Please note that only pre-selected candidates will be contacted.