AFRICAN UNION

Institute for Education for Development

 

CONSULTANCIES FOR KIX 19 AFRICA DATA CHALLENGE

 

1. Background: KIX 19 Meeting the Data Challenge in Education

Based on the May 2020 KIX 19 assessment of Developing Country Partner’s (DCPs) needs, a KIX Data Challenge strategy, coordinated by the African Union’s Institute of Education for Development (AU IPED), was developed in 2021. As part of this Data Challenge strategy, AU IPED has been organizing a series of learning and capacity building events with DCP’s Directors of Planning and EMIS staff to exchange knowledge on challenges, lessons learnt, and strategies for improving practices in education management information systems needed for sector wide improvements in the delivery of education and training.

The first phase of the strategy was to develop a Community of Practice among DCP’s via an AU IPED platform of knowledge/research documents and an e-Group of focal points of all participating Ministries’ staff dealing with education data. This phase was used to launch a series of virtual learning engagements on promoting the use of Learning Assessment Systems (LAS) and the lessons learnt on its data integration into national EMIS and best practices on its use for informing quality improvements from school levels upwards to national policy. The second phase of the KIX Data Challenge strategy, which directly spoke to a predominant need expressed by countries in the May 2020 requests, was focused on understanding international best practices on data quality and enabling conditions of policy, methodology and resourcing. DCPs worked on reviewing and updating the continental data quality assurance framework, the AU EMIS Norms and Assessment Framework (2012) which had been politically endorsed by Ministers of SADC, EAC, ECOWAS in each of the regional economic communities (RECs).

This component of the Data Challenge Strategy targeted high-level support from the Regional Economic Communities on the KIX Data Challenge Strategy and their support for updating their regional EMIS Norms and Standards frameworks. A series of high-level dialogues, both virtually with the RECs and partners (UIS and UNESCO) and through face-to-face missions by the African Union Commission and IPED, ensured their buy-in and cascade of the initial KIX update of a continental framework would be cascaded further by them with member states.

Over 18 KIX member states participated in reviewing and updating the existing AU EMIS Norms and Standards Framework (2012) to accommodate new norms and standards on sector wide policy, data privacy, cyber security, learner unit record systems, data storage protocols, new technology platform integration and dashboards, data warehousing, disaster recovery, integration of IDP/Refugee data, learning assessment data integration, submission of SDG 4 and CESA indicators, among others. Member states jointly refined and reviewed the framework through various virtual engagements.

A third component of the strategy was that, KIX DCPs' were invited to assess their national systems in terms of the revised KIX AU EMIS Norms and Standards Assessment framework and produce a national report and action plan. AU IPED facilitated an online version of the revised Assessment Framework which allowed countries to complete and generate their national assessments.

A final aspect of the approach was to invite the EMIS representatives of KIX member states who had collaborated in the refinement and updating of the AU EMIS Assessment framework to participate in an online examination which was a rigorous assessment of their knowledge of best practices, norms and standards that comply with the framework. This would qualify them as knowledgeable assessors for peer reviewing and supporting other countries in determining their compliance with the revised continental EMIS data quality assessment framework. Some 18 EMIS personnel in Developing Country Partners  completed the assessment with pass rates of over 70% indicating their overall knowledge of best practices  and standard in effective EMIS.

2. Purpose of the Assignment

Under the overall authority of the AU IPED Senior Planning Officer, with guidance from the Co-ordinator of the AU Institute for Education for Development (IPED) , the KIX Africa 19 is seeking an organization that will be responsible for supporting KIX Data Challenge National Dialogue activities and out puts in two selected KIX Africa 19 countries, namely the Gambia and Tanzania, ensuring that the knowledge and information generated is shared across Developing Country Partners (DCPs).

3. Objectives of the National Dialogue:

This dialogue will specifically provide participants with the opportunity to:

➢           Understand the gaps and strengths of their national data challenge in terms of the revised KIX EMIS Norms and Standards.

➢           Provide a platform for local education group members to present their national interests to ensure knowledge and lessons learned at the international and local practice levels, support policy dialogue and inform the agreed priorities for improved national quality data systems.

➢           Through a call to action, document the meeting outcomes which will define priorities and policy challenges that will be addressed through research and scalable innovation during the implementation of the Hub.

4. Expected Outcomes

➢           An enhanced relationship between the national education actors in the targeted DCP and the KIX Africa 19 Hub, in particular other KIX DCP members of the same Regional Economic Community who will be invited to participate physically in the dialogue meeting

➢           A renewed commitment to knowledge and innovation exchange within the targeted DCP, and between the DCP and other Hub countries on common data challenges and solutions;

➢           Defined priorities agreed upon by participants and set to an actionable agenda and timeline, documented in a call to action, which will guide the DCP’s engagement in the Hub.

5. Organization and Format of the National Dialogue

The format of deliberations at the dialogue will be a combination of plenary presentations and focused group discussions. In addition to presentations, there will be a series of group activities to strengthen the interaction between members from the government, local education groups, and educational organizations. To ensure local COVID-19 guidelines are adhered to, the meeting will follow a blended approach with a limited number of key participants present physically, and additional guests participating virtually through an interactive live stream.

               

A total of 40 participants are expected to attend the national dialogue in person. Up to 20 more participants are expected to attend virtually. At least six international participants will funded by this tender budget to participate, including three KIX 19 personnel (coming from Addis, Kinshasa and Nairobi), the relevant Regional Economic Community Education Officer, and at least two KIX DCPs EMIS focal points. The national participants will include Ministry of Education officials responsible for policy in the six thematic areas of the Hub; education experts from the government, civil society organisations, the academia, representatives from local education groups, bilaterals, multilaterals, and UN agencies present in the country Participants from outside the DCP will include other DCPs, donor representatives, RECs, African Union and IICBA.

6. Selection of DCP

Incumbent organisations are requested to submit tenders to organize and facilitated a Data Challenge National Dialogue in either or both DCP locations – Banjul, The Gambia and Zanzibar, Tanzania

7. Tasks

• Promote communications, advocacy and visibility of the scheduled KIX Data Challenge National Dialogue activity and disseminate the outcomes in each of the 19 DCPs and elsewhere;
• Liaise with the targeted DCP Ministries of Education and their focal points on EMIS and obtain agreement on the dialogue content, actors and materials related to their Data Challenges based on their national self-assessments against the KIX EMIS Norms and Standards.
• Organise the logistics for the national dialogue, including travel, accommodation and conference package, ensuring a sample of local representation from national down to local government and schools, as well as three KIX 19 Hub secretariat representatives[1], the relevant Regional Economic Community Education official and at least 2 or more DCP EMIS representatives are included for direct participation in the budget. Ideally these should be from the same Regional Economic Community as the targeted DCP.
• Map the data challenges faced by the Ministry in its data quality strategies, that will inform and strengthen the exchange of knowledge and innovation among participants, including representatives from both Ministries and the other KIX EMIS representatives from participating countries.
• Provide a platform for local education group members to present their national interests to ensure knowledge and lessons learned at the international and local practice levels, support policy dialogue and inform the agreed priorities for improved national quality data systems.
• Facilitate a call to action, document the meeting outcomes which will define priorities and policy challenges that will be addressed through research and scalable innovation during the implementation of the Hub

8. Deliverables

a) A work plan and adjusted final budget.

b) Communication and dissemination strategy and materials

d) Approved agenda and confirmation of engagement of presenters

e) Updated and approved national KIX EMIS Norms and Standards Assessment Report

f) Facilitation of the meeting and report on proceedings

g) A National Action Plan on Data Challenge defining priorities, including those that can be addressed through research and scalable innovation.

9. Eligibility

• Must be in the business of supporting education sector transformation, ideally experienced in EMIS and ICT integration in teaching and learning.
• Has institutional capacity to organize and facilitate all conference related logistics remotely.
• An organisation that has strong networks in EMIS in the targeted DCP countries is an asset.
• Must be a legally certified and registered institution with headquarters based in Africa.
• The firm/ company should submit audited financial statements for the most recent two fiscal
• Copies of professional qualifications, the CV of training and experiences of key staff proposed for this project should follow EU CV format.
• Team Profile
• At least 5 years’ experience in the education sector, with a high level of relevant expertise in EMIS, education sector planning, policy support and results based management or other relevant areas.
• Minimum 5 years of working experience in integrated information management systems development, data science projects and demonstrated technical expertise in a relevant field.
• Proven technical expertise and experience in facilitation of policy dialogue engagements
• Experience working in facilitating national Data Quality Assessments is an asset.
• At least five years in policy dialogue facilitations with national governments.
• Work experience with the United Nations or a specialized agency of it or with an international organization is an asset

10. How to Apply

Please send your application and budget to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. by 2^nd November 2022.

 

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