UNICEF has been operating in Zimbabwe since 1982. We are a team of passionate professionals committed to the protection and fulfillment of children’s rights.
Supporting the Government’s vision of a prosperous and empowered upper-middle-income society, the country programme is aimed at contributing to sustainable socioeconomic development that provides all children, including adolescents, with opportunities to fulfil their potential, lead a healthy life, access quality learning and protection and meaningfully participate in society.
The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education (MoPSE) is finalizing the Education Sector Strategic Plan (ESSP) 2021-2025 as a successor the ESSP 2016-2020. This is the third education sector plan with the first one having been the Education Medium Term Plan (EMTP) 2011-2015. After the first ESP, Zimbabwe received a grant from the Global Partnership of Education-GPE. The concluded ESSP 2016-2020 neither had amid term review or end of term review. The only available mechanism has been the annual monitoring through the Joint Sector review-JSR which in any case does not change programme focus or the methodologies. The current ESSP 2021-2025 leans heavily on the strategies of the National Development Strategy (NDS1) whose thrust is moving towards a middle-income economy by 2030.
Early review of the implementation of the ESSP 2021-2025 during the inception year(s) will ensure its continuous success to adjust and amend any programme foci and methodologies to pursue toward the goals set out in the NSD1 and ESSP. A mid-term review will be one of such tools to assess and track progress made so far and take stock of good practices and lessons learnt. This proposed rapid study analysis of the first years implementation of the new ESSP will provide MoPSE and its partners in education with the data, information and knowledge that can be quickly generated to stay on course or maximize efforts to stay on track of the ESSP implementation. This evidence-based knowledge generating activity will contribute to the mid-term review process to better achieve various targets set out in the key performance indicators of the new ESSP.
Objectives:
To ascertain whether the strategies, planned activities and methodologies of the ESSP 2021-2025 have available annual results
To assess whether the ESSP 2021-2025 strategies, planned activities and methodologies are responsive to the evolving situation of the education sector in Zimbabwe.
To adjust and amend accordingly any programme foci and methodologies to pursue toward the goals set out in the NSD1 and ESSP 2021-2025
Purpose of the Assignment:
To provide the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education with technical expertise to review the first years of the implementation of the ESSP 2021-2025 and adjust or amend any programme foci and methodologies to pursue toward the goals set out in the NSD1 and ESSP.
Assignments:
Desk Review: The Consultant will be expected to review the ESSP 2021-2025, the National Operational Plan (NOP) or the Whole of government document and selected POPs and DOPs and establish the linkages that are available among these documents. The consultant is also expected to also study the priorities of the NDS1 and how the education planning documents ensure the attainment of these sector priorities.
Analysis of existing data: The data for the implementation status will be largely found in the EMIS 2021/ 2022/2023, the Teacher Development Information System (TDIS) and ZELA 2021/2022. These can provide data for use in a range of quantitative analyses and can be a significant part of establishing programme implementation trajectory.
Interviews: Evaluators should consider using structured and semi-structured interviews to get detailed inputs and perspectives from key informants and other stakeholders. These will help to answer questions regarding process and deepen understanding of how and why things happen (or didn’t).
Focus Group Discussions: These should be used to gain a deep understanding of the experiences and options of stakeholders and beneficiaries and help with triangulation.
Observations: These should be considered in order to ensure the consultant understands the issues they are studying as well as confirm or challenge other data and interpretation of data.
To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have:
Education: Master’s in education, Public Policy, Social Sciences, or Development Work
Experience: A minimum of 8 years of experience in Education Leadership, Planning and Management work
Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required:
Solid Knowledge of education sector
Sound knowledge of the planning and policy making processes in the public sector or government
Ability to engage and work with a variety of stakeholders (government, development partners, civil society)
Good oral and written communication skills in English, with good report writing skills
Analytical, with good computer and data analysis skills
Proven experience of similar work done
Good interpersonal skills and ability to support multi-disciplinary teams in a multi- cultural environment
Languages: Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of main local languages (Shona and Ndebele) is an asset.
