TERMS OF REFERENCE: Consultancy

PROVISION OF INCLUSIVE EDUCATION TECHNICAL SUPPORT TO THE UGANDA EDUCATION CONSORTIUM

Resident with valid work permit in Uganda only

CONTEXT

Humanity & Inclusion (HI) is an international non-profit organisation, implementing humanitarian and development actions in over sixty countries. Co-recipient of the 1997 Nobel Peace Prize, HI is a 40-year-old independent and impartial organization working in situations of poverty and exclusion, conflict and disaster.

In Uganda, HI works to identify and support vulnerable populations, including persons with disabilities and ensure the meaningful inclusion of refugees and asylum seekers. HI Uganda is currently implementing development and humanitarian interventions in six sectors/thematic areas: Livelihood, Mental Health and Psychosocial Support, Physical and Functional Rehabilitation, Inclusive Education, Inclusive Health, and Inclusive Humanitarian Action.

Education projects being implemented by the Uganda Education Consortium

Uganda hosts 1,521,424 refugees (UNCHR February 2023). Gross enrolment of children in pre-primary, primary and secondary education remains low at 53%, ranging from 43% for pre-primary, 91% for primary and only 10% for secondary (UNHCR, Education Dashboard Term 3 2022). Among the total enrolment of 507,957 (refugees and nationals), children with disabilities are 17,139, representing 3.37%. This figure is low considering that in Uganda, 13.6% of persons aged 5 years and above have functional difficulties[1], globally, about 16% of the population experiences disability at some point in their life.[2]

Concerning education for children in refugee hosting districts (both refugee and non-refugee children), the Education Response Plan for Refugees and Host-Communities (ERP) II and the Multi-Year Resilience Programme (MYRP) linked to the ERP II emphasize the importance of improved access and retention to inclusive learning and training opportunities for all, including children with disabilities.

The Uganda Education Consortium (U-EC) led by Save the Children (SCI) is implementing the following projects, contributing to the implementation of ERP II and MYRP II.

• INCLUDE 3 funded by the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO),
• MYRP 2 funded by the Education Cannot Wait (ECW), and
• First Emergency Response (FER) funded by ECW.

The Consortium will enable conflict-affected children (refugees/host communities, boys/girls, children with disabilities and out-of-school children) to access safe and inclusive formal and non-formal learning opportunities and supports them to attend and remain in school (Result 1). Learners enrolled in formal and non-formal education (including AEP) will be supported by teachers with improved competencies and demonstrate improved learning outcomes (Result 2). District Local Government and School Leadership and Management capacities in the target communities will be strengthened to support better and supervise safe and inclusive learning environments that generate improved learning outcomes (Result 3).

DESCRIPTION OF THE EXPECTED SERVICE

Context

Under 3 projects mentioned above, HI provides inclusive education technical support to U-EC through two staff as follows, while HI’s direct provisions of rehabilitation services are done by physio and occupational therapists.

• Inclusive Education Capacity Building Officer /IE-CBO. The staff is based in Yumbe and travel to project sites to provide field level technical support to U-EC partners.
• Inclusive Education – Early Childhood Development – Technical Officer / IE-ECD-TO. The staff is based in Imvepi, providing field level technical support with specific focus on ECD implementing U-EC partners.

In addition to these field-based staff, HI initially planned to recruit an IE technical staff, Ugandan national, to be based in the Consortium Management Unit (CMU) of U-EC, but the qualified candidate was not found. Therefore, this position is open for qualified non-Ugandan candidates who reside in Uganda and have valid work visa. The position will closely work with the Regional Inclusive Education Technical Specialist of HI.

2.2 Global objective

To ensure quality inclusive education interventions in education projects implemented by U-EC

2.3 Scope of Work

1. Provide necessary technical oversight and guidance to ensure inclusive project implementation by adapting approaches, materials and tools, and contributing to reporting in line with global and national strategies, standards and mandatory transversal approaches. This will include but not limited for U-EC members to be able to;

• identify, analyse and respond to school-based barriers for vulnerable children and children with disabilities to access quality inclusive education;
• develop new or review and adapt existing project approaches, tools and materials that are inclusive, accessible and relevant, concerning teachers’ continuous professional development (CPD), school accessibility, disability data for EMIS, remedial and catch-up program for learners, and any other relevant topics;
• conduct disability inclusive MEAL and generate data and evidence (e.g. disability disaggregated data, human stories, good practices, lesson papers).
• learn, share and advocate best practices in inclusive education with Education in Emergencies (EiE) partners and the Ministry of Education and Sports (MOES).

1. Provide training and professional development opportunities for U-EC and HI project staff and other stakeholders on disability inclusion and inclusive education. This will include the monitoring and follow up of;
   • 3-day teachers training which U-EC partners were trained on as facilitators in 2023 and have been rolling out to teachers
   • 1-day enumerator training on the Washington Group questions on disability. Same as above – U-EC partners were already trained on this topic.

This assignment will be done via field visits (jointly with U-EC, EiE and MOES partners), coaching and mentoring, and constructive feedback for the project staff and stakeholders.

1. Networking and Advocacy
   • Represent HI in relevant meetings with EiE partners, MOES etc., on disability inclusion and inclusive education.
   • If required, provide support in liaising with partners and key stakeholders to contribute to the HI’s visibility and representation

2.4 Expected results / deliverables

1. Concerning collection, analysis, use and reporting of disability data

• Design and organize refresher / new training on the application of the Washington Group disability question tools and analysis of collected data, to U-EC partners (and enumerators as required), and produce training reports.
• Examine relevance and quality application of the WG related tools in the U-EC projects and submit recommendations to improve them
• Draft technical documents, organize a national stakeholder meeting about disability inclusive EMIS, generate reports, and follow up agreed-upon actions

1. Concerning teachers’ continuous professional development (CPD) on inclusive education

• Facilitate critical discussions about the national CPD-IE application in EiE contexts with stakeholders at settlement and national levels, produce meeting reports and make recommendations for the quality CPD-IE roll out.
• Monitor and evaluate the U-EC IE teacher training, revise the training package as needed, and produce at least 4 case studies of teachers’ IE practices in U-EC supported schools. Subsequently, design and organize refresher / new training.
• Assess and identify gaps in teachers’ capacity to use teaching and learning materials for inclusive education, and produce required tools and materials to address identified gaps
• Improve a draft school monitoring tool on IE, in collaboration with MOES to be used widely by EiE and developed partners.
• Develop a teacher mentoring and coaching guide on IE.

1. Concerning school accessibility

• Organize a national level launch of the School Accessibility Companion Guide (SACG), and produce press release, stories, photos, blog and social media posts.
• Design and facilitate national and district level trainings on SACG, in collaboration with key partners, and generate reports
• Proactively propose effective ways to operationalize SACG in a sustainable manner

1. Continuous technical support on disability inclusion and IE
   • Undertake field visits and produce reports about identified good practices, challenges, gaps and HI/U-EC partners’ capacities to implement project activities in an inclusive way
   • Draft the capacity building plan and provide coaching, mentoring, and constructive feedback to HI staff and U-EC partners to improve their capacities in key IE and disability inclusion technical approaches
   • Suggest ways to improve disability mainstreaming and harmonization across activities implemented/planned by U-EC projects
   • Review donor reports and key consortium-wide documents (e.g. assessment, lesson learnt, IEC materials) to ensure IE and disability inclusion
   • Brief report from meetings attended (within 2 days)
   • Produce at least 2 fact sheets, 2 human stories, and 1 advocacy paper about key IE and disability inclusion topics/issues for U-EC

The duties and responsibilities as set out above are not exhaustive and the selected candidate may be required to carry out additional duties within the overall objective (2.2) and scope of work (2.3). The tasks and priorities will be mutually agreed with HI and CMU.

CONSULTANT’S PROFILE

Academic background, training, and experience

• Bachelor’s degree (Master’s a plus) in the education field e.g. Inclusive Education, Teaching and Learning, Curriculum Development, Education Policy Analysis, Child Development, or any related field e.g. disability studies, occupational therapy, public health
• At least 10 years’ experience working in inclusive education in Uganda, specifically to improve quality learning of children with disabilities, build capacities of teachers, and enhance inclusive education project implementation.
• Working knowledge and experience in disability data i.e. the tools developed by the Washington Group on Disability Statistics, and school accessibility.
• In-depth knowledge and experiences in EiE and key stakeholders in Uganda.
• Experience in working with persons with disabilities and Organizations of Persons with Disabilities for promotion of their right to education
• Proficient in disability inclusion and rights approach
• Excellent team worker; ability to create dynamic and very positive working relations, including remotely

Working languages

English. Ability to speak local languages in Uganda is a plus.

DURATION AND PLACE OF PERFORMANCE OF THE SERVICE

Place of performance

This position will be based in Kampala, Uganda. The consultant will work at HI and SCI offices with frequent visits to settlements where the projects are implemented.

Duration and work plan

• Start date: as soon as possible but latest 15th of May 2024
• End date: 22 December 2024
• Working days. Part time basis, at least 2-3 days a week.
• Total number of days will be agreed with the successful candidate, counting from the start date to the end of the assignment.
• Based on the proposed start date, the successful consultant and HI, in consultation with CMU, will establish a work plan for the completion of the service, including the due for deliverables.

JOB CONDITIONS

• The consultant must be a resident and have a valid work permit in Uganda.
• The consultant must provide a time sheet and report every month. The timesheet needs to reflect: 1. Duration of work (number of hours), 2. Content of work (e.g. meetings, field visits), and 3. produced deliverables with evidence.
• The consultant is responsible for the equipment and cost of (to include on the financial proposal professional fees):

• A computer and a mobile
• Daily Living cost in Uganda
• Accommodation cost
• Health coverage cost
• Medical repatriation insurance cost (Applicable for non-Ugandan only)
• Civil insurance cost
• Visa application and extension fee (Applicable for non-Ugandan only)
• WHT 15 % (Applicable for non-residents only) or WHT 6 % (Applicable for Ugandan resident only)
• VAT 18% (applicable foe all resident)

• HI will provide:
  • Movement transport within Uganda. The Consultant is required to sign HI discharge responsibility form)
  • Office space in HI and CMU

CONTACT PERSON

During the performance of the service, the consultant will be required to work in liaison with Humanity & Inclusion’s teams, and notably with Ms. Yahoko Asai, the Regional Inclusive Education Technical Specialist, HI EAR, who will be his/her contact person.

Applications (Administrative and technical annexes)

If you are interested in and qualified for the position, please submit the following documents on or before 17:00, 22/04/2024. List of items to be included in the submission;

• Consultant’s CV
• Technical proposal to meet the requirements
• Financial proposal (daily rate, covering all costs specified section 5. above)
• Documents proving the consultant’s registration and any other documents certifying to the regularity of his/her activity i.e. work permit in Uganda
• Proof of personal health/hospital insurance
• Proof of medical repatriation insurance (Applicable for non-Ugandan only)
• Proposed start date
• Bank details
• Identification documents (Passport/ID)
• Confirmation of availability on Friday 26 April for interviews (only qualified candidates will be invited)

The Proposal should be submitted to the following email:procurement.tenders@uganda.hi.org

Including the email subject” PROVISION OF INCLUSIVE EDUCATION TECHNICAL SUPPORT TO THE UGANDA EDUCATION CONSORTIUM”

Note: Shortlisted applicant will be interviewed on 26th April 2024

AWARD AND PAYMENT

A contract will be signed between Humanity & inclusion and the awarded consultant and shall start latest on the 15th of May, 2024 (this date may be modified based on mutual agreement). The payments will be released based on the submission of deliverables and monthly timesheets as follows:

• 25% after the submission of deliverables for the work completed before 30thn June 2024
• 30% after the submission of deliverables for the work completed in 30th October 2024
• 45% after the submission of the final deliverables at the end of the contract

All payments will be submitted for prior validation of the HI Regional Inclusive Education Technical Specialist regarding the expected quality of deliverables.

During and after the contract period, the Consultant undertakes not to publish, distribute or make public, without the prior written permission of HI, the results of their activities under this contract, or the documents or information provided, produced and received. Such results, documents and information shall remain the property of HI.