I. Background

Save the Children is the leading independent organization for children working in over 120 countries around the world.  The vision of the organization is a world in which every child attains the right to survival, protection, development and participation.

Save the Children began supporting children in Kenya even before the country attained its independence in 1963 and has been operational in Kenya since 1984, providing support to children through developmental and humanitarian relief programmes delivered both directly and through local partners.

Current programming focuses on child protection, child rights governance, education, health, HIV/AIDS, livelihoods, nutrition, Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and WASH.

Save the Children has an operational presence in Nairobi and its environs, Dadaab Refugee Camp, Habaswein, Mandera, Meru, Tharaka, Mombasa, Kwale, Vihiga, Sabatia, Suba, Mbita and Wajir.

With funding from the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland, Girl Child Network (GCN) has been implementing a two (2) year project titled ‘Enhancing Inclusiveness and Quality in Basic Education (IQBE) In Kenya’.

This project is a continuation of the previous Inclusive Education project that was implemented between 2009 – 2011 in Tharaka, Vihiga and Kwale Districts.

The local partner GCN is an umbrella organization that brings together more than 300 International and National Non-Governmental Organizations, International Development Partners, Community Based Organizations and Faith Based Organizations, youth and women groups and individual members interested in the welfare of the girl child in Kenya.

This current project has been informed by previous lessons learnt under the initial project whose best practices and replication have been emphasized.

The project is being implemented in two (2) Counties namely Tharaka in the Eastern region and Vihiga County in Western region as well as at national level through strategic advocacy. The project supports child rights clubs in 55 primary schools; with a total reach of 7,000 pupils.

This evaluation will cover the entire program between 2009 – 2011 across the three counties, Tharaka , Vihiga and Kwale.

Some of the lessons learnt during the previous IQBE project are that negative attitude is the central factor that is and still continues to play a vital role in exclusion and marginalization of children with disabilities in accessing inclusive education.

Tied to this are cultural beliefs and traditions associated with disabilities by majority of community members who view disability as a curse or bad omen.

The previous project made a lot of gains through capacity building of the duty bearers and awareness creation that saw a change of attitude that precipitated increase in number of children with disabilities identified, assessed and placed to regular schools in the project target areas.

Collaboration with the Education Assessment and Resource Centres – (EARCs) under the Ministry of Education and formation of support groups to champion the rights of children with disabilities in the communities were successful strategies.

EARCs and community support groups (members being mainly parents with children with disabilities) will continue to be key stakeholders.

The project has taken advantage of the current constitutional dispensation that is very strong on Bill of Rights alongside other legal policy frame work such as the National Special Needs Education policy framework (2009), the Persons with Disabilities Act (2003), the Persons with Disabilities (amendment) Bill (2010) and the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (2006) and its Optional Protocol, which give persons and children with disabilities right to equal access to social, political and economic spheres of live.

The project overall impact is to see that the right of all children to inclusive education in Kenya is realized towards realization of the Millennium Development Goal 2 (Achieve Universal Primary Education).

The Project Outcomes is Children with Special Needs (CwSNs), with a focus on children with disabilities; receive equitable and quality basic education in target areas in Kenya.

Output 1: Realisation of quality learning environment  and more meaningful child participation for all children- especially children with disabilities – in SC target schools.

Output 2: Capacity of duty bearers (MOE officials including EARCs, other relevant Ministries, Local Government officials, SMCs) to implement inclusive education policies is enhanced by 2013.

Output 3: Community awareness on children with special needs, especially children with disabilities, and inclusive education has increased.

The overall objective of this evaluation is to assess and learn from the process and achievements of the Inclusive Quality Basic Education project, document the lessons learnt and advice on future Education projects.

The evaluation specifically seeks to:

1. Indicate for each expected result what has been accomplished in relation to what has been stated in the project document and logical framework.

2. Provide an analysis of the project performance, strengths and challenges and assessed the overall effects of the intervention (intended and unintended, short-term and long-term, positive and negative).

3. Assess and discuss the status of relevance, effectiveness, efficiency and sustainability.

4. Assess to what extent and how the project has increased the awareness on Inclusive Education of primary duty bearers, communities, children, partners and other stakeholders. Also assess the capacity of the communities to prevent and protect children from violations and hold duty bearers to account

5. Assess the partnership between the two organisations: achievements, strengths and challenges; including the management structures and the impact of the SCI transition process.

6. Assess the extent/effectiveness of coordination with partner agencies, community, children, local leaders and relevant devolved units (counties and sub-counties) offices.

7. Assess the monitoring and advocacy strategies of the project: what kinds of systems/methods were used, if any and how effective they were.

8. Assess the value added through incorporating Child Participation into the project cycle.

9. Based on the evaluation findings, make recommendations for future projects of SC, GCN and other education stakeholders envisaged by the IQBE project.

The study is expected to adhere to the principles of child rights based programming including: participation and inclusion, nondiscrimination and accountability.

It will comprise a desk review of existing literature, field visits for data collection and interviews with all stakeholders, including children. The consultant(s) will review existing secondary documents to acquire complete understanding of inclusive education issues nationally and within the target counties.

Using a right’s based approach (i.e. ensuring all human rights including child rights are observed); the researcher(s) will involve and utilize key stakeholders, especially children and project staff in all aspects of the research.

Participation of institutions both at government (national and local) and community level is essential as they are key stakeholders. All data will be gender and geographical area disaggregated.

The field visits will include key informant interviews, focused group discussions among other participatory methods with teachers, pupils, Education Assessment Resource Center (EARC) staff, School Management Committee (SMC) members, Area Advisory Council (AAC) members, relevant government officers and other community leaders. Both qualitative and quantitative outcome and output indicator data will be collected.

The consultant(s) will be responsible for designing the data collection tools based on project indicators and results framework for the study in consultation with Save the Children and GCN staff.

The consultant will facilitate a half day validation workshop with Save the Children staff, partners, government officials and other key stakeholders to validate initial outcomes of the evaluation.

Save the Children will review, comment on and/or approve the evaluation methodology within 10 working days of submission.

The consultant(s) will assume the overall responsibility for designing, coordinating, collecting data, analyzing and reporting on the participatory study within the terms of reference.

The Consultant will be expected to treat as private and confidential any information disclosed to her/him or with which she/he may come into contact during her/his service.

The Consultant will not therefore disclose the same or any particulars thereof to any third party or publish it in any paper without the prior written consent of Save the Children.

Any sensitive information (particularly concerning individual children) should be treated as confidential.

An agreement with a consultant will be rendered void if Save the Children discovers any corrupt activities have taken place either during the sourcing, preparation and implementation of the consultancy agreement.

The duration and timeline for this evaluation shall be 25 consultancy days.

The proposed days are divided as follows:

Interested qualified individuals or consultancy firms are requested to submit the following by electronic means to the following address kenya.jobapplications@savethechildren.org  immediately.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.