Background of the project
The Opportunities to Learn (OTL) activity is a USAID five-year funded project implemented by the International Rescue Committee (IRC), in partnership with Plan International, the American University of Nigeria (AUN), Inclusive Development Partners (IDP), and Restoration of Hope Initiative (ROHI). USAID-funded Opportunities to Learn (OTL) project aims to address the immediate education need of out-of-school children (OOSC) and youth in up to 17 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe states through safer new and existing non-formal-education while laying the groundwork for sustainable improvement of education systems at the community and government levels. OTL aims to ensure out-of-school children and youth in Northeastern Nigeria are safely able to gain foundational skills, including literacy, numeracy, and social and emotional skills, to progress to higher levels of education, training, and/or engagement in the workforce.
The crisis in northeast Nigeria remains among the most severe in the world. Over 8.3 million people need humanitarian aid1. 1.38M needs education services across the BAY states. As a result of the crises, children in northeast Nigeria have been deprived of a normal childhood due to the conflict, high poverty rates, inflation, the impact of COVID-19, and the breakdown of the social protection safety net. Over the years, children have been exposed to persistent violence, insecurity, abuse, neglect, exploitation, and conscription into NSAGs.
The objectives of the education sector include ensuring increased access for conflict-affected boys and girls to inclusive, quality, basic education, and vocational skills opportunities within a safe learning environment, and ensuring students receive quality and conflict-sensitive educational services to enhance their learning and resilience. The education sector also aims to increase and maintain the capacity of Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), and communities to plan and deliver timely, appropriate, and evidence-based education in emergency responses.
Girls and boys are exposed to grave violations of children’s rights, such as limited access to education,
child marriage, sexual and gender-based violence,
emotional/physical violence, and trafficking. Boys face the risk of forceful recruitment/re-recruitment by NSAGs, trafficking, and child labor. Parents and caretakers have been exposed to stress/violence, and need child protection services, ranging from mental health psychosocial support to livelihood interventions.
Humanitarian programmes operating in conflict contexts can have both positive and negative impacts on conflict dynamics. As a result, they must take a conflict-sensitive approach to ensure they cause no harm to communities impacted by the conflict. The goal of OTL is to ensure OOSC and youth in Northeastern Nigeria are safely able to gain foundational skills, including literacy, numeracy, and social and emotional skills, to progress to higher levels of education, training, and/or engagement in the workforce.
To ensure systems are strengthened and can sustain the provision of quality education, OTL is working closely with MoE, SUBEB, SAME LGEA as well as community structures to deliver education services across the BAY states. This is done through planning, implementation, and monitoring of all activities. This further ensured ownership and sustainability, especially in preparation for handing over 65% of NFLCs to the government at the end of the project.
Given the above, the OTL will use the USAID Checklist for Conflict Sensitivity in Education Programs3 to analyze the operational and technical aspects of government (SAME, SUBE, MoE, and LEAs) edu- cation programs. This is to ensure the reduction of conflict and tensions, which promotes equity and social cohesion and builds peace when taking over 65% of NFLCs to the government at the end of the project.
Objectives:
Blue skills, often called people skills or emotional intelligence, are defined as the ability to interact amicably with others. Honing self-abilities to resolve conflicts, solve problems, and provide excellent service can lead to stronger and better relationships with friends while improving interactions between communities and the States.
- Improve the self-reliance of Youths in the BAY States
- Improve business skills for participating youths
- Ensure that these youths develop their potential for self-development.
- Provide them with the tools they need to navigate life successfully, build meaningful relationships, and contribute positively to society.
- Improve their holistic development and prepare them for the challenges and opportunities they will en- counter throughout their lives, both academically and in their future careers.
Outcomes/Deliverables:
- 12,000 Youths in the BAY States Trained on Blue Skills – Borno 5,000 Learners, Adamawa 2,500 Learners, and Yobe 4,500 Learners, for 6 months. Blue-skills Curriculum should contain communication, leadership, time management, resilience, empathy, responsibility, self-awareness, critical thinking, self-confidence, problem-solving/conflict resolution, emotional intelligence, self-motivation, responsible citizenship, and cultural competence.
- Participating youths have completed assigned training contents and earned a verifiable certificate (hard/e- copy).
- Participating youths are provided with both mentorship and support, with resources or guidance for im- proved soft skills.
- A data-driven baseline, midline and endline reports are provided at agreed timelines.
- A physical state-based session is hosted in each of the BAY states to promote blue skills among the Youth and held with critical and relevant state and private partners in attendance.
Consultancy Fee:
Payment amount should be inclusive of all costs including travel, hotel fees, vehicle hire, training/workshop fees, and all other logistics needed by the consultancy.