Education Evaluation Consultant

Cooperazione Internazionale (COOPI) is an Italian humanitarian non-governmental organization founded in Milan in 1965. COOPI aims to help the world’s poorest to improve their access to healthcare, food, and financial security, and to overcome their special vulnerability to wars, civil conflicts and natural disasters. For 50 years of long-term support and constant presence in the field, COOPI has been engaged in breaking the cycle of poverty and responding to specific emergencies in numerous sectors, including Food Security, Humanitarian Aid, Health, Socio-Economical Services, Water and Sanitation, Human Rights, Education and Training, Migrations and Sustainable Energy.

COOPI in Iraq 

Over an extended period, Iraq has been plagued by internal and external conflicts, greatly impacting its social and economic well-being. Various conflicts, including the recent one with ISIL, have led to massive displacement, with over 6 million Iraqis internally displaced in 2015 and around 5 million having returned so far. The Syrian conflict has further strained Iraq’s resources, hosting around 250,000 Syrian refugees mainly in the Kurdistan Region. These conflicts, along with humanitarian aid from 2014 to 2017, have resulted in ongoing challenges, with over 2.5 million people, including 1.1 million children, still requiring humanitarian assistance in 2022. Despite a decrease in conflict intensity, Iraq remains highly susceptible to humanitarian crises. The country faces concurrent crises of prolonged displacement, political unrest, and regional tensions, exacerbated by the impact of COVID-19 acting as an additional threat. Armed groups like ISIL are reportedly still active in Iraq. COVID-19 has also affected Iraq’s economy, raising the poverty rate to 25% and unemployment to 14.9%. Additionally, Iraq grapples with climate change risks and currency devaluation, affecting imports and causing inflation. Iraq’s poverty rate was significantly impacted by the dual crises of 2014, involving the rise of ISIL and the drop in oil prices, resulting in a surge in poverty from 18.9% in 2012 to 22.5% in 2014. Ongoing efforts are being made to address economic challenges, with the government and international partners working on reforms and investments to ensure economic stability and growth. COOPI has been intervening in Iraq since 2016 progressively increasing programmatic and geographic areas. Key sectors of COOPI’s program interventions are Education, Child protection, livelihood, shelter and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH). Today COOPI is intervening in Ninewa, Salah AL-Din, Anbar, Sulaymaniyah and Duhok, in collaboration with our partner PAO and AGO. The Child Protection Risk Mapping has been conducted as part of the project “Safer schools, safer communities: Increasing access to inclusive education and protection services to create a safe environment for children affected by the Iraqi crisis in Ninewa and Salaheddin ,” funded by AICS (Italian Agency for Development and Cooperation).

Objective of the Assessment

• Identify and understand the obstacles hindering the continuation of studies for students in schools that have been identified during the project beginning and reports.
• Monitor the evolution of demographic and other risk factors affecting students’ ability to continue their studies, through focus group discussions (FGDs) with Parent Teacher Association (PTA) members and other stakeholders.
• Gather comprehensive data on barriers impacting at-risk students and minors of school age who are not enrolled in accredited educational institutions, with a view toward developing recommendations for policy and programmatic responses.
• Assess the current state of the school in terms of its teachers, availability of supplies, curriculum quality, and overall learning environment.

COOPI is seeking support from Consultant for Obstacles to the Continuation of Studies for Students in Schools Assessment to work under the direct supervision of MEAL manager and Education Project Manager to complete this assignment. Specifically, cosultant will have to:

• Review existing data and reports from the project beginning and reports .
• Design and facilitate focus group discussions with members of PTAs, teachers, and other relevant community stakeholders.
• Conduct interviews with school administrators, teachers, and education officials to supplement FGD findings.
• Identify demographic, social, economic, and institutional obstacles that contribute to student dropout or non-enrollment.
• Analyze findings to assess trends in risk factors and provide recommendations on how to mitigate these obstacles.
• Prepare a comprehensive report summarizing key findings, challenges, and actionable recommendations for improving retention and re-enrollment of students.

As the assignment requires travel to (Qayara , Mosul , Hamdanyah , Bashiqa , Tel-Kaif ) in Nainawa governorate , covering a total of 20 schools across these locations ,strong preference will be given to candidates that have their own transportation and/or have a good working knowledge of the area.

Deliverables

• Inception report detailing methodology, work plan, and FGD/interview guides.
• Summary of FGD findings with key themes, barriers identified, and observations from stakeholders.
• A final report that includes:
• Analysis of obstacles to the continuation of studies.
• Trends in risk factors affecting student retention and enrollment.
• Recommendations for overcoming identified barriers.

Working Period

COOPI anticipates that the approximate level of effort will be between 3-4 weeks. Work is expected to take place during October 2024

Education Requirements:

• Advanced degree in education, social sciences, or a related field.

Skills & Experience:

• Proven experience in conducting educational assessments, particularly in student retention, dropout prevention, or risk factor analysis.
• Strong background in qualitative research methods, including focus group facilitation and stakeholder interviews.
• Experience working with schools, education stakeholders, or community groups such as PTAs.
• Excellent analytical and report-writing skills.
• Familiarity with the local education context and challenges is highly desirable.

This ToR shall be inclusive of any other task specifically assigned by the MEAL Manager and Project Manager for what concerns the implementation of the program activities.

Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.

Interested candidates can send requirement below the following email address.

[email protected]

Please make sure to include the following job code.

“EEC872401” within the email’s title, applications without a job code won’t be considered.

• Your CV must be uploaded in PDF format.
• CV in English language 
• Linked CVs will not be considered

Interested consultants should submit the following:

• A detailed CV demonstrating relevant experience.
• A cover letter outlining your approach to the assessment and understanding of the ToR.
• A financial proposal detailing consultancy fees and any anticipated expenses.
• Applications should be submitted by 22 October 2024 .
• Applicants will be reviewed on a rolling basis.
• Sharing any similar report or assessment
• Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted.
• Draft proposed plan for data collection and methodology
• Draft the report’s outline including the main topics in the report .