Terms of Reference: Final Project Evaluation

Project Title: Promoting Early Childhood Development and Primary Education to Strengthen Quality Education

Country: Nepal

Project partner: Seto Gurans National Child Development Services

Project area: Gokulganga Rural Municipality, Ramechhap District

Project Timeframe: Oct 2021 to Feb 2024

Funding partners: Childaid Network, Germany and German Federal Ministry for Economic Co-operation and Development (BMZ)

1. Background and rationale of the project

This final evaluation will assess whether the programmatic approach and working modality employed by Seto Gurans in the "Promoting Early Childhood Development and Primary Education to Strengthen Quality Education" project are appropriately designed and relevant to the context of Gokulganga Rural Municipality in Ramechhap. The evaluation will focus on the project's relevance, efficiency, effectiveness, impact, and sustainability.

It aims to provide comprehensive insights into the results achieved, challenges encountered, and lessons learned. The findings and recommendations generated will guide Childaid Network in developing similar programs in comparable settings, ensuring improved outcomes and adaptability.

Description of the project

The project is being implemented in Early Childhood Development (ECD) to Grade 3 across 34 schools in Gokulganga Rural Municipality. Its primary objective is to enhance the quality of education from ECD to Grade 3 by improving classrooms to meet the National Minimum Standards, providing teacher training, offering technical support to educators, and strengthening local governance through the development of a local-level ECD strategy.

As part of the initiative, the project delivered a 10-day training for ECD teachers based on Early Learning and Development Standards (ELDS) and a 5-day customized training on the Integrated Curriculum for Grade 1 to 3 teachers. Following the training, technical support was provided to help teachers effectively apply their learning in line with the national curriculum. Additionally, the project equipped all 34 schools with child-friendly classrooms for students from ECD to Grade 3.

Project objective:

Overall objective (impact): All children from ECD classes to Grade 3 in Ramechhap have access to quality education and benefit from a child-centered learning environment in schools and at home that contributes to their holistic development.

The relevant outputs of the projects are as follows:

1. All ECD teachers and Grade 1 to 3 teachers are qualified for integrated teaching and all classrooms from ECED- to Grade 3 are equipped with teaching and learning materials that meet the standards of the Government of Nepal.
2. Education governance is strengthened through the formation of active ECED committees at the rural community and district levels, local government and stakeholder participation, and the implementation of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) (ECED to Grade 3).
3. Parents and village communities have gained knowledge and skills on child-friendly education methods and actively support quality education in schools and promote an appropriate environment at home.
4. Government agencies play their role and actively contribute to improving the quality of education for grades ECED to Grade 3.

2.  Purpose of evaluation

The project final evaluation intends to assess the project outcomes in terms of OECD/DAC criteria and on i) relevance, ii) effectiveness, iii) impact, iv) coherence, v) efficiency, and vi) sustainability (see Annex 1). It will demonstrate how the project output has contributed to the achievement of the overall project objectives as described in the relevant documents.

3. Scope of the evaluation

The project needs to be evaluated in the following areas:

• Success of the project regarding the set goals (according to the defined indicators)
  • Quality and success of the intervention in ECD classroom based on ELDS and its continuation.
  • Quality and success of the intervention in Grade 1 to 3 based on integrated curriculum and its continuation
  • Quality and success of the activities with the parents and the degree of coordination of the parents with the school
• Cooperation of implementing organization with government actors and other stakeholders
• Project management of implementing organization
• Potential negative consequences or side effects stemming from the project
• Convergence with government agencies and programs
• Sustainability approach of the project

4. Process

Phase 1: Desk Study and Inception

A kick-off meeting between Childaid Network Nepal, Seto Gurans NCDS and the contracted consultants will clarify all open issues related to this assignment. The consultant will be provided with all the relevant project data and project context-related documents to familiarize with the project objectives and activities. The work plan developed at the end of this phase will finalize the methodology, data collection tools, and site visit schedule.

Phase 2:  Facilitating evaluation and documentation of findings

The field mission will start with a briefing by Seto Gurans NCDS followed by a field study of the project area. The staff at the field level will support and be mobilized to collect and compile the data.

At the end of the field mission, the preliminary findings will be presented and discussed with Seto Gurans and CAN.

Phase 3: Data Analysis and Reporting

Analyzing the collected data and preparing the assessment report and annexes. The finalized report of the evaluation should be submitted by 15 March 2025.

5. Deliverables

• Evaluation report: A comprehensive report containing the evaluation results, including an analysis of the project's achievements, challenges, impact, and effectiveness. The report should be clear, concise, evidence-based, and present recommendations based on the findings.
• Executive summary: A summary of the evaluation report that highlights the key findings, conclusions, and recommendations.
• PowerPoint presentation: A visual presentation of the evaluation report that provides an overview of the project, its goals, objectives, evaluation framework, methodology, findings, and recommendations.

6. Application

Based on the proposed schedule outlined, the consultant will prepare an offer including:

• Applicant's methodological and project cycle management expertise
• Applicant's experience conducting studies of a similar type
• Applicant's approach to conducting the study (methodology)
• Timetable
• Detailed Budget
• CVs with references
• Example of previous similar work/report if available

7. Requirements of consultants

• Extensive knowledge and expertise in education and development studies or related field or equivalent development expertise
• Ideally, well-established networks within the project region.
• Demonstrated experience in conducting a minimum of three project evaluations related to pedagogical training, education, and social mobilization programs, preferably for projects funded by BMZ.
• Proficiency in both English and Nepali languages, especially in English writing skills.
• Demonstrated ability to effectively contribute to outcome- and impact-based evaluations, encompassing both assessment and learning components.
• Experience in participatory evaluation using both qualitative and quantitative methods, including mixed-method design and triangulation.
• The general study can be performed by a single consultant or a consultant team. However, detailed knowledge of quality education project approaches is necessary to perform the study.

The consultancy team is to be independent and impartial with no liabilities to any other organization or government entity regarding this evaluation.

8. Tentative Timetable

• Applications to be submitted by 5th February 2025
• Selection and contracting till 12th February 2025
• Kick-off Meeting by 14th February 2025
• Submission of work plan and methodology by 18th February 2025
• Finalized Evaluation report to be submitted by March 15th March 2025

9. Management of the Evaluation Study

A contract will be concluded between the consultants and Childaid Network. The latter will be responsible for payment according to the invoices. The consultant may further delegate individual tasks to others within the scope of the agreed budget. For any additional information regarding the template and key questions for evaluation, required data for the baseline study, and assessment of the planned project based on OECD/DAC criteria, you can request to us via email. INGO team will facilitate the study on the ground and provide the necessary background and documents to carry out the study in coordination with local partner.

Complete applications should be submitted via Email to childaidnepal@gmail.com by 5th February 2025 by 5:00 pm.

ANNEX I

1. Evaluation of the planned project according to OECD DAC criteria

The guiding questions on the criteria serve as an orientation for the content of the study. They are to be understood as a collection from which the relevant questions can be prioritised. This allows the criteria to be weighed differently according to the study's interest in knowledge.

Relevance - To what extent is the planned project doing the right thing?

• Does the planned project approach address a developmental problem or a crucial developmental bottleneck of the partner country or region?
• Are the focus, prioritization, and objectives (approach) of the planned project aligned with the target groups and clearly defined?
• To what extent do the intervention objectives and design adequately consider the specific needs of the target groups and structural obstacles in the project region, partner/institution, policy programmes?
• Are norms and standards of the approach compatible with those of the target groups?
• Is the project designed in a conflict-sensitive way (Do-No-Harm principle)?

Coherence - How well does the intervention fit?

• How coherent are the planned activities with human rights principles (inclusion, participation), conventions and relevant standards/guidelines?
• To what extent are there synergies and linkages between the planned project and other interventions by the same actor (organisation) and other actors?
• What are the similarities or intersections between the target groups and the projects of other actors in the same context? To what extent does the intervention add value and avoid duplication?

Effectiveness - Which project approach can best achieve the objectives?

• To what extent have the project objectives been achieved/are likely to be achieved? What were the major factors influencing the achievement or non-achievement of the objectives?
• To what extent are the current strategies and the working approach of SG effective towards the achievement of the objectives?
• To what extent has the project contributed in enhancing the learning achievements of children?
• What factors contribute to achieving the desired goals and objectives looking at the various contributions of Wards, RMs, schools, and other stakeholders?
• To what extent were the schools able to effectively implement the national curriculum to the maximum potential?
• Are there any exceptional experiences e.g. case studies, best practices, upscaling, and replication potentials that should be highlighted? What approaches by the project can be regarded as innovative or as adaptations of good practice?
• How could partnerships (esp. With teachers and Government stakeholders), approaches, and management be made more effective?
• What mechanisms were put in place to monitor and evaluate progress toward achieving project objectives? How effective were these mechanisms?
• How sustainable are the outcomes achieved by the project in terms of the continued benefits for the target groups after project completion?

Efficiency - Does the use of funds planned by the project appear economical in terms of achieving the objectives?

• Assess how efficiently resources and inputs (such as funds, expertise, time, and staffing) have been converted into results. Without requesting a detailed financial analysis, could the activities or output have been achieved at a lower cost?
• Are project plans being utilized, implemented, and adapted in a timely manner, when necessary, particularly in response to changes in the external environment?
• Was the implementation process systematically monitored, and was the data effectively used to guide decision-making?
• What factors contributed to the project’s efficiency or inefficiency?

Impact (significance) - To what extent does the planned project contribute to the achievement of overarching developmental impacts?

• To what extent are the projects contributing to a long-term positive impact on education in the targeted schools? How has the project enhanced education quality, learning achievements at both individual and school levels?
• What changes has the project made for traditionally disadvantaged target groups (e.g., in terms of gender, ethnicity, disability, and socio-economic status)?
• What other intended or unintended positive and negative effects have resulted from the project’s interventions?
• What factors contributed to the positive (or negative) impacts, and what factors hindered progress?
• How have stakeholders, including teachers, parents, and community members, perceived the changes brought about by the project?
• To what extent has the project fostered community engagement and ownership in educational initiatives?
• What specific learning outcomes have been achieved through the project, and how do these compare to baseline data?
• How has the project influenced education-related policies or practices at the local level?
• What lessons learned from this project can guide future initiatives with similar goals?

Sustainability - To what extent will the positive effects (without further external funding) continue after the end of the project?

• How can the sustainability of the results and impacts be ensured and strengthened? (structural, economic, social, ecological)?
• What long-term capacities are built in the target group to be able to continue the implemented measures on their own?
• What positive changes (role behaviour, mechanisms, networks, and others) benefit civil society in the long term?
• Which personal risks for the implementers, institutional and contextual risks influence sustainability and how can they be minimised?

2. Ethical Consideration:

The evaluation will adhere to strict ethical standards to ensure the integrity and credibility of the process. Informed consent will be obtained from all participants prior to their involvement, ensuring that they are fully aware of the purpose of the evaluation and their rights, Confidentiality will be maintained throughout the evaluation, with measures in place to protect the identities and personal information of all respondents. Additionally, data collected will be handled with care to ensure accuracy and reliability, with a commitment to presenting clean, unmanipulated data in all findings and reports. These ethical considerations are essential for fostering trust among participants and ensuring that the evaluation contributed positively to the stakeholders involved.

Recommendations

Based on the main findings and the assessment according to the DAC criteria, what concrete suggestions can be given or still be incorporated for the concept of the project in the specific context? Examples:

• Which components, if any, are missing in the project concept in order to make the cause-effect relationships more coherent and to sustainably achieve the planned objectives? Which planned components are not suitable or could have negative effects, and for what reasons?
• Which assumptions of cause-effect relationships are viable?
• Which findings and project-relevant data of the study are suitable to be integrated into the project logic? (impact matrix of the project proposal)?
• What are the recommendations for possible indicators for impact monitoring and data collection?

ANNEX II: Format for Final Evaluation Report

Executive summary: A concise, standalone, document (approximately 3 pages) that summarizes the key issues of the evaluation, main analytical points, conclusions, lessons learned, and recommendations.

Acknowledgement: A section recognizing individuals and organizations that contribute to the evaluation process.

Table of contents: A clear outline of the report’s structure and sections.

List of acronyms and abbreviations: A comprehensive list to assist readers in understanding the terminology used throughout the report.

Main report:

• Key data of the evaluation: Name of the project, project number, duration of the projects/projects to be evaluated, title of the evaluation, principal entity (commissioning the evaluation), contractor responsible for the evaluation, and date of the report.
• Objectives of evaluation: clearly defined goals for what the evaluation aims to achieve. Users of evaluation: Identification of primary stakeholders who will utilize the evaluation findings. 
• Methods used for evaluation: Rationale for chosen methodology, source of data, data collection methods and analysis techniques, participatory methods employed, consideration of cross-cutting issues (gender, inclusion, etc.), and limitations encountered during the evaluation process.
• Key members of the evaluation team: A brief overview with specific roles of team members and their specific roles.
• Description of projects and external context analysis: A concise summary providing context for the project being evaluated.
• Target group and stakeholder analysis: An overview identifying key beneficiaries and stakeholders’ involvement.
• Analysis of programme approaches: A brief assessment of the strategies employed withing the projects. 
• Key findings of the evaluation: Addressing the core questions outlined in the ToR; assessment of the extent to which participatory tools, issues of social inclusion, gender, and rights-based approaches reflected in the projects/programmes.
• Analysis of the relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, impact, and sustainability: A comprehensive evaluation of these key criteria as they pertain to the project or  its components.

Conclusions:

• Evidence-based assessment summarizing overall findings.
• Presentation of ‘lessons learned ’from the evaluation process.

Recommendations:

• Prioritized suggestions for future steps/activities/follow-up – actions.
• Recommendations should be directed to specific actors at all levels and be, relevant and feasible
• Where (possible, provide a recommendation for each conclusion using an; implementation table).

Annexes:

• Final ToR,
• List of persons/ organisations consulted during the evaluation
• Literature and documentation reviewed, , selected photographs documenting the evaluation process)

*Note: The interlinkages between key results/findings, conclusions, and recommendations/lessons learned  must be clear and transparent throughout the report.