Roma Education Fund: External Evaluator "Alliance for Inclusion of Roma in Education" - Macedonia
The project is granted by Roma Education Fund (REF) and is an enhancement of the secondary school component of the Roma Education Program that has been implemented by FOSIM since 2004.
The goal of the project is through positive interventions to improve the retention and achievement rate of targeted Roma students enrolled in secondary education in the country.
The project has two main intervening components:
1. To provide Roma secondary school students with financial support
2. To provide Roma secondary school students with school-based mentorship support
Since the project inception, 657 Roma high school students were granted with scholarship and mentor support provided by 149 teachers elected through a public competition from 78 schools in 25 cities in
In the second year of the project, 242 students with GPA over 3.0 (and the 4th year students with GPA over 3.5) were granted with yearly scholarship of up to 480 EURO and 194 students with GPA below 3.0 with partial stipend of 100 EURO. Mentorship support was provided by 115 Mentors.
In the third year of the project, 189 students with very good and excellent achievement (with a GPA over 3.5) were given a scholarship and the mentoring support by 64 teachers within 57 secondary schools was extended in 2007/08.
In the fourth project year, 111 students enrolled in the final school year in 2008/09 with GPA over 3.5 and 7 students with three year vocational secondary education who have shown an interest to acquire four year secondary education were granted with stipends and mentoring support by 46 teachers within 20 cities in the country.
FOSIM has well developed system of data collection through regular quartile reports from the mentors and students consisting on the following patterns and data parameters: grades per school subjects, average GPA, the number of failing grades (if any), and the absenteeism rate.
Some preliminary analyses have already been conducted (in the form of data tables on GPAs over time, overall retention/graduation rate) which will be made available.
Project expected results:
- Increased number of enrolled Roma students to secondary education
- Increased retention and achievement rate of targeted Roma secondary school students
- Increased transition rate of Roma students from secondary to tertiary education
- Increased motivation and self-confidence
External evaluations have been carried out each year that the project has been operational. REF and FOSIM in cooperation with the MoES now wish to carry out a final external project evaluation of Alliance for Inclusion of Roma in education scholarship program and gather information of other similar programs and their effects and efficiency on Roma education inclusion in Macedona.
Duties and Responsibilities
The objective of the assignment is to perform an external evaluation to assess the implemented scholarship programme goals and activities as well the programme achievements and efficiency in the course of the programme indicators and outcomes and to look for complementary activities that might be incorporated within this programme contributing to increased Roma students’ education and academic achievements. The external evaluation shall provide professional and operational support as necessary during the preparation and carry out other professional tasks as requested by REF and FOSIM in line with the objective.
Specific duties include
Methodology
The evaluator shall propose work plan and appropriate methodology to answer the assigned requirements and commitment to the best of his/her ability.
The REF expects evaluator to apply participative planning methodology involving all stakeholders and decision makers as fully appropriate.
The evaluator will be provided with reading materials, documents and all necessary background information by FOSIM, Ministry of Education and Science and REF evidence of data.
Tasks and Responsibilities
The evaluator shall review the operations of the Scholarship Programme from the following perspectives:
- To examine the evidence of data that would be provided by FOSIM, MoES, REF and other institutions if needed;
- Meet with a selection of project beneficiaries (approximately 6 beneficiaries in each of two locations—one in
- Visit two schools where there were a significant number of project beneficiaries and identify the academic progress of Roma who were not in the cohort of project beneficiaries and also of non-Roma who were in the cohort of project beneficiaries
- Evaluate the relationship between set and completed goals after four years of the project implementation and compare with the baseline;
- Real assessment of completed project activities, including the efficiency of implementation;
- Programme indicators, impact and outcomes – procedures and learning of the outcomes. (Number of indicators for measuring efficiency might be proposed if the evaluation shows the necessity of it);
- Evaluation of the project mission management;
- Evaluation of project impact on a policy level;
- Monitoring and evaluation of the allocation to individual Roma students (i.e. whether the funds reached the intended recipients) based on representative statistics example;
- Identify particularly strong aspects of the project, including those that might be considered best practice, and aspects of the project that might have been executed more effectively;
- Database, baseline data and record keeping, access to information on the Programme and the decisions, publicity of the Programme.
- Are there any specific strategic issues that should be addressed looking at the future
Additional specific tasks:
The evaluation shall provide comparative analysis in the course of the following parameters:
- Achieved transition/retention rate (%) of the students supported with stipends on a project yearly base vs. projected transition/retention rate;
- Average GPA and regular attendance (excused and unexcused attendance) in regard of the type of the school (gymnasium, vocational four year, vocational three year, males, females);
- How does the academic progress (transition/retention rate, attendance and GPA) of project beneficiaries compare with other comparison groups (based on the evidence gathered from the two schools or from other sources)?
The evaluation shall also answer the following questions:
- How/what is the influence of the project on the motivation for education of the granted students?
- What was the influence of the project on a student motivation to continue their education in tertiary education?
- What and how much influences the project students’ motivation and self-confidence?
- What and how much the project has contributed and/or influences students’ education achievements?
- What was the ratio of rural vs. urban Roma student beneficiaries; household income related measure (if data already collected); usage of Romani language in family.
- The cooperation between mentors and students?
- The cooperation between mentors and teachers?
- The cooperation between mentors and parents?
- What was the role/support by the parents for the project in general?
For the graduate students from the last school year (as well when ever possible for the students that have lost the scholarship support during the project implementation) through the prepared questionnaires it is needed to be acquired the following basic data: did they continue their education in the tertiary education system or not (if yes, university, what kind of study selected, number of acquired enrolment credits, did they enter within the quota for national minorities’ or the state quota). The data shall be processed and presented in tables and graphs.
Reporting
The external evaluator will report to the appointed representatives of the clients, Mr. Shemsi Shainov, Senior Program Officer of REF and Mrs. Spomenka Lazarevska, FOSIM Education Director or other client’s representatives from time to time appointed.
These representatives will provide comments on the draft external evaluation, which the evaluator shall incorporate and use to prepare the final deliverables. The final deliverable is expected to be approximately 30-35 pages in Times New Roman format, including an executive summary of 2-3 pages, but excluding any annexes and tables.
Duration
The starting date of the assignment is October 15, 2009. The foreseen finishing date of the assignment is November15, 2009. The assignment is expected to take 20 working days to complete. The activity plan/methodology should be presented before the completion of 5 working days. The draft research paper should be presented after approximately 15 working days.
Working language
The working languages are English and Macedonian. All deliverables should be provided in English language.
Deliverables
- activity plan/methodology program
- draft final external evaluation document
- final external evaluation document
Working conditions
The FOSIM office will provide external evaluator with all logistics supports, introduce the evaluator to the key contacts for this work, arrange all necessary meetings with relevant institutions, stake holders and selected recipients of the scholarship program and organize transport if required.
Required skills/experience/competencies
· Previous experience in conducting external evaluations and education researches
· Substantial knowledge and experience in Education system in
· Substantial knowledge and experience in Education system in the Balkans will be an advantage
· Knowledge of scholarship programming standards and principles in the Balkans
· Understanding of Roma education issues and practical work experience in the Balkans is preferable
· Excellent oral and written English
· Excellent communication skills
· Participatory and interactive approach
· Demonstrated effective interpersonal skills
The goal of the project is through positive interventions to improve the retention and achievement rate of targeted Roma students enrolled in secondary education in the country.
The project has two main intervening components:
1. To provide Roma secondary school students with financial support
2. To provide Roma secondary school students with school-based mentorship support
Since the project inception, 657 Roma high school students were granted with scholarship and mentor support provided by 149 teachers elected through a public competition from 78 schools in 25 cities in
In the second year of the project, 242 students with GPA over 3.0 (and the 4th year students with GPA over 3.5) were granted with yearly scholarship of up to 480 EURO and 194 students with GPA below 3.0 with partial stipend of 100 EURO. Mentorship support was provided by 115 Mentors.
In the third year of the project, 189 students with very good and excellent achievement (with a GPA over 3.5) were given a scholarship and the mentoring support by 64 teachers within 57 secondary schools was extended in 2007/08.
In the fourth project year, 111 students enrolled in the final school year in 2008/09 with GPA over 3.5 and 7 students with three year vocational secondary education who have shown an interest to acquire four year secondary education were granted with stipends and mentoring support by 46 teachers within 20 cities in the country.
FOSIM has well developed system of data collection through regular quartile reports from the mentors and students consisting on the following patterns and data parameters: grades per school subjects, average GPA, the number of failing grades (if any), and the absenteeism rate.
Some preliminary analyses have already been conducted (in the form of data tables on GPAs over time, overall retention/graduation rate) which will be made available.
Project expected results:
- Increased number of enrolled Roma students to secondary education
- Increased retention and achievement rate of targeted Roma secondary school students
- Increased transition rate of Roma students from secondary to tertiary education
- Increased motivation and self-confidence
External evaluations have been carried out each year that the project has been operational. REF and FOSIM in cooperation with the MoES now wish to carry out a final external project evaluation of Alliance for Inclusion of Roma in education scholarship program and gather information of other similar programs and their effects and efficiency on Roma education inclusion in Macedona.
Duties and Responsibilities
The objective of the assignment is to perform an external evaluation to assess the implemented scholarship programme goals and activities as well the programme achievements and efficiency in the course of the programme indicators and outcomes and to look for complementary activities that might be incorporated within this programme contributing to increased Roma students’ education and academic achievements. The external evaluation shall provide professional and operational support as necessary during the preparation and carry out other professional tasks as requested by REF and FOSIM in line with the objective.
Specific duties include
Methodology
The evaluator shall propose work plan and appropriate methodology to answer the assigned requirements and commitment to the best of his/her ability.
The REF expects evaluator to apply participative planning methodology involving all stakeholders and decision makers as fully appropriate.
The evaluator will be provided with reading materials, documents and all necessary background information by FOSIM, Ministry of Education and Science and REF evidence of data.
Tasks and Responsibilities
The evaluator shall review the operations of the Scholarship Programme from the following perspectives:
- To examine the evidence of data that would be provided by FOSIM, MoES, REF and other institutions if needed;
- Meet with a selection of project beneficiaries (approximately 6 beneficiaries in each of two locations—one in
- Visit two schools where there were a significant number of project beneficiaries and identify the academic progress of Roma who were not in the cohort of project beneficiaries and also of non-Roma who were in the cohort of project beneficiaries
- Evaluate the relationship between set and completed goals after four years of the project implementation and compare with the baseline;
- Real assessment of completed project activities, including the efficiency of implementation;
- Programme indicators, impact and outcomes – procedures and learning of the outcomes. (Number of indicators for measuring efficiency might be proposed if the evaluation shows the necessity of it);
- Evaluation of the project mission management;
- Evaluation of project impact on a policy level;
- Monitoring and evaluation of the allocation to individual Roma students (i.e. whether the funds reached the intended recipients) based on representative statistics example;
- Identify particularly strong aspects of the project, including those that might be considered best practice, and aspects of the project that might have been executed more effectively;
- Database, baseline data and record keeping, access to information on the Programme and the decisions, publicity of the Programme.
- Are there any specific strategic issues that should be addressed looking at the future
Additional specific tasks:
The evaluation shall provide comparative analysis in the course of the following parameters:
- Achieved transition/retention rate (%) of the students supported with stipends on a project yearly base vs. projected transition/retention rate;
- Average GPA and regular attendance (excused and unexcused attendance) in regard of the type of the school (gymnasium, vocational four year, vocational three year, males, females);
- How does the academic progress (transition/retention rate, attendance and GPA) of project beneficiaries compare with other comparison groups (based on the evidence gathered from the two schools or from other sources)?
The evaluation shall also answer the following questions:
- How/what is the influence of the project on the motivation for education of the granted students?
- What was the influence of the project on a student motivation to continue their education in tertiary education?
- What and how much influences the project students’ motivation and self-confidence?
- What and how much the project has contributed and/or influences students’ education achievements?
- What was the ratio of rural vs. urban Roma student beneficiaries; household income related measure (if data already collected); usage of Romani language in family.
- The cooperation between mentors and students?
- The cooperation between mentors and teachers?
- The cooperation between mentors and parents?
- What was the role/support by the parents for the project in general?
For the graduate students from the last school year (as well when ever possible for the students that have lost the scholarship support during the project implementation) through the prepared questionnaires it is needed to be acquired the following basic data: did they continue their education in the tertiary education system or not (if yes, university, what kind of study selected, number of acquired enrolment credits, did they enter within the quota for national minorities’ or the state quota). The data shall be processed and presented in tables and graphs.
Reporting
The external evaluator will report to the appointed representatives of the clients, Mr. Shemsi Shainov, Senior Program Officer of REF and Mrs. Spomenka Lazarevska, FOSIM Education Director or other client’s representatives from time to time appointed.
These representatives will provide comments on the draft external evaluation, which the evaluator shall incorporate and use to prepare the final deliverables. The final deliverable is expected to be approximately 30-35 pages in Times New Roman format, including an executive summary of 2-3 pages, but excluding any annexes and tables.
Duration
The starting date of the assignment is October 15, 2009. The foreseen finishing date of the assignment is November15, 2009. The assignment is expected to take 20 working days to complete. The activity plan/methodology should be presented before the completion of 5 working days. The draft research paper should be presented after approximately 15 working days.
Working language
The working languages are English and Macedonian. All deliverables should be provided in English language.
Deliverables
- activity plan/methodology program
- draft final external evaluation document
- final external evaluation document
Working conditions
The FOSIM office will provide external evaluator with all logistics supports, introduce the evaluator to the key contacts for this work, arrange all necessary meetings with relevant institutions, stake holders and selected recipients of the scholarship program and organize transport if required.
Required skills/experience/competencies
· Previous experience in conducting external evaluations and education researches
· Substantial knowledge and experience in Education system in
· Substantial knowledge and experience in Education system in the Balkans will be an advantage
· Knowledge of scholarship programming standards and principles in the Balkans
· Understanding of Roma education issues and practical work experience in the Balkans is preferable
· Excellent oral and written English
· Excellent communication skills
· Participatory and interactive approach
· Demonstrated effective interpersonal skills
How to apply
Please send propose work plan and appropriate methodology to answer the assigned requirements, a motivation letter (maximum 1 page), your CV and/or company profile as well your financial offer to Mr. Shemsi Shainov, Senior Program Officer sainov@romaeducationfund.org no later than October 14, 2009. Please mention the name of the position (External Evaluator "
Please send propose work plan and appropriate methodology to answer the assigned requirements, a motivation letter (maximum 1 page), your CV and/or company profile as well your financial offer to Mr. Shemsi Shainov, Senior Program Officer sainov@romaeducationfund.org no later than October 14, 2009. Please mention the name of the position (External Evaluator "