National consultant for conducting Formative Evaluation of (Home-based) Early Childhood Care and Development Interventions in Bhutan

Consultant Programme & Policy Monitoring & Evaluation

Contract

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For every child, Equal Rights

The Royal Government of Bhutan recognizes Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) as a critical foundation for lifelong learning. As a result, Bhutan has made significant progress in expanding access to Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) services in recent years. The number of ECCD centres increased from 307 in 2017 to 525 in 2023, with the number of children attending ECCD increasing from 7,250 (3,668 F) in 2017 to 13,012 (6,378 F) in 2023.The Net Enrolment Rate (NER) for ECCD, which measures the proportion of children aged 3-5 years attending ECCD, increased to 37.6 per cent in 2023, up from 21.8 per cent in 2017. This represents a significant increase in access to ECCD services in Bhutan. The expansion of ECCD has been supported by a variety of partners, including public, private, corporate, and non-governmental organizations. The number of ECCD facilitators has also increased from 672 in 2017 to 909 in 2023, with a notable 90 per cent of them being female.

While Bhutan has made progress in increasing access to ECCD, it is far from realizing its commitment to increase access to ECCD centres to at least 50 per cent of children aged 3-5 years by 2024 and the SDG goal of 100 per cent enrolment by 2030. As noted above, only 38 per cent of preschool-aged children were enrolled in ECCD centres as of 2023. Enrolling the remaining 62 per cent, particularly children in remote settlements, is a greater challenge.

Bhutan’s mountainous terrain and scattered village settlements continue to pose challenges for the Ministry of Education and Skills Development (MoESD) to ensure that all preschool-aged children have access to early learning. The Royal Government of Bhutan approves the establishment of a community ECCD centre only if the village has a minimum of 15 preschoolers. This implies that villages with fewer than 15 preschoolers are not eligible for centre based ECCD programmes and children from these villages are more likely to be left behind from their earliest years. Therefore, the existing model of community based ECCD centre is highly unlikely to serve the needs of smaller communities considering that such villages will not fulfill the criterion for establishment of ECCD centres.

To address these issues, the need to develop contextualized alternative ECCD models became a priority. In 2020, as a response to COVID-19-relatedcentre closures, UNICEF supplied home-based kits to children in vulnerable communities to ensure early learning continuity. The supply of this initial batch of home-based kits triggered a demand for more kits to facilitate home-based early learning interventions. Parenting education became the foundation of learning continuity during COVID-19 through remote and face-to-face sessions and supply of home-based learning and hygiene kits in all 20 districts. The support for home-based learning and hygiene kits led to the introduction of Home-Based ECCD interventions (HBI) for children and parents in extremely remote locations.

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How can you make a difference?

The overall purpose of the formative evaluation is to generate evidence that could be used strengthen the ECCD programme and enhance the achievement of programme results. The lessons learned and recommendations from this evaluation will be integrated during the implementation of this home-based programme which blends the mobile ECCD facilitator programme with parenting education. This formative evaluation will produce clear recommendations on adjustments needed to improve performance, in the delivery of programme to achieve desired results for children and parents including those in hard-to-reach communities.

Specifically, the evaluation will:

1. Assess the relevance, efficiency, effectiveness, and sustainability of the home-based ECCD interventions.
2. Document lessons learned and best practices to strengthen the programme in terms of coverage and quality.
3. Build a Theory of Change around the ECCD home based programme and the ECCD sector discussing on the impact the programme will have on the lives of children in Bhutan, using a cross-sectoral lens embedded in the Nurturing Care Framework (NCF) for holistic development and wellbeing of all children.
4. Provide a set of actionable recommendations (including systemic and strategic) for scale up for the Government and partners with a focus on multi-sectoral interventions to ensure quality, relevance, and sustainability.

Methodology

The evaluation is expected to adopt a mix of quantitative and qualitative approaches including document review, stakeholder interviews, field visits, system analyses, and cost/benefit analyses. It will use both primary and secondary data sources and should provide disaggregated (age, sex, district, location, disability) data including the information collected for baseline study for ECCD programme in 2020.

Overall methodological approach and design for the evaluation must be detailed out. The consultant will need to show an outstanding command of different methods available that will ensure a high-quality evaluation, and thus this section is under-described on purpose.

Methods for data collection: The evaluation methodology should include multiple methods (triangulation) preferably with analysis of both quantitative and qualitative data.

Desk review: Of existing literature, as well as of existing programme documents, policy frameworks, National Plan of Action, and other relevant documents that have been produced in Bhutan and in relevant similar contexts. This is expected to take place during the inception period, and should help identify knowledge gaps, should start informing the evaluation matrix and should help develop the data collection tools. The consultant needs to be in the capacity to identify key documents to review and ask UNICEF to complement when these are not available in the public domain.

Review of secondary quantitative data: Wherever possible, the consultant should analyze available data.

Qualitative data collection: Focus group discussions and key informant interviews with key stakeholders will be conducted. When organizing focus group discussions, attention will be given to ensure gender balance, geographic distribution, and cultural sensitivity, representation of population groups and representation of the stakeholders/duty bearers at all levels (policy/service providers/target groups/communities). The evaluation team/consultant must detail in the technical bid the characteristics of each sample: how it is selected, the rationale for the selection, and the limitations of the sample for interpreting evaluation results.

Quantitative data collection: It is suggested that an online survey is used to collect responses from UNICEF and key stakeholders/partners. The inception report will contain the questionnaire and guidance to the online survey process. If a different way of collecting data is perceived superior, or if the high risks of non-response rates are perceived to high by the bidder, alternatives can be suggested in the proposal. The consultant could consider household survey if there is a dearth of information.

It should list all the relevant stakeholders including beneficiaries, namely the children and their parents. Thus, sampling must be purposive, covering all relevant stakeholders and expected beneficiaries.

Data Analysis: The evaluation matrix will provide the guiding structure for data analysis for all components of the evaluation. The evaluation questions will be used to structure data analysis. The data collection and analysis methods in the TOR are sufficiently rigorous to assess the subject of the evaluation and ensure a complete, fair, and unbiased assessment. For example, there will be sufficient data to address all evaluation questions. The following methods of data analysis and synthesis are encouraged to be used:

Descriptive analysis - to identify and understand the contexts in which the programme has evolved, and to describe the types of interventions and other characteristics of the programme.

Content analysis - to analyze documents, interviews, group discussions and focus groups notes and qualitative data from the survey to identify emerging common trends, themes, and patterns for each key evaluation question, at all levels of analyses. Content analysis can be used to highlight diverging views and opposing trends. The emerging issues and trends provide the basis for preliminary observations and evaluation findings.

Contribution analysis - to assess the extent to which the programme contributed to expected results. The team is encouraged to gather evidence to confirm the validity of the theory of change in different contexts, and to identify any logical and information gaps that it contained; examine whether and what types of alternative explanations/reasons exist for noted changes; test assumptions, examine influencing factors, and identify alternative assumptions for each pathway of change.

Cost-effectiveness analysis –The consultant should explore the possibility of estimating the cost-effectiveness for the whole programme by looking at the resources that have used on the programme to date.

Logical and explicit linkages must be provided between data sources, data collection methods and analysis methods. The evaluation will follow UNEG norms and standards for evaluations, as well as standard ethical guidelines. An evaluation matrix will be developed detailing evaluation questions under each criterion and will be mapped with respective study tools. The evaluation methodology must explicitly and clearly state the limitations of the chosen evaluation methods. Training of enumerators who will be recruited to collect data should be conducted by the consultant.

Inception report that is in line with the inception report template.30th July 202410 daysData collection, analysis, and short briefings to EMT; presentation on findings, conclusions, recommendations and sensemaking; and first draft report15 Aug 2024 to 30 Sept 202445 daysPresentation of report and incorporation of comments15 October 20245 daysFinal report submission as per ToR and in line with the UNICEF evaluation report standards 30 October 202410 days

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

• A minimum of master’s degree or equivalent in data science, demography, statistics, epidemiology, anthropology, sociology, development and social studies, education, human rights, and gender or another related technical field.
• • A team leader/consultant with a minimum of master’s degree or equivalent in data science, demography, statistics, epidemiology, anthropology, sociology, development and social studies, education, human rights, and gender or another related technical field
  • Support team member with master’s degree or equivalent in data science, demography, statistics, epidemiology, anthropology, sociology, development and social studies, Education, human rights, and gender or another related technical field
  • Support team member with a minimum of 7 years of professional technical experience in conducting studies/ surveys particularly programme evaluations.
  • Proven experience in conducting evaluations and assessments in muti-sector projects in ECCD and/or education.

  • Strong qualifications in quasi-experimental evaluation methods and performing multi variate statistical data analysis (both quantitative and qualitative)

  • Strong analytical and writing skills, ability to conceptualize, plan and prepare analytical plans.

  • Expertise in communications and facilitation skills, including the capacity to conduct consultative meetings and consolidate key points, engaging in evidence-based policy dialogue with Government and other key stakeholders. Fluency in English language with excellent writing skills.
  • Excellent technical experience in socio-economic research.
  • Demonstration of knowledge in ECCD will be an added advantage.
  • Prior experience with similar assignments completed and conducting evaluations and studies for the UN or government institutions would be an advantage.

  Proposal should include the following:

  • Consultant’s qualification and experience with detailed CV.
  • Approach and methodology that will be followed in executing the assignment.
  • A lump sum fee in local currency indicating a breakdown of professional fees for the anticipated number of working days/months, including fee for travel if local travel is required.
  • Name(s) of collaborator(s) with CVs (if applicable) with their full curriculum vitae.
  • Reference to similar work (final products or links to previous work need to be shared along with the proposal)

Potential candidates will be interviewed prior to selection.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS).

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment.

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

Remarks:

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws.

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.

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Added 2 hours ago - Updated 2 hours ago - Source: unicef.org