Mercy Corps - a humanitaran organization working in more than 40 countries around the world to put bold solutions into action - helping people triumph over adversity and build stronger communities from within, now and for the future. In Nigeria, Mercy Corps operates in over 13 states focusing on key thematic areas of humanitarian response, conflict mitigation and adolescent girls’ empowerment.

POSITION : ENGINE Curriculum Review Consultant

 Description​

• The Educating Nigerian Girls in New Enterprises (ENGINE) programme is funded through the Girls Education Challenge (GEC) of the Department for International Development (DFID) and implemented in Kano, Kaduna, FCT and Lagos. ENGINE II is in its transition (second) phase and will run through March 2020. ENGINE II will work to transform the future of over 21,000 marginalised girls who are aged between 17 and 23 years old by fulfilling their potential in education and work.
• This marginalised girls are classified into In School Girls (ISG) cascaded into different grades and Out of School Girls (OSG) divided into girls dropped out of school, never been to school, and willing to go back to school.
• They will be provided with intervention centred on literacy, numeracy, life skills focussed on improving knowledge on sexual and reproductive health and financial literacy.
• ENGINE will work with various stakeholders and project units to implement linkages for beneficiaries to economic/financial opportunities for business expansion, linkages to scholarship and second chance education opportunities for academic progress and internship/work opportunities and mentorship for sustainable success.
• The programme is to be implemented by a consortium which includes Mercy Corps lead implementer, an external evaluator, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), private and public sector organisations.

The project has three major outcomes which are:

• Improve learning outcomes (literacy, numeracy, financial literacy and life skills),
• Support girls to transition through key stages of education, training and employment,
• Ensure sustainability of changes that are in line with learning and transition.
• ENGINE II is a follow-on to ENGINE I, which was implemented by Mercy Corps (managing partner) in three states of Kano, Kaduna and Lagos and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). The project targeted 18,000 marginalised (in and out of school) girls aged 16 to 19 years old but reached over 21,000.
• The project improved learning outcomes and economic assets for girls while influencing gatekeepers to create enabling environments for girls to thrive.

Beneficiaries

• Adolescent girls/young women aged 17 and 23 years who are marginalised or most vulnerable due to factors such as early marriage, child pregnancy, school drop-out, disabilities and illness or death of parent/spouse. Marginalisation criteria for eligibility into the ENGINE programme are elucidated as adolescent girls who are:
  • Married by or before 18
  • Pregnant or had a child or children before age 18
  • Divorced, widowed, or have a form of disability
  • Orphaned or come from a single headed house hold, and
  • From household with a sick parent or husband
  • These adolescents are faced with barriers and lack access to services and resources that will support them to thrive. ENGINE I supported over 21,000 marginalised girls and engaged with gatekeepers, community leaders, government actors, private sector service providers and schools to replicate the safe space model and ensure sustainability of the project. ENGINE II will continue to work with the 21,000 marginalised girls engaged on ENGINE I and partner with stakeholders/influencers to create an enabling environment in programme schools, communities and across the nation at large. ENGINE will engage trained Safe Space mentors, religious and traditional leaders, schools/community leaders, government actors and service providers to deliver tailored intervention to girls.

Objectives of consultancy assignment:

• From MC ENGINE’s monitoring and evaluation findings, a deeper intervention was seen as expedient and pragmatic to improve the beneficiaries’ literacy and numeracy skills. The evaluation findings further suggested the need to provide specific intervention on sexual and reproductive health (early marriage, unwanted pregnancy etc) acting as strong barriers to girl education and empowerment. These girls already have the basic foundational knowledge on financial literacy, however a review of the curriculum from the perspective of successful stories extracted from the national and international levels will provide an accompanying strategy that will further improve on it.
• The intervention will be centered on basic literacy and numeracy skills, cascaded into different grades such as Junior Secondary School 3, Senior Secondary School 1-3 while the OSG are divided into dropped out, never been to school, and willing to go back to schools.

It is on this premise that this consultancy seek to conduct an in-depth review and analysis of available resources used in teaching literacy and numeracy to adolescent girls. The specific objectives include:

• Desk review of key documents including project documents, similar curricula that have been developed by various agencies, institutions and organizations working with marginalized adolescents. The curricula for review should include: a) Functional literacy and numeracy for both In-School and Out-of-School Girls b) Financial education c) Life Skills (including Reproductive Health and Gender themes).
• Review and develop a comprehensive analysis of all available curricula and learning tools including REFLECT guideline, COMPASS manual, International Labour Organization (ILO) training curriculum, UNICEF literacy curriculum, UNESCO learning tools, Agency for Mass Education adult literacy curriculum, Discovery Learning Alliance curriculum/tools and other relevant curricula/tools from both public and private sector organizations/institutions.
• Review existing curriculum paying attention to the target population of marginalized adolescent girls and young women i.e. age appropriateness and sex
• Produce a comprehensive report and analysis of reviews conducted
• Present analysis to Mercy Corps ENGINE management team
• Incorporate feedback into report and analysis
• Submit three (3) printed and bound copies of the report

Specific Tasks 

• Review methodology and learning tools used to deploy these curricula (e.g. videos, picture codes, games and short fun activities, discussions and stories).
• Develop a report highlighting comparative advantage of each of the curricula review
• Make recommendation on the preferred curricula for ENGINE II based on expert judgement
• Submit a comprehensive report of process and outcome of the review
• With support from MC, review relevant curricula that exist. MC will provide the relevant curricula for review. However, the consultant will also review other documents developed by various agencies, institutions and organizations working with marginalized adolescents that are relevant to this assignment in the form of literacy, numeracy, financial education and basic foundational life skills focused on improving knowledge on sexual and reproductive health.
• Analyze existing curricula developed in the states of Lagos, Kaduna, Kano, and the Federal Capital Territory to determine their gender and age appropriateness and effect on the target beneficiaries

Deliverables:

• A Detailed report highlighting the review process
• Copies of the curricula reviewed
• Recommended curricula and tools

Timing:

• The assignment is planned to take place in July and August 2017.
• The consultant will propose an outline timeframe and indicative budget (in Nigerian currency) in response to this TOR.
• However, it is anticipated that the total number of days work for this consultancy from the point of desk review will be 45 days inclusive of all work and outputs.

Payment and payment schedule

• The first payment of 20% advance of the total agreed contractual amount will be made immediately after the signing of the contract agreement and submission of the work plan for the curricula review.
• The final payment of 80% of the total contractual amount shall be effected to the consultant upon the submission of the final product, incorporating all the necessary reviews as deliberated and agreed upon with Mercy Corps.
• The Consultant will have to pay all the legal taxes according to the Nigeria tax laws.

Minimum Criteria for Submission of Proposal

• Proven practical knowledge of relevant legal instruments and policies on children’s issues;
• Excellent understanding of the education sector including formal and informal;
• Acceptance of Mercy Corps payment terms
• Be a registered company with proof attached (CAC, FIRS Tax Clearance Certificate)
• At least a Master's Degree in Education or any related field in Social Sciences. A PHD preferred.
• Demonstrated track record of no less than six (6) years of experience executing similar curriculum development and review assignments within Nigeria
• Verifiable similar projects executed in the past based on this assignment;
• Previous experience on curriculum review and development;
• Expertise in working with very young adolescents, with focus on girls’ education;
• Good knowledge on accelerated education and learning in Nigeria including diversity issues of North and South;
• High level of experience in curriculum review especially amongst adolescents both in and out of school;
• Demonstrated understanding of transferable/life skills education and financial literacy;
• Excellent writing, analytical, and presentation skills in English required, including report development and editing. Additional excellent Hausa language skills will be an advantage;
• Good interpersonal, administrative and management skills;
• Excellent reporting writing skills (with evidence of reports written in the past);
• Pay attention to details;
• Must be gender sensitive;

Call for Proposals
Mercy Corps invites applications from eligible and qualified individuals or organizations to undertake the work specified in this TOR. Interested parties should submit to Mercy Corps the following:

• A technical proposal responding to the TOR, with specific focus on addressing the Scope of Work, timeline and methodology to be used;
• An initial work plan based on methodology outlined, and confirming availability of the applicant;
• Company or organization profile (where applicable) and CVs of independent consultant(s) who will deliver the work;
• A minimum of 3 references (organization or individual consultant as appropriate);
• Sample of relevant work produced by Consultant / Company within the last 3 years. Applicants who do not submit sample reports will not be considered;
• Financial proposal or budget breakdown based on expected daily rates and initial work plan.

How To Apply
Candidates should send their CV to: ng-submissions@mercycorps.org with “ENGINE Curriculum Review Consultant” as the subject