TERMS OF REFERENCE
for a local NGO which will conduct field work data gathering helping at the
“Review of the preschool standards in Albania”
Location:
Application Deadline:
Albania
2 September 2013
Primary Category:
Early Childhood Development
Languages Required:
English
Starting Date :
(date when the selected candidate is expected to start)
Number of working days:
16 September 2013
30 days
Background
Research from around the world consistently shows that investing in quality early learning
programs is one of the most effective ways to reduce child mortality, achieve universal primary
education and improve children’s success in school, promote gender equality and empower
women, increase incomes and reduce costs to society.
The gains tend to be the highest when early childhood investments target the youngest children
and the most disadvantaged groups. All aspects of adult human capital, from work force skills to
cooperative and lawful behavior, build on capacities that are developed during childhood,
beginning at birth.
On the other side, poor quality Early Childhood Education have no effect or even a negative
effect. Inferior-quality care, at home or outside the home, can affect language, social
development, and school performance that are more difficult to remedy at a later stage. The
positive effects from high-quality programs and the negative effects from poor-quality programs
are magnified for children from disadvantaged situations or with special needs, and yet these
children are least likely to have access to quality early education and child care.
In order to comply with the highest standards on Early Childhood Development including those
of the EU commission which identifies preprimary education as a priority for member states,
MOES and the Institute of Development of Education in Albania have created a whole set of
resource materials and policy documents to guide the early learning in Albania. Among the first
documents developed, were the preschool standards namely the Standards of Preschools
content( 2002) and the Achievement Standards for preschool ( 2004) which have paved the
way for development of a series of other important documents such as curricula for age group
3, 4 and 5, preschool strategy and other resource material for preschool teachers.
Fairness towards the poorest children does not only mean policy frameworks in Early Childhood
Development services but also implementation of those policies that provide quality ECD
services to children that are most in need. To this end, MOEs and UNICEF have decided in the
2013 work plan to develop an analysis review of the to-date implementation of the preschool
standards in Albania.
While an International Consultant has started working on this assignment with the review of the
documents, a local NGO will be needed to conduct field work in Albania in order to asses from
the end users perspective how and to what extent have the standards been used.
Overall goal
The field work data gathering will collect information on the following research issues based on
the attached tools:




What has been the usage of the preschool standards (content and achievement standards)
by DoE-s, preschool teachers, public and non-public? Are the standards users friendly
and applicable?
Are the preschool standards (content and achievement standards) aligned with the latest
developments of the education system in Albania including preschool curriculum,
strategy of preschool etc.)
Are the standards of preschool education encouraging adequate inclusive early learning
for all children with a focus on the most marginalized?
What are a series of concrete recommendations to MOES and policy makers in order to
update improve the preschool standards in Albania?
Scope of Work
Under the direct supervision of UNICEF and technical assistance of an International Consultant
the local NGO will help to undertake the data gathering field work, which will feed into the
development of the review of the preschool standards document in Albania.
The local NGO is expected to fulfill the following:


Conduct field work (interviews, focus groups, observation etc. (as described in the annex
2) to gather information on the usage of the standards, the weaknesses and strengths
through conducting interviews and focus groups through using a protocol of tools
developed by the IC.
Analyze the data and prepare processed report
The field work will gather information from 50 parents with different socioeconomic status
including Roma, 100 teachers (from the North of Albania Tropoja, Kukes; South Gjirokastara,
Central Tirana/ Durres / Elbasan including their suburban areas, 15 officials from MOES at
central and local level, 3 observation in three preschools.
Instruments
1:
Focus Groups with teachers
2:
Focus Groups with parents
3:
Observations in two classrooms, randomly selected, at 23 centers
4:
Interview with Observed Teachers
5:
Interviews with Policy Makers/Ministry Officials.
Deliverables and Timeframe
It is expected that the local NGO shall begin work on September 16, 2013. The NGO will liaise
at all times with UNICEF officer on ECD well as with the IC. The local NGO will be
responsible for delivering of the following outputs. The contract will last 30 working days.
Deliverable
Working days and
tentative calendar
1.
Task 1. Participate in a four day workshop with the IC in order to train
the interviewers on the data gathering techniques.
4 days
2.
Task 2. Conducting interviews, focus groups, observations through
using a protocol of tools developed by the IC in order to gather
information on the usage, strengths and weaknesses of the standards.
16 days
3.
Task 3. Analyse the data and send the consolidated report to IC and
UNICEF including consolidating comments from both IC and UNICEF
10 days
No
Payment
The assignment will be remunerated upon delivery of the agreed outputs. Payment will be made in two
instalments:

30% upon signing the contract

70% upon submission of the full consolidated and agreed report
Required skills Experience

Demonstrated experience of conducting research (both qualitative and quantitative) in a timely
manner

Demonstrated statistical analysis skills, including proficiency with statistical software packages (such
as STATA, Epi-Info or SPSS);

Evidence of Infrastructure and human resources necessary to cover all selected areas in Albania.

Good facilitation skills and demonstrated experience of conducting participatory assessments.

Previous experience in conducting ECD work/ research will be an advantage

Excellent writing skills in English
Interested institutions are requested to submit:
1. A letter of interest indicating the reasons why the organization is capable of
implementing the assignment.
2. Description of methodology implementation as per given tools, alongside with the budget
as per given format and schedule/organization of field work
3. Legal documents including the VAT status of the organization
4. Short abstracts of similar work along with publication reports, where applicable.
5. A curriculum vitae of the organization and the core staff
Application procedure and selection criteria
Applicants will be required to send to UNICEF Office and leave at the Reception Desk the set of
required documentation, in a sealed envelope labelled “Application for a local NGO which will
conduct field work data gathering helping at the “Review of the preschool standards in
Albania” by the deadline of September 2, 2013. Envelopes that are not closed and sealed will
not be considered
United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF)
Str. "Skenderbej", Volkswagen Building, 3rd floor, Tirana, Albania
phone: +355 42 273 335/6/7/8/9 ext. 22 fax: +355 42 243 775/6
website: www.unicef.org/albania
The consultant(s) will be selected based on their previous relevant experience, composition of
the team who will conduct the research, strength of the arguments explaining the suitability of
the applicant(s) for the job and reasonability of the budget.
Annex 1. Budget table (based on the tools, methodology attached and locations, please fill
in the budgets table as requested)*
№
1.0
2.0
3.0
4.0
5.0
6.0
7.0
8.0
9.0
10.0
11.0
Line Item
Project team (specified budget line for all the team roles
)
Observation fee
Focus groups fee
Interviews fee
Data analysis
Per diem
Transportation costs
Translation (English to Albanian, Albanian to English ),
100 pages in total
Telecommunication
Stationery
Overhead
Total budget
The amounts proposed should be excluded from VAT.
Unit Description
Salary/person/ month
Salary./person/day
Salary/Day/person
Salary/Day/Person
Salary/Person/Day
Expense/Person/Day
Km/Day/person
Fee/page
Expense/Project
Expense/Project
In percentage
Cost
proposal
Anne II: Methodology
Section I Purpose and Research Questions
The purpose of the consultancy and study is to examine the degree to which the standards
are actually being used in a sample of contexts in Albania. The study also aims to discern the
reasons for the standards’ use or non-use. When the standards are being used, the study will
discern precisely how and with what effect the standards are being implemented. Specifically,
the study will discern:
 Have the preschool standards been applied in Albanian preschools?
 How and to what extent have the standards been used in Albanian preschools?
 What challenges have teachers and other users encountered when attempting to use
the standards?
 What about the standards should be altered to make them more usable?
 How have the standards promoted a more inclusive preschool environment?
Section III: Method
In order to discern the answers to these questions, feedback will be sought from diverse
groups of end-users and policy makers. It is anticipated that feedback will be obtained from
preschool teachers, parents, ministry officials at the State and district levels. Teachers’ actual
practice in preschools will be observed; focus groups and interviews will also be held. Data
collectors will be trained according to scientific strategies where inter-rater reliability will be
sought. Approvals to collect the data, including participant consent permissions, will be obtained
by members of the Albanian NGO. Data will be collected, cleaned, and analyzed, and a final
report prepared. The international consultant will assist the Albanian team in all phases of the
project, with a special focus on protocol development, team training, and report review and
editing.
Section IV: Participants
In an effort to obtain diverse perspectives, data will be collected by the Albanian team
(NGO ) from the following groups:
 Parents: 50 parents representing minority/majority groups from different districts;
 Teachers: 100 teachers representing different geographic regions of the country (e.g.,
Tropoja, Kukes, Gjirokastara, Tirana and Durres including those who live in remote
areas and representing the public and private sectors;
 MoES Officials: 2 individuals from MoES; 15 individuals at eh Regional and Local
Departments of Education, including those who are in charge of preschool
directorates;
 Preschool Classrooms: At least 2-3 preschools
Section V: Instruments
Five kinds of instruments will be used, with each described more fully below:
V.1:
Focus Groups with teachers
V.2:
Focus Groups with parents
V.3:
Observations in two classrooms, randomly selected, at 2-3 cetners
V.4:
Interview with Observed Teachers
V.5:
Interviews with Policy Makers/Ministry Officials.
V.1:
Focus Groups with Teachers
A:
General focus group protocols
B:
Questions:
I. Achievement Standards
 When and how did you become aware of the Achievement Standards?
 What was your initial reaction to them?
 Were you given training in their use?
 How do you use them now?
 How do you plan to use them in the future?
 What are the strengths of the Achievement Standards?
 What are weaknesses of the Achievement Standards?
 If there were one thing you could change about the Achievement Standards,
what would it be and why?
II. Content Standards
 When and how did you become aware of the Content Standards?
 What was your initial reaction to them?
 Were you given training in their use?
 How do you use them now?
 How do you plan to use them in the future?
 What are the strengths of the Content Standards?
 What are weaknesses of the Content Standards?
 If there were one thing you could change about the Content Standards, what
would it be and why?
III. Relationship between Achievement and Content Standards


How do you see these two documents relating to one another?
Do you use one more than the other? Why?
IV. Changes as a result of the Achievement and Content Standards
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V.2:
Has anything changed in your teaching as a result of having these documents?
What? Why? Why not?
Do you regard the Achievement and Content Standards as helpful to you in
your daily work? Why? Why not?
In an ideal circumstance, what is your ideal use of the Achievement and
Content Standards?
How are the Achievement and Content Standards monitored? Reviewed?
Focus Groups with Parents
A: General Focus Group Protocols
B: Questions:
I.
Achievement Standards
 When and how did you become aware of the Achievement Standards?
 What do you think of the “idea” of Achievement Standards?
 What and how do think Achievement Standards can contribute to your
children’s development, to community development?
 How are the Achievement Standards being used?
 How could they be better used?
 What would it take to have them be better understood and used?
II.
Content Standards

When and how did you become aware of the content Standards?

What do you think of the “idea” of Content Standards?

What and how do think Content Standards can contribute to your
children’s development, to community development?

How are the Content Standards being used?

How could they be better used?

What would it take to have them be better understood and used?
V.3:

Observations in two randomly selected classrooms in 2-3 centers
An instrument will be developed or adapted for this purpose. The instrument will
reflect Albanian and international indicators of quality preschool settings.
V.4:
Interview with Observed Teachers
A. Understanding What was Observed
o Is there anything unusual that happened today while I observed in your
program?
o Is there anything I should be aware of that is atypical of a normal day (e.g.,
more/fewer children in attendance)?
o Do you use the standards differently on different days? If so, why and how?
o Is there anything that happened while I observed that particularly pleased you?
Distressed you?
B. Understanding the Achievement Standards
 When and how did you become aware of the Achievement Standards?
 What was your initial reaction to them?
 Were you given training in their use?
 How do you use them now?
 How do you plan to use them in the future?
 What are the strengths of the Achievement Standards?
 What are weaknesses of the Achievement Standards?
 If there were one thing you could change about the Achievement Standards,
what would it be and why?
C. Understanding the Content Standards
 When and how did you become aware of the Content Standards?
 What was your initial reaction to them?






Were you given training in their use?
How do you use them now?
How do you plan to use them in the future?
What are the strengths of the Content Standards?
What are weaknesses of the Content Standards?
If there were one thing you could change about the Content Standards, what
would it be and why?
D. Using the Standards
 Has anything changed in your teaching as a result of having these documents?
What? Why? Why not?
 Do you regard the Achievement and Content Standards as helpful to you in
your daily work? Why? Why not?
 In an ideal circumstance, what is your ideal use of the Achievement and
Content Standards?
 Is there anything else you would like to tell us about the standards?
V.5: Interview with Policy Makers/Ministry Officials
A. Opening Words
 Thanks for the time
 Seeking personal responses to Questions
 Your responses will be kept anonymous and not attributed to you
 Questions about the past, present, and future with regard to Achievement and
Content Standards
B. Information about the Informant
 Can you tell me a little about yourself and how you got to this job?
 What is the nature of your current work?
 How do the preschool achievement and content standards fit into your job?
C. Achievement Standards
 When and how did you become aware of the Achievement Standards?
 Where you involved in their development? How?
 What was your initial reaction to them?
 What did you hope they would accomplish?
 How are they currently being used?
 How do people react to them?
 How might they be better used in the future?
 What are the strengths of the Achievement Standards?
 What are weaknesses of the Achievement Standards?
 If there were one thing you could change about the Achievement Standards, what
would it be and why?
D. Content Standards
 When and how did you become aware of the Content Standards?
 Where you involved in their development? How?
 What was your initial reaction to them?








What did you hope they would accomplish?
How are they currently being used?
How do people react to them?
How might they be better used in the future?
What are the strengths of the Content Standards?
What are weaknesses of the Content Standards?
If there were one thing you could change about the Content Standards, what would
it be and why?
What do you see as the future for the standards?
E. Closing Comments
 Is there anything you would like to add?