Adult Learning and Education in Africa Needs Assessment for a Pan-African project

Country: East Africa, North Africa, South Africa, West Africa
Funding agency: Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (Germany)

1. Context

DVV International is the Institute for International Cooperation of the Deutscher Volkshochschul-Verband e.V. (DVV), the German Adult Education Association. DVV represents the interests of approximately 920 adult education centres (Volkshochschulen) and their state associations, the largest service provider of continuing education in Germany. As the leading professional organisation in the field of adult education and development cooperation, DVV International has committed itself to supporting lifelong learning for 50 years now. DVV International provides worldwide support for the establishment and development of sustainable structures for a lifelong Adult Learning and Education (ALE).

Funded in a large part by the BMZ for the creation/strengthening of social structures (Sozialstrukturförderung – SSF), the Institute cooperates with more than 200 partners in more than 30 countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America and Europe. DVV International promotes, together with national, regional and global associations of adult education (AE), lobbying and advocacy activities for the human right to education and lifelong learning. In doing so, DVV International contributes to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Global Agenda for Education
(Education 2030) and the UNESCO International Conferences on Adult Education (CONFINTEA).

In Africa, DVV International operates in four African regions: North, West, Southern, and Eastern Africa. Through its regional offices in Tunis, Bamako, Lilongwe, and Addis Ababa it manages its projects in ten African countries including North Africa (Tunisia, Morocco), West Africa (Mali, Togo), Southern Africa (Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa), and East Africa (Ethiopia, Tanzania, Uganda). The countries’ projects are financed by Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). The current funding period is from 2020 to 2022.

After 50 years of collaborating with many African actors in the area of ALE, joint reflections between partners, network and DVV International led to the elaboration of an integrated approach towards on micro-, meso- and macro-levels and advocacy for ALE up to the top structures at international
level shifted towards more interdisciplinary approaches.

To support the exchange among ALE professionals, program staff and decision makers in ALE and non-formal education across the sectors in respective countries in Africa, the digital exchange and learning platform MOJA has been developed recently. The online platform was developed in close cooperation with a reference group including representatives of the ten African partner countries.

Taking into account experiences gained in the context of the country projects as well as with the platform MOJA, DVV International is now considering to strengthen Pan-African stakeholders, activities and approaches in the field of ALE. To ensure that envisaged users can actively take part and that orientations and focus of a potential Pan-African project are of particular relevance to the target groups, DVV International is commissioning this needs analysis.

The envisaged stakeholder of such a Pan-African approach are professionals, networks, practitioners and universities in the field of ALE as well as decision makers from various ALE related sectors (e.g. education, agriculture, economics, environment, health, etc.) in respective African countries and beyond.

2. Objectives
The intervention areas of a Pan-African project for ALE shall be determined in dialogue with the envisaged owners und users. So far, the objectives include the following levels:

• to reinforce the influence of African countries in regional and global ALE process;
• to provide adult learning resources, capacity building for adult educators and technical expertise on a supraregional level;
• to establish/ strengthen (supra)regionally exchange and cooperation between ALE stakeholders;
• to support exchange and learning on systematic and cross-sectoral approaches e.g. system building approach, recognition of non-formal education as an interface to formal education…

For implementation of activities the existing platform MOJA would be one of the instruments (to be extended) alongside others like conferences, study trips, trainings, exhibitions, publications etc.

Based on a needs assessment and subject to approval the the project would start in 2023.

3. Purpose of the needs assessment

The needs assessment shall support DVV International

1. to identify existing gaps in African ALE, on a supraregional and Pan-African level, beyond existing national dynamics and approaches
2. to define characteristics of target groups in respective countries, their needs and interests for ALE services;
3. to identify and explore existing ALE service suppliers;
4. to provide recommendations on content and design of a Pan-African project as well as for suitable participatory ways for its development;
5. to complement the running country projects of DVV in Africa in a meaningful way;
6. to expand, complement and add value to the existing digital platform MOJA.

For this the needs assessment should take all possible sources (secondary and primary sources) of information into account and triangulate the different information sources to achieve high quality and valid data. This data shall enable the consultant(s) to provide evidence based conclusions and feasible and realistic recommendations.

The time period for the assessment is from November 2021 – January 2022.

4. Guiding questions of the assessment

Categories
Target group (potential users and owners)	– Is there an interest and need for a pan-African ALE project? – In which thematic areas would the target group wish more concrete services and support? – Is there a specific need to enhance the competences of advocacy for ALE? – How could these services ideally be delivered? – What are limitations and challenges of the target group in providing ALE services?
Market assessment	– What kind of ALE related services do presently exist and which service providers/ actors/ organizations offer those services? (Including the existing facilities of transnationally active tertiary education institutions, non-governmental organizations and UN bodies) – What are thematic areas in ALE covered through the existing offers and which forms of service delivery are used? – When comparing the needs of the target group with the currently available supply: what are gaps to be addressed by a Pan-African ALE project? – How can a pan-African ALE service delivery unit contribute to respond to the existing needs?
Content & Design	– What are recommendations for concept and design of a Pan-African ALE project?  – What structures need to be in place to make sure that interests of the target group are sufficiently addressed? – Which stakeholders in respective countries should participate in content development of such a service delivery unit? – Suggest ways to enhance “ownership” for the structure in the figurative sense on the one hand and for future sustainability of the structureHow can the existing digital platform MOJA be used/adapted/extend to contribute to the project?

The indicative number of working days foreseen is a total of 24 Working Days:

• Two (2) day of briefing and debriefing; final presentation to wider stakeholder group;
• Three (3) days of document/ internet review;
• Two (2) days of drafting an inception report;
• Ten (10) days of conducting digital qualitative interviews in all partner countries of DVV International;
• Five (5) days of report drafting;
• Two (2) days of report finalization.

Please take the indicative distribution of working days into account when developing your study methodology. If travelling is required, travel arrangements will be made directly by the contracting authority. Accommodation and per diem rates will be paid according to DVV International rates which are based on BMZ official rates. Therefore, in your proposal don’t include costs for accommodation, meals and travel.

A combination of primary data collection and secondary data review is expected during the assessment. Secondary data sources will be made available to the contractor. The following secondary documents will be provided:

• Project proposal for Africa;
• Annual project plans for each country where DVV International is operating;
• Annual country reports;
• List of DVV international key partner organizations in respective countries including contact details;
• List of contact person at DVV International country offices and HQ;
• etc.

To collect information from primary data sources, it is expected that interview partners in all ten countries, where DVV International is operating are included in the data collection process [DVV International’s partner countries: North Africa (Tunisia, Morocco), West Africa (Mali, Togo), Southern Africa (Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa), and East Africa (Ethiopia, Tanzania, Uganda)]. It is strongly recommended planning qualitative interviews following a set of pre-defined questions and using digital forms of communication for the interviews:

DVV International:

• Regional directors (4),
• Country directors (10)
• Senior desk officers, management in the head office (3)

Partner organisations in all 10 countries:

• Directors/ senior management/ project manager of DVV International partner organisations (2-3 per country);

Regional ALE related organisations where available

The Principal has the exclusive and unlimited right to use the results fulfilled by the contract. The transfer of this Right of Use is complete with the payment made to the Contractor.

The Contractor has Right of Use permission strictly limited for personal non-commercial purposes. Transfer of the Right of Use to third parties is excluded.

The legal basis for this contract is provided by the „General terms and conditions for the implementation of Services” (VOL/B). These general terms and conditions are not attached to this contract; however, an exemplary service contract is part of these Terms of Reference for perusal.

The indicative timetable for the evaluation is foreseen as follows:

20th October 2021 – Final date for posing questions of clarification.
26th October 2021 – Final date of submission of applications.
02nd November 2021 – Digital Kick-off meeting with consultants.
21st November 2021 – Submission of Inception Report.
29th November – 19th December 2021 – Data collection.

10th January 2022 – Debriefing Session.
17th January 2022 – First draft of Final Report.
31st January 2022 – Final Report.

The consultant(s) will be requested to fulfil the following tasks:

• To design and plan the methodology of the assessment in close communication with DVV International;
• To conduct a desk study of relevant project documentation, internet and digital sources;
• To design primary data collection instruments;
• To prepare the inception report;
• To collect primary data as outlined above;
• To compile initial draft report including findings, recommendations, and list of offerings and respective providers;
• To finalise report based on comments and feedback from DVV International;
• De-briefing session (digital);
• Final presentation of findings to a wider stakeholder group.

The following deliverables are expected:

• Inception report: The consultant(s) will present a report giving detailed information about study methods and specified research questions. This report will be presented to DVV International, discussed and, if needed, adjusted.
• Draft evaluation report: After the conclusion of the secondary data review and primary data collection, the consultant(s) are expected to analyse the data and come to conclusions and recommendations. The findings have to be presented as a first draft report to DVV International. DVV International will provide feedback to the consultants.
• Debriefing: the consultant(s) will present the results of the assessment and will document the discussion, which is part of the final report.
• Final report: The final report addresses comments by DVV International and CIPSET and presents all results and recommendations.
• Presentation of findings and recommendations to wider stakeholder group: The consultant(s) will be requested to present the final report to a wider stakeholder group (digital).

All requested reports should be produced in English and submitted to DVV International electronically.

DVV International will be contracting authority for this assessment. The main contact persons will be

• Senior Desk Officer Eastern/Horn of Africa, Dr. Thomas Lichtenberg, lichtenberg@dvvinternational.de
• Senior Desk Officer Western Africa, Esther Hirsch, hirsch@dvv-international.de
• Senior Desk Officer Northern Africa and Southern Africa, Gerhard Quincke, quincke@dvvinternational.de

The DVV International country offices and HQ will provide all relevant documents and support the consultant(s) where necessary for instance arranging interviews etc. The final report will be accepted by the senior desk officers as outlined above.

The consultant(s) we are looking for has/ have:

• longstanding experience in an African context;
• at least 5-years’ experience in conducting international empirical research studies (please, provide proof of experience);
• professional experiences in the field of adult and non-formal education;
• demonstrate sound knowledge of research methodologies and instruments;
• analytical and writing skills;
• fluency in English and French.

The candidates should propose a suitable design and methodology for the assessment, well adapted to the project objectives and TOR in order to meet the assessment’s goal and objectives.

All candidates who would like to participate in the tender for this assessment have to submit the following documents:

a) CV(s) of person(s) involved in assignment (maximum 4 pages, use attached template);

b) Technical proposal covering the following aspects (maximum of 8 pages):

– Show understanding of the task

– Study methodology/ approach

– Work Plan / steps of implementation

– Consideration of specific requirements of the assessment

– Internal Quality Management

c) Financial proposal (including VAT, please use attached template).

The offers must be sent until midnight (German time) 26th October 2021 to the following e-mail addresses:

• Africa Coordinator / Senior Desk Officer West Africa, Esther Hirsch, hirsch@dvvinternational.de
• Senior Desk Officer West Africa East/Horn of Africa, Dr. Thomas Lichtenberg: lichtenberg@dvv-international.de

Late submissions will not be accepted.

The proposals will be assessed according to the following criteria:

• Qualification of consultant(s) – counts one third based on criteria mentioned above;
• Technical proposal – counts one third based on criteria mentioned above;
• Financial proposal – counts one third (best price-service relation).

If you should have questions concerning this tender, please send your questions to the above mentioned contact persons. The latest date for submitting questions is 20th October 2021. The answers to the questions will be published on our website (https://www.dvvinternational.de/dvv-international/stellenangebote/) for all interested parties the following day.