Accelerated Education Reading Assessment Supervisors (4) – Uganda – ICYD Activity

  • Contract

Company Description

Education Development Center (EDC) is a global nonprofit that advances lasting solutions to improve education, promote health, and expand economic opportunity, with a focus on vulnerable and under-served populations. Since 1958, we have been a leader in designing, implementing, and evaluating powerful and innovative programs in more than 80 countries around the world. 

EDC promotes equity and access to high quality education and health services and products that contribute to thriving communities where people from diverse backgrounds learn, live, and work together. We support an inclusive workplace culture that embraces many perspectives and broadens our understanding of the communities we serve, enhancing and enriching our work.    

EDC is committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion in the workplace.  

Job Description

Project Description

The goal of the five-year, USAID-funded Integrated Child and Youth Development (USAID/ICYD) Activity is for Ugandan children and youth, especially the most vulnerable, to receive the support and services necessary to lead resilient, healthy, and productive lives. The USAID/ICYD Activity is expected to achieve the following:

  1. Children and youth have improved learning outcomes;
  2. Children and youth are safe and healthy in their community and learning environments; and
  3. Youth practice positive behaviors and are able to make informed decisions about their lives and relationships.

Working in partnership with Ministry of Education and Sports (MoES) and Ministry of Gender, Labor and Social Development (MGLSD), district and zonal officials, and other Ugandan government and civil society partners, ICYD will comprise a series of activities to: support improved basic education for Ugandan children; address school-related and gender-based violence; facilitate enhanced child protection and support for vulnerable youth; provide support to HIV-affected orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) and their caregivers/families; and support HIV care and treatment outcomes in close collaboration with clinical and community structures. USAID/ICYD Activity will also contribute to improved systems within the MoES and MGLSD to promote Early Grade Reading (EGR) and child protection.

USAID/ICYD awarded grants to Appropriate Revival for Strategic Empowerment (ARISE) and AVSI Foundation (AVSI) to enable children and youth aged 10-18 years who dropped out of school to participate in Accelerated Education (AE) programs. During the grant period, ARISE will provide services to 720 learners enrolled in AE interventions in eight sub-counties of Isingiro District and AVSI Foundation will implement the Accelerated Education Program in three Districts of Kyenjojo, Masindi and Hoima in 12 AE intervention centers reaching a total of 2,160 learners.

Purpose of the Accelerated Education (AE) Post-Training Reading Assessment

ICYD will conduct reading assessments at the start of AE intervention and at the end of AE interventions to be able to ascertain changes in reading outcomes of learners after the AE intervention. Reading Assessments will be conducted with a sample of learners enrolled in selected AE centers located in Hoima, Kyenjojo, Masindi and Isingiro districts. The data from reading assessments will be used to report on status of indicator ES. 1-54: Percent of individuals with improved reading skills following participation in USG-assisted programs. ICYD will also use the results of the reading assessments to determine how best to implement interventions for out of school children and youth. Data generated from this qualitative inquiry will be used by USAID/ICYD to improve implementation in Year three. Findings will also be shared with USAID, the Ministry of Education and Sports and other donors working in accelerated education.

Position Description

Supervisors will be responsible for a team of assessors assigned per district, will pack materials for fieldwork, guide the assessors to adhere to set data collection procedures, collect data and upload data to the cloud. The supervisors will be expected to fill a school/center summary sheet for each of the schools/centers visited and submit all assigned equipment in good working conditions at the end of data collection. The selected candidates will undergo a training to equip them with the necessary knowledge regarding the tools, protocols and ethical considerations for the exercise.

The successful candidates will be contracted for a maximum period of 10 working days (September 2022). All honoraria and expenses will be paid by USAID/ICYD. The four (4) AE Supervisors that will be recruited will report to, and will be supervised by, the ICYD M&E team.

** Please note that this is a local temporary position. Eligibility is limited to Ugandan nationals**

Responsibilities

  • Supervise a team of assessors during the assessment – including distributing tasks before and during each AE center visit, ensuring punctuality, friendly and professional treatment of learners, and correct application of instructions for each subtest
  • Introduce study team and explain the purpose of the visit to the school administration and AE facilitator.
  • Ensure that the assessment is carried out as per the protocol
    • The sample of learner to be assessed at each AE center is drawn following proper randomized procedure agreed upon during training, 
    • Ensure (a) the identity of each learner sampled and (b) the efficiency of the learner assessment process, with all assessors occupied with a learner at all times throughout the process.
    • To the extent possible, you should collect the learners from the class and bring them to the assessors,  
    • Ensure that every learner instrument administered is collected, in order and complete. 
    • Correctly complete the AE center field work visit summary  
    • Ensure that all of the assessments are uploaded onto the server
    • Provide a daily report/debrief to the ICYD M&E team to resolve problems that arise and communicate work progress
  • Deliver other materials assigned to your team that were used in the data collection exercise. These include: Tablets, chargers, fieldwork bags, etc.
  • Assist with the trouble-shooting of the Tangerine application and ensure that assessors strictly adhere to the protocol. Ensure that the results of assessment are displayed on the results menu and serialized by order of assessment
  • Behave professionally when working and dress in a professional and culturally appropriate manner

Qualifications

The minimum qualifications are:

  • Bachelor’s degree in Humanities, Social Sciences, Arts, Economics, Statistics or Education
  • Fluency in English and at least one of the three local languages - Luganda, Runyankore/Rukiga, and Runyoro/Rutooro required. Please indicate language fluency in your application
  • Previous experience as a data collector/assessor in an Early Grade Reading Assessment or Youth Literacy Assessment preferred
  • Experience conducting assessments with children
  • Previous experience using electronic data collection software
  • Previous experience leading data collection teams

Additional Information

Job closing date: August 19, 2022

Applications submitted without a resume or CV will not be reviewed.

Due to the volume of applications submitted, only finalists will be notified. No phone calls, please.

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EDC is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer committed to enhancing the diversity of its workforce and ensuring an equitable and highly inclusive work environment. EDC is a smoke-free workplace, and offers a supportive work environment, competitive salary, and excellent benefits. Women, minorities, and individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

This announcement is made possible by the support of the American People through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The contents of this notice are the sole responsibility of Education Development Center, Inc. (EDC) and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government.