Terms of reference: Training of school leaders with a TSC accredited government agency

AET is an education specialist organization that believes supporting quality education is the key for changing individuals, communities and countries for the better. Through our projects in Laikipia North, AET has been building education outcomes that provide equitable and inclusive education for all with a key focus on improving learning outcomes.

AET primarily focused on supporting language as a medium to improve learning achievements across the curriculum while strengthening parental and community engagement to improve the ownership of their children’s education. Through evidence from the ministry of education and our coaching feedback coupled with the gaps COVID-19 brought to our learning institutions, in terms of learning loss and inadequacy in education resources, we found a need to work towards improving school leadership in Laikipia North that would promote accountability, efficacy in schools’ management and quality education. This professional development is fundamental to the schools’ leadership workforce in terms of delivering quality, equitable education to our Laikipia North marginalized communities. An assessment we carried out when schools reopened in January 2021 after the protracted schools closure revealed that 37% of grade 4-7 learners cannot do basic reading.

AET is therefore aiming to improve learning outcomes by strengthening the capacity of head teachers and their deputies in 27 primary schools in Laikipia North to enhance effective leadership practices that would increase teacher performance and thereby an increased achievement around learners learning and development.

The training is grounded in improving school’s management, encompassing managing curriculum implementation, financial management, teaching methodologies and instructional leadership experiences in schools. It would identify and replicate best practices amongst classroom teachers and identify capacity and skills gaps existing amongst them and synthesize local solutions to address the gaps. We expect the training to capacitate the school leaders in creating community of practice platforms amongst schools that would facilitate best practice sharing sessions with a focus on building champion teachers using a robust structure to enable peer to peer learning.

Our aim is to work with a leading government agency that is mandated and accredited by the Teachers’ Service Commission to work on teachers’ professional development in addressing the training needs that have already been established through AET’s and curriculum support officers monitoring. The institution is expected to have a strong training background on effective schools’ leadership and management development in Kenya with an assurance of certification after the training which will build the professional prospects of school leaders.

We are therefore looking towards engaging a government agency in a one-week tuition targeting specific training areas for 27 school heads and their deputies making a total of 54 school leaders. The training would aim to achieve the following objectives.

1.1. School leaders develop skills on financial management and accountability that would enable transparency for the limited finances in schools with a stronger school-parent reporting and accountability structure.

1.2. Enhanced curriculum management strategies that enhance effective instructional leadership that supports classroom teaching and sharing of best practice amongst teachers within schools and at community of practice platforms with an alignment to the Competency Based Curriculum (CBC)

1.3. School leaders develop skills on good governance that strengthens effective BOMs and community relationships that are geared towards improving learning outcomes.

1.4. School leaders acquire knowledge on how they can maintain wellness during and post COVID 19 with an aim to promoting a calm and enabling learning environment that is devoid of fear amongst learners.

1.5. Enhanced integration of ICT in education towards provision of quality and equitable education and ongoing COVID-19 recovery in marginalized communities

1.6. Building top performing teams with stronger collaboration amongst school leaders and teachers to gather evidence on equity and quality gaps that exist in education provision in marginalized communities and the impact of this on learning outcomes. The champion leaders and teachers are expected to fully understand their roles in building effective and collaborative instructional leadership from bottom-up approach.

1.7. School leaders acquire knowledge on resource mobilization to increase avenues of networking and strategies of rallying communities and education stakeholders to fund schools strategic plans.

Consultant deliverables

• Conduct a one-week training to school leaders on school’s management to capacitate the school leaders with an understanding of how they can sustainably manage schools
• Provide certificates that are accredited by TSC for the participating teachers at the end of the training.
• Synthesize and submit a detailed training report to AET within 5 days after completion of the training with recommendations of action points that would be followed up for further support.

AET deliverables

• Coordinate the training with pre-training planning and during-training engagement with teachers and the consulting agency
• Develop a comprehensive monitoring plan that would facilitate AET coaches in identifying areas of growth and success within the training areas to ascertain the training uptake and strategies of creating solutions of the existing school’s management gaps.
• Develop monitoring tools that would enhance the gathering of evidence across the training areas to inform learning and adoption of better schools management practices
• Facilitate strengthening of communities of Practice where school leaders and champion teachers can share learning on school’s management and learning outcomes.
• A detailed report of the training including action points and areas of recommendation that would be followed up for further support.

Qualification:

• Have a track record in training schools’ leadership on financial management and accountability.
• Proven track record of training school leaders on good governance that strengthens effective BOMs and community relationships that are geared towards improving learning outcomes.
• Extensive experience in training schools’ managers on resource mobilization to increase avenues of networking and strategies of rallying communities and education stakeholders to fund schools’ strategic plans.
• Demonstrated experience in training education managers on emerging issues in education such as Covid19.
• Experienced in training school leaders in curriculum management strategies.
• Must be able to provide certificates recognized by TSC and the end of the training.

Time frame

The training will be done in the month of April 2021 but the specific date and the time frame for executing the work will be jointly agreed between the consulting agency and AET.

Supervision and Management

The overall supervision of the consultant will rest with AET, the contracting agency. The consultant will report to the Field coordinator (or a designated manager). The AET Field Coordinator, based in Doldol will provide support to the consultant within the period of training.

Terms and Conditions

Logistics: The consultant would be required to engage closely with a designated AET staff regarding coordination of schools leaders during the training

Professional fee: The consultants propose their own rate as part of the financial proposal.

Tax and insurance: The consultant shall be responsible for his/her income tax and/or insurance during the assignment. However, the minimum statutory requirement of 5% withholding tax shall be applied by AET for compliance.

Code of conduct & safeguarding: Selected consultant(s) will be expected to sign and abide by Africa Educational Trust values and key policies (including adherence to AET’s PSEA and safeguarding and Code of Conduct).

A contract will be signed between AET and the consultant before commencement of the work which will detail additional terms and conditions of service, aspects on inputs and deliverables.

Application requirements:

Expressions of interest should include:

Technical proposal maximum 3 pages: This should highlight a brief explanation about the consultant with particular emphasis on previous experience in this kind of work, profile of the consultant, understanding of the TOR, the task accomplished as well as a draft work plan

Financial proposal: the financial proposal should provide cost estimates for services to be rendered including daily consultancy fees but excluding accommodation and living costs; transport cost; stationeries and supplies needed for data collection

Profile and mandate: Copy of the consultant profile, legal mandate and key similar functions undertaken elsewhere.