Primary Education Survey Evaluation Report Somalia - Somali - JNA

PES Evaluation Report, 2008
Appendix 2 Terms of Reference
Terms of Reference for the Engagement of an Evaluation Expert
Evaluation of the Annual Primary Education Survey in Somalia
1. BACKGROUND
1.1 Country Background
With an overall Human Development ranking of 161 out of 163 countries on the human development
index, available data on Somalia points towards enormous gaps in meeting the needs of women and
children in the social sector. The country has not had a de facto central government authority, or any other
feature associated with an established independent state since the last 15 years. Functioning regional
governments have been formed in the Northwest (Somaliland) and Northeast (Puntland), and more
recently a Transitional Federal Government was formed in 2004 but with very limited de facto authority.
1.2 UNICEF Country Programme
UNICEF has had a large field and programme presence in Somalia over the last 15 years, with three zonal
offices. A new country programme, within the framework of the United Nations Transition Plan, will aim
to accelerate progress towards targets 3-8 of the Millennium Development Goals by further increasing
access to basic services for accelerated child survival and development through humanitarian assistance,
strengthening the institutional capacity of government as a duty bearer and further enabling children and
women to claim their rights.
1.3 UNICEF Education Programme
Notwithstanding the work done by international development and relief organisations, access to basic
education and gender equity in education in Somalia remains a real concern. With a Gross Enrolment
Ratio of 30 per cent, overall primary school enrolment ranks among the lowest in the world. In terms of
gender equity, the Somali girl child has even less chance of accessing basic education. After 17 years of
an emergency-driven response in Somalia, the absence of a viable education system continues to hinder
Somalia’s progress towards meeting the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and Education For All
(EFA) goals.
In this context, the new UNICEF “Go to School” programme will aim to improve access to and quality of
basic education with an emphasis on developing mechanisms to increase girls’ enrolment. In addition, an
institutional development component will provide financial support and expertise to the existing
ministries of education for the development and implementation of gender-sensitive education policies
and standards, including the development of an effective Education Management Information System.
1.4 The Primary Education Survey
The Primary Education Survey (PES) has been conducted almost every year for the last nine years.
However, no formal evaluation of the Survey has ever been carried out. The original purpose of the
survey was to fill a critical data gap in the education sector and to meet the information needs of the
Ministry’s of Education (MoEs), national and international development stakeholders as well as donors,
with an independent, reliable and routine source of data for trend analysis and programme planning. The
PES has evolved over the years with additional data elements being added to meet the growing needs of
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