Palladium: Make It Possible
Location
Delhi | India
Job description
TECHNICAL ADVISER - EDUCATION GRANT REVIEWER
About The Tautua Program The Tautua prioritizes five interconnected pillars of human development: Education, Health, Gender, Disability, and Social Protection. Guided by the Government of Samoa, Tautua provides the opportunity to create transformative change in human development by addressing complex development needs through multi-sectoral, innovative approaches that identify and focus on the underlying issues. Simultaneously, Tautua intends to be able to respond to emergency, short-term needs, build capacity, and through research, monitoring and evaluation apply lessons learned and evidence-based decision-making to improve delivery. The goal for Tautua is 'improved health, education, gender equality and social outcomes, and social harmony for all Samoans'. About The Tautai Program Tautai is a governance for economic growth partnership and a continuation of the close development relationship between Samoa and Australia. The partnership aims to support the Samoan economy recover from the COVID pandemic, support fiscal efficiency, and reduce the country's vulnerability to debt and external shocks. The partnership supports the Government of Samoa to achieve these goals through enhanced revenue management and sustainable and equitable economic growth. Tautai complements the Tautua partnership in health, education, and social protection. Background The Ministry of Education, Sports and Culture (MESC) Corporate Plan 2021-2024 supports the Government's initiative to improve social development through quality education with the aspiration that all persons have equal access to learning and development opportunities as specified in the PDS FY2021/22-FY2025/26. The Samoa School Fee Grant Scheme (SSFGS) was introduced in 2010 under a programme jointly funded by the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT), the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs (DFAT) and the Government of Samoa (GoS). This was a five-year programme that ended in July 2015. In 2013 an additional SSFGS to support secondary schools was introduced under a new jointly funded initiative. This five-year programme ended in 2017. Since 2017, the Government of Samoa has supported the SSFGS and renamed the scheme as the 'One Government Grant (OGG)' through recurrent funding. Responsibility has devolved from the central control of MEC to schools, with schools now having more control than previously over decision-making and purchase of resources. Principals have become financial managers and therefore schools have direct access to resources. Schools have expressed strong support for the OGG. Two independent end-of-programme evaluations in 2015 and 2017 have been completed which inform this assignment to undertake an evaluation of the government-funded OGG. The evaluations identified significant strengths and benefits that had resulted from the Schemes. The ongoing support to schools by the Team Leader and consultants under the funded programme was a significant factor in the success of the Scheme. The evaluations concluded that the goals and objectives of the Scheme were too ambitious, particularly in relation to improving student performance within a time frame of five years. After thirteen years since the introduction of the SSFGS the expected positive impacts on student performance have not been seen, with acknowledgement that there are multi-faceted factors involved. While there have been positive impacts in other areas of education, such as increased enrolment and completion rates, the same is not seen in student performance. The decline in literacy and numeracy in schools as reported in the Pacific Islands Literacy and Numeracy Assessment (PILNA) 2021 report is a major concern. Samoa spends 10% of the education budget on OGG. Other than usual education system functions such as administration, assessment, and training, the bulk of education funds are directly transferred to schools through OGG. The GoS through MEC and the MoF has prioritized the review of the OGG. The review of the OGG will serve as a crucial step towards enhancing the fund's impact and effectiveness. By evaluating its strengths and weaknesses, identifying gaps, gathering stakeholder feedback, and developing actionable recommendations, this review will contribute to the continuous improvement of the OGG. Ultimately, it aims to ensure that the fund plays a vital role in providing equitable access to quality education for all. The review will evaluate the effectiveness and impact of the fund, identify areas for improvement, and develop strategies for maximizing its potential. It is intended that the review will identify strategies to accelerate learning and reduce inefficiencies in education spending. The review will examine the efficiency of the fund in terms of its allocation process, management, utilization of resources, contributions to having schools meet minimum service standards, and the extent it contributes to improving access, student retention, and enrolments in early childhood education, primary and secondary schools. It will identify any bottlenecks or inefficiencies to be addressed for better fund utilization to support teaching and learning. The two DFAT development programs Tautai and Tautua will provide technical support for the review. Based on the respective objectives of the programs, Tautai will take the lead in evaluating the grant efficiency, while Tautua will concentrate on assessing educational impacts. The TAs should seamlessly share information and coordinate well with counterparts at MEC on activities throughout the project. For the Full Terms of Reference, please email [HIDDEN TEXT]. Selection Criteria Ideally, the Program is seeking Expressions of Interest from Consultants with knowledge and expertise in education management and training, education economics and finance or related areas. The following criteria are the selection basis for the assignment. Work Experience: Extensive relevant professional experience as a school administrator, curriculum developer, or education researcher, financial and budgeting, grant design and evaluation, with 10 years or more professional experience. Qualification(s): A relevant Master's degree in Finance, Economics, Education (Policy and Development), Management, or a relevant discipline is highly desirable Collaborative approach: Credible experience in collaborative approach that involves close engagement with key stakeholders in Government, the education sector, and school communities. Innovative solutions: Credible innovative and forward-thinking approaches to education grants, keeping abreast with emerging trends and best practices in grants design and management. Track record of success: Strong track record of delivering results and driving positive education and investment change in the Pacific or similar context. Project management: Excellent project management skills, including the capacity to manage tight timelines, resources, and budgets effectively. Cross-cultural: Demonstrable cross-cultural experience, knowledge, understanding and skills particularly relevant to the Samoa and Pacific development context. Company Overview About Palladium - Palladium is a global leader in the design, development and delivery of Positive Impact – the intentional creation of enduring social and economic value. We work with governments, businesses, and investors to solve the world's most pressing challenges. With a team of more than 3,000 employees operating in 90 plus countries and a global network of over 35,000 experts, we help improve economies, societies and, most importantly, people's lives. Equity, Diversity & Inclusion - Palladium is committed to embedding equity, diversity, and inclusion into everything we do. We welcome applications from all sections of society and actively encourage diversity to drive innovation, creativity, success and good practice. We positively welcome and seek to ensure we achieve diversity in our workforce; and that all job applicants and employees receive equal and fair treatment regardless of their background or personal characteristics. These include: (but are not limited to) socio-economic background, age, race, gender identity and expression, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, nationality, veteran, marital or Indigenous status. Should you require any adjustments or accommodations to be made due to a disability or you are a neurodivergent individual or for any other circumstance, please email our team at [HIDDEN TEXT] and we will be in touch to discuss. Safeguarding - We define Safeguarding as 'the preventative action taken by Palladium to protect our people, clients and the communities we work with from harm'. We are committed to ensuring that all children and adults who come into contact with Palladium are treated with respect and are free from abuse. All successful candidates will be subject to an enhanced selection process including safeguarding-focused interviews and a rigorous due diligence process.Job tags
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