RECENT EVALUATION & DESIGN cont
The Elmina Resource Guide on HIV/AIDS and Education for West Africa (ECOWAS): Strategies for Action. Based on findings from the Senior Experts' Conference on "HIV/AIDS and Education in ECOWAS: Towards a Regional Mobilization" in Elmina , Ghana : March 2001. Final Report Ghana , September 2001.
Associates for Change undertook an Impact Assessment of the Untrained Teacher Diploma in Basic Education (UTDBE) and Sample Survey of Lesson Delivery for the Ghana Education Service and the World Bank. The evaluation of the UTDBE programme component of GPEG was to assess the extent to which the programme has achieved its objective of upgrading the skills of the trainee teachers in the deprived districts and the extent to which this has impacted learning outcomes. In particular, the study assessed the knowledge and skills gained by trainees in lesson planning/preparation, teaching methodology, and classroom organization and management. The assessment also examined improvement in the student teachers’ content knowledge and cost efficiency of running the UTDBE programme compared to the mainline DBE programme. The end line assessment employed similar strategies as the baseline with the additional remit of making comparisons between the UTDBE trainees and recent DBE graduates (i.e. those who have achieved DBE through conventional means between 2011 to 2014). Findings from the survey showed that the UTDBE trainees had improved remarkably in performance over that of the baseline in all selected indicators including content knowledge. The endline study also revealed that the UTDBE programme is more cost effective relative to the DBE model of training even when a major cost component (which was 63% of the total cost) in the DBE model has been removed from the total cost due to the introduction of government policy.
Mid-Term/Lesson Observation Survey-Impact Assessment of the Untrained Teacher Diploma in Basic Education (UTDBE) and Sample Survey of Lesson Delivery, Ghana Education Service and World Bank, February, 2015 - July, 2015.
Associates for Change undertook a midterm assessment under the Impact Evaluation of the Untrained Teacher Diploma in Basic Education (UTDBE) and Sample Survey of Lesson Delivery for the Ghana Education Service and the World Bank. The midterm evaluation of the UTDBE programme component of GPEG was to assess the extent to which the programme had achieved its objective of upgrading the skills of the trainee teachers in the deprived districts, in order to improve learning outcomes. The assessment was used to evaluate the implementation of the programme and the impact on trainees’ satisfaction and career ambitions. The Lesson Observation Survey (LOS) was focused on investigating the skills gained by student teachers in lesson planning/preparation; teaching methodology; and classroom organization and management. This component of the Assessment also measured changes or improvements that have occurred in student teachers’ content knowledge and initialises a comparison between UTDBE teachers and other teachers trained on the traditional pre-service programme. The midterm assessment also looked at UTDBE trainees’ classroom practice as well as an assessment of teachers who have participated in the GPEG sponsored NIU INSET programme. Evidence from the field reveals that INSET was being conducted in a number of the sampled schools and districts but not on a regular and consistent basis.
Baseline Study-Impact Assessment of the Untrained Teacher Diploma in Basic Education (UTDBE) and Sample Survey of Lesson Delivery, Ghana Education Service and World Bank, May, 2014 - November, 2014.
Basic Education (UTDBE) and Sample Survey of Lesson Delivery for the Ghana Education Service and the World Bank. The baseline assessment of the UTDBE programme component under GPEG was to assess the extent to which the programme has achieved its objective of upgrading the skills of the trainee teachers in the deprived districts, in order to improve learning outcomes. The assessment was used to evaluate the implementation of the programme and the impact on trainees’ satisfaction and career ambitions. The baseline study was commissioned as part of an evaluation of the 2012 GPEG-sponsored cohort of what were originally 8000 students from the 57 most deprived districts of Ghana. The study reflects an initial exploration into the current situation with regard to the GPEG sponsored UTDBE programme which began in 2012.
The Ghana Market Development (MADE) for Northern Ghana Programme Independent Evaluation Data Collection Activities (January to March, 2016)
Associates for Change is serving as the Ghana partner on the Ghana Market Development (MADE) for Northern Ghana Programme Independent Evaluation with WYG International to undertake all the field data collection components of the independent evaluation. Ghana MADE (MADE) is a DfID initiated programme that is expected to improve the income and resilience of poor farmers and small-scale rural entrepreneurs in the Northern Savannah Region by improving the way that markets work, with a particular focus on agricultural value chains using a “Making Markets Work for the Poor” (M4P) approach to stimulate economic growth and reduce poverty in the region. The independent evaluation was to assess the experiences of farmers’ and service providers’ in relation to the keystone nodes (onion node); the relevance, benefits, and unintended consequences of interventions at critical points of the theory of change on the onion node. The evaluation was also to gather best practices of the onion node and to identify the extent to which the onion value chain interventions have contributed to systemic and lasting change.
World Food Programme Country Programme Mid-Term Evaluation (2015)
AfC was involved in conducting the Mid-Term Evaluation of the World Food Programme Country Programme. The country evaluation included an extensive study on the outputs, outcomes and impact of the WFP Ghana country programme. This evaluation included a beneficiary assessment in 12 communities in northern Ghana across three districts as well as an extensive desk review, stakeholder consultations and secondary data analysis across the education, health and rural development interventions. The evaluation focused on assessing beneficiary views of the impact and sustainability of the programme interventions including women’s income generating activities, school feeding and take-home rations for girls and nutrition centre interventions and support.
https://www.wfp.org/content/ghana-cp-200247-2012-2016-mid-term-operation-evaluation-terms-reference
Final Evaluation of USAID JHS Education Project, Ghana Transition and Persistence (TAP) Program. Plan Ghana. 2013:
Associates for Change was contracted to conduct a final external evaluation of the USAID JHS Education Program: Transition and Persistence (TAP) Project. The rationale for the final evaluation was to supplement the routine data collection on indicators and objectives monitored throughout the life of the TAP project, and to explore extensively the five key aspects of the project based on DAC criteria: relevance, efficiency, effectiveness, results, and sustainability ), drawing on existing data from TAP monitoring reports, interviews with staff, beneficiaries and collaborators. The evaluation used a results based approach (RBM) and involved extensive field work in order to validate data and explore deeper some of the findings from the data collected. The overall purpose of the evaluation was to assess the TAP project with particular emphasis on its relevance, efficiency, effectiveness, results, and sustainability. It also involved summarising primary lessons learned and making key recommendations to improve the quality of on-going and future education programming by the MOE, Plan, and USAID. The evaluation was designed to explore the degree to which the desired changes were brought about due to the TAP interventions. The evaluation field work developed a sample based on disaggregating across the schools which exhibited the highest enrolment change, average and lowest enrolment change over the three year TAP intervention period (2010/11 to 2012/13); the evaluation also explored the degree to which interventions were effective and yielded the most promising results for replication.
External Evaluation of Concern Worldwide/Irish Aid Education Programme in Sierra Leone, Concern Worldwide (2011):
AfC’s principal consultant led the multinational team for an external evaluation of Concern Worldwide’s education programme in Sierra Leone. The lead consultant undertook the overall programme evaluative design, implementation, management and reporting using a results based approach (RBM) and gender analysis tool for evaluation with particular reference to programme impact and sustainability. The senior consultant was required to provide education specialist support to assess Concern Sierra Leone’s overall programme performance, gender mainstreaming benchmarks and feedback on the girls’ education dimensions of the education country programme.
Gender Responsive Budgeting (GRB) in Ghana (2011):
AfC is currently working with the Ministry of Women and Children (MOWAC) to carry out gender analysis and gender mainstreaming training and support across three targeted ministries namely: Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA), Ministry of Education (MOE) and Ministry of Health (MOH) The objective of the assignment is to enhance the scope of experience in gender analysis, planning, implementation, monitoring and budgeting in order to build Government of Ghana capacity to conduct Gender Responsive Budgeting (GRB). AfC has designed and delivered a gender responsive budget training package that aims to mainstream gender analysis into the sectors at national and regional levels. Technical assistance to MOWAC has also included setting up systems and data sources for increasing GOG capacity for Gender Responsive Budgeting and the GRB Monitoring Unit (GRBMU) in particular. The GRB pilot initiative will be scaled up to include training and re-tooling for gender responsive budgeting for senior planning and budgeting staff across all other MMDAs and MDAs in the coming year.
Programme Development, World Education Inc, Ghana (2009):
AfC’s principal consultant assisted the World Education Team develop the technical approach and design for a USAID bid on Grants and Reporting Accountability to Improve Literacy in Ghana; the AfC consultant developed the technical background piece on trends in the education sector and major challenges/opportunities facing decentralized levels of the education system. AfC researchers also liaised with senior Ministry officials, potential partner agencies and other key educational stakeholders to design the project approach and support the proposal development. Both written and verbal feedback was provided across four components of the technical design which included: monitoring and evaluation, grant disbursement, report cards and capacity building components associated with decentralized levels of education.
Ibis Thematic Evaluation of the Education for Empowerment (EfE) Programme in Ghana (2009):
AfC’s principal consultant led the design of a participatory evaluation to assist Ibis assess the outcomes of the existing Education for Empowerment (EfE) programme in Ghana and strengthen their design for the new EfE programme. The AfC consultant led a multinational team of evaluators to assess the outcomes and potential impact of the programme in four districts in Ghana. The evaluation involved conducting evaluative meetings and workshops with staff and partners to assess the progress and challenges to date. The team produced a final report of key findings with inputs from all team members including a sector analysis of the progress in the target EfE districts.
TENI Project Design for Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO), Ghana (2008):
AfC assisted the VSO senior management in Ghana and the UK design and win a large scale girls’ education project for Northern Ghana: Tackling Education Needs Inclusively (TENI). AfC consultants conducted key stakeholder workshops in Northern Ghana to identify potential partners and develop core activities and strategies. AfC also helped VSO to conceptualise the theory of change for the project and developed the background indicators and situational analysis for the proposal. The project has also included ongoing technical advisory services to the senior management during project design and implementation stages.
Organisational Development for Dignitas Project Kenya/US: NGO capacity building programme, Kenya (2008):
AfC provided advisory services to the Dignitas Project US in order to develop a start up programme in urban poor settlement areas of Kenya and helped US and Kenyan senior management establish a process for country engagement including: a scoping study, situational analysis and participatory needs assessment in urban settlement areas of Kenya. As part of the AfC consultant services, 15 staff members and community development practitioners were trained to conduct the participatory needs assessment in urban settlement areas of Nairobi and developed a field guide and training manual for Dignitas use in conducting participatory needs assessments in Africa.