Evaluation of Danida support to the education sector in Afghanistan 2003-2010

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark

In Denmark, as well as in the wider donor community, there is a wish to learn from the experiences with development assistance to Afghanistan through the last decade, and the Evaluation Department of the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs (EVAL) has decided to commission an evaluation of the Danish support to the education sector in Afghanistan 2003-10. This is one of several evaluative processes being carried out in 2011 for the Danish support to Afghanistan; the others being an evaluation of the Regions of Origins initiative and several evaluation studies.
Since 2001, Denmark has provided substantial development assistance to the reconstruction of Afghanistan. According to current figures, the total disbursements of Danish development assistance to Afghanistan over the period 2001-2010 amounts to approximately DKK 2.8 billion. Denmark participates in efforts to strengthen donor coordination and promote the efficiency of donor assistance to Afghanistan, i.a. through Nordic cooperation, the EU and the UN. Consultations between the Afghan Government, the UN and the international community led to the adoption of the "Afghanistan Compact” in 2006, which provides the basis for partnership between the international community and the Afghan Government. The Afghanistan Compact is implemented through the Afghanistan National Development Strategy (ANDS). Education is part of the 3rd pillar of ANDS, according to which the government’s goal is to meet all relevant Afghanistan Millennium Development Goals (MDG) and targets, including ensuring that all children are able to complete primary education (by 2020) and that Afghanistan’s women are able to enjoy greater equity in education, political participation and justice. An important strategic framework for the sector, the National Education Strategic Plan (NESP) for 2006-2010, was the result of a consultative process and was made further operational in an Interim Plan 2010-2013.
Denmark has been actively engaged with support to the education sector since 2003 and is currently the lead donor. Between 2001 and 2010 Denmark disbursed approximately DKK 431.455.075 for education purposes through bilateral programme support, as a special education component in the Helmand province, through the UN system and through the Reconstruction Trust Fund managed by the World Bank. The bilateral programme support constitutes the largest share of the funding. The Danish support has sought to help develop a coherent and competent national education system that could provide access to primary education of a good quality for all Afghan children.
Purpose and objective.
The main purposes of the evaluation are to assess and document the results of the Danish support to the education sector in Afghanistan and to contribute to the continued improvement of support to the education sector in Afghanistan. The main objectives of the evaluation are to assess the strategy/approach, implementation and results of the Danish support to the education sector during the period 2003-2010, and to identify conclusions, lessons learned and forward-looking recommendations.
The evaluation will have its main focus on the bilateral support, in line with the weight on the different allocations, but the different key modalities and allocations of the Danish support should all be included in the evaluation. Field work is expected to be needed. The evaluation must consider the issue of conflict sensitivity. Further, the evaluation should thoroughly consider the contextual factors that have a bearing on the planning, implementation and results of support to the educations sector.
Profile preference:
A profile that fulfils the wishes mentioned below is preferred:
Documented ability to carry out complex evaluations, including experience with similar evaluations (evaluations of support in fragile contexts) and ability to mobilize teams, that cover expertise within diverse areas such as evaluation methodology, education sector support, the context, (Afghanistan, fragile situations and conflict/post conflict settings), development aid modalities and architecture (including Danish aid). Ability with and willingness to conduct field work in situations which require special security considerations and precautions (i.e. working under protection), and to handle the related logistical challenges is essential. Ability to mobilize local consultants is expected to be an advantage.

Deadline
Fristen for modtagelse af bud var på 2011-04-11. Indkøbet blev offentliggjort på 2011-03-11.

Leverandører
Følgende leverandører er nævnt i tildelingsbeslutninger eller andre indkøbsdokumenter: