Afghanistan: MIAD Badakhshan TTC

CS/KBL/08/16/039

The Aga Khan Foundation (AKF) is a non-denominational international development agency established in 1967 by His Highness the Aga Khan. Its mission is to develop and promote creative solutions to problems that impede social development, primarily in Asia and East Africa. Created as a private, non-profit foundation under Swiss law, it has branches and independent affiliates in 19 countries.

AKF seeks to provide sustainable solutions to long-term problems of poverty, hunger, illiteracy, and ill health. In Afghanistan, AKF works with rural communities in mountainous, remote or resource poor areas to improve quality of life in the areas of natural resource management, market development, governance, education and health.

The Aga Khan Foundation, Afghanistan (AKF (Afg)) is an agency of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), a group of international, private, non-denominational development agencies working to improve living conditions and opportunities for people in some of the poorest parts of the developing world. The Network’s organizations have individual mandates that range from the fields of health and education to architecture, rural development and promotion of private-sector enterprise and institutions that seek to empower communities and individuals, usually in disadvantaged circumstances, to improve living conditions and opportunities.

1. Purpose of the consultancy

The main purpose of the consultancy will be to conduct and complete a study on Badakhshan’s TTCs systems under Multi Input Area Development Global Development Alliance (MIAD GDA) project. Ultimately, the study will measure the current TTC training systems’ level of effectiveness for pre-service teachers. In addition, the study will identify issues that may, positively or negatively impact students learning during their training and will explore career opportunities for students after graduation.

2. Background:

AKF-USA in partnership with AKF-A and its sister agencies within the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), is implementing the Multi-Input Area Development Global Development Alliance (MIAD GDA) Program^[1]. Under this Agreement, AKF-A is the implementation partner of the MIAD GDA Program, with technical support and guidance, grants management support, and financial assistance provided by AKF USA. The period of performance for the agreement is March 23, 2013 to March 22, 2018 with education activities beginning in March 2014.

Badakhshan is the only province in which AKF-A Education does not provide support to Core TTC. In Badakhshan, the central TTC has historically been supported by GIZ while AKF-A provides support to the sub-TTC in Shughnan, and TDCs in Nusai, Shikai and Ishkashim. Shughnan and Ishkashim TDCs are housed in their own building, while the Nusai and Shikai TDCs’ buildings are currently being completed.

All TTCs in this region have struggled to institute the practicum policies required by TED and the MoE. AKF-A has contributed to addressing this challenges by facilitating various trainings for TTC faculty and management on TTC school practicum with the aim of facilitating a more effective students’ teaching practicum. In addition, AKF-A has helped to build relationships between TTCs and reference schools to facilitate the practicum.

Up until 2012 support for TTCs in this regions were largely focused on Shughnan TTC with little to no interventions in other TTCs. Since this time, AKF-A has provided a building for the Ishkashim sub-TTC, soft-skills training has occurred in all sub-TTCs in Badakhshan. Secondly, administration in this region are motivated to provide schools with qualified teachers. While Shughnan has abundance of qualified teachers with no job openings, the opposite is true in other TDCs where there is a shortage of teachers, and female teachers are in very short supply.

Geography is an element in Badakhshan that considerably effects both implementation and coordination among the districts both for Ministry of Education’s governance and AKF-A’s

programming. Despite the high level of experience amongst AKF-A staff, district isolation is the more prominent barrier in accessing sub-TTCs in the province. Therefore, implementation and accessible travel can be, at times, challenging.

3. Main Objective

Identify the strengths and weaknesses of Sub/Satellite TTCs in Badakhshan and identify their contributions to the capacity building process of pre-service student teachers.

Subsidiary objectives:

In order to achieve the main objective the following areas can be explored:

• Identify administrative and pedagogical capacity of sub/satellite TTC;

• Identify lecturers’ demonstration of improved instructional practices;

• Explore student-teachers’ perceptions, skill-level (pedagogical and technical), and methodological approach before, during, and after completion of the practicum program;

• Identify and explore the challenges and major barriers that the aspirant teachers experience in improving their content knowledge and pedagogical skills;

• Consolidate and collect the feedback, concerns, and suggestions of aspirant teachers involving the current practices. Identify which practices were effective and which approaches could be improved within the TTC system.

4. Methodology:

The anticipated methodology will be largely qualitative, based on field visits to Teacher Training Colleges (TTCs), TDCs, and sub TTCs in Badakhshan. Methods will include document review, classroom observation, observation of the TTC facilities, and interviews and focus groups with staff, parents and students.

5. Deliverables:

• Study design including work plan, to be finalized in the first week of the consultancy


• All research instruments developed during the course of the consultancy should be shared with AKF for discussion before use, and final versions shared for future reference


• Study report including a description of the methodology, and the existing situation on-the-ground in regards to all expected outputs, outcomes and the overall result, including all relevant quantitative indicators and a narrative, qualitative exposition of the main concerns and issues against which future progress should be assessed.

6. Reporting:

The consultant will work in close coordination and consultation with Education and MERL teams while reporting to the National M&E Manager, Education.

7. AKF’s role:

AKF will share all relevant reports with the consultant in advance of the field work. AKF will manage all in-country logistics, including: in-country travel, accommodation, airport pickup and drop off, and setting up meetings with staff and other stakeholders. AKF staff from the national and/or regional office will accompany and support the consultant throughout the assignment, particularly in providing contextual information on communities and programming. As needed, AKF will arrange a translator to accompany the consultant.

The Education M&E department will provide the available data to the consultant including any relevant reports.

8. Required qualification & experience:

One specialist with experience in the following areas:

• At least Master degree in Education or Ph.D with knowledge and experience in post-secondary education systems;

• Minimum 3 years of experience in designing and conducting research/studies/evaluations in lead role;

• Proven and demonstrable qualitative and quantitative research skills;

• Experience working in Central Asia (Afghanistan would be preferred);

• Strong English writing skills;

• Spoken Dari and/or other language of Badakhshan (Shughni, etc.) would be an asset;

• Excellent interpersonal skills;

• Experience working with community members from rural and rural settings in the central Asia context;

• Solid knowledge of education, in particular post-secondary education and/or teacher training systems, in Afghanistan and/or Central Asia;

• Respect for social norms, diversity and culture and traditions; and

• Demonstrate appropriate code of conduct all times during the assignment.

9. Work location(s):

The consultant(s) will be based in Kabul Afghanistan, with extensive need based field travel to AKF field offices, schools and teacher training colleges in Badakhshan.

10. Duration:

The assignment will be for a period of 40 days.

NB: Fieldwork for this assignment must be completed by the end of October 2016, before winter weather reduces travel.