Global partnership for Education Review and Finalization of ECE Policy and Development of Curriculum Framework – Somalia

Federal Government of Somalia

Ministry of Education, Culture and Higher Education (MOECHE)

Global partnership for Education 

Review and Finalization of ECE Policy and Development of Curriculum Framework 

1. Background and Context

Somalia has been in to civil war for more than two decades, consequently the war exacerbated by the occurrence of recurrent natural disasters such droughts and floods, that caused emergencies and IDP’s.  Somalia is now striving to accumulate its effort to catch up the international commitments of the Sustainable Development Goals, which is scheduled 2016 – 2030.  In Education, the Goal 4.2 deals with Early Childhood Education (ECD) is a global agenda to ensure children grow to their full potential, Early Childhood Education (ECE) is a critical sub-sector of it, which allows the child to get ready to start the primary schools and assists him/her in the long run to stay active in learning. The Government of Somalia recognizes that Early intervention in ECE age children is significant to the social and economic development of the country, because these involvements provide children with a reasonable and better start in life and at later age they become valuable human resource, and will contribute highly to the Gross National Income (GNI).

In Somalia, ECE as sub-sector remains under-resourced, unregulated, and with poor quality standards, the majority of children in age group 3-6 years old are not enrolled in any structured education programs. Though there is limited provision of ECE services, all are privately managed and charging high fees which is a barrier for most children to access ECE education. However, through the ESSP 2022-2026, the MOECHE commits to provide equitable access to quality pre-primary education for all eligible children. This will be achieved through the introduction of publicly funded ECE centers, community mobilization and sensitization around the importance and value of ECE. Furthermore, the MOECHE commits to the development of a unified curriculum and the provision of associated teaching and learning materials, while ensuring the ECE teachers receive appropriate training on their utilization.

To achieve the above commitments, the MEOCHE want to begin with the development of ECE policy and curriculum framework in a bid to better regulate the sub-sector. This will be followed the development of ECE curriculum and related teaching and learning materials.

Therefore, the Ministry of Education, Culture and Higher Education is seeking a qualified, experienced and competent consultancy firm to support the development and endorsement of ECE policy and curriculum framework. The firm will closely work with departments of policy and planning and curriculum development of the Federal Ministry of Education, Culture and Higher Education.

1. Objective of the assignment

The objective of this consultancy is to review and finalize the draft ECE policy & develop and endorse curriculum framework for ECE. This includes facilitation of stakeholder consultations on documents both at the federal and FMS level. Inputs from stakeholders will be incorporated before tabling for endorsement.

1. Specific tasks and responsibilities

The consultancy firm should understand the purpose of the assignment and gather initial information at the onset of the process. The following are main tasks;

• Review, finalize and validate the draft ECE policy. Validation meeting will be convened for final validation once the draft policy is reviewed and finalized.
• Translate the zero draft ECE framework into Somali language.
• Conduct stakeholder consultation workshops at FMS and Banadir region. Incorporate inputs from the stakeholder consultations into the draft framework.
• Produce final version of ECE curriculum framework in Somali and English language for validation by stakeholders.
• Convene a validation workshop in Mogadishu.
• Organize a ceremony with MOECHE and submit the final validated versions of ECE Policy and curriculum framework to MOECHE for sign off.

1. Key Outputs/Deliverables

• Submit a detailed workplan with specific timeline for the deliverables/outputs, not exceeding three months.
• Conduct desk review of the existing relevant policy documents.
• Conduct a consultation workshop at all FMS and Banadir region on the draft policy documents. Document workshop reports.
• Produce a final draft ECE policy and curriculum framework for validation by stakeholders. Document validation workshop report.
• Translate the final versions into Somali and English languages respectively.
• Convene a validation workshop in Mogadishu. This includes signing off the policy documents for implementation by MEOCHE leadership.