Request for Expression of Interest (EoI)
To undertake Baseline Survey for the Strengthening Vocational Training and Education project in Kenya (STEVEK)
Context
“The youth in Kenya, around nine million, accounts for 30% of the population. They form 60% of the labour force but nearly half of them are not absorbed in the job market”. It is recognized that youth unemployment contributes to high levels of social disorder including crime, drug abuse and gang culture, as well as a higher vulnerability to development challenges such as HIV and AIDS.
If Kenya is to achieve it’s targets for poverty reduction under the Kenyan government’s Development Plan ‘Vision 2030’, and the Millennium Development Goals, then strategies to achieve sustainable income and employment among youth are essential. The government of Kenya has recognised this need by creating the Technical and Vocational Education and Training Policy in 2005 to improve vocational training programmes and institutions in Kenya. However, implementation of this policy has been patchy due to the capacity of existing youth polytechnics in ensuring vocational training is adequately linked to market demands.
Some of the challenges facing these institutions include: weak management systems, training instructors lacking appropriate market-oriented and new technology skills to train their students and lack of community engagement. Moreover, lack of accountability systems and structures, lack of appropriate instructional materials, and limited sources of funding for VTCs means that they are ill-equipped at present to effectively fulfil their role
Lastly, the private sector environment in Kenya is unsupportive of entrepreneurship among the youth. In order to improve this situation and also make them more accessible to vulnerable youth, such as young women and girls and youth with disabilities, VTCs would benefit from capacity development programmes and involvement of key stakeholders, which include youth, local communities, government, and the private sector.
About the Project
It is on this note that Strentgthening Vocational Training and Education in Kenya project which is a three- year initiative that seeks to increase the organisational and technical capacity of five Vocational Training Centres in disadvantaged urban and rural areas of Kenya to implement appropriately designed market-oriented employment and entrepreneurship programmes was mooted.
STEVEK project is funded by: ASML Foundation, Stichting Liberty Foundation and Turing foundation.
The specific issues and needs to be addressed in respect to the five-targeted Vocational Training Centers (VTCs) are:
1. Weak organization, governance and management capacity;
2. Limited skills and experience of VTCs and their teaching staff to expand and deliver market-oriented skills-development courses, targeting formal and informal employment and entrepreneurship sectors;
3. Limited resources and a lack of knowledge to provide appropriately designed, market oriented instruction materials and curricula; Poor facilities, infrastructure and lack of appropriate equipment to deliver courses in a positive learning environment;
4. Weak linkages between VTCs, government and private sector to exploit market-oriented training and employment opportunities, such as traineeships;
Need to improve the knowledge of the importance of VTCs and the benefits of vocational training among communities, in order to improve enrolment.
The target VTCs include:
1. Makuyu Youth Polytechnic in - Makuyu
2. Nakuru Youth Polytechnic in – Nakuru
3. Garissa Youth Polytechnic – Garissa
4. Matinyani Youth Polytechnic – Kitui
5. Waithaka Youth Polytechnic – Nairobi
The project implementation will include the involvement of the following stakeholders:
1. The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MOYAS)
2. Kenya Technical Teachers College (KTTC)
3. Other government departments and institutions e.g. Local government, etc
4. Private and informal sector among others
In order to inform the expected impact and feed into the project planning, implementation and as well as provide benchmarks and indicators upon which to monitor and measure success, a baseline survey on the current position of the VTC’s is proposed and for which this terms of reference is drawn.
The project officially started in November 2010, and the activities are set to start in January. The baseline will be conducted in Nakuru YP, Matinyani YP, Garissa YP, Waithaka YP and Makuyu YP using a selected sample size that would give the correct picture on the ground. This will include the following activities:
What types of information are needed?
1. Profile each VTC with respect to Mission, Vision, organizational structure, Board members numbers disaggregated on gender and further on disability and areas of discipline.
2. Profile types and number of assets owned within the Youth Polytechnic and their distribution within the departments with the relevant supporting documents.
3. Profile the availability of Instructional Documents – Instructional Curriculum, Scheme of work, Lesson plans, Instructional materials and delivery methods.
4. Profile trainee enrolment – Number, Age, Gender, Disability (Year of baseline 2010) The number of youths and artisans accessing vocational training and services: Numbers of artisans accessing skills improvement and other services from Youth Polytechnics and the type of services accessed, Enrollment of apprentices, Opinion and recommendation of artisans in training apprentices, attachment of trainees from VTCs and the demand for training and services by artisans in the VTCs
5. Profile courses offered in the Youth Polytechnics disaggregated into Cost, Number of Courses, Availability of Curriculum, Period of Courses, Gender Distribution and Disability.
6. Profile Training Facilities – Type of Equipments, Distribution along Courses offered, Physical infrastructure
7. Profile Instructors capacities and capabilities – Gender distribution, Course Distribution, Technical Capacities, Type of employer (PSC, MOYAs or BOG)
8. Profile each VTC along organizational and management capacities – (Leadership Capacity, Adaptive Capacity, Management Capacity and Operational Capacity)
9. Establish the current and future market skill requirements and demands within the location of the respective VTC while identifying local and untapped/under-utilized resources in the different regions with recommendation on the intervention required in order to create jobs by taking advantage of the locally available resources with respect to short-term and long term training programmes to close the gap.
10. Profile the existence of management systems to include; strategic plan, business plan, Roles and responsibilities of the different functions.
11. Profile existing linkages between the private sector players, donors, supporters and the institution giving recommendation on viable potential partnerships to be pursued and in what areas.
12. Determine the capacity of the VTC along Information Technology use and make recommendations on areas of interventions required to capacity enhance them.
13. Profile a detailed account of policy, legislation, standards and guidelines relating to Vocational Training Centers and any bodies involved in lobbying for improved training conditions.
14. Review the project Log frame based on the outcome of the baseline survey
Expected Outputs
· Draft report for partner’s discussions, and presentation of same to the partners.
· One bound report and CD-Rom of a detailed report based on the findings, after incorporating the suggestions from partners. The report shall have details of the following;
1. The baseline information of the Youth Polytechnics – Number of trainees, staff and management committee disaggregated into sex, age, gender and disability.
2. Technical Capacities and capabilities of the instructors
3. Baseline information of instructional documents – Syllabus, Curriculum, Scheme of work, lesson plans etc
4. Baseline information of courses offered – Cost, Number of Courses, Availability of Curriculum, Period of Courses, Gender Distribution, Disability
5. Training Facilities – Type of Equipments, Distribution along Courses offered, Physical infrastructure
6. Organizational and Management capacities of the Youth Polytechnics – (Leadership Capacity, Adaptive Capacity, Management Capacity and Operational Capacity)
7. Baseline information on management systems (strategic plan, business plan, Roles and responsibilities of the different functions, organizational structure etc.
8. Baseline information on existing linkages, partnerships with private sector player, current donors, supporters of VTC and areas of relationship with the local communities
9. Information Technology, Availability, training, potential
10. Baseline information of current and future market skill requirements and demands of the VTCs
11. Information on recommended courses and description of their market potential.
The Consultancy
To achieve the desired objectives, STEVEK intends to engage a consultant who is versed with the Technical and Vocational Education and training sector and information and has worked in the development sector.
Tasks:
As part of expressing interest to undertake the tasks listed, The consultant is expected to undertake the following;
1. Present a proposal on survey design clearly indicating the objectives, sample size, sectors, tools to be used for the survey, scope and coverage, expected outcomes/deliverables, time frame and schedules
2. Budget of the activity (including professional costs), while taking into consideration that VSOJ will provide transport, out of pocket for accommodation and stationery for fieldwork.
3. Once approved, the consultant will carry out the baseline survey and submit the report within a month of signing the contract.
4. Any other requirements for the success of the survey.
Responses to be channeled through Email: john.Collins@vsoint.orgYou can also visit www.kenyanvacancies.com for more jobs
