Feasibility Study on a Programme for the Strengthening of the Capacity of Teacher Training (SCOTT) – Puntland and Somaliland

Detailed description of project Back

Within the framework of the EC Strategy for the Implementation of Special Aid to Somalia (SISAS), the Somalia Education and Training Sector Strategy, improved access to basic services in education and training has been identified as a priority in the programming of interventions. Despite substantial improvements in broadening access to basic education promotion of the sector remains the main priority for future EC supported interventions. It is widely agreed that pre-service teacher training is one of the effective levers to achieve further improvements in the quality of the education and training service delivery. An intervention is now proposed in order to address the shortfall in the supply of sufficiently qualified teachers and achieve significant and lasting levels of quality services delivery in Northern Somalia, also with a particular focus on improving the participation of female teachers.

The feasibility study is to address sectoral and cross cutting issues (in particular gender and sustainability) and to produce a feasibility concept with a comprehensive implementation proposal for an intervention seeking to provide qualified training services for the sustained provision of primary education teachers, particularly women teachers, in two focal geographic areas, Somaliland and Puntland.

The study is also to carry out pedagogical, financial, economic and risk analyses which include alternative costed scenarios (based on different transparent and reasoned assumptions) to facilitate the final decision process on program design with the Administrations of Somaliland and Puntland and local partners. Such analytical and empirical findings were shared with local partners in suitable form, e.g. participatory consultation and planning workshops in the target areas, to validate conclusions.

Type of services provided

Key services provided include:

• Desk studies / review of pertinent publications, lessons learned from similar interventions; comparative analysis in terms of costs, risks etc.;
• Field visits for data collection, ‘pre-testing’ of concepts and issues;
• Pre-structured / explorative interviews (e.g. to determine the training needs based on actual teaching practice);
• Sharing of analytical and empirical findings with local Partners in suitable form, e.g. participative workshops to validate conclusions;
• Drafting of a set of documents incl. TOR’s and selection criteria for subsequent award following the ‘Call for Proposal’ procedure.

The expert team consisted of one Education / Training Expert (Team Leader), one Economist and two local consultants.