Enumerators of Year 2 Literacy Boost

I. Overview
This report examines the results of a student background survey and reading assessment conducted in March 2023 as a performance monitoring exercise in Year Two of the five-year Learning and Engaging All in Primary School (LEAPS) III project in Savannakhet Province. LEAPS III is a five-year project (2022 – 2026) funded by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) McGovern-Dole International Food for Education program. LEAPS III is being implemented by Catholic Relief Services (CRS) together with government partners, Save the Children International (SC), and the University of Oregon. The goal of LEAPS III is to achieve improved literacy of school-age children in seven educationally disadvantaged districts of Savannakhet province of Lao People’s Democratic Republic (PDR). The objectives of LEAPS III include the following: (1) improve quality of instruction with an intensive model of training, (2) increase enrolment of children in schools through greater inclusion of children with disabilities and other traditionally excluded groups, and (3) maintain strong attendance by ensuring a healthy and hunger-free learning environment for all students.
The key research questions explored in this report include the following:
1. What can the Year Two cross-sectional assessment tell us about students’ reading skills (expressive vocabulary, phonological awareness, letter identification, familiar word decoding, comprehension word-phrase and short sentence, and comprehension passage and questions).
2. How do scores on students’ reading skills among grade two students Y2 compare between students in baseline 2022.

II. Scope of Work
The data collection for LBRA will include the enumerators training by SCI and two pilots at schools that are not part of the schools selected for the assessment before data collection starts. During the assessor training, a one-hour ethics training and a 2-hour child safeguarding training will be included. During the pilots, enumerators will work through all the data collection tools, including the principal consent.
The data collection of around 740 grade 2 leaners from 74 schools of 6 districts of Savannakhet province by using KoBo Toolbox and the LBRA standard questions developed by SCI (www.kobotoolbox.org), 20 tablets will be deployed for the assessment and tools will be uploaded in the tablet by Laos CO. Each school where data will be collected, 10 children (5 boys and 5 girls) in grade two will be randomly selected.
Upon arrival at the school, the team leaders liaise with the school/headmaster/teachers and find a place to assess the children. They are in charge of filling in the School Principal/Head teacher Consent Form that provide by SCI, sampling the children, recording students’ names and codes on the Team Leader paper, classroom observation questionnaire, and overseeing student allocation to the team of enumerators. They also make sure that everyone is using the student codes correctly and they answer assessor questions when they come up which need to follow the guideline that SCI provide during training.
The data collection will be checked and uploaded into the system once the internet connection is available day by day.
Each enumerator will daily report to the team leader on the tasks completed (such as # of survey done/village, challenge) and Report to the team leader immediately, if facing any difficulty on technical issue or unclearable survey with conclusion and recommendation.
III. Data Collection Methods
A three-member team including a team leader consisting of two external enumerators and one Education officials from government will be deployed for each school, one team will collect data from 2 schools each day depending on the travel time to the schools. Government officials will facilitate the access to the school, introduce the team, describe the objectives and process, supervise the team and collect secondary data from the school registers while the external enumerators will assess the student’s reading ability (expressive vocabulary, phonological awareness, letter identification, familiar word decoding, comprehension word-phrase and short sentence, and comprehension passage and questions). from grade 2. Data will be collected in six districts including74 sampling schools in LEAPSIII project by using KoBo Toolbox (www.kobotoolbox.org), 18 tablets will be deployed for the assessment and tools will be uploaded in the tablet by SCI LEAPS III MEAL Manager.

The data collection will include an assessor training and two pilots at schools that are not part of the schools selected for the assessment before data collection starts. During the assessor training, a one-hour ethics training and a 2-hour child safeguarding training will be included. During the pilots, enumerators will work through all the data collection tools, including the principal consent.

Before going to the first pilot school, team leaders will be selected from among the enumerators and SCI staff. Upon arrival at the school, the team leaders liaise with the school/headmaster/teachers and find a place to assess the children. They are in charge of filling in the sampling the children consent form, recording students’ names and codes on the Team Leader paper, and overseeing student allocation to the team of enumerators. They also make sure that everyone is using the student codes correctly and they answer assessor questions when they come up.
Please see Appendix B for the complete assessment tool to be used in country.

Research Questions:

1. What can the Year Two cross-sectional assessment tell us about students’ reading skills (expressive vocabulary, phonological awareness, letter identification, familiar word decoding, comprehension on word-phrase and short sentence, and comprehension on passage and questions.
2. How do scores on students’ reading skills among grade two students Y2 compare between students in baseline 2022.

IV. Task Deliverables:

• The enumerators will be received training on how to collect the data of LBRA and other principles of organization.
• The enumerators have to follow on the principle of Child safeguarding strictly.
• The enumerators have sufficient knowledge and skills in working with children in multiple language background and children with disabilities
• The enumerators have to ensure that data collection is accurate and uploaded into the system.
• The enumerators have to be accountability for data collection and make sure the data is saved and uploaded into system.
• The enumerators have to response themselves for travelling to each school of 6 districts. SCI will help to coordinate with government partners.

V. Timeline
The entire consultancy is expected to run from 16th to 31st March 2023. The timeline below shows key stages of the consultancy.
Data collection plan Date, Month and Year
Attend Enumerator training in Savannakhet (not included traveling day) 16-17/3/2023
Field data collection (not include traveling day) 20-31/3/2023

VI. Level of Effort
The expected level of effort for the study is 18 days over the course of the project excluded traveling day
• Involved enumerator training 4 days
• Data collection 14 days

VII. Qualifications
The consultant will be expected to possess the following qualifications
– Extensive experience in qualitative and quantitative research methods, with particular interest in international development education applications.
– Experience in Data Collection of Early Grade Reading Assessment (EGRA) and/or Literacy Boost Reading Assessment (LBRA).
– 5 plus years’ experience with education programs in low- or middle-income countries.
– Willingness and ability to travel to remote locations with only minimal logistical support
VIII. Application Requirements
Consultants/companies are required to submit copies of following documents:
– Legitimate business address
– Tax registration number & certificate
– Business registration certificate
– Team Structure with CV of each team members
– Cost proposal, including fees, travel to/from Savannakhet Province.
IX. Mandatory Requirements
Consultants/companies and its staff (and any sub-contractors used) agree to comply with SCI’s mandatory policies include:
– Child Safeguarding Policy
– Anti-Bribery & Corruption Policy
– Human Trafficking & Modern Slavery Policy
– Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse Policy
– Anti-Harassment, Intimidation & Bullying Policy
– IAPG Code of Conduct
– Conditions of Tendering
– Consultants/companies agree to support required document/information for vetting process (to ensure they are not a prohibited party under applicable sanctions laws or anti-terrorism laws and accepts that SCI will undertake independent checks to validate this.)
X. Other Acceptances
– The payment will be paid within 15 working days after submitting an invoice.
– Prefer to be LAK currency and acceptable bank transfer.