Background and Rationale
The Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE) is a pan-African non-governmental organization founded in 1992 and led by the African women advancing gender equality in education. For over thirty years, the organization has worked with governments, communities, and educational institutions to advance gender mainstreaming in education policies and ensure the implementation of gender-responsive practices.
The Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE) and the Mastercard Foundation are in a partnership to implement a second chance pathways programme for 7 years (2024 – 2030) in Uganda, Ethiopia, Zambia, Malawi, Ghana, Liberia, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Rwanda and Senegal. The programme is focusing on refugees, persons with disabilities, and rural young women through facilitating transition into Tertiary Education and later entrepreneurship (self-employment) and/or employment.
In line with the FAWE’s strategic objective of enhancing generation and utilization of research evidence to inform education policy and practice, the programme wishes to conduct a comprehensive baseline evaluation in the 10 countries to provide a benchmark for assessing the impact of the programme. The evaluation will also establish the baseline information for all indicators and take stock of the situation of target groups before the large-scale implementation of program activities. The data produced will be used as a comparative basis for subsequent evaluations and to adjust the strategic management of the program.
Objectives of Phase II of the FAWE Program – Mastercard Foundation
The FAWE and Mastercard Foundation Phase II programme, entitled “Second Chance Pathways for Improved Access to Higher Education for Marginalized Young Women and Men,” runs for seven years, from January 2024 to December 2030. The aim is to facilitate the transition between secondary and higher education, entrepreneurship, and employment, with a focus on skills development, access to quality education, and professional integration. The overall objective of the program is to provide young people, especially girls, with inclusive access to tertiary education and transitions pathways to work. The specific objectives of the program are, to:
- Expand bridging programs to 7 additional countries through 518 accredited partner institutions,
- Increase relevant skills development opportunities for 10,550 marginalized youth,
- Promote gender-sensitive educational models in line with the needs of the labor market,
- Support the emergence of 1,240 youth-led – businesses
- Increase the integration of learners from bridging programs into university courses, and
- Strengthen the adoption of gender-sensitive educational policies by institutions, families and communities.
Objectives and Criteria of the Baseline Assessment
The baseline evaluation will cover all ten countries: Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Rwanda, Senegal, Uganda, Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique, and Zambia. This aims to:
- Establish the baseline information for all indicators as outlined in the FAWE MEL Framework
- Understand the specific national contexts, structural barriers and intersectional disparities affecting the tertiary education of marginalized girls and boys.
- Provide data for refining programme strategies, targets, and Theory of Change (ToC) assumptions.
- Feed into the design of follow-up studies including tracer mid-term evaluations
- Assess contextual factors (policy, social, economic) influencing implementation success
Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Domains
The baseline will align with the five Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) domains defined in the FAWE Phase II MEL Framework. These domains comprehensively capture the programme’s expected pathways of change and outcomes, and include:
- Access to education and transitions to work:Focuses on establishing baseline data related to marginalized youth’s entry into tertiary education and their progression into employment.
- Skills development and entrepreneurship:Examines the status of entrepreneurial skills and business readiness among targeted youth.
- Gender responsiveness and inclusion in education:Ensures that baseline data reflects disparities and opportunities for integrating gender-sensitive practices in tertiary institutions.
- Mentorship, alumni networks, and youth agency:Gathers information on existing support systems and the potential for peer-to-peer learning and leadership.
- Institutional and systems strengthening:Assesses the capacity and readiness of partner institutions and policy frameworks to deliver inclusive, gender-responsive, and scalable education solutions.
Key Evaluation Questions
As per FAWE’s knowledge Management Policy, all evaluations will follow the Development Assistance Committee (DAC) – Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) standards to maintain quality and accountability. The criteria include Effectiveness, Impact, Sustainability, Coherence, Relevance, and Efficiency.
Key Evaluation Questions
To do this, the evaluation includes the questions below, but is not limited to:
- What are the baseline values of key programme indicators across countries and target groups?
- What are the educational, economic and social conditions of the marginalized young people, especially the girls and young women in the ten countries where the program is implemented?
- What are the transition rates between education levels, particularly towards STEM fields?
- What national and institutional policies exist regarding inclusive and gender-responsive tertiary education?
- What are the barriers to access to tertiary education and employment for girls and young women in the ten countries?
- What barriers and enabling factors affect access, retention, transition, and employment?
- What are the specific expectations and/or needs of target groups in terms of education, vocational training, and access to employment, including entrepreneurship? How do these needs vary according to the participants’ profiles (refugees, people with disabilities)?
- What are the current levels of awareness, perceptions, and aspirations among potential beneficiaries?
- What contextual factors (political, cultural, economic) influence programme implementation?
- How can programme delivery be tailored to specific national and local contexts
- What specific support systems (psychosocial, educational, material) are necessary to respond to the vulnerabilities of the participants?
- How can the program fit into national priorities for youth education and employment, particularly for marginalized girls and women?
Evaluation Methodology
The baseline evaluation will adopt a mixed-methods, gender-sensitive, and inclusive approach, co-designed by the IPO, FAWE and the Mastercard Foundation to ensure representation and contextual relevance across the ten programme countries. The methodology will be structured around four key components:
- Quantitative Data Collection:The quantitative component will involve structured surveys conducted in each of the ten target countries. These will be administered to representative samples of potential programme participants from the first cohort, including young women and men from marginalized groups such as those living in rural areas, refugees, displaced persons, people with disabilities, and orphans. A harmonized survey questionnaire will be developed and delivered using digital tools (e.g., tablets or smartphones) via Kobo Toolbox. The questionnaire will capture not only demographic and access-related information, but also expectations of the programme and perceived barriers to success. Data will be disaggregated by country, gender, vulnerability status, and area of residence, enabling detailed comparative analysis. The sample size in each country will be determined using a simple random sampling method.
- Qualitative Data Collection:A series of in-depth interviews and focus group discussions will be carried out in each of the ten countries to gather rich contextual insights. Between 15 to 20 interviews per country will be conducted with key informants such as educators, institutional managers, ministry officials (Education, Higher Education, Labor, and Gender), mentors, and representatives of NGOs and women’s organizations. The consultant will identify the sampling technique suitable for the baseline evaluation. Additionally, focus groups consisting of 6 to 8 programme beneficiaries per session will be organized, ensuring a mix of profiles in line with the programme’s inclusion criteria. Thematic guides and discussion tools will be used to explore topics such as inclusion policies, gender stereotypes, support mechanisms, education-employment linkages, and institutional needs. NVivo software will support thematic coding and analysis.
- Secondary Data Review:A comprehensive desk review will be undertaken covering national education policies, statistical data, previous studies, and sectoral reports. This will help triangulate primary data findings and enrich the contextual understanding of existing gaps, interventions, and opportunities in access to and success in tertiary education for marginalized youth.
- Data Quality Assurance:To ensure the integrity and reliability of data, the evaluation will adhere to FAWE’s data quality assurance protocols. These include principles of validity, reliability, precision, integrity, and timeliness. Data collection tools will be piloted prior to rollout. Enumerators and research assistants across the ten countries will undergo comprehensive training on evaluation methods and data collection procedures. Real-time quality control measures, including spot checks and audits, will be employed to detect and correct issues early.
Ethical Considerations:
All evaluation activities will comply with FAWE’s ethical standards and safeguarding policies. Informed consent will be obtained from all participants, and assent from minors where applicable. Data privacy and confidentiality will be maintained through encryption, secure storage, anonymization of sensitive responses, and access control. Risks to participants will be proactively managed, and protocols for referral and support services will be integrated into the data collection process.
The Expected Deliverables from the Baseline Evaluation.
The baseline exercise is expected between 28th July to 30th September 2025. At the end of the exercise, the following deliverables will be expected:
- An inception report for the evaluation detailing methodology adopted, the contents of the data collection tools, the sampling technique and the distribution of the survey samples by country and training institution, a clear timeline for the evaluation as well as the methods for analyzing the evaluation results. This report will be jointly reviewed by FAWE and the Mastercard Foundation.
- A comprehensive report of the literature review providing disaggregated and comparative analyses of existing secondary data analysis.
- A preliminary report providing information on the results of the initial data analyses. This report will be jointly reviewed by FAWE and the Mastercard Foundation for inputs.
- Dissemination and validation of the pre-liminary report with the stakeholders.
- A final baseline evaluation report including baseline matrix, contextual analysis, and programmatic recommendations.
- Revised MEL framework with validated baselines and updated assumptions.
Qualifications of the Consultant/Team
- Proven experience in conducting large-scale, multi-country baseline studies and evaluations.
- The consultant must demonstrate expertise in education, gender, and inclusive development.
- Familiarity with FAWE and Mastercard Foundation priorities, including the foundation’s shared measurements.
- Competence in mixed-method evaluations and participatory approaches
- Consultant must have demonstrated safeguarding practices and procedures for protecting children and vulnerable adults.
- Fluency in English, Swahili and French (working languages in the target countries).
Application Requirements:
An interested consultant/team, should submit:
- A technical proposal outlining methodology, work plan, team structure and tentative work plan for the exercise. “This document should not be more than more than 15 pages”.
- A financial proposal with a detailed budget for the exercise.
- CVs of key personnel.
- Two (2) reports of previous relevant/similar work.
Download Application Document: FAWE Baseline Evaluation ToR for Phase II
Submission of proposal
Please submit the application requirements to the “Executive Director” via email address: procurement@fawe.org with the subject line “FAWE PHASE II BASELINE 2025” not later than 18th July 2025. Review of proposals will begin as soon as they are received, and only complete applications will be reviewed.
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