Education and Training Programme - Technical Assistance

Location

Republic of Vanuatu

Duration

2005 - 2008

Donor

EuropeAid - 9th European Development Fund

Budget

450.000 EURO

Description and Deliverables

The overall objective of the Education and Training Programme is to contribute to the development of human resources in Vanuatu by providing opportunities to children to acquire knowledge and skills that would enable them to become productive members of the society. The specific objective of the “Education and Training Programme” is to improve access to education after 6 years of primary school.

To enable children to stay in school longer and to secure the relevance of extended basic education (BE) the programme includes the following key features:

Extending mainly the present primary schools by building additional classrooms
Supporting curriculum development based on the present community secondary day school (CSS) and the two first years of the present junior secondary school (JSS), which together will form the basic school years 7 and 8, so that they are relevant for the new system
Supporting the up-grading of the qualification of teachers of years 7 and 8
Rehabilitating or possibly moving one JSS to a new location, if adequately justified
Rehabilitating the provincial education offices (PEO) to better respond to their present responsibilities and the needs of upcoming decentralisation of educational administration
In-service training of education staff in management and planning, and establishing an Education Management Information System (EMIS)
Continuing the in-service training of school advisors, inspectors, and school maintenance staff.

The objectives of the Technical Assistance are to plan, supervise and monitor activities of the programme (4.500.000 € budget).

coordination of the Programme Implementation Unit (PIU)
preparation of specifications for tenders (services, works and supplies)
launch of tenders, signing of contracts in a timely manner and in accordance with EDF 9 regulations;
preparation of annual work programmes by the PIU, validation by the steering committee and execution in a timely manner;
close supervision of the performance of the contracts (works, supplies, services) and of the work programmes;
technical, administrative and financial management of the programme in accordance with EDF 9 regulations;
preparation and submission of implementation reports as well as technical reports

Services

overall management of the PIU
identification, selection and training of experts to work within PIU
planning, in collaboration with the Policy Planning division of the MoE, the annual programme of activities of the project
drafting the technical and operational parts of the Annual Programme Estimate as per EDF Guidelines
all expenditure, commitments, payments authorisation and recoveries
monitor the project progress and suggest corrective measures
facilitate communication and information flow between the various stakeholders including liaison with other donors, active in the education sector, with a view to preventing duplication and overlapping;
facilitate annual review of the project achievement with key stakeholders
development of the education sector adjustment strategy and programme
design of short-term assignments and their management and supervision
tendering of equipment and refurbishment
assistance to political decision makers in the development of local reform strategies
design and establishment of the Education Management Information System (EMIS)
curriculum development and in-service teacher training