Call for expression of interest (EOI) for partnership with national NGOs to implement Education activities to the Palestinian refugee communities in Lebanon

1. General overview about the Project.

 The proposed intervention will benefit from the long-lasting experience and lessons learnt of TDH IT in working among the Palestinian Camps of Lebanon, strengthening local organizations capacities to provide quality education services to the boys and girls of their communities. The initiative will be implemented through a Consortium, established through previous UNICEF-funded initiatives since 2017 and currently composed by TDH IT and up to 6 local partners providing educational services both at community level and inside schools, supporting UNRWA Learning Support Programme (LSP). The partners will be selected following a comprehensive review of the partnerships managed over the past phase of the project, while implementing a transparent and open Call for Expression of Interest for new partners at the end of 2021, in line with TDH IT partnership management SOPs.

The present intervention will support local Palestinian organizations to improve their technical and managerial capacities to provide NFE (remedial/homework support/language support classes) and assist the formal education system to strengthen access to quality education for all vulnerable boys and girls of the Palestinian communities, against the increasing rates of dropouts and Child Protection threats described above. The intervention will be carried out face to face and/or through remote modalities (through the use of WhatsApp, voice calls, zoom platforms/other social media application and the use of offline tools) in UNRWA schools and in the learning centres of the local partners of the Consortium. At school level, the local partners will support UNRWA LSP through the involvement of trained teachers/technical staff; through the learning centers, the project will prioritize the provision of support to children who are currently out of school, offering remedial classes and facilitating their enrolment in the formal school system (UNRWA, Lebanese or ALP). Children will be selected through outreaching activities and UNRWA referral mechanisms. Particular attention will be given to the promotion of inclusive values and practices within formal and non-formal education curricula through the provision of capacity building to local staff, in coordination with UNRWA, strengthening outreaching mechanisms and involvement of all project stakeholders to increase children enrollment in formal and non-formal education, raising awareness on equal access to quality education for boys and girls, including children with disabilities.

Through the proposed project TDH IT intends to address all priorities listed under Outcome 1, section “CHILD DEVELOPMENT” of the guidelines set by UNICEF for the Call for Proposal 2019 and in the APD 2018/2022:

• Sustain and expand access to formal education, through removing financial, social, cultural and gender barriers to access;
• Support school retention through school-based and community-based retention programs;
• Improve quality of education, including physical environment, infrastructure, staff competencies, monitoring and supervision systems;
• Ensure compliance of CP minimum standards in Education; contribute to promoting schools as safe environments for learning and development;
• Strengthen Inclusive Education approaches; support the inclusion of children with disabilities in education programme.

The following are the Activities proposed:

• Activity A.1.2- Support the strengthening of Inclusive Education approaches in formal and non-formal education programmes; including teachers training, tools development, and specialized support to the assessment of learning difficulties and the formulation of Individualized Educational Plans for boys and girls.
• Activity A.1.3 - Support school retention through school-based and community-based retention programmes, including quality improvements (physical environment, staff competencies, etc.
• COVID-19 AWARENESS – Covid-19 awareness will be cross-cutting all project initiatives: specific awareness sessions will be provided to caregivers and children at different levels (both at school and during the implementation of all NFE services)

Activity A.1.2: The proposed intervention will focus on empowerment of local CBOs among the targeted Palestinian refugee communities, strengthening their technical, administrative and managerial skills for the provision of quality NFE and retention services towards vulnerable children.

During all Programme implementation, the technical staff of the learning centers part of the initiative (teachers, learning supervisors, project coordinators) will be provided with theoretical and practical training on inclusive methodologies to be applied in learning support and remedial education activities. Capacity building activities will be organized through the use of technical sessions, trainings and workshops focusing on the harmonization of standards tools for NFE - in line with INEE and UNRWA Policy for Inclusive Education Strategy and Outline for Protection Activities (Protection through Education) - and for retention curricula, in line with UNRWA Learning Support/Self-Learning Support guidelines for face to face or remote services implementation.

The delivery of NFE and retention activities will be implemented through face to face/remote/blended modalities, according to the evolvement of the crisis and in line with UNRWA and MEHE regulations for the new scholastic year. In case of a possible implementation of face-to-face activities, each learning center will be strictly abiding with Covid-19 preventive measures set up by the Lebanese National Authorities and the humanitarian health sector.

Each learning center will provide to students the specific learning material (such as: stationery, notebooks, raw material for active learning and educational games), to facilitate their access to learning opportunities, copying with their vulnerable economic conditions.

Activity A.1.2.3- Support school retention through school-based and community-based retention programmes, including quality improvements (physical environment, staff competencies, etc.)

Within the premises of the 15 learning centers managed by the local partners and within UNRWA LSP, at least 3700 children between 06-18 identified as at risk of dropout will benefit from the provision of community-based learning/retention support. Mainly students in grades 1-6 (age 6-14) will be targeted in the project activities; however, it has to be noted that some students of higher grades (age 15-18) will be also targeted by some centers on exceptional cases. According to the evolvement pandemic and in line with the regulations issued by the national Government, in coordination with INGO platforms and the donor, the activities will be implemented via remote and/or face to face.

If conditions allow to face implementation, NFE services will be organized within the Learning Spaces belonging to the local partners, abiding by preventive measures and health standards set by national Government, WHO and the health sector (social distance, hygiene measures etc.). Students will be involved in cycles of supportive/remedial classes; homework support classes; language support classes. Size and duration of the cycles will depend on the internal organization of each partner, but it is possible to envision at least 1 main cycle, that will run along with scholastic year 2021/2022. The coordination between the Partners Centre Supervisors, the TDH IT Area Focal Points, the Principals of UNRWA, the families of the children and any other education stakeholder in the camps, will ensure participation of the most at-risk-of-drop-out students to the remedial classes; outreach activities will also be conducted by Learning Centre Supervisors and by the partners Social/Community workers in order to identify and involve new children in education programs.

The use of PSS services, recreational and extracurricular activities will be provided both face to face and by remote (using handicraft, games, interactive work) and focusing on the promotion of inclusion and fighting against discrimination, stigma and stereotypes against the most vulnerable children, especially children with disabilities, improving social cohesion and positive peer to peer behaviors.

Outreaching activities will represent the main tool to reach out the most vulnerable children, specifically out-of-school children, drop-out/school leavers. Within the framework of all activities conducted in the learning centers, particular attention will be paid to mainstream outreach strategies to reach out to the most disadvantaged youths in the camps and in the gatherings, particularly focusing on gender and disability issues, involving local CBOs and interested stakeholders in advocating for equal access to quality education for all children.

Covid-19 AWARENESS – Covid-19 awareness will be cross-cutting all project initiatives: specific awareness sessions will be provided to caregivers and children at different levels (both at school and during the implementation of all NFE services): awareness sessions and RCCE activities will be held on Covid-19 prevention and vaccination processes in line with WHO recommendation and Ministry of Health regulations, and in coordination with the health sector and main INGO platforms; those sessions will be realized face to face and/or by remote (according to the evolvement of the health crisis) addressing all the staff of the 6 local partners (teachers, project coordinators, social workers, animators, and financial/administrative staff) and the families of children beneficiaries.  Distribution of hygiene kits, flyers and other awareness material on Covid-19 prevention will be disseminated through the 6 local partners, according to UNICEF guidelines and in collaboration with the other Consortia working within the Palestinian Program.

Project Beneficiaries

The project aims to reach, through the various services provided by the organizations of the Consortium, at least:

• 3,700 girls and boys (06-18) living in the Palestinian camps and gatherings of Lebanon, of whom:

• Palestinians: 3,310
• Syrians: 260
• Lebanese: 110
• Other: 20
• Females: 1,830
• Males: 1,870
• Children with disabilities: 60

• At least 90 Remedial Teachers employed by the Partner NGOs; Catchment area: 36,960 students UNRWA report of registered students in Lebanon (scholastic year 2018/2019).

At least 90 Remedial Teachers employed by the Partner NGOs will undergo a capacity building pathway of 12 months.

The 3,700 students (3,319 attending CBOs learning programs, 381 in LSP) targeted by the project will be indicative and below are the expected targets to be reached in the following Governorates

• Akkar: 671
• Tripoli: 335
• Baalbek/Hermel: 670
• Mount Lebanon: 582
• South Lebanon:  1,442

1. Partner Eligibility Criteria:

Required qualifications, and eligibility of the prospective partner:

1. Eligible applicants are only national organizations, registered in Lebanon according to Lebanese laws and eligible to work inside the Palestinian camps.
2. The project will be implemented in Palestinian camps and gatherings. Only prospective partners who operate or have experience operating in either of the two aforementioned areas or both will be considered;
3. Expertise and experience in education activities: Previous experience in the delivery of education services (outreach, Community Based Early Childhood Education, Basic Literacy and Numeracy programme, retention support for children at the risk of drop out in formal education, PSS/SEL, teacher training and caregiver engagement)). 
4. Proven experience and knowledge in child protection and participation, inclusion of children with disabilities, and referral mechanisms.
5. Experience in project management and project cycle management.  
6. Involvement and presence at local level with good reputation and is well accepted among local stakeholders in the communities and areas of operation.
7. Organization is neutral, independent, impartial and is guided by the humanitarian principles.

All eligibility criteria must be met and demonstrated through the submission of required documents and EoI.

1. Expression of Interest (EOI) selection process.

A selection panel established by TDH IT, with combination of programme, finance, and senior management, will review the submitted EOI. The selected partner(s) will then undergo a vetting and due diligence process, before the final sign off and agreement to partnership.

TDH IT respect and commit to the principles of equality, impartiality and transparency, which guides the selection process in identifying partners sharing the same principles. TDH IT will ensure the selection process is fully impartial and compliant to its policies and guidelines so that the appropriate and best suitable partner get selected.

1. Requirements for Submission of Expression of Interest (EOI)

1. The Expression of Interest template filled (Annex I)
2. An estimate budget with breakdown (Annex I)
3. Portfolio of projects implemented in the past 3 years with focus on the education sector;
4. A copy of constitution and/ or by- laws of the organization and a copy of the Certificate of Registration.
5. Organizational Chart
6. Recent audit report from the past 2 years.
7. The CV(s) of the technical education personnel, that oversees the education Programme at your organization.
8. Reference contact details from previous INGO or UN partners or donors.( to be filled in Annex I)
9. Any other relevant programmatic documents such as Programme evaluation, needs assessment report or organizational strategy. 
10. Selection Criteria:

• The organization mission and objective
• Organizational fit with TDH IT’s culture and values, especially when it comes to child protection principles and the do no harm approach
• Experience in implementing education projects within the same area targeted by the project
• Capacity to do outreach and the level of engagement with the people in the community
• Existing of management, finance and systems policies and procedures
• Quality of EoI
• Submission of all required supporting documents
• Eligibility criteria are demonstrated and met