Senior Technical Advisor in Financing

Terms of Reference: Senior Technical Advisor in Financing, Education Sector, Lebanon

Section:

Education

Date:

January 2020

Title:

Senior Technical Advisor, Education Financing

Location:

Beirut, Lebanon

Duration:

180 days over 11 months (assumed full time for period – length can be revised)

Start date:

Oct/Nov 2020

A.        INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) leads the UK’s work to end extreme poverty, deliver the Global Goals, and tackle global challenges in line with the government’s UK Aid Strategy. Our aid budget is spent on tackling the great global challenges – from the root causes of mass migration and disease, to the threat of terrorism and global climate change – all of which also directly threaten British interests. We are ending the need for aid by building peaceful and stable societies, creating jobs and strong economies, fighting corruption, unlocking the potential of girls and women, tackling climate change and helping to save lives when humanitarian emergencies hit. We are doing this because it is both the right thing to do and firmly in Britain’s national interest.

The Lebanese public education system has faced significant challenges for decades, with its governance plagued by systemic legislative, financial, and technical weaknesses. Burdened with a static budget between 2005 and 2017, allocative inefficiencies diverted investments away from structural reform. Of the limited Government expenditure on Education (averaging 9% of the national budget) almost 84% is spent on teacher salaries. With the national curriculum last revised in 2007, teaching guides, teacher-training approaches, and learning content/material are also outdated.  The quality, adequacy, and suitability of physical and technical infrastructure in public schools are also insufficient. These several issues have led to the decline of the Lebanese public school system, with only 30% of Lebanese school age (mostly poorer) children accessing public schools and repetition and drop-out continuing to be significant problems.

The Syrian refugee crisis has had a significant impact on this already-weakened system, since 2011. Lebanon currently hosts the highest concentration of refugees per capita globally; with one in four persons in Lebanon, a refugee. Of the (approximately) one million refugee population, more than 600,000 are children between 3-18 years, in need of basic services, including education. The MEHE has responded with considerable alacrity and foresight by –

• opening all 1,300 of its public schools and operating double-shifts to accommodate refugee student-demand (averaging around 200,000 students a year)
• engaging additional “contractual teachers”; increasing its staff by a reported 111%
• designing and operationalizing a network of regulated non-formal programmes
• launching a child-protection policy in schools
• rehabilitating more than 300 schools since 2015, and
• launching an inclusive education pilot in public schools; to name a few points.

Despite these significant positive strides, on average 36% refugee school age children are still out of learning. Important gaps also exist with regards the quality of education provided and the measures to support protection of children inside public schools. 

The international community in Lebanon has been playing an important role supporting the MEHE in this response; funding an average of £230 million a year towards these results in addition to the Government’s own budget. Given the protracted nature of the crisis – the MEHE, recently indicated its shift to forward planning through the development of a Five Year Plan; geared towards system changes and improving learning outcomes for children in inclusive environments in the context of its SDG4 mandate.

Within this broad context, Lebanon’s education sector has indicated its emerging policy and programmatic reform priorities in several documents; of which some are outlined below:

1. Expand the compulsory school-age to include pre-primary education; i.e., design and cost a strategy for Early Childhood Education (ECE).
2. Scale up the inclusive education model (whereby schools’ mainstream children with mild to moderate physical and learning disabilities, differentiate teaching practices and making children’s learning need the center of the learning institutions)
3. Greater emphasis on children’s learning outcomes
4. Scale up the child protection policy across all public and private schools in Lebanon
5. Adopt a life skills framework for an improved learning environment fit for the 21^st century in public schools.
6. Undertake curricular reform
7. Agreement to move from an emergency response to a mainstreamed sector-based response, fully integrated into existing systems at MEHE
8. Optimise the teacher training and teacher performance assessment system.
9. Supporting private school budget regulation by MEHE
10. Develop (separate or integrated) costed financial models and funding scenarios for funding; given the existing national budget and donor commitments. 

These stated policy/reform initiatives are especially relevant in 2020 as Lebanon is entering a severe economic and financial crisis. Given the all-encompassing nature of this economic crisis, the education sector will also likely come under threat. This is because there will likely be cuts to social sector budgets including to MEHE. In addition, significant reductions in economic wellbeing of all households will occur with the most important impact being felt on the poorest households (regardless of nationality), with commensurate reductions in ability to pay for basic services, including education.

It is opportune for the international community to fortify its support to the sector given that MEHE is shaping its strategy 2030 to transform its education system into a system able to equip students with the needed skills for productivity, innovation, and global competitiveness. This will require sound technical and financial analysis to support extensive reforms, where needed.

1. OBJETIVE:

The purpose of the assignment is to provide technical guidance and strategic direction to MEHE and the education sector through the development of costed models and financial scenarios for the development of the education system (Lebanese and non-Lebanese), taking into consideration the current economic crisis and reform goals of the MEHE, stated above.

1. THE RECIPIENT AND REPORTING

The consultant will report to FCDO-funded TA Team Leader in MEHE and to the FCDO Lebanon Education Team, all reports should be in English. The recipient is the Strategic Governing Group (SGG) (DFID, UNICEF, the Minister of Education and Higher Education and nominated MEHE team).  The consultant will also liaise with, provide progress updates and report to the Education Donor Group.

Outputs

Short inception report outlining data requests, mode of working and subsequent deliverable timing.

Phase 1: Rapid costing envelope – quality short report draft to SGG

Phase 1: Rapid costing envelope – quality short report final to SGG

Phase 2: Funding modality proposals – quality short paper draft

Phase 2: Funding modality proposals – quality short paper final

Phase 3: Quality budget analysis, scenarios, costing report and proposals – 40-80 pages; first draft and presented to SGG and Education Donor Group

Phase 3: Quality budget analysis, scenarios, analytical and proposals report final

Timescales will be discussed and agreed during the inception phase.

1. THE SCOPE

The assignment will produce:

PHASE 1: Rapid costing envelope of the current education sector (ECE to Grade 12)

1. A mapping of all funding flows and expenditures of the public education system (at central, regional, and school levels); highlighting different funding sources and allocations, eg. MEHE and donor funding flows into the system and including upcoming reforms such as costing the increasing access to pre-primary education or for more students to transition to the public sector.
2. A rapid financial analysis of the current funding model (i.e., budgeting, income, and allocation) guiding the public education sector. The analysis should clearly delineate between Lebanese and refugee student caseloads.

PHASE 2: Funding modality proposals

1. Draw on the World Bank/UNHCR regional analysis (including Lebanon, Turkey and Jordan) on cost models and financing modalities for refugee education (in the public system)
2. Proposals to the donor community for immediate (2020/21) “holistic” funding modalities to support MEHE - with a view to joint funding of Lebanese and refugee education costs established in phase 1. 
3. Draw on global best practice for countries in similar contexts, including ensuring resilience in funding and systems with reference to COVID-19 where relevant.

PHASE 3: Budget analysis, costing models and scenarios of the MEHE’s future Education Sector Plan

1. Drawing from the World Bank’s Public Finance Review (PFR) of public expenditure and revenues in Lebanon (from 2015 and 2020), review relevant education financial analysis literature on best practices.  Using existing financial literature[1] and data sources to provide:

I) A clear description of the potential impact on Lebanon’s education budgeting and financing situation (both public and private) linked to the evolving national and sub-national economic conditions. This is to include contextualization of poverty and inequality in the country and the extent to which economic deprivation is a barrier to accessing quality schooling, where such data can either be gathered or made available. The consultant will work to support this data gathering process.

II) A description and analysis of the system of private, free-private (subsidized), and public schooling in Lebanon; with a description of the uptake of students, actual cost of education per sub-sector, and allocation of public funds between these sub-sectors.  

1. If possible, and if needed beyond the existing financial literature’s findings, an analysis of expenditure trends against stated budgets, incomes, and allocations – with a view to advising the MEHE where most in/efficiencies, in/effectiveness, and/or in/equities lie. 

    

    

    

2. At the parent/school level – a description of the financial burden ie. out-of-pocket education expenditures for families and schools to ensure children attend and complete school, eg. books, transportation, heating, generators etc, drawing on relevant reports. This to accompany the financial role of parents and student’s funds in management of the school. 

1. A costing of each of the elements of MEHE’s strategic plans (5 Year Plan and SDG4 Plan), once finalized, (or support the costing of the plans while they are being designed, if feasible); using the analysis pieces produce in Phase I.

All costed elements should:

1. 1. Including categories of expenditures (planned and executed), particularly pressure on wage bill. Including, where possible, hiring, promotion and salary trends (i.e. salary levels; distribution of salaries at higher end; age ranges against salaries; distribution of teachers across grades; qualified versus unqualified; contractual versus civil servants and corresponding hours of work etc.). This again, where possible, is to provide delineation between Lebanese and non-Lebanese expenditure.
   2. Provide recommendations on how static income/increased caseload can be most effectively prioritized and operationalized in the immediate term 
   3. Demonstrate how existing income streams (from the Government of Lebanon and external partners) can be most effectively allocated to cover all (Lebanese and refugee students) accessing public education
   4. Be modelled on projected scenarios, including but not necessarily limited to one scenario of the same budget of the last five years, and a scenario assuming a significant reduction in the national budget and an increased caseload of students moving from private to public schooling (given the current economic crisis)

1. Proposals for long term (post 2020/21) “holistic” funding modalities to support MEHE - with a view to joint funding of Lebanese and refugee education costs established in phase 1. 

1. CONSTRAINTS and DEPENDENCIES

• Given the current restriction on movement linked to COVID-19 the consultant can complete the first/two phases remotely with travel to Lebanon if/when possible. This will be reviewed as the situation evolves.
• The consultant will be expected to use his/her own computer/software. Office space will be available at both MEHE and in an external office, where necessary.  
• The consultant will need to work with the Education Donor Group, with support from FCDO, and book meetings in advance to ensure timely input.
• The consultant can elect whether they would also want support from an FCDO-funded national resource (as part of a separate current technical assistance programme) to complete data gathering and translations of reports, if required.

1. BREAK POINTS

Break points will be provided for after each phase and exceptionally, if the security or delivery situation deteriorates in country.

1. CONSULTANT SPECIFICATION
   • • • An Advanced University Degree in education, economics, or other social science field is required;
       • Minimum of 10 years of relevant work experience in education financing, sector strategy, programme planning, management, and/or research in education at the international level, some of which preferably in MENA region;
       • Familiarity with emergency response is an asset;
       • Fluency in English is required. Arabic and French is a highly desirable asset.
       • Strong experience of working across government entities, including building networks and drawing on team resource to achieve ambitious deliverables, in a timely manner.
       • Technical competencies are expected in the following areas:

1. Strong public financial management understanding and practical experience, particularly in the education and humanitarian context;
2. Good understanding of the overall global development context, including issues such as: poverty, humanitarian response, and the impact of these factors on equitable education and vice-versa; and inter-sectoral approaches to address such issues in collaboration with other sectors.
3. Good knowledge of global developments in education and mixed funding models;
4. Good ability to support policy dialogue: translation of analytical findings and evidence to stakeholders, including government and development partners.
5. Good education sector planning knowledge/ability, including the range of modalities for delivering education, linkages between different sub-sectors (e.g. ECE, Primary, Secondary, Inclusive Education), cost-effectiveness and efficiency issues, key institutional structures, components and processes, as well as governance issues;
6. Good education and policy sector analysis capacity, including understanding of the core education data sets, indicators, tools for analysis of equity, determinants of student access and learning, budget, cost and financing, education system management, political economy and application to education policy and strategic planning;