Evaluation of UNICEF Zimbabwe Support for Education

2018
UNICEF, Zimbabwe

A Mokoro team conducted a summative evaluation of UNICEF Support for Education in Zimbabwe. The main objective of this evaluation was to assess the effect of the UNICEF support for education in Zimbabwe as provided through the Education Development Fund (EDF) between 2012 – 2015 and the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) between 2014 – 2016. The evaluation also included an in-depth case-study evaluation of the School Improvement Grants.

The evaluation examined the implementation of the EDF, specifically in the areas of school and system governance, teaching and learning, and second-chance education which provides opportunity for people who have missed out on school to re-enter formal education or receive relevant skills training. Under the GPE, the evaluation looked at professional development for better teaching and learning, supervision and management of teacher performance and development, and strengthened strategic planning leading to the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education’s Education Sector Strategic Plan 2016-2010.  Both EDF and GPE interventions align to a common goal of assisting the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education to achieve “universal and equitable access to quality educational services for all Zimbabwean children”.

The evaluation, led by Matthew Smith, was a theory-based mixed-methods evaluation, combining secondary data from documentary, baseline and monitoring sources, with primary data obtained through interviews, focus group discussions, school visits in six districts of Zimbabwe, which involved in-depth data gathering, and a national survey sent out nationally to all 8,600 schools.

Further details can be found on the UNICEF website.

The people behind the project

Project leader: Matthew Smith

Principal Consultant

Principal Consultant

Principal Consultant

Principal Consultant and Director

Penny Chideme, Lancelot Kajokoto, Abby Riddell