Expression of Interest

We are pleased to invite expressions of interest from university researchers and research institutes to collaborate on a project evaluating the impact of Teacher Professional Development (TPD) interventions in Malawi.

Project overview: With Norad’s financial support, Save the Children Malawi is implementing a five-year (2024-2028) framework agreement. Education is a significant pillar of this agreement, focusing on access to quality education – literacy and numeracy – in primary schools. About 30% of the budget is allocated to education and 30% to improving learning and teachers’ professional development interventions. The project will be implemented in 100 schools in two districts.

Objective: The research project aims to conduct a rigorous impact evaluation focusing on the effectiveness of teacher mentoring. Our primary aim is to assess the effect of continuous mentoring programs on the reading proficiency of grade 4 students, alongside secondary considerations for the safety and well-being of these students.

The research team is expected to lead the research design process, which includes defining and measuring variables, sampling, developing data collection tools, and analyzing and writing reports. The report will be used to improve programming. SCN also encourages publication in peer-reviewed journals.

Methodology: The proposed methodology entails a Cluster Randomized Control Trials. All schools will receive comprehensive educational interventions, including continuous teacher professional development. However, intervention schools will receive additional support, such as cluster-led learning circles and classroom observations with feedback, over a four-year implementation period (2024-2028).

We are particularly interested in collaborating with researchers and institutes experienced in conducting complex evaluations and control trials. While we propose a Cluster Randomized Control Trial as the primary methodology, we emphasize flexibility in approach. Given the contextual factors inherent in educational interventions, we welcome innovative methodological approaches to ensure scientifically robust results.

Child Safeguarding and Ethical Considerations: Upholding the utmost importance of child safeguarding and ethical standards, researchers must strictly adhere to guidelines and regulations throughout the research process, including compliance with GDPR for data protection.

Desired Expertise: We seek an institutional partner with experience in Malawi and/or teacher training interventions, emphasizing the value of local context familiarity for effective interventions and evaluations. Extensive experience with Cluster Randomized Control trials or proposed methodology is essential.

North/South Collaboration: Partnerships with local researchers and institutions in Malawi are strongly encouraged to facilitate collaborative efforts and sustainable capacity-building initiatives.

Possibility for Mixed-Methods Research: While the primary focus is quantitative, there is room for incorporating qualitative methods to provide deeper insights into observed impacts.

Duration: The project is set to commence in 2024, with a comprehensive timeline covering all research and evaluation phases. These include a baseline, midterm, and end-line evaluation in 2024-2028.