Previous researches include:
Evaluation of the Impact(Ed), Nawiri Mentorship Project. 2022-2024
Impact(Ed) aimed to test two models of the N-MAP: i) an in-person model of teacher training and support and ii) a hybrid model of partial in-person and partial virtual teacher training and support. The mentorship program includes the delivery of the My Better World (MBW) life skills series through the existing Government of Kenya Digital Literacy Programme (DLP), strengthening mentorship in schools, developing and testing selected MBW pre and post-viewing content—additional content designed to support more active facilitated and at-home viewing—for government Edu Channel TV and radio broadcasts, and an MBW print companion that would be piloted in a subset of schools in Wajir and Kajiado, targeting an alternative method of delivering MBW and mentorship content to children who have limited access to TV and radio.
Impact(Ed)’s vision of success under this grant was to embed its high-impact model in government policy implementation in Kenya. Impact(Ed) was doing so by (1) leveraging the policy opening provided by the Mentorship Policy and the government’s specific request to Impact(Ed) to support its implementation, (2) creating a standardised, well-documented innovation package that is impactful, feasible using government infrastructure for delivery, and cost-effective for the government to implement; and (3) obtaining buy-in and support for scale-up from the Ministry of Education.
The impact evaluation was to assess the innovation’s viability, effectiveness, and feasibility at scale, including testing different project components and component combinations (treatment arms). The testing would determine the optimal model for a potential scale-up by the Government of Kenya.
Baseline and midline evaluation of Edufinance Eduquality programme
Edufinance contracted Ziziafrique to undertake a baseline and midline study of learning outcomes in non-formal schools in Nairobi, Kilifi, Embu, Machakos, Kajiado and Kiambu Counties. The purpose of the multi-year study is to determine whether the EduQuality model drives improvements in learning outcomes. The study utilised the Uwezo learning assessment tool in English, Kiswahili and Numeracy to assess learning outcomes of pupils in Grades 1 and 2. Baseline data was collected in May 2021 from 4,196 pupils attending 131 Kenya schools enrolled in EduQuality, and 66 control schools. A digital survey tool was used to collect data on pupil’s learning. The endline took place in September 2023
Independent Evaluators for I Choose Life Africa Girls Education Challenge (2018-2021). Ziziafrique was the External Evaluator for the I Choose Life Africa Jielimishe Girls Education Challenge Transition (GEC-T). The main evaluation objective was to systematically collect data to assess the delivery, effectiveness, efficiency, relevance, appropriateness, compliance, Value for Money (VfM) and impact of the Jielimishe Girls’ Education Challenge Transition (GEC T) Project and report the findings and lessons learnt throughout the process.
Dignitas Leadership Training. In October 2017, Dignitas engaged Ziziafrique to assess the impact of this intervention on the schools, teachers and learners. This tracer study was to provide evidence of Dignitas’ program impact in order to inform and support scaling, adjustment and replication strategies. The recommendations would stimulate continuous dialogue between Dignitas and stakeholders who
Data was gathered from 25 schools in four different locations. The schools belonged to three intervention cohorts spanning 2011 to 2017. The evaluation utilized a mixed methods design, combining aspects of quantitative and qualitative research implemented in January and March 2018. Measurement of impact relied on a single-point of data collection, with limited correlating baseline or midline data.
UNICEF Kenya Country Office, contracted Ziziafrique in 2018 to carry out a situation analysis of adolescent/youth employability status in Kenya. The purpose of the study was to support government partners to develop and review policies on adolescent programmes and strategies to improve learning, employability and participation of adolescent boys and girls (10-19 years). The proposed strategies were meant to support adolescents in Kenya to acquire 21st century skills for leadership, global citizenship and education for employment through internships, mentorships, and apprenticeships. The study was conducted in Migori, Turkana, Garissa, Meru, Nairobi and Kwale. The findings were used to write a Strategy Note (2018-2030) for UNICEF Country Office
UNICEF Kenya Country Office. In order to have an in-depth understanding of the barriers to youth education and employability, United Nations International Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Kenya contracted Ziziafrique to conduct a field and evidence-based situation analysis to strengthen UNICEF’s understanding of the local market architecture, identify the skills learning needs and establish employability status of youth, in Kakuma refugee camp and Kalobeyei settlement in Turkana County and Dadaab in Garissa County. The findings were used to design the education component (including child protection) of a multi-year joint programme that suits the needs of refugees and local youth in and out of schools in target locations.
Impact of COVID 19 on education and employability in East Africa
Ziziafrique received a grant from Open Society Initiative for East Africa (OSIEA) to assess the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on Persons With Disabilities. Specifically, the study focused on education, training, and employability status for Persons With Disabilities. Based on the empirical research evidence and development priorities by the government of Kenya and Uganda, the study makes recommendations on how governments agencies in each country can strengthen social protection (including psychosocial support) to ensure that Persons With Disabilities including children and youth who happen to be marginalized are protected in case of any emergency/pandemic.
Project Title: “Coordination of the Joint Sub-sector Working Group (JSSWG) and Technical Working Group (TWG) on TVET and youth employment in Kenya”. Consultancy to develop a position paper on COVID-19 response and recovery strategies for the TVET sector in Kenya.
Ziziafrique was contracted by GIZ to review how the TVET and youth vocational training sector has been affected by the COVID 19 pandemic and the appropriate targeted response mechanisms to the identified needs. The result from this assignment was a position paper that provided direction, with pragmatic interventions, that will support the TVET sub-sector to respond to the effects of COVID-19 pandemic in the short, medium, and long term, to rekindle the vision of providing demand-oriented skills for the labour market. The position paper was printed in The Daily Nation.
Zizi Afrique Accelerated Learning Programme (ALP)
The Accelerated Learning Programme contracted Ziziafrique in 2021 to conduct an assessment in Bungoma, Tana River and Turkana Counties. In each County, 30 Enumeration Areas (EAs) were selected and in each EA 20 households were selected at random. In every household, household information that included the following was taken: number of household members; type of walls the house is made of; type of lighting regularly used in the house; whether the household has a protected source of water; whether the household has a toilet/latrine; number of meals regularly eaten in HH per day; main language spoken at home; availability of the following household items:, TV, radio, computer, mobile telephone, motor vehicle, bicycle, motor bike, cart and animals for example cattle, donkey, camel, sheep or goats.
Data was collected using KoBo Toolbox by a total of 180 data collected supervised by 6 Sub-counties (SC). A total of 3,551 households were surveyed.
Evidence Curation, Management and Uptake Project (ECMU), funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Ziziafrique partnered with Education Development Trust (EDT) to undertake the Evidence Curation, Management and Uptake Project (ECMU) research whose main purpose was to increase the usability and uptake of evidence in decision making throughout the education sector. The research address the following question: How does evidence in Kenya influence policy formulation and budgeting?
The research outputs included three country level studies, comprising an assessment of the education evidence ecosystem, and the preparation for the identification and interrogation of an ‘evidence use journey’, examining the use of evidence in a specific education policy moment or decision.
Ziziafrique in consultations with stakeholders from the government and civil society identified the Sector Policy on the learners and trainees with disabilities to develop an evidence ecosystem map. This report will use be used to achieve the following:
- Enhance FCDO and Gates Foundation’s understanding of the education evidence ecosystem in Kenya, to inform future decisions around investments / interventions
- Support WWH partners’ understanding of the education evidence ecosystem in Kenya to inform their current work as part of What Works Hub (WWH)
- Contribute to the further development of the Ecosystem Mapping methodology
Previous projects include:
- Girls’ mentorship project (2016 to 2017). The project sought to pilot components of a mentoring project among marginalized and vulnerable girls in Turkana County in order to foster strong female relationships in their lives that would support them to remain in school, learn well, acquire 21st century skills and transition to secondary and tertiary levels.
- Teaching and learning materials: Development of Reading Materials (June 2016 – October 2016): As part of a Reading program, Ziziafrique developed teaching and learning materials that were used to support an accelerated reading program for children being left behind.
- Strengthening school Administration and Government: Shule Safi Project (December 2015 – January 2017): This entailed developing a grant management system and monitoring the effective use of resources to 200 schools in Turkana and Garissa County. One of the unintended outcomes was the promotion of leadership practices of school head teachers.
Curriculum Evaluation: Breadth of Learning Opportunities (BOLO) project (February 2017 – October 2017). Ziziafrique partnered with the Center for Universal Education (CUE) at the Brookings Institution to conduct a pilot that tested feasibility of three tools (policy, school and teacher) to measure the Breadth of Learning Opportunities (BOLO) students are exposed to both in the national curriculum and at the school level. The BOLO are outlined in the Learning Metrics Task Force (LMTF) Seven Domains of Learning and include: physical well-being; social and emotional; culture and the arts; literacy and communication; Learning approaches & cognition; Numeracy & mathematics; science and technology. Visit https://www.brookings.edu/blog/education-plus-development/2018/06/08/delivering-education-in-kenya-that-addresses-the-breadth-of-learning-needed-to-thrive-in-a-changing-world/