Request For War Child Canada
Piloting and Scaling Up of Model Education Technology (EdTech) in Hub and Community-Based Schools in
1- Background :
War Child Canada: is an international charity organization registered in Toronto, Canada, dedicated to helping children and their communities overcome the devastating effects of active and post war. Its vision is “Accelerating Peace by disrupting the cycle of violence” and its mission is “Driving Generational Change for The Hardest Hit by Investing in The Power of Local Communities”.
Since being founded in 1999, War Child Canada has worked in 20 countries across the world, and is currently operational in Afghanistan, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Sudan, South Sudan, Uganda and Yemen.
The EdTech Project Pilot Phase was implemented in 26 schools across the five targeted provinces of Nangarhar, Laghman, Bamyan, Baghlan and Kunduz. The project aimed to improve access to quality education among students, including girls and children with disabilities, in selected schools in rural and remote areas of Afghanistan by integrating Education Technology (EdTech). The project was initially implemented by the Swedish Committee for Afghanistan (SCA) and was subsequently transitioned to War Child Canada (WCC), with implementation carried out in close partnership with the local organization, Afghan Development Association (ADA). The initiative involves use of a blend of paperback books, digital e-books, and tablets installed with EdTech software aligned with the Ministry of Education (MoE) school curriculum in Afghanistan.
The project was designed to achieve four key outcomes, serving as a framework for its implementation and ensuring positive changes in education through EdTech. The EdTech project’s outcomes are:
• Outcome 1: Access to Education through EdTech improved
•Outcome 2: Quality of education improved through EdTech
•Outcome 3: Awareness on EdTech in Afghanistan improved
•Outcome 4: Cross scale management of EdTech in schools improved By the end of the pilot phase, the project reached 9,640 students (4,909 boys and 4,731 girls) from 26 schools, including 189 children with disabilities (35 girls), against a target of 10,000 students.
An endline assessment was completed at the end of the pilot phase, and a report was produced, which gathered data on key project indicators to provide a comparison against the available baseline data and to assess progress against the project’s targets. The endline also identified recommendations for future improvements and scale up.
2- Consultancy Summary:
The objective of this consultancy is to conduct an independent external evaluation of the program’s pilot phase across the five target provinces of Nangarhar, Laghman, Bamyan, Baghlan, and Kunduz. The evaluation will examine the program’s performance using the OECD‑DAC evaluation criteria of relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, impact, and sustainability, with a particular focus on the quality of teaching, the use and effectiveness of digital learning tools, and the program’s contribution to improved learning outcomes.
Specifically, the evaluation will assess the relevance of the EdTech approach and content to the needs, context, and capacities of the target groups; the effectiveness of the program in achieving intended educational outcomes such as learning gains, learner engagement, and digital skill acquisition; and the efficiency of resource use in delivering these results. It will also examine the extent to which the pilot contributed to gender‑sensitive and inclusive outcomes (impact), as well as the potential for the continued and sustained use of digital learning tools, pedagogical practices, and capacities beyond the project lifecycle (sustainability).
The evaluation will build on and validate findings from the recently completed endline assessment, while generating deeper learning on the factors that influenced program performance. By combining rigorous analysis with user‑centered evidence, the consultancy will produce actionable insights to inform program refinement, support sustainability planning, and strengthen future fundraising efforts.
3- Approach and Deliverables:
The evaluation will use a focused, mixed methods approach, combining rigorous qualitative inquiry, structured analysis of existing data, and a light participatory visual component. This approach ensures both methodological credibility and the generation of compelling evidence suitable for external communication and fundraising.
The suggested framework for achieving the objectives of the evaluation is listed below. However, the consultancy team is expected to review, refine and/or propose their approach to undertaking the evaluation. The
Public
consultancy team will develop and finalize the methods and tools in line with the objectives of this evaluation in collaboration with War Child Canada’s staff.
Desk Review
•Review of the pilot phase documentation, including the endline dataset and report, monitoring data, training materials, digital platform usage logs (if accessible), and program design documents.
•Assessment of the strengths, limitations, and credibility of the endline findings.
Teaching Quality Assessment
•Structured KIIs with instructors/trainers, stakeholders to examine training adequacy, classroom environment, support systems, and challenges faced by instructors.
•In-person (where feasible) lesson observations using a simplified teaching quality rubric adapted to local context.
Digital Tool Use and Effectiveness Review
•Analysis of how learners and instructors engaged with digital tools, including accessibility, relevance, usability, and perceived learning value.
•Interviews or FGDs with learners in a selection of provinces.
•Verification of digital usage data.
Participatory Photovoice (in selected provinces)
•A small photovoice exercise in only some selected provinces based on accessibility.
•Participants submit photos and short captions illustrating how digital learning has influenced their lives or learning processes.
•Follow-up individual interviews with selected participants to deepen interpretation.
•Photos will be incorporated into the final evaluation report as case examples or evidence narratives.
4- Experience and Skills:
Consultancy team must demonstrate the following:
•Advanced degree in education, M&E, social sciences, international development, or a related field
•Demonstrated experience conducting external evaluations of education or EdTech programs using mixed‑methods approaches
•Strong experience in assessing teaching quality and digital learning tools
•Experience evaluating EdTech solutions in low-connectivity environments
•Demonstrated experience applying gender-sensitive and inclusive evaluation approaches
•Strong skills in quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis, including KIIs, FGDs, lesson observations, and participatory approaches such as photovoice are an asset
•Ability to facilitate and relate to stakeholders at multiple levels and in diverse contexts
•Excellent analytical and reporting skills with the ability to produce clear, actionable evaluation reports
•Strong understanding of research ethics, including informed consent, data protection, and “do no harm” principles
•Strong communication skills in English; knowledge of local languages is an asset
•Familiarity with the education sector and/or experience working in Public Afghanistan or similar fragile and conflict-affected settings.
5- Travel:
Travel to project locations is required but subject to security clearance and safety considerations (determined in coordination with War Child Canada).
6- Application Process:
Interested applicants (INDIVIDUAL CONSULTANTS AND CONSULTANCY FIRMS/ ORGANIZATIONS) are invited to submit the following:
•A cover letter outlining relevant experiences in similar studies (1-2 pages)
•Technical proposal including an outline of the study approach, considerations on how the evaluation will ensure gender sensitivity and inclusion, data analysis plan, potential technical and operational challenges, and strategies to ensure timely, high-quality
deliverables. A list of key activities and timeframe should also be included (10 pages maximum)
•A staffing and management plan, including details of the team composition and specific qualifications of key staff (1-2 pages)
•Resumes of the key staff involved in the assignment
•Financial proposal (detailed budget)
The application package should also include:
•A list of three references that can attest to the team’s expertise as it relates to this assignment
•Confirmation of availability for assessment period and ability to travel to project locations (May 10, 2026 to June 25, 2026)
•Two examples of similar work, recently completed, particularly in education and technology
Email: afg.hr@warchild.ca
Please ensure your submission email has the subject heading: “EdTech Project External Evaluation”
Final candidates will be vetted in accordance with War Child Canada safeguarding policies, including Child Safeguarding Policy as well as appropriate reference and security checks.
Only those applicants selected for an interview will be notified. For more information about War Child Canada, please visit www.warchild.ca.