Linguistic Survey in the States of Bihar, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh

Last date for submission of queries: 28^th December 2021

Room to Read India was established in 2003 and presently has programs in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Delhi NCR, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Telangana, Uttarakhand, and Uttar Pradesh. Through our flagship Literacy program as well as Girls Education Program, over 4.79 million children have been benefitted. 

Room to Read is a global organization transforming the lives of millions of children in low-income communities by focusing on literacy and gender equality in education. Founded in 2000 on the belief that World Change Starts with Educated Children®, our innovative model focuses on deep, systemic transformation within schools during two time periods that are most critical in a child’s schooling: early primary school for literacy acquisition and secondary school for girls’ education. We work in collaboration with local communities, partner organizations, and governments to develop literacy skills and a habit of reading among primary school children and ensure girls can complete secondary school with the skills necessary to negotiate key life decisions. By focusing on the quality of education provided within the communities and ensuring these outcomes are measured, we have created a model that can be replicated, localized, and sustained by governments. With its global headquarters in San Francisco, Room to Read has benefited over 23 million children across over 48,000 communities in Bangladesh, Cambodia, Grenada, India, Indonesia, Jordan, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Rwanda, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Vietnam, and Zambia.

About India Partnership for Early Learning (IPEL) Project

The USAID funded project aims to ensure all children (girls and boys) from Early childhood education to early grades (grades 1 and 2) are positively impacted in four Indian states (Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, South Delhi Municipal Schools). The ultimate goal of the project is, all children (age 3-6) attending AWCs/Balvatika/preschools attain school readiness by age 6; and children (age 6-8) attending early grades (1-2) acquire reading fluency and comprehension, number recognition, two-digit addition and subtraction, express emotions safely, and express understanding of emotions of others verbally or through pictures by end of grade 2 in four intervention states.  The project approach will influence practices of both government run and private schools in intervention states to ensure every child of the state is positively impacted. 

The project is designed to work very closely with national and state education/WCD department and its institutions to work, influence and advocate on the agenda of Early Childhood and Education and Foundational Learning and Numeracy (FLN).   IPEL project adopts a system strengthening approach using technical support model to work with state and national government. For this, IPEL project will set up a central and state level Project Management Unit, having experts on foundational learning, to engage, influence, and technically guide department of education and its key institutions for effective delivery of foundational learning and numeracy program in the state. The key technical area includes- Effective FLN content and materials for teachers and children, Robust and quality capacity building approach and review system, FLN vision, budget and financing, Quality educational monitoring and learners’ assessment tracking system and Empowered community engagement in each of the state. It will work towards addressing issues and challenges faced by marginalised children and girls in the states to ensure every child in the state attend the school and acquire learning. 

The project will also ensure state government develop robust system and mechanisms to positively support schools, teachers and children level over next 5 years in intervention states. Since the IPEL project objectives and goals are aligned with national mission- NIPUN BHARAT, it will also contribute to larger goal of National Education Policy and state priorities.

Scope of Work

As part of the IPEL project, we are looking to engage individuals/agencies to conduct a light model sociolinguistic survey in the states of Bihar, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh. As part of the same, survey tools would be developed after the first field visit and in consultation with linguists/psycholinguists. The same will be tried out on a pilot basis before these tools are finalized. The final data collection will involve quick sample survey, classroom observation, recording of conversations, interview of children, parents, and teachers. 

A brief analysis will be done on 

1. Languages or language varieties different groups of speakers (teachers, students, parents, communities) know and the contexts in which they use them 
2. The nature of code switching/translanguaging that the teacher and children engage in for enhancing mutual comprehensibility of languages both at home and in schools. 
3. Language attitude and language preferences, both in school and at home

Outcome

• Sharing final comprehensive report of the language/s analysis and relevant tools used in the research study

Duration

• January 15, 2022 to March 31, 2022

How to Apply 

• Proposals to be submitted over procurement.india@roomtoread.org (without copying anyone from Room to Read and neither the below mentioned email ID)
• Last date for submission of proposals is December 31, 2021
• Subject for submission of proposals is IPEL Project: Proposal for Linguistic Survey 
• The individuals/agencies should apply with the following: 

• FILE 1- Technical Proposal

Profile:

• • Interested individuals/agencies may apply with their organization’s profile highlighting the details of experience working on similar projects for development sector not exceeding 3 pages. 
  • Names and resumes/profiles of the individuals who will be involved in this assignment to be shared as part of the profile.
  • Sharing a minimum of three (3) client references engaged with in the past 2-5 years on an activity that is similar to this Scope of Work. This must include contact information (names, company or organization, phone number and email).

• Previous work experience: Minimum 3 related samples prepared earlier for other development organizations. 
• List out activities vis-à-vis timelines for accomplishing the expected outcomes 
• FILE 2- Financial Proposal 
• Detailed financial proposal 
• Copy of registration certificate, GST, PAN Card, etc.