Terms of Reference (TOR) for Research on the Implementation of the 2023 Curriculum in Zambia

Job description

1.0 BACKGROUND
The Zambia National Educational Coalition (ZANEC) is an umbrella body for Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) that include Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), Faith Based Organizations (FBOs), Community-Based Organizations (CBOs), Teacher Trade Unions (TTUs) and Students Unions. ZANEC envisages a quality national education system that is accessible, relevant and equitable for human development in Zambia. As a result, the mission of ZANEC is to campaign and advocate for quality and equitable education through the attainment of national education aspirations and international Sustainable Development Goal number four through education policy engagement with the Government of the Republic of Zambia (GRZ), Cooperating Partners (CPs), communities and other stakeholders.

One of the ways used by the Coalition to ensure that duty bearers reinforce their commitments towards the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals is to spearhead the active participation of various stakeholders in policy engagement in the education sector. Among others, the Coalition strongly believes in evidence-based advocacy, and one way it does this is through its annual ‘Status of Education Report’ that is centred on researching an issue of importance in the education sector for that particular year. It is from this background that ZANEC, with support from the Education Out Loud Project, would like to conduct a study to assess the implementation of the 2023 curriculum in our schools.

2.0. RATIONALE
The Ministry of Education (MoE) in Zambia introduced the 2023 curriculum to improve the quality and relevance of education in the country. The primary aim of the 2023 Zambia Education Curriculum is to reform the education system and align it with global trends. This includes addressing the gaps and challenges identified in the 2013 Curriculum, incorporating emerging issues, aligning the education system with the National Development Plans, and transitioning from Outcome-Based Education (OBE) to Competence-Based Education (CBE).

The goal is to promote an educational framework that enhances the acquisition of knowledge, skills, positive attitudes, and values necessary for sustainable national development. It is envisioned that the 2023 Curriculum will provide quality education in Zambia, making it competitive at both the regional and global levels. (2023 Curriculum Framework)

The government, through the Ministry of Education, began implementing the 2023 curriculum in February 2025 for Early Childhood Education (ECE), Grade 1, and Form 1 levels. However, there has been widespread dissatisfaction among various stakeholders regarding the manner in which the curriculum is being implemented. To ensure effective implementation and continuous improvement, it is necessary to assess the execution of the curriculum. Therefore, this research aims to evaluate the extent of the curriculum’s implementation, identify the challenges faced, and recommend strategies for improvement.

3.0. OBJECTIVES OF THE RESEARCH
The primary objectives of the research are:

To assess the level of implementation of the 2023 curriculum across different education levels in Zambia.
To identify key challenges and barriers affecting the successful implementation of the curriculum.
To evaluate the adequacy of resources, teacher preparedness, and institutional support for the curriculum.
Assess how emerging issues such as climate change, drug and substance abuse, mental health issues etc have been embedded in the syllabi materials.
To provide evidence-based recommendations for enhancing the effectiveness of curriculum implementation.

SCOPE OF WORK AND EXPECTED ACTIVITIES

The Consultant will therefore be expected to undertake the following tasks among others.

a)    Submit an inception report outlining the title of the study, the objectives and the research methodology.

b)    Develop questionnaires for collecting primary data on key aspects relating to the study.

c)    Review existing literature relating to curriculum implementation in Zambia.

d)    Draft the research report detailing the key findings, conclusions and recommendations.

e)    Present the research findings at an engagement meeting to be organized by ZANEC.

DELIVERABLES

An Inception report with a clear timeline and data collection tools.
An acceptable draft report on the research findings
A final report incorporating stakeholder feedback with clear conclusions and recommendations
A four -paged policy brief on the research findings
Presentation of research findings at ZANEC-organized meetings.

6.0. TIMELINE

The research is expected to be conducted over a period of 18 days:

REQUIRED COMPETENCIES

Must at least possess a Master’s Degree with a bias in education, Development Studies, demography, or equivalent
At least 7 years post-qualification experience in conducting research
Proven experience in designing and implementing qualitative research studies for reputable organizations
Strong analytical, writing and communication skills
Ability to devote full time to the assignment and meet deadlines
Evidence of successful past work in a similar assignment will be an advantage

All expressions of interest with a detailed budget for the research must be submitted through email to the address below by 17:00hrs on Friday 4th April 2025.

The Executive Director,

Zambia National Education Coalition,

Baptist Fellowship Building,

Plot 3061/2 Corner Makishi and Great East Road,

P.O. Box 30774,

Lusaka-Zambia,

Email: admin@zanec.org.zm

Cc: za2002nec@gmail.com