VVOB is an international NGO with programmes and projects in 10 countries worldwide. Our head office is based in Brussels, Belgium. When you join VVOB, you become a key player in VVOB’s mission to ensure quality
education as a key enabler for achieving the sustainable development goals. We implement our programmes and projects with one shared passion: to ensure the improvement of quality education. Our teams of national and international experts achieve this by providing technical assistance to governmental and other education
actors. In doing so, worldwide we ensure capacity building of governmental and other education actors.
Do you share our ambition to ensure that learners around the world can enjoy their fundamental human right to quality education, without exception? Are you also convinced that quality education guarantees equal opportunities for everyone and is the key to a better world? We are looking for a Research Intern who will operate from Lusaka office, to contribute to the remedial learning interventions in the Catch Up/Teaching at the Right Level (TaRL) Project in Zambia. TaRL is an evidence-based methodology that is proven to improve learning outcomes for children in grades 3, 4 and 5. It is being implemented in Zambia by the Ministry of Education with the support of VVOB and TaRL Africa Do you want to take on this challenge? Then continue reading!
Responsibilities of the Research Advisor – Intern
The Research Intern will support the coordination of research activities under the learning agenda for Catch Up. Specifically, on the Catch-Up teacher behavioral Uptake study.
Catch Up/Teaching at the Right Level (TaRL):
The evidence-based Teaching at the Right Level (TaRL) approach, pioneered by Pratham in India, helps learners develop basic reading and numeracy skills. It has been evaluated and proven to be effective through many randomized evaluations. In a TaRL classroom: learners are assessed on basic reading and numeracy using a simple tool, grouped by learning level, rather than by grade, for a dedicated time when they focus building foundational skills through activities and materials appropriate for each group. As learners progress, they move to the next learning group and continue to grow.
In Zambia, the contextualized TaRL approach is known as “Catch Up” and was piloted by Ministry of Education (MoE) in 2016-17 with support from partners, including VVOB. It is currently being implemented by MoE in over 4000 primary schools in 9 provinces with support from several partners.
You will:
- Participate in the planning and review of the research activities.
- You ensure quality and accurate data collection for the research.
- Ensure that the logistics needed for the research activities (including during the dissemination of results) are in place.
If you are our Research Intern, your workweek at the office will include the following highlights:
✓ Weekly online call with the team and you will be required to brief the team on the ongoing research.
✓ You will be organizing the dissemination workshops
✓ Lunch! A perfect time to nurture relationships with VVOB colleagues and have an informal exchange on best practices.
✓ Share with the DRCCs invitation letters on the research data collection.
✓ Sharing the key findings with the wider VVOB and MoE team for decision.
Who are you?
This is a national position, open to Zambian nationals
Your expertise and experience
- Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field (social sciences, development studies, education, economics, public health, statistics) or equivalent in field experience.
- Should at least be familiar with the Ministry of Education structure and some experience working with a non-governmental organization.
- Demonstrable experience with various research methods, development of data collection tools, research protocols, training packages, data analysis and report-writing.
- Knowledge and/or experience with research relating to learning outcomes at early childhood education level is an added advantage.
- Knowledge qualitative and quantitative software capability.
- Experience with working in a multicultural team.
- Language skills: Fluent in English.
Matching competences
VVOB core competences:
- Results oriented
- Continuous improvement
- Cooperation
Function specific competencies:
- Communication Skills
- Accuracy
- Development oriented
- Creativity
- Problem analysis and judgement
What we’re offering:
- A 4-month Internship agreement.
- In-patient and out-patient medical package for you.
- Communication allowance.
- Transport allowance in line with the Zambian employment legislation.
- Supportive environment enabling continuous professional development
- An opportunity to work in a very well liked, evidence-based project aimed at ensuring that learners across Zambia acquire foundational literacy and numeracy skills!
Your motivation letter and a detailed CV are expected to be sent by e-mail no later than 17th July, 2024 to recruitmentzambia@vvob.org.
Shortlisted candidates will take a written test, go through an interview process and reference checks, before a final offer is made.
VVOB firmly believes that quality education can only be achieved if equity is ensured. Qualities of people prevail, regardless of age, gender, ethnicity or disability.
