USAID’s Targeting the Learning Crisis – Uganda

Deadline: 15-Jan-24

The United States Agency for International Development in Uganda (USAID/Uganda) is seeking applications from non-profit and for-profit organizations to participate in USAID’s Targeting the Learning Crisis (TLC) Annual Program Statement (APS).

The Uganda TLC APS is an initiative to encourage new and innovative ideas, as well as new partnerships to create sustained, measurable improvements in development outcomes in Basic Education. USAID/Uganda welcomes innovative and creative ideas that can be rigorously tested, shared, and potentially scaled in Uganda within this context. Through the Uganda TLC APS, USAID/Uganda is open to considering a wide range of approaches to achieve its development objectives. It is understood that all partners will share risks and responsibilities. During the co-design process, consortia may be formed with like-minded partners.

This APS is intended to increase the sustainability and impact of USAID/Uganda’s development assistance through civil society and non-governmental organization related partnerships in the following focus areas:

• Basic Education
• Early Childhood Education

Objectives

• The purpose of the activity is to effectively address the current learning crisis in Uganda, made more severe by the effects of school closures and learning loss during the COVID-19 pandemic. The specific activity objective is: the achievement of a significant and measurable increase in the number of P1-P5 students who are able to read and perform math functions at a level expected for their age.
• USAID/Uganda is looking to purposefully implement and integrate Targeted Instruction (TI, often referred to as “Teaching at the Right Level” or “TaRL”) into P3-P5 classrooms, where students are grouped and taught according to their current learning levels, rather than their age or grade. USAID/Uganda is open to all types of alliance ideas and implementing models that will implement this evidence-based pedagogy in target districts. USAID/Uganda is also looking to purposefully implement and integrate evidence-based learning approaches into earlier years, whether drawing lessons from TI or other approaches. USAID/Uganda is open to all types of alliance ideas and implementing models that will increase academic success in target districts.
• USAID/Uganda will consider concept papers that focus on the following target levels: a) Primary 3 to Primary 5; b) Primary 1 to Primary 2 and c) Pre-Primary.
  • Primary 3 to Primary 5
    • USAID seeks to support and expand current programs and interventions in Uganda that have the proven ability to achieve the desired objectives. Specifically, USAID/Uganda seeks to support the approach of targeting teaching instruction by learning level, (often referred to as “Targeted Instruction” or “Teaching at the Right Level”) to achieve significant and measurable learning acquisition in reading and math so that pupils are performing at a level appropriate for their age.
  • Primary 1 to Primary 2
    • USAID seeks to use lessons learned from the Targeted Instruction approach and other proven methodologies, including diagnostic assessments, skill-level grouping, and effective pedagogies for large, multi-age classrooms with underskilled pupils to achieve significant and measurable learning acquisition in reading and math so that pupils are performing at a level appropriate for their age. This will include a focus on foundational learning methodologies for those performing at or above the expected skill level and remedial learning methodologies for those who are underskilled for their age.
  • Pre-Primary
    • USAID seeks to collaborate with existing USAID/Uganda orphans and vulnerable children early childhood development programming to integrate early childhood education tools and methodologies to increase pre-literacy and pre-numeracy skills. This will include a focus on preschool activities to improve children’s readiness for learning school-level literacy and numeracy. USAID seeks to introduce, support, or expand programs and interventions that have the proven ability to achieve the desired objectives.

Funding Information

• The total amount of funding to be awarded under this APS will depend on the variety and quality of the concepts USAID/Uganda receives, the availability of funds for these purposes, but is estimated at approximately US Dollars (USD) $45 million.
• USAID/Uganda intends to award 1-3 Fixed Amount Awards, Cooperative Agreements, Renewal Awards, Simplified Grants, or other assistance awards.
• The total amount of the resulting award(s) is not expected to exceed USD $45 million. USAID/Uganda reserves the right to fund any, or none, of the concept papers submitted, based on the availability of funds.
• USAID/Uganda also reserves the right to fund a concept in its entirety or in part.
• Concept papers should have a request of at least USD $3,000,000. However, it is not always true that more funding achieves better results; therefore, USAID reserves the right to fund concept papers that fall below this amount. The decision to make an award or multiple awards as a result of this APS, or none at all, will be made solely by USAID/Uganda.
• The period of performance must be 60 months or less. The period of performance is subject to negotiation during co-design.

Eligibility Criteria

• The geographic code for this procurement is 937 – the United States, the cooperating/recipient country, and developing countries other than advanced developing countries, and excluding prohibited sources.
• Eligible implementing partners include (but are not limited to) non-governmental/not for profit or civil society entities. USAID/Uganda is particularly interested in working with Local Entities, Locally Established Entities, New Partners, and Non-traditional Partners as Implementing Partners. However, this solicitation is not specifically limited to these categories, and USAID/Uganda strongly encourages concept papers from all interested entities.
• Local, new and non-traditional partners should visit workwithusaid.org for additional information on partnering with USAID.
• Established USAID partners who are selected as primes or as part of a consortium should be prepared and willing to mentor and demonstrably develop the capacity of new and local partners as part of the resulting activity(s).

For more information, visit Grants.gov.