Provincial Education Finance Specialist (EFS) for DBE1 North Sumatera

Provincial Education Finance Specialist (EFS)

Terms of Reference

1. Introduction

The objective of DBE-1 (www.dbe-usaid. org) is to develop more effective
decentralized education management and governance. The project aims to
develop an education sector that (a) is effectively and efficiently managed
by local government agencies operating at different levels of the education
system (district, sub-district, and school levels); and (b) has strong
governance related agencies that effectively voice the aspirations of all
stakeholders. The project seeks to promote local government management
practices that are transparent, participatory, responsive, and accountable
(i.e., practices that are guided by principles of good governance). The
education sector as a whole will benefit from continuing interactions
between the executive branch of government, the legislature and organized
civil society.

DBE-1 program duration is five years and the program is nearing the end of
the second year of implementation. Efforts during the first year focused on
the development of School Development Plans (Rencana Pengembangan
Sekolah-RPS) . These plans have been developed in a participatory way with
strong involvement of School Committees and the school community. Besides
providing continued support at the school level, starting from the second
year of implementation DBE-1 has been providing support for education
management, including planning and financial analysis, and governance
development at the district level, focusing on both the executive and
legislative branches of government, including civil society.

2. Objectives

The objectives of the assignment are the following:

(i) Strengthen education planning and finance capacity at
the district Education Office (Dinas Pendidikan).

(ii) Help develop the capacity of governance related
institutions, which include DPRD, District Education Council (Dewan
Pendidikan), Civil Society Organizations (CSO) and the media to support
education.

(iii) Assist in preparing policy recommendations for improved
Decentralized Basic Education Management and Governance.

3. Scope of Work

The specialist will:

General

a. Study in detail all the relevant documents for education planning
and management development, which will include District Long-term
Development Plan (RPJP), Medium-term Strategic Development Plan (Renstra
Pembangunan Jangka Menengah), Annual Plans, including District Budgets for
the current and last two years (APBD), District Education Finance Analysis
(DEFA), Head of Region Accountability Report (Laporan Pertanggungjawaban)
and Annual Reports of Dinas Pendidikan. In addition to the above documents,
study in detail education development plans prepared by higher levels of
government, which include national Medium-term Development Plan (RPJM),
Renstra Diknas, Provincial Medium-term Development Plan (Renstra Pembangunan
Jangka Menengah - Propinsi), and Renstra Dinas Pendidikan Propinsi.

Strengthen education planning and finance capacity at Dinas Pendidikan
Kab/Kota

Education Planning

b. Develop the capacity of Dinas Pendidikan to prepare a medium-term
Education Development Plan (Renstra SKPD). This task will be carried out on
the basis of the education planning manual developed under the project. The
Renstra SKPD is a five-year plan indicating the actions Dinas Pendidikan
plans to take to support achievement of education objectives and targets as
included in RPJMD.

c. DBE-1 promotes the development of information- based planning. To
this end, an education management information system will be developed. The
system will be either an enriched version of School Mapping 2005 developed
by Directorate of Vocational Education or a new application developed under
the project. The specialist is expected to actively support the introduction
of the new system and to develop the capacity of Dinas staff to conduct
relatively simple data analysis.

Education Finance

d. Develop the capacity of Dinas Pendidikan to (i) conduct financial
education sector analysis (multi-source: APBD Kab/Kota, APBD Province,
Deconcentration and APBN) and (ii) prepare concise information on education
sector performance in terms of inputs, outputs and outcomes. By
disseminating this information to stakeholders, the sector is to become more
accountable.

e. Develop the capacity of Dinas Pendidikan to prepare annual
education development plans and budgets. The support will be primarily
provided during the early stages of the planning cycle when sector
development priorities and ceilings are set.

Help develop the capacity of governance related institutions

f. In close cooperation with the Governance Specialist provide
support for capacity development for DPRD, Dewan Pendidikan, CSOs and Media,
which will primarily focus on assisting representatives from the Governance
related institutions to develop their understanding of school planning,
capacity development planning and multi-year education planning; and how to
prepare education policies and budget.

g. Support Governance Specialist in providing assistance for the
preparation of District Government Regulation (Peraturan Daerah - Perda) on
Education in the districts where such assistance is required

Assist in preparing policy recommendations for improved Decentralized Basic
Education Management and Governance

h. Under guidance of the National Team and in cooperation with
specialists working in the other DBE assisted provinces, identify policy
issues that should be brought to the attention of provincial and or national
authorities. Special attention should be given to, but not limited to,
issues related to increasing democratic interaction in education governance,
rationalizing and increasing local funding for basic education, and
increasing transparency and accountability in the education sector.

i. On the basis of jointly approved policy agenda, conduct policy
research and prepare policy recommendations. It is expected that DBE will
have an annual policy agenda and will submit its policy recommendations to
GOI by September each year.

Other Tasks

a. Facilitate cooperation between DBE1, 2 and 3 and where relevant
with other USAID-supported programs (LGSP, ESP, etc) in designing and
implementing district strategies to promote better education governance in
DBE districts.

b. Provide leadership and assistance to the Provincial Coordinator in
liaising with provincial and district stakeholders including Steering
Committees, Technical Teams and district leadership.

c. Assist the Provincial Coordinator in the selection of Cohort 3
districts, establishment of good working relationships including negotiation
of MOUs, formation of Steering Committees and Technical Teams, and selection
of local staff and District Facilitators.

d. Assist district education management in involving private sector in
education.

e. Work closely with DBE1 Provincial Specialists in planning,
coordinating, implementing and reporting on DBE1 programs and activities as
required.

f. Assist districts in formulating plans, budgets, programs to
replicate good practice from DBE and monitoring and reporting implementation
of these.

g. Support identification and dissemination of good practices between
DBE-assisted and not-assisted districts

h. Assist the Provincial Coordinator in other matters as these arise.

4. Level of Effort

Contract is made on an annual basis. The duration of the assignment is until
approximately December 2009.

5. Organizational Arrangements

EFS is a member of the DBE-1 provincial team comprising of Provincial
Coordinator, Education Planning and management Specialist (EPMS), Governance
Specialist (GS), Data and Information Specialist (DIS), and Community
Participation Specialist (CPS). The position reports to Provincial
Coordinator.

He/she will be based in Medan, North Sumatera.

EFS will assist in medium-term (Renstra SKPD) and annual planning. He/she
will take the lead in conducting financial education sector analysis, but
will carry out these tasks in close cooperation with the other specialists
working at the district level. As to capacity development for DPRD, Dewan
Pendidikan, CSOs and the media, EFS will support the Governance Specialist
on an as-needed basis.

6. Reporting Requirements

The specialist will meet routine reporting requirements as determined from
time to time by the Provincial Coordinator. This may include:

a. Activity or Training Completion Reports following project standards
and guidelines.

b. Contributions to brief weekly and bi-weekly activity reports

c. Assisting in preparing quarterly internal reports and occasional
project activity reports to stakeholders including provincial and district
technical teams and steering committees.

7. Qualification Requirements

a. Experience in assisting district governments in
capacity/performanc e improvement development, preferably in the education
sector. The successful candidate will have thorough knowledge of district
government, in particular in the areas of district management, planning
(multi-year and annual), and finance.

b. The successful candidate should be familiar with APBD.

c. The successful candidate will have a thorough knowledge of the
education sector and should be familiar with education policies, planning,
finance, performance measures (APK etc.), and practices.

d. Minimum S1 degree, preferably in finance. Degree in management or
planning will be considered.

e. Be computer literate (Microsoft Office). Ability to use data
analysis applications (Access and or SPSS) is an advantage.

f. Ability to network among education stakeholders at the district
level (strong inter-personal skills).

g. Excellent writing skills in Bahasa Indonesia. Ability to write
reports in English is an asset.

Please send detailed CV complete with 3 reference contact details and salary
history to dbe1sumut@gmail. com

Closing date for applications is 19 December 2007. Females are encouraged to
apply.