The deadline for all Letters of
Inquiry submissions is May 15,2013.
The aim of the Partnership
to Strengthen Innovation and Practice in Secondary Education (PSIPSE) is to accelerate innovation in secondary education
programming, research, and development in selected countries. It is led by a
group of private donors and donor advisors, including ELMA Philanthropies
Services, Human Dignity Foundation, MacArthur Foundation, MasterCard
Foundation, and Wellspring Advisors, who have come together to encourage a new
wave of innovation and learning in secondary education. This collaboration was
born from the principles of the Global Compact on Learning, which
underscores the importance of collaborative action to achieve quality learning
outcomes, and supports goals of the UN Secretary General’s Global Education First initiative.
Participating donors not only work with each other, but also actively aim to
enrich the knowledge base of the wider secondary education field.
The PSIPSE began in early 2012, when a Call for Proposals was
issued to solicit projects that could help inform the imminent expansion and
transformation of secondary education. The 2012 Call yielded over 500 letters
of inquiry and, ultimately, 19 projects were selected for over $8 million in
support. The 2013 Call for Proposals builds on this momentum and channels
attention to critical gaps research has identified in the delivery of more
widespread and quality secondary education. Donors have allocated $10
million for the 2013 Call subject to the quality of proposals received.
Strategic Focus:
The PSIPSE’s focus is both upper
and lower secondary education. Where schooling at the upper level is further
divided between traditional general secondary education and vocational
education, PSIPSE is focused on increasing the relevance of general secondary
education learning. PSIPSE supports programs and projects targeted to the
formal education system and informal programs that help students transition to
or re-enter the formal system. PSIPSE is interested in four thematic
areas: demand, improving teacher effectiveness, promoting employment-relevant
skills, and alternative educational models for learning (see ‘Thematic Areas of
Interest’ section below).
All proposed projects should
incorporate fresh thinking and raise new possibilities that address challenges
in the secondary education agenda. The PSIPSE invites potential partners to
push the boundaries of creativity; consider cost-efficient, innovative
solutions; and re-think the content, instructional methods, delivery systems,
and partnerships common in secondary education. Projects should be
context-relevant and evidence-driven, and should yield insights that can expand
the policy horizons of government planners, other large scale implementers, and
technical experts. The PSIPSE hopes projects can also inform future educational
investment by various donors.
Target Populations:
Applicants are encouraged to
submit proposals for projects that benefit the following marginalized
populations:
·
Learners living in low-resource or
poverty-affected areas
·
Girls and young women
·
Learners with physical, intellectual and/or
developmental disabilities
Applicants may propose work in
the following geographic areas:
East Africa*
·
Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo
·
Ethiopia
·
Kenya
·
Rwanda
·
Tanzania
·
Uganda
*: Note, projects targeting
conflict-affected populations are welcomed only in the Eastern DRC (North Kivu,
South Kivu, Province Orientale, Maniema) and in Uganda (Northern Uganda, West Nile
Sub-region, and Western Uganda). Funding in Uganda is not restricted, however,
to conflict-affected populations, nor to any particular parts of the country.
1. Nigeria (particularly the
states of Kano, Sokoto, Jigawa, Lagos, Rivers, and Cross Rivers).
2. India (particularly the states
of Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Andhra Pradesh and the cities of Chennai, Delhi, and
Mumbai)
These regions and countries have
been selected based on secondary education needs, as well as strategic and
geographic priorities of donor and donor advisor partners. Projects that take a
regional focus may also apply.
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