Inyang Udo-Umoren is the Country Director of TaRL Africa in Nigeria.

What has your experience been so far working with TaRL Africa?

I have been working with TaRL Africa since 2019, and it has been a huge learning journey for me. As the first recruited person from Nigeria, I have had the opportunity to build relationships with government officials and contribute to the growth of the organization. TaRL Africa is a learning organization, and we constantly strive to improve our methods and impact.

In your opinion, what is the biggest challenge facing children today?

In my experience, one of the biggest challenges facing children today is the lack of strong teacher factors. This includes issues such as low teacher competencies, lack of mentorship, motivation, inadequate salaries, and inconsistency in support systems. I have observed that many children join our program with very low learning levels, but after a few months of intervention, their progress is significant. It highlights the need to address teacher development and support to ensure children receive a quality education.

What has been your biggest accomplishment so far?

One of my biggest accomplishments so far has been reaching 7 states in Nigeria within a span of 4 years. Although we haven’t reached all the states in the country, having a presence in these 7 states is significant progress for TaRL Africa. It demonstrates government recognition and visibility, and we could have chosen to implement our program in just one state. However, expanding our reach to multiple states showcases our commitment to reaching as many children as possible.

What’s the most unique part about working here?

The most unique aspect of working at TaRL Africa, based on my experience, is the unwavering focus on our mission. We stay true to the TaRL approach in all our programs and initiatives. Unlike some organizations that may get sidetracked or lose sight of their core objectives, we maintain a clear and dedicated focus on the TaRL methodology. This level of clarity and commitment ensures that every program and action we take aligns with our mission.

What does relaxation/unwinding look like for you?

For me, relaxation and unwinding involve having a social life and spending time with friends. Since I spend a significant amount of time in front of my computer at home, it’s important for me to balance work with social activities. Engaging with friends and enjoying their company helps me relax and recharge.

What is that one thing that your colleagues don’t know about you

One thing that my colleagues may not know about me is that I enjoy trying new recipes. Recently, I made Asun (peppered goat meat) for the first time, and I’m starting to develop a liking for cooking. It’s a hobby that allows me to explore different flavors and experiment in the kitchen.

Parting shot

There is a lot to learn in this world, and every day presents a new learning opportunity. I am grateful to be part of a great team in Nigeria, although managing a growing team can sometimes be challenging. Even with the headaches that come with it, our team is exceptional, and I appreciate their dedication and hard work.

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Meet Nasiru Mustapha, a Dawakin Tofa Model Primary School learner in Kano State, Nigeria. Just a year ago, school was a daunting place for Nasiru, especially when it came to reading. He struggled to keep up with his classmates and found no joy in the act of reading itself. The long closure of schools due to the COVID-19 pandemic only worsened his situation, leaving him far behind in his educational journey.

But fortune smiled upon Nasiru when his school became part of the Teaching at the right level (TaRL) Kano Literacy and Numeracy Accelerator (KaLMA) program. Led by the Kano State Universal Basic Education Board, Ministry of Education, Sa’adatu Rimi College of Education, and in collaboration with the British Council and Teaching at the Right Level (TaRL) Africa, this program was his ticket to reclaiming his learning losses.

Nasiru was assessed and immediately enrolled at beginner letter level in the program to receive the essential foundational literacy and numeracy skills he desperately needed. Starting from the basics, he learned to identify letters and words, gradually progressing to reading sentences in both Hausa and English. The progress he made filled him with pride as he looked back at how far he had come.

“Nasiru started off at beginner level, where he could only identify letters and words. He could not read a sentence either in Hausa or English,” said Mr. Sabiu Mohammed, the school’s Head Teacher.

Nasiru’s reading skills continued to improve, enabling him to comprehend other subjects with ease. Mathematics, in particular, became a joy for him as he eagerly looked forward to the fun and play-based learning and use of  bundles and sticks for addition and subtraction—a TaRL classroom activity that quickly became his favorite. His math grades soared alongside his confidence.

But Nasiru’s journey didn’t stop at the school gates. Teachers provided him and his fellow learners with engaging worksheets to continue learning beyond school hours. He took this opportunity to go the extra mile, becoming a mentor to his younger brother. With enthusiasm, he taught his sibling how to read the syllable chat, where he helps him recognize syllables in words, making spelling and reading an easier task for children. 

“When I do my homework, my brother comes to where I am. My assignments are interesting and I find myself teaching him how to identify letters and numbers. When he starts school he will be topping his class,” he adds with a smile. 

In his everyday life, Nasiru’s newfound math skills became a valuable asset.  When sent by his parents to the shop, he now returns home with the correct change from the money given to him. Gone are the days when shopkeepers took advantage of his innocence, and not give him the correct change, which would often get him into trouble.

“Nasiru has been progressing well through the TaRL program and his academic performance is improving. He has emerged as a beacon of inspiration, radiating confidence and academic excellence,” said Mr. Sabiu Mohammed, the school’s Head Teacher.

Nasiru Mustapha’s success story is a testament to the transformative power of TaRL. His journey serves as a reminder that with the right support and opportunities, every child can unlock their full potential and shine brightly in education.

___________
Dianarose Odhiambo is the Communications Associate for TaRL Africa

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The role will be based in Abuja, with frequent travel within Nigeria. The position is suitable to help the selected candidate prepare for graduate-level studies in public-policy research and/or further professional opportunities in impact evaluation.

About Teaching at the Right Level Africa

TaRL Africa is a newly formalised partnership between Education NGO, Pratham, and research centre J-PAL, who have been working together developing cost-effective, scalable literacy and Numeracy interventions for more than 15 years. The fruits of these efforts have been the development of what we now refer to as the TaRL.

The TaRL approach, pioneered by Pratham, helps children develop basic reading and numeracy skills. In TaRL classroom: children 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 children progress, they move to the next learning group and continue to grow.

Main Responsibilities:

The Research and Learning Associate will oversee a set of defined research activities for Nigeria’s TaRL programme. This includes working to design and manage research and pilot activities applying quantitative, qualitative and mixed-method approaches.

The Associate’s key responsibilities include:

• Working with the research team to brainstorm, scope, select and implement research projects based on research and learning goals.
• Scoping, designing and testing research and learning ideas;
  • Qualitative and quantitative scoping and assessment
  • Designing pilot assessment and monitoring systems.
  • Overseeing and supporting pilot implementation including training of stakeholders.
  • Training and supervising enumerators on data collection.
  • Monitoring pilot process and providing periodic reports.
  • Analyzing, reporting and disseminating pilot outcomes.
  • Supporting design of potential rigorous evaluations.
• Supporting qualitative and quantitative research studies design and roll-out;
  • Assisting the research team in developing instruments for each round of data collection.
  • Digitizing data collection instruments.
  • Training enumerators on data collection instruments.
  • Overseeing data collection, and ensuring that it complies with standards for data quality.
  • Monitoring the quality of the implementation of interventions.
  • Assisting with applications to local and international institutional review boards.
  • Writing high-quality documents for the evaluation, including training manuals, process reports and reports of results from the different rounds of data collection.
• For research activities requiring support from external survey firms, managing the external survey firms from tendering to project finalization
• Working in close collaboration with the research team and partner organizations to track overall progress on the project and ensure adherence to timelines and the project-plan.
• Join and contribute to learning team meetings and brainstorming on other TaRL Africa research projects.
• Engage internal and external stakeholders.

Creatively communicate research lessons and results with the TaRL community and more broadly (ex. through blogs, podcasts, newsletters, etc.)

Minimum Requirements

• A Master’s degree in economics, statistics, education, or a related field.
• A minimum of two years of experience working in a similar research-focused position.
• Demonstrated experience with data collection platforms and data analysis software, such as Stata or R.
• Excellent communication skills in English, including writing, conversing and presenting.
• Strong interpersonal skills with cross-cultural teams.
• Desire to help improve learning outcomes for students at scale.
• Experience working in Nigeria.
• Willingness to travel frequently and flexibly.

Advantageous

• Hausa language skills
• Work authorization to work in Nigeria

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Reports to:  Research and Impact Manager

Location:  Nairobi, Kenya

Deadline:  9th September 2022

Teaching at the Right Level (TaRL) Africa is a high-profile initiative originally developed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s (MIT) Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) and the Indian Education NGO Pratham to promote evidence-informed education programming in Africa. TaRL Africa, now headquartered in Kenya, works to improve basic reading and arithmetic skills of children on the African continent through the TaRL approach.  We aim to reach 3 million children in the next five years. Key countries of operation include Kenya, Cote d’Ivoire, Nigeria and Zambia where we work on contextualizing the TaRL approach .

Summary of the Role: 

Teaching at the Right Level (TaRL) Africa seeks to recruit a Research and Learning Coordinator to support the research, learning and evidence generation for the TaRL Programme in Africa. This role provides an excellent opportunity to be part of a leading evidence-based initiative tackling low learning levels as well as gain first-hand field management experience in an organization undertaking cutting-edge development research.

The Research and Learning Coordinator will supervise several concurrent research projects on behalf of the Research Manager and study Principal Investigators (PIs). They will oversee a set of defined research activities for TaRL programs in several countries. This includes working with the research team to brainstorm, select and implement new research projects based on TaRL Africa’s Learning Agenda. The coordinator will design and manage research and pilot activities applying quantitative, qualitative and mixed-method approaches. The R&L Coordinator will also support existing research and learning activities, including at least one large-scale Randomized Controlled Trial.

The role will be based in Kenya, with regular travel within Zambia, Cote d’Ivoire and Nigeria.

Major Duties and Responsibilities

1. Lead operations of at least one large scale, complex RCT end-to-end:

• Manage subcontractor deliverables including timeline, budget and quality deliverables
• Facilitate communication between TaRL Africa, survey firm, implementing partners, and research PIs

2. Manage and lead scoping, designing and testing of innovative research and learning concepts:

• Design pilot assessment and monitoring systems
• Oversee and support pilot implementation including training of stakeholders
• Train and supervise enumerators on data collection
• Monitor pilot process and providing periodic reports
• Analyze, report and disseminate pilot outcomes
• Support design of potential rigorous evaluations

3. Support rigorous qualitative and quantitative research studies’ design and roll-out:

• Lead and manage TaRL Research Associates in developing instruments for each round of data collection and digitizing data collection instruments
• Supervise data collection and entry to ensure quality of the data at each stage
• Create the necessary databases for analyses
• Assist with data cleaning and preliminary data analysis
• Training enumerators on data collection instruments
• Overseeing data collection, and ensuring that it complies with standards for data quality
• Monitoring the quality of the implementation of interventions
• Assisting with applications to local and international institutional review boards

4. For new research activities requiring support from external survey firms, manage the external survey firms’ engagement from tendering to project finalization

5. Work in close collaboration with the research team and partner organizations to track overall progress on the project and ensure adherence to timelines and the project-plan

6. Provide support on preparing research proposals, design, survey implementation and monitoring, data management, report writing and dissemination and policy outreach

7. Substantively contribute to learning team meetings and brainstorming on other TaRL Africa research projects

8. Creatively communicate research lessons and results with the TaRL community and more broadly (e.g., through blogs, podcasts, newsletters, etc.).

9. Mentor Research Associates and Assistants in the organization.

10. Liaise with academics, officials, policymakers, donors, partner organizations and other organizations; and represent TaRL Africa in meetings and conferences.

11. Maintain clear lines of communication with Principle Investigators (PIs), Managers and the Directors.

12. Other tasks that are assigned by Measurement, Learning and Evaluation Director, Research and Impact Manager, and PIs.

Profile

Required Minimum Qualifications:

• A Master’s degree in economics, social sciences, public policy, or related fields.
• A minimum of four years of experience working in a similar research-focused position.
• Excellent management and organizational skills along with strong quantitative skills.
• Flexible, self-motivating, able to manage multiple tasks efficiently, and a team player.
• Demonstrated ability to effectively manage high-level relationships with partner organizations and external researchers.
• Knowledge of Stata (strongly preferred) or other data analysis software such as R is preferred.
• Practical familiarity with randomized controlled trials strongly preferred.
• Excellent communication skills in English, including writing, conversing and presenting.
• Attention to detail and a commitment to excellence.
• Openness to learn, active curiosity, and critical thinking skills applied to solve problems.
• Strong interpersonal skills with cross-cultural teams.
• Desire to help improve learning outcomes for students at scale.
• Experience working in the education sector.
• Excellent communication skills in French, including writing, conversing and presenting.
• Willingness to travel frequently and flexibly.

How to apply?

Please fill in APPLICATION by 9th September 2022. Only applications submitted through the form will be accepted. Please note that, due to the large volume of applications, we will only be able to respond to short-listed applicants.

TaRL Africa is an equal opportunity employer and committed to having a diverse workforce.

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