PEP Background and my Scope of Work

Background/Context

Since September 2006, the Academy for Educational Development (AED) has managed the Primary Education Project for USAID/Macedonia. It is a five-year initiative targeted toward all public primary schools in Macedonia. PEP seeks to: a) improve the quality of instruction and b) increase employment skills in youth.

The Renovation component of PEP plans to renovate at least 100 schools during the life of the project in order to improve the learning environment and improve energy-efficiency.

PEP is working more closely with some schools to develop “Green Schools” which are more environmentally aware and which take practical actions to save energy and reduce their carbon footprint. Five have already completed a pilot program and 15 more will begin activities in the 2009-10 school year.

Although PEP usually works with primary schools (KG to Grade 9) the renovations component is also implementing a program to improve the safety and security in the secondary schools “Ibrahim Temo” and “Niko Nestor” in Struga. This program involves three specific but integrated activities:

Activity 1: Construct new boundary fencing and entrance gates, including the renovation of the security hut.
Activity 2: Improve the current security and surveillance system.
Activity 3: Create a positive ethos on the school campus.

Activity 3: AED’s original plan was to sub-contract a local NGO, with experience in conflict resolution, to undertake this work. However, in a joint meeting with OSCE and USAID, hosted by the Minister of Education on 10 July 2009, OSCE representatives revealed that they had carried out some reconciliation work in the Struga schools in the previous year and were interested in providing further support.

Subsequent meetings were held between the PEP COP and Johann Schustereder of OSCE and a joint meeting between PEP, OSCE, representatives of Struga Municipality and the school Directors was held in Struga on 3rd September. The parties agreed that a joint project would be beneficial for all concerned and would provide a synergy leading to greater impact.

Further meetings were held between OSCE, PEP and a German NGO, the Forum Civil Peace Service (Forum ZFD), which has been working on reconciliation projects in the Balkans, including Macedonia. Forum ZFD was contracted by OSCE to carry out the previous reconciliation work in Struga and plans to open an office there. Research into Forum ZFD indicates that it has the experience and capacity to undertake the work with parents and students required under this activity. OSCE have agreed in principle to provide a contract to Forum ZFD to undertake the work required from January 2010.

Responsibilities:

In order to provide successful implementation of activities within the renovations component, the intern will assist the Deputy Chief of Party in the implementation of the “Green Schools” activity and will work closely with OSCE & ZFD (or whichever provider is contracted by OSCE) in order to support the activities described in Struga.

The intern will be based in the PEP office in Skopje but will be required to undertake regular field visits, which may require overnight stays. Most of the visits will be accompanied by a member of the PEP staff and translation will be provided where needed. The intern will work closely with other PEP staff as well as OSCE or its provider.