RFP_-_Signed_Final.pdf

SOLICITATION, OFFER, AND AWARD 1. RATING N/A RATING

PAGE OF PAGES

1 |

2. CONTRACT NUMBER

3. SOLICITATION NUMBER

SOL-263-17-00003

4. TYPE OF SOLICITATION

SEALED BID (IFB)

NEGOTIATED (RFP)

5. DATE ISSUED

6. REQUISITION/PURCHASE NO.

REQ-263-17-000040

7. ISSUED BY CODE BH 8. ADDRESS OFFER TO (If other than Item 7)

Office of Acquisition and Assistance USAID/Egypt 1A Nady El Etissalat St., Maadi, Cairo, Egypt.

NOTE: In sealed bid solicitations “offer” and “offeror” mean “bid” and “bidder”

SOLICITATION

Proposals are due electronically to the address in Section L, _______________________________________________________________ All offers are subject to the terms and conditions contained in this solicitation. CAUTION — Late Submissions, Modifications, and Withdrawals: See Section L, Provision No. 52.214-7 or 52.215-10. All offers are subject to terms and conditions contained in this solicitation.

10. FOR A. NAME B. TELEPHONE (NO COLLECT CALLS) C. E-MAIL ADDRESS

INFORMATION CALL:

Nevine Hindy AREA CODE

NUMBER

252-27000

EXT.

NHINDY@usaid.gov

11. TABLE OF CONTENTS

(X) SEC. DESCRIPTION PAGE (X) SEC. DESCRIPTION PAGE(S)

PART I - THE SCHEDULE PART II - CONTRACT CLAUSES

X A SOLICITATION/CONTRACT FORM A-1 X I CONTRACT CLAUSES 69

X B SUPPLIES OR SERVICES AND PRICE/COST 3 PART III - LIST OF DOCUMENTS, EXHIBITS AND OTHER ATTACH.

X C DESCRIPTION/SPECS./WORK STATEMENT 7 X J LIST OF ATTACHMENTS 74

X D PACKAGING AND MARKING 27 PART IV - REPRESENTATIONS AND INSTRUCTIONS

X E INSPECTION AND ACCEPTANCE 28 K REPRESENTATIONS, CERTIFICATIONS 78

X F DELIVERIES OR PERFORMANCE 31 AND OTHER STATEMENTS OF OFFERORS

X G CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION DATA 38 L INSTRS., CONDS., AND NOTICES TO OFFERORS 89

X H SPECIAL CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS 43 M EVALUATION FACTORS FOR AWARD 113

OFFER (Must be fully completed by offeror) NOTE: Item 12 does not apply if the solicitation includes the provisions at 52.214-16, Minimum Bid Acceptance Period.

12. In compliance with the above, the undersigned agrees, if this offer is accepted within __180_ calendar days (60 calendar days unless a different period is inserted by the offeror) from the date for receipt of offers specified above, to furnish any or all items upon which prices are offered at the price set opposite each item, delivered at the designated point(s), within the time specified in the schedule.

13. DISCOUNT FOR PROMPT PAYMENT

(See Section I, Clause No. 52.232-8) �

10 CALENDAR DAYS

20 CALENDAR DAYS

30 CALENDAR DAYS

CALENDAR DAYS

14. ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF AMENDMENTS AMENDMENT NO. DATE AMENDMENT NO. DATE

(The offeror acknowledges receipt of amendments to the SOLICITATION for offerors and related documents numbered and dated):

15A. NAME CODE FACILITY 16. NAME AND TITLE OF PERSON AUTHORIZED TO SIGN

AND OFFER (Type or print)

ADDRESS

OF

OFFEROR

15B. TELEPHONE NUMBER 15C. CHECK IF REMITTANCE 17. SIGNATURE 18. OFFER DATE

AREA CODE

NUMBER

EXT.

ADDRESS IS DIFFERENT FROM ABOVE

- ENTER SUCH ADDRESS IN

SCHEDULE.

AWARD (To be completed by Government)

19. ACCEPTED AS TO ITEMS NUMBERED

20. AMOUNT

21. ACCOUNTING AND APPROPRIATION

22. AUTHORITY FOR USING OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION:

10 U.S.C. 2304(c) (1) 41 U.S.C. 253(c)( )

23. SUBMIT INVOICES TO ADDRESS

SHOWN IN (4 copies unless otherwise specified)

ITEM

24. ADMINISTERED BY (If other than Item 7) CODE 25. PAYMENT WILL BE MADE BY CODE

26. NAME OF CONTRACTING OFFICER (Type or print)

27. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

28. AWARD DATE

NSN 7540-01-152-8064 STANDARD FORM 33 (Rev. 9-97) PREVIOUS EDITION NOT USABLE Prescribed by GSA – FAR (48 CFR) 53.214(c)

RFP No. SOL-263-17-00003 Part I – The Schedule

ABREVIATIONS AND ACCROYNMS USED IN THIS RFP

ADS

BOT

Automated Directives System Board of Trustees

COR/ACOR Contracting Officer’s Representative/Alternate Contracting Officer’s Representative

CCIMD The Center for Curriculum and Instructional Material Development

CFR Code of Federal Regulations

COP

DCOP

Chief of Party Deputy Chief of Party

ECASE

ESC

ESSP

FAA

Education Consortium for the Advancement of STEM in Egypt Education Sector Committee Egypt STEM Schools Project Foreign Assistance Act

FOE

GAEB

GoE

Faculty of Education The General Authority for Educational Buildings Government of Egypt

IEE Initial Environmental Examination M&E

MOE

MOHE

NAQAAE

NCEEE

NCERD

NFO

Monitoring and Evaluation Ministry of Education Ministry of Higher Education National Academy for Quality Assurance and Accreditation of Education The National Center for Examinations and Educational Evaluation The National Center for Educational Research Development Notice of Funding Opportunity

RCE Request for Categorical Exclusion

RFP

STEM

SAM

SDGs

SCU

Request for Proposals Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics System for Award Management Sustainable Development Goals Supreme Council of Universities

TEC Technical Evaluation Committee USAID United States Agency for International Development USG United States Government

SECTION B: SUPPLIES OR SERVICES AND PRICE/COSTS

B.1 PURPOSE

USAID/Egypt intends to award a new contract to provide technical assistance for the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Teacher Education and School Strengthening Activity in Egypt.

B.2 CONTRACT TYPE

The Government is contemplating the award of a Cost-Plus-Fixed-Fee (CPFF), Completion-type contract resulting from this solicitation.

B.3 ESTIMATED COST, FIXED FEE, AND OBLIGATED AMOUNT

(a) The estimated cost for the five year period of the performance required hereunder, exclusive of fee is $______________. The fixed fee is $_________. The estimated cost plus fixed fee is $ .

(b) Within the estimated cost plus fixed fee specified in paragraph (a) above, the amount currently obligated and available for reimbursement of allowable costs incurred by the Contractor (and payment of fee) for performance hereunder is $ of the aforementioned obligated amount.

(c) Funds obligated hereunder are anticipated to be sufficient for performance through

B.4 BUDGET

CLIN 0001: Total STEM Teacher Education.

Fixed Fee

CLIN 0002: STEM School Strengthening Fixed Fee

This is an example for the distribution of cost elements:

Cost Element Amount

CLIN 0001

STEM Teacher Education $ Fixed Fee $

Total $

CLIN 0002

STEM School Strengthening $ Fixed Fee $ Total $

(a) The inclusion of any costs in the above budget does not eliminate the requirement for prior approval by the Contracting Officer of cost items designated as requiring prior approval by any of the terms and conditions of this contract, including the applicable cost principles (see FAR 52.216- 7, “Allowable Cost and Payment”); nor, does it constitute a determination of allowability by the Contracting Officer of any item of cost, unless specifically stated elsewhere in this contract. Also, the Contractor must not adjust these amounts by more than 10% per CLIN without a written modification signed by the Contracting Officer. For a CLIN adjustment of 10% or less, a written notification to the Contracting Officer is required. The Contractor must not bill any amounts against this contract in excess of the amounts specified for each line item.

(b) The Contractor agrees to furnish data that the Contracting Officer may request on costs expended or accrued under this contract.

(c) Without the prior written approval of the Contracting Officer, the Contractor must not exceed the total estimated cost set forth in the budget or the total obligated amount, whichever is less.

B.5 FEE SCHEDULE

(a) Fixed Fee under this Contract is TBD. Pursuant to FAR 16.306(d), USAID/Egypt will pay a portion of the contractor’s fixed fee upon the receipt of the deliverables listed in Section F. The portion of fee allocated to each deliverable is listed TBD. Payment of fee shall take place quarterly based on the completion of CLIN deliverables for each quarter as negotiated and agreed upon in the annual work plan. The annual work plan must detail deliverables, or intermediate deliverables, that can be reasonably measured on a quarterly basis. In the event the contractor does not fulfill a deliverable, then the contractor will not be entitled to the corresponding fee.

(b) In accordance with FAR clause 52.216-8 “Fixed Fee -”, USAID reserves the right to withhold a reserve not to exceed 15% of the total fixed fee or $100,000 whichever is less, to protect the Government’s interest. The Contracting Officer shall release 75% of all fee withholds under this contract after receipt of an adequate certified final indirect cost rate proposal covering the year of physical completion of this contract, provided the Contractor has satisfied all other contract terms and conditions, including the submission of the final patent and royalty reports, and is not delinquent in submitting final vouchers on prior years’ settlements. The Contracting Officer may release up to 90% of the fee withholds under this contract based on the Contractor’s past performance related to the submission and settlement of final indirect cost rate proposals.

B.6 INDIRECT COSTS

For the Prime Contractor:

Pending establishment of revised provisional or final indirect cost rates, allowable indirect costs shall be reimbursed on the basis of the following negotiated provisional or predetermined rates and the appropriate bases:

Description Rate Base Type Period

TBD 1/ 1/ 1/

1/Base of Application:

Type of Rate: Predetermined Period:

For Major Subcontractor(s):

Pending establishment of revised provisional or final indirect cost rates, allowable indirect costs shall be reimbursed on the basis of the following negotiated provisional or predetermined rates and the appropriate bases:

Description Rate Base Type Period

TBD 1/ 1/ 1/

1/Base of Application:

Type of Rate: Predetermined Period:

“Major subcontractor(s)” are those subcontractors whose proposed costs exceed 20 percent of the contract value.

B.7 COST REIMBURSABLE

The costs allowable shall be limited to reasonable, allocable and necessary costs determined in accordance with FAR 52.216-7, Allowable Cost and Payment, FAR 52.216-8, Fixed Fee, if applicable, and AIDAR 752.7003, Documentation for Payment.

B.8 MULTI-YEAR CONTRACT AND CANCELLATION CEILING

This contract is subject to the requirements of FAR 17.106.

(a) Performance under this contract during the second and subsequent program years is contingent upon the appropriation of funds. All program years except the first are subject to cancellation.

Cancellation shall occur by the dates specified below if the Contracting Officer:

1. Notifies the Contractor that funds are not available for contract performance for any subsequent program year, or

2. Fails to notify the Contractor that funds are available for performance of the succeeding program year.

(b) Cancellation Ceiling:

In the event that the Government cancels requirements for services in subsequent program years under this contract, the following conditions will apply.

(c) If cancellation under the clause at 52.217-2, “Cancellation Under Multi-year Contracts” occurs, the contractor will be paid a cancellation charge not over the cancellation ceiling defined as follows:

The Government’s liability for cancellation charges shall not exceed $0. This amount will be reduced accordance with FAR 17.106-1 (c) (1) at the conclusion of each program year as follows:

The cancellation ceiling shall be the amount allotted to this contract under the Limitation of Funds clause (FAR 52.232-22(b)) at the time the cancellation notice is issued by the Contracting Officer.

(d) In accordance with the Cancellation under Multi-year Contracts clause, the cancellation charge will cover only:

(1) Costs-

(i) Incurred by the contractor and/or subcontractor;

(ii) Reasonably necessary for performance of the contract; and

(iii) That would have been equitably amortized over the entire multi-year contract period but, because of the cancellation, are not so amortized; and

(2) A reasonable profit or fee on the costs.

[END OF SECTION B]

Program Year Cancellation Date Cancellation Ceiling

1 August 30, 2018 $0

2 August 30, 2019 $0

3 August 30, 2020 $0 4 August 30, 2021 $0 5 August 30, 2022 $0 Total $0

SECTION C: DESCRIPTION/SPECIFICATIONS/STATEMENT OF OBJECTIVES

Title: STEM Teacher Education and School Strengthening Activity (STESSA)

C.1 PURPOSE

The purpose of the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Teacher Education and School Strengthening Activity (STESSA) is to achieve the following goals:

Component 1: To develop, implement, and sustain high-quality STEM teacher education and preparation programs at undergraduate and graduate levels: a. Pre-service teachers will receive quality preparation for modern STEM classrooms, thereby providing the STEM education system with a continuous supply of well-prepared STEM teachers, and raising the quality of teaching and learning in the STEM subjects at the secondary level in STEM schools; b. In-service teachers will be able to enter post-graduate year-long certification programs in STEM Education as well as continue shorter teacher training.

Component 2: To fully institutionalize roles and processes to ensure the sustained quality of STEM schools and support the MOE to scale up STEM education nationwide.: existing STEM high schools will be strengthened and fully institutionalized, and the Ministry of Education (MOE) will have the capacity to sustain the quality of existing STEM high schools and expand the model to additional governorates/nationwide. Through in service teacher training and professional development, those new schools will enjoy the same quality of teaching and learning, and the same level of administrative and technical support for teacher and administrator development and procurement.

This Activity will achieve these goals through:

(1) Introducing STEM teacher education and preparation programs in targeted public universities in Egypt, specifically the Faculties of Education (FOEs) in partnership with Faculties of Science and Engineering, and MOE’s Professional Academy for Teachers (PAT)

(2) Developing year-long post-graduate certification courses for STEM teachers and administrators,

(3) Continuing to support and strengthen the current MOE’s efforts to achieve and sustain consistent quality in STEM schools so that STEM schools can be scaled across governorates.

All activities will be conducted with awareness of the fluctuating socio-political context and logistical realities of Egypt, and through timely, sensitive and resourceful responses to mitigate any ill-effects on scaling STEM schools or reforming STEM teacher development.

USAID/Egypt will support two distinct but related components under this Statement of Objectives.

The first will develop and sustain high-quality STEM teacher preparation, at undergraduate and post-graduate levels, and teaching practices in partnership with the Faculties of Education, Science and Engineering, and MOE’s Professional Academy for Teachers (PAT). The second component will strengthen STEM education and fully institutionalize roles, processes and skills to ensure the sustainability of STEM schools and the MOE capacity to scale them up as needed. Component 1 and Component 2 will address the gaps and needs of the STEM education system and the schools, both currently operating and new schools, so that the STEM school endeavor can be taken to national scale, while maintaining its concepts and high quality of education. Though the two components are distinct from one another, both will involve short and long term support for the MOE as the governing body to ensure that teachers, administrators, and students receive the support necessary to meet the intended goals of STEM secondary education in a sustainable manner. The STEM Teacher Education component will complement the STEM School Strengthening component, which supports the MOE to scale up and sustain STEM high schools in Egypt, by preparing teachers who possess a broad repertoire of STEM pedagogies, build knowledge and skills required within the MOE and its affiliated institutions to sustain STEM concepts and strategies, upgrade STEM curricula and assessment systems, strengthen in-service professional development for STEM educators, develop partnerships with universities, civil society and private sector, and sustain school-based management, curriculum implementation and assessment.

Ultimately, the two components will bring quality STEM schools to every governorate in Egypt.

C.2 SCOPE

The scope of this contract will provide technical assistance, capacity building, and training to relevant stakeholders and counterparts in order to implement two distinct, but interrelated, components: the STEM Teacher Education and School Strengthening.

Stakeholders and counterparts include the following:

● Faculties of Education and Faculties of Sciences and Engineering in targeted Public Universities,

● The Ministry of Education including: the STEM Unit, PAT, the Center for Curriculum and

Instructional Material Development (CCIMD), the National Center for Examinations and Educational Evaluation (NCEEE), the National Center for Educational Research Development (NCERD) and the General Authority for Educational Buildings (GAEB),

● The Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE),

● The Supreme Council of Universities (SCU),

● The Education Sector Committee (ESC) of Faculties of Education,

● The National Authority for Quality Assurance and Accreditation of Education (NAQAAE),

● STEM schools, staff, and Boards of Trustees (BOTs), and,

● Other relevant partners and community stakeholders.

Component 1, STEM Teacher Education shall ensure that targeted Faculties of Education graduate new teachers who can effectively deliver student-centered, project- and inquiry-based STEM education, with deep content knowledge and strong English language skills. For this purpose, science and math professors in Faculties of Education need to possess an evolving repertoire of effective STEM education pedagogies, and be engaged with STEM-related institutions, such as Faculties of Science and Engineering, in designing innovative STEM curricula. These curricula shall include examinations, testing, and courses for undergraduate and graduate programs. This can be enhanced through creating targeted partnership between Faculties of Education, Science and Engineering, PAT, CCIMD, NCEEE and NAQAAE. Further, the contractor will ensure that all administrative procedures and systems are developed and institutionalized by all stakeholders. To ensure coordinated development of those institutions, their members will need to communicate with one another to solve problems within the curricula, as well as creatively teach new science and math material. In particular, curricular integration and the ability to deliver inquiry-based education will help to highlight the research driven processes of a high quality STEM education.

At the university level, the Education Sector Committee (ESC), which consists of the Deans of all Faculties of Education in Egypt, and PAT, will be central partners in the establishment of STEM teacher preparation, at undergraduate and graduate levels. The Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE), Supreme Council of Universities (SCU) and ESC will participate in the selection of targeted universities, colleges and institutions based on jointly developed selection criteria with USAID/Egypt and the Contractor. The ESC and PAT can assist in the development and scaling of best practices in STEM teacher development. Furthermore, they can provide input into possible outreach campaigns to gather new and promising teachers. This activity shall also strengthen and align STEM teachers’ licensing and school accreditation with international standards, and shall be informed by national and international experiences and best practices. The graduates of this program will not only be able to teach in STEM high schools, but also enter the mainstream schools to augment student learning there as well.

Component 2, STEM School Strengthening, shall enable the MOE to further develop the STEM educational quality in the existing STEM schools, establish new schools, and introduce elements of STEM approaches, strategies and curricula in the mainstream, particularly in middle schools, nationwide. Through this component, the activity shall: (1) define the gaps and assess the needs of the STEM schools and education system to be fully sustained, and (2) assist the MOE to design and implement adequate interventions to address the defined gaps and needs. Meanwhile, the activity shall be ready to provide direct support, educational materials, and training and professional development for educators in recently established STEM high schools. Through these efforts, the GOE shall be enabled to maintain the STEM concepts, high quality, and student achievements while taking the STEM high school model to the national scale. This will be achieved through building the Ministry’s technical and administrative capacities and systems. The contractor shall also provide technical assistance to support the MOE exploring options and developing relevant strategies, models and policies to enable the MOE creating a recognized regional accreditation body of STEM education in the Middle East.

Both Components shall involve short and long term assistance to the MOE to ensure that current and future teachers, administrators, and students receive the support necessary to realize the goals of STEM education in a sustainable manner. They will both support the establishment of STEM schools across Egypt, by preparing teachers, trainers, professors and faculty members to possess a broad repertoire of STEM pedagogies and project-based curriculum; in addition to the enhancement, expansion and institutionalization of STEM schools and education in Egypt. If need be, the activity may also provide essential equipment, such as lab equipment, in an amount of $1 million or less, to STEM schools and/or STEM programs in the targeted Faculties of Education.

C.3 BACKGROUND

In September, 2011, the MOE introduced intensive Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education as part of its formal secondary education system. In 2011 and 2012, the MOE established two STEM magnet boarding high schools, one in Cairo and one in Giza. To date, eleven STEM schools have been established in nine governorates in the Delta and Upper Egypt.

More than four hundred students have graduated from STEM schools in the past three years, and joined prestigious universities in Egypt, the U.S., Japan, Germany, and Italy. Forty four percent of STEM students are girls. The schools are a flagship in the region for excellence.

With USAID’s support, these model schools introduced non-traditional teaching and learning strategies, and replaced traditional pedagogies with project-based, cross-disciplinary, inquiry-based approaches to enhance student’s creativity, critical thinking, and problem solving skills. While the MOE constructs and furnishes the schools, and covers operational expenses, students’ accommodation and teachers’ salaries, the USAID-funded “Education Consortium for the Advancement of STEM in Egypt (ECASE), now known as the “Egypt STEM Schools Project (ESSP)”, provides training for STEM educators and provided STEM equipment and laboratories.

Through the systemic and policy reforms associated with the establishment of STEM schools, the MOE institutionalized a transparent STEM admission system, endorsed STEM curricula and recognized the STEM exit exam as a substitute for the national high school exit exam (Thanaweya Amma).

To develop a knowledge base of STEM education within the MOE, the Minister of Education decreed the establishment of a STEM Unit in April 2014, in which all the technical sectors of the MOE are represented. It consists of representatives from the CCIMD, NCEEE, NCERD, PAT, the General Education Sector and the directors of sciences and mathematics education at the MOE (known as subject-matter supervisors or counsellors). The purpose of this Unit is to acquire STEM skills, knowledge and experiences needed to provide support to STEM schools and build in-house capacities within the MOE and its various institutions. Thus far, the STEM model schools have demonstrated their effectiveness in providing students with trans-disciplinary quality education and serving as incubators for future leaders who have the potential to advance scientific research and development initiatives. This has been evidenced through students’ participation and achievements in highly recognized science and mathematics fairs at national, regional and international levels, as well as the STEM graduates’ achievements and performance upon admission to universities in Egypt and the U.S.

Through USAID’s technical assistance, the MOE developed selection criteria for STEM educators to recruit high caliber teachers for STEM schools. These selection criteria included a solid command of English language as one of the key requirements, plus a demonstrated understanding of the following concepts:

1. School norms and systems;

2. Inquiry-driven curricula;

3. Project-based curricula and backward design (Understanding by Design);

4. Interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary frameworks to support comprehensive “real-world” learning;

5. Knowledge of creating, executing, and facilitating capstone projects; and,

6. Pedagogies that support student-centered and inquiry based teaching and learning.

Those criteria require a paradigm shift in teaching practices from traditional lecture to student-centered pedagogies and hands-on, project-based, inquiry-based unit and lesson design. A skilled STEM teacher moves from direct instruction to guided facilitation as the student develops science and math skills and gains the confidence to experiment with his/her new-found knowledge. The ongoing USAID-funded ESSP conducted numerous training workshops to transform classroom practices from rote learning and lecture to hands-on scientific inquiry, according to the concepts stated above. Selected teachers and education specialists were trained to deliver STEM education and develop new STEM curricula within the STEM schools. Additionally, support for STEM teachers and principals were provided through continuous guidance and on-the-job training by international STEM experts.

As in-service teachers amended their pedagogies, classroom observation and student achievement have shown that learning improved consistently across their classrooms. Focus groups conducted with teachers demonstrated the skills they developed and the experience they gained. On the other hand, they stated their need to further demystify types of assessments and how and when to use them effectively, and increase focus on micro-teaching that offer opportunities to give and take constructive feedback. Furthermore, teachers expressed a desire to receive a credential along with their training to demonstrate that they have met the initial criteria for STEM teaching. Although the training provided has yielded good results among teachers, it has been challenging to loosen teachers from traditional notions predicated on rote learning and memorization. Hence, the consistency of the effectiveness of in-service training remains unpredictable, particularly in the absence of pre-service STEM education.

STEM School Expansion

Students from STEM schools have won national and international awards in scientific invention and discovery. There is increased demand among students for STEM education. As a result, the Government of Egypt now aims to establish a STEM School in each governorate to bring the total number to 27. In September 2017, the MOE is planning to open three to four new STEM schools, and is planning to establish up to five additional schools in the following year. It will also introduce STEM extracurricular activities in all middle schools nationwide, and use lessons learned to improve education across all public schools.

The planned expansion will increase the annual enrollment in STEM schools from 270 in September 2014 to more than 3,500 students once all 27 schools are completed. Hence, strengthening the STEM school model and developing a cadre of well-prepared STEM teachers and trainers is critical to ensure the success of that goal. However, both USAID/Egypt and the Ministry of Education have realized that in-service teacher training can be an arduous, time-consuming process, and not always successful, nor can it keep pace with the expansion of STEM Schools in additional governorates when implemented alongside with the development of other aspects of the endeavor.

Education reform in Egypt is no new activity. It involves a deep network of stakeholders within the MOE and MOHE, civil society, local government and the National Authority for Quality Assurance and Accreditation of Education (NAQAAE). The establishment of STEM School model was a bold step not only to raise a generation of critical thinkers, problem solvers and future leaders of Egypt, but also to stimulate innovation in the education system and serve as a catalyst for system-wide science and mathematics education reform. On the part of the MOE, the involvement of all stakeholders on a regular basis, the know-how to negotiate a complex political terrain, and the vision and leadership to increase access and ensure excellence in STEM schools – are critical to STEM development, expansion and sustainability. On the other hand, the MOHE, through its Supreme Council of Universities (SCU) and the Sector Committees of Faculties of Education, Science and Engineering, will need to introduce high quality graduate and undergraduate programs to provide

STEM schools with well-prepared STEM teachers, principals and other educators to satisfy the medium and long term needs of STEM education in Egypt.

In addition to the STEM Unit, which is responsible for the technical aspects of education in STEM, the MOE created an Executive Committee to plan for and facilitate the expansion of STEM Schools in all governorates from the infrastructure and resources perspectives. The members of the Executive Committee represent all relevant MOE departments and institutions, such as the Minister’s Office, the General Authority for Educational Buildings (GAEB), MOE Finance and Procurement Departments and the Head of the STEM Unit; in addition to USAID and/or its activity representative.

To streamline participation and communication among all stakeholders, the MOE provided a notional model for institutional relations and communications for the STEM Teacher Education and School Strengthening Activity:

Current State of Pre-Service Teacher Education in Egypt

In order to design a contextually relevant STEM Teacher Education activity, it is necessary to review Teacher Education in Egypt as it currently exists. A new teacher entering a STEM classroom in Egypt typically possesses a Bachelor degree in content matter and education. Young teachers earn this degree through: (1) a four years of study in the Faculties of Education (in well-established universities); or, (2) four years of a joint program by the Faculties of Education and Science (for sciences and mathematics teacher education) or Arts (for humanities education), (in case of more recently established Faculties of Education). The last two years of that degree, in both cases, will mostly involve education courses, a fewer number of content matter courses and a short practical experience of a few weeks. Once a novice teacher enters the classroom, he/she will have two to three years to practice and complete his/her induction training before he/she becomes qualified to receive the license as a professional teacher.

At the university level, the Education Sector Committee (ESC), which consists of the Deans of all Faculties of Education in Egypt, is the recognized regulatory body responsible for approving any new programs, reforms, and policies introduced in any of the Faculties of Education. Along with the

GOE

The MOE, including STEM Unit; the MOHE, including

SCU and ESC; and

NAQAAE

And, USAID

USAID-funded Activiy

Faculties of Education, Science and Engineering

Professional Academy for Teachers (PAT)

STEM Schools, Staff and Stakeholders

Ministries of Education and Higher Education, the Supreme Council of Universities, (which consists of the University Presidents and represents all public universities in Egypt), will be a central partner in the establishment of STEM teacher preparation at undergraduate and graduate levels and continued education programs; as well as the selection of universities, targeted colleges and institutions. It will also play a key role in ensuring that relevant data is collected and that analyses of data are disseminated to relevant parties. The ESC can assist in the development and scaling of best practices in STEM teacher education. Furthermore, that body can provide input into possible outreach campaigns to gather new and promising teachers.

PROBLEM STATEMENT:

Since 2011, Egypt has experienced profound socio-political shifts. Continuous government upheaval followed and resulted in multiple Cabinet and Ministry-level reshuffles. Despite the dramatic changes and lack of experience in STEM education, the MOE supported and was fully committed to introducing STEM schools to the education system. The USAID-funded Egypt STEM School Project has been able to support the establishment of STEM schools and gain a high degree of traction, exhibited in the success of students graduating from those schools. However, as noted above, one challenge has been ensuring that teachers are able to refocus their pedagogies on student-centered, project-based learning from rote memorization and regurgitation, as is the traditional model of teaching in Egyptian schools.

As the MOE has planned to rapidly expand the STEM model schools to all governorates, the demand for qualified, well prepared STEM teachers will increase over the years to come. In order to have a sustainable supply of teachers skilled in STEM education, Egyptian faculties of education must be able to produce well-prepared STEM teachers through undergraduate and graduate programs.

The MOE has taken steps to gain the knowledge and experience and issue policies and regulations needed to sustain and expand STEM education. While ESSP provided the STEM Unit with some training, tools, and resources, there is need for additional capacity building and systemic support to the MOE to establish new STEM schools, to maintain the high quality of current STEM schools, and to strengthen the know how among MOE stakeholders. Additionally, the MOE will need assistance to develop its abilities to review and upgrade STEM school curricula, and procure textbooks and equipment. The STEM School expansion will increase the demand for qualified, well prepared STEM teachers as well as educational experts. It will be essential to fully develop the systems and capacities of all the responsible sectors of the MOE to enable them to carry out and sustain such an expansion.

C.4 OBJECTIVES AND RESULTS

The STEM Teacher Development and School System Strengthening Activity (STESSA) consists of two distinct but interrelated components that complement one another to support USAID/Egypt's Development Objective 3, “Workforce Response to Labor Market Demands Improved.”

1. Result A: Developed a cadre of well-prepared STEM teachers, principals and educational specialists who master the required knowledge, skills and capacities; not only to satisfy the current and future needs of STEM schools nationwide, but to also support the reform of science and mathematics education in mainstream schools.

2. Result B: Sustained and expanded STEM education in Egypt, through building on STEM achievements and lessons learned, to: (1) strengthen existing STEM schools; (2) develop the capacities and systems of the MOE to sustain and expand STEM Schools nationwide; and (3) fully integrate/institutionalize STEM education in the Egyptian education system.

Relationship to USAID/Egypt’s Strategy

The activity will result in diverse and dynamic outputs that will support USAID/Egypt's Development Objective 3, “Workforce Response to Labor Market Demands Improved”. While the STEM School Strengthening component will continue to support Development Objective 3 through strengthening, expanding and fully institutionalizing the STEM School model; the Teacher Education component will deepen its efficacy and sustainability by: (1) supporting higher education institutions to ensure that student and novice teachers are prepared prior to entering the classroom;

and, (2) augmenting engagement in contemporary scientific research and STEM teaching and learning innovation which will intensify the participation of young people, particularly from low socio-economic backgrounds, in the STEM fields. Accordingly, the activity will support: 3.1 “Access to Quality Tertiary Education Increased,” and 3.2 “Critical Skills of Basic Education Students Improved;” in addition to ensuring that “Responsiveness of Universities to Market Needs Increased (3.1.2),” and “the Ability of High School Students to Solve Higher Level Science and Math Problems Improved (3.3.2)” through building on the achievements to-date and supporting the MOE and Faculties of Education, Science and Engineering to accelerate advancement towards full institutionalization and expansion of STEM education.

Development Hypothesis/ Theory of Change:

The Theory of Change for STEM Teacher Education assumes that if Faculties of Education coordinate with Faculties of Science and Engineering to design and implement undergraduate and graduate programs to prepare STEM teachers, then well trained teachers will deliver rigorous STEM content through effective pedagogies that improve learning results in the classroom and a continuous supply of qualified STEM teachers will fulfill the demands of STEM education in Egypt.

Further, if STEM-related systems and capacities of the Ministry of Education and its affiliated authorities are enhanced, then high quality STEM model schools and STEM education in Egypt will be sustained and enhanced. It also assumes that introducing elements of STEM education in the mainstream, particularly in middle schools, will prepare and increase the interest and participation of students, particularly those in poor communities, in STEM education.

Target Beneficiaries

The STEM Teacher Education component will identify up to five Faculties of Education in public universities in the governorates where STEM Schools exist (Cairo, Giza, Dakahleya, Alexandria, Kafr El Sheikh, Ismailia, Assuit, the Red Sea and/or Luxor). Selection of the universities/Faculties of Education will be based on an agreed upon set of criteria determined in consultation with the Supreme Council of Universities (SCU) and the Education Sector Committee (ESC). By the end of this activity, all the Faculties of Education that participated in this activity will have undergone the accreditation process of their STEM undergraduate and graduate courses and program, and either achieved it or have developed action plans to achieve it. Since the activity will work with the Faculties of Education at both undergraduate and graduate levels, and across Faculties of Science and

Engineering, the number of faculty members varies. USAID/Egypt expects that the first cohort of faculty members participating in the activity will number around one hundred, with that number rising as university capacities expand.

The STEM School Strengthening component will support STEM education nationwide. As this component will focus on enabling the MOE to establish, replicate and sustain STEM high schools, it will assist the MOE to provide equal support to all schools, and develop fair and transparent criteria for selecting priority governorates for the expansion. STEM Schools will be standardized to the highest level possible, and the STEM system prepared for scale up. Specifically, this system will have tight organizational development and operation plans including bureaucratic processes, job descriptions, communications, and transparency of planning and budget. The STEM school will eventually become its own brand. Accordingly, the standards across them must be equal, and those within them must be equitable for all students. The criteria and mission of those standards must be developed and honed with top-level stakeholders and entrenched through consistently high-quality activities at the grassroots level.

The Contractor should maximize the benefit of contract activities beyond the students and staff of STEM schools and Faculties of Education and Sciences. Benefits should also reach in-service teachers, school administrators, university professors, university administrators, PAT, the STEM Units at the central and governorate levels, the CCIMD, the NCEEE, the ESC, NAQAAE, and the Ministries of Education and Higher Education.

Development Objectives, Goals, and Objectives:

Table 1: STEM Teacher Education and School Strengthening Activity

USAID

DO 3

Workforce Response to Labor Market Demands Improved

Activity Goals

1. To develop, implement and sustain high-quality STEM teacher education and preparation programs at undergraduate and graduate levels 2. To strengthen and fully institutionalize roles and processes to ensure the sustainability of STEM schools and support the MOE to scale up STEM education nationwide.

Activity Objectives

1. STEM Teacher Education

● At the Undergraduate Level: To provide student teachers with quality preparation including deep content knowledge, a broad repertoire of pedagogies, English language and technical knowledge, skills and methodologies required for STEM education.

● At the Graduate Level: To support potential STEM teachers, already within the MOE system, transitioning from traditional teaching to project-based and inquiry-based pedagogies through certification programs.

2. STEM School Strengthening:

● To sustain and expand STEM education through MOE capacity building and system strengthening,

● To ensure sustained evenness of support, quality and resources across all

STEM schools, and;

● To create a strong network across all schools for knowledge sharing, support for personnel, and continued development and amendment as needed to the STEM school system.

1: Improve STEM Teacher Education and Development:

The activity will support the expansion and sustainability of STEM education by supporting the Faculties of Education and other relevant institutions to prepare candidate STEM teachers.

Therefore, this component will require working closely with the FOE faculty members, as well as the faculty members of colleges related to the content area to prepare the FOEs to design and deliver academic STEM education programs at both undergraduate and graduate levels. Further, excellence in STEM learning involves linking professors, teachers, and students to the global knowledge economy in order to remain relevant in the ever-evolving area of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

The Statement of Work submitted in response to this Statement of Objectives will ensure that STEM Teacher Education will be improved through three streams of activities:

● First, partnerships for sustained quality: Universities (particularly Faculties of Education, Science and Engineering) and local STEM schools will jointly support candidate teachers as they become experts in their content areas, capable of teaching science and mathematics in English language, and to develop pedagogies that evoke student-centered, project-based and inquiry-based learning. To that end, the Contractor will assist the FOE faculty members to create partnerships and/or linkages with faculty members of universities in the U.S on the latest STEM education and teaching methodologies. The goal of this stream is to increase educators’ capacity through providing them with instructional guidance from knowledgeable professors and faculty members in Faculties of Education, Science and Engineering.

● Second, standard-based STEM education: All relevant institutions will be guided to support

STEM teacher education. This includes the development of standards for STEM educators and amendment of criteria for their selection and placement. Liaising with all institutions for transparency and sustainability is critical, and so this stream will include a model for communications that establishes not only good habits to support STEM education across institutions, but also ensures that the discrete roles of the institutions are leveraged for maximum efficiency. The Contractor will assist the Ministry of Education/PAT, the ESC and the National Authority for Quality Assurance and Accreditation for Egypt (NAQAAE) to establish criteria and accreditation standards for high quality STEM teacher preparation programs. The STEM Unit embedded in the MOE will be a central partner, particularly as the MOE has invested in augmenting the capacity of this Unit by nominating subject matter experts to assist with technical development and implementation across all STEM schools. The goal is for those STEM Teacher Education Programs to operate within Faculties of Education and coordinate with Faculties of Science and Engineering to ensure novice teachers possess deep content knowledge, the ability to teach sciences and mathematics in English language as well as a broad pedagogical repertoire and the capacity to reflect on their teaching practice.

● Third, cross-disciplinary programs: Teachers, administrators, and school personnel have access to the most recent research occurring globally with regard to STEM teaching and learning.

This can also include ways for students and teachers to publish or exhibit their work, participate in study tours, exchanges with experts in STEM subjects and community outreach. As this activity will augment STEM undergraduate, graduate and teaching curricula, processes and opportunities for professors and teachers to remain abreast of current science and math developments are critical. The activity may facilitate the establishment of partnerships or collaboration between universities in Egypt and the U.S. The goal is to develop STEM teacher preparation programs as well as cross-disciplinary university-level STEM programs for students interested in pursuing undergraduate and graduate-level STEM degrees and/or work as STEM teachers.

The STEM Teacher Education Component will address areas including:

1. Introduce and implement: (a) STEM undergraduate programs and support the development of robust and rigorous STEM courses necessary for STEM teacher preparation in identified FOEs;

(b) a graduate track for continued education and professional development of STEM teachers;

and, (c) a graduate track for continued education and professional development of STEM School leadership (principals and supervisors) in the identified FOEs. Those courses will be selected and developed in collaboration with Faculties of Science and Engineering.

2. Generate excellence in STEM teacher education by:

a. Developing and communicating teacher standards and curricular benchmarks to be used to certify teachers and devise a means to accredit STEM programs. Those standards and benchmarks will be developed in partnership with Faculties of Education, the Professional Academy for Teachers (PAT), and institutions relevant to STEM subject matter, schools, and the MOE’s STEM Unit. They will be developed in accordance with international benchmarks and standards for excellence in teacher professional development. All relevant parties will be aware of and committed to the standards and benchmarks for maximum transparency, ownership and impact;

b. Collaborating with relevant stakeholders, including NAQAAE, PAT and the MOE STEM Unit, to ensure that accreditation is in line with the desired outcomes of teacher education in STEM focus areas;

c. Establishing a STEM Teacher Certification Program for Teachers, specialized in science, mathematics, English language and humanities, through sustainable partnerships between Faculties of Education and PAT. That certification will extend to novice (assistant) teachers as well as those already practicing in the field. Assisting Faculties of Education, Engineering, and Science to ensure that future STEM subject teachers receive a broad repertoire of pedagogies and the most current STEM research and innovation. Teacher students and candidates will also be able to access research and publications that allow them to remain abreast of STEM discovery. Faculty will instruct at both undergraduate and graduate levels;

Teachers who are currently in STEM schools will have opportunities to receive graduate level education to hone their pedagogies;

d. Establishing sustainable partnerships between the faculties of science and engineering to assist in the development of practicum in STEM subjects; and,

e. Creating a steering committee that consists of top line stakeholders will assist with communications and buy-in from all parties. Furthermore, that steering committee could help set the course for any policy development that comes from this endeavor.

3. Ensure that student teachers, their professors and other faculty members, teachers and teacher mentors have access to and are active participants in the global knowledge economy relevant to STEM learning and invention. Their involvement in the STEM knowledge economy will highlight different career paths in STEM areas, and engage STEM educators and students in research, discovery, and development.

4. Track and document best practices and work towards their institutionalization across all STEM related higher education faculties in Egypt, as well as ensure that all student teachers receive the highest quality pre-service education so that they can either teach effectively in STEM focused schools or bring those best practices to other public schools.

5. The activity will provide novice educators with opportunities to strengthen content knowledge through innovative approaches and partnerships as they continuously reflect on their teaching and student learning throughout their careers.