Terms of Reference
Supporting the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Ghana
to Prepare a Programme Based Budget
July 2011 – November 2011
Background
The Government of Ghana has in recent times introduced reforms, in her determination to improve Public Financial Management and the economy in general with the view to ensuring value for money in her service delivery. One such reform is the introduction of Programme-Based Budget (PBB) as the new approach to budgeting over the medium term.
The Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning piloted PBB in 2010 in two ministries. In 2011, MOFEP plans to introduce PBB to an additional five ministries, including the Ministry of Education. An orientation session on PBB was conducted in June 2011 by the Crown Agents at the request of the Ministry of Finance. Instructions on PBB, which benefit from lessons learned from the 2010 pilot, will be issued by MOFEP.
Purpose
The purpose of the consultancy is to provide technical assistance to the Ministry of Education, and its agencies, during its preparation of a programme-based 2012 budget.
Justification
This assignment needs to be given out for consultancy services for a number of reasons. It requires significant technical skills in programme-based budgeting. It also requires a dedicated person to work full time with MOE on budget preparation.
Scope of work
The consultant is expected to undertake the following tasks: Familiarise self with the MoFEP PBB guidelines for the implementation of PBB by MDAs. Review the Education Strategic Plan (ESP) 2010-2020, the Annual Education Sector Operational Plan (AESOP) 2011-2013, the Aide Memoir of the 2011 National Education Sector Annual Review, and the minutes of the MOE Policy Retreat to identify programme priorities for 2012
1. Provide MOE with examples of programme structures used in Ministries of Education in other countries, as well as an analysis of the pros and cons or issues to consider when determining the appropriate programme structure for education in Ghana.
2. Participate in all planning and preparatory sessions related to PBB in MOE.
3. Provide hands-on support to MOE in the preparation of their programme budgets. This support will cover the following issues:
a. Defining the programme and sub-programmes;
b. Defining the programme and sub-programmes (it would be expected that this would be determined in a strategic planning type workshop for all education agencies – the consultant may be required to facilitate this workshop and assist the agencies to document the outcomes. Following the determination of a draft program, the MoFEP will need to approve the structure. The consultant would assist the education agencies to present the determined structure to MoFEP, and deal with any requirements for amendment that come out of those discussions;
c. Writing up programme and sub-programme descriptions and other narrative material as required by the guidelines;
d. Creating performance indicators under each programme and sub-programme and work with the education agencies to ensure that data collection systems and data will be available to provide credible measures against the indicators.
e. Mapping the budget parameters to the programme budget formats – this is proposed to be undertaken after the agencies have finalized their ABB budget. Mapping can be prepared before this so that the task for reallocating the ABB budget to programs and subprograms can be largely automated;
4. Assist in the development of methodologies to estimate and justify expenditure proposals for the Ministry of Education in preparation of its initial programme-based budget covering the 2012-2014 period;
5. Support MOE to complete the programme budget documentation to a level of quality that is appropriate for review by Cabinet, parliamentarians and key Government stakeholders, including reviewing the text of the budget for clarity, logical presentation of arguments, and conformity with MOFEP guidelines.
6. Advise on necessary changes to the structure of accounts that will ensure appropriate programme management and calculation of future budgets;
7. Work with senior management in MoE and liaise with MoFEP on identifying changes to business practice and institutional changes required for the introduction of PBB, including any sectoral co-ordinating mechanisms to cover budget policy and expenditure issues for the sector as a whole;
8. Submit an analytical report outlining the process followed by MOE to create a PBB. The report should analyze the successes, challenges, and lessons learned from the PBB process and make recommendations for improving the process when it is rolled out to other MDAs and for improving the process within MOE when the 2013 budget is created. The report should also include recommendations for MOFEP on which aspects of the PBB rollout functioned well and how, from an MDA’s perspective, the PBB training and process could be improved.
Expected deliverables
1. Written comments on MOE draft budget presentations
2. An analytical report outlining the process followed by MOE to create a PBB. The report should also analyze the successes, challenges, and lessons learned from the PBB process and make recommendations for improving the process when it is rolled out to other MDAs and for improving the process within MOE when the 2013 budget is created.
Timeframe
The consultancy should be completed by the end of November 2011. Full time presence in Ghana is preferred.
Reporting
The consultant will report to the Director of Planning, Budgeting, Monitoring and Evaluation in the Ministry of Education
Qualifications and expertise
The consultant(s) are expected to be public expenditure specialists, with advanced qualifications in science, economics or other relevant social sciences, and have significant experience in programme-based budgeting. Some experience in (or of) education would also be an advantage. Specifically,
1. A higher-degree (at least to master’ level) in economics, science, and/or another relevant social science, preferably education;
2. At least ten years’ experience in public financial management in low and middle income countries, preferably in Ghana;
3. Demonstrated recent experience in undertaking programme-based budgeting, ideally in the education or any social services sector;
4. Strong numeracy skills, and an ability to interrogate published and other data and identify key issues implied by the data analyses;
5. Excellent drafting (or writing) ability in English;
6. Ability to work co-operatively and constructively with local counterparts.
Note that procurement of consultancy services will be undertaken by DFID Ghana. Interested candidates should send CVs to Julianna Lindsey at jlindsey@unicef.org and Enyonam Azumah at
e-azumah@dfid.gov.uk.
