INOVASI 3 - Data Analyst of Boys Engagement in Learning Research (Consultant)
Background of the Project:
Australia
is a long-term supporter of the Indonesian basic education sector, with
continuous investments supporting education quality improvements for the past
two decades, including through the INOVASI program (Phase 1 2016-2020; Phase 2
2020-2023) that focused on supporting acquisition of literacy and numeracy
foundational skills in early grades classrooms; exploring local problems and
solutions; and generating evidence to inform government policy development and
practices.
This
third phase of INOVASI (2024-2027) builds upon the existing program’s approach
and lessons learned and takes the focus on the development of foundational
skills through to the end of the primary grades. Phase 3 will engage with
priority issues of Australia’s development policy: gender equality, effective
inclusion of children with a disability, responses to the climate change
challenge in education. One of the key issues INOVASI is addressing is boys’
engagement in learning.
Globally,
girls outperform boys in reading and math (OECD 2021). INOVASI’s Learning Gap
study reveals that boys present, on average, the greater gender disadvantage.
The proportion of male students (27%) at the lowest level of proficiency in
literacy was greater than the proportion of female students (19%). The World
Bank’s study on learning-adjusted years of schooling also showed that girls
outperformed boys, with girls attaining 8.1 years compared with 7.8 years for
boys, indicating a female advantage in learning in Indonesia. A World Bank
survey in 2018 found that boys are more likely to miss school than girls, with 55%
of boys reporting missing school at least one day a month, compared with 44% of
girls. In terms of repeating academic years, the repetition rates at the
primary level are higher for boys. In 2018, nearly 1.7% of boys repeated grades
in primary school, compared with 0.9 percent of girls (World Bank 2020). Data
from the study show that boys' lower grades and higher absenteeism rates are
correlated with lower socio-emotional skills, demotivating mindsets, and
negative perception of classroom environments (World Bank 2018). As with girls,
boys too are affected by gender norms. Boys conforming to social norms about masculinity
and male behavior can lead to their disengagement from school. INOVASI’s Phase
2 baseline data showed there was a tendency for teachers to discipline and
punish boys more than girls.
As part of the efforts to address this issue, INOVASI will conduct
research to explore the causes of the disparity in learning outcomes between
boys and girls, particularly related to literacy and numeracy, in West Java and
West Nusa Tenggara.
INOVASI
Phase 3 is implemented in 25 districts and cities across Indonesia, in the
provinces of West Nusa Tenggara, East Nusa Tenggara, North Kalimantan, East
Java, West Java, and Maluku. The program also works in Ibu Kota Nusantara (IKN)
The
Program is managed by Palladium on behalf of the Government of Australia
through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).
Purpose of the Position:
Under the direction of Gender and Child Protection Lead, The Data Analyst of
Boys Engagement in Learning Research will coordinate with the
Gender and Child Protection Adviser, INOVASI teams and with government
counterparts in conducting the research. The role is a cross-cutting role that
requires a flexible and integrated way across INOVASI teams to ensure that
programs and inputs are well coordinated and synergistic across the program.
Duties:
Under the direction
of Gender and Child Protection Lead, the Data Analyst of Boys Engagement in Learning Research will:
Duration of the contract/Timeline:
The duration of the
contract is from March – August 2025 with maximum 60 of billable workdays,
with a possible of extension subject to satisfactory performance assessment.
Qualifications and Experience:
The Data Analyst of
Boys Engagement in Learning will possess the following qualifications and
experience:
Is this position likely to come into contact with children? ☒ Yes ☐ No
Application closes on 3 March 2025
Equity, Diversity & Inclusion - Palladium is committed to embedding equity, diversity, and inclusion into everything we do. We welcome applications from all sections of society and actively encourage diversity to drive innovation, creativity, success and good practice. We positively welcome and seek to ensure we achieve diversity in our workforce; and that all job applicants and employees receive equal and fair treatment regardless of their background or personal characteristics. These include: (but are not limited to) socio-economic background, age, race, gender identity and expression, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, nationality, veteran, marital or Indigenous status.
Women are encouraged to apply