TERMS OF REFERENCE -ASSESSING STUDENT COMPETENCIES (ASC) APPLICATION REDESIGN CONSULTANCY
About APHRC
The African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC) is a premier research-to-policy institution, generating evidence, strengthening research and related capacity in the African research and development ecosystem, and engaging policy to inform action on health and development. APHRC seeks to drive change by developing strong African research leadership and promoting evidence-informed decision-making (EIDM) across sub-Saharan Africa.
APHRC plans to engage a consultant to redesign the assessing student competencies (ASC) application to facilitate the seamless processing of data on the application incorporating the views of users who had a hands-on experience in July 2025, and will continue working with the application in the future field design workshops. The consultant will work closely with the Human Development theme, especially the Education and Technology team.
Assessing Student Competencies (ASC) Application
Assessing Students’ Competences (ASC) application is a web-based education technology application for teachers to quickly analyse assessment data on learners’ progress in learning and make pedagogical decisions in a timely way. It has been designed by researchers from APHRC to address teachers’ efficiency and effectiveness in measuring student competencies and making pedagogical decision to address personalized learning to improve competencies.
The ASC will be programmed and used in smart phones, tablets and computers. ASC provides a procedure to measure student competencies (ability to carry out specific learning tasks and demonstrate proficiency in carrying out the task) in learning at the classroom level using school-based assessments for learning. The application enables the teacher and schools to identify where an individual learner is on the learning curve at any one single time. This allows continuous interventions, for example, a change in teaching style, need for remedial support and/or scaffolding, and intervening on learners who are being left behind. ASC also provides an opportunity to teachers to use the application in their work with a view to improving efficiency (getting more from the learning data) and effectiveness (targeted decisions that are impactful).
Definitions
Competency: Refers to demonstrable characteristics and skills that enable, and improve the efficiency of performance of a task.
Remedial support: Refers to providing additional support to learners who are struggling with a particular subject, topic or skill.
Scaffolding: Refers to short term support given to learners to help them learn new concepts or skills. This support is gradually reduced as learners become more proficient and begin to eventually work independently.
Prototype: Refers to the original model, or sample on which to base future designs and eventually the finished product.
Scope of Work
The consultant is expected:
To review and redesign the ASC application to address the following aspects:
- To provide the School ID and password as log on/in credentials.
- To provide for teachers to register with their credentials and get a password on first access.
- To provide for the registration of all the students on the ASC application on first access with their unique student IDs.
- Provide for marking scheme to be entered once at the beginning of interaction with the application homepage.
- To provide for the processing of the students’ assessment scores immediately they are entered on the application.
- To extend the years on the ASC application to go beyond 2025.
- To provide for grade levels to cover from grade 1 to grade 12.
- To provide space for streams at grade level for the teachers to fill in the stream that is unique for each school.
- To provide for students who miss the assessment by indicating Yes or No regarding the presence of the student during the assessment.
To review and change the following aspects on the ASC application:
- All links labeled Exam should change to Assessment.
- Under each term on assessment to include assessment numbers 1, 2, 3.
- Instead of Age, provide for date of birth in the format of DDMMYYYY.
- Instead of gender, provide for the sex of the student – boy or girl.
- Instead of the pop-up message indicating “Dismiss,” provide for “OK”.
- Instead of “Create Questions,” we should have “Student Responses” link.
To provide a user manual for help on how to navigate the application.
- Reset the links on the homepage to flow in the order of: Assessment: Marking Scheme: Student Scores.
- To provide for system generated reports with specific focus on/use by teachers, parents, school administration?
- To make the links to “Download Marked Responses” and “Download Rating Scale” active and generate the reports at a faster speed which would encourage users to use the application.
- To upgrade the ASC application to allow for data import and export to and from databases eg. Excel.
- To outline steps towards making the application available on app stores such as the Android Play store.
Deliverables
- A report detailing how the review and redesign was done.
- A redesigned and functional ASC application,
- Assessing Student Competencies user guide/manual.
Work Plan
| Activities | Days |
| Redesign of 2nd prototype of ASC application | 4 |
| Redesign of 3rd prototype of ASC application | 4 |
| Finalize changes to ASC App, Develop user guide/manual | 4 |
| Report writing and debrief | 2 |
| TOTAL | 14 |
Note: During the debrief, the consultant will get feedback from teachers as users who will be involved in field design and user testing of the ASC application.
Timeframe
The consultancy is expected to be completed in 14 days spread over 9 months, starting from September 2025 to May 2026.
Qualifications and Experience
The ideal consultant will demonstrate a proven track record in designing and implementing web-based applications for data processing. The assignment requires a high level of technical specialization in coding and programming. The selected candidate must meet the following qualifications:
- A degree in web-design, computer science or related field.
- Specialized software development skills: Advanced knowledge of software development, with the ability to design/redesign web-based applications.
- Strong skills in user experience (UX) design and responsive web development.
- Familiarity with content management systems (CMS) such as WordPress or Drupal website analytics tools.
- Rapid deployment capability: Due to the project’s tight timelines, the consultant must be able to commence immediately and improve on the existing first prototype of the ASC application to deliver quickly and efficiently without compromising quality.
- Excellent communication skills to be able to collaborate with project staff and user field designers.
Application process
Applications should be submitted via email to [email protected] copying [email protected] with the email subject “ASC Redesign Consultancy.” The deadline for submission of applications is August 28, 2025. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
Cover letters should be addressed to:
People and Culture Business Partner
African Population and Health Research Center, Inc
APHRC Campus, Manga Close, off Kirawa Road, Kitisuru
P.O. Box 10787-GPO, Nairobi
Application documents should include:
- Cover letter describing their eligibility for the assignment and understanding of the TOR.
- Detailed CV of the key personnel.
- Details of the project proposal with detailed approach and plan.
- Work profile including reverse chronological list of similar projects/assignments and contact details (name, email/phone) of supervisors/clients; and
- An all-inclusive financial proposition with the expected remuneration. It includes fees for the deliverables, travel costs and any other applicable costs.
Special Notice
APHRC is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace. All employment decisions are made on the basis of qualifications and organizational needs. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process.
Applicants are not required to make any payments to anyone during any stage of the recruitment process.
