The deadline for all Letters of Inquiry submissions is May 15,2013.

The aim of the Partnership to Strengthen Innovation and Practice in Secondary Education (PSIPSE) is to accelerate innovation in secondary education programming, research, and development in selected countries. It is led by a group of private donors and donor advisors, including ELMA Philanthropies Services, Human Dignity Foundation, MacArthur Foundation, MasterCard Foundation, and Wellspring Advisors, who have come together to encourage a new wave of innovation and learning in secondary education. This collaboration was born from the principles of the Global Compact on Learning, which underscores the importance of collaborative action to achieve quality learning outcomes, and supports goals of the UN Secretary General’s Global Education First initiative. Participating donors not only work with each other, but also actively aim to enrich the knowledge base of the wider secondary education field.

The PSIPSE began in early 2012, when a Call for Proposals was issued to solicit projects that could help inform the imminent expansion and transformation of secondary education. The 2012 Call yielded over 500 letters of inquiry and, ultimately, 19 projects were selected for over $8 million in support. The 2013 Call for Proposals builds on this momentum and channels attention to critical gaps research has identified in the delivery of more widespread and quality secondary education.  Donors have allocated $10 million for the 2013 Call subject to the quality of proposals received.

Strategic Focus:

The PSIPSE’s focus is both upper and lower secondary education. Where schooling at the upper level is further divided between traditional general secondary education and vocational education, PSIPSE is focused on increasing the relevance of general secondary education learning.  PSIPSE supports programs and projects targeted to the formal education system and informal programs that help students transition to or re-enter the formal system.  PSIPSE is interested in four thematic areas: demand, improving teacher effectiveness, promoting employment-relevant skills, and alternative educational models for learning (see ‘Thematic Areas of Interest’ section below).

All proposed projects should incorporate fresh thinking and raise new possibilities that address challenges in the secondary education agenda. The PSIPSE invites potential partners to push the boundaries of creativity; consider cost-efficient, innovative solutions; and re-think the content, instructional methods, delivery systems, and partnerships common in secondary education. Projects should be context-relevant and evidence-driven, and should yield insights that can expand the policy horizons of government planners, other large scale implementers, and technical experts. The PSIPSE hopes projects can also inform future educational investment by various donors.

Target Populations:

Applicants are encouraged to submit proposals for projects that benefit the following marginalized populations:

Applicants may propose work in the following geographic areas:

East Africa*

*: Note, projects targeting conflict-affected populations are welcomed only in the Eastern DRC (North Kivu, South Kivu, Province Orientale, Maniema) and in Uganda (Northern Uganda, West Nile Sub-region, and Western Uganda). Funding in Uganda is not restricted, however, to conflict-affected populations, nor to any particular parts of the country.

1. Nigeria (particularly the states of Kano, Sokoto, Jigawa, Lagos, Rivers, and Cross Rivers).

2. India (particularly the states of Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Andhra Pradesh and the cities of Chennai, Delhi, and Mumbai)

These regions and countries have been selected based on secondary education needs, as well as strategic and geographic priorities of donor and donor advisor partners. Projects that take a regional focus may also apply.

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