Background
The Madrasa Early Childhood Programme, an affiliate of the Aga Khan Foundation, was established in Mombasa in 1986 to improve access and quality of Early Childhood care and services in marginalized communities on the Coast of Kenya. Evidence-based success and growing interest across East Africa led to MECP being established in Zanzibar in 1990 and Uganda in 1993. Over the last 35 years, more than 8,000 teachers have graduated from MECP professional development courses and over 1 million children reached through the programming. MECP is seeking to better bring this experience, expertise, and learning and create impact and influence at scale. Evaluations have demonstrated the positive impact MECP has had on access and quality of pre-primary education and on the educational outcomes of boys and girls.
The Aga Khan Foundation (AKF), founded by His Highness the Aga Khan in 1967, is a member of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), one of the world’s leading poverty solutions networks. AKDN’s integrated approach makes long-term investments, builds permanent institutions, and cultivates an active civil society, impacting tens of millions of people annually in 30 countries. Alongside its sister AKDN agencies, AKF implements innovative, community-driven solutions that are based in decades of experience, learning and evaluation. In Uganda, AKF is managing a robust and expanding portfolio of multi-sectorial initiatives that includes investments in education, early childhood development, sustainable economic development, and civil society strengthening.
AKF and MECP have collaborated and worked in partnership with and through Partners to improve the wellbeing of boys and girls aged 0-8 in the districts of Kampala, Wakiso, Mukono, Luwero, and Butambala Districts.
Position Background
The Madrasa Early Childhood Programme Uganda (MECPU) implements a range of Early Childhood Development (ECD) programmes aimed at improving learning, caregiving, parenting practices, school readiness, and child wellbeing across multiple districts in Uganda. MECPU’s interventions are implemented through different projects and partnerships, including but not limited to Kulea Watoto (KW), The Early Steps Initiatives (TESI), and Gender Equitable Early Learning and Development (GEELD) projects.
As part of programme implementation, MECPU routinely generates large volumes of quantitative and qualitative data through parenting sessions, VHT home visits, classroom observations, school readiness assessments, monitoring visits, surveys, baseline studies, annual reviews, endline evaluations, and learning activities.
To ensure timely, accurate, and high-quality data collection, entry, verification, and management across all programme interventions, MECPU seeks to establish and maintain a pool of qualified Data Entrants / Enumerators who will be engaged on assignment basis to support data-related activities across projects over the next three years.
The data entrants/enumerators will support various programme and research activities including but not limited to:
- Parenting session data entry and verification
- VHT home visit data management
- BEQI and IDELA assessments
- Baseline, annual, midline, and endline assessments
- Routine monitoring and survey data collection
- Digital and paper-based data entry assignments
- Data cleaning, validation, and compilation activities
Purpose of the Assignment
The purpose of this assignment is to support MECPU in ensuring efficient, timely, accurate, and ethical collection, entry, verification, and management of Programme and assessment data across multiple ECD projects and learning initiatives.
Objectives of the Assignment
The specific objectives are to:
- Support accurate and timely collection and entry of programme and assessment data across MECPU projects.
- Ensure completeness, consistency, and quality of datasets generated from field activities and assessments.
- Support implementation of digital and paper-based data management processes in line with MECPU standards and donor requirements.
- Facilitate proper documentation, organization, and submission of data and related field materials.
- Support ethical and confidential handling of beneficiary and assessment information throughout the assignment period.
Specific roles and responsibilities of Data Entrants
The Data Entrants / Enumerators will undertake the following responsibilities depending on assignment needs:
Data Collection Responsibilities
- Conduct household, caregiver, teacher, school, and community interviews using approved tools and methodologies.
- Administer quantitative and qualitative assessment tools including surveys, questionnaires, BEQI, IDELA, and other approved ECD assessment tools.
- Conduct digital data collection using tablets, phones, Kobo Collect, ODK, Excel, or other approved systems.
- Participate in field mobilization and respondent identification activities where required.
- Ensure accurate recording of responses during field data collection exercises.
Data Entry Responsibilities
- Enter paper-based monitoring and assessment data into approved databases and templates.
- Perform bulk entry of parenting session, VHT home visit, attendance, assessment, and monitoring data.
- Update and maintain assigned electronic datasets and tracking sheets.
- Organize and label electronic and physical data files appropriately.
Data Quality Assurance Responsibilities
- Verify completeness and consistency of collected and entered data.
- Identify missing, inconsistent, duplicate, or inaccurate entries and support corrective action.
- Participate in routine data cleaning and validation exercises.
- Ensure adherence to approved data collection and data entry protocols.
Documentation & Reporting Responsibilities
- Submit completed tools, datasets, attendance sheets, and assignment reports within agreed timelines.
- Maintain proper accountability for assigned tools, devices, and documents.
- Report field challenges, inconsistencies, and risks to supervisors promptly.
- Participate in debrief and review meetings following assignments.
Ethics, Safeguarding & Confidentiality
- Adhere to MECPU safeguarding, child protection, confidentiality, and ethical research standards.
- Obtain informed consent/assent before conducting interviews or assessments.
- Ensure confidentiality and secure handling of all beneficiaries and programme data.
- Avoid falsification, manipulation, or unauthorized sharing of information.
Over the next three years, data entrants/enumerators may work with the following types of project data:
Project – Data Type – Role (Entry / Enumerator)
Kulea Watoto (KW) – VHT home visit forms, parenting session attendance, household progress trackers – Data Entry
GEELD Uganda – Parenting session data, VHT home visit logs, BEQI & IDELA assessments, baseline/endline surveys – Both
TESI Uganda – BEQI & IDELA assessments, baseline/annual/endline evaluation data, teacher/CMC training records – Both
Other future projects (2026–2029) – Any M&E data collection or entry as required – Both
Required Profile, Qualifications, and Competencies
Minimum qualifications
- A minimum of a bachelor’s degree or Diploma in Statistics, Quantitative Economics, Information Technology, Social Sciences, Education, Development Studies, Monitoring and Evaluation or a related field with strong evidence of data management exposure.
Required Experience
- Previous experience in data collection, data entry, or field research assignments.
- Experience using digital data collection platforms such as kobo Collect, ODK, Survey CTO, Comcare, Excel or any similar mobile applications.
- Experience working with NGOs, research institutions, or development programmes is an added advantage.
- Familiarity with ECD, education, health, or community development programming is desirable.
Required Skills & Competencies
- Strong attention to detail and accuracy
- Good communication and interpersonal skills
- Ability to maintain confidentiality and professionalism
- Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines
- Basic computer literacy and data management skills
- Ability to understand and communicate in local languages where applicable
- High level of integrity and ethical conduct
Duration of Engagement
The engagement will be on a need and assignment basis over a period of three (3) years from 2026–2028. Specific duration and level of effort for each assignment will depend on project needs, scope of work, and availability of funding.
Data Entrants/Enumerators will be engaged on a temporary, ad‑hoc basis – there is no guarantee of continuous work. Acceptance of a task order is voluntary.
Expected deliverables.
The Data Entrants / Enumerators will be expected to deliver:
- Accurate and complete datasets submitted within agreed timelines
- Properly completed assessment and monitoring tools
- Cleaned and validated electronic data files
- Daily or assignment-based progress updates where required
- Assignment accountability documentation and report
Reporting & Supervision
The Data Entrants / Enumerators will report directly to the Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning (MERL/M&E) team or any designated MECPU supervisor for specific assignments.
Technical oversight may also be provided by project staff, consultants, or assessment coordinators depending on the assignment.
Renumeration
Data Entrants will receive Ugx 90,000 per day as a professional fee inclusive of refreshments/meals during the assignment. Payment will be made upon satisfactory completion of each assignment and submission of required deliverables
Ethical Standards and Safeguarding
The Data Entrant must fully abide by AKF’s Safeguarding procedures and must sign AKF’s Safeguarding Statement of Commitment upon contracting.
The Data Entrant will be expected to work in line with the research ethical standards including protection of participants from potential research-related harms, confidentiality, informed consent, beneficence, and safeguarding principles to protect respondents from potential harms.
Eligibility and Application Criteria
Data Entrants meeting the above criteria are invited to submit their application and Updated CV highlighting previous relevant assignments where applicable, their contact details (email, telephone, and physical address), copies of academic documents, National ID copy, at least 2 contacts of referees.
Disclaimer
Inclusion in the MECPU Data Entrants / Enumerators pool does not guarantee continuous or full-time engagement. Assignments shall be offered based on programme needs, performance, availability, and funding.
How to apply
Interested candidates should submit their applications by completing the online application form available through the link below no later than Friday, 26th June 2026 at 4:30 PM EAT. Applicants are required to upload their CV, academic documents, and National ID as one PDF document labelled their full name during submission.
Application Link https://ee.kobotoolbox.org/x/E5ys83pC
AKF/ MECPU is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is Committed to Safeguarding and Promoting the Welfare of Children and Vulnerable Adults and Expects all Staff and Partners to Share this Commitment.
The Aga Khan Foundation is an agency of the Aga Khan Development Network (www.akdn.org).