The European Union is providing support to the Turkish Government to establish an institutional framework to increase the opportunities for providing pre-school education services. "Strengthening Pre-School Education" grant scheme is financed by the EU under the Instrument of Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA) 2008 Transition Assistance and Institution Building Component for Turkey.  The grant scheme has a budget of €5.270.000.  The present assignment aimed at assisting the EU Delegation in Ankara to fulfil its functions related to the monitoring of implementation of the Strengthening Pre-School Education grant scheme.  

The specific objectives of this grant scheme are;
•    To disseminate pre-school education and community based day care models, especially in disadvantaged areas.  
•    To strengthen cooperation and dialogue between parties that can make contributions to the objectives of strengthening pre-school education.  
•    To increase the number of especially disadvantaged children benefiting from preschool education, by establishing different models as well as strengthening existing pre-school education system.  
•    To enhance the quality of existing pre-school education services by increasing the personnel capacity of institutions that provide or plan to provide pre-school education services,
•    To raise the awareness of public on the importance of pre-school education.

The specific objective is to assist the EU Delegation to monitor the implementation of the EU funded Strengthening Pre-School Education grant scheme, as well as to analyse whether the monitoring system established by the Turkish authorities is functional and effective with regards to this project

•    Revision of official documents related to the implementation of the grant scheme.
•    Provision of services for the establishment of effective monitoring system of grant scheme project.

•    Capacity building for the EU delegation in Ankara in regards to revision of structure documents, risk assessments of projects, checklists and reporting templates.  

•    Conducted monitoring visits to at least 30 selected grant projects in different provinces and municipalities.  

•    Conducted an analysis regarding the functioning and effectiveness of the monitoring system established by the Turkish authorities for the Strengthening Pre-School Education grant scheme.

•    Submission of monitoring reports for individual grant projects.

•    Conducted an analysis of whether the contracted projects are implemented in line with the objectives of the guidelines for applicants, relevant applicable EU rules (PRAG), as well as with the provisions of the individual contracts.

•    Dissemination of EU best practice