Consultant, Technical support for the implementation of the School Success Paths Strategy with quilombola communities in Maranhão and Amapá, Manaus, Brazil

Consultant Teaching & Training Programme & Policy

Contract

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Background & Rationale

Education is a fundamental right and a decisive tool for the development of people and societies. The increasing complexity of the human and social development of the world's population has reflected in the gradual extension of the duration of mandatory education cycles within national education systems around the world.

Currently, primary education is mandatory in Brazil. Nevertheless, there are still gaps in inequality of the access to quality education, which reflects high dropout rates, evasion during the transition from primary to secondary education, and, especially, dropout in rural contexts. When analyzing the profile of children who are out of school in Brazil, two age groups draw attention negatively. The groups most affected by school exclusion are 4 and 5 year olds (1.1 million), preschool age, and 15-17 year olds (1.7 million), who should be in high school. In all, it is estimated that Brazil has 3,846,109 children and adolescents out of school. These numbers present a challenge for countries that, with the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals, pledged to ensure universal access and completion of secondary education for the year 2030.

When we focus on the analysis of quilombola school education, the picture is more inaccurate. There are remaining quilombo communities in almost every state, and among the states with the largest number of remaining quilombo communities Maranhão stands out, with more than 112 communities. A report released in 2018 by Fundação Cultural Palmares, an agency of the Ministry of Tourism, shows that there are 1,209 certified quilombos and 143 areas with titled lands. The school dropout rate in remaining quilombos areas is 10.6%, while in Brazil the rate is 7.6% (INEP, 2019). The age/grade distortion rates also follow the same logic. While the age/grade distortion rates in Brazil are 22.9%, in the remaining quilombola areas this number reaches 30.5% (INEP, 2017. Studies carried out, by INEP, on the situation in these localities show that the educational units are far from the students' homes and the structural conditions are precarious, generally built of straw or wood. Potable water is scarce and sanitary facilities are inadequate.

According to the 2007 School Census, Brazil has approximately 151 thousand students enrolled in 1,253 schools located in remaining quilombos, with a large number of schools with multigrade classes. Few communities have an educational unit with complete primary education. Most teachers are not adequately trained and the number is insufficient to meet the demand.

Federation State Unit

Number of

Enrollments

Teachers

Schools

Amapá

1.078

77

12

Maranhão

34.229

1.705

423

Source: INEP | Year: 2007

The remaining quilombola communities began, around 1980, to organize themselves in favor of a quilombola education. Since then, legislations were instituted to support the guarantee of quilombola education, such as the Law Nº 10639 (2003), which made mandatory the teaching of Afro-Brazilian History and Culture in schools, the National Curricular Guidelines for the Education of Ethnic-Racial Relations (2007), and the National Curricular Guidelines for Quilombola School Education (2012).

Within the framework of the 2017-2021 Country Program objectives, UNICEF seeks to strengthen the government's ability to ensure the most democratic and effective implementation of these existing legislations, as well as to think of even more complete mechanisms, especially through the UNICEF SEAL strategy, present in over 2000 municipalities in the country.

On the other hand, UNICEF has been developing a Strategy named “Successful School Paths”, which aims to face the culture of school failure, age-grade distortion and, on the edge, school exclusion. One of the main ways to achieve these goals is to engage the school community in how to connect school pedagogical proposals to the learning needs of children and adolescents. Thinking about the importance of the territory and the cultural diversity of Brazil, the participatory methodologies, flexible and adapted to the participation of students, teachers and the rest of the community of the educational territory is the best way to achieve this result effectively. The strategy proposal still has a development flow with the following steps: Diagnosis, Planning, Adherence and Development.

Purpose

The purpose of this consultancy is the technical orientation in terms of pedagogical and anthropological awareness on the specific aspects that the implementation of the School Success Paths Strategy with different quilombola populations for the TSE local WG in the states of Maranhão and Amapá.

Expected results:

The following key end results will be supported by the consultant during the six-month contract:

• Support the participatory diagnosis on the current scenario of Quilombola School Education in the states of Amapá and Maranhão. This diagnosis is under responsibility of the State Education Secretaries in collaboration with the pertinent local instances, such as Quilombola School Education Managers, Ethnic-Educational Territory Management Committees, State Quilombola Education Council, the Quilombola Organizations and the Quilombola Support Organizations. Support the State Networks in the improvement/construction of instruments for this diagnosis phase;
• Analyze and support the construction and/or technical review of the actions Plans proposed by the State Networks;

MAIN ACTIVITIES

• Support the review/adaptation/construction of instruments and plans to guide effective listening of adolescents and school communities;
• Organize a library of documents relevant to the networks, such as: legal frameworks, UNICEF background materials, relevant academic documents, etc;
• Build workshops/dialogues to raise awareness, study/enhance legal and theoretical frameworks to boost cross-cutting technical debate among members of TSE Working Groups in the states;
• Participate in the UNICEF Seal and the School Success Paths agendas when requested, making every effort to approach and familiarize with the overall progress of these strategies in the states of Amapá and Maranhão;
• Identify gaps, assess, verify, and map emerging education needs according to programmatic commitments of UNICEF Country Program;
• Ensure integration of UNICEF’s School Success Paths strategy methodology priorities in needs assessment, analysis, planning, monitoring and response;

1. Expected result: Integration with the current scenario of TSE's articulation in Amapá and Maranhão, and planning of the Consultancy's activities and results;

2. Expected result: Support the realization of Diagnosis Workshops of the Education Networks of Amapá, and Maranhão in what concerns Quilombola school education and support the production of the participative diagnosis from these Workshops;

3. Expected result: Support the realization of Planning Workshops of the Education Networks of Amapá, and Maranhão regarding Quilombola school education and support the production of the plan (and the production of PPPs if applicable) from these Workshops;

4. Expected result: Finalization of the Consultancy with an indication of the effectiveness of the implementation of the School Success Paths to the Quilombola school context, potential for the future, its suitability to the reality, and the rigor with the initial project. Raise possible doubts, difficulties and learning in the period.

Deliverables:

1.1. Deliverable: Construction and agreement with the Consultancy Supervision of a work plan for the 6 months of consultancy containing: (1) a list of which tools to create or adapt for the formation of the TSE WGs in the States; (2) the construction of a library to support the work of the TSE in the States in the terms already presented in this ToR; (3) proposal of an agenda of activities with each educational network

1.2. Duration: 30 days

1.3. Deadline: end of 1st month

1.4. Payment (15% of the contract)

2.1. Deliverable: a) Review, adapt and/or build instrumentals and plans to guide effective listening to adolescents and school communities; b) Hold workshops and dialogues with the TSE WGs in the states with the aim of intensifying mobilization and strengthening the networks' capacities in advancing TSE for the focus populations; c) Review the processes and the product of the diagnosis of each network and present which aspects we positively influenced and which were bottlenecks

2.2. Duration: 60 days

2.3. Deadline: end of 3rd month

2.4. Payment (35% of the contract)

3.1. Deliverable: a) Review, adapt and/or build instruments to guide the planning phase of the TSE work in the States and the process of building PPPs with intense community participation; b) Hold workshops and dialogues with the TSE WGs in the states with the aim of intensifying mobilization and strengthening the networks' capacities in advancing TSE for the focus populations; c) Review the processes and the product of each network's planning and present which aspects we positively influenced and which were bottlenecks

3.2. Duration: 60 days

3.3. Deadline: end of 5th month

3.4. Payment (35% of the contract)

4.1. Deliverable: Summary end of consultancy report detailing: (1) Situation of children and adolescents in the Quilombola context with data variables as specified by UNICEF; (2) summary of accomplishments achieved during the consultancy; (3) summary of remaining challenges; (4) summary of recommended next steps for UNICEF’s consideration. (5 to 15 pages)

4.2. Duration: 30 days

4.3. Deadline: end of 6th month

4.4. Payment (15% of the contract)

PERFORMANCE INDICATORS

• In accordance with UNICEF priorities, the supervisor and consultant will discuss and consolidate the Work Plan, establishing the products and competencies, which will be evaluated during and at the end of the consulting process. The deliverables reports shall be subject to review and approval by UNICEF after delivery by the Consultant. If needed, revisions and alterations may be requested by UNICEF related to quality and technical depth parameters. Only after final clearance from the UNICEF Brazil, will the payment be processed.
• Activity reports should be submitted with frequency lists of meetings and/or events, minutes of meetings with referrals agreed, photographic record with permission to use image according to UNICEF standard and life histories;
• If the product's delivery date is at the weekend or on a public holiday, it must be delivered on the next following business day;
• UNICEF reserves the right to terminate the contract and/or withhold all or a portion of payment if the rules and the regulations regarding confidentiality, ethics and procedures of UNICEF and the partners are not followed, the performance is unsatisfactory, or work/deliverables are incomplete, not delivered or fail to meet the deadlines.

Technical background, and experience required

• Bachelor degree or equivalent in any of the following areas: social sciences, anthropology, education or related fields;
• Professional experience in working with public policies and programmes of at least 2 (two) years;
• Professional experience in working with Quilombola school education of at least 2 (two) years;
• Good knowledge of state and municipal governments and civil society organizations;
• Experience in working among Quilombola population;
• Ability to work with others in a team environment;
• Ability to conduct work in groups and at institutional level;
• Affinity with UNICEF working methods;
• Fluency in Portuguese. Knowledge in English and/or Spanish is an asset;
• Living and/or being familiar with the context of Maranhão is an asset.

Key competences

• Builds and maintains partnerships
• Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness
• Drive to achieve results for impact
• Innovates and embraces change
• Manages ambiguity and complexity
• Thinks and acts strategically
• Works collaboratively with others

Core Values

1. Care
2. Respect
3. Integrity
4. Trust
5. Accountability

General Conditions: Procedures and Logistics

• Consultant will work from home using own equipment and stationery. UNICEF will provide office space for consultative meetings when needed;
• No contract may commence unless the contract is signed by both UNICEF and the consultant;

• Consultants will not have supervisory responsibilities or authority on UNICEF budget;

• No travels are planned, but if the need arises, expenses related to these travels will be covered by UNICEF and paid to the Consultant as per UNICEF travel rules and regulations;

• The technical support is the consultant’s responsibility;

• The scope of activities is subject to the availability of resources.

Financial Proposal

• Costs indicated are estimated. Final rate shall follow “best value for money” principle, i.e., achieving the desired outcome at the lowest possible fee.
• A financial proposal including the fee for the assignment based on the deliverables and number of days must be submitted. Consultants and individual contractors are asked to stipulate all-inclusive fees, including lump sum travel and subsistence costs, as applicable.
• The payment will be based on submission of agreed deliverables. UNICEF reserves the right to withhold payment in case the deliverables submitted are not up to the required standard or in case of delays in submitting the deliverables on the part of the consultant.

Insurance and health coverage

• The contractor is fully responsible for arranging, at his or her own expenses, such life, health and other forms of insurance covering the term of the contract as he or she considers appropriate.
• The contractor is not eligible to participate in the life or health insurance schemes available to UNICEF and United Nations staff members.

Restrictions

• Consultants may not receive training at the expense of UNICEF. Notwithstanding, must complete the applicable mandatory trainings.
• In case of government officials, the contract cannot be issued without prior written clearance by the Government​, or unless on leave without pay.

UNICEF is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.

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Added 2 years ago - Updated 2 years ago - Source: unicef.org