Consultants for reviewing and drafting a legal framework on digital education

Contract

This is a Consultancy contract. More about Consultancy contracts.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion and gender parity within its workforce, and encourages all qualified candidates, irrespective of nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, gender identity and sexual orientation, as well as persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization. UNICEF’s office is accessible to a certain extent, and employees are entitled to reasonable accommodations that are needed for ensuring equitable working conditions.

UNICEF in Serbia and the Ministry of Education (MoE) with the support from the European Union are implementing the project “Bridging Digital Divide in Serbia for Most Vulnerable Children” with the overall objective to strengthen the resilience of the education system to the effects of emergency situations. The intervention builds on previous achievements in the development of quality inclusive education and digitalization in education, and encompasses activities for further system strengthening at the national and school level. One of the specific objectives is to support further development of digital education including developing an adequate policy framework and legislation. For this purpose, it is required to review the existing regulatory framework and, based on this analysis, propose purposeful changes. After couple of years of experience with distance learning during the COVID-19 pandemic and the generally accelerated development in the field of digital education in Serbia, it is necessary to review the existing legal framework and, based on that, make proposals for changes at the level of laws and sub-law regulations in the education sector.

Work Assignment Overview:

Under the general guidance and direction of the UNICEF Education Programme, the MoE and the Institute for Education Quality and Evaluation, two consultants shall be selected to equally share the task and be responsible to jointly conduct a review of the existing legal framework in the area of online and blended learning and digital education and propose changes at the level of laws and sub-law regulations in the education sector, particularly changes of the ‘Rulebook on conditions for implementing distance learning in primary school and methods for its quality assurance and evaluation’.

Duration of the assignment: June – September 2023 (part-time, remote)

Task description:

Task 1: Analyse the legal framework relevant to distance learning and digital education:

• Develop a methodology for conducting the review and analysis, and an outline for the report on legal framework;
• Review the organizational, administrative, financial, technical and human resources related obstacles in national legislation for the development of digital education with the special focus on online and blended teaching and learning;
• Develop the findings and key recommendations in terms of the needed changes in the legal framework online and blended teaching and learning, and digital education in general.

Task 2: Prepare a revision of the Rulebook stipulating the implementation of distance learning:

• • Analise the existing ‘Rulebook on conditions for implementing distance learning in primary school and methods for its quality assurance and evaluation’ (Sluzbeni glasnik, 109/2020) in the light of up-to-date knowledge and policy developments on digital education in Serbia;
  • Develop a revised text of the Rulebook on distance learning.

Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required:

• University degree in human sciences, preferably law, education, pedagogy, psychology, sociology, or other humanities
• Excellent knowledge of the national education legal framework
• At least 3 years of professional experience in developing legal/policy documents
• Experience in performing legal and policy analyses
• Fluency Serbian and English language
• Excellent analytical skills
• Excellent communication and teamwork skills
• Ability to meet tight deadlines through excellent time management and organization skills

How to apply:

The application must include a financial proposal in RSD as a separate document, providing the service price for the whole assignment (per consultant).

Important notes:

• Please do not forget to specify your name in the financial proposal file while saving (to be uploaded online under the “Financial Proposal” tab).
• Please do not indicate financials anywhere else in the online application form, please mark "n/a” or “00" under the fee-related questions in the online application form.
• Incomplete applications will not be taken into consideration.
• Only shortlisted candidates will be notified and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

For every child, you must demonstrate UNICEF's core values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability and Sustainability.

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.