Expert for monitoring the quality of the capacity building programme (Pre-school Education)

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Application deadline 1 year ago: Sunday 8 Jan 2023 at 22:55 UTC

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Contract

This is a Consultancy contract. More about Consultancy contracts.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion 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.

Early childhood education and care (ECEC) is a right of all children and a global commitment recognized by the UN’s Sustainable Developmental Goal 4 with the objective to ensure that all boys and girls have access to quality early childhood education and care by 2030. The Government of Serbia has recognized that quality Early Childhood Education and Care programs play a critical role in laying the necessary foundation for skills and competency development early on, and for narrowing the equity gap in accessing education access. The main strategic objectives defined in the Education Strategy 2030, include increasing access and quality of ECEC programs, provision of additional support to children and families in need, improvement of the monitoring, support to education transition and cooperation with different institutions and the wider community at the local level.

In order to strengthen the capacities of pre-schools for the implementation of the new pre-school curriculum framework (PCF), the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development (MoESTD) has in cooperation with UNICEF, rolled out a comprehensive capacity building programme for pre-school professionals (teachers, expert associates, and directors). The Capacity Building Program (CB Program) is combining the following approaches: 1) blended training (classical training and e-learning) using active learning methods; 2) mentoring; 3) peer learning and horizontal exchange. The capacity building program has been implemented in various phases between 2019 and 2022, as envisaged by the Rulebook on PCF.

So far, more than 14,000 preschool professionals (teachers, expert associates, and directors) have participated in five days training, mentoring support has been provided to all public preschools, while in the third phase, preschools are benefiting from the two models of horizontal exchange.

An important segment of the CB Program is a comprehensive Monitoring Framework, that includes monitoring of each segment of the CB Program, but also contextual factors and readiness of preschool teachers and institutions for the change.

Work Assignment Overview:

The consultant will perform monitoring and evaluation in accordance with the agreed Monitoring framework. This will include data collection and processing and development of five monitoring reports, as well as development of three case studies and one evaluation report.

Duration of the assignment: January - November 2023 (part-time, home-based)

Task description:

1) Development of monitoring reports on the CB program implementation:

  • Data processing and development of two monitoring reports on mentoring support
  • Data collection and processing and development of three monitoring reports on peer-learning

2) Formative evaluation of the CB program: Development of methodology, data collection and processing and development of case studies:

  • Dissemination of the Curriculum Framework – kindergartens-centres vs. other kindergartens - with special focus on expert associates and their role in this process
  • Dissemination of the Curriculum Framework considering the type of community in which a facility is located- urban or rural
  • Curriculum Framework dissemination and the role of cluster centres

3) Summative evaluation of the CB program:

  • Data collection and processing and development of the evaluation report

4) Promotion of key monitoring and evaluation findings and recommendations:

  • Preparation of key monitoring and evaluation findings and recommendations that can be used for communication with different stakeholders
  • Presentation of key monitoring and evaluation findings and recommendations to different stakeholders

Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required:

  • MA (or equivalent) degree in Education, Psychology, Pedagogy or other fields of Social Studies and Humanities.
  • At least 5 years of relevant professional experience in education policy and practice in Serbia.
  • At least 5 years of experience in monitoring and evaluation.
  • Excellent knowledge of all regulations in the field of preschool education in the Republic of Serbia.
  • Basic computer skills (MS Office - Word, Power Point, Excel, Internet).
  • Capacity to maintain focus on priorities and deliverables, in the face of pressure, or when things do not go according to the plan.
  • Ability to demonstrate flexibility, developing alternate plans in rapidly changing situations, uncertainty and adversity.
  • Fluency in both Serbian and English.

How to apply:

The application must include a financial proposal in RSD as a separate document, providing the following information:

  1. Daily rate (all costs included, e.g. health insurance, pension, usage of mobile phone),
  2. Daily travel allowance for overnight stay in Serbia (including accommodation),
  3. Transportation costs per km (for travel within Serbia).

Important notes:

Incomplete applications will not be taken into consideration.

Only shortlisted candidates will be notified and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.

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.

Added 1 year ago - Updated 1 year ago - Source: unicef.org