Home-based consultancy: Supporting Quality, Inclusive Education in Europe and Central Asia (July - December 2021)

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Application deadline 2 years ago: Tuesday 6 Jul 2021 at 21:55 UTC

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UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, Education

How can you make a difference?

A. Introduction

  1. This Terms of Reference has been prepared to seek consultancy services to support the quality, inclusive education agenda in Europe and Central Asia Region (ECAR) [1] through Quality situation/deprivations analysis and prioritization to inform programme design and advocacy for child rights. The consultancy is linked to the Regional Flagship Results on Learning, which aims to strengthen national education systems, so that by 2021 more children who would have otherwise been out-of-learning are in school and receiving high quality, inclusive pre-primary, primary and secondary education.

B. Background and Approach

  1. UNICEF works in 21 countries in ECAR to support the right to education for every child. Whilst the region has seen significant progress in recent years, particularly in educational access, with high rates of primary enrolment for boys and girls and high completion rates, an inadequate focus on inclusive education and quality learning has left many children behind[2]. More than 10.6 million children and adolescents are out of school, with gaps in access to schooling seen most clearly in children’s earliest years and in late adolescence; for example, 7.1 million people aged 15- 24[3] are out of education, employment, or training (NEET). Additionally, there are many more children, often from the most marginalized communities, that are excluded from national data collection procedures and thus are invisible in national indicators on education. Children from rural or lower socio-economic backgrounds, children from ethnic and linguistic minority groups (mainly Roma children) and children with disabilities are particularly at risk of being out-of-school or dropping out early. Persistent inequity and exclusion mean that these disadvantages disproportionately affect the region’s most vulnerable children.
  2. In addition to the more than 10.6 million out-of-school (OOS) children across the region, significant numbers of children who are in school, are nonetheless out-of-learning[4], as an additional 17.7 million who are in school do not achieve basic proficiency in foundational skills needed for further learning, employment and social and civic engagement. Despite attempts to introduce and ensure inclusive education, an estimated 3.6 million children with disabilities are out of school and/or invisible in official statistics[5]. Those who are in school, are often excluded from mainstream education and placed in ‘special schools’ or ‘special classes’. Quality and equity in learning are critical concerns, with learning outcomes in the region persistently low. At the end of lower secondary education, only 56.7 per cent of children develop the necessary basic reading skills, while only 57.5 per cent of children develop basic math proficiency. The latest round of PISA tests shows that on average, the 15-year-old in the participating countries in ECAR are 2.5 years behind their OECD peers.[6] Poor learning quality is reflective of multiple factors including insufficient financing; lack of quality learning materials; and inadequate teacher training which fails to prepare teachers to deliver newly introduced competency-based curricula. In many countries, the national assessment systems are not yet fully developed, and data collection and analysis are limited, especially regarding quality and equity.
  3. Inclusion is at the core of UNICEF’s mission to realise the rights of all. Accordingly, UNICEF education programming covers all groups of children, paying particular attention to children at risk of being excluded from education. UNICEF’s position on quality, inclusive education is underpinned by the Convention on the Rights of Children (CRC), the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and the Sustainable Development Goal’s (SDG 4) targets- which all clearly guarantee quality education for every child with the purpose of supporting each child’s holistic development and reaching his/her full potential. Quality education can only be achieved when every child, including the most marginalized and excluded, is in school with opportunities that provide her/him with the learning required for life.[7] Furthermore, inclusive education involves: ‘A process of systemic reform- changes and modifications in content, teaching methods, approaches, structures and strategies in education to overcome barriers with a vision to provide all students, of all ages, with an equitable and participatory learning experience and environment that best corresponds to their requirements and preferences[8]. Relatedly, UNICEF has adopted a position for quality inclusive education as the approach that promotes recognition of schools for all, as institutions that embrace and celebrate differences, and provide quality learning opportunities for all learners.
  4. To operationalize the right to education for every child, UNICEF follows a conceptual framework for enabling environment for learning[9] which envisages interventions at three levels which are mutually re-enforcing and inter-dependent: in the family and community to create safe and stimulating home environment, support family engagement and change social norms; in the classroom and school to support teachers, strengthen school leadership, create accessible environment and quality learning materials; and at the system level (curriculum, assessment, teacher policy, institutions, financing, quality assurance, data collection and analysis). In addition, some children with disabilities need disability-specific interventions- in the context of quality inclusive education, this means additional (specialist) provision to enable their participation and learning.

    C. Regional Priorities and Rationale

  5. The regional focus is to ensure UNICEF Country Offices work together with their government counterparts and development partners towards accelerating efforts to expand access, improve quality and reduce inequities in participation and learning. Countries in the ECA region are increasingly embarking on system reforms related to quality inclusive education, and teacher education has emerged as the most urgent priority. In response, UNICEF has supported teacher education reform since 2015, both at pre-service and in-service level, with the purpose of supporting future and current teachers develop competencies for quality inclusive education. The process has included the development of teacher training tools, the Regional Teacher Training Package (RTTP), including learning modules and teacher manuals, designed to equip teachers with the crucial attitudes, knowledge, and skills necessary for inclusive teaching.

  6. The RTTP recognises the key role of the teacher as a change agent, essential for driving the learning and inclusion of all children. To become change agents and promoters of social inclusion, teachers have to build their own and their schools’ capacities to work with diverse student populations, ensure participation and promote learning.[10] Through participatory activities emphasising collaboration and reflection, teachers are empowered to take responsibility for their own practice and are equipped with the key competencies necessary for inclusive education.
  7. Alongside ongoing work on teacher professional development and teacher education reforms, the Regional Office supports the implementation of the regional LearnIn initiative for digital learning, which responds to both the need to strengthen education systems to deliver quality, inclusive learning, including for the farthest behind, and the need for education systems to be flexible in the face of crises, as evidenced by the COVID-19 pandemic. LearnIn aims to scale-up evidence-based digital solutions to support quality, inclusive, personalized learning, including by strengthening teachers’ digital and pedagogical competencies to deliver technology-enhanced, inclusive, quality learning and by ensuring digital solutions are inclusively and flexibly designed, according to best practices and key principles for inclusion, such as Universal Design for Learning.
  8. Top priorities for the region include bridging the digital divide, particularly for the most marginalised children, and ensuring that all children can access quality, inclusive learning; ensuring high-quality learning outcomes and adequate skills development for all children, including those who are OOS and out-of-learning; creating guidance to support programming in conflict-affected areas in the region and developing mechanisms to support the integration of refugee and migrant children into national education systems; and capacity building, including through strengthening national education management information systems (EMIS) to collect and use equity-focused information.
  9. UNICEF’s ECA expertise and experience in supporting quality inclusive education programming position the region as a knowledge leader. Many countries within the ECA region have successfully introduced the Regional Teacher Training Package and, have influenced systemic reforms through programming for in-service and pre-service teacher training, and more broadly national policies on quality inclusive education. The achievements and good practices will be documented to inform the work in other countries in the region (Central Asia) and beyond.
  10. This consultancy has been created to support ECARO Regional Office in driving forward these priorities, through strengthening the capacity of Country Offices to implement key initiatives and through researching, documenting, and learning from good practices and emerging lessons within ECA and beyond.

D. Project purpose, objectives, and areas of focus

  1. The purpose of this consultancy is to establish Regional Office capacity to drive Inclusive Education programming excellence for at scale results in the ECA Region. Specifically, the consultant will pursue the following objectives:
  • Ensure that programming on Inclusive Education in Country Programmes are designed and implemented to deliver at scale results for children.
  • Apply Quality situation/deprivations analysis and prioritization to inform programme design and advocacy for child rights.
  • To enhance regional capacity, through the Learning Regional Flagship Result, to report on results in public narrative stories, impact analysis and UNICEF value addition.
  1. The consultant will support the quality, inclusive education programming in the region, including but not limited to the following areas of focus:
  • Results-focused programmes (CPDs, Strategy Notes) in support of national priorities for SDG achievement and reducing equity gaps.
  • The rollout of inclusive education programming support pursuant to the Learning Regional Flagship Result.
  • The transformation of special schools and use of the International Classification of Functioning (ICF) in education.
  • Collaboration with the private sector on assistive technology for inclusive learning.
  • Inclusive programming and equity in the COVID-19 education response and reopening of schools.
  • Supporting inclusive education programming work in relation to Education in Emergencies; and general support to ECARO’s implementation of its education agenda at both regional and country levels.
  • Contribute to the implementation of the Education Section’s Workplan as well as responding to new and ad hoc priorities that may arise.

E. Specific outputs/products/results

This is a full-time assignment; the consultant will be expected to work from Monday to Friday observing the same office hours as the section. The specific deliverables for each month will be agreed at the beginning of the month in consultation with the supervisor.

F. Details of Consultancy

Qualification or Specialized Knowledge/Experience Required

Advanced higher education degree in inclusive education or related fields.

  • Minimum eight years professional work experience in the area of educational sciences or related field.
  • Strong background in inclusive education programming, pedagogy, education policy and systems development.
  • Fluency in English, knowledge of Russian or any other UN language would be considered an asset.
  • Previous experience of working in ECA countries or transition countries is an asset.
  • Familiarity with UNICEF’s mission and mandate is an asset.
  • Excellent analytical and report writing skills is essential.
  • Ability to work in a team and as a team leader.
  • Strong interest in the topic.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA) and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

Click here to learn more about UNICEF’s values and competencies.

Official travel

No travel is foreseen for this consultancy.

Payment

Kindly indicate your fixed-monthly fee. This is a full-time assignment; the consultant will be expected to work from Monday to Friday observing the same office hours as the section.

Recourse

UNICEF reserves the right to withhold all or a portion of payment if performance is unsatisfactory, if work/outputs are incomplete, not delivered or for failure to meet deadlines.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

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 be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

Remarks:

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

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

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws.


[1] Albania; Armenia; Azerbaijan; Belarus; Bosnia and Herzegovina; Bulgaria; Croatia; Georgia; Kazakhstan; Kosovo (UNSCR 1244); Kyrgyzstan; Montenegro; Republic of Moldova; Romania; Serbia; Tajikistan; North Macedonia; Turkey; Turkmenistan; Ukraine; Uzbekistan

[2] UNICEF (2019) In Focus: Supporting Quality and Inclusive Education. UNICEF Geneva. see more at: https://www.unicef.org/eca/reports/focus-supporting-quality-and-inclusive-education

[3] UNICEF (2019) Education Flagship Result: Children Out-of-Learning in Europe and Central Asia. UNICEF Geneva

[4] Ibid.

[5] UNICEF (2018) In Focus: Children with Disabilities. UNICEF Geneva. see more at: https://www.unicef.org/eca/reports/focus-including-children-disabilities

[6] UNICEF (2019) Education Flagship Result: Children Out-of-Learning in Europe and Central Asia. UNICEF Geneva

[7] Definition taken from the ‘Conceptualizing Inclusive Education and Contextualizing it within the UNICEF Mission Webinar 1 - Companion Technical

Booklet’: https://www.unicef.org/eca/sites/unicef.org.eca/files/IE_Webinar_Booklet_1_0.pdf

[8] General Comment No4, article 24 inclusive education, CRPD

[9] Conceptual Framework for enabling environment for learning, Global Education Strategy, UNICEF page 31. See more at:

https://www.unicef.org/media/59856/file/UNICEF-education-strategy-2019-2030.pdf

[10] UNICEF (2015). Modules on Inclusive Education: Linking Theory to Practice.

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are...

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