Individual International Consultancy for Technical Assistance to the Ministry of Education in introducing the half-day pre-primary preparation and strengthening quality assurance and monitor

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Contract

This is a Consultancy contract. More about Consultancy contracts.

Background

Turkmenistan is committed to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the overall 2030 Agenda which places Early Childhood Development (ECD) as a priority for the future. Specifically, SDG Target 4.2 states that by 2030 countries should “ensure that all girls and boys have access to quality early childhood development, care and pre-primary education so that they are ready for primary education.”

The newly endorsed Action Plan under the national ECD Strategy for 2020-2025 incorporates specific activities, timelines and monitoring indicators, all aligned with the country’s SDG 4.2 commitments, to further strengthen the national policy framework towards quality and universal pre-primary preparation for all 5 years old children in Turkmenistan. In the frameworks of the above, the Ministry of Education have initiated preparations for introducing one-year half-day pre-primary preparation programmes for all 5 years old children.

The on-going review and revision process for the existing pre-school curriculum aim to support the offering of half day programs across the existing network of regular schools nation-wide which incorporate both primary and secondary education. The curriculum revision must include a play and competency-based standard with focused outcomes that can be measured to ensure continuous children’s progress in learning and development.

Given the half day pre-primary program, planned to be initiated in Autumn 2021, will be housed in regular schools, it is important to align the curriculum to grade one of the primary education to further support safe transition of children from kindergarten to and their readiness for primary school. The revised curriculum program should consider schedules, play activities, competencies, outcomes, and flexible programming to address the needs of all children and families.

Introducing one-year quality pre-primary preparation programmes will also require developing a quality assurance and monitoring tool to demonstrate children’s learning accomplishments, gather data and provide positive support to teachers. Additionally, focus should also be made on strengthening the overall institutional capacity of the pre-school education sector in quality assurance and monitoring of early learning and pre-primary preparation provision.

To support these initiatives UNICEF is seeking an international expert to provide technical assistance to the Ministry of Education in introducing the half-day pre-primary preparation programme for 5 years old children and strengthening the institutional capacity in quality assurance and monitoring of early learning and pre-primary preparation.

Purpose of the assignment

Provide technical assistance to the Ministry of Education in introducing the half-day pre-primary preparation programme for 5 years old children and strengthening the institutional capacity in quality assurance and monitoring of early learning and pre-primary preparation.

Specific Tasks

  • Conduct a desk review of the main documents that pertain to preschool including the preschool curriculum, schedules, and any monitoring and quality assurance tools in place.
  • Review and revise the existing preschool curriculum to ensure it is play and competency based, and supportive of half day programs. This curriculum should be flexible and address the needs of rural and urban areas. It must also address inclusion and support of children with learning disabilities.
  • Develop and align a quality assurance and monitoring tool for use by the relevant staff of the Ministry of Education, Institute of Education and regional methodological centers nation-wide when visiting preschool facilities.
  • Finalize all the documents reviewed, revised and developed based on the comments from UNICEF and MoE
  • Facilitate a series of online meetings and training, or, if possible, undertake a visit to Turkmenistan to observe and collect information on the initial implementation of the half-day pre-primary curriculum and provide guidance to the selected group of key professionals nation-wide led by the Ministry of Education on the use of the half-day pre-primary curriculum and quality assurance and monitoring tool.
  • Provide a draft final report on the deliverables with a set of recommendations for the MoE towards implementation of 1-year quality pre-primary preparation for all 5 years old children in Turkmenistan. Finalize the report based on the comments from UNICEF and MoE.

Workplan and deliverables

The consultancy duration is 47 working days, covering the period of 15 May 2021 – 30 Nov 2021. The distribution of days by tasks and corresponding deliverables is provided below. The consultant is expected to work home-based most of the time (39 days home-based) undertaking one country visit (8 working days in-country) during the consultancy period. In case, the above planned visit is not feasible due to the on-going COVID related limitations, the relevant tasks and deliverables under the visit will be ensured by the distance modality. The below timeline provides the estimated deadlines for completing the deliverables, considering the period that will be needed for translation, sharing of document and receipt of feedback. Depending on the progress and needs, more than 2 reviews of the documents reviewed/revised/developed may be required, which may affect the timelines.

Tasks

Days

Deliverables and target delivery dates

specific delivery dates and details as to how the work must be delivered (e.g. electronic submission, hard copy), subdivided into “milestones” where appropriate

1. Conduct a desk review of the main documents that pertain to preschool including the curriculum, schedules, and any monitoring and quality assurance tools in place.

Hold skype call(s) with UNICEF and appropriate stakeholders as required.

5 days (home based)

25 May 2021

Desk review report

2. Prepare 1st version of the reviewed and revised existing preschool curriculum (half-day)

The half-day curriculum should ensure it is play and competency based, and supportive of half day programs. This curriculum should be flexible and address the needs of rural and urban areas. It must also address inclusion and support of children with disabilities

Prepare questions and participate in a skype call to discuss feedback and inputs from the Ministry of Education and the core group of pre-school professionals based the 1st version of the revised curriculum

Prepare 2nd version of the reviewed and revised half-day pre-primary curriculum

Hold skype call(s) with UNICEF and appropriate stakeholders as required

22 days (home-based)

1 day (home-based)

2 day (home-based)

20 June 2021

1st version of the revised half-day pre-primary curriculum program for 5 years old children

10 July 2021

15 July 2021

2nd version of the revised half-day pre-primary curriculum program for 5 years old children

3. Develop a draft and align a quality assurance and monitoring tool for use by the relevant staff of the Ministry of Education, Institute of Education and regional methodological centers nation-wide when visiting preschool facilities.

5 day (home-based)

25 July 2021

Draft quality assurance and monitoring tool

4. Finalize the half day curriculum and a quality assurance and monitoring tool based on the feedback and inputs from the core group of professionals lead by the MoE

Participate in a skype call

1 day (home-based)

15 August 2021

Finalized quality assurance and monitoring tool

5. In-country visit to:

- conduct meetings with UNICEF and the partners

- visit to selected pre-school facilities in Ashgabat city/Akhal velayat, observe and collect information on the initial implementation of the half-day pre-primary curriculum

- training to provide guidance to the selected group of key professionals nation-wide led by the Ministry of Education on the use of the half-day pre-primary curriculum and quality assurance and monitoring tool

- participate in a round table, led and coordinated by MoE, and make presentation (PPP) on on the revised half day pre-primary curriculum and quality assurance and monitoring for pre-primary provision

If the above planned visit is not feasible due to the on-going limitations, facilitate a series of online meetings and training to provide guidance to the selected group of key professionals nation-wide led by the Ministry of Education on the use of the half-day pre-primary curriculum and quality assurance and monitoring tool.

8 days (in-country)

Travel dates: 17 – 28 October 2021

OR

8 days (home-based) in October 2021

17 – 28 October 2021

Meetings, visits to pre-school facilities in Ashgabat/Akhal velayat, Training programme, materials and training delivered

Presentation and discussions at the round table

11 – 22 October 2021

Online meetings and training

6. Provide a draft final report on the deliverables with a set of recommendations for the MoE towards implementation of 1-year quality pre-primary preparation for all 5 years old children in Turkmenistan.

Finalize the report based on the comments from UNICEF and MoE.

3 days (home-based)

1 November 2021

Draft final report on the deliverables with a set of recommendations for the MoE towards implementation of 1-year quality pre-primary preparation for all 5 years old children in Turkmenistan.

15 November 2021

Finalized final report based on the comments from UNICEF and MoE

Reporting requirements

All the reports and documents will be developed in English and translated by UNICEF, as needed.

Payment schedule

The payment will be made in instalments, according to the following schedule.

Deliverable

  • First installment: 01/07/2021, upon satisfactory provision of the desk review report and 1st version of the revised curriculum (tasks 1 and 2). The installment will include 27 consultancy days.

  • Final installment: 30/11/20201 upon satisfactory provision of the finalized curriculum, quality assurance and monitoring tool, deliverables under the planned visit to the country or a series of online meetings and training on the use of curriculum and quality assurance and monitoring tool, and the final report with agreed recommendations (tasks 3, 4, 5 and 6). The installment will include 20 consultancy days + costs of the trip to Turkmenistan (if fulfilled) as per agreed budget

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.

For more details please see the ToR attached: UNICEF Turkmenistan_ToR_Pre-primary preparation-monitoring&quality assurance_final.docx

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.

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