International consultancy for Grade 3 student learning assessment in Afghanistan

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**OVERVIEW** ------------ Parent Sector : Field Office Duty Station: Kabul Classification of duty station: \[\[filter12\]\] Standard Duration of Assignement : \[\[filter13\]\] Job Family: Education Type of contract : Non Staff Duration of contract : From 7 to 11 months Recruitment open to : External candidates Application Deadline (Midnight Paris Time) : 07-Dec-2023 UNESCO Core Values: Commitment to the Organization, Integrity, Respect for Diversity, Professionalism **Background and context** -------------------------- Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, Afghanistan faced a serious learning crisis with one of the highest levels of learning poverty in the world. 93 percent of Afghan children aged 10 years old were unable to read and understand a simple text. Results from the 2017 Systems Approach for Better Education Results (SABER) Service Delivery Survey by the World Bank also show that, despite remarkable expansion of schooling in the country over the past decades, Afghan students were not learning effectively. After spending 4 years in primary school, only two-thirds of Afghan students have fully mastered the Grade 1 Language curriculum and less than half of them mastered the Grade 1 Mathematics curriculum (World Bank, 2018). While learning disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic have had negative impacts on students’ learning outcomes across the world, including Afghanistan, both schooling and learning deprivations are likely to be exacerbated due to the current country context. Long Description ---------------- In 2018, a National Assessment Framework for Afghanistan (NAFA) was developed to serve as the basis for a student learning assessment system in the country. However, its strategic recommendations have never been materialized, e.g., formulation of a learning assessment policy and a NAFA implementation strategy. With support from development partners, several population-based learning assessments were conducted in selected project areas. However, there has been no school-based large-scale learning assessment conducted in recent years to provide system-level information on in-school students’ academic performance and classroom and school environments. Against this backdrop, UNESCO Kabul Office is seeking a senior consultant to conduct a national school-based assessment of Grade 3 students’ learning outcomes in Reading (Dari and Pashto) and Mathematics. The purpose of this assessment is to evaluate the outcomes of early grade learning among public school students and identify areas for improvement in teaching and learning practices, laying the foundations for further efforts towards establishing a learning assessment system in Afghanistan. Additionally, this assessment is expected to facilitate and provide technical inputs to the formulation of other learning assessments to be conducted in the country to ensure comparability among all learning assessments and their alignment with the global framework for monitoring and reporting on learning outcomes (SDG 4.1.1). Long Description ---------------- **Duties and Responsibilities** Under the overall authority of the Officer-in-Charge of the UNESCO Office in Kabul, overall supervision of the Head of the Education Unit and direct supervision of the Project Officer in charge of the Grade 3 national learning assessment, the senior consultant will be the technical lead for the implementation of this learning assessment, in collaboration with curriculum experts for test item development and a local firm for data collection and stakeholder engagement in the country. The senior consultant will assume the following duties and responsibilities: - Develop an inception report detailing methodology, sample sizes for both pilot and official assessment administrations, key deliverables, and milestones for conducting the student learning assessment; - Provide overall technical guidance to curriculum experts to develop a question bank for Mathematics, Pashto and Dari based (tentatively 80 questions per subject) based on the national general education curriculum; - Develop teacher and school questionnaires to be used in the assessment administration and finalize them based on UNESCO’s feedback; Long Description ---------------- - Develop a manual for the administration of the Grade 3 student learning assessment, to be used as a training material for enumerators; - Provide technical support to the enumerator training for the pilot assessment administration in tentatively 20-30 selected schools, in coordination with UNESCO team and a local master trainer; - Analyse pilot data and support finetuning of test items, in collaboration with local curriculum experts, as necessary after the pilot administration and developing test booklets; - Provide technical support to the refresher enumerator training for the official assessment administration, in coordination with UNESCO team and a local master trainer; - Process and analyse data collected and consolidated by the local firm; - Prepare an analytical report on the findings on learning outcomes of Grade 3 students in Afghanistan, including developing proficiency scales in Reading and Mathematics with support from UNESCO team and other curriculum experts; - Finalize the analytical report and proficiency scales upon UNESCO’s agreement; - Submit all interim products including datasets, data collection tools, training materials in English and editable format to UNESCO. - In line with UNESCO’s overall gender mainstreaming strategy, the consultant is also expected to integrate a gender perspective in all activities and apply gender analysis and mainstreaming concepts whenever feasible. Short Description ----------------- **Timeline and Number of working days** The duration of this consultancy is expected to be 6.5 months, from 15 December 2023 to 30 June 2024. The consultancy may be carried out remotely with the estimated total number of working days being 73 days over the entire period of this assignment. - Preparation of inception report – Article reference 2.a (10 days - December 2023 ). - Provision of overall technical guidance for question bank development – Article reference 2.b (6 days - January 2024). - Development of teacher and school questionnaires – Article reference 2.c (4 days - January 2024). - Development of manual for assessment administration – Article reference 2.d (2 days - January 2024). - Provision of overall technical guidance for question bank development – Article reference 2.b (2 days - February 2024). - Provision of technical support to enumerator training for pilot assessment administration – Article reference 2.e (5 days - February 2024). - Pilot data analysis – Article reference 2.f (5 days -February 2024). - Provision of support to finetuning of test items – Article reference 2.f (5 days - March 2024). - Provision of technical support to refresher enumerator training for official assessment administration – Article reference 2.g (2 days - March 2024). - Data processing and analysis – Article reference 2.h (2 days - May 2024). - Drafting of report and proficiency scales – Article reference 2.i (15 days - May 2024). - Finalization of report and proficiency scales – Article reference 2.j (15 days - June 2024). **Deliverables and Timeline** - Inception report – Article reference 2.a (31 December 2023). - Teacher and school questionnaires - Article reference 2.b; 2.c; 2.d; and 2.e (15 February 2024). - Manual for assessment administration - Article reference 2.b; 2.c; 2.d; and 2.e (15 February 2024). - Reviewed question bank for pilot assessment administration – Article reference 2.b; 2.c; 2.d; and 2.e (15 February 2024). - Pilot data analysis report – Article reference 2.f and 2.g (22 March 2024). - Final test booklets - Article reference 2.f and 2.g (22 March 2024). - Draft report, including draft proficiency scales – Article reference 2.h and 2.i (31 May 2024). - Final report, including finalized proficiency scales - Article reference 2.h and 2.i (25 June 2024). - Interim products such as datasets, data collection tools and training materials – Article reference 2.j and 2.k (25 June 2024). **-** ----- For detailed information, please consult the [UNESCO Competency Framework](https://en.unesco.org/sites/default/files/competency_framework_e.pdf). **Required Qualifications** The consultant should have the following qualifications: - Master’s degree or PhD (preferable) in Economics, Education, Monitoring and Evaluation or other related fields; - Demonstrated experience in providing technical assistance to national large-scale learning assessments, especially in developing or low-income countries; - Strong analytical and quantitative skills, including econometric approaches, survey design and implementation, and evaluation of education-related policies and programmes; - Demonstrated track record of publishing high-quality reports and articles in topics related to education; - Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with a wide range of education stakeholders such as government officials, national academics, technical staff from multilateral/bilateral organizations, etc.; - Excellent communication, coordination, and interpersonal skills; - Excellent command in written and spoken English; - Computer skills: Strong STATA skills (or other packages such as R and Python), and advanced knowledge of Microsoft Office (PowerPoint, Excel, Word). **Remuneration** Remuneration will be based on the submission and validation of the deliverables. All submitted reports/materials should be drafted in English. The fee is payable in instalments upon certification by UNESCO of satisfactory performance by the consultant for the work corresponding to each payment. All payments shall be made by bank transfer. **Application process** Interested candidates should click on “Apply Now” and download and complete the Employment History form (Word document). Before uploading the document, at the end of the word document, please insert the extra pages with the following required information: - Up-to-date CV with contact details of at least 3 references - Brief technical proposal on approach/methodology to carrying out the assignment (maximum 2 pages) - Proposed fee (including total fee and daily rate) Note: These Terms of Reference are intended to provide a general framework for the consultancy. Further discussions and negotiations may be required to finalize the TORs and contract details. **SELECTION AND RECRUITMENT PROCESS** ------------------------------------- Please note that all candidates must complete an on-line application and provide complete and accurate information. To apply, please visit the [UNESCO careers website.](https://careers.unesco.org/careersection/2/joblist.ftl) No modifications can be made to the application submitted. The evaluation of candidates is based on the criteria in the vacancy notice, and may include tests and/or assessments, as well as a competency-based interview. UNESCO uses communication technologies such as video or teleconference, e-mail correspondence, etc. for the assessment and evaluation of candidates. Please note that only selected candidates will be further contacted and candidates in the final selection step will be subject to reference checks based on the information provided. **Footer** ---------- UNESCO recalls that paramount consideration in the appointment of staff members shall be the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, technical competence and integrity. UNESCO applies a zero-tolerance policy against all forms of harassment. UNESCO is committed to achieving and sustaining equitable and diverse geographical distribution, as well as gender parity among its staff members in all categories and at all grades. Furthermore, UNESCO is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Candidates from non- and under-represented Member States ([last update here](https://en.unesco.org/careers/geographicaldistribution)) are particularly welcome and strongly encouraged to apply. Individuals from minority groups and indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the highest level of confidentiality. Worldwide mobility is required for staff members appointed to international posts. UNESCO does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process.