International Consultant: Development of National Early Learning and Development Standards and School Readiness. Gaborone, Botswana, 70 days (Opened for international consultants only)

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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.

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For every child, education

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Purpose of Activity/Assignment: Early childhood is a critical stage of human development. During the first five years of life, significant changes occur in the brain - a child’s interactions with his/her parents/caregivers and the wider environment not only literally shape the child’s development but also positively and permanently strengthen the ability to learn. Given the importance of the child’s development, the international society has brought increased attention to Early Childhood Education (ECE) in recent years. Early Childhood Development (ECD), including ECE, has become one of the key priorities in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Framework.

There is an emerging global consensus that governments should invest in Early Childhood Development (ECD) as a development priority. This consensus is based on the compelling scientific evidence that investment in ECD influences national development, particularly in terms of the development of human capital. Additionally, ECD has benefits that accrue at an individual and household level. Children who have had ECD experience are more likely to have more success in school and be healthy adults. With the right level of stimulation and nutrition and better attainment of education, these children are more likely to grow up as productive adults which will, in turn, benefit the household level and more likely to break the intergenerational poverty where this exists.

Over the last decade, the Government of Botswana has increased its commitment to ECD. This has been reflected through several national policy initiatives such as the Revised National Policy on Education, the National Health Policy, the Accelerated Child Survival and Development Strategy, the Children’s Act and in successive National Development Plans (NDP) – 9,10 and 11 and the development of the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Policy developed in 2001 was the first attempt for a broader perspective to ECD. The ECD Policy Framework was developed therefore to address the broader perspective of ECD. It was signed in March 2018.

The SDG 4.2 calls on states to ensure that all girls and boys have access to quality Early Childhood Development, Care and Pre-Primary Education to be ready for primary education. Botswana is still counted among those with low access, as most children still commence primary education without any prior preparation. According to the 2022 Census, children in the age range 0-4 years who constitute part of the target group for ECD interventions account for 11.7 per cent of the population in Botswana. About 37 per cent of children have access to Early Childhood Education (ECE). ECD interventions target children in the age range of 0-5 years with children starting school at age five and a half years.

The Government of Botswana has made significant progress in providing services for children. This has included comprehensive health care for pregnant women, infants, and young children. Much has also been done to strengthen child protection systems especially for orphans and other vulnerable children. To date provision of ECE is primarily in the private sector and faith-based organizations. Due to outdated guidance and limited guidance on standards in Botswana, the country experiences use of different curricula in many of the centres and in some instance inappropriate teaching, learning tools and infrastructure.

It is against this background that UNICEF Botswana seeks to recruit a consultant to develop National Early Learning Development Standards for Botswana on behalf of the Ministry of Education and Skills Development. The NELDS will be a comprehensive curriculum-related policy initiative focusing primarily on the early learning needs of children from birth to eight years. The main goal of the development of early learning and development standards (ELDS) is to confer a common reference framework for all early childhood and preschool services and to approach the child from a holistic perspective.

Scope of work

The main goal of development of early learning and development standards (ELDS) and school readiness is to produce a common reference framework for all early childhood and preschool services and to approach the child from a holistic perspective. The ELDS are a set of statements that reflect expectations for the learning and development of young children, from birth to age 8, across several domains of development (physical well-being and motor development, cognition, social-emotional development, language and literacy, and approaches to learning…) The NELDS will provide age-appropriate standards for development and learning outcomes. ELD Standards have three main components: (a) standards for each developmental domain by age bracket; (b) indicators for each standard; and (c) standards-associated learning activities. Coherence among these three components, as well as between the ELDS and supporting materials (such as curricula or guidance documents), is essential to the operationalization of the ELDS.

The outputs of this consultancy will be extensively shared with and used by the government and non-government organizations and agencies in improving the quality and standards of early childhood and preschool education services making it efficient, meaningful and enriching for children. Involvement of various Early Childhood Education and preschool stakeholders from among the government and non-government organizations as well as universities and academia are deemed necessary to make the method more participatory, and the outcome of the task more relevant to the end users’ context.

To accomplish the task, the consultant will draw up a timeline and methodology that demonstrates the involvement of all relevant stakeholders. A draft work plan to undertake the development process should be submitted along with the technical proposal. Working in close collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Skills Development and the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development under the guidance and supervision of UNICEF Botswana, the Consultant will carry out the following process/actions and develop the National ELDS for children ages 0 – 8 years old in Botswana. Specifically, the Consultant will undertake the following tasks:

Deliverables

Tasks/Milestone:****Deliverables/Outputs:****Timeline****Payment schedule (%)****1. Inception report - Develop a detailed work plan for the assignment - Desk review of existing ELDS, preschool/ECE/ECD frameworks including policy guidelines, strategies, curriculum, curriculum standards and relevant tools in the country, region and globally. - Assess the existing national and subnational technical capacity and resources available and identify any gaps (human, financial, time) that require attention to support the full ELDS process. Approved Inception Report detailing the work plan, summarizing existing policies, strategies, curriculum etc and assessment of existing national capacities that will support ELDS.2 weeks (10 working days)20%2. Training of the Working group - Develop a Terms of Reference (ToR) and Modes of Operations for the Working Groups in developing the ELDS - Conduct a training workshop for the Working Group/Core Group in determining a framework including values, guiding principles and developmental domains to be covered by ELDS.- TORs for Working group available - Training material for the working group available and training takes place. - Training report available.2 weeks (10 working days)10%3. Development of the Early Learning and Development Standards (ELDS) - Facilitate at least 2 writing workshops for the working group/core group.

- Putting together all the group works into ELDS Document in the form of a book with the incorporation of necessary illustrations or diagrams. - Conduct a stakeholders’ meeting to share the draft to receive feedback for incorporation in the final ELDS document; and to make recommendations for next steps in finalizing and implementing ELDS - Submit the final ELDS Document in the form of a book, properly organized ready to be used for validation (both content and age validation)

• Final Early Learning and Development Standards and School readiness guidelines ready for validation with appropriate illustrations.6 weeks (30 working days)40%4. Develop validation tools and methodology to be used by the relevant organization/institution. - Train the organization/institute that will undertake the validation of the ELDS. - Submit a detailed report of the task including the findings, lessons learned, recommendations

5. Development of a school readiness assessment tool in line with national curriculum standards

• Validation tools that check whether the curriculum used satisfy the national ELDS.
• Training of organization/ institute that will undertake validation of the ELDS done and report
• School readiness assessment tool available and approved
• Final detail report available approved4 weeks (20 working days)30%To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

Education

• An advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in Early Childhood Education; Policy development and related fields. A PhD would an added value.

Experience

• Relevant experience in the development of Early Learning and Development Standards in similar countries (LMC/UMC).
• A minimum of 5 years demonstrated practical experience in developing programme design or planning in ECD or related fields.
• Traceable experience in preparing quality government policy documents, implementation plans, strategy documents and reports will be an advantage. Practical experience in costing of national programmes or implementation plans.
• Demonstrable knowledge of Early Childhood Development will be an advantage.
• Ability to conduct research, synthesize large amount of data, and demonstrate analytical skills
• • Ability to work with various stakeholder groups, facilitating stakeholder meetings and consensus building. • Demonstrated ability to effectively cooperate with Government and other stakeholders. • Exhibit strong oral and written communication skills in English. • Excellent inter-personal, communications skills, public presentation and advocacy skills. • Computer literate. Experience with systems and applications relevant to the specific work area. • Knowledge of local and regional education systems.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA).

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

Administrative issues and conditions

1. The consultant will be based at the Department of Curriculum Development and Evaluation, Ministry of Basic Education in Gaborone, Botswana.

2. Payment of professional fees will be based on submission of agreed deliverables. UNICEF reserves the right to withhold payment in case the deliverables submitted are not up to the required standard or in case of delays in submitting the deliverables on the part of the consultant.

3. The Consultant will be required to complete UNICEF's standard online courses related to Ethics, Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse and Security related trainings prior to taking up the assignment and/or travel.

4. The Consultant will be required to sign a Health Statement prior to taking up the assignment, and to document that he/she has appropriate health insurance, including Medical Evacuation.

HOW TO APPLY:

Qualified candidates are requested to complete an application including profile to the respective advertisement online. Please indicate your ability, availability, a technical proposal and financial proposal/quote to complete the terms of reference above. Attach copies of previous similar work if available.

Applications submitted without a financial proposal will not be considered. Rates must include all expenses related to the assignment (e.g., consultancy fee, living allowance, travel if applicable), quoted in USD.

Remarks:

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.

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.

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. The candidate may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid).

If you have not been contacted within 2 months of the closing date, please accept that your application was unsuccessful. Regret emails will be sent only to shortlisted/contacted candidates.