International Consultant for Myanmar Curriculum and Teacher Professional Development (50% remote and 50% physically); Cox's Bazar; Bangladesh; (Not for Bangladeshi)

Contract

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Background:

For many years, Bangladesh has hosted Rohingya refugees, one of the world's most persecuted minorities. Due to violence and persecution in Myanmar, an estimated 740,000 Rohingyas, around 57 per cent of whom are children, arrived in Cox's Bazar district in August 2017. This brings the number of refugees in registered and unregistered camps to over 895,515[1]. The sudden influx not only aggravates the pre-existing protracted crisis of Rohingyas in Bangladesh, but also puts additional pressure on the already fragile social and economic structure of Cox’s Bazar, one of the worst performing districts in almost all child-related indicators and one of the most vulnerable to disasters and climate change in the country.

Before the coronavirus pandemic, over 350,00 children and youth are accessed education in the 32 camps where Rohingya people from the 2017 influx reside. Education is provided based on an informal curriculum called the Learning Competency Framework and Approach (LCFA) which has four competency level; only the first two levels are approved by Government of Bangladesh (GOB) as Guidelines for Informal Education Programme (GIEP). While services are being provided for the upper levels of the LCFA and adolescent skills training, there were no government approvals and some partners faced uncertainty due to the absence of clear policy direction.

Refugee children have the right to access quality and inclusive education based on the curriculum of the country of their origin or the host country. Given the agreed position of the Myanmar and Bangladesh government, supported by the UN, that the Rohingya will be repatriated, emphasis is being placed on readiness for smooth reintegration into the education system and society on return to Myanmar. Rohingya community members continuously expressed their desire for their children to learn in the Myanmar curriculum, recognizing their long-term needs will not be met by an informal curriculum that does not offer recognized documentation of learning.

Advocacy to support these expressed interests was led by the Education Sector in Cox’s Bazar, including UNICEF and partners, which resulted in the Government of Bangladesh approving the use of the Myanmar curriculum in camps in December 2019. The request to use the Myanmar curriculum in the camps was later approved by the NTF at the meeting held on 26 January 2020. Following the Government’s decision, UNICEF and Education partners designed the first year of the Myanmar curriculum pilot (MCP) to target a total of 10,000 learners in Grades 6-9 and subsequently expansion to other grades in a phased manner. The age group corresponding to Grades 6-9 is targeted because 96 per cent of adolescents and youth still lack access to education despite interventions by Education Sector partners since 2017.[2] The Myanmar Curriculum Pilot (MCP) was intended to be launched in April 2020 with students enrolled by June, but COVID-19 restrictions constrained most planned MCP activities from March through September. Though learning centers in camps were closed for over 18 months, they were finally allowed to reopen on 22 September 2021. Access to camps was restricted when LCs were closed but UNICEF and partners have now resumed implementation of education activities inside the camps that had been prohibited previously.

Key next steps in rolling out the MCP will include the finalization of recruitment and training of teachers for the MCP. UNICEF and partners conducted a self-reporting exercise in March 2020, which mapped 1,267 Rohingya teachers in Cox’s Bazar and a subject-specific assessment tool based on the MC will be required to finalize the teacher roster. Additionally, the teacher training package will also need to include subject-specific modules for each of the grade levels. As UNICEF’s on-the-ground partners in Cox’s Bazar do not have experience with the Myanmar curriculum, specific expertise in the curriculum is required.

Purpose of Activity/Assignment:

The UNICEF office in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh is seeking a consultant or consultants with technical knowledge of the Myanmar curriculum, in order to support in identifying and developing Rohingya teachers’ capacities to align with the curriculum’s competency framework. The consultant(s) will also provide Burmese language support in relation to teaching, learning and other curricular materials as needed. The consultant(s) will work closely with UNICEF and partners to provide ongoing guidance related to the Myanmar, as well as producing four key deliverables throughout the assignment.

1. Inception activity: Develop workplan(s) for achieving deliverables within timeframes indicated in the assignment
2. Deliverable 1: Mapping of Myanmar Curriculum Framework, teacher competency and students’ learning outcome assessment frameworks and associated teaching and learning materials
3. Deliverable 2: In coordination with UNICEF and partners, develop and field test a subject and grade specific assessment guide and tools for teachers based on the MC framework for Grades 6 - 9 and adapted to the camp context

• Draft assessment guide for Grades 6 – 9 teachers
• Draft competency assessment questions for Grades 6 – 9 teachers
• Supervise field testing of teacher competency assessment tool/questions for Grade 6 – 9 teachers
• Develop briefing of field test findings
• Supervise administration and evaluation of teachers’ competency assessment

4. Deliverable 3: In coordination with UNICEF and partners, support the development of the MC teacher professional development (TPD) package, including the induction and continuous training needed to enhance teacher competencies in each subject for Grades 6 – 9 to effectively support learning

• Coordinate with the IP to collect and map available MC teacher guides for all Grades
• Support development of subject and grade specific teacher training modules for the induction package for Grades 6 - 9
• Support development of training modules for the continuous TPD package for Grads 6-9

5. Deliverable 4: Ongoing technical and Burmese language support throughout duration of consultancy:

• Supporting development of multimedia teaching and learning materials as needed
• Continuous support to UNICEF CXB office in reviewing, translating and compiling information and materials in Burmese
• Provide other specific expertise and technical advice regarding content of the Myanmar curriculum.

Specific items will be developed in Burmese (except for English items) and strong English skills will be required to coordinate with UNICEF and partners. The teacher assessment tool and MC teacher training modules will require a keen understanding of the competencies required under the Myanmar curriculum framework. Two consultants are required to the required technical support including teacher competency assessment and professional developed and necessary adaptation of the Myanmar curriculum materials to suit the Rohingya refugees camp context, which will require close work with UNICEF and partners.

The UNICEF Education Section in Cox’s Bazar will provide technical assistance as needed and facilitate the initial coordination between the Myanmar curriculum consultant and the implementing partners. The consultancy will be for 6 months and based in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. The consultants will be paid monthly upon submission and acceptance of monthly progress reports.

Work Assignment Overview

Tasks/Milestone:

Deliverables/Outputs:

Timeline

Estimate Budget

Mapping of Myanmar Curriculum Framework, teacher competency framework and learning outcome assessment framework and associated teaching and learning materials for all Grades

• Deliverable 1:
• Comprehensive mapping report of Myanmar Curriculum Framework, teacher competency framework and learning outcome assessment framework and an electronic folder with al associated teaching and learning materials for all Grades

Within the first one month

Estimated 10% upon acceptance of monthly reports.

In coordination with UNICEF and partners, develop and field test a subject and grade specific assessment tool for teachers based on the MC framework for Grades 6 - 9 and adapted to the camp context

1. Draft assessment guide for Grades 6 – 9 teachers
2. Draft competency assessment questions for Grades 6 – 9 teachers
3. Supervise field testing of teacher competency assessment tool/questions for Grade 6 – 9 teachers
4. Develop briefing of field test findings

Supervise administration and evaluation of teachers’ competency assessment

Deliverable 2:

A comprehensive, field-tested and revised teacher assessment tools/guide for each subject and grade of the Myanmar curriculum

Within three months of start date

Estimated 30% upon acceptance of monthly reports.

In coordination with UNICEF and partners, support the development of the MC teacher professional development package (TPD), including the induction and continuous training components, by mapping the requisite teacher competencies needed for each subject for Grades 6 - 9

1. Coordinate with the IP to collect and map available MC teacher guides for Grades 6 - 9
2. Support design and facilitation of subject and grade specific teacher training modules for the induction package for Grades 6 - 9

Deliverable 3:

i) A teacher training plan for MC subject-specific competencies for Grades 6 - 9 to be integrated into the broader teacher induction and continuous professional development packages being developed by UNICEF and partners

By end of assignment

Estimated 35% upon acceptance of monthly reports.

Ongoing technical and Burmese language support throughout duration of consultancy:

1. Supporting development of multimedia teaching and learning materials as needed
2. Continuous support to UNICEF CXB office in reviewing, translating and compiling information and materials in Burmese
3. Other specific expertise and technical advice regarding content of the Myanmar curriculum.

Deliverable 4:

Satisfactory ongoing Burmese language support:

1. Translated MC-related materials
2. Quality assured digital content including audio visual developed to support teacher training
3. Translated training materials

Throughout duration of assignment

Estimated 25% Ongoing technical and Burmese language support outside of key deliverables will be reported in monthly reports.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

• Bachelor’s degree in education or social sciences relevant to education, from a recognized university
• At least three years of experience working in education focusing on either curriculum development including materials development or pre-service/in-service teacher professional development
• Demonstrated experience and/or experience in Myanmar curriculum implementation
• Experience with teacher training and capacity building on curriculum or teacher professional development
• Experience of working in secondary education (knowledge of adolescent development also desirable)
• Proficient in Myanmar and English languages
• Experience working in Rakhine State of Myanmar or familiarity with Rohingya language is considered an asset

[1] Joint Government of Bangladesh – UNHCR, Population Factsheet as of 30 September 20221

[2] Joint MSNA: Rohingya Refugees, Inter-Sector Coordination Group, September 2019.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

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

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

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:

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.