International Consultant - Secondary Analysis and Production of Synthesis Reports using Education Data

Contract

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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, An Education

UNICEF Myanmar

Background & Purpose of the Assignment:

Multiple crises have severely affected the right to education in Myanmar. The pandemic created the first phase of the learning crisis, when schools closed in March 2020 as a preventative measure and largely remained closed through the 2020-21 academic year. The ongoing crisis following the military’s takeover on 1 February 2021 is also having a catastrophic toll on the physical and mental wellbeing of children in Myanmar. In some areas, thousands of people have been displaced, cutting children off from their relatives, friends, communities, and their traditional means of support. Teachers and students have been on the front-line of protests – leading to deaths, arbitrary arrests, detentions, and violence – with close to 30% of teachers suspended for joining the civil disobedience movement (CDM)1. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, military takeover, and ensuing challenges, all organized education services for children have been disrupted, impacting 12.5 million children. The compounding impacts of the disruptions to education, especially the multiple challenges faced in meeting their learning needs, threaten the lives and wellbeing of millions of children by putting an entire generation in peril. The consequences for children’s education, personal development, psychological wellbeing, and future opportunities are already profound and will continue to grow— all the more for children living in the poorest and most remote communities. In the midst of the crises and severe disruptions to education, limited data exists to understand the full scale of the impact on access and quality of education. To date, there has not been a synthesis of existing data sources to update analyses for the education sector. The purpose of this assignment is to bring together existing data sources and develop reports and presentations on agreed key topics in the education sector.

Scope of Work

UNICEF is seeking a consultant to lead a secondary data analysis to produce reports and presentations which enhance understanding of key agreed topics within education in Myanmar. The consultant hired under this TOR will conduct a desk review of the existing data related to education in Myanmar, producing an annotated compilation of each data source. She/he will then use the secondary data compiled to produce 4 analytical reports according to an agreed research framework, listing research questions, sources to be used, and their correspondence to each report. The reports will be agreed and finalized with support of the UNICEF team, and then a presentation deck will be produced to aid dissemination of the results to other education stakeholders. The following topics may be considered for the reports: access and preference among education spaces; barriers to education by location, gender, disability, and other factors; township-level education situation analysis in select areas which demonstrate any variations across country; review of data related to quality in education; and situation analysis for early childhood education. The goal is to improve understanding in the education sector on key topics, by bringing together existing sources of data. The consultant will also produce a final report indicating the limitations of existing data, including gaps and contradictions among sources, and recommendations on the way forward.

The consultant is expected to carry out the following tasks: 1. Compile and annotate the existing data related to education in Myanmar, from public and non-public sources. 2. Develop a research framework, including key research questions, to inform the development of 4 analytical reports. 3. Write 4 analytical reports and develop accompanying presentations linked to each.

4. Complete a final report which outlines key gaps in education data, limitations of data collection, and recommendations on the way forward.

The assignment is expected to be done remotely. No primary data collection is foreseen.

The primary audiences for the products of this consultancy are UNICEF staff members, implementing partner organizations, and education sector stakeholders such as donors and other UN agencies.

The UNICEF Myanmar Education Team will be responsible for providing guidance and feedback at each step. The consultant will be responsible for developing the process, plan, and each deliverable. All deliverables will require feedback from UNICEF, before acceptance. The consultant will also be expected to share with UNICEF any supporting data files and coding (files in Stata, SPSS, and/or R). All products are expected to include strong writing in English language and high-level quality graphics (i.e. charts and graphs), and commitment to ensuring compliance on guidance on inclusivity and accessibility is incorporated.

Duty Station:

Home-based/ Remote

Proposed Timeframe:

The assignment has a timeline of four months. Approximately one month is reserved for review and agreement on the research framework, and three months to write and finalize all reports and presentations.

Description of Assignment:

Task 1:

• Inception meeting online. • Collect and compile data sources, with explanatory discussions held with UNICEF • Annotate all data sources, including at minimum the source, data collection method, locations covered, and key thematic areas

Deliverable 1: Annotated list of data sources

Timeline: 10 days

Task 2:

• Develop the research framework table (headings for columns and rows) and agree on it with UNICEF • Propose research questions and get feedback from UNICEF • Fill the research framework according to agreed table and research questions

Deliverable 2:

Develop a research framework, including proposed research questions and report topics

Based on inputs/comments from UNICEF, share a second final draft for review

Timeline: 5 days

Task 3:

• Confirm the topics of the four analytic reports, following the research framework • Agree on sequencing of the four reports • Conduct secondary data analysis required for each of the reports • Provide draft reports for review and discussion with UNICEF • Finalize reports according to the agreed sequence, and submit data analysis files alongside the final report • Develop a presentation for each of the reports, for a total of four presentations

Deliverable 3:

Four analytic reports and corresponding (4) presentation decks

Drafts to be shared first, and then finalized based on inputs/comments from UNICEF

Timeline: 48 days

Task 4:

• Share proposed outline of final report and meet with UNICEF to discuss observations from the secondary data analysis • Draft final report indicating the data available, limitations of the data, key gaps in data, and recommendations for data collection and analysis in the future

Deliverable 4:

Final report indicating gaps, limitations, and recommendations for future

Timeline: 7 days

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

• Master’s Degree or above in Education, Social Science, or related field.
• A Bachelor’s degree may be accepted in lieu of a Master’s degree combined with 2 additional years of relevant professional experience.
• Minimum of 5 years’ experience in data analysis and/or research, with a preference for this experience in education.
• Proven capacity in research and data analysis
• Expertise in education, especially in emergency settings and/or complex developing contexts
• Good knowledge of issues related to girls, children with disabilities, IDPs, and other vulnerable populations
• Proven analytical and oral and written communication skills
• Experience in writing reports in English language, especially when focused on research and/or secondary review of evidence
• Experience in working in Myanmar, and especially familiarity with education in Myanmar, is strongly preferred
• Ability to use data analysis software; preference for ability to use Stata or R; SPSS is also acceptable
• Prior experience of working with UNICEF in similar assignment is an asset.

Applicants are required to fill in the following "Expression of Interest" form and attach in the online application: EOI_Data Synthesis Consultancy_final for approval.doc

For every Child, you demonstrate…

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

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment.

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.

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. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.