International Consultant to conduct Independent Appraisal of the Solomon Islands National Education Plan (2021-2025)

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UNICEF - United Nations Children's Fund

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Application deadline 3 years ago: Wednesday 24 Mar 2021 at 11:55 UTC

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Contract

This is a Consultancy contract. More about Consultancy contracts.

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, results

The objective of this assignment is to conduct an independent appraisal of the National Education Action Plan (NEAP). The consultancy will assist MEHRD and the Education Development Partners Coordination Group in their role as the Local Education Group to ensure that the NEAP (2021-25) is sound and in line with the minimum standards defined in the GPE/IIEP/UNESCO Guidelines for Education Sector Plan Preparation.

How can you make a difference?

The consultancy will focus on a desk review of the NEAP (2021-25), complemented by a review of other key documents related to the Solomon Islands education sector and consultations with relevant actors, in particular with MEHRD division teams, other relevant Ministries, development partners, international and national NGOs, unions and local authorities as deemed necessary.

The consultant will be provided with a list of resource persons to contact in the Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development and the technical and financial partners of the education sector in the Solomon Islands. The Education Development Partners Coordination Group, acting as the Local Education Group (LEG), with the support of the GPE Coordinating Agency (MFAT), will work directly with the consultant/s to ensure the provision of all the required support including the documentation and also to facilitate the organization of work sessions for the consultant/s.

The objective of this assignment is to conduct an independent appraisal of the NEAP. The appraisal will be conducted according to the Appraisal Guidelines developed by the GPE, including the following questions:

Leadership and Participation: Has the plan preparation process been country-led, participatory and transparent? Have the principles of broad participation of all stakeholders in the education system, including those directly responsible for the implementation of the program, been met? What is the level of commitment and responsibility of different actors?

Soundness and Relevance: Does the plan constitute a solid corpus of strategies and actions addressing key challenges of the education sector? What empirical evidence was available and was it used effectively? What of the relevance of policies and programs, does the plan have a sound action plan? What lessons have been learned from the implementation of previous NEAP?

Equity, Efficiency and Learning: Are the key dimensions of equity, efficiency, and learning soundly addressed to increase sector performance? Does the strategy promote equitable access to quality education and learning from ECCE through secondary for all children, including the most marginalized? Do the proposed priorities and programs form a relevant response to the challenges? Does the plan have a results framework that addresses these dimensions?

Coherence: Is there consistency between the various components of the NEAP? Is there coherence among the strategies, programs, and interventions in the plan?

Feasibility, Implementability, Monitorability: Do the financing, implementation and monitoring arrangements offer a good perspective for achievement?

Is the financial plan adequate and realistic? How realistic is the plan for the 5 years of delivery 2021-25, considering financial constraints, considering experiences from the implementation of current NEAP? Is the plan sufficiently prioritized?

Monitoring and evaluation - does the plan provide robust indicators based on valid and reliable data to monitor the progress toward the achievement of outputs and outcomes described in the results framework? Do they allow for alignment in reporting at national , regional and international levels.

System Capacities - has the plan identified key institutional and human capacity to implement the plan? Risks - what potential risks, including fiduciary, have been identified? What are the risk mitigation measures? Are there any other possible constraints to implementation? Are there concrete time bound deliverables? Is it building on what has worked? Are there strategies in place to improve and establish good governance practices and management accountability across the system?

It is expected that the consultant conducting the NEAP appraisal has a strong understanding of the GPE process for the activity, and previous experience in carrying out appraisal under such guidelines.

In order to ensure that both a Pacific perspective is brought to the appraisal and to build the capacity of education professionals in the region to undertake appraisal, the consultant will be expected to include an education professional from the region, identified by UNICEF and the Institute of Education (USP) in the appraisal process. This person will play a full role in the process and support the drafting of the appraisal report. The consultant is expected to provide guidance and mentoring to the identified personnel during the appraisal process.

In addition to producing the appraisal report, the consultant will be expected to develop a summarized version, with supporting PowerPoint , of the results which MEHRD may use for presentation to key stakeholders.

Following completion of the assessment, the report will be submitted to UNICEF, as Grant Agent of the Education Sector Plan Development Grant, who will share the draft appraisal report with the Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development, MFAT as the Coordinating Agency, the GPE Secretariat, and relevant stakeholders in the EDPCG.

Deliverable

Tasks/Milestone:

Deliverables/Outputs:

Due Date

Desk review and preparation of draft appraisal report

Summary of inclusion of Pacific personnel and areas of guidance and mentoring.

  • Draft Appraisal Report

  • 7 days after commencement

Consultations with MEHRD, EDPCG and other stakeholders as per GPE guidelines for Independent Appraisal

Finalization of appraisal report, integrating comments as relevant and fully in line with GPE Appraisal Guidelines, and preparation of a summarized version, presented and discussed with MEHRD and EDPCG.

Summary of guidance and mentoring to Pacific professional.

Final Appraisal Report

13 days

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

  • Masters in Education and/or public policy with education work experience. Other related fields will be considered in combination with professional training and experience.
  • Demonstrated knowledge of the IIEP/GPE guidelines
  • A minimum of 10 years relevant professional and demonstrated experience in sector planning and sector plan review and appraisal
  • Understanding of, and experience in, the endorsement procedures of the GPE
  • Expertise in the financing / economics of education to appraise the cost and financing plans, or ability to mobilize the same
  • Strong knowledge regarding quality, efficiency and equity in education
  • Knowledge and experience of the Pacific (required) with preference for experience in the Solomon Islands
  • Demonstrated experience working with a Ministry of Education
  • Demonstrated experience working with international / national education data
  • Skills in summarizing findings in a clear and concise manner, accessible to those less acquainted with the content
  • Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of the local language is an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

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

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:

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