National Consultancy – Development of the National Learning Assessment Framework (Open to Malawian Nationals Only)

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.

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For every child, learning!

BACKGROUND

Malawi is like most sub-Saharan African countries have made significant progress in access to primary education. The Education Sector Performance Report (2019) highlighted that Malawi continues to maintain high rates of participation at the primary education level with gross enrolment ratios (GER) exceeding over the last 100 percent for the four years (112 percent in 2019). This indicates that the system has the capacity to host all children of the relevant school-going-age. The net enrolment rate at primary is 91 percent. These improvements could be attributed to the free primary education policy the government introduced in 1994. Furthermore, in the recent past, there has been an increase in the number of new primary schools and additional classrooms constructed at existing schools, with support from various partners including UNICEF, the Global Partnership for Education(GPE), and the Royal Norwegian government. However, primary school infrastructure remains inadequate with a permanent Classroom ratio at primary at 1 classroom to 120 pupils. In the new education sector plan 2020-2030, the Ministry of Education(MoE) plans to expand equitable access, improve quality and learning as well as governance and accountability in the system.

At the secondary level, the growth in enrolment is still very slow, with only about 38.4 percent of children transitioning to secondary school. Over the last four years, secondary education has had “a growth rate of 5.5 percent from 358,033 students in 2015 to 377,731 students in 2019”. The net enrolment at the secondary level is paltry 15%. Malawi requires significant investment to expand access to secondary education including open and distance, online learning, and double shifting as alternative strategies for increasing access to secondary education.

Gender parity in school participation at the national level has been achieved at the primary level and has remained consistent over the last 4 years. However, at the secondary level, gender parity is yet to be achieved and is currently at 0.94, with a glaring disparity between rural and urban secondary schools at 0.92 and 1.03 respectively.

Challenges remain to ensure the quality of the education provided. Learning outcomes in primary schools in Malawi continue to remain poor as reported in the Monitoring Learning Achievement (MLA) Survey at Standard 4 and 7 that was carried out by the Ministry of Education and supported by UNICEF when was it conducted( 2015. The results showed a declined percentile of learners meeting minimum proficiency in English and Mathematics by 6 percent and 52 percent, respectively as they progress from standard 4 to 8. Most learners failed to reach a 40 percent mark in the national primary curriculum performance specification. At the secondary level, only 50 percent of the Form four learners who sat for the 2019 Malawi School Certificate examination passed.

Several factors have been attributed to this low learning achievement. Firstly, there is inadequate school readiness, with only 48.73 percent of children accessing Early Childhood Development (ECD) centers. At the primary level, large classes in early grades, in some districts up to one teacher to 120 learners, inadequate teaching and learning materials, an insufficient number of qualified teachers (1:68), including female teachers, and teachers requiring continuous professional development needed to build and sustain a qualified cadre of teachers. Additionally, teachers lack the requisite skills to support learners with learning difficulties.

As part of the mechanisms addressing learning challenges, the Ministry of Education would like to improve the assessment systems in Malawi. Of concern is how can assessment contribute to improving teaching and learning processes at all levels of the education system. To this effect, the MoE requested UNICEF for technical support to undertake the scoping of the assessment system in Malawi, make recommendations for improvement and design a national assessment system based on approved recommendations.

JUSTIFICATION

The National Education Sector Investment Plan ( NESIP- 2020 to 2030) details the MoE priorities and strategies to improve education delivery at levels. Specifically, the NESIP has the following strategic objectives: 1) Improve equitable access to education (entry on age and completion) and participation in inclusive education at all levels (ECE, primary, secondary); 2) Improve quality and relevance of teaching and learning at all levels of education and 3) Improve governance, management, and accountability of education service delivery.

To achieve these objectives especially objective 2 on improving quality and relevance the key priority is to “Enhance systems for assessment of learning outcomes”. This proposed technical support in form of a consultancy will thus form the basis of generating evidence and development of the national assessment system that the country aspires for, that would oversee learning assessments at all levels.

The timing of the development of the national assessment is also significant as it is at the beginning of the last decade towards the Sustainable Development Goals. It thus gives the country the opportunity to push for the attaining of the SDG 4 goal and targets, particularly target 4.1 which states that “ by 2030, ensure that all girls and boys complete free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education leading to relevant and effective learning outcomes”. A well-defined national assessment system will contribute to tracking learning achievements and providing feedback to learners, teachers, and education managers on how to improve education delivery. The national assessment framework will further strengthen the monitoring of learning achievement, which is conducted every four years. The kast on was conducted in 2015; another one is planned for 2021.

How can you make a difference?

The scope of work is based on key parameters is as follows:

Scope: The scoping and development of the national assessment framework will be limited to Early Childhood Education, Primary and Secondary levels.

Geography: The consultations will be undertaken at national and sub-national levels.

Stakeholders: These include Ministry of Education Directorates, District Education offices, Malawi Institue of Education, Malawi National Examination Board and Divisions, Development Partners, and NGOs working in the education sector.

The work will be undertaken in two phases;

1. Phase one: Scoping, data collection, and report validation - This will respond to objectives 1 and 2 of the assignment (June to July 2021).
2. Phase two: Design and Development of National Assessment Framework – this will respond to objective three of the assignment and is dependant on successful completion of phase 1. (August to October 2021)

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

• Advanced university degree in Education, Educational Assessment and Measurement, Curriculum development, Social Sciences or other relevant subjects
• At least five years of experience in program design; institutional development, policy dialogue, reform of the educational systems
• Experience in the development of curriculum or assessment guidelines
• Experience in participatory consultative techniques
• Ability to work independently and accurately
• Ability to work effectively in teams and in a multicultural environment
• High sense of integrity and results-oriented
• Computer skills, including internet navigation, and various office applications
• Excellent communication and writing skills in English and interpersonal skills
• Fluency in local languages is an asset

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA) and core competencies in Communication, Working with People, and Drive for Results.

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

Click here to learn more about UNICEF’s values and competencies.

For more information about the assignment please refer to the attached Terms and Conditions of Service (ToRs)

TOR for National Learning Assessment Framework.pdf

Use the attached template to submit your financial proposal

Financial proposal template.xlsx

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 credentials (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.