National Consultant for Monitoring Distance Learning

Contract

This is a Consultancy contract. More about Consultancy contracts.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, gender identity and sexual orientation, as well as persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization. UNICEF’s office is accessible to a certain extent, and employees are entitled to reasonable accommodations that are needed for ensuring equitable working conditions.

The worldwide outbreak of COVID-19 has deeply disrupted the education system and forced all actors in the system to quickly turn to distance learning and use digital tools, but has also brought forward existing social inequalities and weakness related to the resilience of education system and its capacity to organise quality blended and online learning activities.

UNICEF in Serbia and the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development (MoESTD), with the support from the European Union, are aiming to contribute to bridging the digital divide between the general population of students and those most vulnerable across the country, within the project “Prevention of digital divide for most vulnerable children”. The overall objective of the project is to strengthen the resilience of the education system to equitably serve all children’s access to learning during times of emergency, with a particular focus on Roma children.

At the national level, further development of an inclusive education system and institutional capacity strengthening for effective delivery, management and monitoring of online and blended learning among vulnerable children will be supported. This includes development of new policy measures and change of the existing legal framework relevant to the integration of online learning, blended learning and distance learning (DL) into the system, ensuring strategic approach for delivering of equity, inclusive and accessible digital education to all children and introducing effective, free and applicable tools, approaches and practices in digital education.

Work Assignment Overview:

The purpose of this assignment is to provide technical support to the MoESTD and the Institute for Education Quality and Evaluation (IEQE) in developing a system for monitoring and evaluation of digital education. IEQE will be supported to develop appropriate monitoring mechanisms, including in case of emergencies, such as Covid-19 pandemics (key indicators, modality of data collection; responsibilities of institutions, frequency of reporting, etc), thus improving the national capacities to generate critical data needed.

Under the general guidance and direction of UNICEF Education Officer, the consultant shall be responsible to provide technical support for the preparation of a monitoring framework and accompanying tools to be used in monitoring distance learning at the national level, develop a monitoring report on access to and quality of distance and blended learning, and support state partners in activities related to reporting during the COVID-19 pandemic response. The national consultant will work in close collaboration with the international consultant for Monitoring Distance Learning.

Duration of the assignment: June – October 2021 (up to 35 workdays)

Task description:

1. Collect and analyze data on Education system in Serbia and quality of distance and blended learning in the ongoing COVID-19 crisis (in cooperation with international consultant) with special focus on the impact on children from marginalized/vulnerable groups.
2. Develop a monitoring framework on digital education fitting into the system of quality assurance in education (in cooperation with the international consultant including consultation with state bodies and UNICEF).
3. Support state partners (MoESTD, IEQE, IEE) and UNICEF in Serbia in activities related to reporting during the COVID-19 pandemic response.
4. Further develop the monitoring and evaluation plan of the project “Bridging Digital Divide in Serbia for Most Vulnerable Children”.

Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required:

• University degree in Science (including Social sciences), Humanities, Technology, or Mathematics;
• Professional experience in areas related to education, including statistical analysis and education policy related work;
• Proven experience in monitoring and evaluation in education; experience in monitoring and evaluation of digital learning would be an asset;
• Excellent knowledge of the Serbian education system;
• Strong analytical and writing skills;
• Excellent communication and teamwork skills;
• Ability to meet tight deadlines through excellent time management and organization;
• Sound judgement in follow-up on requests;
• Good knowledge of both Serbian and English language;
• Work experience with UNICEF and/or other international organizations would be considered as an advantage.

How to apply:

The application must include a financial proposal in RSD as a separate document, providing the following information:

1. Daily rate (all costs included, e.g. usage of mobile phone).

Important notes:

Incomplete applications will not be taken into consideration.

Only shortlisted candidates will be notified and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

For every child, you must demonstrate UNICEF's core values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability.

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, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.