National Individual Consultant to provide technical support in developing and introducing the Regional Initiative on “Learning Passport” Platform for Early Childhood Education in Uzbekistan
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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.
Background:
UNICEF has been promoting the use of innovative tools to deliver various programs intended to have positive social impact and different programme teams is taking lead to identify, prototype, and scale up digital solutions to strengthen UNICEF's work for children over the decades. Recognizing the potential of digital solutions in improving quality of life and services for children and their families, UNICEF Europe and Central Asia Regional Office (ECARO) supports development and scale up of technology-based solutions across the countries in ECA region.
UNICEF's work on early childhood development (ECD) in Europe and Central Asia (ECA) recognizes that every growing child need nurturing care, good health, optimal nutrition and a stimulating and safe environment that offers plenty of support for early learning. With the current COVID19 crisis, solutions are needed to ensure continuity in early childhood education services and to support the youngest learners, their caregivers and educators, during and post the COVID-19 pandemic. Recognizing the potential of digital solutions, UNICEF is rapidly seeking to deploy practical resources and materials to support early learning.
One of these digital solutions is 'Learning Passport' (LP) which is a global initiative led by UNICEF HQ and delivered through country offices.
The Learning Passport is an initiative developed in a partnership mode between UNICEF, Microsoft, Cambridge, and supported by the Boston Consulting Group. LP has been established to:
- provide local, contextualized content with a supplementary library of global content, mapped together via research by Cambridge;
- provide a platform to serve this content to children and youth online or offline, via a platform being developed by Microsoft; and
- with an individualized record of learning for a user, that is portable across physical and digital borders.
The Learning Passport, as an extraordinary emergency response, will help to create Country-level sites available on request, to Country Offices (CO) that would like to make access to curriculum and learning materials available for students with connectivity at home. While the platform has primarily been used to date for older students (primary to adolescence), the platform will be adapted in ECA region to support preschool age children, their caregivers, and their teachers to ensure age appropriate and quality early learning. The envisioned digital platforms aim to enhance continued engagement with families and parents on learning at home by providing practical resources and materials that can be applied in home settings. Its second aim is to strengthen professional development opportunities and facilitate collaboration between preschool educators and other staff on sharing ideas, best practices and activities that can be implemented in kindergartens. Ultimately, the digital preschool platforms should support building and strengthening of a national community of practice between parents, teachers and children, with shared principles around early learning and development.
Uzbekistan is one of the six countries are selected to deploy Learning Passport platforms and to develop appropriate content in line with the needs and requirements of different user group in ECA region. Uzbekistan Country Office will work with the Ministry of Preschool Education (MOPSE) implementing this initiative. The UNICEF ECARO will guide and support the process of deployment of digital platforms at the national level. Funds have been allocated to implement this project form HQ for 8-12-month period.
Purpose:
Under the supervision of the Chief of Education and ECD Officer and in close collaboration with ECARO Business Analyst, Technology for Development section and ECD Advisor, the individual contractor selected for this assignment will work with government counterparts (MOPSE) for the successful adaptation and deployment of the Learning Passport global platform, and other related solutions, to accelerate the achievement of ECD results in Uzbekistan context. The individual contractor will also complement in liaising with all stakeholders to build a preferred set of solutions with the aim to lower the barrier of entry into COVID-related digital initiatives and increase solution portability for Uzbekistan.
Description of the Assignment and Tasks:
- Overall management and coordination of the project, liaison between UNICEF RO, CO and the Government (MOPSE).
- Define overall goals, objectives, and vision for the national platform in partnership with government and key stakeholders.
- Provide inputs to a rapid assessment of effective digital preschool platforms and features that can be considered, compiles relevant examples, to support decision making and reflection at CO level.
- In consultation with MOPSE and UNICEF define user groups, phases and starting points of the project.
- In partnership with RO, chart a plan for content compilation, define scope of content and framework for the way content will be presented.
- Provide support in setting up of the country-specific workspace and access through country specific webpages.
- Management and coordination of the content review, adaptation and upload. This will include use and adaptation of the Parenting Application content and making linkages in between two platforms. Translation and adaptation of resources available from other countries, review of developed content which RO will provide common principles, ideas and examples.
- With support and guidance of LP team and in partnership with RO, support in the development of country site, the piloting of content upload, testing of sites by users before going live
- Technical assistance and leadership in deployment of the LP at the country level:
- Under the guidance of the RO LP Team, provide deployment of Country specific content and adapt LP, for use at CO level, maximizing available features;
- Provide technical assistance at Country level in identifying and assessing other learning management initiatives, or new phases of ongoing initiatives, with potential to improve the UNICEF ECD/E programmatic and emergency response;
- Support testing of LP in terms of functionality, suitability, alignment with technical specifications at the country level.
- Capacity building of local specialists on technology related issues and digital learning solutions
- Lessons learned and best practices are continually to be documented and shared with supervisors and LP team. Process Documenting Report upon completion of the assignment. Monthly reports provided to supervisors.
- Any other duties based on the developments, requirements as needed.
Research and Monitoring:
- Provide support to RO in analyses data populated through LP platforms and monitoring of uptake and performance of digital solutions
Provide support to RO in capturing lessons learnt from country experience and share common resources if available;
Document and disseminate information on the outcome of the learning passport and other existing digital learning platform for ECD in Uzbekistan.
Timeline:
The assignment is full time between 8-11 months starting ideally from November 2020. Preferably the candidate will be available for 11 months.
Activities and deliverables
Task
Deliverable
Estimated Timeframe
Task 1: In discussion with UNICEF team, define the roles and responsibilities in the overall management and coordination of the project, including the modalities of the liaison between UNICEF RO, CO and the Government (MOPSE).
Process documentation report (including summary /minutes of the meetings)
In the first month of the assignment
Task 2: Defining the overall goals, objectives, and vision for the national platform in partnership and discussion with government and key stakeholders
An inception Report which elaborates on the LP Framework of Implementation: with definitions, objectives and vision for national platform.
Monthly report
In a month after starting the assignment
Task 3: Facilitate a rapid assessment of effective digital preschool platforms and features that can be considered, compiles relevant examples, to support decision making and reflection at CO level.
Monthly report
Throughout the assignment period
Task 4: In consultation with MOPSE and UNICEF define user groups, phases and starting points of the project.
Work plan for the implementation
Monthly report
In two months after starting the assignment
Task 5: In partnership with RO, chart a plan for content compilation, define scope of content and framework for the way content will be presented.
Monthly report
Throughout the assignment period
Task 6: Provide support in setting up of the country-specific workspace and access through country specific webpages.
Monthly report
Throughout the assignment period
Task 7: Management and coordination of the content review, adaptation and upload. This will include use and adaptation of the Parenting Application content and making linkages in between two platforms.
Monthly report
Throughout the assignment period
Task 8: With support and guidance of LP team and in partnership with RO, support in the development of country site, the piloting of content upload, testing of sites by users before going live.
Monthly report
Throughout the assignment period
Task 9: Technical assistance and leadership in deployment of the LP at the country level.
Monthly report
Throughout the assignment period
Task 10: Lessons learned and best practices are continually to be documented and shared with supervisors and LP team. Process Documenting Report upon completion of the assignment. Monthly reports provided to supervisors.
Report on lessons learned
Process Documenting Report
At the end of the assignment
Task 11: Any other duties based on the developments, requirements as needed.
Monthly report
Throughout the assignment period
Management:
Under the guidance of the Chief of Education, ECD Officer will directly supervise the National Consultant. National Consultant will be working in consultation with Learning Passport Team and in close collaboration with ECARO Business Analyst, Technology for Development section and ECD Advisor.
Resource requirements:
According to UNICEF policy, the final fees will be set up based on the “best value for money” principle. Total project is expected to be allocated for the period of 8-11 months. Payment will be made upon satisfactory completion of the assignment on monthly bases and provision of monthly reports of accomplished tasks and deliverables approved by the supervisor.
The candidates are requested to submit their financial offer consisting of fee for the services to be provided. The Consultant will receive direct payment to his/her indicated bank account in Uzbek Sums based on the UN currency exchange rate.
To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…
- University degree (Bachelor) in Information Systems Management, ICT Management, International Development, Education, Digital Education, Instructional Design, Digital publishing, Computer Science or another related field.
- At least 3 years of professional work experience in Technology for Development (T4D) which might include: information system development, innovative programs, including mobile and web-based applications, with manifested capacity to manage programmes involving many stakeholders.
- Working experience or good knowledge of instructional design, digital publishing or e-learning platform configuration;
- Experience in supporting and coordinating project activities across an organization and with other international partner organizations desirable;
- Proven training and capacity building skills for a range of stakeholders
- Extensive experience in bridging the gap between technical and non-technical people desirable
- Knowledge of at least Teams, SharePoint, GitHub, Trello, Jira, Aha
- Excellent communication abilities, in both written and oral forms. Consultant should be at ease in presentations and meetings
- Demonstrated ability and experience in coordination, and able to work under pressure is required
- Fluency in Uzbek, Russian and good working English
Procedures and Working Conditions
UNICEF will reserve copy right of all developed materials and own primary data collected through this assignment. The materials cannot be published or disseminated without prior written permission of UNICEF. UNICEF will be free to adapt and modify materials produced at any time.
The consultant must clearly identify any potential ethical issues arising from the fulfilment of her/his tasks and duties in the framework of this assignment and ensure that s/he performs the assignment in a manner that does not expose UNICEF to any such risks. This last sentence contains a very important point.
The Consultant is expected to work independently and respond to feedback from the supervisor in a timely and professional manner, to be results driven, and to have the ability to work under pressure and meet required deadlines. You again used parallelism (to work/to be/to have) to connect your ideas.
UNICEF undertakes no liability for taxes, duty or other contribution payable by the consultant on payments made under this contract
Reservations.
UNICEF reserves the right to withhold all or a portion of payment if the performance is unsatisfactory, if deliverable(s) are incomplete, not finalized or for failure to meet deadlines. UNICEF will reserve copyright of all developed materials and own primary data collected through this assignment. The materials cannot be published or disseminated without prior written permission of UNICEF. UNICEF will be free to adapt and modify them in the future. The contractor must respect the confidentiality of the information handled during the assignment. Documents and information provided must be used only for the tasks related to these terms of reference.
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.
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.
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Source:
unicef.org
