Partnership Compact for the implementation of the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) initiative in Angola. From 16.09-30.12 (45 days), Nationals and Internationals can apply ( Portuguese

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The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) have worked in Angola continuously since 1976 with mandate to support government and non-state actors to protect the rights and promote the wellbeing of every child.

Our work is aligned with Sustainable Development Goals and aims to ensure each child in each 18 provinces has access to good health services, quality education opportunities, clean water, and toilets; and children grow up protected and develop in an inclusive, just, and peaceful society.

Since its establishment, UNICEF has been helping the government of Angola to strengthen national policies, programmes and services to ensure that every child enjoy their rights.

UNICEF’s capacity, technical skills and structure allow us to work effectively with policy and decision-makers and be among the first responders to humanitarian crisis. It allows us to assess and respond quickly to the priorities and needs of communities in the most remote and underserved areas of the country.

UNICEF protects and promotes the rights of every child in Angola.

For every child, education.

How can you make a difference?

1. BACKGROUND AND RATIONALE

In the last 14 years, the Net Enrolment Rate (NER) in Secondary Education in Angola has increased from 18.9 to 39.9, while the NER in Primary Education has decreased from 76.3 to 71.1. Several factors, such as the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, recurrent climate related shocks, which exacerbated the socio-economic situation of families, coupled with low investment in education, high population growth, the shortage of teachers, poor quality of education, the lack of external Learning Assessments, as well as the lack of timely data tracking, monitoring and provision, have led to a crisis in access, increased drop-out rates and levels of learning loss that have put many children and adolescents at risk of having their right to education postponed.

Regarding the decline in access to education, according to the IDREA 2018-2019 survey, approximately 25% of all children aged 5-17 years were out of school, with a marked gender gap to the disadvantage of girls at 29.2% compared to 20.5% for boys; and rural children at 37.5% compared to 17.4% for urban children. According to research conducted by MED-UNICEF, dropout and non-return rates exceeded 15.6% after school closure during the pandemic, ranging from 13% in urban areas to 50% in rural areas, tending to be higher in secondary schools and for boys at all levels of education. Children face difficulties in staying in school, passing through and completing their studies. The net enrolment rate in primary education is 71.1% (71.8% boys, 70.5% girls), but drops dramatically to 39.9% in secondary education (41.6% for boys, 38.3% for girls). School completion rates show a dramatic downward trend as the levels of education progress, showing a marked difference between the sexes, with girls having on average 8.3 percentage points lower completion rates than boys at all levels of education. The pandemic period in which school closures occurred may have exacerbated pre-existing problems in the education sector, as shown by the MODA analysis (INE-UNICEF, 2018): only 43.7% of children aged 12-17 had completed basic education, and 40% of children aged 8-11 were at least two years behind academically.

Another major challenge is low learning outcomes. In Angola, according to the Executive Report on Service Delivery Indicators (SDI-2016), more than 90% of children could not read a word in Portuguese when they were in Grade 3. The poor learning outcomes of children are closely related to the skills and performance of teachers: no teacher scored more than 80% in the Portuguese and mathematics tests (this is the minimum set in the SDI indicators); and the average test scores in Portuguese, mathematics and pedagogy, on a scale of 100, for Portuguese language they stood at 11.1% and for mathematics at 12.7%. At the time of the SDI survey, 37% of teachers were neither present in their school nor teaching in the classroom, a proportion that rises to 45% in the rural areas. Of the total number of absent teachers, 42% were unjustified. Furthermore, according to World Bank (WB) data, an Angolan child who starts school at the age of 5 can expect to complete 7.9 years of schooling by the age of 18, with effective learning of 4.2 years (World Bank, 2022).

Adolescent girls and women bear the brunt of gender disparities, with lower enrolment and completion rates than boys. While the gender parity index at national level is 0.98 for both primary and secondary education (IDREA) , in rural areas it drops dramatically to 0.51 for secondary education, with girls facing multiple barriers in accessing and remaining in the education system: pregnancy and early marriage, household chores, school non/enrolment and insufficient WASH infrastructure that does not take into account the needs of girls during menstruation; also, the socio-economic situation of the family leads girls into commercial or agricultural activities in the informal market. While the low quality of education is an issue in Angola, limited access to secondary level and limited employment opportunities after completion are also a significant concern (World Bank, 2018).

In this respect, Angola faces the challenge of fulfilling SDG 4.2, which aims to achieve universal quality education for all, in relatively few years by 2030.

This is where GPE's support to the government will be based on institutional capacity building that can help to mark a change in the way policies are defined and implemented to increase access to quality learning.

Angola's eligibility for funding under the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) initiative)

As of 2021, Angola is eligible for the GPE funding initiative, which launches its new strategic plan, entitled “GPE 2025”, with the following objective: “ Accelerating progress, improving learning outcomes and gender equality through equitable, inclusive and resilient education systems suitable for the 21st century”. The GPE initiative was an opportunity for the government to bring together development cooperation partners and other civil society actors to formally establish themselves as a Local Education Group (LEG), interested in working together to increase access to education for all children in Angola, and continuously improve the quality of education. The LEG coordination mechanism was formalized in January 2022, and will provide the education sector with the framework for stakeholders to support the national priorities of the Ministry of Education (MED) under the GPE initiative. The LEG has an oversight and decision-making role on the implementation of the GPE initiative, and will seek the combination of visions, synergies, wills and resources, aligned with educational priorities. In general, given its advisory role, the LEG provides information, technical support and makes recommendations for consideration and decision-making by the MED. ( For further details on the functioning and composition of the LEG in Angola, please refer to Annex 1).

In addition to the establishment of the LEG, with the aim of boosting the GPE initiative in Angola, a Task Force was created with the participation of the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, UNICEF, World Bank and the UK Embassy. The Task Force has been working on the Analysis of Key Drivers that will allow Angola to apply for funding from the different grants offered by the GPE (strengthening the capacity of the education system, accelerating girls' education and multiplier). Angola has also made progress towards consolidating sectoral dialogue and coordination work. An LEG meeting was held in February 2023, where UNICEF was elected as the Coordinating Agency and the British Embassy as the Deputy Coordinating Agency. At the same meeting, it was decided to establish the LEG Secretariat and to contract technical assistance or consultancy using grant resources for capacity development of the system. The role of this secretariat will be to support sector coordination by mapping partners' interventions, organizing regular meetings and carrying out operational tasks for effective partnership and success of the GPE processes in Angola.

An essential part of the functioning of the LEG in relation to the grants that may be awarded by the GPE initiative is the Partnership Compact, which sets out the broader strategic framework of interventions and agreements on how the government and its partners will work around public education policies and institutional capacity building that will lead to the transformation of the education system. The Partnership Compact thus sets out the accountability framework agreed between the partners of the Local Education Group, under the leadership of the Ministry of Education, and this should be aligned with existing planning efforts in Angola, including the National Education Development Plan 2017-2030 and the priorities of the new government to be incorporated into the National Development Plan 2023-2027.

The Partnership Compact model, which provides an opportunity for the most appropriate GPE working methods within the national systems, is the basis for determining the focus and modalities of GPE grants through joint arrangements (harmonization and alignment with other ongoing programmes and development and consolidation of existing capacities). In this regard, the Partnership Compact aims to mobilize partnerships and investments that transform education systems. Finally, the Partnership Compact should be submitted to the GPE Board to inform the strategic parameters set by the country to decide on the amount of the System Transformation Grant to be awarded to Angola.

2. Objective

Provide technical support for the development of the Partnership Compact in Angola under the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) funding initiative, defining the strategic framework for the use of GPE grants and the working arrangements between the different partners in the education sector, ensuring the harmonization of education sector priorities, their alignment with policies, systems and the main transformation processes in the education sector.

3. Key Activities:

• Provide background documentation to support the development of the Partnership Compact based on the compilation and organization of existing public education policy documents in Angola. • Provide technical support for the rapid review of documents relevant to the development of the Partnership Compact to determine the current status of policy issues related to its implementation. • Facilitate consultation processes and policy dialogues with the Local Education Group and other key stakeholders for the priorities defined for GPE grants. • Coordinate and implement at least two consultation workshops on the draft Partnership Compact with LEG members and other relevant stakeholders to obtain input into its design. • Assist the government and development partners to identify and draft the priority education reform for the country. It is important that this priority reform is clearly identified and agreed by all. • Support partners in deciding on actions to address key gender issues identified in the development of the Partnership Compact. • Develop the draft Partnership Compact document, taking into account the inputs from the LEG consultation and the rapid desk review. • Incorporate the recommendations and main elements of the Independent Technical Advisory Panel (ITAP) report into the text of the Partnership Compact, as well as help identify actions to address the issues identified in each of the Key Drivers. • Present and validate the Partnership Compact document to the Local Education Group and other stakeholders relevant to the education sector in Angola. • Coordinate and facilitate working meetings with the Task Force to refine the proposed Partnership Compact document based on inputs from LEG and other stakeholders relevant to the education sector in Angola. • Facilitate discussion of the proposed Partnership Compact document in relation to monitoring, evaluation and learning. • Facilitate discussion of the proposed Partnership Compact document in relation to resource allocation and cost efficiency. • Support the government and development partners in how GPE resources will be used and map the alignment of partners' resources and projects over the life of the Partnership Compact, highlighting how key gender barriers identified will be addressed. • Produce the final Partnership Compact document with all inputs gathered throughout the process. • Support the government in preparing the necessary documentation for the submission of the Partnership Compact to the GPE. • Coordinate and facilitate the consultation process to provide the LEG with inputs derived from the GPE Secretariat feedback. • Support the technical staff to develop the final Partnership Compact, incorporating inputs from the consultation with the GPE Secretariat. • Incorporate the elements and suggestions from the Independent Technical Advisory Panel (ITAP) report and specific activities to address the main challenges, as well as the identification of activities to be financed with the resources of the different grants (Accelerator, Multiplier and System Capacity Building). • Support the selection process of the Grant Agencies, the development of selection criteria in response to the political priorities of the Partnership Compact and the timetable for the selection.

5. Methodology The Partnership Compact will be developed through a process of self-assessment and diagnosis (based on the Key Drivers Analysis carried out by the MED Task Force and validated by LEG), followed by priorization and alignment.

In Angola, the Key Drivers have been prioritized at high, medium or low priority level, as follows : 1. Data and evidence (high priority). 2. Sectoral gender policy planning and monitoring (high priority). 3. Coordinated dialogue (high priority). 4. Coordinated funding (medium priority). 5. Volume, equity and efficiency of internal sector funding (high priority).

As part of this analysis, the following areas have been identified as priorities for Angola: • Priority 1: Gender equality; • Priority 2: Access to education; • Priority 3: Quality learning.

The high priority indicates that progress is unlikely to be made in the areas identified for the transformation of the education system in Angola, unless significant reforms are undertaken in the Key Drivers concerned. In other words, it will be essential for Angola to propose actions to address the challenges around the following factors: data and evidence, gender-sensitive policy planning and sector monitoring, coordinated dialogue, as well as volume, equity and efficiency of financing.

The Compact will identify the specific actions required to carry out the proposed system reform based on the Analysis of Key Drivers, and will include an agreed monitoring and evaluation mechanism to inform ongoing discussions, learning and adaptation of planned activities.

In developing the actions, the root causes of service delivery blockages will be addressed, taking into account their interconnection, so as not to fragment or create false solutions.

The Compact will describe the selected priority reform(s) and how each Compact partner can use its interests, skills and resources to achieve them.

This will require meetings with the Task Force to agree on the work schedule and the key actors to be interviewed, and to participate in the consultation and validation workshops of the partnership compact; it will also require at least two consultation and validation workshops with LEG members and other related actors.

Links to the reference documents for this consultancy (available in Portuguese) Partnership compact guidelines | Documents | Global Partnership for Education Key Drivers screening questionnaire and analysis | Documents | Global Partnership for Education Document library | Global Partnership for Education (select “Partnership Compact” in the “Document Type” option.

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

The consultant must have the following qualifications: - At least five years of relevant and proven experience in the education sector, preferably in sector assessments, education policy planning and evaluation; - Specific knowledge and experience of working within the GPE initiative is an advantage; in particular working in the development of the Partnerships Compact. (https://www.globalpartnership.org/content/partnership-compact-guidelines) - Extensive knowledge of the national and international education agenda in terms of access, equity, quality and addressing children's rights; - Knowledge of the Angolan education system and the social, economic, political and cultural context of Angola; - Experience working with the United Nations or similar development agencies is an advantage; - Experience in facilitating technical working groups and running workshops with a wide range of stakeholders; - Strong writing skills; - Professional fluency in the Portuguese language is a must; Fluency in the English language is an advantage;

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.