UNICEF - Mali Recruitment of a national Individual contractor to support UNICEF’s education response to the COVID 19 pandemic (6 months)

Consultant Mid Teaching & Training Programme & Policy

Contract

This is a Consultancy contract. More about Consultancy contracts.

This is a NO-3 contract. This kind of contract is known as National Professional Officers. It is normally only for nationals. It's a staff contract. More about NO-3 contracts.

Introduction

These terms of reference have been developed to recruit a consultant to support the education COVID response in Mali.

Background

Despite Mali's efforts to commit to Education for All by 2015, the country has fallen behind in achieving this goal. To date, Mali still has 2 million children out of school, and at risk of dropping out of school (primary and lower secondary school age). In addition, demographic trends suggest that this figure will increase in the near future. While school exclusion in Mali is caused by multiple structural factors associated with demand as well as barriers on the educational supply side, the OOSC problem is magnified by a weak education management system.

The complex crisis facing Mali since 2012, which includes political instability, armed conflict and recurring floods and food insecurity is adding difficulties and increasing barriers to access to education. As of March 2020, more than 1,200 schools were closed in Northern and Central regions of the country due to insecurity (threats and direct attacks against infrastructure and personals) affecting more than 370,000 children. In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic has led to the closure of all schools since mid-March 2020 (early June only the examination classes have reopened).

Half of the country is affected by insecurity and the entire country by COVID-19. In this context it becomes needed to strengthen and increase the education in emergency capacity of the education team to support the COVID-19 response.

Therefore, through these ToRs, the UNICEF Bamako CO wants to recruit an individual contractor Education Specialist to support the work around COVID-19 .

Objectives

The purpose of this consultancy is to support the Education section in education COVID-19 response.

The main objective is to assist the education section in the planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of assigned project(s) for COVID-19 response.

Justification

Mali is facing multiple crisis that have important impact on access to education, quality and education system. The COVID pandemic has created more pressure and difficulties. UNICEF has raised funds to support the government response strategy to COVID 19 in education. In this frame UNICEF additional capacity to support the implementation of this response.

Scope of Work

UNICEF’s education response to the COVID-19 pandemic is aligned with the Ministry of Education COVID-19 strategy. It is also in line with procedures and guidelines issued by the organization.

All the activities will be done under the supervision of chief of education and / or education in emergencies specialist.

The individual contractor will work closely with other education officers in zonal offices, and in Bamako and as needed with UNICEF colleagues from other sections (WASH, Child Protection, PME, etc.). He/she will also collaborate with implementing partners and the Ministry of Education as needed.

The individual contractor will provide all relevant information and documents to EiE specialist to jointly decide the best way to communicate with implementing partners, MoE and address any problems.

Specific Tasks

Support the planning and implementation of Education COVID-19 response

- Consolidate and organise information and data from the planning and implementation of COVID-19 education projects to support the coordination and ensure complementarity of the different COVID-19 projects (ECW FERs, GPE, other COVID funds).

- Follow up the implementation of COVID-19 Prodoc, provide concrete suggestions to address possible bottlenecks

- Support the implementing partners selection and partnership / admin process for COVID grants

- Support new COVID-19 proposal design and planning as needed

Develop and scale up implementation of evidence based and inclusive strategies

- Provide accurate and timely inputs in proposals, reports and other key Covid-19 related documents

- Identifies new strategies and means of action to accelerate/improve service delivery for education COVID-19 response including in Disaster Risk Reduction, Mental Health and Psychosocial support and distance learning

Support coordination, monitoring and reporting

- Support the coordination of WASH in schools in context of COVID-19 activities implementation, monitoring and reporting

- Consolidate and regularly update key information and data to ensure quality and timely reporting

- Ensure targeted responses, real time monitoring and adequate and timely readjustments of nation-wide activities.

- Strengthen and organize reporting mechanism for COVID-19 response including between zonal offices and national level to facilitate timely and quality reporting

- Analyze and evaluate data to ensure compliance and achievement of objectives and recommend corrective action, when necessary, to meet programme/project objectives

Build capacity

- Provide guidance and technical support to zonal offices, implementing partners and MoE for education COVID response to deliver a quality and timely Education COVID-19 response adapted to children and educational staff needs and respecting the planning, in collaboration with EiE specialist and education specialists in zonal offices

- Quality control of implementing partner reports, proposition for improvement

- Build capacity of zonal offices education staff, implementing partners on education COVID-19 response monitoring and reporting

Document experiences and lessons learned

- Review and establish a system for documentation of UNICEF role in COVID education response and dissemination of reports, ensuring exchange of information, experience and good practices used, to government officials, programme staff, and other UNICEF partners and the UNICEF country and regional office

- Document lessons learned to strengthen project design, implementation, analysis and advocacy regarding COVID-19 situation and needs

Field missions

- Approximatively 15 days of field missions to Segou, Mopti, Tombouctou, Gao

Any other activities assigned by chief of education or education in emergencies specialist

Expected Deliverables

- Database on Education COVID-19 planning and implementation is established and regularly updated

- Education COVID-19 response reporting and data sharing system is implemented and functional

- Data, information, evidence on education COVID-19 situation, needs and response are available and updated to support the reporting

- Draft strategy / improvement plan for Disaster Risk Reduction, MHPSS and distance learning is available

- A Lessons Learned Note on UNICEF education response to the epidemic is produced at the end of the consultancy

- A final report containing recommendations for UNICEF Education to strengthen its preparedness and response to health emergencies is produced.

Terms of Payment:

The Consultant will be engaged as an Individual contractor and will be remunerated in accordance with UNICEF rules and procedures. The contractor will receive a monthly fee. Which will be subject to the production of monthly activity based on agreed monthly workplans with the Supervisor of the individual contractor.

Budget allocation & distribution

Mandatory – include an all-inclusive financial offer; transport during field missions are provided by UNICEF

Expected background and Experience

EDUCATION:

Master’s in social sciences, Education, Humanitarian assistance or related technical field, preferably with specialization in education policy and development, programme planning, monitoring and evaluation or emergencies.

Experience with the UN system preferably UNICEF.

Qualifications:

TECHNICAL KNOWLEDGE;

Essential professional knowledge of Education/Basic Education programs in emergency in Mali.

Technical Knowledge of theories, principles and methods in areas of: Education in Emergencies, distance learning, protective learning environment, Conflict and Disaster Risk Reduction

Good knowledge in Excel and Microsoft Office, knowledge in monitoring and reporting.

Work Experience:

Minimum of five years of relevant professional experience at national and international level in Education in Emergency, education program management, planning, monitoring and evaluation in a related field, strong skills in analysis.

Experience, knowledge of Mali education system and stakeholders will be an asset.

Language skills required:

Fluency in French and good working knowledge of English required. Good knowledge of one of the local languages of the duty station is highly desirable

Other skills and attributes required:

Flexibility in a fast-changing environment

General Conditions Procedures and Logistics:

The individual contractor will be provided with a UNICEF laptop and will work from the office (according to the rules of teleworking when applicable).

This position reports to the Education in Emergency Specialist. The salary and conditions will be according to the usual salary scales for individual contractor P3/NOC (number of days)

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