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Purpose of Activity/Assignment:
Since 2016, Lesotho has been implementing an Education Sector Strategic Plan (20162026) with the aim of contributing to the achievement of SDG goal 4 with reads“Ensure Inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning for all”. In 2018, MICS was conducted in Lesotho and assessed children on foundational literacy and numeracy skills. The study established that less than half of the children aged 714 had foundational literacy skills (wealth status being the biggest dimension of disparity in achievementwhile only 15% of children aged 714 had basic numeracy competencies.
In 2020, the COVID19 pandemic resulted in closure of schools for long periods. On average, schools were closed for 20 weeks and 2 trillion hours of school learning was lost. This left many learners without access to learning. A joint paper by UNICEF, UNESCO, and World Bank (2021) sets the picture of the global learning crisis and shows that many children around the world lost on learning – especially the basic skills that enable learning – foundational literacy and numeracy (FL.
Teacher development is at the at the core of achieving SDG Any initiative to improve quality learning must take into consideration improvements in the teaching and learning process that take place in the classroom. In Lesotho, there have been some significant changes that have been introduced in the education sector and these require teachers to adapt to the new demands. For this to be realised, continuous teacher professional development programmes must be strengthened. A new policy of Inclusive education was approved and introduced in This policy advocates for teachers to implement inclusive and genderresponsive pedagogy in the classroom. However, not all teachers were trained in inclusive and genderresponsive pedagogy during their preservice training. As such inservice teacher development programmes that target teachers to adapt to this change in context is required. Furthermore, the COVID 19 pandemic has challenged education systems, including Lesotho, to ensure continuity of learning and enhanced focus on foundational learning, and this substantially increased the demand placed on teachers and increased the complexity to their jobs.
It is with this background that UNICEF Lesotho is seeking the services of a consultant to lead the process of developing a comprehensive teachers’ continuous professional development framework and implementation plan for the country in close cooperation with Ministry of Education and Training and identified stakeholders.
Scope of Work:
The expected key output is the production of a CPD Framework with an implementation plan.
The contracted consultant will work under the overall supervision of Chief of Basic Education, Adolescent Development and Child Protection (BEADCand Chief Education OfficerTeaching Service and direct supervision of Education Specialist and Economic Planner. The Consultant will:
Develop a monitoring and evaluation and quality assurance plan for the implementation of the CPD activities.
Work Assignment Overview:
The consultant will be responsible for the delivery and technical quality of the final product which is the CPD Framework with accompanying implementation plan. All deliverables shall be submitted to MOET and UNICEF in accordance with the following timeline:
Tasks/Milestone: | Deliverables/Outputs: | Timeline (period/deadlin | Payment structure (% of the total fe |
Prepare an inception report that presents in detail the consultant’s understanding of the
tasks involved and time framed workplan to complete the CPD Framework. This includes setting up of the CPD Framework Core team involving MOET Officials. |
An Inception Report | 5 days |
10% |
Conduct a review and analysis of a broad range of relevant
documents on teacher development programmes offered in preservice and inservice; any linkages that exist Advertisement
between preservice and inservice teacher development and how best the linkages can be enhanced with an emphasis on the implications for inservice training design. |
Desk Review Report | 10 days |
15% |
Work with MOET CPD Core team to conduct a rapid assessment on existing CPD learning needs, models and
structures and recommendations on CPD learning areas, effective CPD models and structures (This includes developing tools ). |
Detailed methodology of the Rapid assessment on CPD needs, CPD models and CPD structures (including tools used for data collectio | 10 days |
20% |
Data collection and key informant interviews are carried out with support and coordination of
MOET along with UNICEF and in accordance with the methodology developed. |
Completed checklists and Interview records and reports shared with MOET and UNICEF | 20 days | |
Hold joint consultations with MOET and key stakeholders including UNICEF and reflect on the
findings of the rapid assessment, proposed recommendations on CPD learning areas, CPD models and accreditation/governance of CPD implementation. |
Consultation briefs and records are shared. | 5 days |
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30% |
Develop a CPD Framework document
Including learning areas for inservice traininwith guidelines for incorporating the competencies in development of training modules. Pathways for career development Recommendations for CPD models and including issues of accreditation and governance of CPD implementation. A costed implementation matrix with clear targets, roles and responsibilities of stakeholders and M&E and quality assurance modalities |
A draft CPD Framework is developed. | 15 days | |
Hold joint consultations with MOET and key stakeholders and present the draft CPD Framework
for review and feedback |
A PowerPoint Presentation of the CPD Framework and implementation matrix.
Consultation briefs and records are shared. |
5 days |
25% |
Prepare the final version of the CPD Framework and the realistic and costed
implementation matrix that incorporates feedback from MOET, key stakeholders, and UNICEF |
Final version of the CPD Framework and implementation matrix approved by MOET. | 20 days | |
90 days | 100% |
To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…
Languages:
Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required
For every Child, you demonstrate…
UNICEF’s values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITA. To view our competency framework, please visit here.
How to Apply:
Prospective consultants should apply through UNICEF jobs website using the link provided, within the provided deadline. The application package should include the following:
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, socioeconomic 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 zerotolerance 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(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 coverag. 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 (applicabland 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 fullyvaccinated status against SARSCoV2 (Covid19) with a World Health Organization (WHendorsed 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.