Scope of Work

1. Goal and objective: Under the supervision of the ECD Regional Adviser, and in close collaboration with the Education section in ESARO and WCARO, the consultant will provide technical assistance to UNICEF ESAR Country Offices and KIX Africa-19 COs located in WCAR to strengthen policies and improve the quality of early childhood education in Eastern and Southern Africa. More specifically, the objective of the consultancy is:

• To provide guidance and technical inputs to ESAR and KIX-19 countries to deploy accelerated and effective bridging and remedial ECE programmes, and
• To support policy and system measures to scale up sustainable ECE. This will include technical support to the ECE policy development (e.g., mainstreaming into Sector Plans) and enforcement, financing and costing of ECE services, effective coordination, monitoring, and evaluation; development and implementation of effective and inclusive ECE services; supporting ECE teachers; community engagement to deliver ECE services, etc.
• Strengthen the capacity of education officials to develop a robust national early childhood education system, in terms of planning, implementation, and monitoring.
• Support quality ECE provision through appropriate curricula; teacher training and mentoring; teaching and learning materials; and quality assurance mechanisms.
• Explore, identify, document and disseminate (within ESA countries) innovative solutions to provide ECE opportunities that can go to scale, with a focus on the most disadvantaged children, including those with disabilities and those affected by conflict and other emergencies.
• Support countries that request it to hold policy dialogues on ECE, foster community of practices among the KIX Africa-19 Hub countries, encourage country-to-country support and support online and in-person learning events.
• Support UNICEF efforts to mobilize partnerships with key stakeholders (UNESCO, AfECN, WB and others) to expand access and deliver quality ECE services.

For more details see activities and tasks.

2. Provide details/reference to AWP areas covered: Explain briefly how this assignment links to AWP/IR number.

The consultancy is directly related to ECD Output 2 (DE): Enhanced capacity of ESARO supported COs to integrate high-impact ECD interventions into existing health, nutrition, HIV and education systems, delivery mechanisms and services, and two related indicators: (i) number of COs supported to integrate nurturing care into PHC services; and (ii) number of regional public goods developed and disseminated.

3. Activities and Tasks

To support UNICEF ESARO the consultant will undertake the following tasks/activities:

• Complete diagnostics (mapping) of ECE in ESAR.
• Development of ECE scalability framework
• Coordination and organization of CoP and evidence generation
• Support advocacy and resource mobilization efforts to increase investment in ECE.
• Document and disseminate cost effective and impactful practices in scaling up ECE in the region
• Develop and maintain the ECE database, and disaggregated country profiling with key outcomes, budget and service delivery.
• Provide inputs to UNICEF reports related to ECE, prepare presentations, participate in regional and global ECE events, and provide other support to ECE as per emerging needs.
• Support responding to requests from KIX Africa-19 countries on ECE-related policy dialogues and learning visits.

Technical support to country offices

The deliverables at country level outlined below is based on the latest request for technical support by country offices. To be noted that the required support might change as per emerging requests from country offices:

• Burundi: support on the ECE scale-up plan
• Eritrea: support to develop an action plan to scale up ECE
• Ethiopia: support to develop a plan to scale up ECE
• Malawi: support to develop scale-up plan and roadmap for accelerating access to ECE
• Mozambique: support in developing ECE strategy
• Lesotho: support the development of the ECE scale-up plan
• Madagascar: support the development of ECE policy and strategy
• South Sudan: support scaling up of ECE.

4. Work relationships: The consultant will be supervised by the ECD regional advisor, and work very closely with the ESARO Education section, including the ECE and the KIX focal points as well as WCARO/ Education colleagues. Interactions with partners like WB, AfECN and others is expected.

5. Outputs/Deliverables

Deliverables (SMART)

Duration

(Estimated # of days)

Timeline/Deadline

Schedule of payment

ECE Mapping Report

20 days

05 Sept

10%

ECE scalability framework

20 days

2nd Oct

10%

Advocacy and resource mobilization paper

20 days

3rd Dec

10%

Three (country-specific) ECE scale-up plans developed

40 days

10th Feb 2025

20%

Three cost effective practices documented and disseminated to CoP

25 days

15th March 25)

10%

Four (country-specific) ECE scale-up plans developed

40 days

20th May 25

15%

Three cost effective practices documented and disseminated to CoP

25 days

25th June 25

10%

ECE database with critical indicators, budget, expenditure and service delivery such as workforce, implementation of ELDS for all 21 countries in the region

20 days

1 April 2025

(31 July 25)

15%

Payment Schedule

The payment schedule is linked with deliverables listed above. The payment should be processed upon the quality check of the supervisor and processed within seven days upon satisfactory completion of deliverables.

The final remuneration will be negotiated by HR.

Requirements:

• An advanced university degree in one of the following fields: education, public administration, public health, economics, psychology, sociology, human development, child development, family studies, or another relevant technical field.
• Experience in and knowledge of UNICEF’s activities at the country and regional levels, or relevant experience in a UN system agency or organization.
• A minimum of eight years of relevant professional work experience at national and international levels in the social development field, and specifically in early learning, including early childhood education and preschool. Experience in and knowledge of early learning policies and programmes in East and Southern Africa.
• Must exhibit the UNICEF Core Values of:

1. Care
2. Respect
3. Integrity
4. Trust
5. Accountability
6. Sustainability