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Background and Justification
Botswana has made significant strides in access to education. However, challenges in education remain regarding equity and quality of services. While access to primary education is high, the quality of education is wanting, as indicated by low pass rates in both primary and secondary school. Evidence also shows that the socially disadvantaged children and children in remote areas have more limited access to pre-primary education compared to children from financially stable families. These children find it hard to catch up in the later stages of education, hence they drop out or demonstrate lower performance throughout the learning period.
For the 2017-2021 Country Programme cycle, UNICEF Botswana is supporting the Government of Botswana to develop and implement policies and programmes to improve access to, and quality of, education for all children in Botswana. As Botswana is an upper middle income country, UNICEF is not involved in service delivery. UNICEF’s comparative advantage is to provide technical expertise for strategic guidance and leveraging of government resources for children. Consequently, the Country Office operates with a programme team that currently stands at 8 staff members under the supervision of the Deputy Representative. The Education Specialist is responsible for overall cordination and implementation of the Education Programme. Given the current momentum of the Education programme and the size of the portfolio, UNICEF Botswana is seeking a consultant (as an individual contractor) to support the Education Specialist for 6 to 11 months in the implementation of the Education programme.
Scope of Work
Goals and Objectives:
Under the supervision of the Education Specialist, the consultant will support implementation of the annual work plan, as follows:
- Early Childhood Development (ECD)
- district-level implementation of the integrated ECD models;
- evidence generation and utilization;
- identifying, capturing, synthesising and sharing of lessons learned;
- inter-ministerial collaboration (advocacy, briefing notes, etc.);
- establishment of the ECD Network for partners, practitioners etc.;
- stakeholder mapping.
- Quality Primary Education
- development of a report that informs a national Remediation and Enrichment Strategy;
- stakeholder consultation and interviews etc.;
- input into a Policy Advocacy Plan.
- Planning, Reporting and Administration
- draft inputs for programme and donor reporting
- preparation for programme reviews
- draft inputs for annual work planning
- meeting administration (preparation, minutes and follow-up).
Indicative outputs and deliverables, with estimated timelines are found below. Binding deliverables and timeframes will be agreed between supervisor and consultant upon start of assignment. Reviews will be regular and if adjustments are required, they will be agreed upon in writing.
Area
Outputs/Deliverables
Estimated completion date
A
- ECD stakeholder mapping exercise, presenting the actors in Botswana working with and on ECD with information on geographic scope and contact details
- Draft Policy Advocacy Plan to promote relevant adjustments to the reception class programme based on the evaluation (currently being undertaken)
- Succinct analysis of good practices of integrated ECD programming in other countries of a similar typology.
- Review of ECD Baseline Report (currently being undertaken) to inform district level interventions.
- Bi-monthly partner monitoring visits and reports (using template provided).
- Organize at least two ECD Network Meetings, including pre- and post-meeting preparation and follow-up.
- Mid-line and end-line assessments and reports of three partnerships (drawing on monitoring reports, partnership reports and other relevant data), including recommendations to inform a district-level ECD implementation model.
a. December 2018
b. January 2019
c. January – February 2019
d. February 2019
e. February – August 2019
f. March and August 2019
g. May and September 2019
B
- Draft report that informs the development of a National Remediation and Enrichment Strategy (this will entail a review of international and domestic evidence and experience; an analysis of the outputs and outcomes of ongoing Proofs of Concept; stakeholder consultation and interviews etc.).
- Draft inputs for a Policy Advocacy Plan to support implementation of an institutionalised Remediation and Enrichment programme by Government.
- Inputs to meetings, proposals, reports and other relevant documents and processes (includes briefing notes, minutes and follow-up on action points).
a. May – August 2019
b. September 2019
c. As agreed
C
- Draft inputs for programme and donor reporting.
- Inputs that facilitate programme review and planning process.
a. December 2018 – January 2019, and June – July 2019
b. January 2019, and October – November 2019
Work relationships:
The consultant will work under the direct supervision of the UNICEF Education Specialist.
Payment Schedule
Payment will be made on a monthly, pro-rata basis; supported by an approved summary report reflecting achievement of deliverables; or demonstrable progress towards respective deliverables if a deliverable is not yet due.
Administrative issues
- The consultancy will be undertaken for a duration of 6-11 months with 20 full time working days per month which will be agreed with the supervisor.
- The consultancy is office-based. UNICEF will provide desk space and computer.
- As per UNICEF DFAM policy, payment is made against approved deliverables, and as indicated in the schedule above. No advance payment is allowed unless in exceptional circumstances.
- All programme related travel will be pre-approved and paid by UNICEF.
- UNICEF would not be paying living allowance and travel beyond programmatic travel as part of the assignment.
- UNICEF reserves all copyrights on material, including data analysis, documents, photographs and graphic designs. No data or findings can be published without the permission of UNICEF and any publications arising from the work will be co-authored with UNICEF staff. The use of UNICEF material for any purpose, including repackaging in hard copy or compilation for CD-ROM or any other electronic media, is prohibited unless prior written permission is obtained. The unauthorized use of the UNICEF name and logo is against international law and is expressly forbidden.
- The candidate selected will be governed by and subject to UNICEF’s General Terms and Conditions for individual contracts.
To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…
- A university degree in education, psychology, sociology or other social science field is required.
- A minimum of 2 years of professional experience in social development planning and management in education and/other related area.
- International and/or developing country experience.
- Demonstrated knowledge of development programming, ideally in the education sector.
- Proven ability to effectively cooperate with partners and stakeholders.
- Excellent organization skills, attention to detail, and ability to contribute to a team environment.
- Excellent written and oral communication skills in English required.
- Excellent interpersonal and networking skills
- Ability to work independently and respond to feedback in a timely and professional manner.
HOW TO APPLY
Qualified candidates are requested to submit the following
- A cover letter
- Profile/curriculum vitae
- Credentials
- A quotation for monthly fee
For every Child, you demonstrate…
UNICEF’s core values of Commitment, Diversity and Integrity and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.
View our competency framework at http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/files/UNICEF_Competencies.pdf
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, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.
Remarks:
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.
UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages qualified female and male candidates from all national, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of our organization.
More Information
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