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International Individual Contractor, Early Childhood Education Specialist

Nairobi

  • Organization: UNICEF - United Nations Children’s Fund
  • Location: Nairobi
  • Grade: Consultancy - International Consultant - Internationally recruited Contractors Agreement
  • Occupational Groups:
    • Education, Learning and Training
    • Children's rights (health and protection)
  • Closing Date: Closed

Under the supervision of the ECD Regional Adviser, and in close collaboration with the Education section, the consultant will provide technical assistance to UNICEF ESAR Country Offices to accelerate school readiness for at least 500,000 early learners in ESAR by mid-2023.

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

                                                                         TERMS OF REFERENCE

Title of Assignment

Individual Contractor, Early Childhood Education Specialist

Section

ESARO Early Childhood Development

Location

Nairobi, Kenya, with travel to ESAR

Duration

11 months

Start/End date

From:1-Jun-22

To:     30-Apr-23       

Background and Justification

Early Childhood Development (ECD) is the continuous process of acquiring skills and abilities during the early years of life – across the domains of cognition, language, motor, social and emotional development.

The quality of family and home environment plays a major role in the ECD. Furthermore, access to good-quality Early Childhood Education (ECE) programmes outside the home are also very important in providing children with the basic cognitive and language skills, social competency, and emotional development, which are the foundational skills for health, learning, productivity, well-being, and the building block for future human capital formation.

Investing in ECE is a powerful way to reduce gaps that often put children with low social and economic status at a disadvantage. Despite the proven benefits of ECE, before the COVID-19 outbreak, in the Eastern and Southern Africa Region (ESAR), 7 out of 10 children were missing out on ECE opportunities, and less than two percent of the overall education budget was allocated to the pre-primary subsector. The most vulnerable children, who would reap the greatest benefit, are the least likely to enroll.

The pandemic has since magnified the gaps - millions of children lost access to ECE following COVID-19 closures, and with few avenues for remote learning or support to parents to fill the gaps, an estimated 10.75 million additional children fell off track in their early development. The cost of inaction is high. The lifetime lost earnings attributed to pre-primary school closures is globally estimated at US$1.6 trillion - the equivalent of 12 years of total international aid for development.

Millions of children at the age of starting their formal education find themselves ill-prepared and without the necessary skills, they need to stay in school and succeed. To ensure these children are not left behind, and to scale up quality ECE, UNICEF has developed multiple tools and resources (e.g. a Call to Action for ECE; Built to Last and Pre-primary Subsector Analysis Tool, Guidance Note on Preprimary Education ESAR, RAPID Framework, education recovery with urgent, at-scale action) which sets out the core set of actions and the additional investments required to help early learners get the school ready.

The previous ESARO ECE consultancies, which covered the period from August 2018 to July 2019 and from October 2020 to September 2021, were focused on assessing the main bottlenecks to access to ECE services - the consultant completed ECE diagnostic in eight countries (Angola, Ethiopia, Lesotho, Madagascar, Mozambique, Rwanda, South Sudan, and Zambia), and the exercise was instrumental in the integration of ECE into the national education plans and to mobilize additional resources for ECE in Mozambique, Zambia, and Ethiopia. The consultant also provided an analysis of ECE spending in ESAR to inspire greater investment in the sub-sector.

Building on the above, the new consultancy will support the organizational priority to address the learning crisis and improve foundational literacy and numeracy skills in the region, focusing on urgent actions required to accelerate results: (i) immediately reopen ECE in all settings; (ii) deploy bridging programs for ECE to promote school readiness; and (iii) rapidly expand access to quality community-based ECE.

Specifically, the consultancy will contribute to the achievement of ESARO ECD Output: Country office capacity for implementing sustainable and equitable ECD programming at a scale strengthened.

At the moment, there is no staff in the ECD section (apart from the ECD adviser and 50% of programme associate to provide admin support). Therefore, an additional ECE consultant is urgently needed to bridge the gap in human resources in the section and provide support to country offices.

Scope of Work

1) Goal and Objective:
Under the supervision of the ECD Regional Adviser, and in close collaboration with the Education section, the consultant will provide technical assistance to UNICEF ESAR Country Offices to accelerate school readiness for at least 500,000 early learners in ESAR by mid-2023.

More specifically, the objective of the consultancy is to provide guidance and technical inputs to ESAR countries on ECE reopening, support countries to deploy accelerated and effective bridging and remedial ECE programmes, and 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.
For more details see activities and tasks.

2) Provide details/references to AWP areas covered:
The consultancy is raised to operationalize the following ECD activity: Operationalization of Result-Based Funding to scale-up Early Childhood Education and will directly contribute to the ECD output: Enhanced capacity of ESARO supported COs to integrate high-impact ECD interventions into existing health, nutrition, HIV, and education systems, delivery mechanisms, and services).

3) Activities and Tasks:
To support UNICEF Country Offices the consultant will undertake the following tasks/activities (specified within the area of technical support required):

Support accelerated school readiness efforts.
The proposed task/activities:
o Provide guidance to country offices on programmatic adaptations needed to accelerate ECE programmes.
o Share country examples of effective bridging and accelerated learning, including innovative solutions to provide ECE opportunities to the most disadvantaged children, including those with disabilities and those affected by emergencies.
o Contextualize ECE in the broader RAPID framework.
o Engage partners in supporting the implementation of the Call for Action.
o Support countries in parental and caregiver engagements, including psychosocial support.

Support ECE Policy, governance, financing, and mainstreaming of ECE into education plans. A comprehensive approach to ECE requires the existence of strategic policy frameworks, combined with effective oversight, regulation, and attention to system design, and accountability. There is also a need to raise sufficient and sustainable resources for ECE; manage them equitably and efficiently, with a progressive allocation of 10% budget to ECE.
Proposed tasks/activities:
o Analyse and update education policies and strategy frameworks to ensure that they reflect a transformative ECE in operational planning and budgeting.
o Analyse public expenditure to estimate the level of spending on ECE and advocate for increased allocation of funds to ECE. Develop capacities at the country level to monitor costs and improve utilization of ECE services for greater efficiency.
o Support the planning processes.
o Strengthen information systems to ensure monitoring of all key features of the ECE service delivery.

Strengthen the capacity of ECE workforces. The ECE workforce includes ECE officials, teachers, caregivers, and volunteers. An adequate, well-distributed, motivated, and supported ECE workforce is required for strengthening ECE.
Proposed tasks/activities:
o Strengthen the capacity of education officials for ECE system development in terms of planning, monitoring, and implementation.
o Review the structure and job description of ECE workforces and provide technical assistance for the development of evidence-informed policies on human resources for ECE. Support teachers through appropriate curriculum, teacher training, mentoring, and quality assurance.
o Provide technical support to training institutions to scale up and sustain the production of ECE workers in appropriate quantity, quality, and relevance to needs.
o Define the ECE service package that is most suited to the specific country context.

Engage communities. The engagement of people to work together in organizing ECE services, identifying solutions, and prioritizing action, is central to the concept of ECE.
Proposed tasks/activities:
o Support mechanisms for the participation of communities in ECE planning and implementation.
o Support social media platforms to raise awareness of communities on rights to early childhood education and care.

Engage private sector providers. A significant share of ECE is delivered by the private sector. A range of possible forms of partnership is possible, including training and quality improvement, social marketing, social franchising, and purchasing.
Proposed tasks/activities:
o Conduct a stakeholder analysis to lay the groundwork for public-private dialogue.
o Identify areas of common ground between the public and private sectors (“win-wins”) and jointly agree on priorities for public-private engagement.

Support ECE-oriented monitoring, evaluation, and research. ECE policies, strategies, and operational plans should be informed by the best available evidence of what works and how, and implementation and research are key to providing this.
Proposed tasks/activities:
o Strengthen systems to collect and use data, including through routine systems, surveys, facility surveys, and evaluations.
o Build capacity to process and use data at the national level for decision-making.

To support UNICEF ESARO the consultant will undertake the following tasks/activities:
• Mapp ongoing actions to scale up ECE services in ESAR and develop an action plan to support ESAR COs.
• Support advocacy and resource mobilization efforts to increase investment in ECE.
• Develop and maintain ESAR ECE database, per country, that keeps track of critical features of ECE systems, including policy, budget allocation, coordination, ECE workers, curriculum and standards used, community engagement, etc., actions taken and outcomes (enrolment rate, learning outcomes, etc.).
• Maintain partnerships with developmental partners that support ECE (the AfECN, AU, WB, LEGO Foundation, and others) and leverage partnerships with other developmental partners and private sectors to scale-up quality ECE.
• Document lessons learned and good practices in scaling up ECE in the region.
• Provide inputs to UNICEF reports.
• Prepare presentations and participate in the regional and global ECE events.
• Provide other support to ECE as per emerging needs.

4) Work relationships:
The consultant will be supervised by ECD Regional Adviser and work closely with ESARO Education Section and UNICEF CO ECE focal points. The consultant will also liaise with other UNICEF sections, such as health, child protection, social protection, social and behavior change, monitoring, and evaluation, as appropriate, at regional, headquarters, and country levels. The consultant will work closely with the technical staff of developmental partners and donors, such as AFECN, the World Bank, USAID, DfID, and others.

5) Outputs/Deliverables:

Outputs

Payment

Deadline

Monthly progress report which includes details on:

  • Technical support provided to ESAR COs.
  • Technical support provided to ESARO.
  • Summary of action points from strategic meetings, events, conferences, etc. held during the reporting period.
  • Summary of deliverables produced during the reporting period (deliverables should be provided in the annex of the report).

Monthly payment

June 30, 2022

Monthly progress report which includes details on:

  • Technical support provided to ESAR COs.
  • Technical support provided to ESARO.
  • Summary of action points from strategic meetings, events, conferences, etc. held during the reporting period.
  • Summary of deliverables produced during the reporting period (deliverables should be provided in the annex of the report).

Monthly payment

July 31, 2022

Monthly progress report which includes details on:

  • Technical support provided to ESAR COs.
  • Technical support provided to ESARO.
  • Summary of action points from strategic meetings, events, conferences, etc. held during the reporting period.
  • Summary of deliverables produced during the reporting period (deliverables should be provided in the annex of the report).

Monthly payment

August 31, 2022

Monthly progress report which includes details on:

  • Technical support provided to ESAR COs.
  • Technical support provided to ESARO.
  • Summary of action points from strategic meetings, events, conferences, etc. held during the reporting period.
  • Summary of deliverables produced during the reporting period (deliverables should be provided in the annex of the report).

Monthly payment

September 30, 2022

Monthly progress report which includes details on:

  • Technical support provided to ESAR COs.
  • Technical support provided to ESARO.
  • Summary of action points from strategic meetings, events, conferences, etc. held during the reporting period.
  • Summary of deliverables produced during the reporting period (deliverables should be provided in the annex of the report).

Monthly payment

October 31, 2022

Monthly progress report which includes details on:

  • Technical support provided to ESAR COs.
  • Technical support provided to ESARO.
  • Summary of action points from strategic meetings, events, conferences, etc. held during the reporting period.
  • Summary of deliverables produced during the reporting period (deliverables should be provided in the annex of the report).

Monthly payment

November 30, 2022

Monthly progress report which includes details on:

  • Technical support provided to ESAR COs.
  • Technical support provided to ESARO.
  • Summary of action points from strategic meetings, events, conferences, etc. held during the reporting period.
  • Summary of deliverables produced during the reporting period (deliverables should be provided in the annex of the report).

Monthly payment

December 31, 2022

Monthly progress report which includes details on:

  • Technical support provided to ESAR COs.
  • Technical support provided to ESARO.
  • Summary of action points from strategic meetings, events, conferences, etc. held during the reporting period.
  • Summary of deliverables produced during the reporting period (deliverables should be provided in the annex of the report).

Monthly payment

January 31, 2023

Monthly progress report which includes details on:

  • Technical support provided to ESAR COs.
  • Technical support provided to ESARO.
  • Summary of action points from strategic meetings, events, conferences, etc. held during the reporting period.
  • Summary of deliverables produced during the reporting period (deliverables should be provided in the annex of the report).

Monthly payment

February 28, 2023

Monthly progress report which includes details on:

  • Technical support provided to ESAR COs.
  • Technical support provided to ESARO.
  • Summary of action points from strategic meetings, events, conferences, etc. held during the reporting period.
  • Summary of deliverables produced during the reporting period (deliverables should be provided in the annex of the report).

Monthly payment

March 31, 2023

Monthly progress report which includes details on:

  • Technical support provided to ESAR COs.
  • Technical support provided to ESARO.
  • Summary of action points from strategic meetings, events, conferences, etc. held during the reporting period.
  • Final Report, including summary of deliverables produced during the consultancy (deliverables should be provided in the annex of the report).

Monthly payment

April 30, 2023

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Payment Schedule

The consultant will receive monthly payments, upon submission of monthly reports, and the supervisor’s approval. The payment will be processed within a week upon the approval of the report.

Desired competencies, technical background, and experience• 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.
• 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.
• Ability to work independently.
• Fluency in English.
• Excellent analytical, communication, and writing skills in the English language.

Desired competencies, technical background, and experience
• Experience in and knowledge of UNICEF’s activities at the country and regional levels, or relevant experience in a UN system agency or organization.
• Knowledge of French and Portuguese would be considered an asset

Administrative issues

The ECD Regional Adviser will be the main contact point for the consultant and will facilitate contact with other UNICEF staff and partners. The consultant will participate in the ECD weekly meetings to review the progress and agree on weekly priorities. 

How to Apply

Interested candidates should apply online using the button below. As part of their application, candidates should provide:
1. A cover letter that specifies how you meet the desired competencies, technical background and experience (no more than 2 pages)
2. A short CV (no more than 4 pages)
3. Interested candidates to indicate availability and monthly rate in US$ to undertake the TOR. Applications submitted without a fee/ rate will not be considered.
4. 3 Referees.

This vacancy is now closed.
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