Individual National Consultant: Digital and innovation

UNICEF Nepal Country Office is looking for an expert to support the Education section in the area digital learning and innovation for the duration of twelve months. For more information, the detailed term of the reference is uploaded in the vacancy.

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For every child, education. 

The School Education Sector Plan (SESP) is developed to facilitate the country’s long-term goal and ambitions for education within the highly decentralized institutional setup in the sector that emerged over the past years in line with the Nepal 2015 Constitution. One of the major objectives of the SESP is to ensure equitable access to a full cycle of quality education for all children, including those from socially and economically disadvantaged groups and children with disabilities.  As per the provisions in Nepal’s Constitution, a federal system has been established comprising of federal, provincial, and local tiers of government. In the course of establishing a legal basis to facilitate the enactment of exclusive and shared powers under the mandates of the federal government, seven provincial and 753 Local Governments (LGs), the 2018 Compulsory and Free Education Act and 2020 Compulsory and Free Education related Rules have been introduced, with the 2019 National Education Policy providing guidelines for key functions and provision of services across the respective government tiers.

There have been several guidelines and documents developed by the Government to facilitate the LGs in undertaking their new roles and responsibilities. These include the National Planning Commission guidelines to provide the local levels with necessary knowledge, information, technology, and technical support in the formulation of development plans, which have been disseminated through the Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration (MOFAGA) and the more recent MOFAGA local level planning guidelines. In addition to this, the SESP further elaborates on enabling LGs to undertake key functions (analysis, planning, budgeting, implementation, monitoring, evaluation) of education services delivered at local level.

Although Nepal has made significant progress in improving access to schools and achieving universal primary education, there are still thousands of children out of school across the country. In 2020, the gross enrolment rates for grades one to five, had increased to 119.3 per cent, however, this decreased slightly in 2021 (118.2). This progress is unevenly distributed with the majority of the out-of-school children belonging to disadvantaged ethnic and caste groups, particularly girls and children with disabilities. At the beginning of 2020, a shocking 8.4 per cent of students in grade 5 could only meet the grade-level reading proficiency as defined by the Government, and the average score of these students on numeracy was 37.2 per cent, with some provinces (Karnali and Sudurpachhim Provinces) scoring an average as low as 25 per cent (ERO, 2020). Weaknesses in access, ethnic diversity and multiple spoken languages in communities and the quality of teaching have been further exacerbated by the extended school closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic, giving rise to worrying learning losses among the country’s most disadvantaged children. Initial analysis of pre and post Covid data done by ERO, identified an overall loss of 26% across all five core subjects which include numeracy and literacy skills. It should be noted that this would be proportionally higher for vulnerable groups like children from remote communities who had little or no access to alternative learning opportunities during school closures and children with disabilities.

Digital learning is an important priority under the SESP and also a key intervention under the new country programme for UNICEF. One of the key objectives in the SESP states the “proper management of ICT tools and digital learning resources and capacity building of teachers on embedding ICT as an integral part of teaching and learning”.  The SESP also aims to set up data centres and digital laboratories to expand the use of ICT in learning. This includes the training for teachers and staff through blended modes and developing interactive digital resources for different grades, interactive digital materials for people with different forms of disabilities and ensuring the provision of digital copies of curriculum and textbooks. As part of our support to the government, UNICEF will provide technical assistance to support the implementation of different digital learning initiatives including the capacity building of teachers on blended learning pedagogies.

How can you make a difference? 

• Provide administrative and technical guidance to schools and non-formal centers to implement digital learning initiatives
• Support the planning, deployment and implementation of digital learning initiatives in participating education institutions and non-formal learning centers
• Build pedagogical capacity of teachers and facilitators on digital learning.
• Monitor and generate evidence on UNICEF Nepal’s digital learning initiatives.

Scope of Work:

The consultant will be expected to undertake the following activities -

• Support the planning, implementation, and evaluation of UNICEF’s digital innovations focusing on language learning, teacher capacity, and accessible digital textbooks, coordinating with partners and ensuring adequate in-school supervision is implemented.
• Liaise with the implementing partners and local governments to ensure timely set up of these digital learning initiatives.
• Set up and update a project management tool that includes timeline, activities, responsibilities, milestones, budget, expenses, risks and mitigation actions, to ensure activities are completed on time, on budget, and with the expected quality;
• Write a monthly update with key implementation and progress information.
• Document the planning, testing, and delivery of digital learning initiatives, including challenges, good practices, and lessons learned;
• Liaise with CEHRD, CDC and other stakeholders on implementing the accessible digital textbooks initiative.
• Provide technical and administrative support to implementing partners, schools, non-formal learning centres and local governments to conduct workshops and orientation sessions on the different digital learning initiatives.
• Work closely with the Education team to develop implementation plans for UNICEF’s digital initiatives.
• Provide technical assistance to ensure schools and non-formal learning centres implement the digital learning initiatives effectively.
• Work closely with the selected schools to ensure the digital language labs are set up and functional.
• Provide technical inputs to observe and monitor teacher training sessions on blended
• Support the management, oversight, and coordination of partnerships (with government and civil society) and related contracts (IT enterprise, Telecommunications, private sector)
• Work closely with field offices and implementing partners to ensure teachers and facilitators receive on-going support to implement blended learning teaching practices in classrooms.
• Follow up with implementing partners and local governments to ensure proper
• implementation of digital learning activities.
• Monitor activities and document evidence that includes at least one human interest story/case study per quarter.

TASK

• Liaise with Education team, field office, CEHRD, CDC and partners to support the implementation of UNICEF Nepal’s digital innovation initiatives.
• Liaise with Education team and partners to implement the communication and dissemination plan for UNICEF’s digital initiatives.
• Provide follow up support on the distribution of IT devices.
• Provide technical input to the teacher training sessions.
• Coordinate with CEHRD, CDC, schools, learning centres and implementing partners to monitor the digital initiatives. 
• Review implementation plans in liaison with CEHRD and partners
• Develop a quarterly progress report. 
• Liaise with implementing partners and FO for implementation.
• Implement training plans in collaboration with schools, learning centres and partners.
• Document risks, challenges and lessons learned during start-up of initiatives.
• Coordinate with CDC, CEHRD and partners to ensure effective implementation of all digital initiatives. 
• Support the delivery of training sessions.
• Develop quarterly progress report.
• Support the M&E officer to implement M&E plans for the initiatives
• Facilitate orientation and training sessions. 
• Observe and monitor classrooms and CLCs
• Provide follow up support to teachers and facilitators on implementing blended learning in classrooms.
• Develop at least one Human Interest Story/case study.
• Develop quarterly progress report
• Observe and monitor classrooms and non-formal centres
• Facilitate refresher training sessions for teachers and facilitators
• Provide follow up support to teachers and facilitators on implementing blended learning in classrooms.
• Develop at least one Human Interest Story/case study.
• Develop progress report. 

First Deliverable

• Submission of teacher training reports
• Submission of quarterly progress report

Second Deliverable

• Submission of training reports
• Submission of risk and challenges report
• Submission of Quarterly progress report

Third Deliverable

• Submission of event completion reports
• Submission of training/visit reports
• Submission of minimum one HIS
• Submission of quarterly progress report

Final Deliverable

• Submission of event completion reports
• Submission of training/visit reports
• Submission of progress report

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have… 

Education:

Advance University degree in Education, IT or social sciences or discipline relevant to the assignment

Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required:

• A minimum of 5 years of experience working for education projects
• Familiar with the education context of Nepal including all federal structures
• Sound knowledge of government education policies especially related to ICT and innovation.
• Sound foundational learning activities, with a focus on English language teaching and learning and Digital literacy.  
• Excellent communication, coordination, and rapport building skills including the ability to facilitate diverse groups (Government, CSOs, Technical Expert)
• Strong working knowledge of Nepali and English (at least at B2/C1 level) 
• Experience in the capacity building of partners at the national, regional, and district levels

Skills required:

Teacher training, Strategic thinking, analytical skill, high-level coordination, networking, and facilitation skills

For more information, please find the Term of Reference

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic background, and persons with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization. To create a more inclusive workplace, UNICEF offers paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks, and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements. Click here to learn more about flexible work arrangements, well-being, and benefits.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). 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 based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.

Remarks:  

female candidates and candidates from the under-represented ethnic groups are strongly encouraged to apply. 

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 coverage). 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 health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract.