Country: Afghanistan
Closing date: 12 Apr 2017
Background and rationale:
A relevant, high quality curriculum is essential to ensuring education systems equip learners with the attitudes, skills, knowledge, and values to participate and contribute meaningfully to their communal and economic contexts. Whilst acknowledging the enormous progress made since 2002 in expanding access to education to all groups within society, the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan (GoIRA) now considers the improvement of quality in its education system to be a key priority in the next 5 years. Underpinned by broader concerns about learner achievement, the Government also seeks to improve the preparedness of youth for employment and better ensure its education systems foster the inclusiveness needed for continued national reintegration, in part by revisions and improvements to the education system.
The third National Education Strategic Plan (NESP III), positions improved quality alongside continued expansion of access to education and sector-wide management reform as its guiding priorities through to 2021. A critical component of quality improvement is comprehensive, evidence-based curriculum reform.
A request was made to UNESCO in June 2015 by the Ministry of Education (MoE) to prepare the foundations for sector-wide curriculum reform. Through its Capacity Development for Education 2030 (CapED) program and in partnership with the MoE, UNESCO has developed a proposal for curriculum reform, tentatively entitled the Curriculum Improvement Program for Afghanistan (CIPA). Afghanistan’s national curriculum was last revised in 2011. The current curriculum document is part framework, and part syllabus, and part teaching and assessment guide. A key component of the CIPA proposal is the revision of not only this document, but the full suite of texts (e.g. textbooks, teacher guides) which comprise the ‘official’ or intended curriculum. As part of this revision, it is desired that the current curriculum document be revised and strengthened, into a separate curriculum framework, curriculum syllabus, and learning assessment framework.
Purpose of this TOR:
Initial work towards the implementation of this proposal has been undertaken, with a series of five National Curriculum Consultations being held across Afghanistan, leading to a draft curriculum framework. This consultancy position will assume technical leadership for the next phase of implementation, namely the finalization of the curriculum framework, including facilitation of discussions and technical guidance relating to curriculum competencies, pedagogy, subject choice and lesson hour distribution.
The Senior Technical Advisor will also oversee and ensure coherence with the work which will be undertaken updating the scope and sequence of the curriculum syllabus (all grades), commencing in the second half of 2017, and for which a separate TOR has been issued, and which will require up to 12 individual subject specialists. This work on the scope and sequence is made possible by the generous support of UNICEF Afghanistan.
It is possible that this activity may be extended beyond the initial contract period, depending on availability of funding, until the end of 2017.
The consultant will be supported by a National Curriculum Consultant (already engaged), and will work with both UNESCO staff (Chief of Education, Project Coordinator CapED), and a team of international experts (up to 12) for individual syllabus development, currently under recruitment.
Objectives:
This assignment carries the following specific objectives:
Increase awareness amongst Ministry of Education staff and curriculum stakeholders of best practices in curriculum framework development and curriculum syllabus development.
In close collaboration with MoE, provide technical oversight to quality assure the MoE outputs (curriculum framework and scope and sequence), in line with the overall Curriculum Reform Plan developed by MoE and UNESCO.
Build capacity of Ministry staff through collaborative engagement across all planned activities.
Duties and responsibilities:
This is a technical coordination and leadership assignment. The consultant will perform the following duties:
Recommend and justify best practice in curriculum framework and syllabus development
Guide stakeholders (MoE staff, technical working groups convened for scope and sequence development) on making choices leading to a final curriculum framework based on feedback from the curriculum consultations, ongoing dialogue with MoER and curriculum stakeholders, and international best practices, and the general skills/competences scope and sequence and preliminary subject selection and lesson hour distribution in the draft curriculum framework.
Quality assure the final curriculum framework product.
Guide stakeholders (the technical working groups convened for the individual subject’s scope and sequence, international experts engaged for this task) on making curricular choices based on the curriculum framework, best practices, the general skills/competences scope and sequence, and subject characteristics, to ensure a coherent and robust syllabus scope and sequence.
Ensure the deliverables produced in accordance with the duties and responsibilities specified in 2) and 3) are aligned with the proposal for Curriculum Reform submitted by UNESCO to the MoE, and the NESP III.
Undertake modifications/updates to the Curriculum Reform Plan as needed
Prepare briefs of the Curriculum Reform Plan for stakeholders as needed.
Provide technical advice/presentations to the Curriculum Working Group (comprised of key stakeholders to the process of curriculum reform) throughout the assignment.
Organize and co-facilitate workshops and consultations with MoE and stakeholders as required.
Consult closely with MoE and key stakeholders at each stage of the assignment. All deliverables will be presented to MoE and relevant stakeholders (e.g. the Curriculum Working Group)
Deliverables:
The deliverables will consist of a monthly report, based on a workplan developed in the initial week of the assignment. The workplan will include the following specific outputs, but the progress reports will extend beyond these to encompass the full range of duties and responsibilities articulated above.
An updated draft Curriculum Framework, inclusive of subject choice and lesson hour distribution, and based on the existing draft and MoE consultations
The preparation of a curriculum syllabus development plan, which will identify membership for the technical working groups convened to undertaken scope and sequence development.
The fees for each deliverable will be paid in USD.
Proposed dates:
May 15 – September 15 (4 months). This is flexible, with an earlier start date possible depending on the selected expert’s availability.
Conditions of Work
The consultant will be provided with secure office space by UNESCO while in Kabul including equipment, office stationaries, printing, photocopying, and communication equipment.
The consultant will be required to conduct travel within the Kabul region and to selected provinces. All travel is subject to UN security clearances, and will be in UN vehicles only. The UNESCO Office in Kabul will supply the vehicle when required and other logistical support (e.g. radios). Mandatory security training (three days) is required on arrival in Kabul.
Accommodation will be arranged by the UNESCO Office in Kabul and will be in premises cleared by the United Nations Department of Safety and Security (UNDSS) in Afghanistan.
A period of time away from Afghanistan during the consultancy for the purposes of rest and recuperation may be negotiated.
Supervisory arrangements:
The consultancy will be undertaken under the overall supervision of the Director and Representative of the UNESCO Office in Afghanistan and the direct supervision of the Chief of Education and the Coordinator, Capacity Development for Education 2030.
Qualifications:
Advanced university degree in education, preferably with a focus on curriculum studies
At least 10 years of relevant work experience in education, with a significant component of this experience acquired in curriculum-related fields.
Experience in curriculum/educational consultancy or development work at the international level is strongly preferred.
Excellent understanding of curriculum systems, policies, planning and capacity development
Excellent analytical and report writing skills
Advanced cross-cultural communication skills
High-level drafting and communication capacity in English
Experience working in Afghanistan is an asset ate
How to apply:
Candidates are requested to send their application, including a CV (one in free format and one in the UNESCO format, available at https://en.unesco.org/careers/media/3705 ) and cover letter (in English) briefly outlining the methodology and activity plan proposed for completing the defined deliverables within the designated time period to the UNESCO Kabul email ki.consultant@unesco.org before midnight (Afghanistan time), April 12th 2017.