Afghanistan: Consultant (Curriculum Reform)

Background and context

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 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 UNICEF and SIDA, the MoE has been supported to conduct national curriculum consultations, and draft its curriculum framework. Syllabi reform is in process, with a competence framework currently in its drafting phase, and work completed towards a first draft of the syllabus scope and sequence for each subject area.

The consultant will perform the following duties:

1. Recommend and justify best practice in curriculum framework and syllabus development

2. 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 MoE 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.

3. Quality assure the final curriculum framework product.

4. 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.

5. 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.

6. Undertake modifications/updates to the Curriculum Reform Plan as needed

7. Provide technical advice/presentations to the Curriculum Working Group (comprised of key stakeholders to the process of curriculum reform) throughout the assignment.

8. Organize and co-facilitate workshops and consultations with MoE and stakeholders as required.

9. 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

Specific tasks to be carried out (including any objectives and targets)

Expected outputs and achievements (including specific reference to any deliverables and/or reports)

Date due

1. · Orient and onboard International Subject Specialists in preparation of High Level Technical Meeting and remote support for Ministry of Education officials.

· Oversee technical work of International Subject Specialists to ensure its quality and cohesion.

· Undertake high level technical meetings with Ministry of Education Deputy Ministers and senior officials to guide curriculum reform programme process.

· Plan and prepare High Level Technical Meeting on Curriculum Reform to advance subject syllabi development.

· Orientation programme and handbook.

· Milestone report regarding quality assurance of International Subject Specialists work.

· Meeting report outlining MoE engagement.

· High Level Technical Meeting programme developed and workshop materials (e.g. PowerPoints and handouts) prepared.

30 June 2019

1. · Facilitate and deliver High Level Technical Meeting on Curriculum Reform to advance subject syllabi development.

· High Level Technical Meeting facilitated and delivered; Meeting report.

31 July 2019

1. · Oversee development of monitoring and evaluation programme for curriculum reform programme.

· Plan and prepare High Level Technical Meeting on Learning Resource Development to advance subject syllabi development.

· Inception report for monitoring and evaluation of curriculum reform programme.

· High Level Technical Meeting programme developed and workshop materials (e.g. PowerPoints and handouts) prepared.

31 August 2019

1. · Facilitate and deliver High Level Technical Meeting on Learning Resource Development to advance subject syllabi development.

· High Level Technical Meeting facilitated and delivered; Meeting report.

30 September 2019

1. · Plan and prepare high level international delegation of senior Ministry of Education officials.

· Programme for high level international delegation developed.

31 October 2019

1. · Facilitate and lead high level international delegation of senior Ministry of Education officials.

· International mission report.

30 November 2019

1. · Undertake review of implementation of curriculum reform programme progress to date and identify successes, challenges, gaps and next steps.

· Milestone review report including recommendations for adoption in 2020.

31 December 2019

1. · Develop capacity development training plan for Ministry of Education curriculum division officials.

· Capacity development training plan for 2020.

31 January 2020

1. · Undertake high level technical meeting with Ministry of Education Deputy Ministers and senior officials to guide curriculum reform programme process.

· Meeting report outlining Ministry of Education engagement, including recommendations for enhancing engagement with the Ministry of Education for 2020.

28 February 2020

1. · Oversee development and quality assure the implementation of testing of learning resources for general education.

· Quality assurance report developed with recommendations to inform subsequent phases of implementation.

30 April 2020

1. · Oversee development and quality assure the implementation of teacher, school principal and academic supervisor training.

· Quality assurance report developed with recommendations to inform subsequent phases of implementation.

31 May 2020

Competencies

A successful candidate will be required to demonstrate the following competencies:

Core Competencies

Accountability

Communication

Teamwork

Innovation

Results focus

Planning and organizing

Knowledge sharing and continuous improvement

For detailed information please consult the UNESCO Competency Framework

Required qualifications

Education

· Advanced university degree in education (eg. MEd, MA), preferably with a focus on curriculum studies and/or education reform

· Advanced cross-cultural communication skills

· High-level drafting and communication capacity in English

· Previous experience working in Afghanistan is a strong asset

Work experience

· At least 15 years of relevant work experience in education, with a significant component of this experience acquired in school-level curriculum-related fields

· Current experience in school-level education reform in Asia and up-to-date student-centered teaching and learning experience are requirements

· At least 10 years’ experience in designing workshops and instructional materials including for Ministry of Education officials, departments of education and universities, teacher training colleges and teachers

· Experience in school-level curriculum/textbook development educational consultancy or school-level development work at the international level is strongly preferred

· Excellent understanding of school-level curriculum systems, policies, planning and capacity development in Afghanistan and/or other similar contexts

· Excellent facilitation and representation skills at technical working groups and consultation meetings

· Excellent analytical and report writing skills.

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.

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.

Application procedure

Candidates are requested to send their application to the UNESCO Kabul email k.human-resource@unesco.org before midnight on 7 May 2019 (Afghanistan time).

All applications must be submitted by email, including the position title in the email subject line. Applications should include the following:

a) An up-to-date curriculum vita;

b) A statement indicating how their qualifications and experience make them suitable for the assignment;

c) A brief financial statement indicating the overall cost of the assignment. Any travel and subsistence requirements should be indicated separately.