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 now considers the improvement of quality in its education system to be a key priority in the next five years.

Underpinned by broader concerns about learning achievement, the Government seeks to improve the preparedness of youth for employment and better ensure its education system fosters the inclusiveness needed for continued national reintegration, in part by revisions and improvements to the curriculum.

The Government’s 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) programme and in partnership with UNICEF and SIDA, the MoE has been supported to conduct national curriculum consultations and draft its curriculum framework and life competences framework. In line with the draft Curriculum Framework, syllabi reform is in process and work is ongoing towards a finalised draft of the syllabus scope and sequence for each subject area.

The next phase of work in the curriculum reform programme includes supporting four parallel strands of work to advance the implementation of the core curriculum documents.

The first strand is to finalise the core documents, in particular the curriculum framework and subject syllabi. Key work in this strand includes overseeing a group of international subject specialists to support the implementation of the subject syllabi into textbooks and other learning resources. Other essential work includes developing the knowledge and skills of the MoE’s General Directorate of Curriculum (GDC) staff in the core competencies and cross curriculum themes and integrating them into subject syllabi. Supporting the curriculum directorate staff to develop sequences of work which support the big ideas and achievement objectives in each subject scope and sequence is also part of this strand of work.

The second parallel strand is to support the MoE to develop a detailed roadmap (five years) for the development of learning resources, including textbooks, teacher guides and supplementary materials. Technical work in this strand includes supporting the MoE to develop model chapters for textbooks and quality assurance guidelines to ensure that curriculum framework guidelines and subject scope and sequences are embedded in textbooks. A field testing plan for learning materials is also a key feature of this strand.

The third parallel strand of work is the socialisation of the core documents. This is a critical strand to ensure that all stakeholders at national and subnational level have knowledge and understanding of the curriculum framework core documents and can lead implementation of the new curriculum in their sphere of influence.

The fourth parallel strand involves the implementation of the core curriculum documents at school level through training and professional learning for leadership of school principals and teachers.

UNESCO seeks to engage an international expert at Senior/Executive Level to lead and shape these four parallel strands of work.

The Consultant will perform the following duties:

1. Consult with MoE and relevant stakeholders to take stock of the ongoing work and develop a clearly defined workplan in line with MoE’s strategic plans, including the process for ensuring quality deliverables under each of the four strands.

2. Lead UNESCO’s technical support to the MoE in curriculum reform and guide the work of the national the international technical experts ensuring quality deliverables.

3. Provide technical support to the MoE Leadership in coordinating the curriculum reform, particularly in the progression of the four parallel strands (finalisation of core curriculum documents, learning resources, socialisation of core documents and training and professional learning for school leaders and teachers).

4. Provide examples of best practices in curriculum framework, syllabus development and learning resources and provide recommendations to the MoE Leadership and the technical teams. This includes planning and facilitating study tours and exposure visits on the subject.

5. Guide stakeholders towards implementing the new curriculum framework and competency framework including, best practices in textbook development, socialisation of core documents and school leadership and teacher professional learning.

6. Plan, organise and co-facilitate high level technical meetings, workshops and consultations with MoE and stakeholders as required including a joint technical curriculum technical working group to build the capability of Tashkeel staff.

7. Consult closely with MoE and key stakeholders at each stage of the assignment. All deliverables will be presented to MoE and relevant stakeholders.

Deliverables:

i. Clearly defined workplan stated under duties #1 above – 15 January 2020

ii. Monthly progress report along with the supporting documents – technical papers, best practices, meeting notes which includes (as proposed in the workplan above):

· Guidelines to support International Subject Specialists to develop models of chapter textbooks for key subjects identified under the Curriculum Framework for General Education.

· Development of a detailed roadmap (5 year plan) for the development of learning resources in Afghanistan, including recommendations for a regular review of and redevelopment cycle for learning resources.

· Best Practices in Learning Resources in Afghanistan programme developed and workshop materials for High Level Technical Meetings prepared, workshop facilitated and report prepared

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

· A handbook with practical guidelines on how to write textbooks and how to convert subject syllabi to engaging learning resources prepared for the MoE General Directorate of Curriculum (GDC) staff and Textbook Writers and GDC staff trained on writing textbooks and translating subject syllabi to engaging learning resources

· Development of quality assurance guidelines to quality assure textbook content and training of MoE GDC staff on the same.

· Plan for field testing of learning resources in Afghanistan.

· Analytical Report on best practices relating to the training of school leaders and teachers in curriculum implementation, including examples from a range of other countries

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 reform.

Work experience

· At least 15 years of relevant work experience in education, with atleast 10 years of this experience acquired in curriculum reform related fields.

· 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.

· Advanced cross-cultural communication skills.

· Excellent analytical and report writing skills, high-level drafting and communication capacity in English

· Experience in educational reforms in Afghanistan in particular in curriculum is an asset.

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 22 December 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 vitae;

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.