Individual Consultant - Inclusive foundational learning

OVERVIEW

Parent Sector : Education Sector (ED)

Duty Station: Bangkok

Job Family: Education

Type of contract : Non Staff

Duration of contract : From 7 to 11 months

Recruitment open to : External candidates

Application Deadline (Midnight Paris Time) : 22-APR-2024

UNESCO Core Values: Commitment to the Organization, Integrity, Respect for Diversity, Professionalism

OVERVIEW OF THE FUNCTIONS OF THE POST

BACKGROUND AND RATIONALE

Under the commitment to ensure ‘inclusive and equitable quality education’ and promote ‘lifelong learning for all’ as part of the United Nations (UN) 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4), the Asia-Pacific region has made a significant progress in terms of both access and quality of education. However, millions of children from disadvantaged groups are kept out or pushed out of education systems through decisions leading to exclusion from curricula, irrelevant learning objectives, stereotyping in textbooks, discrimination in resource allocation and assessments, tolerance of violence and neglect of needs. In addition, the prolonged school closure during the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the pre-existing inequalities and stalled global progress to meet the promise of ‘leave no one behind’.

UNESCO Bangkok, as a chair of Asia Pacific Multilingual Education Working Group (MLE WG) and the Disability-Inclusive Education in Asia-Pacific Working Group under the Learning and Education 2030+ Networking Group, has worked collaboratively with partners to raise awareness and remove persistent inequalities in the educational attainment of ethnolinguistic minorities and children with disabilities.

MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

WORK ASSIGNMENT

Under the overall authority of the Director of UNESCO Regional Office in Bangkok, the direct supervision and overall guidance of the Chief of Education Section, the Individual Specialist will undertake the following tasks:

1. Ensure effective implementation and monitoring of current and future extra-budgetary projects in ECCE and Equity and Inclusion in Education, including but not limited to: (1) “Addressing students’ learning gaps to ensure quality learning for all children and prevent drop-out in Asia-Pacific” funded by Korean government; (2) “Building resilience through Social and Emotional Learning (SEL): Teacher capacity building for sustainable transformation of education systems” funded by Japanese government
2. Lead regional programme and activities related to early childhood care and education (ECCE): SDG 4.2
3. Provide technical support to the inclusive and equitable learning team: serve as Secretary of two sub-working groups under the Learning and Education 2030+ Networking Group: (1) Asia Pacific Multilingual Education Working Group (MLE WG) and (2) Disability-Inclusive Education in Asia-Pacific Working Group (DIE WG); and serve as UNESCO Bangkok focal point for UN Regional Disability Working Group, UN Disability Inclusion Strategy (DIS) and Indigenous Peoples Education and UNESCO Afghanistan Core Coordination Team
4. Perform additional tasks as required and assigned by UNESCO Bangkok Director

   In line with UNESCO’s overall gender mainstreaming strategy, the incumbent is expected to integrate a gender perspective in all activities and apply gender analysis and mainstreaming concepts whenever feasible.

   Expected Deliverables/Outputs:

   EXPECTED DELIVERABLES/OUTPUTS:

   Deliverables Deadline for Submission 1
   • TOR for consultancy to conduct a rapid needs assessment about the training needs in Bhutan and Lao PDR in assessment for learning and differentiated learning pedagogies (KFIT)
   • Adaptation guideline for the Asia-Pacific early childhood care and education: teacher training handbook for social and emotional learning (JFIT)
   • Report on UNESCO ECCE side event at Asia-Pacific Regional Network for Early Childhood conference
   • DIE WG minutes 31 May 2024 2
     • KFIT project progress report
     • Learning passport - teacher module (DIE WG)
     • DIE WG, MLE WG and/or ECCE’s plan for ASEAN+3 Learning City Conference 30 June 2024 3
       • Design and participate in co-development workshop in Bhutan - Draft concept note and agenda (KFIT)
       • Draft regional roadmap for the Bangkok priorities for action on MLE 31 July 2024 4
         • Design and participate in co-development workshop in Lao PDR - Draft concept note and agenda (KFIT project)
         • Report on UNESCO intervention on ECCE for World Organization for Early Childhood Education (OMEP) World Assembly
         • Draft concept note and agenda for disability-inclusive data workshop in Lao PDR
         • DIE WG minutes 31 August 2024

           EXPECTED DELIVERABLES/OUTPUTS (CONTINUED):

           5
           • First draft of generic guide for teachers on differentiated learning pedagogy reviewed (KFIT)
           • Draft PPTs for disability-inclusive data workshop in Lao PDR
           • DIE WG and/or MLE WG’s plan for ASEAN+3 Learning City Conference (Bangkok, October 2024) 30 September 2024 6
             • Check-in meetings organized and led with Bhutan and Lao PDR on the capacity building activity to develop a teacher guide on differentiated learning pedagogy - agendas (KFIT)
             • Final regional roadmap for the Bangkok priorities for action (MLE WG) 31 October 2024 7
               • Draft national teacher guide on differentiated learning pedagogy for Bhutan and Lao PDR reviewed (KFIT)
               • DIE AP WG minutes 30 November 2024 8
                 • KFIT project progress report
                 • Draft national SEL handbook for Cambodia, Viet Nam, Fiji and Vanuatu reviewed (JFIT) 31 December 2024