Consultant for the Curriculum System Strengthening (CSS) Integrated Implementation Plan & Commu[...]

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For every child, Education

UNICEF South Africa

The South African education sector is not adequately equipping students with cognitive, social, and emotional competencies to meet the demands of our fast-changing world. Too many learners, particularly those from low-income backgrounds, cannot read for meaning by the age of 10. They are struggling to successfully complete secondary and tertiary education and leaving school ill-prepared to find or create employment. There is increasing acknowledgement that there is a need to better equip learners with the competencies they need to find or create work and thrive in the 21st Century and beyond. The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated a trimming of the South African ‘Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement’ (CAPS) curriculum, thereby opening the opportunity to rethink and rebuild the curriculum in the aftermath of the pandemic in a way that improves educational relevance.

To respond to the key challenge addressed above, the Department of Education (DBE) developed the Basic Education Competency Framework in 2023 – a framework to be used from early childhood throughout all levels of basic education. The Framework is encouraged to be used by any formal, informal, and non-formal skills development interventions, including those initiated by other departments and the private sector.

At the national Basic Education Lekgotla in January 2022, the Department of Basic Education (DBE) agreed on a multi-pronged approach to address this complex set of issues. This approach includes:

1. A short-term learning recovery plan in response to COVID-19, to address learning loss (2021 to 2024).
2. A medium to long-term curriculum strengthening plan (2025 onward), aimed at addressing the issue of curriculum relevance and preparing learners for the fast-changing world.

The work outlined in this document will focus exclusively on the Curriculum Strengthening Initiative.

UNICEF has confirmed its technical and financial support to DBE in implementing such a framework. One of the key aspects needed for implementation is strategic and effective communication by the DBE. In this regard, UNICEF will assist the DBE in developing the Curriculum System Strengthening (CSS) Integrated Implementation Plan and Communications Strategy. UNICEF SA is now seeking to find the needed strategic planning assistance from a highly experienced professional to provide quality support to the DBE.

How can you make a difference?

As the national curriculum strengthening process unfolds, there is a need for the DBE to engage a broad range of stakeholders, both within the education sector and beyond at various levels to enable the implementation of the curriculum strengthening plan. The Curriculum System Strengthening (CSS) Integrated Implementation Plan and Communications Strategy will be developed to proceed with adequate information sharing and consensus building, with adequate monitoring and learning from the implementation.

Key responsibilities and outputs of the technical assistant include:

• Finalise the Draft Integrated Implementation Plan
• Development of a comprehensive Communication Strategy that aligns with the CSS Integrated Plan and Theory of Change
• Creation of six initial communication products in collaboration with the DBE Communications Branch
• Development of the MERL (Monitoring, Evaluation, Research, and Learning) system for the CSS Integrated Implementation Plan
• Design of MERL instruments for the first year of implementation
• Collaboration with the Curriculum Strengthening Working Group (CSWG) to plan and implement 2025 activities as outlined in the CSS Integrated Plan and Theory of Change

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

• An advanced university degree (Master’s or higher)
• A minimum of 10 years of relevant professional experience in education communication and advocacy and in-depth knowledge of the education sector
• Experience in sector reform advocacy
• Experience in managing large-scale sector programmes/projects
• Experience in institutional and organisational capacity development, and esp. on MERL
• Experience in working with governments
• Previous experience leading a similar education reform process in the Africa/Latin America region is an asset
• Previous experience working with the UNICEF/UN is an asset

Please indicate your ability and availability; and attach a technical proposal and financial proposal in ZAR to undertake the terms of reference above (including admin cost if applicable). Proposals submitted without a detailed financial proposal aligned to the assignment will not be considered.

UNICEF does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process. Should you receive a solicitation for the payment of a fee, please disregard it.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS).

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.

According to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), persons with disabilities include those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual, or sensory impairments which, in interaction with various barriers, may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others.

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.

Remarks:

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.