Technical Assistance for Samoa Education Sector Analysis Consultancy

Job no: 566702
Position type: Consultant
Location: Samoa, Fiji/Pacific Island Countries
Division/Equivalent: Bangkok (EAPRO), Thailand
School/Unit: Fiji (Pacific Islands) - MCP
Department/Office: Apia, Samoa
Categories: Education

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UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

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For every child, education.

In the Pacific we work in Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu: These 14 Pacific island countries are home to 2.3 million people, including 1.2 million children and youth, living on more than 660 islands and atolls stretching across 17.2 million square kilometers of the Pacific Ocean, an area comparable to the combined size of the United States of America and Canada. Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Solomon Islands, and Tuvalu are classified as Fragile States according to World Bank/OECD criteria.

All 14 Pacific Island countries and territories have ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, but only a third are on track with reporting obligations. Explore the different areas of our work in the link provided here www.unicef.org/pacificislands.

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Background of Assignment:

The Ministry of Education, Sports and Culture (MESC) in Samoa has applied for a Sector Capacity Grant (SCG) from the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) to support the development the new evidence-informed sector plan and supporting MESC Corporate Plan. Education is seen as crucial to the achievement of Samoa 2040 and the current Pathway for Development of Samoa (2021/22-2025/26) and attention to the education relevant priorities of these national frameworks will be expected of a new education sector plan. The plan will also be cognizant of regional and global education mandates and reflect the voices and aspiration of all people of Samoa. All levels of education will be included in the plan from ECE through formal schooling and pathways to Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET.)  Samoa’s strong commitment to regional and global mandates for education and human development including the Pacific Regional Education Framework (PacREF), Pasifika Call to Action on Early Childhood Development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) will also be reflected in planning documents.

The Education Sector Analysis will be completed across the three implementing agencies of the sector – MESC, the National University of Samoa (NUS) and the Samoa Qualifications Authority (SQA). In addition, there will be a specific review of the MESC corporate plan as the lead agency for basic education, and thematic studies, along with a series of consultations will help to gauge progress on the intended outcomes of the current 2019-24 sector plan, gain insight into the impacts of and new opportunities created by COVID-19 and explore specific areas of teaching and learning identified within the corporate plan.  The findings of this work, along with consideration of a changing regional and global agenda will inform the underpinning thinking of the new sector plan.

The development of the sector and corporate plans must be informed by a robust and inclusive Education Sector Analysis (ESA) and Corporate Review. The resulting plans will be evidence based, gender sensitive and risk informed.

This consultancy relates specifically to the Education Sector Analysis and support to its integration into the new sector plan.

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How can you make a difference?

The objective of the proposed consultancy is to deliver a comprehensive, detailed and rigorous sector wide analysis of the Samoa education system utilising available national, regional and international data to lay the groundwork for an evidence based, context specific costed and implementable sector plan. The sector analysis should also make linkages to the current sector plan, the mechanisms used for its implementation and its key performance indicators. All processes are to be completed under the guidance and in close collaboration with the ACEO of Sector Coordination and the focal points of each implementing agency. The completed analysis will be agreed by each Sector Head (MESC, NUS, SQA) and ultimately approved through ESAC.

The scope of the technical assistance will be to work with the relevant staff of MESC, the National University of Samoa and the Samoa Qualifications Authority to achieve the following deliverables:  

• An outline of the principles, methodological approach and timeline for the work of the ESA  
• Undertake a comprehensive Education Sector Analysis for the period since 2019, including the integration of identified targeted and thematic analysis.
• Provide support to the drafting of components of the Education Sector Plan that directly relate to the Education Sector Analysis, participate in working sessions that draw on ESA to inform priority programmes of the ESP, and contribute to a technical review of ESP to ensure alignment to ESA.  

Please refer to the ToR for further information on the deliverables and the timelines.

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Guidance for Application:

• Please submit a separate financial offer along with your application. The financial proposal should be a lump sum amount for all the deliverables and should show a break down for the following:
• Monthly / Daily fees– based on the deliverables in the Terms of Reference above
• Travel (economy air ticket where applicable to take up assignment and field mission travel
• Living allowance for up to 35 days in country mission
• Miscellaneous- to cover visa, health insurance (including medical evacuation for international consultants), travel insurance communications, and other costs.

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

• Masters degree or higher in education policy, planning and analysis or relevant alternative with at least 10 years increasingly complex work experience and demonstrated:
• Education sector analysis with considerable expertise in monitoring and evaluation suitable for the Samoa context;  
• Experience working in developing countries, preferably in the Pacific;  
• Easily comprehended written style and excellent analytical skills;  
• Ability to share ideas, concepts and experiences in education analysis;  
• Ability to coordinate multiple complex activities and take a collaborative approach in achieving success; and
• Ability to work effectively with local counterparts in MESC and education stakeholders, as demonstrated by experience building and maintaining cross-cultural relationships, with a clear understanding of when to lead and when to allow others to lead

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For every Child, you demonstrate…

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

To view our competency framework, please visit  here

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Remarks:  

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment.

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. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

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 (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws.

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.

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

Advertised: Oct 23 2023 Fiji Standard Time
Application close: Nov 05 2023 Fiji Standard Time

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