JOB DETAILS:
National Consultant to provide technical assistance in Development of the Pre-Primary Education Standards for Zanzibar, Tanzania. (for 5 month)
Apply now
Job no: 573858
Contract type: Consultant
Duty Station: Zanzibar
Level: Consultancy
Location: United Republic of Tanzania
Categories: Education

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.

For every child, education
As is well known, investing in the foundations of learning during the child’s early years benefits children, families, education systems and societies at large. Indeed, the first three years are the most important time for shaping the child’s brain architecture and if the developmental potential could be maximized or not is determined by the types of experiences that children receive. Children need love and nurturing – developing a sense of trust and security that turns into confidence as they grow. The role of parents during a child’s earliest years is the single biggest influence on their development.

As for the effects of pre-primary education, in the short term, quality pre-primary education has consistently positive effects on children’s learning, especially early language skills, early numeracy skills, early and emergent literacy skills. In addition to the short-term effects, there are also medium-term effects into schooling like on-time entry into primary school, primary completion, and on-time primary completion. In this way, participation in quality PPE sets in motion a positive learning cycle and is a proven strategy to address the global learning crisis at its roots by closing early learning gaps, strengthening the efficiency of education systems and providing a solid foundation for human capital development and economic growth.

While recognizing the potential of PPE, it is also true that, in order for an PPE programme to attain a positive impact, high quality program is a necessary condition. Low quality programs cannot accomplish what higher-quality programs can in terms of children’s development and learning.

The concern on the quality PPE is also applicable to Zanzibar, where there are various positive progresses being made in the PPE. Indeed, there are four types of PPE models in Zanzibar, which include: 1) stand-alone pre-primary school/centre; 2) attached pre-primary schools; 3) TuTu centres (Learn through Play centers) and 4) community-based Madrasa model. Community-based model follows the same model as was initiated by the Agha Khan Foundation in their Madrassa PPE interventions and its pedagogical approach follows various good practices and pedagogical theories such as activity-based, child-centred, whole language approaches etc. Whereas, others use the government curriculum, which does not necessarily follow clear pedagogical approach/theories.

The absence of clear standards that are common across these models as well as pedagogical approach, coupled with various technical and administrative challenges, pose various quality related concerns. Without clear minimum standards for the PPE in Zanzibar, the government faces a great challenge in ensuring basic quality in PPE settings including the adequate numbers and qualifications of PPE teachers, quality and frequency of capacity development opportunities for them, quality assurance mechanisms, involvement of members of Parent Teacher Associations/School Management Committees to support PPE centers etc.

To address the issue of quality in PPE interventions across Zanzibar, including both government and private sectors, the need to develop minimum standards has been identified.

How can you make a difference?
Focus of the assignment
This assignment builds on the assumption that, by setting comprehensive standards for service quality in a form of PPE minimum standards, there will be improved quality within and development outcomes from PPE services across the service delivery platforms and service providers. The standards will help the education system not only to set clear and measurable goals, but also to define quality measures to ensure health, safety of children and minimum quality of education and care, which also includes outdoor activities. The standards will help the PPE interventions in Zanzibar staffed with qualified staff, conducive learning environment and pedagogical materials, and help the system for conducting monitoring and evaluation in assessing the pre-primary education interventions. As there is PPE standards already developed for the Tanzania mainland, the PPE standards for Zanzibar will be developed, while learning the lessons learned from the experience.

Under the direct guidance of the Education Specialist (ECE), the consultant will:

Conduct a needs assessment: a. Conduct a desk study of all available international and national reference documents on the PPE standards (especially the ECE standards developed in the mainland Tanzania) and programmes in Zanzibar including policy documents, curriculum, programme documents (incl. those of CSOs), and develop an inception report with an overall concept and proposed scope of PPE minimum standards, a plan for a needs assessment study to analyze the status of PPE in Zanzibar and to draft its minimum standards with proposed timeframe.
Conduct a meeting with the technical core team to discuss and finalize the contents of the inception report, including the findings from the desk study, an overall scope of PPE minimum standards, and proposed study plan and design from inception report.

Develop tools of field-based observation and interviews, using various methods at various levels.
Analyse collected data and draft field observation/interview report and PPE minimum standards based on the findings from both desk study and information collected from the fields
Draft and finalize the PPE minimum standards for Zanzibar: a. In reference to the findings from the desk study and field-based observations and interviews, draft PPE standards for Zanzibar.
Prepare for and convene a workshop for developing Minimum Standards in collaboration and with the participation of the members of the technical core team, going through the draft, while giving enough space for all participants to propose any necessary adjustments.

Present draft Minimum Standards Guideline to Ministry level.
Convene a stakeholder workshop to present and finalize the contents of the draft minimum operational guideline with an implementation plan, Unguja and for Pemba.
WORK ASSIGNMENT, DELIVERABLES, TIME FRAME AND PAYMENT
PAYMENT SCHEDULE.
UNICEF reserves the right to withhold all or portion of payment if performance is unsatisfactory, if work/output is incomplete, not delivered or for failure to meet deadlines.
ASSESSMENT / SELECTION PROCESS AND METHODS
Evaluations: The applicant should submit both technical and financial proposals which clearly stipulate how the work will be conducted. The Financial Proposal should include all costs of this assignment including fee, travel costs, accommodation as UNICEF will not pay any DSA.
Proposals will be both technically and financially evaluated. The technical part will carry a weight of 75%, in which the consultant will put clear his/her technical approach to ensure quality attainment of each deliverable and the consultancy in totality. The financial part will take 25% showing the proposed budget breakdown of consultancy cost for each deliverable (fees, travel and accommodation) and eventual total consultancy cost.
LOCATION, DURATION & LOGISTIC
The consultant will be required to travel 6 trips including 2trips Morogoro, 2trips Dar es Salaam and 2trips Arusha.
Work Assignments Overview
Deliverables/Outputs
Delivery deadline
Estimated Budget
1) Formation of a core teams
2) Conduct a planning meeting on developing Minimum Standard Guideline with the members of a technical core team.
3) Conduct a desk study, and develop an inception report with an overall concept and proposed scope of PPE minimum standards, a plan for a study to analyze the status of PPE in Zanzibar and to draft its minimum standards with proposed timeframe.

A list of members of a core team.

Desk study and drafting an inception report reviewed and finalized in consultation to the technical core team members.

A plan for conducting a needs assessment.
By the end of 2nd week (by 22 September)

20% of the total

1) In collaboration with the members of core team, develop tools.
2) Together with national experts and relevant government officials, conduct PPE stakeholders’ interviews and field observations at various levels to feed into the analysis.

3) Analyse collected data, draft a field observation and interview report, and consult core group for finalizing a report.
Data collection tools finalized in consultation to the technical core team members.
Availability of collected data, compiled for data analysis.
Finalized needs assessment report
By 4 October

By 18 October
By 8 November
20% of the total

Draft PPE minimum standards, reflecting the findings from field-based needs assessment, including the data collected both from desk study and information collected from the field.
2) Consult the draft PPE minimum standards with the members of the technical core group, and adjust the contents as per the guidance of the technical core team members.

3) Convene a stakeholders’ workshop to present the findings of needs assessment, draft PPE minimum standards, and finalize the contents of the draft minimum standards, reflecting the feedback/inputs from the workshop participants.
Draft PPE minimum standards that are discussed and agreed by the technical core team members.
PowerPoint presentation materials on: 1) findings from the needs assessment; 2) draft minimum standards. A summary from the consultation, including feedbacks and recommendations obtained.
1) Final needs assessment and 2) final PPE minimum standard, reflecting the feedbacks/inputs provided by the larger stakeholders.
By 22 November

By 30 November

15 November

30% of the total

4) Draft operational guideline with an implementation plan.

5) Convene a stakeholders’ workshop to present and finalize the contents of the draft minimum operational guideline with an implementation plan, reflecting the feedback/inputs.

6) Launch the standards, operational guidelines and its implementation plan in a high-level dissemination workshop.

Draft operational guideline with its implementation plan

Final operational guideline with its implementation plan, reflecting the feedbacks/inputs provided by the larger stakeholders.

PowerPoint presentation materials on:
findings from the needs assessment.
PPE minimum standards.
3) operational guideline; and

4) implementation plan.
By 20 December
(Winter break)

20 January 2025

By 29 January 2025
30% of the total

PAYMENT SCHEDULE.
UNICEF reserves the right to withhold all or portion of payment if performance is unsatisfactory, if work/output is incomplete, not delivered or for failure to meet deadlines.
ASSESSMENT / SELECTION PROCESS AND METHODS
Evaluations: The applicant should submit both technical and financial proposals which clearly stipulate how the work will be conducted. The Financial Proposal should include all costs of this assignment including fee, travel costs, accommodation as UNICEF will not pay any DSA.
Proposals will be both technically and financially evaluated. The technical part will carry a weight of 75%, in which the consultant will put clear his/her technical approach to ensure quality attainment of each deliverable and the consultancy in totality. The financial part will take 25% showing the proposed budget breakdown of consultancy cost for each deliverable (fees, travel and accommodation) and eventual total consultancy cost.
To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…
Advanced degree (minimum Masters, preferably above) in education and or related discipline, especially in especially in Education policy, education administration, Early Childhood Education (ECE), Education Planning, curriculum
A minimum of 8 [eight] years of relevant professional experience, especially in developing education policy, education system strengthening, education administration, curriculum design, PPE, Early Childhood Education (ECE), early learning, Education Planning, ECE standard/guideline development, development of costed operational guideline in education.
Demonstrated experience and expertise in research/review design and data processing and analyzing, especially in education and school context.
Demonstrated professional expertise in standards and guideline development especially in education.
Previous working experiences in East Africa, especially in Tanzania including Zanzibar asset.
Fluency in spoken and written English. Language fluency in Kiswahili asset.
Previous experience working with the UN and Government is added an advantage.
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.

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.

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