National Specialist: Teaching and Learning Policy
Organizational Context
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is a UN specialized agency dedicated to achieving food security globally. FAO's Lesotho Country Office supports the Lesotho Agricultural College (LAC) in its transformation into a Centre of Excellence. This initiative aims to enhance skills in education, innovation, extension, and agribusiness development. A key component is the development of a Teaching and Learning Policy and a Programme Design and Development Policy to meet national and international quality assurance standards and accreditation requirements.
Job Purpose
The National Specialist will assist the Lesotho Agricultural College (LAC) management in developing a robust, evidence-based Teaching and Learning Policy. This involves conducting analytical work, gathering input from various stakeholders, and drafting the policy document. The policy will define standards, quality assurance mechanisms, and pedagogical approaches to ensure consistent, high-quality education delivery, aligning with the Council on Higher Education (CHE) standards and international best practices. The role is crucial for positioning LAC as a centre of excellence and achieving accreditation.
Responsibilities
The specialist will conduct a thorough review of LAC's current teaching and learning practices, quality assurance processes, and related policy documents. Benchmarking against leading national and international institutions will identify best practices. Consultative workshops will be facilitated with LAC leadership, staff, students, and external stakeholders to establish core pedagogical principles and quality standards. The role includes designing monitoring and evaluation mechanisms for teaching quality, student feedback systems, and a staff professional development strategy. A system for tracking at-risk students and ensuring examination eligibility will be developed. The specialist will draft the complete Teaching and Learning Policy, covering curriculum approval, assessment frameworks, academic integrity, Work Integrated Learning, e-learning integration, and stakeholder input. Development of an accompanying Implementation Plan and Institutional Readiness Assessment is required. The draft policy and plan will be presented to the Project Steering Committee for review and validation, with feedback incorporated for finalization. A handover report summarizing the process and recommendations will be prepared.
Work Experience
Requires seven years of relevant experience in teaching and curriculum development. Demonstrated knowledge of national qualifications frameworks and accreditation standards, particularly the Lesotho Qualifications Framework and Council on Higher Education requirements, is essential. Prior experience in developing institutional teaching and learning policies or frameworks for higher education or technical/vocational institutions is highly desirable.
Skills
Key skills include results focus, teamwork, communication, building effective relationships, and knowledge sharing. Essential competencies involve demonstrated knowledge of national qualifications frameworks and accreditation standards, preferably the Lesotho Qualifications Framework and Council on Higher Education requirements. Prior experience developing institutional teaching and learning policies or frameworks for higher education or technical and vocational institutions is crucial. Strong facilitation, stakeholder consultation, and report-writing skills are also required.