Consultant-Teacher Development for Competency-Based Education and Peace Education in South Asia

Organizational Context

UNESCO, as the United Nations specialized agency for education, spearheads global efforts to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 4 on Quality Education. It actively supports Member States in fostering education for peace and sustainable development, while also strengthening teacher policies to enhance the professionalization and retention of qualified educators. The UNESCO Regional Office in South Asia seeks an international consultant to advance these critical areas.

Job Purpose

The primary purpose of this consultancy is to support the UNESCO Regional Office in South Asia in advancing teacher development, competency-based education, and the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 4.7 across the region. This includes a specific focus on initiatives in Sri Lanka, Himachal Pradesh (India), and Bhutan. The consultant will play a key role in promoting UNESCO's work on teacher capacity development, particularly in differentiated learning, and ensuring the effective reporting, monitoring, and accountability of UNESCO's education activities within South Asia. This role is crucial for strengthening educational frameworks and promoting peace and sustainable development through education.

Responsibilities

The consultant will oversee competency-based education activities for a project in Himachal Pradesh, coordinating experts to review policies, curricula, and teacher training programs. Responsibilities include developing teacher training modules, facilitating pilot cycles, establishing monitoring mechanisms, and producing evaluation reports. The role also involves managing administrative tasks and supporting project extension proposals. Additionally, the consultant will contribute to finalizing a project in Bhutan focused on learning gaps, develop project proposals for South Asian countries to implement the UNESCO Recommendation on Education for Peace, Human Rights, and Sustainable Development, and coordinate efforts with national and global partners. For Sri Lanka, the consultant will coordinate emergency response initiatives following a cyclone. Finally, the consultant will update the UNINFO system for UNESCO's education activities in India and support regular reporting to UNCT focal points in Bhutan, India, and Sri Lanka.

Work Experience

A minimum of 4 years of relevant professional experience in education program management is necessary, with at least 2 years of this experience gained at the international level.

Skills

Required skills include knowledge of education and socio-economic systems in developing countries, particularly in South Asia. Proficiency in Global Citizenship Education and Teacher Development is essential. Familiarity with UN System mechanics (UNDAF, UNCT, UN Joint Programming) is important. The consultant must possess proven abilities in drafting high-quality reports and proposals, excellent coordination, negotiation, and stakeholder engagement skills, and strong presentation abilities for effective communication in multicultural settings. Robust IT and results-based management skills are also necessary.

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