Education Officer - Curriculum and Teacher Development

Organizational Context

UNICEF's mission is to promote the rights of every child, everywhere, focusing on equity for the most disadvantaged. In Papua New Guinea, despite progress in education access, challenges persist in retention, completion, and transition rates. Issues include low learning outcomes, insufficient teaching quality, unsafe learning environments, and inadequate resilience to crises. The UNICEF PNG Country Programme 2024-2027 aims to improve foundational learning and life skills for all school-age children, with a focus on vulnerable groups.

Job Purpose

This role supports UNICEF's Education Programme in Papua New Guinea, focusing on curriculum and teacher development under the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) grants. The assignment aims to enhance the quality of teaching and learning by supporting the implementation of the Standards-Based Curriculum (SBC), improving teacher professional development, and ensuring effective distribution of learning materials. The UN Volunteer will contribute to strengthening foundational learning in early grades, promoting gender-responsive and inclusive pedagogies, and supporting the overall goal of improving educational outcomes for all children, especially girls, children with disabilities, and those affected by crises.

Responsibilities

The UN Volunteer will support the planning, implementation, coordination, and monitoring of curriculum and teacher development initiatives within the GPE programme. Key responsibilities include: Programme Support: Assist in situation analysis, research on development trends, and contribute to programme design, planning, and management. Provide technical and administrative support throughout the programming cycle, including results-based planning and monitoring. Implementation and Monitoring: Collaborate with colleagues and partners to monitor programme implementation, identify issues, and suggest solutions. Participate in reviews, prepare reports, and monitor the use of programme resources, ensuring compliance and accountability. Technical Assistance: Provide technical and operational support to government counterparts, NGOs, and other partners on UNICEF policies and best practices in education. Conduct field visits to assess progress and report on challenges. Partnership and Networking: Build and sustain partnerships with government and stakeholders, share information, and contribute to advocacy and resource mobilization efforts. Participate in inter-agency meetings to align strategies. Knowledge Management: Contribute to identifying, capturing, and sharing lessons learned. Promote innovative approaches and good practices to achieve sustainable programme results. Support capacity building for stakeholders.

Work Experience

Requires a minimum of three years of professional experience in education programme planning, implementation, monitoring, or research. Experience in curriculum implementation, teacher development, foundational literacy/numeracy, or education system strengthening is preferred. Experience coordinating with government counterparts and education partners, strong analytical and communication skills, and experience in a developing country are beneficial.

Skills

Key competencies include Accountability, Adaptability and Flexibility, Building Trust, Client Orientation, Commitment and Motivation, Continuous Learning, Communication, Creativity, Ethics and Values, Integrity, Planning and Organizing, Professionalism, Respect for Diversity, Self-Management, and Working in Teams. Expertise in education, community development, project management, programme development, and strategy is also relevant.

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