UNICEF recruits 01 Senior Curriculum Advisor

Senior Curriculum Advisor to the Ministry of Education (International Education Expert)

Job Number: 530295 | Vacancy Link

Locations: Middle East and North Africa: Sudan

Work Type : Consultancy

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, www.unicef.org/sudan

Sudan, surrounded by the Central African Republic, Chad, Egypt, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Libya and South Sudan, positioned next to East, West, South and North Africa, is surrounded by complex conflicts in an unpredictable, volatile and rapidly evolving region. Sudan is by size the third biggest country in Africa, with a diverse population of around 42 million people. Sudan’s children make up half of the total population, and the past two decades have seen their lives significantly improve: fewer girls and boys are dying before their fifth birthday, primary school attendance is increasing, immunization coverage is high and the country remains polio free. Still, millions of children continue to suffer from protracted conflict in Darfur, the Kordofans, and Blue Nile, from seasonal natural disasters, malnutrition and disease outbreaks, and from under-investment in basic social services. More than three million of Sudan’s school aged children are not in the classroom. UNICEF has been in Sudan since 1952 and continues with a presence in 12 of Sudan’s 18 states.

How can you make a difference?

The Senior Curriculum Advisor will act as a lead technical specialist to help develop a road map for the overall process for curriculum review, development and piloting (i.e. immediate curriculum changes, as well as longer term systematic review cycles, and changes needed to match the proposed new education structure).The Advisor will help to establish the organizational processes and teams (internal and/or outsourced) for systematic and ongoing review of current educational curriculum and development of new curriculum. This would include reviews not only of curriculum content and its sequencing across different cycles of schooling (i.e. pre-primary, primary, lower-secondary, upper-secondary), but also related areas of assessment, learning materials, teacher training materials etc. to deliver that curriculum.

The consultant will undertake periodic visits/work sessions directly alongside Ministry of Education colleagues in Khartoum. Potential travel is also planned to work with colleagues in White Nile State at the National Curriculum Center, and possibly other states, for technical support and coordination.

Basic objectives of the consultancy:

 In collaboration with the education team of the UNICEF Sudan Country Office, the consultant is expected to achieve the following objectives:

Review current Sudanese education generic curriculum framework and develop a revised curriculum framework in light of new proposed education structural changes.

Develop a road map for curriculum review, development and piloting.

Capacity building for relevant staff at MOE and NCCER team on curriculum review and development processes.

Key Tasks:

Review current Sudanese education curriculum framework and the proposed new structural changes, and identify changes and steps needed to bring into alignment i.e. new curriculum framework

Lead a participatory process for curriculum review and assessment of the current Sudanese education curriculum framework.

Review the current Sudanese education generic curriculum framework, assess relevance of the current schooling system (8+3) compared to the newly announced schooling system (6 + 3 + 3) and identify key areas for changes needed to the curriculum.

Following the review and assessment process, draft a briefing note which includes areas of strengths and weaknesses of the current curriculum framework and proposed changes and steps to bring curriculum framework into alignment with the new structure.

With MoE and assigned technical teams, develop a revised broad curriculum framework

Provide periodic briefings to the Minister of Education and Director of Curriculum to gather feedback on progress.

Coordinate with the Senior Teacher Education Advisor on areas related to teacher education policy and practice influenced by the newly developed curriculum framework

Ensure the inclusivity of the national curriculum framework to local and regional context specific issues like; violence in schools, life skills and citizenship education and gender.

Develop a Road Map for curriculum review, development and piloting.

Provide recommendation to MoE on areas of priority in relation to curriculum development (i.e. subject matters/ grade levels).

Develop a strategy for both the immediate curriculum development needs, as well as a process for ongoing systemic curriculum review and updating. This includes standard operating procedures and terms of references for the technical committees to be established for subject specific curriculum review and development

Guide development of a costed work plan for curriculum development, including financial and human resources needed.

Capacity building for relevant staff at MOE and NCCER team on curriculum review and development processes.

Assess knowledge and skill gaps among MoE technical teams in areas related to curriculum review and development.

Undertake several capacity building activities on curriculum review and development to address identified knowledge and skill gaps among relevant staff at Ministry of Education and NCCER.

Document the process of curriculum review and development including challenges encountered and lessons learned.

Output(s)/Deliverable(s)

1.1  Report outlining participatory process of curriculum review.

1.2  Submitted curriculum review report with areas of strengths and weakness and proposed required changes.

1.3  Revised curriculum framework completed.

1.4  Minutes of briefing meetings with the Ministry of Education, Under Secretary, Director of Curriculum, and other relevant officials

2.1  Road Map including (i) recommendations of curriculum development priorities, and (ii) costed work plan for curriculum development.

2.2  Strategy for curriculum development completed, including SoPs and ToR.

2.3  Guidelines for new system and mechanism completed.

3.1  Work plan developed for capacity building for MoE technical teams based on assessment.

3.2  Capacity building activities completed and reported on (# to be agreed on in work plan).

3.3  Guiding document for curriculum review and development finalized

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

Qualifications:

Doctoral degree in education, social sciences or relevant areas.

Ability to facilitate consultative workshops

Demonstrated research, analytical and report writing skills

Strong communication skills with the ability to effectively and persuasively present information in a variety of settings and formats

Ability to work independently and in a team

Knowledge of: Microsoft Office, especially Word, Excel and Power point

Relevant work experience:

Minimum 8 years of experience in curriculum development and policy

Experience in education program and strategy development, especially in contexts like Sudan

Experience working with Governments, including Ministries of Education preferable.

Flexible nature and ability to adapt to changing directions/thinking that may occur during the consultative workshops

Language skills required:

Fluency in spoken and written English is essential.

Proficiency in spoken Arabic is an advantage.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA) and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

The functional competencies required for this post are…

View our competency framework at  http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/files/UNICEF_Competencies.pdf

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

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.

Consultants and Individual contractors are responsible for paying any taxes derived from the earnings received from UNICEF.

Closing Date Mon Mar 23 2020 21:55:00 GMT+0100 (Paris, Madrid)