Senior Consultant to develop a partnership compact for the transformation of Education in Rwanda, Kigali – Rwanda, 3months ( Remote/ work from home) UNICEF at United Nations Children’s Fund: (Deadline 24 October 2022)

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For every child, Development

To learn more about UNICEF work in Rwanda, please visit the country website https://unicef.sharepoint.com/sites/RWA/

How can you make a difference?

The Ministry of Education (MINEDUC) of Rwanda has embarked on a journey aimed at the transformation of the education system with a major focus on enhancing equity and improving the quality of education. MINEDUC’s work is guided by the Government of Rwanda’s Vision 2050, the National Strategy for Transformation (NST1), being operationalized through Education Strategic Sector Plan (ESSP 2018-2024) and various policies on key education thematic areas. A major focus of the current ESSP is to lay a strong foundation of quality education to achieve the long-term vision of highly skilled and competitive human capital in Rwanda. To tackle the learning crisis in Rwanda MINEDUC in consultation with education stakeholders has recently drafted a National Strategy for Accelerated Learning (NSAFL) focusing on five key priorities:

1. Improved quality of instruction
2. Effective textbooks and other teaching and learning materials
3. Evidence based foundational skills curriculum aligned with students’ learning levels
4. Strengthened monitoring, learning assessment and quality assurance system
5. Parent and community support to children’s learning in the home environment

The purpose of the consultancy is to lead development of the partnership compact in consultation with MINEDUC and the ESWG to ensure mutual commitment among stakeholders to implement the selected priorities.

Objectives:

The specific objectives of this assignment are to:

1. Review key strategic documents, including the enabling factors for systemic change in education, the NST 1 and Vision 2050.
2. Support MINEDUC to facilitate consultations with ESWG members as part of the process to identify bottlenecks, costed strategies and plans, as well as a financing needs to transform the education system.
3. Provide technical guidance to UNICEF and MINEDUC to identify key areas and strategies for systems strengthening.
4. Draft and finalize the Partnership Compact Document and ensure feedback from all stakeholders are included.
5. Support the development of the second SCG application.

Scope of Work:

Scope of the consultancy

The selected candidate will lead the following tasks, working closely with MINEDUC technical team, development partners, other relevant stakeholders and the teams working on the National Strategy for Accelerated Learning (NSAFL) and the Education Long-Term Strategic Vision (ELSV).

1. Review key strategic documents

Over the past few years, MINEDUC and development partners have produced significant analytical work and strategies, to enhance equity and improve quality of education in Rwanda. Most recently, MINEDUC has conducted national consultations as part of the “Transforming Education Summit (TES)”, from which a national statement of commitment was developed.  It is therefore critical to ensure the partnership compact builds on existing collaborative initiatives to ensure the partnership compact development process is streamlined. The expected outcome is to develop a comprehensive desk review report and a revised roadmap for the partnership compact development

b. Facilitate consultations with education stakeholders

Based on the outcomes of the review and gaps identified, the consultant shall consult partners to identify focus areas and appropriate strategies, and to seek commitment to support system transformation in a coherent fashion. These consultations can be virtual and/or in person. Bilateral meetings might be required to collect additional feedback from stakeholders. These consultations shall create opportunities for policy dialogues on key issues and priorities that can directly or indirectly affect education. The key deliverable at this stage is a comprehensive documentation of key bottlenecks, priorities for achieving system transformation and supporting MINEDUC’s medium to long, as well as a financing gaps to transform the education system in Rwanda. These consultations should also help identify strategic focus of support from GPE fund and innovative financing opportunities. the consultation should document what stakeholders think are key priorities to be included in the compact in support of MINEDUC’s medium to long term goals

2. Present a synthesis of the desk review and consultation feedback to stakeholders for prioritization 

Throughout the consultations and review of strategic documents, the consultant will have identified priority areas and strategies for system’s strengthening, which can feed into the enabling factors analysis and inform the system capacity grant application development. The consultant will present the identified priorities and strategies to stakeholders in a meeting/workshop to be organized by MINEDUC in collaboration with UNICEF. The consultant will facilitate discussion with the stakeholders to reach consensus on key priorities to be included in the partnership compact as well as the enabling factors that need to be improved to accelerate system transformation.

3. Draft and finalize the Partnership Compact Document

Following the consultations, the consultant shall draft the Partnership Compact document based on the GPE proposed guidelines and outlines. The draft document shall go through proper validation channels agreed by MINEDUC, UNICEF and GPE. Once a draft is presented and finalized at country level it will be shared with the GPE country team for feedback. Further the consultant will finalize the Compact and ensure it is presented and endorsed by the ESWG. Following the endorsement, the Compact is submitted to the GPE board for approval while implementation and review procedures are identified. The expected outcome is the finalized Partnership Compact Document.

4. Develop the System Capacity Grant application

GPE has developed guidelines and templates to apply for the SCG. The consultant shall follow the guidelines and fill out the templates based on the strategic focus of support from GPE identified by MINEDUC and the ESWG to strengthen the education system in key areas such as data and evidence, gender responsive sector planning, sector coordination, domestic financing. The expected deliverable is the finalized phase two of the SCG endorsed by the ESWG.

Work Assignment Overview

Tasks/Milestone:

1. Develop work plan with timelines for key deliverables
2. Review key strategic documents
3. Consultations with education stakeholders
4. Development and finalization of the Partnership Compact Document
5. Development of the SCG application

Deliverables/Outputs:

• A revised roadmap that should lead to the submission of the partnership compact, and the second SCG application to GPE. To be completed by 15 November 2022 ( 10% of contract value)
• Report of a comprehensive desk review of existing analyses, policies, and strategic plans. To be completed by 15 November 2022 ( 10% of contract value)
• Consultations’ report which includes a comprehensive documentation of bottlenecks, priorities, and plans, as well as a financing gap of the education system in Rwanda. This report should include priorities identified by stakeholders a strategic focus of support from GPE and innovative financing opportunities. To be completed by 30 November 2022 ( 20% of contract value)
• Finalized Partnership Compact Document. To be completed by 31 December 2022 ( 40% of contract value)
• Finalized SCG application endorsed by the ESWG. To be completed by 15 January 2023 ( 20% of contract value)

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

• Advanced university degree ( Master’s or Higher) in Education or related social sciences from a recognized institution
• Minimum of eight years of relevant work experience, preferably at national and international levels, including in programmes that promote equity and quality learning.
• Professional Experience of working in the education sector in Rwanda is an added advantage.
• Demonstrated experience in strategy development for government and/or international development organizations in the social sector.
• Fluency in English is a must, and knowledge of French and Kinyarwanda is an asse

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA).

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

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:

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. The candidate may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid).

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