National consultancy roster to support education system strengthening in Iraq

The purpose of this international consultancy roster is to create a pool of qualified international experts who can support UNICEF’s Iraq Country Office (CO) in implementing activities contributing to the education system strengthening. As UNICEF’s priorities in Iraq are transitioning from humanitarian to development-focused programming, building a sustainable, effective, efficient, and accountable education system is becoming the core of UNICEF’s support to Iraq’s Ministry of Education (MoE).

National consultancy roster to support education system strengthening in Iraq

Purpose of Activity/Assignment:

Under the System Strengthening Output of its Education Program, UNICEF supports policy development, evidence generation, capacity building, sector planning, and sector coordination. UNICEF’s support in this field in recent years included, for example, providing technical assistance for the education sector analysis and the development of education sector plans at the sub-national level (Governorate-level Education Sector Plans or GESPs) with the General Directorates of Education (GDoEs), under the umbrella of Iraq’s National Education Strategy (INES, 2022-2031) and per the country’s decentralization efforts.

The main activities under the Education System Strengthening Output include scaling existing activities and initiating new ones in strategic areas. More specifically, they include but are not limited to the following:

1.           Research, data collection, and/or study on out-of-school children and the impacts of climate change on education

2.           Education sector planning and budgeting

3.           Advocacy for the equitable allocation of public resources to and within the education sector, especially for early childhood education

4.           Collection and analysis of evidence and development of policy briefs and/or investment cases for pilot initiatives, especially in the roll-out of digital technologies for education 

5.           Facilitation and support for the education sector coordination at the sub-national level which includes knowledge transfer to key stakeholders and monitoring the progress status of the GESP implementation 

6.           Development of gender-sensitive mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) training packages and their roll-out

7.           Development of training modules on foundational skills contextualized for vulnerable children and their roll-out

8.           Development of school action plans for climate change and disaster risk reduction

9.           Analysis of the impacts and results of the Back-to-Learning (B2L) campaigns for school enrolment at the correct age.

Scope of Work:

 If the required and desired expertise and experience are met, the candidates selected for this consultancy roster will be contacted to express their interest and indicate availability to provide technical assistance in one of the following assignments. The details of each assignment will be shared in advance.

1. Conduct a comprehensive out-of-school children study
2. Capacity building (training, mentoring, coaching, etc.) of MoE and GDoEs in allocating public resources for education, especially for early childhood education, leading to the development of mid-term budget expenditure frameworks  
3. Develop a policy brief based on a detailed analysis of education technology initiatives in pilot schools for future advocacy and scale-up
4. Support GDoEs and Governor’s Offices to establish/consolidate sub-national level education sector coordination mechanisms
5. Facilitate joint reviews of the implementation status of the governorate-level education sector plans
6. Develop a gender-sensitive MHPSS training package and organize master trainer training using the package
7. Develop pedagogical training modules on foundational skills (literacy and numeracy) contextualized for children who have experienced a learning loss, thus at risk of dropouts or grade repetition, especially those with special needs, adolescent girls, and/or in displacement. Ensure master trainer training using the modules.  
8. Conduct a joint study on the impacts of climate change on the education sector in Iraq and develop school action plans based on the study that include disaster risk reduction
9. Analyze the impacts and results of the B2L campaigns supported by UNICEF Iraq and formulate policy recommendations for MoE to increase school enrolment at the correct age

NB: To evaluate the suitability and area of assignment interested candidates should complete this questionnaire save it in PDF and submit it together with their application. Click the link below to access the questionnaire.

 UNICEF Iraq_Education Consultancy Roster_Application Questionnaire.docx

Minimum Qualifications required:

- An advanced-level university degree (Master or Ph.D.) in education, economics, social science, or other relevant fields

- A minimum 8 years of relevant professional experience in the indicated field of expertise

- Proven skills, knowledge, and experience in one or more of the following fields:

• Education research or study including data collection and analysis
• Public financing and budget
• Sector coordination and planning
• Organization and facilitation of workshops and/or training
• Coaching and mentoring
• Development of training modules
• Climate change
• Disaster risk reduction
• Education technology
• MH/PSS
• Foundational skills
• Early childhood education
• Advocacy
• Conceptualizing

Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required:

-  Computer skills including Microsoft Office (Excel, PowerPoint, Word, etc.) required  

- Experience working in the education sector in the Middle East and/or Iraq is an asset

- Excellent writing skills

- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills

- Fluency in spoken and written English. Fluency in Arabic and/or Kurdish is strongly desired

Remarks:  

 Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. 

 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.