Country: India
Closing date: 08 Sep 2019
LOCATION: New Delhi
DURATION OF CONSULTANCY: 8 MONTHS
CLOSING DATE: 8 September 2019
UNICEF 2018-22 CPD articulates a vision to ensure all girls and boys are learning in India. The education strategy paper recognizes significant achievements made in education in India in terms of access and quality; about 70 million children attend pre-primary, primary enrolment is near-universal, participation in upper primary is increased, and improvements in learning outcomes have been recorded across seven states. Disparities have reduced with regard to the number of out-of-school children. Gender and other social gaps have been addressed, through provisioning of schools and cash transfer schemes.
Notwithstanding the achievements, the paper also highlights high dropout rates; which comprise every fifth student in primary, every third student in upper primary, and every second student in secondary. An estimated 6.1 million children aged 6-13 remain out of school[1], while another 20 million children do not attend preschool. The critical challenge remains in accelerating improvements in transition levels of all children, especially those from marginalized communities and girls, to ensure that every child completes a full cycle of education.
These challenges lie in quality/learning across all levels, and for all girls and boys of different socioeconomic backgrounds. Progress and attainment are not commensurate with the depth of policy, legislation and programmes in the country. The main reason for this has been the inadequacies in implementation that have failed to benefit the deprived and marginalized children to leverage the available provisions. Multiple Ministries/Departments that are involved in the delivery of education have not worked well enough in coordination that has led to standalone interventions pursing respective targets that do not contribute to the overall education goals and objectives. There continues to be a competing private provision and lack of a regulatory framework.
There is an urgent need to improve the transition from pre-primary to primary, primary to upper primary (i.e. Elementary[2]); and upper primary to lower secondary and lower secondary to higher secondary. There is a lack of a holistic and transition strategy that can be employed in a continuum across various levels of education. There is also a potential to be aware of some global models that are working well and have a potential for adaptation in the Indian context.
The purpose of this assignment is to develop a strategy paper that focuses on ensuring smooth transition of students across all levels of school education, elucidating existing barriers in transition of children across various levels of education in India, and recommending a robust strategy to combat these barriers. The strategy will elaborate an appropriate methodology, tools and materials while employing the lens of gender, inclusion, life skills and quality. It will also identify appropriate stakeholders and their roles and responsibilities that contribute to smooth transitioning of students across levels of education. The paper will be used by UNICEF in its education programming across its intervention states after making contextual adaptations. The paper will respond to the needs of children and adolescents living in some of the most difficult and challenging geographies in India.
3. OBJECTIVE/S
To develop a strategy paper for ensuring smooth transition of children across levels of education, employing the lens of gender, inclusion, life skills and quality, for use by UNICEF in education programming across its intervention states. This will include:
4. MAJOR TASKS TO BE ACCOMPLISHED
Task Where Specific issues to be addressed
September-October 2019
Review of Literature Delhi National picture with regards to the policy, architecture of
elementary and secondary school systems, delivery mechanisms and the bottlenecks thereof – structural, institutional and practical.
Focus on identification of good practices including some international ones
October 31st
Interaction with Key Stakeholders Delhi Existing issues from the lens of practitioners, policy
makers, CSOs on the subject.
Clarification around the practical aspects of transition
November 30th
Paper writing Delhi Enablers for facilitating transition and description of the strategies
to build them
December 15th 2019
Validation Discussions Delhi Focus on identification of good practices including some
international ones
December 31st 2019
Finalizing the paper Delhi Complete paper involving review, conceptual grounding, strategies
proposed and a list of possible tools that may be deployed as part of these strategies
March 31st 2020
Developing tools to facilitate transition strategies Delhi Elaborated tools and materials to use as part of the proposed strategies
5. DELIVERABLES AND DEADLINES
Summary of the review September-October 2019
Meetings organised October 31st
Draft paper for circulation November 30th
Minutes of discussions December 15th 2019
Soft copy of the finalised paper December 31st 2019
Soft copies of a set of tools March 31st 2020
6. DUTY STATION
New Delhi
7. SUPERVISOR
Education Specialist
8. ESTIMATED DURATION OF CONTRACT (PART TIME)
8 Months from the start date of the contract
9. QUALIFICATIONS / SPECIALIZED KNOWLEDGE / EXPERIENCE/ COMPETENCIES (CORE/TECHNICAL/FUNCTIONAL) / LANGUAGE SKILLS REQUIRED FOR THE ASSIGNMENT (Please use as applicable)
10. HOW TO APPLY:
Your online application should contain three separate attachments:
FINANCIAL PROPOSAL TEMPLATE CONSULTANT TO PREPARE STRATEGY PAPER.docx
Please Note: It is mandatory to submit the financial proposal template and the methodology document. Without these two documents your application will be considered incomplete.
11. TECHNICAL EVALUATION CRITERIA (WITH WEIGHTS FOR EACH CRITERIA)
The selection will be done using the Quality and Cost based Selection (QCBS) technical evaluation & financial offer in the ratio of 80:20. The technical evaluation criteria will be as follows
Relevant Experience -60
Methodology - 20
Overall technical qualifying score will be 56. Only those candidates who score 56marks and above will be considered technically responsive and their financials will be opened.
For any clarifications, please contact:
UNICEF
Supply & Procurement Section
73, Lodi Estate, New Delhi 110003
Telephone # +91-11-24606516
Email: indconsultants@unicef.org
[1]National Sample Survey of Estimation of Out-of-School Children in the Ages 6-13 in India, Social & Rural Research Institute- IMRB, with technical guidance from Educational Consultants India Ltd. (EdCIL)
[2] Elementary Education in India is comprised of five years of primary for children six to ten years of age and three years of middle/upper primary (the equivalent of lower secondary by international standards) for children eleven to fourteen. The subsequent levels are secondary which is nine and tenth grades for fourteen to sixteen years old and higher secondary or pre-university for sixteen to eighteen years old.
How to apply:
UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages qualified female and male candidates from all national, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of our organization. To apply, click on the following link http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/?job=526094