OVERVIEW
Parent Sector : Education Sector (ED)
Duty Station: Bangkok
Job Family: Education
Type of contract : Non Staff
Duration of contract : From 1 to 6 months
Recruitment open to : External candidates
Application Deadline (Midnight Paris Time) : 21-Sep-2021
UNESCO Core Values: Commitment to the Organization, Integrity, Respect for Diversity, Professionalism
OVERVIEW OF THE FUNCTIONS OF THE POST
BACKGROUND AND RATIONALE
The main purpose of this assignment is to develop the thematic background paper and policy brief on equity and inclusion in education which summarizes global and regional trends as well as highlights existing and emerging issues, challenges, needs and opportunities post-COVID-19 as well as recommendations based on lessons learnt on how to build back equal. The consultant is expected to prepare the background paper on equity and inclusion in education, including persons with disabilities, indigenous peoples, and children in vulnerable situations for the 2nd Asia-Pacific Regional Education Ministerial Conference (APREMC-II).
Under the commitment to ensure 'inclusive and equitable quality education' and promote 'lifelong learning for all' as part of the United Nations (UN) 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4), the Asia-Pacific region has made a significant progress in terms of both access and quality of education. However, millions of children from disadvantaged groups are kept out or pushed out of education systems through decisions leading to exclusion from curricula, irrelevant learning objectives, stereotyping in textbooks, discrimination in resource allocation and assessments, tolerance of violence and neglect of needs. In addition, the prolonged school closure during the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the pre-existing inequalities and stalled global progress to meet the promise of 'leave no one behind'.
With the building back better framework, education recovery and reform should focus on creating learning environment which not only takes into consideration but takes advantage of diversity among students which will lead to positive impact on student performance. Within this context, the 2nd Asia-Pacific Regional Education Ministers' Conference (APREMC-II) will be organized to review and take stock of the first 6 years of progress towards SDG 4 - Education 2030 in Asia and the Pacific; identify challenges in progressing towards SDG 4 in the region, including the impact of COVID-19 and the COVID-19 response and priority areas of action; and discuss and agree on a regional strategy and roadmap to accelerate progress during the next years, with a focus on sustainable post-COVID-19 education recovery and educational reform. Equity and inclusion in education is one of key topics for thematic debates. To facilitate the discussion leading towards enhancing Member States' understanding and capacity to implement, monitor and report on SDG target 4.5, the thematic background paper aims to:
MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Provide and discuss some insights into inclusive education in the Asia-Pacific region under the framework of building back better;
Clarify and create a shared understanding of the definition, strategies and monitoring issues regarding SDG targets 4.5;
Identify key issues, needs and opportunities related to inclusive education, particularly related to those most disadvantaged and marginalized, and highlight a number of important relevant policy issues in the region; and
Provide recommendation or strategies to transform education systems to be more inclusive and equitable for marginalized children, adolescents, and young people.
MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Under the overall authority of the Director of UNESCO Asia-Pacific Regional Bureau for Education, the direct supervision and overall guidance of the Chief of Section Inclusive Quality Education (IQE), and daily guidance of the Team Leader of Inclusive Basic Education (IBE), the contractor is expected to perform the following tasks:
Long Description
Prepare the annotated outline of the thematic paper to be agreed by UNESCO;
Compile and collate the relevant information and documents to be used for the preparation of the paper;
Conduct a literature review related to the relevant topic areas to be reflected and referred in the paper;
Prepare the draft paper (no more than 30 pages) based on the agreed outline and share it with UNESCO for further consultation and feedback;
Revise the draft paper based on the feedback and inputs received from UNESCO;
Based on the draft paper, prepare the draft policy brief (no more than 4 pages);
Finalize the paper and the policy brief by incorporating the feedback and inputs received from UNESCO;
Submit the finalized paper along with relevant references, further readings and annexes; and
Based on the finalized paper, prepare the PowerPoint presentation (not more than 20 slides) synthesizing the key highlights of the paper.
In line with UNESCO's overall gender mainstreaming strategy, the incumbent is expected to integrate a gender perspective in all activities and apply gender analysis and mainstreaming concepts whenever feasible.
Expected Deliverables/Outputs:EXPECTED DELIVERABLES/OUTPUTS:
Deliverable
Tentative Submission Date
Annotated outline
4 October 2021
Draft background paper (no more than 30 pages without ANNEX)
25 October 2021
Revised background paper
Draft policy brief (no more than 4 pages)
Draft of financial statement for the use of UNESCO's contribution to the entire work assignment
22 November 2021
Final background paper
Final policy brief
PowerPoint presentation synthesizing the key highlights of the paper
20 December 2021
COMPETENCIES (Core / Managerial) Accountability (C) Communication (C) Innovation (C) Knowledge sharing and continuous improvement (C) Planning and organizing (C) Results focus (C) Teamwork (C) - For detailed information, please consult the UNESCO Competency Framework .
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
Education
University degree at Master's degree level or equivalent in areas relevant to the evaluation such as education, social sciences, political sciences, economics, or any related field
Work Experience
At least 10 years of professional experience in conducting professional/academic research related to inclusive education and related policy issues in the Asia-Pacific region
Skills/Competencies
Understanding and knowledge of the UN mandates and its programming in relevant areas in the framework of the Sustainable Development Agenda, and in particular the SDG4 – Education 2030 Agenda
Understanding and application of UN mandates in Human Rights and Gender Equality
Excellent understanding and knowledge of regional trend and overview of inclusive education for different marginalized and vulnerable groups in the Asia-Pacific context
Excellent communication, analytical and demonstrated excellent drafting skills
Languages
Excellent knowledge of English (written and spoken)
DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS
Previous experience working with United Nations, international organizations or government agencies is an advantage
APPLICATION PROCESS
Interested individuals are invited to submit to UNESCO Bangkok office the specific requiremen ts as below through careers.unesco.org . A consortium of individuals is also permitted to apply for the consultancy.
Interested candidates should click on " Apply Now " and download and complete the Employment History form (Word document) in 'Employment History Form / My Documents' . Before uploading the document, at the end of the word document, please insert the extra pages with the following required information:
An up-to-date CV stating details of educational qualifications, work experience, including prior experience of similar work
A list of past work or reports/publications written with hyperlinks to access such paper if they are available online or samples of such papers if they are only available offline.
A brief motivation letter
A brief proposal (1-2 pages) discussing the approach/methodology to undertake the assignment and the proposed fee
The complete application shall be submitted on or before 21 September 2021 17:00 Bangkok time.
NOTE
Due to the large number of applications we receive, we are able to inform only the successful candidates about the outcome or status of the selection process.
Please submit your application through SuccessFactors. Only if you are unable to attach requirements in system, please inform us at [email protected]
SELECTION AND RECRUITMENT PROCESS
Please note that all candidates must complete an on-line application and provide complete and accurate information. To apply, please visit the UNESCO careers website. No modifications can be made to the application submitted.
The evaluation of candidates is based on the criteria in the vacancy notice, and may include tests and/or assessments, as well as a competency-based interview.
UNESCO uses communication technologies such as video or teleconference, e-mail correspondence, etc. for the assessment and evaluation of candidates.
Please note that only selected candidates will be further contacted and candidates in the final selection step will be subject to reference checks based on the information provided.
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