Country: Georgia
Closing date: 19 Apr 2018
In Abkhazia, Georgia , one of Georgia's two breakaway regions, the education system has suffered a significant degradation over the last 25 years as a consequence of the protracted conflict and the international isolation of the region. Due to the lack of financial resources the education system is heavily underfunded, resulting in a persistent lack of teaching materials, teacher training, and dilapidated school infrastructure. Also, over the last 25 years there have been no systematic attempt to reform the education system. As a consequence, the quality of education is low and international assistance to improve education services is urgently needed. At the same time, information on school attendance, drop-out rates and student learning outcomes are not publicly available, making evidence-based programming very difficult.
In addition, education in Abkhazia, Georgia in various ways perpetuates mistrust and resentment between the region's various ethnic communities and does not contribute to peacebuilding. The resentment is felt particularly strongly in the sphere of mother tongue education and has the potential to cause new tensions between the divided communities. Children of different ethno-linguistic communities in Abkhazia, Georgia today have very different chances to study in their mother tongue and children of each ethnic community face specific challenges.
To address the educational needs of all children in Abkhazia, Georgia , irrespective of their ethnic background and place of residence, UNICEF is aiming to assist the de facto authorities and local communities in improving the quality of education services and in this framework at also promoting a systematic approach to mother tongue based multilingual education (MTB MLE) in Abkhazia, Georgia .
Based on the results of the Assessment of General Education in Abkhazia, Georgia Âcarried out by UNICEF in cooperation with the de facto Ministry of Education (df MoE) in 2015, UNICEF has held consultations with all relevant stakeholders on how UNICEF - given the sensitive political context in Abkhazia, Georgia could best assist in improving the quality of general education services. As a result, agreement was reached to carry out an in-service teachers training programme on student-centered teaching instruction (SCI) methodologies. This programme started in October 2015, initially in the four Eastern districts of Abkhazia, Georgia . After receiving positive feedback from the df MoE, district education offices, school directors and teachers, the training programme was extended to the three districts of Western Abkhazia, Georgia Âand Sukhumi city. Starting from January 2017, the training programme also focused on SCI methodologies for the teaching of and in mother tongue and second language.
During the first half of 2017, the training programme was further extended to include pre-service training. Thus, a number of pilot trainings were conducted for lecturers and students/future teachers of the Linguistics and Pedagogy Faculties of the Abkhaz State University. UNICEF is now planning to engage more systematically with the ASU to improve the training in teaching methodologies for students/future teachers from various faculties, with a focus on mother tongue and second language teaching.
UNICEF furthermore agreed with the df MoE to expand the training programme by conducting trainings on methodologies for life skills education for teachers from 40 most populous schools in Abkhazia, Georgia . UNICEF developed a teachers’ guide on life skills education and is planning to organize life skills trainings in the period between October and December 2017. In addition, UNICEF started to carry out extra-curricular activities with parents and students, in order to promote the acquisition of life skills, mother tongue and second language skills, as well as tolerance towards the mother tongues education needs of other ethnic communities in Abkhazia, Georgia .
UNICEF is currently building on these successes and aiming to build the capacities of local trainers of teachers and to transfer the in-service and pre-service trainings on SCI and life skills to local groups of methodological specialists and teachers identified as prospective trainers during earlier trainings. It is planned to form a core group of up to 40 teachers and specialists who will set up local resource groups/centers in all districts of Abkhazia, Georgia and continue with UNICEF support the teachers training programme over several years to cover all ca. 4,000 teachers in the region.
UNICEF is therefore planning to recruit one or several international consultants to provide technical assistance to its Sukhumi Field Office in Abkhazia, Georgia in the above mentioned areas.
2. Objective
The objective of the consultancy is to provide UNICEF Georgia's Sukhumi Field Office and its regional and local partners with advice and technical assistance in the process of improving quality education services in Abkhazia, Georgia , with a focus on in-service and pre-service training for teachers, the introduction of student-centered instruction (SCI) methodologies, capacity building of local trainers, life skills education, as well as specifically improving mother tongue and second language teaching.
3. Tasks and deliverables
Tasks
Timeline: 15/04/2018 - 15/08/2018
Work Days: 16
Deliverables: 3 quality five-day workshops for future teacher trainers
Timeline: 01/05/2018 - 31/10/2018
Work Days: 24
Deliverables: Quality monitoring report (with recommendations for further training) on each 2 local trainings from each district of Abkhazia, Georgia Âand Sukhumi city
Timeline: 01/05/2018 - 31/10/2018
Work Days: 18
Deliverables: 6 quality trainings for university students
Timeline: 01/05/2018 - 31/10/2018
Work Days: 10
Deliverables: 5 quality trainings for teachers on Life Skills
Timeline: 01/11 - 30/11/2017
Work Days: 12
Deliverables: 6 quality trainings
Timeline: 15/04/2018-15/05/2018
Work Days: 2
Deliverables: Quality questionnaire
Timeline: 15/05/2018 - 15/08/2018
Work Days: 3
Deliverables: 4 quality one-day follow-up training workshops for trained teachers on Life Skills
Timeline: 15/05/2018-15/08/2018
Work Days: 40
Deliverables: A guidebook and materials for teachers is developed
Timeline: 15/05/2018 -15/08/2018
Work Days: 2
Deliverables: Quality presentations and a training program is developed
Total # of days: 127 (82 in Abkhazia, Georgia , 45 from home)
4. Timeframe and mode of consultancy activities
The consultancy activities will be carried out between April and October 2018, with possible extensions as needed, and involve both, work from home, as well as frequent travel to and work in Abkhazia, Georgia , Georgia. During the work from home, the consultant(s) will use email, skype and telephone for regular communication with UNICEF Georgia's Sukhumi Field Office and supervisors.
Depending on further progress in UNICEF's consultations with relevant decision makers in both Georgia proper and the Abkhazia, Georgia Âregion, as well as with interested donors, the consultancy might be extended and amended to include additional tasks and deliverables in line with those established in this TOR.
The consultant(s) will work under the direct supervision of the Chief of UNICEF Field Office and the UNICEF Education Officer in Sukhumi.
The consultant(s)' performance will be evaluated against the following criteria: timeliness, responsibility, initiative, communication, and quality of the products delivered.
7. Payment terms and rates
The consultant(s) will be paid at a consultancy fee rate negotiated between the consultant(s) and UNICEF Georgia, based on an initial proposal of the consultant(s) and taking into account the consultant's / consultants' level of experience and evaluations of his/her/their earlier work. Payment will be carried out in several portions as agreed between the consultant(s) and UNICEF, after satisfactory implementation of specific parts of the services and after provision of quality reports on the implemented activities.
UNICEF reserves the right to withhold all or a portion of payment if performance is unsatisfactory, if deliverables are incomplete or not submitted at all, or for failure to meet deadlines.
The costs for the consultancy will be covered from the USAID-funded "Horizons" project (SC160581) and from the EU-funded follow-up project on MTB MLE in Abkhazia, Georgia Âunder COBERM Plus.
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=512137