Terms of Reference
I. Background
Under the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) Education Sector Program Implementation Grant (ESPIG), UNESCO has secured funding to implement activities towards the attainment of the undermentioned three (3) outcome areas.
• Outcome 1:Ensuring safe and equitable access to learning for children and youth in Myanmar;
• Outcome 2: Ensuring quality teaching and learning for children and youth in Myanmar by strengthening the capacities of education staff and fostering context-responsive, equity-focused learning resources and modalities adapted to the evolving situation; and
• Outcome3: Ensuring systems strengthening, management, coordination, and monitoring.
Understanding the need for administrators, teachers and other key stakeholders at schools/learning centers to increase their capacity to collect and use education data to strengthen planning and make evidence-based decisions, UNESCO has developed a school data collection and support system known as Class Map which has already been piloted by 15 learning centers. Class Map (currently in beta mode) is a mobile app (Android), available in both English and Burmese language that supports schools/learning centers in enhancing their skills and competencies to better manage education programmes and service delivery.
UNESCO is currently seeking to contract a qualified national or international organization/firm to provide capacity building trainings on education systems strengthening leveraging the use of Class Map. These trainings will target 18 participants (teachers and education administrators) across 6 community schools/learning centers located in the undermentioned states/regions in Myanmar. These locations are subject to change depending on the situational context in each area.
State/Region
Mon
Tanintharyi
Magway
Shan (Nyaungshwe)
Kayah State
Sagaing
Kayin
Kachin
Bago
Ayeyarwaddy
Sagaing
Yangon
The selected organization will be responsible for developing training materials (guided by the Class Map manuals developed by UNESCO) such as a concept note, agenda and PowerPoint Presentations, as well as delivering online and in-person trainings (where practically possible). The selected organization will also be responsible for monitoring the progress of school development activities by representatives of schools/learning centers registered to and reporting on their activities using Class Map.
II. Objectives
• Develop the capacity of 18 education administrators and teachers across 6 community schools/learning centers to report and monitor progress of their education activities through Class Map.
• Support 6 schools to identify their needs and develop school development plans utilizing participatory methods involving the community and other key stakeholders.
• Support schools to actively utilize Class Map as a platform to manage the implementation of activities outlined in their school development plans.
III. Work Assignment:
Under the overall authority of the Regional Director of UNESCO Regional Office in Bangkok (hereinafter called UNESCO), the direct supervision of the Head of UNESCO Antenna Office in Yangon and in close collaboration with the Responsible Officer, the Contractor shall specifically perform the following:
• Meet with the UNESCO team and other key stakeholders to understand the approach and scope of the work, agree on methodology and objectives of the tasks.
• Familiarize themselves with Class Map, including reviewing the relevant user guides and manuals.
• Provide orientation, training and support to 6 schools/learning centers on Class Map to teachers and administrators with additional technical backstopping provided by UNESCO.
• Organize, deliver and facilitate trainings, integrating the use of Class Map, on topics that include but are not limited to school needs assessment, school planning, budgeting,
financial accountability and data collection through virtual, in-person or hybrid modalities. • Design a plan, in consultation with UNESCO, for recruiting community schools/learning centers to register to Class Map and participate in capacity building trainings.
• Prepare training materials and exercises covering topics that include but are not limited to school needs assessment, school planning, budgeting, financial accountability and monitoring and evaluation which uses Class Map as a platform for practical training.
• Deliver virtual, in-person (if safe to do so) or hybrid trainings targeting 18 participants (teachers and education administrators) across 6 community schools/learning centers located in various states/regions in Myanmar. Trainings will be done across 2 batches (3 schools in each batch). Each batch will receive 3 trainings, and such should not exceed 1.5- 2 hours per training session.
• Monitor the progress of 6 schools/learning centers receiving technical support from UNESCO to strengthen their capacity to manage education programmes and service delivery following their participation in education systems strengthening and capacity building trainings. All supporting evidence provided by schools (pictures, success stories, project briefs etc) should be submitted to UNESCO. The Contractor must obtain the relevant consent from the school/learning center to use images taken.
• Conduct monitoring visits and check-ins, either though virtual or in-person modalities, with schools to assess their use of Class Map, evaluate progress against training outcomes, challenges and identify how Class Map can be improved.
• Prepare a six-monthly progress report (maximum A4 10 pages) in Standard English. The report shall follow the undermentioned format (subject to change in consultation with the Contractor):
o Executive Summary
o Introduction
o Details of training and outcomes
o Progress on activities implemented by schools/learning centers
o Challenges, Lessons Learnt and Solutions
o Recommendations
o Conclusion
o Annexes (List of schools/learning centers participating in trainings, images and other relevant documents)
• Prepare a final report (maximum A4 12 pages) in Standard English. The report shall follow the undermentioned format (subject to change in consultation with the Contractor):
o Executive Summary
o Introduction
o Details of training and outcomes
o Progress on activities implemented by schools/learning centers (with an emphasis on results and achievements)
o Success Stories on the impact of Class Map (at least 2)
o Challenges, Lessons Learnt and Solutions
o Recommendations
o Conclusion
IV. Deliverables and Timeline
The Contractor shall submit to UNESCO the following deliverables in English and in editable format such as MS Word and/or MS Excel:
1. Detailed Training Work Plan and Inception Report that must be developed consulting the Class Map User guides and Class Map Application by 27th January 2025.
2. Concept Note and training materials (PPTs, exercises) that integrates orientation and practical application of Class Map in trainings by 7th February 2025.
3. Final training materials and list of participants for training batch 1 (three schools) by 21st February 2025.
4. Final training materials and list of participants for training batch 2 (another three schools) by 7th March 2025.
5. Six-monthly report that outlines progress, challenges and recommendations by 14th July 2025.
6. Monitoring visit and check-ins (virtual or in-person) to schools/learning centers (three schools) by 30th August 2025.
7. Monitoring visit and check-ins (virtual or in-person) to schools/learning centers (another three schools) by 30th October 2025.
8. Final report that outlines progress, success stories, impact of Class Map, challenges and recommendations by 14th December 2025.
V. Eligibility, Qualifications, Experience and Competencies
Organization
Required Qualifications
• Must be an international or national organization with a proven track record of successfully implementing training and/or capacity building programs.
• At least 5 years of experience in building capacity related to monitoring and evaluation, educations systems strengthening, education technology, or other relevant area.
• Ability to integrate digital technologies in trainings and build capacity on using mobile education technology.
• Strong understanding of data analysis and monitoring and evaluation.
Desirable Qualifications
• Experience working with CSO and /or other UN agencies and INGOs.
• Familiarity with Myanmar education context.
Personnel/Staff who will lead the implementation of the activities
Required Qualifications
• Bachelor’s degree in psychology, digital technology, education, public policy, economics or any other related discipline.
• 4 – 5 years relevant work experience delivering education-related trainings and building capacity, preferably in monitoring and evaluation, education technology or education planning.
• Strong critical thinking and analytical skills.
• Tech savvy and ability to easily understand new mobile applications.
• Ability to write progress reports based on data analysis findings.
• At least one member of the team must have an advanced understanding of Myanmar language.
Desirable Qualifications
• Master’s degree in psychology, digital technology, education, public policy, economics or any other related discipline
• Experience working with CSO and /or other UN agencies and INGOs.
How to apply
Qualified Organizations/Institutions/Firms should submit the following to UNESCO clearly referencing ‘Education Systems Strengthening and Capacity Building Using Digital Technology (ClassMap)’
a) Technical Proposal clearly indicating 1) qualifications and experiences that make the organization/firm suitable for this project, 2) the methodology/approaches and workplan to be adopted to carry out the project, 3) detailed CVs of all team members that will be a part of this project.
b) Financial proposal indicating all project expenses related to the implementation period.
c) References: The names and contact details of 3 references for whom you undertook prior work should be provided.
UNESCO places great emphasis on ensuring that the objectives of the work assignment, as described in the Terms of Reference, are met. Accordingly, in evaluating the proposals for the assignment, attention will focus first and foremost on the technical elements. From those
proposals deemed suitable in terms of the criteria in the Terms of Reference, UNESCO shall select the proposal that offers the Organization best value for money.
In line with UNESCO’s overall gender mainstreaming strategy, the Contractor is expected to integrate a gender perspective in all activities and apply gender analysis and mainstreaming concepts wherever feasible.
Your application should reach yangon@unesco.org by email no later than 17:00 Hours (Yangon time) on 7th December 2024.
Prospective applicants requiring additional details on this assignment are strongly encouraged to contact yangon@unesco.org to schedule a call with the relevant project lead.
Only short-listed organizations/institutions/firms will be contacted.