Consultant: Mapping and analysis of learning assessments in South Asia, UNICEF Regional Office for South Asia

UNICEF ROSA’s education team seeks a consultant to map and analyze the current state of learning assessments in the region, focusing on identifying their strengths and weaknesses, including in terms of their use, and offer actionable recommendations for discussions with relevant country-level stakeholders. The consultant will help build a foundation for the potential development of a regional programme, contextually relevant, and capable of strengthening capacity in relation to learning assessment for improving learning outcomes, in particular foundational learning.

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential. 

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone. 

And we never give up. 

For every child, an education

How can you make a difference? 

Scope of Work:

The specific activities under the above objective are the following:

1. Perform a review of the existing global and regional literature on learning assessments and their use at different levels, through a snowball approach, and including (but not limited to) key documents and guidelines from allchildrenlearning.org, UNICEF, the World Bank, UNESCO, Global Partnership of Education and academia.
2. Conduct a comprehensive mapping and strengths/weaknesses analysis of existing learning assessment tools used by South Asian countries, including in relation to inclusivity for children with disabilities, environmental knowledge, mental health/psychosocial support (PSS), and digitalization possibility.

– Develop/adapt a simple analytical framework for analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of the learning assessments

– Coordinate the collection and mapping of learning assessment tools in use in all 8 South Asian countries (both by the education system in formal schools and in emergency programmes), in coordination with the UNICEF Country Offices

– Prepare report with both country-specific and regional analysis (of the strengths and weaknesses) and actionable recommendations as well as a repository with the assessment tools (and test items).

3. Conduct a comprehensive mapping and analysis of the use (or lack) of existing learning assessment within the education system and in emergency settings. Analysis of the use within the education system should include i) national level (e.g. for informing policy making and/or reporting to SDG), ii) mid-tier management level (for monitoring and supporting schools), iii) school level (e.g. through formative assessment for targeted instruction) and iv) grassroot/community level (e.g. within school dashboards for supporting social accountability). Analysis in emergency settings should include the use by i) emergency response planners and programme managers, ii) teachers and learning centers managers and iii) Community frontline workers

– Develop an inception report including the methodology and instruments to be used (such as Key Informant Interviews; or focus groups as relevant) for the analysis of the use of learning assessments (both by the education system in formal schools and in emergency programmes

– For each of the 8 South Asian Countries: define the list of key stakeholders to engage with for online interviews/focus groups and conduct the research by applying the methodology and instruments agreed.

– Analyze the interview transcripts and information collected from other instruments and prepare a report with both country-specific and regional information (including best practices) and actionable recommendations for an improved use -at different levels and by different stakeholders- of learning assessment for improving learning

Work assignments:

1. Literature review on learning assessments and their use at different levels and analytical framework for analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of learning assessments framework) and related recommendations as well as repository of tools
2. Report with the mapping and analysis of the existing learning assessment tools in South Asian countries (using the analytical framework) and related recommendations as well as repository of tools
3. Inception report including the methodology and instruments to be used for the analysis of the use of learning assessments (both by the education system in formal schools and in emergency programmes
4. Report with the analysis of the use of existing learning assessment tools, best practices and actionable (regional and country-specific) recommendations for an improved use -at different levels and by different stakeholders- of learning assessment for improving learning outcomes

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have… 

Educational qualification: Bachelor’s degree. 

• Relevant experience in an UN system agency or organization is considered as an asset Minimum of 5-7 years of professional experience at a national and international level in education or economics or psychometrics.
• Experience in designing and implementing assessment instruments.
• Knowledge of statistics and data analysis.
• Experience designing and applying key informant interview.
• Relevant experience in the South Asia region is considered as an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate… 

UNICEF’s values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS). 

  To view our competency framework, please visit  here. 

  UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment. 

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check. 

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. 

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.