Individual Consultant - Coordination of Digital Learning and Skills Development at the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF)

United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (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.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Individual Consultant - Coordination of Digital Learning and Skills Development

Job no: 574915
Location: Abuja
Job Type: Contract
Contract Duration: 52 working days
Categories: Education

Background

• Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa with approximately 213 million people. Half of the population is below 18 years of age. The country has strived to provide quality inclusive education for all children under Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG4), by increasing access to education. However, significant inequalities persist in all levels of the education system.
• Nigeria accounts for the largest global share of out-of-school children (15 per cent). Approximately 10.2 million children at primary school age and 8.1 million children at junior secondary school age are still out of school, although basic education became compulsory in 2004. Learning outcomes are also poor due to the limited access to schooling, a shortage of qualified teachers and insufficient teaching and learning materials. For instance, in 2021, about 70 per cent of students in grade 5 did not have foundational literacy and numeracy skills. These educational challenges are not equally distributed across the country, with children from poor families, rural areas and northern areas with a higher security risk more likely to be excluded from proper education and learning opportunities.
• The lack of access to quality education has a significant impact on the future of children and the country.
• Children who do not complete basic education and acquire foundational skills are less likely to find a job in an increasingly knowledge-based economy. 
• These children are also less likely to be actively engaged citizens and to nurture healthy and prosperous families.
• This in turn limits the opportunities for the country to advance its economy, reduce poverty and build a more inclusive and democratic society
• The expansion of digital learning in Nigeria requires strategic coordination of these initiatives so that digital learning systems support learning of all children in Nigeria, particularly for most marginalized children.
• To guide and further strengthen digital learning ecosystems in Nigeria, UNICEF Nigeria is seeking a consultant who provides technical support for digital learning programmes.

Main Objective
Under the guidance and general supervision of Chief of Field office and Chief of Education, the consultant:

• Supports the implementation, monitoring and reporting of the Education programmes within the country programme.
• Provides technical guidance and management support throughout the programming processes to facilitate the achievement of results on education programmes.
• Contributes to achievement of results according to plans, allocation, results based-management approaches and methodology (RBM), as well as UNICEF’s Strategic Plans, standards of performance, and accountability framework.

Specific Objectives:
The consultant will support the deployment of NLP and strengthen the digital learning ecosystems in Nigeria in collaboration with UNICEF Field Offices (FOs). Specific objectives are:

• Support programme development and planning
• Programme management, monitoring and delivery of results
• Technical and operational support to programme implementation
• Networking and partnership building
• Innovation, knowledge management and capacity building

Responsibilities
Programme Implementation and Management:
Girls Education and Skills Programme (GESP) Challenge Fund:

• Monitor the implementation of the Girls Education and Skills Programme (GESP) Challenge Fund (CF) by liaising with Implementation Partners.

Digital Learning:

• Coordinate planning and implementation of digital learning projects, including grants from Sony, Botnar, Airtel and Transsion, among others. This includes:
•  Technical support to education officers
•  Monitoring of the digital learning projects and their indicators; 
• Organization of regular meetings with the education team, other UNICEF sections, and external partners.
• Organize and support meetings to get Passport-to-Earning (P2E) courses accredited by National Board for Technical Education (NBTE).
• Coordinate the launch of NLP in Oshun and Kwara states including training of state officers in NLP implementation.
• Coordinate UNICEF’s participation in a high-level event on digital learning.

Safe school:

• Coordinate the training of EMIS officers in supported states on the safe school data at school level.
• Coordinate the training of School Based Management Committees (SBMC) on safe school implementation for targeted schools.

Communication, Advocacy, and Stakeholder Engagement:

• Build and sustain partnerships with relevant government counterparts, national stakeholders, global partners, donors, and academia through active networking, advocacy, and communication to achieve sustainable and broad results on education programmes.

Programme Review and Reporting:

• Prepare regular and mandated programme reports for management, donors, and partners to keep them informed of programme progress.
• Collect and report programme progress and achievement data for Q3 progress updates in consultation with the Education Section of Nigeria Country Office.

Task/Milestone:

• Girls Education and Skills Programme (GESP) Challenge Fund

Deliverable/output:

• GESP projects in Lagos have been implemented as planned and requests from Country Office and HQ are responded on time.

Task/Milestone:

• Digital Learning

Deliverable/output:

• A record of support provided for the planning and implementation of digital learning projects.
• P2E courses accredited.
• NLP launched in Oshun state.
• Capacity to manage NLP developed in Kwara State.
• High-level digital learning event coordinated.
• Data usage acceleration plan developed and in place.
• School ICT facility survey coordinated.
• Device configuration completed.
• Donor visits to schools coordinated.

Task/Milestone:

• Programme Review and Reporting

Deliverable/output:

• A record of supporting programme reports for management, donors, and partners to keep them informed of programme progress.
• A record of supporting Q3 progress updates in consultation with the Education Section of Nigeria Country Office.

Task/Milestone:

• Communication, Advocacy, and Stakeholder Engagement

Deliverable/output:

• Advocacy materials and a record of implementation of the LP communication, advocacy and stakeholder engagement.

Requirements

• An advanced university degree in education, digital education, instructional design, information system management, ICT management, computer science or other relevant fields. 
• A minimum of 3 years of supporting digital learning programmes.
• A minimum of 5 years of coordinating education programmes, including planning, implementation, monitoring, and reporting of programme activities.
• Strong skills in project management are an asset.
• Experience in engaging education programme management in Africa is an asset.
• Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency is considered an asset. 
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset. 

Application Closing Date
2nd September, 2024.