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Ref.
2024/RFSACOTTIP/12264

Job offer type
Experts

Type of contract
Service contract

Activity sectors
Education, Higher Education and Research

Deadline date
2025/01/05 18:42

Duration of the assignment
Short term

Contract
Freelancer

Duration
40 days

Mission description

SCOPE OF THE ASSIGNMENT

MAIN OBJECTIVES

 The overall programme of the CAP is mainly focused on supporting the MoE in the actual implementation of the Teacher Policy (TP)[1], both at policy, institutional, and operational level through the implementation of the new TP orientations regarding pre-service teacher training.

 The general objective of this assignment which is to support the elaboration of an internship programme for pre-service training is fully aligned with the main strategic objectives of the Education and Sports Sector Strategic Plan (2020/21 - 2024/25):

  • Ensure equitable access to quality and relevant education and training.
  • Guarantee the delivery of quality and relevant education and training.
  • Improve the efficiency and effectiveness of education and sports services at all levels.

 It also directly contributes to one of the measures listed in the 2019 Teacher Policy, which is the new requirement for teacher candidates to obtain a bachelor’s degree in education (3 years) and complete a one-year full-time internship and mentorship (implementation guidelines of the NTP).

The purpose of this assignment is to support the design and implementation of the 12-months practical teacher internship programme, targeting teacher students at the end of their 3-year initial training (bachelor’s degree).

 The specific objectives of the assignment are:

  • Provide an analysis of the technical and financial implications of the scaling up of teacher internship programme so that MoES and Uganda’s government has contextualized information
  • Provide a clearer vision of the options for a gradual implementation at scale of the teacher internship programme
  • Provide a roadmap describing the steps and modalities for the implementation of the teacher internship programme

 

METHODOLOGY & GENERAL APPROACH

 The indicative methodology is as follows but not limited to - the consultant is expected to propose a more in-depth methodology in its application.

In implementing this consultancy, the selected consultant will be able to carry out:

  • a rapid desk review of the main policy documents of the Ugandan education system (sector strategy, teacher policy, etc.).
  • a scoping meeting will be held with the country partner, Ugandan MoE and the Facility, which will be the subject of a short note outlining the work to be carried out, including the methodology and an updated timetable taken into account workshops and the distribution between remote work and in-country missions
  • key informant interviews (in-depth discussions with people who have relevant knowledge or experience of initial teacher training and internship programmes)
  • Focus Group Discussion - consultation of all the structures involved (TETD in coordination with UNITE and Teachers Training Institutions)

The above preliminary actions will enable the collection of the essential information needed to develop:

  • a feasibility study, including validation of the findings and main recommendations with the MoES during a 2-days workshop
  • a roadmap to implement the internship programme which includes its validation and endorsement by the MoES during a 2-days workshop
  • a policy brief to highlight the conclusions of the analysis and comparison of various internship programmes in comparable countries to be validated and disseminated by the Knowledge Management Unit of the Facility
  • a final report to take stock of the assignment, highlight the successes, good practices and potential difficulties encountered.

 A participatory approach will be necessary to ensure that (1) the products developed correspond to the real needs of the partner - relevance (2) the perspectives of all stakeholders are taken into account - consistency (3) the administrations concerned take ownership of the project, which will enhance the sustainability and effectiveness of the technical assistance.

 

MAIN DELIVERABLES

The specific deliverables under this consultancy are the following: 

1.Deliverable #1: inception report - a detailed methodology note including an outline of the work to be carried out (no longer than 4 pages)

2.Deliverable #2: feasibility study report that includes at least the following components:

  • an analysis of the existing (shorter) practical experiences in the current training programmes in the country, and lessons learnt including on gender issues
  • an analysis of similar programmes in comparable countries (in Eastern Africa preferably) and/or in other sectors (such as the health sector),
  • an analysis of the mandates and capacity of the national organizations that should lead the provision of the internship programme, and a proposed institutional scheme for its implementation,
  • an analysis of the general design options regarding the internships’ objectives, the human and financial resources needed (cost analysis), the institutional organization and implementing modalities,
  • a first identification of the criteria for schools to be eligible as “school of practice” 

3.Deliverable #3: a roadmap for the design and early implementation of the internship programme including gender considerations

4.Deliverable #4: a policy brief to document the good practices identified including gender considerations, based on the review of similar programme in practice training of student teachers implementing in other countries in the region and beyond (no longer than 3-4 pages).

5.Deliverable #5: a final report

Each deliverable will be validated by the MoE and the Facility.

The PowerPoint presentation and slides developed to facilitate workshops must be sent with deliverables.

 

TERMS OF IMPLEMENTATION

ESTIMATED NUMBER OF DAYS & GENERAL TIMELINE

 The service may include time spent working remotely on the design and formalization of certain deliverables as well as in-country mission days (up to 20 days).

 The proposed calendar for the assignment is as follows:

Deliverable

Estimated # of days

Planned Completion date

International Expert

National Expert

#1: Inception report

1

1

31 January 2025

#2: Feasibility study report 

15

15

23 February 2025 

#3: Roadmap for the design and early implementation of the programme

21

21

24 March 2025 

#4: Policy brief

2

2

26 March 2025 

#5 : Final report

1

1

27 March 2025

 Consultancy should not exceed 40 working days for each expert (international and national), i.e. 80 days for the 2 experts.

 

4.2 ROLES AND RESPONSABILITIES

 The Ministry of Education and Sport – under the leadership of the Teacher Education Training and Development department.

The Ministry will be responsible for:

  • Providing the documentation
  • Facilitating the meeting with the relevant stakeholders
  • Organizing the workshop and providing workspace
  • Comment on and approve deliverables

The Facility of the RTIA

The Facility will be responsible for:

  • Contracting and facilitating the onboarding of the consultant by providing all documents and resources available
  • Monitoring the Consultant's work from start to finish
  • Act as the main resource person for the Consultant
  • Ensure quality control of deliverables in collaboration with the Ministry's focal point for this consultation
  • Share deliverables with key stakeholders and contribute to internal and external Knowledge Management
  • Collect feedback and comments from stakeholders Acknowledge the validation of the deliverables by all parts
  • Evaluate the overall performance of the Consultant for this mandate.

The Consultant

The Consultant shall have full responsibility for:

  • Review and comment on these Terms of Reference (ToR)
  • Ensure that all deliverables comply with the guidelines formulated at the mission scoping meeting, in accordance with the agreed timetable
  • Notify the Regional Teachers' Facility immediately of any difficulties in implementing the assignment
  • The consultant must ensure that the stakeholders are consulted throughout the assignment
  • Behave with the highest levels of personal integrity and commitment to the required standards of conduct

[1] Ref. Facility results framework - Output 1.2.1 : strengthened capacity of MoE to desin and implement teacher policies, profesionnal norms and standards

Project or context description

 PRESENTATION OF THE FACILITY

The Regional Teachers Initiative for Africa (RTIA), a programme funded by the EU/EC via the Education section (G3) of DG INTPA aims to improve learning outcomes and the socio-emotional development of children in Africa, by having a more competent, motivated and inclusive teacher workforce in basic education.

 The RTIA will especially seek to achieve the following outcomes over the next 6 years:

1. Improve the governance, management, attractiveness, and gender balance of the teaching profession, with a strong focus on increased digitalisation and innovation.

2. Enhance the quality, relevance, and effectiveness of initial and continuous teacher professional development, notably through digital education, peer-to-peer learning approaches and regional collaboration.

Within RTIA, the Facility will support teacher policy and improve teacher education and professional development systems by i) providing capacity building at country level through technical assistance, ii) promoting innovation and scaling of effective teaching solutions; iii) increasing the production and use of data and evidence, and iv) promoting the use of regional frameworks, evidence-based practices, and joint learning at regional level.

The Facility will reach the above-mentioned objectives through 3 types of instruments or “windows”: i) a first window to deliver technical assistance on teacher governance and teacher education and professional development based on the demand from eligible partner countries, ii) a second window on testing and scaling effective programs for teacher education and professional development in the thematic areas of digital skills, gender, green skills, and pedagogical skills, including in the context of refugees and displaced population, iii) a research window (third) to create new evidence and support the integration of evidence in the policy making process and in the design of teacher education and professional development programs.

In addition to these windows the Facility’s knowledge management and communication activities will further contribute to the sharing of knowledge, evidence, and best practices related to the overall Initiative outcomes.

The Facility is funded by the European Union and co-implemented by the Partnership formed by three-member state agencies: Expertise France for France, Enabel, VVOB and APEFE for Belgium, EDUFI for Finland. Expertise France has been designated the Coordinating Agency for this Partnership. With the Facility governance scheme serving as the Initiative's governance scheme, it is expected that the Partnership will work closely with UNESCO and AUC, in charge of the other 2 components of the EU Initiative.

The first phase of the Facility (as well as the Initiative) is scheduled from February 2024 to January 2027 (36 months) with a total budget of 46.000.000 EUR.

Call for expert falls within the scope of window 1 on delivering Technical Assistance (TA) to support countries on specific thematic areas related to teacher policy and governance, as well as teacher education and professional development.

 

CONTEXT

CAP CONTEXT – ARTICULATION WITH PREVIOUS WORKS 

Upon request of the Ugandan Ministry of Education (MoE), the Facility of the RTIA is looking for a team of expert (international and national) to support the professionalization of teacher.

Received in May 2024, the country request was the starting point of technical discussions that resulted in the definition of an agreed programme of technical assistance called Country Action Plan (CAP) to be delivered to Uganda by the Facility.

The CAP was co-developed between the Facility International Team and the national partner (MoE), in consultation with other national and international partners developed on the foundations of the national education sector plan (ESP) and teacher policy. The CAP covers 3 technical areas of expertise, including pre-service training and training programme development. The related work package begins with a feasibility study aiming at providing inputs to the subsequent design phase of the 12-months internship programme which is a new requirement for teacher candidates as stipulated in the National Teacher Policy.

During the preparation of this CAP, other lines of actions have been considered in the discussions with the MoE, and in particular actions related to in-service training and ICT skills for teachers and teacher educators. These actions have not been selected because they are already supported by other international partners such as Enabel and UNESCO.

Required profile

EXPERTS’ PROFILES

 The study will be carried out by a pair of experts. Ideally, a team composed of a national and an international expert whose both meet the criteria would be the best arrangement. However, the international expert may still submit a proposal if he cannot propose a team made up of an international expert and a national expert. [Please refer to the call for individual national experts being launched in parallel to see the detailed profile.]

 The International Consultant must have the following Academic qualifications, Work experiences and Technical Knowledge and Skills.

 Academic qualification

  • Specialist in education sciences and/or policy exert or relevant discipline (level Master’s degree minimum);

 General work experience

  • At least 12 years' professional experience in the field of education (teaching, research, training, planning, evaluation, policy dialogue);
  • Proven knowledge and Experience of various education systems in East African in general, and Uganda in particular;

 Specific work experience  

At least 10 years' professional experience in the initial training of basic education teachers (pre-school to secondary school), preferably with experience in the sub-Saharan Africa;

  • Have carried out similar studies;
  • Sound knowledge of the issues involved in initial and in-service teacher training;
  • Proven experience in evaluating, analysing or implementing initial and in-service teacher training plans/strategies;
  • Good analytic and report-writing skills;

 Language Proficiency

  • Excellent written and spoken skills in English required;
  • Fluency in French is an asset;

 Interpersonnal and soft skills and experience

  • Ability to work effectively in a diverse and multi-cultural team to achieve goals;
  • Excellent analytical and summarizing skills and the ability to lead workshops or seminars;
  • The highest levels of personal integrity and commitment to adhering to required standards of conduct;

 Additional assets

  • Knowledge of gender equality and relevant policy frameworks, including legislation on equal opportunities between men and women.

 

 

Additional information

HOW TO APPLY & SELECTION PROCESS

 To be considered your application must include the following:

  •  your CV (following Europass template) and
  • a technical note explaining the assignment, detailing the methodology used and a description of the implementation (10 pages maximum). It should include a proposed distribution of roles and responsibilities between the national and the international, the expected added value of each consultant and the coordination arrangements. It must be written in English, and should be presented in A4 format, Times New Roman 12 font, 1.5 line spacing and sent in Word format. 
  • a sample of previous works (1 to 3 pieces) that you might have performed and that are similar to the above assignment. In each case, you should specify your role (main author, major contributions, minor contributions, etc.)
  • you must hold a valid passport throughout the length of your assignment
  • you must be willing to travel to Sub-Saharan African countries

 

®      Please note that the Facility applies its own daily rate in accordance with the current compensation grid. In this respect, fees will be calculated on the basis of the candidate’s status and experience.

 

Deadline for applications: 2025 January 5th, 23:59 PM Paris time (UTC+1)

The evaluation of the tenders received will be based in particular on the following criteria: (i) the candidate's diploma (ii), the candidate's experience in carrying out assignments that are relevant or similar to those specified in this call for applications, (iii) the candidate's understanding of the expectations of the assignment and the proposed intervention methodology.

For more information, please refer to the complete terms of reference attached.

“At Facility of the RTIA we value all experts as unique individuals, and we welcome the variety of experiences they bring to the Facility. As such, we have a strict non-discrimination policy. We believe everyone should be treated equally regardless of race, sex, gender identification, sexual orientation, national origin, native language, religion, age, disability, marital status, citizenship, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other characteristic protected by law. If you feel that you have been discriminated against, please let the Facility team know as soon as possible. Every complaint will be appropriately investigated”

 

Selection criteria for applications

The selection process for candidates will be based on the following criteria :

  • Candidate’s training/skills/experience
  • Candidate's knowledges related to local context (country or region intervention)
  • Candidate’s understanding of cooperation project stakes

Deadline for application : 2025/01/05 18:42

File(s) attached : 221124_1 International Expert ToR - Uganda 1.1.1.pdf

Expertise France is the public agency for designing and implementing international technical cooperation projects. The agency operates around four key priorities :

  • democratic, economic, and financial governance ;
  • peace, stability, and security ;
  • climate, agriculture, and sustainable development ;
  • health and human development ;

In these areas, Expertise France conducts capacity-building initiatives and manages project implementation, leveraging technical expertise and acting as a project coordinator. This involves combining public sector expertise with private sector skills to drive impactful results. 

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