BACKGROUND

The Regional Teacher 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 Ministry of Education in Ghana, through the NaCCA and the NTC, sent a request for technical assistance to the RTIA Facility in May 2025. Following the approval of the request, two experts from the RTIA Facility went to Accra in June 2025 to co-develop the Country Action Plan (CAP) with directors and technicians of the NaCCA, the NTC and representatives of other agencies and directions in the Ministry of Education. During this mission, the technical areas and the thematics presented in the request were confirmed. One component of the CAP will focus on green skills, looking at enhancing teachers’ knowledge, skills and capacities in environmental education and protection; the other component will aim at developing a policy for teachers’ mental health and wellbeing. Despite the fact that the two components are not related, the CAP development process provided an opportunity for the NaCCA and the NTC to work together; and it was decided to continue the collaboration for the CAP implementation.

The CAP is addressing both the area of teachers’ governance and teachers’ education and professional development. The two components target teachers from KG to senior high; as both the green skills framework and the policy for teachers’ mental health and wellbeing include generic components for all teachers.  

Discussions during the CAP development enabled to define a broader ambition for the green skills framework. The objective is not only to enhance teachers’ green skills and capacities to deliver on green components embedded in the curriculum, but also to raise their awareness on environmental issues and the necessity to act for the protection of the environment. By transforming teachers into activists, it is hoped that they will also contribute to sensitize and motivate the young generations to act for reducing the environmental damages in their immediate environment. The inclusion of a green schools’ benchmark is a first step for identifying concrete actions to implement in the school environment. 

Overall, the CAP first component (“green skills”) responds to the implementation gaps of Policy Objective 2.2.2, which calls for “ensuring that environmental, social, and sustainability goals are integrated into all levels of education”, by aiming at equipping teachers with the skills, tools, and frameworks necessary to deliver green education effectively.

MISSION

The technical assistance aims at facilitating and supporting the framework design process for teachers' green skills competencies.

The main expected result is the green skills competency framework itself, with different components defined with NaCCA on expected knowledge, abilities, values and attitudes to be built within the teaching profession for delivering the green components of the curriculum, but also, more broadly, for supporting a sustainable society and motivating children and youth to do so. Components related to green schools might also be developed, including strategies for community engagement and practical and realistic examples of green initiatives at school level. 

Prior to this process, a study has been carried out to identify past and current green initiatives to build on in the education sector in Ghana; as well as a benchmark of similar initiatives in the continent and globally. It also included consultations of teachers to get an insight of their level of knowledge and of interest for environmental protection. This study intends to nurture technical discussions and the framework’s design.   

The technical assistance will also support the development of the framework operationalisation plan, a framework monitoring system, as well as an advocacy note to promote fundraising and relevant public private partnerships, especially for the green schools' initiatives.  

A team of two experts (one international, one national) will deliver the technical assistance, working together on the framework development and operationalisation plan. They will also have specific tasks: the international expert will develop the advocacy note(s), and the national expert will work with NaCCA MEAL team to develop the framework monitoring system.

DELIVERABLES

1. Inception report/note, including an outline of the work to be carried out (no longer than 2-3 pages). The international expert will agree with the national expert on respective tasks and responsibilities (to be included in this report).
2. PP presentation on the proposed process and format of the framework (including roles and responsibilities, timeline, preliminary discussions on monitoring, dimensions of operationalization etc.). Jointly developed by the national and international experts, this presentation aims at getting stakeholders’ validation both on the framework format and its development process.
3. Green skills competency framework: This is the main product resulting from the technical working sessions, based on the validated format during the inception. The contents will be defined with the technical groups involved in the design. The international and national experts will work together on the framework components’ development, with specific tasks and responsibilities as defined in the inception report.
4. Framework Operationalisation plan: This plan will include milestones, timeline, roles and responsibilities, resources needed, and a risks’ matrix. The international and national experts will work together on the framework operationalisation plan, with specific tasks and responsibilities as defined in the inception report.
5. Advocacy note(s), targeting donors and/or private sector. Depending on the resources needed (identified in the operationalisation plan), there might be a need for further funding for some activities. It might also be important to get support from the private sector for implementing initiatives at the school level. The number, audience and purpose of the advocacy notes will be defined during the operationalisation plan design.
6. Technical memo documenting the framework development process: This memo is an internal document with learning purposes for the Facility and the MoE.
7. Mission final report (for the RTIA facility.)

DURATION OF THE MISSION

Preparation

• International expert: 3 days
• National expert: 2 days

On-site work

• International expert: 15 days
• National expert: 15 days

Distance work

• International expert: 22 days
• National expert: 23 days

Total

• International expert: 40 days
• National expert: 40 days

ESTIMATED CALENDAR

1. Inception report/note: 10 November 2025.
2. PP presentation: 20 November 2025.
3. Green skills competency framework: 10 January 2026.
4. Presentation framework (for validation): 15 January 2026.
5. Framework Operationalisation plan: 1 February 2026.
6. Advocacy note(s): 20 February 2026.
7. Technical memo: 28 February 2026.
8. Mission final report: 28 February 2026.

GENERAL APPROACH AND METHODOLOGY

The general approach and methodology described below are indicative and non-exclusive. The expert must develop the methodology he/she intends to use in his/her application. 

General approach

The international expert will work closely with the NaCCA team and a national expert, who will bring his/her knowledge of the context (initiatives, actors…), but also contribute to ensure that all the propositions are actually responding to needs, are pragmatic and doable, in different geographic areas and education realities in Ghana. 

Consultation and coordination between the two experts will be expected throughout the consultancy, to define the division of tasks, roles and responsibilities and ensure coordinated interactions with national counterparts and stakeholders. If collaboration and co-development are expected for producing the different deliverables, it is suggested that each expert takes the lead on specific components building on their expertise and previous experience. 

A participatory approach with the NaCCA is essential, to ensure that what is proposed is in line with their needs and promote ownership. It is recommended the experts have regular working sessions with technicians of the NaCCA, as well as validation sessions for each component of the framework.  

Methodology

The expert recruited must :  

• Review the main policy documents of the Ghanean education system (in particular the sector strategy and teaching policy).  
• Take into account the findings of the study done in preparation to the framework development on green initiatives
• Participate in a scoping meeting with the NaCCA focal points, the national expert and the Facility. Following this meeting, the expert will propose a brief note describing the work to be carried out, including the methodology and an updated timetable. This note will describe precisely the specific and respective responsibilities of the national expert and the international expert, and how they will coordinate their work. 
• Co-facilitate with the national expert working sessions with technicians and stakeholders identified by the NaCCA on the framework development process and the framework format
• Develop a presentation for the process and format to be validated
• Co-facilitate with the national expert working sessions with technicians and stakeholders identified by the NaCCA on the framework components’ development
• Develop presentations for the framework components’ validation
• Co-facilitate with the national expert working sessions with technicians and stakeholders identified by the NaCCA to develop the framework operationalization plan
• Develop a presentation for the framework operationalization plan to be validated
• Develop advocacy notes targeting donors and the private sector, based on the resources needed for the framework implementation.

Throughout the mission, the two experts are expected to have technical discussions with the Facility. The deliverables will be validated by the NaCCA and the Facility. 

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The NaCCA

• Providing all the documentation required for the desk review and the preparation of the field work
• Facilitating the organization of (virtual) meetings with relevant stakeholders  
• Facilitating the logistics for the field work (authorization to access schools, information shared with participants etc.)
• Commenting on and approving deliverables.   

 The RTIA Facility

• Contracting and facilitating the integration of the consultant by providing all available documents and resources 
• Supporting and monitoring the consultant's work from start to finish  
• Acting as the consultant's main resource person  
• Ensuring quality control of deliverables in collaboration with the NaCCA’s focal points 
• Acknowledging final validation of deliverables by all parties 
• Evaluating the consultant's overall performance under this mandate.   

The expert

• Reviewing and commenting on these Terms of Reference (ToR)   
• Ensuring that all deliverables comply with the guidelines set out at the scoping meeting, in line with the agreed timetable  
• Informing the Facility immediately of any difficulties encountered in implementing the mission  
• Ensuring that stakeholders are consulted throughout the assignment
• Behaving with the highest level of personal integrity and committing to the required standards of conduct.