ICC-Strengthing ESD, GCED in Education in Pakistan (Islamabad, Pakistan) contract

Parent Sector : Education

Duty Station: Islamabad

Classification of duty station: Field Office

Standard Duration of Assignement : 30 person-days over a period of three months

Type of contract : Individual Consultant Contract

Duration of contract : 30 person-days over a period of three months

Recruitment open to : External as well as internal

Application Deadline (Midnight Paris Time) : 06-Jan- 2025

UNESCO Core Values: Commitment to the Organization, Integrity, Respect for Diversity, Professionalism

Note: To ensure a smooth application process, applicants must ensure that their application includes a cover letter, CV, financial proposal, and technical proposal as outlined in the ‘How to Apply’ section. Failure to include any of these documents may result in disqualification.

The UNESCO Office in Pakistan is seeking to engage a National Consultant to design and implement a customized three-day capacity-building programme aimed at equipping 45 teachers and head teachers from UNESCO’s Associated Schools Network (ASPnet) in Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) with the pedagogical knowledge, skills, and tools necessary to effectively deliver content on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) and Global Citizenship Education (GCED) in Pakistan. The programme will empower educators to integrate ESD and GCED principles into both curricular and extracurricular activities, fostering students’ understanding of critical global issues such as environmental sustainability, tolerance, social justice, human rights, and cultural diversity. This initiative aims to inspire and enable students to actively contribute to building a sustainable, inclusive, and peaceful society.

To ensure the long-term impact of this capacity-building programme, teachers and head teachers will receive ongoing, hands-on facilitation and support within their respective school environments. This on-the-job assistance will provide a critical link between theoretical knowledge gained during the capacity-building programme and its practical application in classrooms. Through guidance, mentoring, and feedback, teachers and head teachers will gain the confidence to apply new skills, adapt teaching methods to diverse student needs, and create inclusive, value-based learning experiences that support sustainable and transformative education.

Background: 

UNESCO’s global approach to ESD and GCED seeks to deliver inclusive, equitable, and quality education that empowers learners to build a sustainable and peaceful world. Aligned with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4, Target 4.7, UNESCO emphasizes principles of human rights, gender equality, cultural diversity, and non-violence in promoting global citizenship and sustainable development.

In Pakistan, UNESCO has been supporting the Government’s efforts to integrate ESD and GCED into education policies, sector plans, and curricula. In June 2023, the UNESCO Office in Pakistan commissioned a research study to assess the integration of ESD and GCED in the primary and secondary curriculum and textbooks in Punjab, focusing on their alignment with global challenges like environmental sustainability, tolerance, social justice, human rights, and diversity. A key recommendation from the study is to integrate ESD and GCED into both pre-service and in-service teacher training to equip educators with essential pedagogical skills for delivering ESD and GCED content effectively. The study advocates for a student-centered, comprehensive, and gender-responsive approach that encourages active engagement with local communities, enhancing the relevance and impact of ESD and GCED in classrooms.

ASPnet in Pakistan includes 261 schools, with 42 in the ICT, which incorporate ESD and GCED principles in their teaching and learning practices. However, teachers and head teachers in these schools require capacity-building support to strengthen their skills in this area. In line with the study’s recommendations, the UNESCO Office in Pakistan is planning to develop and implement a customized capacity-building programme aimed at enhancing the capacities of teachers and head teachers in ASPnet schools in ICT. 
 

SCOPE OF THE ASSIGNMENT

Under the overall authority of the Officer-in-Charge of the UNESCO Office in Pakistan and the supervision of the Head of the Education, the National Consultant will perform the following duties:

Design Phase:
a. Conduct a comprehensive desk review of UNESCO ESD and GCED-related frameworks, policies, and guidelines to ensure the capacity-building programme aligns with global standards and best practices. Identify key concepts, themes, and approaches that will enrich the programme’s scope.
b. Analyze the existing landscape of capacity-building activities and the current implementation of ESD and GCED principles in ASPnet schools, highlighting successes, gaps, and opportunities. Based on this analysis, develop a structured and contextually relevant capacity-building plan that aligns with both global standards and local needs.
c. Develop a localized capacity-building curriculum that integrates the principles of ESD and GCED with the socio-cultural and educational context of ICT. Ensure alignment with UNESCO frameworks, emphasizing actionable strategies for teachers and head teachers.
d. Prepare a comprehensive capacity-building manual for teachers, headteachers, and facilitators, incorporating theoretical underpinnings, practical applications, and follow-up activities to sustain learning outcomes.
e. Design interactive and participatory capacity-building materials, including multimedia presentations, user-friendly handouts, real-life case studies, practical exercises, and engaging activities, tailored to the target audience’s needs and capacity levels.
f. Develop a comprehensive strategy to support teachers and head teachers in implementing ESD and GCED principles in their schools following the capacity-building programme. This strategy should include actionable steps, mentorship, access to relevant resources, and a robust feedback mechanism to ensure effective application and sustainability.

Implementation Phase:
a. Collaborate with the Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) and the Pakistan National Commission for UNESCO (PNCU) to finalize the selection and nomination of 45 teachers and head teachers from ICT schools. Ensure that the selection process promotes diversity and inclusivity.
b. Organize and deliver a three-day, in-person capacity-building workshop at a designated school, ensuring that the venue and facilities are conducive to participatory and experiential learning.
c. Facilitate interactive capacity-building sessions using engaging methodologies that foster active participation and knowledge-sharing among teachers and head teachers.
d. Employ diverse adult-learning methodologies, including group discussions, role-playing exercises, case studies, scenario-based learning, and multimedia tools, to accommodate different learning styles and enhance understanding.
e. Provide participants with practical tools, strategies, and examples to integrate ESD and GCED principles into their classroom teaching practices, ensuring immediate applicability and support.
f. Provide on-site facilitation to teachers and head teachers through school visits, offering tailored guidance and support within the classroom setting to enhance the practical application of capacity-building programme concepts. Conduct at least one visit to each school in ICT where a teacher has participated in the capacity-building programme.
g. Compile a report on delivery of capacity-building for review and feedback of UNESCO education team.

Monitoring and Evaluation:
a. Design and administer pre- and post- capacity-building assessment tools to evaluate the participants’ baseline knowledge, skills, and attitudes, as well as the learning gains achieved through the programme.
b. Collect and analyze participant feedback using surveys, focus group discussions, and observation methods to identify strengths, gaps, and areas for improvement in the capacity-building programme.
c. Compile a project completion report, including key findings, feedback analysis, challenges encountered, recommendations for future capacity-building activities, and an impact assessment based on pre- and post-assessment results.

The National Consultant shall submit the following deliverables to their supervisor(s) before each payment on the tasks undertaken and accomplished in line with the above-mentioned scope of assignment.

1. Inception report: The inception report will highlight the consultant’s understanding of the capacity-building programme, outlines the approach and methodology to be used, and provides a detailed plan for the assignment. Submission by the end of second week after signing date of the contract.

2. Capacity-building curriculum and manual and on-the-job facilitation strategy: The capacity-building curriculum will be based on principles of ESD and GCED as per the contextual relevance of Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT). The capacity-building manual will consist of theoretical concepts and methodology, practical applications, and follow-up activities. It will also contain training materials, including multimedia presentations, user-friendly handouts, real-life case studies, practical exercises, and engaging activities, tailored to the target audience’s needs and capacity levels.
On-the-job facilitation strategy to provide hands-on support to teachers as they apply the principles of ESD and GCED in their classrooms.
Submission: by the end of fourth week of the contract.

3. Report on delivery of Capacity-Building: The capacity-building report will document the design, delivery, and outcomes of the capacity-building programme, providing insights and recommendations for future initiatives. Submission: by the end of tenth week of the contract.

4. Project completion report: The report will provide a comprehensive overview of the project’s completion progress, including details of the facilitation provided to schools. It will also highlight practical, context-specific interventions implemented at schools to enhance teaching and learning practices. Additionally, the report will describe how individual challenges faced by teachers and head teachers in applying capacity-building concepts in the classroom were effectively addressed.
Submission: by the end of thirteenth week of the contract.

Education:

Master’s degree in Education, Social Sciences, Development Studies, or related fields is mandatory.

Professional Experience:

It is mandatory that the National Consultant has:
a. At least 5 years of progressively responsible professional experience in designing, implementing, and delivering teacher capacity development programmes, with a strong preference for expertise in ESD and GCED.

Skills and Competencies:

a. Excellent communication, analytical, and report-writing skills. 
b. Proficiency in MS Office (Word, Excel, Teams, Outlook, PowerPoint).
c. Good knowledge and understanding of government functioning.
d. Ability to take initiative, establish priorities and capacity to work efficiently under pressure.
e. Comfortable with working in a multicultural workplace, ability to work in a team to achieve shared objectives.
f. Strong understanding about the educational landscape in Pakistan.
 

Language skills:

Fluency in English and Urdu is required, with proficiency in any other local languages spoken in the area being an added advantage.
 

It is desirable that the consultant has:
a. Demonstrated ability to implement large-scale, sustainable capacity-building initiatives in the education sector, with measurable impact on teaching quality and learner outcomes. Provide detailed information on all capacity-building initiatives implemented in the education sector.
b. Extensive hands-on experience in designing and developing capacity-building curricula and supplementary resources tailored to the needs of diverse audiences within the education sector.