UNITED NATIONS CHILDREN S FUND Office in Serbia is seeking qualified Consultant for supporting infusion of Disaster Risk Reduction across Education Curriculum for Primary and Secondary Schools in Serbia VN: 12-2015 The objective of the consultancy is support the process of integration of the DRR in education, mainly in infusion of DRR themes in School Curricula for Primary and Secondary education. Consultant will support work of the relevant national institutions in this domain. Duration of the assignment is from 20 April 2015 to 30 October 2015. The closing date for applications is 14 April 2015. Detailed Terms of Reference can be found on http://www.unicef.rs/oglasi-za-posao.html under Vacancies. Qualified candidates are requested to send their application to belgrade@unicef.org by 14 April 2015,ref. VN-12 Consultant for supporting infusion of Disaster Risk Reduction across Education Curriculum for Primary and Secondary Schools in Serbia, following: - P11 (P11 form can be downloaded from http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/files/p11.doc) - CV - Lump sum fee for the assignment with all costs included (including 3 planed trips within Serbia country with all transportation and DSA costs included regardless of the place and distance). Important note: Incomplete applications will not be taken into consideration. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted. UNICEF is a non-smoking environment. UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages qualified female and male candidates from all national, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities to apply. 1
UNICEF Serbia Terms of Reference Consultant for supporting infusion of Disaster Risk Reduction across Education Curriculum for Primary and Secondary Schools in Serbia 1. Background and purpose Serbia has been facing consequences of natural disasters for several years, primarily due to floods, landslides and earthquakes. Most recently, several times during 2014, floods caused major damage in some parts of the country and unfortunately took dozens of lives. The heaviest consequences came during and after the river spills in May 2014, leaving long-term damage. In addition, new wave of heavy rains in September 2014 caused new floods both in already affected areas, but also in other municipalities. It is estimated that over 32,000 people 1 had to flee from their homes and seek safety in collective centers or their relatives or friends homes. The floods destroyed many farms and arable lands, while industry was completely stalled and only partially activated in months after the floods. The economy sustained enormous damage, additionally affecting lives of people in these areas in long term, while people from vulnerable groups and children are mostly exposed. UNICEF responded immediately in May 2014 by joining the activities to reduce damage and to provide assistance to evacuated people from affected areas. The activities were primarily directed to the areas of water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), child protection and education, in line with its Core Corporate Commitments and its designated leadership areas. In close cooperation and coordination with the Government, notably the ministries responsible for health, education and social welfare, as well as with local authorities and other UN agencies and NGOs, UNICEF has been providing support to the most affected families and children in the flooded areas. UNICEF together with its partners provided childfriendly spaces to roughly 700 vulnerable children and their families in collective centers in Obrenovac and Belgrade. These spaces offered children safe, recreational and psycho-social support during the time they were displaced from their homes. As a direct response to the needs of affected children and families, in coordination with the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development (MoESTD), UNICEF distributed new textbooks and basic back-to-school supplies for primary school students in Obrenovac at the beginning of the school year 2014/15. Reconstruction and rehabilitation of damaged schools and pre-schools started in August 2014 and all children from the flooded areas were enabled to continue their disrupted education process, either by starting the school year in rehabilitated school buildings or by being temporary transferred to the closest school. The most important task was to secure that all children can continue their education from the very beginning of the new school year. UNICEF continues to coordinate its activities with the Government of the Republic of Serbia, especially in the phase of post disaster recovery. The other aspect of UNICEF engagement directed to minimize the impact of disasters on vulnerable communities is support of various disaster risk reduction (DRR) activities and programmes. These include building the capacity of the education sector to provide children with appropriate knowledge on natural 1 Report on Natural Disaster Floods that Affected the Republic of Serbia and Measures Taken to Rescue Population and to Defend Affected Areas, The Government of the Republic of Serbia, July 2014: http://www.parlament.gov.rs/upload/archive/files/cir/pdf/akta_procedura/2014/2220-14.pdf 2
hazards facing their communities and ensuring that schools and children can respond efficiently in case of disaster. Investing in DRR strategies improves the resilience of communities to cope with recurring disasters and keep children in school. In this regard, DRR and climate change adaptation measures in schools ensure reduction of children s vulnerability before, during and after emergencies. Evidence is growing that students of all ages can learn about and participate in school safety measures and work with teachers and other adults to minimize risk before, during and after disasters. Against a background of increasing incidence and scale of disaster, the Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA) 2005-2015 was adopted by 168 governments in January 2005 at the World Conference on Disaster Reduction held in Kobe, Japan. Sub-titled Building the Resilience of Nations and Communities to Disasters, HFA lays out a strategic and systematic approach to reducing risk from natural hazard incorporating strategic goals, priorities for action and key activities. While each of the five priorities carries implications for school systems, schools and other learning institutions, HFA priority 3 is of most direct relevance to education. Priority 3 calls upon governments, regional and international organizations and other stakeholders including local jurisdictions and communities to use knowledge, innovation and education to build a culture of safety and resilience at all levels and identifies the following school-related key activities: Inclusion of disaster risk reduction knowledge in relevant sections of school curricula at all levels. Implementation of local risk assessment and disaster preparedness programmes in schools and institutions of higher education. Implementation of programmes and activities in schools for learning how to minimize the effects of hazards. The legal framework of the Republic of Serbia provides a solid ground to plan future measures and programs of education and training in DRR. The Law on Emergency Situations has been amended in 2012 2, while the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia adopted in 2011 the National Strategy for the Protection and Rescue in Emergency Situations 3. The National Strategy is in line with the priority of the Hyogo Framework for Action 2005-2015, which addresses education of children on DRR and reduction of their underlying vulnerability as priorities 4. During 2014, Institute for Improvement of Education and EU project Support Human Capital Development and Research, have done revision of learning outcomes for primary education. Outcomes for sustainable development have been integrated in revised learning outcomes, with the support of the Regional Environmental Centres, which is a step forward in integrating DRR principles in the curriculum. Institute for Improvement of Education is coordinating working groups which are developing learning outcomes in primary and secondary schools which includes representatives of the Institute and experts in different fields. Since there is no relevant experience in DRR related topics, the Institute has addressed UNICEF to provide consultant who will support the work of the existing working groups in this process. As the next step, UNICEF will support the process of integration of the DRR aspects in learning outcomes in primary and secondary education, building on the achievements in the area of sustainable development. For that purpose, a consultant will be hired who will base its work on all dimensions for DRR learning in schools. 5 2 http://www.fb.bg.ac.rs/download/download/zakon%20o%20vs.pdf 3 http://www.mup.gov.rs/cms_lat/sadrzaj.nsf/nacionalna_strategija_zastite_i_spasavanja_u_vanrednim_situacijama_lat.pdf 4 UNISDR, 2005. The Hyogo Framework for Action. UNISDR, Geneva. 5 http://www.unicef.org/education/files/drrincurricula-mapping30countriesfinal.pdf 3
2. Objectives of the Purchase Order Purpose of this consultancy is to support the process of integration of the DRR in education, mainly in infusion of DRR themes in School Curricula for primary and secondary education. Consultant will support work of the relevant national institutions in this domain. 3. Specific Scope of Activities The DRR Consultant will be engaged in the following activities (not limited to): 1. Analysis of international practice and national curricula in primary and secondary education (general subjects in general secondary and VET schools), identifying existing content related to natural disasters and risk reduction, identifying advantages and disadvantages of curricula in relation to DRR with accent on outcome-based education and identification of potential entries for DRR content 2. Preparing recommendations for infusion of knowledge and competencies relevant for protection from hazards, disasters and risk reduction in existing learning outcomes or defining new standards/learning outcomes for the end of primary education and for general subjects in secondary education 3. Supporting the Institute for Education Improvement on designing learning outcomes 4. Preparing Handbook for teachers with examples on integration of the DRR related content in curriculum and delivering the ToT. Consultant will work in close cooperation with the Institute for the Improvement of Education Quality, MoESTD and UNICEF. 4. Deliverables and deadlines: Duration of the contract is from 20 April 2015 to 30 October 2015. Activities/Deliverables Deadline 1 Analysis of international practice on integrating DRR in 30 April curricula conducted 2 Analysis of existing curricula for primary and general secondary 10 May education conducted and mapped potential entries for DRR content 3 Training of the working groups of the Institute for 20 May Improvement of Education for infusion of DRR into curricula 4 Supporting WGs to prepare draft proposal of learning 20 June outcomes for primary and general secondary education 5 Consultations with MoESTD, UNICEF, schools conducted 30 June 6 Final version of proposal of learning outcomes for primary and 10 July general secondary education prepared 7 ToT scenario for teachers prepared 20 July 8 Report on realized ToT prepared 30 July 9 Draft of Handbook for teachers with examples prepared 30 August 10 Consultations with Institute for Improvement of Education, 15 September MoESTD and UNICEF conducted 11 Final version of Handbook for teachers with examples prepared 15 October (Serbian) 12 Final report on performed tasks submitted to UNICEF (up to 2 pages, English) 30 October 4
5. Requirements University degree in education, social sciences or relevant field. Minimum 10 years of work experience in the education sector in the area of education quality and curricular reform. Knowledge in working in education for sustainable development and/or disaster risk reduction will be an asset Knowledge of current key developments and situation in natural disaster, response and preparedness in education sector Excellent analytical, communication and planning skills. Ability to work in English and Serbian, spoken and written. Good ability in partnering and networking. 6. Performance indicators for evaluation of results Quality of specific deliverable will be used as a basis for evaluation of contractor s performance along with standard indicators, such as timely realization of activities, working relations, etc. 7. Definition of supervision arrangements Consultant will be supervised by the UNICEF Education Specialist. 8. Estimated duration of the assignment Duration of the contract is from 20 of April 2015 to 30 October 2015. 9. Travel The consultant will be required to travel approximately 3 times within the contractual period. DSA and travel costs will be included into the overall cost of the contract. Method of payment: Estimated number of days for this assignment is 30 working days. Consultant needs to provide lump sum fee for the assignment with all costs included (travel, DSA ). The consultant shall receive a fee in RSD (applying UN exchange rate of the month) through bank transfer. Payment will be conducted as follows: - 50% upon the deliverable of the deliverable 6 - Final version of proposal of learning outcomes for primary and general secondary education prepared - 50% upon completion of the assignment 10. UNICEF resource in the case of unsatisfactory performance The Consultant s fee may be reduced if the assignments / deliverables are not fulfilled to the required standard. In case of serious dissatisfaction with the assistant s performance the contract may be terminated in line with UNICEF procedure in such matters and as spelled out in contract. 5